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Wealthsimple North American Green Bond Index ETF allows investors to potentially benefit from growth in the green bond market and align investing with their values
TORONTO, January 21, 2022 – Mackenzie Investments (“Mackenzie”) today announced the listing of Wealthsimple’s latest Sustainable Investment ETF, Wealthsimple North American Green Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)(“the Wealthsimple ETF”), with Mackenzie serving as trustee, manager and portfolio manager.
The Wealthsimple ETF will seek to replicate the performance of the Solactive Green Bond USD CAD DM CAD hedged Index (“the Index”) by investing primarily in investment-grade green, social and sustainable bonds, with its foreign currency exposure hedged back to the Canadian dollar. The management fee is 0.25 per cent of its net asset value (annual rate).
“We are increasingly reevaluating our existing investment products to find ways to improve the availability of ESG-investing options available to our clients,” said Ben Reeves, Chief Investment Officer, Wealthsimple. “We view it as our responsibility to help provide the capital needed for the transition to a low carbon economy while getting our clients good investment outcomes. We see this newest ETF as an opportunity to make impact investing through green bonds more accessible to all Canadians.”
The Index will generally invest in issuers of green bonds that promote climate or other environmentally sustainable initiatives such as renewable energy, pollution prevention and climate change adaptation, or in social bonds that are devoted to financing projects that address social issues such as poverty, food security and socioeconomic advancement. Green, social, and sustainable bonds included in the Index must satisfy a set of guidelines from the International Capital Market Association and are verified by the Climate Bond Initiative which will help ensure that issuers included in the Index are in compliance with green, social and sustainable bond principles at launch and subsequently on an annual basis.
The initial offering of the Wealthsimple ETF has closed, and it will begin trading today on the NEO exchange under the ticker symbol WSGB.
For more information about Wealthsimple, please visit www.wealthsimple.com.
About Mackenzie Investments
Mackenzie Investments is a leading investment management firm with $210.3 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2021. Mackenzie provides investment solutions and related services to more than one million retail and institutional clients through multiple distribution channels. Founded in 1967, Mackenzie is a global asset manager with offices across Canada as well as in Boston, Dublin, London, Hong Kong and Beijing. Mackenzie is a member of IGM Financial Inc. (TSX: IGM), one of Canada's premier financial services companies. For more information, visit mackenzieinvestments.com.
About Wealthsimple
Wealthsimple is a new kind of financial company. Canadians can invest, trade, save, spend, and even do taxes in a low-cost, transparent and simpler way. Using smart technology to make powerful financial tools, Wealthsimple is on a mission to help everyone achieve financial freedom, no matter who they are or how much they have. The company was founded by a team of financial experts and technology entrepreneurs, and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. To learn more, visit our website, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
For further information:
Hilary Bassett
Mackenzie Investments
416-951-7558
hilary.bassett@mackenzieinvestments.com
Lara Berguglia
Mackenzie Investments (Québec)
514-994-2382
lara.berguglia@northstrategic.com
Juanita Leon
Wealthsimple
416-676-4745
juanitalean@wealthsimple.com