NEO Exchange partners with Trackinsight for Canadian ETF research

The NEO Exchange, a Canadian stock exchange, has partnered with Trackinsight to launch what NEO says is the first platform to offer free research and analysis on all Canadian-listed exchange-traded funds.

Canadian ETF Market, the platform NEO launched on Dec. 1, offers information on Canadian ETFs listed on the NEO Exchange as well as those listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, its larger rival, according to NEO Chief Revenue Officer Erik Sloane. The launch came a month after Pensions & Investments and ETF data provider Trackinsight launched P&I ETF Exchange, a digital platform targeted to the needs of asset owners and institutional investors.

NEO's new platform provides Canadian investors with three key capabilities, Mr. Sloane said in an interview last week.

"The first big one is screening for ETFs," he said, adding that with some 1,200 Canadian ETFs, there's much to filter through for investors seeking to find ETFs to suit their specific investment requirements, such as ESG offerings, equities or foreign markets.

"Our screener I think is the best one in the market because it's simple," he said. "Screening shouldn't be a difficult exercise, and yet no real solution existed in Canada until Canadian ETF Market launched."

A second thing ETF Market provides is "high-quality, institutional-grade" data about each of those 1,200 ETFs, Mr. Sloane said.

"That information comes directly from Trackinsight, which they source from every Canadian ETF manager directly," he said. "So, we're ensuring accuracy and timeliness of data so that investors can make that investment decision readily, without questioning the underlying intelligence."

Thirdly, the website will have a section dedicated to educating investors about ETFs, which will include content that refreshes daily, Mr. Sloane said.

Franklin Templeton Canada, which in March migrated four ETFs to the NEO Exchange from the Toronto Stock Exchange, was a launch partner for new platform, he said. Franklin Templeton Canada is a unit of global investment manager Franklin Resources Inc.

"They'll be contributing content, information and material that I think the investors will find incredibly insightful," Mr. Sloane said.

"Financial literacy is a priority for our company, and as a strong advocate of advice, we support educational resources like this for financial advisers and investors," Duane Green, president and CEO of Franklin Templeton Canada, said in comments provided to Pensions & Investments. "Resources like this help the ETF industry grow, which we are strongly committed to."

The free screening tool gives financial advisers access to the analysis they need to make investment decisions and conduct their due diligence, Mr. Green said.

Trackinsight "has expertise in building similar tools in other jurisdictions worldwide, so we are glad to support bringing this proven tool and the quality of analysis to Canada," he said.

The Toronto Stock Exchange offers the TSX ETF Investor Centre, a free portal that enables investors to learn about TSX-listed ETFs, according to Graham MacKenzie, head of exchange-traded products at Toronto Stock Exchange. TSX ETFs represent 98% of ETF assets under management in Canada, according to TSX data.

Other ETF screeners are also available in Canada, including one offered by the Canadian ETF Association.