Canadian market News

Definity Financial’s CEO Plots Acquisitions After Insurer’s Canadian IPO

Definity Financial Corp., the 150-year-old insurer that held its initial public offering [on Nov. 17], will look to use its newfound access to capital to expand through acquisitions, the firm’s top executive said. Chief Executive Officer Rowan Saunders said the …

Flood-Stricken British Columbia Weighs Cost of Climate-Proofing Infrastructure

CALGARY, Alberta – Flood-stricken British Columbia is considering major upgrades to its highway network to make it more resilient to climate change risks, as the province starts reconstruction work after last week’s devastating floods. Upgrades would include building longer bridges …

Climate Change Could Fuel Atmospheric Rivers, Which Caused Recent Canada Floods

Atmospheric rivers of the kind that drenched California and flooded British Columbia in recent weeks will become larger — and possibly more destructive — because of climate change, scientists said. Columns in the atmosphere hundreds of miles long carry water …

Canada Insurer Definity Surges on Market Debut After $1.6B IPO Backed by Swiss Re

TORONTO – Insurer Definity Financial Corp jumped as much as 36% on its stock market debut on Thursday after raising C$2.1 billion ($1.6 billion) in Canada’s second-largest IPO. Waterloo, Ontario-based Definity priced its IPO at C$22.00 per share, the top …

‘Extraordinary’ Storms Cut Off Road, Rail Access to Vancouver

Vancouver, Canada’s third-largest city, is cut off from the rest of the country by land after days of storms caused flooding and mudslides that have blocked major highways and rail lines. In response to what local officials are calling the …

P/C Insurer Definity Raises $1.1B in Largest Canadian IPO of 2021

Definity Financial Corp., the property and casualty insurer formerly known as Economical Mutual Insurance Co., raised about C$1.4 billion ($1.1 billion) in the largest Canadian initial public offering of the year. A total of 63.6 million shares were sold for …

Canadian P/C Insurer Definity Seeks to Raise $1 Billion in IPO

Definity Financial Corp., the property and casualty insurer formerly known as Economical Mutual Insurance Co., is seeking to raise C$1.25 billion ($1 billion) in an initial public offering, following in the footsteps of other large Canadian insurers that have moved …

Canada Insurers, Banks Can Resume Dividend Hikes as Regulator Lifts COVID-Era Curbs

TORONTO – Canadian banks and insurers can resume dividend increases and share buybacks and raise executive compensation, the country’s financial regulator said on Thursday, lifting a moratorium it imposed in March 2020 and possibly paving the way for a boost …

Canada Employers Shed Unvaccinated Workers With Legal Challenges Expected

OTTAWA – Canadian employers are firing or putting on unpaid leave thousands of workers who refused to get COVID-19 shots, squeezing an already tight labor market and raising prospects of potentially disruptive legal challenges. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised vaccine …

WTW’s Smith to Lead Chaucer’s Marine Specialty Division; NFP Names Beauchamp VP Commercial Lines; Insurtech BOXX Hires Steptoe as Global Chief Product Officer

This edition of International People Moves details appointments in at insurer Chaucer (in the UK), the broker NFP (in Quebec) and the insurtech BOXX (in Switzerland). A summary of these new hires follows here Chaucer Appoints Smith From WTW to …