Returns from short-term Government of Canada bonds and credit are rising due to the easing of interest rates by the Bank of Canada last month, according to a new report from FTSE Russell. It noted while Canadian government bonds across all maturities rallied, the gains didn’t erase overall losses in the second quarter, except for […]
A story on how group insurers can help plan sponsors provide adequate coverage and ensure appropriate use of treatments for rare diseases was the most-read article on BenefitsCanada.com this past week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the last week: 1. Sounding Board: How employers can mitigate cost of […]
Putting responsible artificial intelligence principles in place is essential to enhancing risk-adjusted returns and positioning businesses for success, according to a new report by the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and the World Economic Forum. It found the use of AI can preserve and even create value for investors. However, institutional investors must find a balance between […]
Canadian corporate pension funds reported an average funding ratio of 117 per cent, while public pension funds reported an average of 116 per cent, according to a new report by Coalition Greenwich. The study, based on interviews more than 150 of the largest tax-exempt funds in Canada, found in 2023, these investors reported that, on average, six […]
The median solvency ratio of Canadian defined benefit pension plans remained flat in the second quarter of 2024, compared to the previous quarter, according to a report by Mercer. The report, which tracked 450 DB pension plans, found the median solvency ratio was 118 per cent, as at June 28, 2024, the same as at […]
A potential federal mandate for Canadian pension funds to increase their domestic investments could end up harming the very people the pension system is set up to protect, according to a new study by the Global Risk Institute. The paper examined the potential effect of official legislation that pushes for increased investments in domestic markets, […]
The United Nations’ Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance — an association of financial organizations that includes the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec — is incorporating intermediary environmental targets as it continues its push to net-zero emissions by 2050. In addition to the new environmental reporting targets for asset owners, the association’s guidance now includes […]
While many of the investment strategies and resources at the disposal of the Maple 8 — Canada’s eight largest public pension plans that represent more than $2.1 trillion in assets under management — are out of reach for medium- and small-sized plan sponsors in the country, the path carved by the most sophisticated investment organizations […]
Chelsea Kittleson joined British Columbia’s Municipal Pension Plan at a time of change for the investment organization. The MPP’s executive director, who joined the plan sponsor in November 2023, has used her investment and operations background to implement and oversee a three-year strategic plan that includes long-term sustainable investment goals. Read: B.C. Municipal Pension Plan appointing […]
The Public Sector Pension Investment Board ended its fiscal year on March 31, 2024, generating a net return of 7.2 per cent, up from 4.4 per cent the previous fiscal year, according to its latest annual report. The investment organization held $264.9 billion in net assets under management, up 8.7 per cent from the end […]