The Ontario government’s decision to allow two of the country’s largest pension funds to act as third-party investment managers has spawned a debate within the retirement industry. At first glance, the unrivalled scale that superfunds Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (Teachers’) and OMERS can provide for prospective clients is awfully enticing. The track record and breadth […]
Mental illness in the workplace costs the Canadian economy $17.7 billion annually due to lost productivity and absenteeism, an amount which could be lessened by creating more supportive work environments and the use of statistics, according to a report. A Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) study of employment data of over 10,000 workers […]
Despite renewed uncertainty over bond markets and recent jitters in stock markets around the world, investment managers are confident enough in an economic recovery to expect returns on global equities of 10%, a recent survey reveals. Towers Watson’s 2010 Global Survey of Investment and Economic Expectations of 98 investment managers finds that respondents expect an […]
Russell Investments has released new research in an attempt to broaden the active versus passive investing debate, outlining five key factors investors should consider when deciding which approach to take. “We take issue with the conduct of the active versus passive debate, which has made the mistake of framing the issue exclusively in terms of […]
North American and European pension funds are slowly moving toward actively run mandates due to falling fees and improving returns, according to a survey. bfinances’ second Global Fee Survey of 48 pension plans in Europe and North America finds respondents are looking favourably upon active managers due to their general performance of late as well […]
Despite exhaustive media coverage of the origins and consequences of the global financial crisis, Canadians—along with citizens of many nations—are still largely in the dark when it comes to financial risk, a recent survey reveals. TNS Finance’s Personal Risk Assessment and Risk Literacy Survey of 14,693 people in 15 countries finds that only 13% of […]
Active managers believe 2010 will offer a chance to add value above the S&P/TSX benchmark, according to a recent poll. Russell Investments’ Active Manager Report suggests that active managers expect 2010 to be more of a stock-picker’s market, a trend that began in the fourth quarter of 2009. “The expectation is that stock selection rather […]
After surviving the rounds of layoffs and downsizing of the past 18 months, and with the scent of and economic recovery in the air, many highly competent people are deciding whether to stay with their current employer or move to greener pastures. This presents a challenge for compensation benefits directors looking to find and retain […]
Canada’s near-term employment picture looks set to provide reason for both hope and fear for workers as organizations plan for hiring sprees and brace for staff reductions, a new survey reveals. Towers Watson’s survey of 459 employers globally—including 73 in Canada—found that while 87% of Canadian employers plan to hire for new positions in 2010, […]
Public-private partnerships (P3s) for infrastructure projects are providing more cost-effective and rapid results compared with conventional procurement approaches, but they are not suitable in every situation, according to a report. The Conference Board of Canada’s study, Dispelling the Myths: A Pan-Canadian Assessment of Public-Private Partnerships for Infrastructure Investments, assesses the performance of projects in the […]