Toronto-based Waratah Capital Advisors Ltd. has announced the launch of the Waratah Alternative Equity Income Fund, the firm’s first liquid alternative mutual fund.

The fund is a long-biased actively managed portfolio of North American equities with a focus on Canada, Waratah said in a release on Thursday. The fund has the ability to use options and short positions for risk protection.

The new offering, aimed at high net-worth investors, is managed by Jeannine LiChong.

The Waratah Alternative Equity Income Fund is the only liquid alternative fund Waratah plans to bring to the market in 2019, the firm said in its release.