Defined benefit pension plan sponsors and leading industry experts met at Benefits Canada’s 2015 DB Investment Forum in Toronto on Dec. 11, 2015, to share their views, practices and theories to address the challenges they face in the current economic environment. The conference included several expert presentations about defined benefit pension plan strategies and investment options to improve plan health. Here are some of the highlights of the sessions.
Photos from the event can be found in our photo gallery.
Finding the best approach to real estate investing
With pension funds and other institutional investors constantly looking for capital appreciation and long-term growth opportunities, real estate is a recent hot trend that’s seeing a flood of capital.
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Using overlays to balance the yin and yang of your portfolio
Given the need to balance risk management and return enhancement, pension plans would do well to consider overlays as one strategy, according to Christopher Jernstrom of Russell Implementation Services.
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Canada facing economic headwinds as U.S. picks up
Where Canada used to be the envy of the financial and economic world just a few years back, things have changed dramatically, Scotiabank chief economist Warren Jestin told Benefits Canada’s DB Investment Forum.
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Controlling the impact of pension expense on corporate finance
While pension plans in Canada have become better at managing their assets in conjunction with liabilities, many plan sponsors still struggle with assessing how the pension plan affects the company’s overall finances, its balance sheet, debt, cash flow and structure.
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Employers gearing up for new environmental, social requirements in 2016
The new year often brings change and this year employers in Ontario will need to change the way they approach environmental, social and governance factors in their pension plans.
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The impact of plan design on investment decisions
Defined benefit plan sponsors across the country are looking for ways to reduce risk using tools such as plan design or investment strategy.
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Improving your bond risk-reward ratio through Canadian beta and global alpha
In a world where economies are diverging, one way Canadian pension plans can balance their risk/reward ratios is to look at global bond opportunities as a source of alpha.
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