Pension fund manager OMERS earned six per cent return for 2025

The Bay Street financial district is shown in Toronto on Friday, August 5, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

TORONTO — Pension fund manager OMERS says it earned a six per cent return for 2025, helped by the strength of its public equities and private credit investments.

The Ontario fund manager says its net assets grew to $145.2 billion at Dec. 31, up from $138.2 billion a year earlier.

OMERS chief financial and strategy officer Jonathan Simmons says the portfolio generated steady performance against a backdrop of significant political and economic uncertainty, particularly around trade in 2025.

Simmons noted that six out of the fund’s seven investment asset classes delivered positive returns, led by a third year of double-digit returns from public equities and another strong year for private credit investments.

The pension plan’s smoothed funded status improved to 99 per cent, up from 98 per cent in 2024.

OMERS manages the defined-benefit pension fund for employees of municipalities, school boards, local boards, transit systems, electrical utilities, emergency services and children’s aid societies across Ontario.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 23, 2026.