Canada’s $4 trillion pension sector could enjoy immense commercial benefits by aligning with the transition to net-zero emissions and helping to mobilize $140 billion of low carbon investments per year, according to a new report by Corporate Knights, the Natural Step Canada and the Smart Prosperity Institute. It found Canada’s 12 largest pension fund managers […]
The recent emphasis on environmental, social and governance issues among pension investors will continue to dominate industry conversations in the future, according to a panel discussion with three high-profile figures in Canada’s investment sector during the 2021 Global Investment Conference. “If I could rename ESG, it would be GES,” said Alain Malaket, chief executive officer […]
The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board is appointing Deborah Orida as its first chief sustainability officer. In the role, Orida will lead the CPPIB’s efforts to address climate change. She’s mandated to maintain a global, cross-enterprise approach to sustainability. In a press release announcing her appointment, John Graham, the CPPIB’s president and chief executive officer, […]
Canadian pension funds are among the institutional investors participating in Climate Engagement Canada, a new initiative to promote a net-zero economy. The initiative, which is coordinated by several investor networks, is launching with 27 institutional investors that collectively manage more than $3 trillion in assets, according to a press release. The participating pension funds include […]
While 72 per cent of institutional investors are currently integrating environmental, social and governance factors into their investment strategies, 29 per cent are placing greater emphasis on ESG considerations as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new survey by RBC Global Asset Management. The survey, which polled 800 global institutional investors, found […]
The Alberta Investment Management Corp. is co-investing in a commercial high-rise building in downtown Vancouver. Ownership in the 15,000 square-metre building will be shared with a fellow investor, Toronto-based commercial real estate and asset management firm Starlight Investments. Following the purchase, the building will continue to be occupied by employees of the federal government, which […]
The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec is planning to completely divest from oil production — roughly one per cent of its total portfolio or about $3.9 billion based on the size of its net assets as of June 30 — by the end of 2022, as part of its new climate change strategy. […]
With the federal Liberal Party returning for a third term, the government’s fiscal policy will remain aligned with a social agenda that should, in theory, support continued economic growth and, in turn, create opportunities for institutional investors, says Roshan Thiru, head of Canadian fixed income at Manulife Investment Management Ltd. “The Liberal Party continue to […]
The number of institutional investors using thematic sustainable investment strategies grew by about 20 per cent between 2016 and 2020, according to a new study by the U.K.-based data and analytics firm Coalition Greenwood. Sustainable thematic investment strategies are ones that target areas of investment where social or environmental needs create business opportunities. According to […]
The British Columbia Investment Management Corp. is becoming “more intentional about” its ongoing environmental, social and governance efforts in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, says Jennifer Coulson, vice-president of ESG and public markets for the investment manager. Its 2020 annual report highlights the BCIs’ expansion of its carbon footprint reporting to include all asset classes […]