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Institutional investors’ demand for insurance-linked securities pushing transaction volumes to new highs: experts

An acceleration of significant weather events are impacting the risk premium earned from insurance-linked securities, providing a significant inflation hedge for institutional investors, says Bernard Van der Stichele, senior portfolio manager of insurance-linked securities at the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan. “ILS investments earn a risk premium that is directly proportional to the level of risk […]

  • September 16, 2024 October 1, 2024
  • 09:00

IMCO betting big on private assets amid demand for sustainability

The Investment Management Corp. of Ontario is looking at private assets as an opportunity to support investment returns across various Ontario-based pension plans. “We believe in private assets,” says Rossitsa Stoyanova, the IMCO’s chief investment officer. “They allow us to use some of our advantages like having a long-term horizon, our [in-house] expertise and taking […]

  • September 13, 2024 September 12, 2024
  • 08:55

How are stewardship guidelines helping institutional investors address systemic risks?

Stewardship guidelines are helping institutional investors address climate risks and safeguard their investment in the long run, says Brian Minns, managing director of responsible investing at the University Pension Plan of Ontario. “We need stewardship as [a way of] protecting the investments that we have and trying to enhance their value over time for our beneficiaries. […]

  • September 11, 2024 September 9, 2024
  • 09:00

Are AI’s energy demands impacting the appeal of data centres to institutional investors?

The demand for artificial intelligence is leading to increased energy usage by data centres and creating a link between the two assets, says Matthew Mendes, managing director and head of infrastructure at the Investment Management Corp. of Ontario. “The growth is different than it was before — [there’s] more hyperscale companies coming into the mix. […]

  • August 13, 2024 August 12, 2024
  • 09:00

How Canada’s large pension funds are approaching green investment disclosures

Institutional investors are disclosing the environmental impact of their assets through increasingly sophisticated sustainability reports that use the latest disclosure metrics. While some of Canada’s largest pension funds are at the forefront of how to leverage responsible investment mandates and attempt to enact change through leadership in global organizations, the shortcomings of data reporting standards […]

  • August 9, 2024 August 7, 2024
  • 08:56

Suncor taking slow, steady approach to investment trends

Amid an increasingly volatile global economy, many institutional investors are employing innovative investment strategies to deliver returns, but Suncor Energy Inc. views a methodical adoption of new trends as key to plan stability. A conservative approach and a balanced portfolio has allowed Suncor to deliver sustainable contributions and growth to its pension plans. At the […]

  • August 9, 2024 August 27, 2024
  • 08:55

2024 Endowment & Foundation Investment Forum: Central banks make soft landing after recession concerns

Central banks are achieving a successful soft landing strategy after concerning periods of high inflation following the coronavirus pandemic, said Douglas Porter, chief economist and managing director at BMO Financial Group, during the keynote session at the Canadian Investment Review’s 2024 Endowment & Foundation Investment Forum in June. Inflation is receding from dangerous highs to […]

  • August 8, 2024 August 14, 2024
  • 07:59

2024 Endowment & Foundation Investment Forum: Integrating impact and non-impact investments within overall asset allocation

Sustainable investing materializes when institutional investors start adding intentionality to their strategies and actions, said Maxime Chevalier, alternative investments specialist at Desjardins Global Asset Management (pictured left), during a session at the Canadian Investment Review’s 2024 Endowment & Foundation Investment Forum in June. For instance, ESG integration strategies can range from protecting investments from material […]

  • August 8, 2024 August 5, 2024
  • 07:58

2024 Endowment & Foundation Investment Forum: How plan sponsors’ understanding of sustainable investing is evolving

Sustainable investing is entering a phase where a concrete focus on execution as well as real-world impact and metrics are becoming essential, said Kevin Quinlan, senior director of climate and client strategy at SLC Management, during a session at the Canadian Investment Review’s 2024 Endowment & Foundation Investment Forum in June. “Going beyond just the […]

  • August 8, 2024 August 1, 2024
  • 07:57

2024 Endowment & Foundation Investment Forum: More options needed for institutional investors to track sustainable investments

Institutional investors face several challenges in proving the value of sustainable investments, said Arijit Banik, treasurer at York University, during a session at the Canadian Investment Review’s 2024 Endowment & Foundation Investment Forum in June. It’s difficult to measure the impact of an investment, even the cleanest ones, with the current measurement framework available to […]

  • August 8, 2024 August 26, 2024
  • 07:56