A resurgence of defined benefit pension plans in Canada could be on the horizon, according to a report from the Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology pension plan. It found most Canadian workers are looking for retirement features that are most prominent in a DB plan, including monthly and predictable retirement income that’s guaranteed for […]
U.S.-based defined benefit pension plan sponsors are increasingly looking to assess their liability-driven investment strategies as they reach fully funded statuses, according to a new study by Coalition Greenwich and commissioned by Franklin Templeton. The study found nearly three-quarters (73 per cent) of pension plan sponsors reported funding ratios of 100 per cent or higher, […]
If the federal government scraps its rule restricting Canadian pension funds from holding more than 30 per cent of the voting shares of investee corporations, pension plan sponsors and other investment organizations could increase their holdings in high-performing assets, have greater oversight and accountability of their assets and see a decrease in fees for private equity, according […]
Former federal finance minister Bill Morneau is standing up for the Canadian Pension Plan, calling it a uniquely successful investment organization that won’t be easily recreated by the Alberta provincial government if it’s successful in its attempt to leave the federal plan. Speaking at the Portfolio Management Association of Canada’s national conference last week, he […]
In the institutional investment sector, risk management means thinking about a lot of doom and gloom, but for Danny Ip, the job is more about being prepared for what could happen tomorrow rather than forecasting what storms lie ahead. The TTC Pension Plan’s director of investment risk and analytics employs an analytical approach to measuring […]
The Ontario government’s new investment organization could incentivize institutional investors to take a closer look at infrastructure opportunities in the province, says Iftikhar Ahmed, a wealth solutions partner at Aon. “We work with a large number of pension plans and other institutional investors who would be keen to participate in infrastructure development in the province.” […]
While artificial intelligence represents a new cornerstone for institutional investors’ operational tasks, corporate governance will be essential to ensure the risks are properly managed, according to Andrew Roth, deputy director of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas. During a webinar hosted last week by the National Institute on Retirement Security, he detailed how the pension […]
Climate and cybersecurity are the leading risk factors concerning Canadian pension plan administrators, according to a pension lawyer. Susan G. Seller, a pension and benefits lawyer at Bennett Jones LLP, adds third-party arrangements and commercial real estate risks round out the most pressing categories for federally regulated pension plans. “We’re living in a time where […]
Despite an attractive pitch to asset owners, concentrated equity strategies may be letting investors down, according to Seth Weingram, senior vice-president and director of client advisory at Acadian Asset Management, speaking at the Canadian Investment Review’s 2023 Risk Management Conference. “We’re thinking about a discretionary sort of stock-picking context, where you’ve got an individual manager who has […]
Institutional investors’ strategic approach to interest rates must evolve to properly reflect the risks and opportunities in today’s markets, according to Michael Cook, vice-president of client relations and liability-driven investment client portfolio manager at CIBC Asset Management, during a session at the Canadian Investment Review’s 2023 Risk Management Conference. The previous low in interest rates was […]