Canada's DB Pension Plans Post 6% Gain as Global Equities Rally

Canadian defined benefit pension plans posted a 6.0 per cent gain in Q2 2026, marking the first time since Q3 2025 that both equities and fixed income delivered positive returns simultaneously.

The bulk of the gain came from global equities, which returned 15.1 per cent for the quarter and 14.0 per cent year-to-date, driven by emerging markets, particularly Korea and Taiwan's semiconductor heavyweights.

Among developed markets, US equities led with a 17.1 per cent return in Canadian dollar terms, while Canadian equities returned 7.0 per cent for the quarter and 11.2 per cent year-to-date.