Global asset manager Aviva Investors has introduced a pooled fund that provides institutional investors and wealth management firms in Canada with access to its flagship global equity income fund.
The overarching fund “aims to invest in companies that can pay growing dividends with a focus on opportunities outside of traditional income sectors,” a release said.
The new Canadian private pooled fund will be managed by Aviva portfolio managers Richard Saldanha and Edward Kevis, who oversee the firm’s global equity income strategy globally. It’s been seeded by Q Wealth Partners.
Aviva said the pooled fund is designed for defined contribution and defined benefit pension plans, endowments and foundations, First Nations accounts and platforms in Canada “seeking access to a globally diversified strategy that can provide income and capital growth.”
The launch comes as Aviva continues to expand in the region. The firm announced the appointments of Julie Caron as head of institutional, Americas, and Dean Liotta as managing director, institutional in August, along with Danielle LeClair as investment director in September, the release noted.
TD issues $1.5B green bond
TD Bank Group has issued a $1.5-billion green bond, dedicated to financing projects with environmental objectives.
Announced March 24, it’s the bank’s sixth sustainable-labelled bond issued to date. In total, TD’s total sustainable bonds issuances have now reached more than $5 billion since 2014, a release noted.
Canada’s sustainable capital markets “are poised for growth,” Susan Thompson, managing director and head of global sustainable finance and advisory with TD Securities, said in a release, adding that the bank remains “focused on collaborating with issuers and investors to support this segment of the market.”
A December report from the Institute for Sustainable Finance showed that Canada’s sustainable bond market rebounded in 2024, with issuance surging 68.5% year over year to US$25.1 billion. Green bonds accounted for the bulk (82.5%) of total issuance that year.
Proposed Kensington fund changes approved
Kensington Capital Advisors Inc. says the proposed changes to one of its investment funds are going through after receiving majority unitholder approval.
In a release, it said more than two-thirds of investors in the fund voted in favour of the changes to the Kensington Private Equity Fund during a March 25 meeting.
As previously reported, the firm proposed to cap quarterly redemptions at about 5% of outstanding units per quarter, subject to available cash and limitations under the fund’s credit facilities. It also proposed to simplify the fund’s structure by consolidating multiple unit classes into a single class, and to change how performance fees are calculated.
In addition, it proposed to cancel outstanding redemption requests for units which have been tendered for redemption prior to or during the current suspension of redemptions. Kensington Capital Partners initially suspended investor redemptions of units of its private equity fund on Sept. 30, 2025, due to “market challenges that limited liquidity across the private markets landscape.” It later announced on Dec. 31 that it was extending the redemption suspension by another 90 days at most.
Additionally, the asset manager has announced updates to the fund’s investment committee, with some new faces joining the committee and one member departing.
Vanguard’s got a new ETF
Vanguard Investments Canada Inc. has launched a new U.S. equity ETF.
Announced March 25, the Vanguard U.S. High Dividend Yield Index ETF (TSX: VUDV) seeks to replicate the performance of the FTSE High Dividend Yield Index, an index that tracks U.S. companies with “above-average dividend yields,” a release said.
It invests in more than 560 stocks of U.S. companies.
The fund has a 0.28% management fee and is expected to issue dividends on a quarterly basis.
With this addition, Vanguard now offers 39 ETFs in Canada.
NEI Investments announces fund changes
NEI Investments has announced a series of fund changes, including an approved merger, fee reductions and a change to a fund’s benchmark index.
In a release, it said that unitholders recently approved the merger of NEI Global Growth Fund into the NEI Global Equity RS Fund. As of market close on March 25, NEI Global Growth Fund is closed to new and subsequent purchases.
The merger is slated to take effect on or around April 10. As a result, the sub-advisor agreement between NEI and Baillie Gifford Overseas Ltd. will be terminated.
Effective Tuesday, NEI is also lowering management and fixed administration fees across all retail series units of the NEI Global Equity RS Fund.
Further, on or around Tuesday, it will update multiple benchmarks on its funds. For one, it’s changing the benchmark for the NEI Global Dividend RS Fund from the MSCI World Net Return Index (C$) to the MSCI World Minimum Volatility Index (C$).
“These updates will be implemented to better reflect each fund’s management approach and are expected to facilitate more meaningful performance comparisons for investors,” a release said.
RBC GAM announces bond funds’ maturity date
RBC Global Asset Management Inc. has announced the maturity dates of three target-maturity bond ETFs.
The RBC Target 2026 Canadian Government Bond ETF (TSX: RGQO), RBC Target 2026 Canadian Corporate Bond Index ETF (TSX: RQO) and RBC Target 2026 U.S. Corporate Bond ETF (TSX: RUQO/RUQO.U) are all slated to mature on or around Sept. 11, a release said.
Once the funds mature, their final net asset value will be returned to investors.
The asset manager said it’ll issue another release confirming final details of each fund’s maturity in the coming months. Investors will also receive notice in the mail at least 60 days prior to the funds maturing.
S&P index drops goeasy
S&P Dow Jones Indices has announced a change to one of its indices after a monthly dividend review.
In a release, it said that goeasy Ltd., a Canadian alternative financial services company based in Mississauga, Ont., will be deleted from the S&P/TSX Canadian Dividend Aristocrats Index prior to markets opening on Wednesday.
As S&P Dow Jones Indices states on its website, the S&P/TSX Canadian Dividend Aristocrats Index is designed to measure the performance of companies in the S&P Canada BMI (Broad-Market Index) that have maintained or increased their dividends every year for at least five years. If a company no longer meets those rules, it can be removed from the index.
RGP to dissolve fund
RGP Investments Inc. says it plans to dissolve the RGP Impact Fixed Income Portfolio.
The fund is expected to be dissolved on or around May 31. As of Monday, investors can no longer make new subscriptions for units, including under existing pre-authorized contribution plans.
Investors will receive notice confirming details of the dissolution at least 60 days before it takes place.
Desjardins funds get tweaked
Desjardins Investments has announced tweaks to certain investment funds, including risk rating and investment strategy changes.
After its annual fund review, it said the risk rating of the Desjardins Sustainable Global Bond Fund has been increased to “low to medium” from “low,” while that of the Desjardins Global Dividends Fund has been lowered to “low to medium” from “medium,” effective March 27.
Meanwhile, both the Desjardins American Mid Cap Equity Index ETF (TSX: DMID) and Desjardins RI Emerging Markets Multifactor – Net-Zero Emissions Pathway ETF (TSX: DRFE) have had their risk ratings lowered to “medium” from “medium to high.”
The Desjardins RI Developed ex-USA ex-Canada Multifactor – Net-Zero Emissions Pathway ETF (TSX: DRFD) and Desjardins Market Neutral ETF – US$ Hedged Units (TSX: DANC.U) have had their risk ratings changed to “low to medium,” from “medium” and “low,” respectively.
The asset manager has also approved an adjustment to the investment strategy of the Desjardins Canadian Equity Income Fund, which will see the maximum threshold of the fund’s net assets that may be invested in foreign securities increased to 30% from 15%.