The Ontario government has appointed the former chair of the Toronto Port Authority (TPA), Robert Poirier, to conduct a governance review at pension giant, OMERS.
The review is the fund’s first since 2012. It will include governance of both OMERS Sponsors Corp. and the OMERS Administration Corp., including how the fund’s assets are managed and how investment decisions are made. It will also consider best practices in pension governance that could be implemented at OMERS.
The exercise will not examine contribution rates, the fairness of benefits or the supplemental plan, the government said.
“We are committed to strengthening OMERS governance to ensure that it works in the best interests of its members,” said Paul Calandra, minister of municipal affairs and housing, in a release.
“This review will ensure important decisions that impact members continue to be made in a transparent way,” he added.
Poirer, former TPA chair and Metrolinx board member, will oversee the review as a third-party advisor, and make reform recommendations to the government. Poirer was also chair at The Northern Trust Co. Canada, and was managing director of the alternative investments division at State Street, among other roles in government and industry.