Policy and Advocacy

The SIO is led in its policy and advocacy activity by a Policy & Advocacy Committee comprised of board members and non-board members. The Committee is guided by terms of reference established in 2002 mandating the SIO to focus on public policy efforts to improve the capacity of investors to implement SRI and to promote the social investment industry in Canada.

2009   

• December: Social Disclosure Consultation
• December: IIROC Notice - Know Your Client and Suitability Guidelines
• September SIO Policy Alert: Federal Pension ESG Disclosure Bill Introduced
  • News Release: Robert Oliphant, MP Presents Bill Requiring Pensions Funds to Disclose Environmental, Social or Governance Considerations in Investing (September 15, 2009) - Version française
• September SIO Policy Alert: Mandatory ESG Disclosure in Canada and Abroad
• August: Proposed Amendments to Manitoba's Pension Benefits Regulation
• June: The Financial Crisis: An Environmental, Social and Governance Perspective (CR Strategies)
• April: Transforming global capital markets│Leadership for economic stimulus and financial reform: A statement to world leaders from the global sustainable and responsible finance industry
• February: Comments on Regulatory proposals related to the ABCP market in Canada - CSA Consultation Paper 11-405

2008   

• November: Brief to the Nova Scotia Pension Review Panel

• October: SIO Federal Party Policy Questionnaire on Pension Fund Transparency

• July: SIO submission to the Expert Panel on securities and regulation

• April: Brief to the Investment Dealers Association on SRI and the advisor-client relationship

• April: Brief to OSC on new environmental reporting guidelines

2007

• October: Submission to Ontario Expert Commission on Pensions

2006

• September: Written Submission to national Corporate Social Responsibility Roundtable

• May:  Evolution of Public Policy and the Sustainable and Socially Responsible Investment of Canada's Pensions.  Presentation Notes from Pensions at Work Lecture Series.

• January:  The 2006 SIO Election Questionnaire

2005

• August:  Brief to the federal consultation on national pension plans

• August:  Sample letter to consultation on national pension plans

• May:  Accounting Guidelines and Climate Change

2004

• December: Brief on social responsibility and corporate governance

• September: Opinion column on investor democracy

• August:  Brief on Ontario Securities Act Reform

• June: Brief on SRI pension reform

• June: Questionnaire to Federal Parties, Election 2004

• June: News release on mandatory disclosure of mutual fund voting

• May: Brief on proposed new corporate governance requirements

2003

• October: Brief on Sweatshop Disclosure by Apparel Industry

• September: Brief on New Guidelines for Capital Accumulation Plans

• August: Brief to the Canadian Securities Administrators on Continuous Disclosure

• February: Mutual Fund Proxy Voting Disclosure Letter

2002

• December: Brief to Ontario Securities Commission on Mutual Fund Proxy Voting Guidelines

• November: Brief to the Senate Banking, Trade and Commerce Committee

• September: Brief to the Canadian Securities Administrators

• August: Memoire au Comité des finances publiques du Québec en francais

• August: Brief to the Quebec Committee on Public Finance  English version

• August: Brief to the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants

• July: Letter to the New York Stock Exchange on Social and Environmental disclosure

2001

• October: Campaign to achieve RRSP Fairness for Community Investments

• February: Federal government agrees to end discrimination against socially responsible shareholder proposals

• February: SIO's position on new federal legislation