Rogers Publishing has launched a new website for Canadian Investment Review. This new site, replacing the print journal, has the flexibility and tools to act as a forum for the Canadian investment community and will be more effective in serving this community’s information needs.
Canadian Investment Review will provide leading-edge ideas on investments and strategies, greater access to academic research and perspectives from the industry’s leading thinkers. It will be the focal point for CIR’s well-respected conferences and online debates and the home of exciting new tools such as a comprehensive money manager directory.
The new format will have a particularly strong focus on the issues and topics concerning the largest 200 pension funds in Canada.
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North America manager search activity to rise
Manager search activity in North America is set to increase 13% over 2009 levels, potentially resulting in a shift in assets of US$420 billion (C$442.5 billion) this year, a recent survey reveals.
eVestment Alliance and Casey, Quirk & Associates’ 2010 Consultant Search Forecast survey of 70 consulting firms in the U.S. and Canada found that manager searches are being driven by concerns over pension liabilities, a need to shore up funding gaps and a fear about inflation.
Dissatisfaction with incumbent managers in traditional asset classes was also identified in the survey.
“That will increase pressure on investment management organizations to think strategically about their strengths and weaknesses and to effectively manage their consultant and client relationships,” says Casey Quirk partner Yariv Itah.
Institutional investors look poised to focus on developed and emerging markets equities, hedge funds and fund of funds, and are expected to seek inflation-protected strategies in 2010, according to the poll.
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Confidence in pension system low
Almost half of Canadians polled are not confident in the country’s retirement system’s ability to provide them with a comfortable retirement income.
A recent survey conducted by TNS Canadian Facts reveals that 46% of respondents age 50 or older say they have little confidence in their employer pensions, the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and RRSPs. A further 37% say they are “somewhat confident” and 15% say they are “very” or “completely” confident in the current system.
Men (18%) expressed slightly greater confidence in the Canadian pension system than women (11%).
Reform
When asked how well they think the current pension system meets Canadians’ needs, 67% of respondents said “not well” or “not very well” And 47% said that “some reform” is needed and 20% saying “extensive reform.”
Strong support for reform of Canada’s retirement system was revealed in the poll, including beefed-up tax-free savings accounts, plan member ownership of plan surpluses and a guarantee for CPP funds against bankruptcy.
“We’re starting to see shifts in support for change to how pensions are managed in this country, but many aren’t sitting around and waiting to see what happens,” says Norman Baillie-David, vice-president of TNS Canadian Facts. “Many people are taking their own initiative to manage their retirement finances by increasing their own savings and investments. We may be seeing a tipping point, with substantial implications for both politicians and the financial industry in terms of how pension savings are managed.”
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Global corporate governance summit coming to Canada
The International Corporate Governance Network Annual Conference will be held in Canada for the first time in June 2010.
Toronto will welcome global leaders of corporate governance from June 7 to 9, 2010. The conference is being hosted by the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.
Learn more about the conference at www.icgn.org/conferences.