The aggregate funded ratio for Canadian pension plans in the S&P/TSX composite index declined to 105.5 per cent in the first quarter of 2025, compared to 107.5 per cent at the end of the previous quarter, according to a new report from Aon. Pensions assets lost about 0.5 per cent over the period. In a […]
The Alberta Investment Management Corp. is reporting a total fund net investment return of 12.3 per cent, roughly 1.5 per cent below its 13.8 per cent benchmark return. As at Dec. 31, 2024, its total assets under management were $179.6 billion, compared to $160.6 billion at the end of 2023. The investment organization’s balanced fund […]
Private equity allocations are increasing to 12 per cent in the asset mix of U.S.-based institutional investors while public equities reached 38 per cent in 2024, according to a new report by Crisil Coalition Greenwich. In 2024, fixed income (29 per cent) and U.S. equities (19 per cent) were the leading assets among U.S. defined […]
An article on a survey that found four in 10 employees have taken mental-health leave was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com this past week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the last week: 1. Survey finds four in 10 employees have taken mental-health leave 2. Investment volatility increasing […]
Home-country bias is a conversation that ebbs and flows, with U.S. investment returns since the 2008/09 financial crisis reigniting the conversation, said Jon Knowles, institutional portfolio manager in global asset allocation at Fidelity Investments. However, it’s important to ask how to appropriately deal with home-country bias against a backdrop where one market and limited diversification […]
The Public Sector Pension Investment Board is selling a minority stake in AGS Airports to alternative asset manager Blackstone Inc. The deal will give Blackstone a 22 per cent stake in the firm. Airport operator AviAlliance, a wholly-owned subsidiary of PSP Investments, remains as majority shareholder with a 78 per cent stake. “We are pleased […]
Increased investment volatility could trigger additional questions on the decisions of Canadian pension funds as governance reviews come into focus, says Level Chan, a partner in the pensions practice at Stewart McKelvey. “Where there’s greater volatility, we could expect that triggering more questions about how pension plans are weathering the storm.” When responding to additional […]
The Public Sector Pension Investment Board is appointing Caroline Vermette as senior vice-president and chief financial officer and Alexandre Roy as senior vice-president and chief risk officer. Vermette brings more than 20 years of financial leadership to the investment organization. Most recently, she was senior vice-president of internal audit at the National Bank of Canada. […]
An article on an Ontario court’s decision that an employer’s return-to-workplace request amounted to constructive dismissal was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com this past week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the last week: 1. Ontario court rules employer’s return-to-workplace request amounts to constructive dismissal 2. Nestle, Unifor […]
The British Columbia Investment Management Corp. is overseeing $2 billion on behalf of a not-for-profit organization representing the financial interest of 325 First Nations across Canada. The Four Pillars Society has selected the BCI to oversee an investment mandate established as part of a $2.8 billion settlement fund granted by the Government of Canada for […]