OMERS reports 6.7% return on investments for Ontario local public sector workers

TORONTO – The OMERS pension fund is reporting a 6.7 per cent net return last year on the investments it manages for municipal and other public-sector workers across Ontario.

OMERS says its assets grew by $5 billion last year after expenses to about $77 billion, with 52 per cent in public investments and 48 per cent in private investments.

Returns for its private investments — including shares of private companies, infrastructure and real estate — outperformed public investments last year.

OMERS says its public investments earned 0.7 per cent while the private investments gained 14.5 per cent in 2015.

It also received $3.8 billion in contributions from plan members and employers, and paid out $3.4 billion in benefits.

The fund administrator says the results exceeded its long-term funding requirement for a 6.5 per cent annual return. Its funded status improved to 91.5 per cent from 90.8 per cent in 2014.

OMERS invests and administers pensions for Ontario municipalities, school boards, emergency services and local agencies.