Barclays Global Investors Canada Ltd. has filed a preliminary prospectus with securities regulators across Canada with respect to the iUnits S&P/TSX Canadian REIT Index Fund.

The iREIT Fund will seek to provide income and long-term growth by replicating, the performance of the recently announced S&P/TSX Canadian REIT Index. Standard & Poor’s plans to launch the REIT Index on October 15 The REIT Index is a constrained market capitalization-weighted index calculated by S&P in which the weight of any one constituent is generally limited to 25%.

BGI Canada says the iREIT Fund will be available to investors on or about October 15, subject to regulatory approval and the launch of the REIT Index by S&P.

“The iREIT Fund will offer Canadian investors low-cost, diversified access to the real estate sector. Real estate is a key building block for a balanced portfolio and one that, in the form of REITs, offers attractive yield and tax deferral advantages,” said Gerry Rocchi, president of BGI Canada, in a news release.