The goals of impact investing can be more easily achieved through private assets, said Martin Bélanger, director of investments at Western University, during a fireside chat at the Canadian Investment Review’s 2024 Endowment & Foundation Investment Forum in June. “We’ve transitioned our private equity portfolio from a fund-to-fund approach to making direct investment in primary […]
The average Canadian defined benefit pension plan posted a median return of 1.1 per cent in the second quarter of 2024, according to a new report by RBC Investor Services. The report, which tracks performance and asset allocation across Canadian DB plans, also found that the plans saw a return of 4.4 per cent for […]
The estimated funded ratio of U.S. state and municipal pension plans is expected to increase to 80.6 per cent in 2024 due to the outperformance of investment targets, according to a new report by Equable Institute. The report, which analyzed trends in benefits, cash flows, contributions, funding and investments at 245 of the largest U.S. […]
A culture of prudent investment standards and guideline compliance is keeping Canadian pension funds safe from some of the unique risk management cases seen abroad, says Scott McEvoy, a partner at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP. “Good governance starts at the top, it’s all about structure and process,” he says. Read: Canada’s retirement system ranks No. 12 […]
Liquidity status is helping some of Canada’s biggest pension funds meet the challenges of a volatile investment market thanks to exceptional liquidity status, according to a new report by Fitch Ratings Inc. The report, which compared the credit ratings and portfolios of seven of the largest Canadian pension funds with approximately $2.1 trillion in net […]
More than half (52) per cent of new public safety employee hires are expected to retire from a defined benefit pension plan, according to a new report by the National Institute on Retirement Security. The report, which reviewed data from 28 U.S. police and fire pension plan sponsors, found that DB plans are an effective […]
The funded ratio of the average Canadian defined benefit pension plan grew by two per cent during the second quarter of 2024 and nine per cent since the start of the year to 126 per cent, according to a new report by Normandin Beaudry. It found the average solvency ratio of Canadian pension plans rose […]
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 […]