The majority of climate-themed equity funds offer only marginal benefits compared to the broader market, according to a new report by the London-based think tank InfluenceMap. The report scored climate-themed and environmental, social and governance-themed investment funds on the basis of how well-aligned portfolios are with the environmental commitments made by governments, including the Canadian […]
Phishing and ransomware attacks are among the top threats to pension plan sponsors and institutional investors by cyber criminals, according to Jennifer Williams, director of information security at the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan. “A common approach by cyber criminals begins with a simple phishing email designed to cause an employee to mistakenly action the […]
Board and executive-level efforts to integrate environmental, social and governance issues into pension plans’ investment strategies are frequently thwarted by unclear guidance from plan sponsors and uncertainty about fiduciary duties, according to a new working paper by the University of Pennsylvania. The paper concluded that efforts to implement ESG criteria in investment decision-making are frequently hamstrung […]
The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and the Public Sector Pension Investment Board are part of a consortium making a binding offer to buy an Australian infrastructure investment company. The deal, which also includes the Toronto-based Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Co., values the Spark Infrastructure Group at about AU$ 5.2 billion ($4.8 billion). It has already […]
Broad support for regulating environmental, social and governance-themed investments in Canada has left the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission playing catch-up with its northern neighbour, says Katie Pries (pictured), president and chief executive officer of Northern Trust Canada. “While the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is working through its regulatory plans for ESG investing, Canada […]
The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan is taking majority stake in a Florida-based therapy provider for children with autism spectrum disorders. The exact terms of the deal with Acorn Health, which specializes in providing applied behavioural analysis therapy, weren’t disclosed. However, a significant minority stake will remain in the hands of several senior managers at the […]
Canada’s defined benefit plans are allocating more to alternative investments as a result of a two-decade period of low inflation, according to a new study from the Bank of Canada. It found sustained decreases in interest rates from 1998 to 2018 have threatened to erode private DB plan solvency surpluses. According to the authors — Bank […]
Bâtirente is introducing a new strategy that seeks to optimize its fixed income, global equity and environmentally responsible investment allocations. The Montreal-based pension’s new fund optimization plan specifically addresses the organization’s main priorities. By implementing the new plan, it will seek to improve its funds’ diversity in fixed income and global equities and focus on […]
The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan returned 3.8 per cent in the first half of 2021, a significant improvement on its negative 0.4 per cent return in the first half of 2020. According to its mid-year report, the Ontario Teachers’ net assets grew to $227.7, up $8.6 billion from the beginning of the year. This is […]
The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board is buying $450 million shares in an American drainage system provider. Following the investment, the pension fund controls about 4.6 per cent of the Ohio-based Advanced Drainage Systems Inc.’s total equity. ADS, which provides water management solutions to the industrial and agricultural sectors, operates a network of 60 manufacturing […]