The Addenda Impact Fixed Income Fund was established in 2018 to create both competitive financial returns and positive social and environmental impacts.
“Our strategy revolves around five broad themes: climate change, health and wellbeing, education, community development and water. It pushes us to invest in vehicles that can have positive and sustainable impacts,” explains Alexandre Zarbatany, Director of Client Partnerships and Business Development. “Investments are intended to support vulnerable populations dealing with major challenges, like access to housing, financial services and critical infrastructures. As such, they help build more resilient and inclusive communities. Indigenous communities are at the centre of our approach, with projects that foster reconciliation and an Indigenous economy.”
With support from the McConnell Foundation, the Impact Fixed Income Fund was able to help projects with a strong social and environmental impact, among them the financing of the Peter Gilgan Hospital through the First Nations Finance Authority. This new hospital will improve access to healthcare and economic development initiatives in Indigenous communities.
“Our experience has proven the importance of sharing values and working closely together. McConnell’s priorities are very much aligned with our impact fund,” says Zarbatany. “We were able to look for innovative opportunities, like the first investment of a fixed income institutional fund in community bonds, i.e. Groupe TAQ. This investment consolidated our position in the Canadian market of impact investment while also contributing to its expansion.”
Zarbatany concludes: “Beyond its financial support, McConnell’s involvement has been a catalyst for change by encouraging us to discover new ways of investing sustainably.”
Thank you to Addenda for the images used on this page and other pages throughout this report.