Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan seeks foreign investments out of necessity, not lack of confidence in Canada: CEO

Mr. Mock made the remarks at The Canada Summit 2014, a conference hosted by The Economist magazine in Toronto. Mr. Mock discussed the biggest opportunities and challenges facing the pension fund.

In the early 2000s, the teachers’ pension plan shifted away from a traditional mix of bonds and equities into direct, private investments, a move Canada’s other major pension plans followed. Mr. Mock, who has been on the job for about a year, said the shift in strategy was necessary to generate the returns it needed to provide retirement income for 300,000 working and retired teachers.

That should put to rest any concerns the pension plans are worried about Canada’s future, Mr. Mock said. “If that’s not a vote of confidence, I don’t know what is.”

The strategy has come with challenges. Mr. Mock said one of the biggest difficulties is navigating the legal systems and governance requirements of foreign countries when buying large stakes in their companies.

Mr. Mock cited Asian companies that have not yet gone public among investment opportunities he’s keeping an eye on. He said the pension fund doesn’t typically make venture capital investments in Canadian companies because those types of investments are generally in the tens of thousands of dollars, while he’s looking to invest hundreds of millions at a time.

“As a fiduciary, we really do have to focus on earning the returns on behalf of the teachers,” he said.

Another opportunity he’s keeping his eye on is infrastructure investments in Europe and Canada. He said pension funds have a role to play in helping Canada address its crumbling infrastructure problem over the next 10 years.

“I think that is a vital opportunity in Canada,” he said.