CPP Investments signage during an interview for an episode of Bloomberg Wealth with David Rubinstein in New York, US, on Wednesday, July 10, 2024. --
“We’ve tried to be as predictable and transparent as possible in the Canadian market,” CPPIB Managing Director Sam Dorri said in an interview with Bloomberg News. That includes committing to issuing half of its debt in the Canadian dollar market and splitting the volumes into deals maturing in five and 10 years.
The strategy is paying off. CPPIB’s 2034 bond with a 4.3 per cent coupon is trading at narrower spreads compared with an Ontario bond with a similar maturity, a rare flip in a market where governments tend to enjoy cheaper borrowing than other public sector entities. Ontario is considered one of the highest quality names in public sector debt market.
Other pension funds are embracing the programmatic strategy, too. British Columbia Investment Management Corp. launched its debt issuance program in 2023 focusing on consistent, well-telegraphed issuances, according to Chris Weitzel, senior managing director of fixed income at the fund. That means selling about $2 billion in Canada each year in the foreseeable future, Weitzel said.