Canada’s pension funds are shifting asset management functions in-house while becoming more strategic about oversight of external managers, according to a new survey from CIBC Mellon. It found pension funds are increasing the portion of assets and investment activities managed in-house to 28 per cent from 22 per cent, with the majority of pension funds […]
Scotiabank is renewing its lease for up to 1.1 million square feet of space in two buildings, including the iconic Scotia Plaza, located in the heart of downtown Toronto, which is owned and operated by the Alberta Investment Management Corp. and KingSett Capital Inc. The bank has renewed 560,000 square feet of space in Scotia […]
The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board is one of three investors entering a partnership with real estate developer SKR to develop, own and operate a purpose-built rental multi-family project in São Paulo, Brazil. The 220-unit mixed-use project is expected to be completed in 2023, according to a press release. Other investors include Cyrela Brazil Realty […]
The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board is forming a joint venture with Greystar Real Estate Partners to pursue multi-family real estate development opportunities in target markets in the U.S. The CPPIB has invested US$350 million in equity to the joint venture for a 90 per cent stake and Greystar has allocated US$39 million for the remaining 10 per cent. Greystar will manage […]
A rally on the stock market in the fourth quarter helped boost the strength of Canadian defined benefit pension plans to end 2020, according to a new report by Mercer Canada. The consulting firm said its pension health index, which represents the solvency ratio of a hypothetical DB plan, rose to 114 per cent at […]
The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec is investing an additional US$1 billion in Invenergy Renewables, a developer and operator of wind and solar projects across North America. The commitment, in the form of new investment facilities, will support Invenergy’s expanded development activities and continued growth, according to a press release. The Caisse began […]
Central banks slowing their quantitative easing policies and economic improvements off the back of wide-scale vaccination efforts should both provide bond yields with a modest boost in 2021. But that won’t give defined benefit pension plan sponsors much relief. “You hear the phrase ‘low for long’ and I would agree we’re in an extended period […]
Quebec-based pension fund Bâtirente has reduced the carbon footprint of its equities by more than 22 per cent of its benchmark portfolios, according to the fund’s latest analysis. It also found that as of Dec. 31, 2019, the fund’s carbon footprint was down 12 per cent from the previous year, due to improved equity selections […]
Despite several bumps in the decade since the 2008/09 financial crisis, the swift and brutal crash in global equity prices when the coronavirus was declared a pandemic sent pension investors reaching for their playbooks to implement defensive strategies to mitigate the damage. “People have worked very hard at just acting on the set strategies that […]
The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and Hudson Pacific Properties Inc. are purchasing an office tower in Seattle for US$625 million. The property is 98 per cent leased with Amazon.com Inc. occupying a majority of the building. It’s the latest investment in Seattle real estate by the partnership, which also jointly owns the nearby Hill7 office tower. “We’re pleased […]