One academic argues in favour of public equity’s transparency in a volatile economy, while another looks to private equity’s future gains. Yuanshun Li, associate professor, interim chair, finance, Toronto Metropolitan University In today’s climate of persistent inflation, uneven global growth and a recent pivot towards monetary easing, investors are rightly re-evaluating risk. While private equity […]
Size matters when it comes to Canada’s much-vaunted model of pension investment. Sebastien Betermier, an associate professor of finance at McGill University’s Desautels Faculty of Management, says the in-house capabilities and direct, private-asset investment that characterize the approach pioneered by the Maple 8 aren’t replicable by just any pension fund. “You need to be really […]
The funded status of a typical defined benefit pension plan in Canada increased on both a solvency basis and on an accounting basis in September, according to a new report by Telus Health. The solvency index for plans grew to 107.4 per cent, compared to 105.8 per cent at the end of August, while the […]
An article on how Canadian institutional investors are approaching risk management amid increasing political tension with the U.S. 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. Expert asks whether institutional investors are prepared for risks in evolving […]
While the role of asset-based lending in an investment portfolio is as a core allocation within the private credit sleeve, it isn’t meant to be opportunistic, according to Alex Preobrazenski, managing director and underwriting and portfolio manager at Cortland Credit, during a session at the Canadian Investment Review’s 2025 Alternative Investment Conference. “You’re not seeking double-digit […]
The basis of sustainable investing relies on risk management and understanding long-term opportunities, said Bertrand Millot (pictured left), head of sustainability at the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, during a panel session at the Canadian Investment Review’s 2025 Alternative Investment Conference. “We need to understand how our portfolio is positioned in [climate change] […]
Canadian financial institutions appear ready to absorb projected potential losses from physical and transition risks caused by climate change, according to a new report by the Autorité des marchés financiers and the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions. The report, which engaged more than 250 financial institutions in Canada, found organizations are prepared for […]
Nearly half (45 per cent) of U.S. capital accumulation plan members say they’d invest in private equity and private debt investments if their plan provided access to these assets, up from 36 per cent in 2024, according to a new survey by Schroders. The survey, which polled more than 1,500 plan members, found among employees […]
Amid a push to open U.S. capital accumulation plans to direct investments in private assets, it’s important for plan sponsors and members to take a cautious approach, says Andrew Kitchen, head of Canadian distribution for MFS Investment Management Canada Ltd. This month, the U.S. federal government introduced legislation that would permit CAP members to directly […]
Amid geopolitical conflict and market volatility, the volume of risk transfers among Canadian defined benefit pension plan sponsors is down roughly 60 per cent in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period last year, says Brent Simmons, senior vice-president and head of DB solutions at Sun Life Financial Inc. “The pullback that […]