The average Canadian defined benefit pension plan saw improvements on a solvency and accountancy basis in December, according to LifeWorks Inc.’s latest monthly report. It found the average plan saw its solvency index rise to a new high of 112.1 per cent, up from 110.4 per cent at the end of November. Its balance sheet […]
How the City of Toronto is continuing to support employee mental health in these uncertain times took the top spot over the past week on BenefitsCanada.com. Here are the five most popular news stories of the week: 1. How the City of Toronto is supporting employee mental health in 2022 and beyond 2. Why CPP premiums are getting […]
The Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan is exchanging a property portfolio for a stake in a new real estate investment trust. Under the terms of the deal, eight properties — which a recent appraisal valued at $800 million — were given by the HOOPP to the Toronto-based Primaris Management Inc. In exchange, the HOOPP received […]
The largest defined benefit pension plans in the U.S. saw average funded status improve by eight per cent in 2021, according to a new report by Willis Towers Watson. It found the country’s largest DB pension plans saw their average funded statuses reach 96 per cent last year, higher than at any point since 2007. […]
The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec is investing $100 million in a subscription commerce platform company. The investment in AppDirect Capital will be used to accelerate the growth of the AppSmart Invest program, a recently launched business-facing online technology marketplace that connects buyers with expert advisors. The marketplace is designed to help subscribing […]
However long the social, political and economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic may last, humanity and its economic systems have weathered the storm exceptionally well, said David Frum, a political commentator and senior editor at The Atlantic, during the keynote address at the Canadian Investment Review‘s 2021 Investment Innovation Conference. “We just put the entire world […]
Asset managers that incorporate climate change into their investment processes are increasingly looking beyond commitments to net zero and exploring the impact on asset valuation, said Michelle Dunstan, chief responsibility officer at AllianceBernstein, during a session at the Canadian Investment Review‘s 2021 Investment Innovation Conference. “A changing climate can be described both in terms of […]
With many defined benefit pension plan solvency ratios at all-time highs, plan sponsors have an excellent opportunity to rethink their approach to investing, according to Shivin Kwatra, head of liability-driven investing portfolio management at Insight Investments. “It is important to highlight two approaches to investing: one [is] traditional — a mean variance framework of maximizing […]
The OPSEU Pension Trust is shifting toward responsible investing as environmental, social and governance factors become increasingly more material to returns for institutional investors. “We’re seeing a lot of shifting sands around consumer preferences and expectations,” said Alison Loat, managing director of sustainable investing and innovation at OPTrust, during a session at the Canadian Investment Review‘s […]
Institutional investors can play a role in reconciliation efforts by embracing the growth opportunities presented by Canada’s Indigenous communities, according to Kevin Thomas, chief executive officer of the Shareholder Association for Research and Education. Joined by Mark Sevestre, senior advisor and founding member of the National Aboriginal Trust Officers Association, during a session at the […]