The funded position of a typical Canadian defined benefit pension plan fell slightly on a solvency basis and rose on an accounting basis in February, according to a new report by Telus Health. During the month, the solvency of the average DB pension plan dipped by 0.7 per cent, falling to 101.3 per cent. The […]
A new report is calling on Canada to develop a sustainable finance taxonomy in order for it to reach its carbon emissions targets. “Many countries have developed, or are in the process of developing, taxonomies as a foundational tool within a broader policy framework to help mobilize and accelerate the deployment of capital to combat […]
The British Columbia Investment Management Corp. is appointing Jennifer Coulson as its first global head of environmental, social and governance. In the new position, she’ll oversee all of the investment organization’s ESG strategies and programs at the total portfolio level. She’ll also be tasked with improving the BCI’s approach and leading its work supporting the […]
The Pension Investment Association of Canada is prioritizing the protection of employment-based pension coverage in 2023. “Our members are concerned that well-intentioned regulatory changes, such as Bill C-228, may actually diminish employers’ support for pensions,” says Graeme Hay (pictured), the PIAC’s new chair and chief investment officer at Manitoba’s Teachers’ Retirement Allowances Fund, referring to a […]
“There’s been some tremendous innovation in fixed income markets, especially in the last decade. Technology has made transparency and liquidity blossom in areas that have traditionally been very illiquid, such as high-yield,” said Paul Benson, head of efficient beta at Insight Investment, during a session at the Canadian Investment Review’s 2022 Investment Innovation Conference. “Today, […]
“As the preceding presentations showed quite clearly, the climate is changing and the impact won’t have a linear correlation with temperature rises,” said Aaron Bennett, chief investment officer of the University Pension Plan, during a session at the Canadian Investment Review’s 2022 Investment Innovation Conference. This once controversial position underpinned the $11-billion multi-employer defined benefit […]
The uncertainty about the direction interest rates will move in 2023 means defined benefit pension plan sponsors should be reconsidering their asset allocation strategies, says Ben Ukonga, principal at Mercer. “I don’t think anybody knows when, or if, interest rates will come down. If [inflation] comes down, the Bank of Canada’s likely to stop increasing […]
The average solvency ratio of Canadian defined benefit pension plans grew by 10 per cent in 2022, according to a new report by Mercer Canada. The report, which looked at the overall 2022 performance of more than 500 Canadian DB plans in the consultancy’s pension database, found the median solvency ratio reached 113 per cent […]
In 2022, the University Pension Plan implemented a growth plan, investment strategy, climate action plan and administration system. In a note to the jointly sponsored defined benefit pension plan’s 37,000 members, Barbara Zvan, its president and chief executive officer, touted the achievements during the UPP’s first full calendar year as well as the plans for its second. […]
Reports that a leading asset manager is delaying the launch of a Chinese bond fund indefinitely are a clear sign that the facade around Chinese stocks’ and bonds’ environmental, social and governance record may be lifting. In recent years, rising investment in Chinese stocks and bonds coincided with a boom in ESG investing. Of course, […]