Infrastructure investments don’t always offer the diversification benefits investors expect, especially when they’re publicly traded. “For listed infrastructure to have a chance at fulfilling the goal of providing a unique experience within a broader portfolio, a tight definition of infrastructure is needed,” says David Wong, managing director of investment management research at CIBC Asset Management Inc. […]
Pension plans have developed an appetite for real assets in recent years, but what does the term actually include? In response to demands from asset managers for more information about real assets, the S&P Dow Jones Indices created a benchmark index for the area in 2015, said Jodie Gunzberg, the organization’s managing director of product management. “We […]
Four years ago, some investors were hesitant to invest in India due to poor economic fundamentals, currency depreciation and government bureaucracy. But while many hit pause on making investments, long-term institutional investors like the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board ignored the pessimism and started putting plans in motion for future ventures. “Before [Prime Minister Narendra] […]
The Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System’s infrastructure investment manager has changed its name to be better aligned with the pension fund. Borealis Infrastructure, which manages assets with enterprise values in excess of $2 billion, is now called OMERS Infrastructure Management Inc. Read: OMERS’ infrastructure arm invests in Thames Water “The name OMERS Infrastructure helps the […]
The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board is acquiring a stake in an independent power generator in the United States for $949 million. The CPPIB is part of a consortium of funds advised by Energy Capital Partners. The total investment in Houston-based Calpine Corp., which owns 80 power plants and sells electricity to residential, commercial and […]
La Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec has posted a return of five per cent for the first half of 2017 and a five-year annualized return of 10.6 per cent. The return, which is for the six months ended June 30, 2017, represents an improvement from the same period last year when the Caisse […]
After seeing some progress in recent months, defined benefit pension plans in Ontario saw a drop in solvency levels during the second quarter. According to the Financial Services Commission of Ontario, the median solvency ratio was 89 per cent as of June 30. That was down from 93 per cent on March 31, 2017. Only […]
The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan is acquiring a Spain-based funeral services company. On Monday, investment manager 3i Group announced it was selling Memora Funeral Services to Ontario Teachers’ for $170 million. The company has 115 parlours, 24 crematoriums, 13 cemeteries and 91 retail outlets in southwestern Europe. “Memora presents a unique opportunity to invest in a sector […]
CBRE Group Inc. is acquiring a majority interest in Toronto-based investment management business Caledon Capital Management Inc. Upon closing, Caledon will be renamed CBRE Caledon Capital Management Inc. and will operate as a separate business unit under CBRE’s independently operated investment management subsidiary, CBRE Global Investors. With experience in infrastructure and private equity investing, many […]
The government of Canada is providing $1.3 billion for a light-rail project spearheaded by Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec. The additional capital will help the Caisse’s infrastructure arm, CDPQ Infra, proceed with constructing the 67-kilometre transit system that will connect the greater Montreal area. “The [light-rail network] is one of the most ambitious […]