Message from the Chair and Vice-Chair

2017 was another successful year for OPTrust. The Plan remains fully funded and its members continue to rate its services very highly. For a member-driven organization like OPTrust, there can be no higher accolade. The organization also completed the internalization of a large portion of its public markets assets as part of its ongoing implementation of its Member-Driven Investing strategy.

Although we are incredibly proud of the results OPTrust consistently produces, we recognize that challenges remain, from the continuing maturation of the Plan to rapid change in the world around us. We must not only pay pensions today, but preserve them for the future. To that end, in 2017, the Board oversaw and approved a new five-year strategic plan for the organization. This strategic plan sets a vision and roadmap that will help OPTrust continue to deliver long-term sustainability for its members with a focus on growth and innovation.

As we work to create a secure retirement for the Plan’s members, we also have the opportunity to create better retirement outcomes for everyone. Good pensions are not a nice-to-have. They are essential for a thriving economy and society. And even as the defined benefit model remains the best way to provide secure, predictable income in retirement, many people aren’t aware of its advantages.

To foster an ongoing conversation about workplace pensions, OPTrust launched its defined benefit advocacy program, People for Pensions, in 2017. The program has been a tremendous success, engaging the Plan’s members in building greater awareness of the value of the defined benefit model. We were delighted to see the program recognized last year with a gold MarCom award. OPTrust’s leadership was also recognized when President and CEO Hugh O’Reilly won a CORPaTH Crystal Global award, in acknowledgement of OPTrust’s ongoing efforts to promote defined benefit pension plans globally.