Corporate funds in Canada

While the aggregate pension assets of the companies in the S&P/Toronto Stock Exchange 60 index have grown 8.6% annually since the end of 2009, the average funding ratio has continued to fall — to 80.3% from 88.8% over the same period.

The average discount rate used for S&P/TSX 60 companies was 4.19% in 2012, slightly higher than the U.S. average of 4.05%. Average assumed rates of return for Canadian firms was 6.42%, vs. 7.73% for U.S. companies.

Allocations to alternatives among Canada's corporate plans are much lower than their U.S. counterparts, whose average in 2012 was 16.2% vs. 6.6% for companies in the S&P/TSX 60 index.