The Association of Canadian Pension Management is advising the Canadian Association of Pension Supervisory Authorities to take a less prescriptive approach in its proposed guidelines on risks related to environmental, social and governance factors, cybersecurity and leverage. In an open letter to the CAPSA, the ACPM said a one-size-fits-all approach to ESG regulation could potentially […]
For the first time in three years, Canadian defined contribution pension plan sponsors, investment professionals and industry thought leaders gathered in person for Benefits Canada’s 2022 DC Investment Forum. On Sept. 23 at the Ritz-Carlton Toronto, the full educational day covered topics such as behavioural finance, target-date funds, sustainable investing, real estate and fixed income, […]
Alongside the steady decline of defined benefit pension coverage in Canada, defined contribution plans have seen a massive growth — “a secular shift of responsibility onto the individual when it comes to retirement security in Canada,” according to Preet Banerjee, a personal finance expert, during Benefits Canada’s 2022 DC Investment Forum in late September. He called […]
When defined contribution plan sponsors conduct due diligence on target-date fund providers, they’re often considering questions of active versus passively managed funds, the benefits of glide paths that glide to versus through retirement, strategic versus tactical funds and a provider’s approach to environmental, social and governance investing. But according to Sarah Donahue, director of consultant […]
Responsible investing can drive stronger risk-adjusted returns and is increasingly being seen as a tool for prudent risk management, but defined contribution plan sponsors must understand target-date fund managers’ varying approaches to implementing environmental, social and governance factors into these funds. DC plan sponsors have myriad challenges to address when considering ESG investing options, including […]
As greater numbers of defined contribution pension plan members ask for environmental, social and governance-friendly investment options, plan sponsors will need to grapple with how to implement these solutions into their target-date funds. “From some studies that we’ve done, there’s definitely investor demand,” said Michael Greenberg, senior vice-president and portfolio manager at Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions, […]
While real estate has long been a part of defined benefit pension plans’ asset allocations, its inclusion in investment portfolios has steadily climbed in recent years. But defined contribution plan sponsors and members also stand to benefit from the asset class’ inflation-hedging properties, as well as its ability to boost income and improve portfolio diversification. Pension […]
Rising interest rates and market turmoil have called into question the ability of core fixed income to provide pension plan sponsors with its traditional benefits of stable returns and income, diversification and capital preservation. But Kevin Minas, vice-president and client portfolio manager of global fixed income at CIBC Asset Management Inc., said he actually expects […]
When Saskatchewan’s Public Employees Pension Plan decided to make investments in alternative assets, it took a defined benefit approach to its defined contribution pension plan, giving its members access to private equity and infrastructure while still offering daily liquidity. The strategy was fitting, given the PEPP’s companion DB plan, the Municipal Employees Pension Plan, had […]
Increasingly, defined contribution plan sponsors are grappling with adding environmental, social and governance investing options to their plans as a growing number of members ask for them, but the legal landscape for ESG investing is complicated, according to Kathy Bush, partner at Blake Cassels & Graydon LLP, during Benefits Canada’s 2022 DC Investment Forum in late […]