Considering women account for just over half of the population, Andrew MacDougall understands why — taken in isolation — the state of female representation at the top level of Canada’s public companies can seem a little underwhelming. According to the most recent round of disclosures, around 34 per cent of seats on the boards of […]
An article on Saskatchewan’s Public Employees Benefits Agency transition to a not-for-profit corporation was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com over the last week. Here are the five most popular news stories of the week: 1. Saskatchewan’s pension and benefits administrator transitioning to not-for-profit model 2. University Pension Plan’s assets declined 9.1% in 2022, led by public equities 3. Survey […]
The British Columbia Investment Management Corp. and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board are backing an acquisition in the agricultural industry. Bunge Ltd., an oilseed and grain trader that generated US$67.23 billion in revenue in 2022, will take over privately held rival Viterra Ltd. Under the terms of a definitive agreement, Viterra shareholders will receive […]
Environmental, social and governance investing is a powerful tool that can reveal systemic issues impacting all parts of institutional investors’ portfolios, said Aaron Bennett, chief investment officer of the University Pension Plan, during the 2023 Responsible Investment Association conference last week. Some of these issues can accrue over time — and, when they finally manifest, they can […]
The University Pension Plan posted 9.1 per cent losses in 2022, according to its annual report. During the year, the jointly sponsored defined benefit pension plan’s assets declined from $11.8 billion to $10.8 billion. The plan finished the year with a solvency ratio of 103.3 per cent, down from 111 per cent at the end […]
“Everyone on stage agrees on one thing — [environmental, social and governance] integration is just smart,” said moderator Francisca Quinn, co-founder and president of Quinn and Partners Inc., during a panel at the 2023 Responsible Investment Association conference last week. She was joined by representatives of two Canadian public sector investment organizations with very different […]
The Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan is recognizing the property managers of nine Canadian buildings among the winners of its Leadership in Environmental Advancement Program awards. The LEAP awards, which were launched in 2011, recognize property managers of buildings in the pension organization’s property portfolio for efforts related to energy conservation and greenhouse gas emission […]
On April 12-14, a group of defined benefit pension plan sponsors, asset managers and academics gathered at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler in British Columbia for the 2023 Global Investment Conference. Over the course of three days, presenters discussed whether the Canadian pension model remains fit for purpose in a period defined by central bank intervention, […]
In December 2021, Simon Fraser University announced the global equity portfolios for its non-pension related funds — valued at $450 million — would divest from fossil fuel producers. Four months later, the three members of its treasury team, which is led by Jacky Shen, treasurer and director of investment at the university, announced it had […]
When key stakeholders are examining sustainability solutions, they aren’t spending enough time on whether these solutions are actually capital efficient from energy return on investment and productivity perspectives, said Patrick Kent, portfolio manager and head of the small-cap equities team at Newton Investment Management Group, during the Canadian Investment Review‘s 2023 Global Investment Conference. The […]