(April 10 – 10:50 ET) – TD Capital says it has successfully completed fund-raising for its Canadian Private Equity Partners fund with commitments totalling $635 million. The fund is the largest private equity partnership in Canadian history.

“With the successful closing of the fund, we are increasing an important source of financing for growing Canadian enterprises seeking funds for expansion, leveraged buy-outs, acquisitions and restructuring,” said Natalie Townsend, president of TD Capital – the private equity arm of TD Securities. “We believe strongly that the combination of this capital with TD Capital’s value-added approach, will be a much needed catalyst to help Canadian businesses grow.”

Other institutional investors in the fund include the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System, British Columbia Investment Management Corp., the State of Wisconsin, WestAM, Alberta Treasury, Clarica, Merrill Lynch Ventures, PPM Worldwide and TD Bank.

“The support of these institutions is critical to our ability to meet the private equity capital needs of Canadian companies,” said Steve Dent, a Managing Director of TD Capital who manages the fund. “Through CPEP we will strive to help build great companies — by providing capital and by forming strategic relationships with the enterprises we finance.”

The fund has already made four significant investments in Canadian companies, totalling over $120 million, according to Dent. Typical investments will range between $10 million and $75 million in a broad range of industries; as well, participating institutional investors may have an opportunity to co-invest, permitting the fund to invest in transactions up to $500 million.