TORONTO, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Canadian pension fund manager OMERS on Friday reported an improved performance in 2016, helped by a strong performance from its private equity, infrastructure and real estate investments.
OMERS, or the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System, said it generated a 10.3 percent return in 2016, ahead of the 6.7 percent return it achieved in 2015 and ahead of a benchmark target of 7.9 percent.
OMERS said its net assets rose to more than C$85.2 billion, up from C$77.1 billion in 2015.
Canada's sixth-largest public pension fund said it achieved a 9.5 percent return from investments in publicly traded shares and bonds. Investments in private equity, real estate and infrastructure produced returns of 12 percent.
Canada's biggest public pension plans have grown rapidly in recent years through a strategy of directly investing in private equity, infrastructure and real estate assets to diversify away from public equity and fixed income markets.