Bringing ETF Solutions to Canada’s Individual Fund (and Mutual Fund) Space
“The funds segregated from our Smart ETFs have proven to be very popular with clients and advisors,” says Christina Pappas, Head of Product Development, Guaranteed Investment Products. “It’s great to be able to leverage the success of that offering and bring some of those popular ETF options to our separate fund platform.”
The expansion of the ETF industry has been nothing short of tremendous, Pappas says, with 10-year growth rates at 22 percent. Isolated funds from ETFs are also growing rapidly. Their share in Canada’s $165 billion segregated fund industry is only $753 million as of 2021, so there’s plenty of room for them to grow.
“These have resonated with life-licensed advisors because they provide access to ETF solutions,” she says.
The growing popularity of ETFs has made them a focal point of innovation in the investment industry, so it was only a matter of time before guaranteed investment funds reach the space. Manulife Smart ETFs offer proactive management and attractive pricing, and layering on the estate-planning benefits of segregated fund contracts, Pappas says ETFs are another way for segregated fund advisors to meet the evolving needs of clients. method provide.
In November, the company introduced the Manulife Balanced Dividend ETF Bundle, further expanding ETF access and choice for advisors and investors. Managed by Manulife’s multi-asset solutions team, it has a target asset allocation of 30% in Canadian dividend stocks, 30% in US dividend stocks and 40% in Canadian corporate bonds through the respective Manulife Smart ETF.
