While Canadian pension plans hold a quiet confidence, it turns out they actually do outperform their international peers when it comes to asset performance and liability hedging, according to a research paper from McGill University and CEM Benchmarking. The paper found Canadian plans achieve this outperformance using a three-pillar model: managing assets in-house to reduce costs, redeploying […]
The Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System’s growth equity arm is leading a $66 million Series D funding round for American online learning company Skillshare Inc. With more than 12 million registered members and 8,000 teachers, the company offers online classes in different creative areas, such as graphic design and photography, through a community-based model. To […]
The Canadian chapter of the Alternative Investment Management Association is forming its new 2020-22 executive committee. Belle Kaura, vice-president of legal and chief compliance officer at Third Eye Capital, will remain chair for a second term, joined by Rob Lemon, executive director of the prime services group at CIBC Capital Markets, as deputy chair, who was […]
The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec had a challenging first half of 2020, posting a negative 2.3 per cent return. However, the pension fund remains in a strong financial position, according to president and chief executive officer Charles Emond, holding assets of more than $333 billion and with an 8.7 per cent annualized return over […]
The Investment Management Corp. of Ontario is investing in an affordable housing fund to build apartments in Toronto and Vancouver. The IMCO is committing $60 million to the Kingsett Affordable Housing LP Fund, managed by Kingsett Capital Inc. The investment comes as vacancy rates in both cities continue to decline due to unaffordability and lack of […]
The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan is taking part in a US$1.78-billion financing round for Epic Games Inc., a U.S. video game and software developer. In addition to Ontario Teachers’ and other asset managers’ contributions, Sony Corp. is contributing US$250 million to the financing round. The fresh financing brings Epic Games to a valuation of US$17.3 […]
Cognitive bias exists in the very fabric of the business world and is a key element holding back its progress, according to Sudhir Roc-Sennett, head of thought leadership and environmental, social and governance for Vontobel Asset Management’s quality growth boutique. He says companies and the institutional investors analyzing their potential should be concerned with the myriad ways […]
North American institutional investors are catching up to other global regions in their interest in sustainable investing, according to a new survey by FTSE Russell. Nearly half (42 per cent) of North American asset owners surveyed before the coronavirus pandemic said they’re interested in sustainable investing, up from just 17 per cent in 2019. This remains a […]
Strong public market performance helped Canadian defined benefit pension plans reverse their first-quarter losses, according to a new report by BNY Mellon Asset Management Canada. The median second quarter return for the 84 Canadian corporate, public and university pension plans in BNY Mellon’s Canadian master trust universe was 9.23 per cent, up from the first quarter median […]
The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and the New Zealand Superannuation Fund are each taking on a 50 per cent stake in New Zealand-based pathology business Asia Pacific Healthcare Group. Healthscope, a national private health-care provider in Australia, is selling the business in a deal valued at more than NZ$550 million, subject to customary approvals. Healthscope’s sale of the […]