TMCnet News

The Canadian Investment Awards is Proud to Present the 2007 Winners!
[November 29, 2007]

The Canadian Investment Awards is Proud to Present the 2007 Winners!


(Canada Newswire English Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Attention Business Editors

Celebrating excellence in the Investment industry

TORONTO, Nov. 29 /CNW/ - The Canadian Investment Awards, Canada's premier awards program, recognizing excellence in the Financial Services industry, is proud to present this year's winners of the 2007 Canadian Investment Awards. The awards were presented earlier this evening at the annual Gala held at the Direct Energy Centre. These awards showcase excellence in the investment industry and are determined through a rigorous, audited process.



"Every year highlights extraordinary products, initiatives and leaders within the Canadian Financial Services industry," said Sabine Steinbrecher, CIA President and Founder of the Canadian Investment Awards. "This year was no exception; with a record number of entries into our judged awards and another sold out Gala. This industry has proven itself committed to providing advisor and investor education, while developing products that meet the needs of an ever-changing marketplace. I personally want to extend my congratulations to all of the 2007 winners."

Among some of the most anticipated award winners are:


Blake Goldring of AGF Funds Inc. winner of Person of Influence of the

Year

Qualifying candidates were chosen from any area of financial services in Canada including fund management, banking, distribution, media, analysts and suppliers. It is presented to an individual who has proven superior performance and an outstanding contribution to the financial community during the previous 12 months.

Gerald Cooper-Key of Mawer Investment Management Ltd. winner of the

Morningstar Fund Manager of the Year

This award honours the Canadian mutual fund manager who has produced the best performance over the past year but has also been an extraordinary long term manager.

CI Investments Inc. winner of the CGI Inc. 2007 Analysts' Choice

Investment Fund Company of the Year

The award is given to a company that excels in 9 key areas such as performance, management, breadth of core fund category representation, community investment, service to industry, investor and advisor education, volatility/risk, fund governance and communication to unit holders.

Dynamic Funds was winner of the Advisors' Choice Investment Fund Company

of the Year

Winners are chosen by a closed survey where Canadian Advisor's cast their vote for their favourite fund company. While voting, they judge based on quality and range of products, performance, MER, service, education, community investment and management.

This year marked the introduction of a new award, the Advisor Education Award, sponsored by Learning Library Inc. This award recognized a commitment to an exceptional educational initiative aimed at advisors. The inaugural winner was awarded to PlanPlus Inc. & Wealth Enhancement Academy for demonstrating their dedication to educational leadership and excellence in the advisor community.

The fund award process is very rigorous. Independent juries review performance with special attention to minimum three-year performance history to support a longer-term perspective. Strict attention is paid to quantitative performance as well as various measures of risk and the fund's diversification benefits. The focus is not just quantitative alone; juries also weigh qualitative factors such as management quality, availability and fee structure. The Morningstar team spearheaded the process to research the data and create eligible fund lists for the analysts to review. Analysts are then responsible for reviewing multiple perspectives within a sound analytical framework and choose their top three choices. Results go back to Morningstar to audit results and determine the finalists and winner in each category, through a point system.

The 2007 Canadian Investment Award Winners are listed below:

Canadian Dividend & Income Equity Fund

Winner: Standard Life Canadian Dividend Growth, Standard Life Mutual

Funds Ltd.

Finalist: TD Dividend Growth, TD Mutual Funds

Finalist: Stone & Co Dividend Growth, Stone & Co. Limited

Canadian Small/Mid Cap Equity Fund ((greater than) 50% Canada)

Winner: Ethical Special Equity / IA Clarington Canadian Small Cap,

Ethical Funds Inc. / IA Clarington Investments.

Finalist: BMO Special Equity, BMO Investments Inc.

Finalist: AGF Canadian Small Cap, AGF Funds Inc.

Canadian Balanced Fund

Winner: CI Signature Canadian Balanced, CI Investments Inc.

Finalist: Fidelity Canadian Balanced, Fidelity Investments Canada Limited

Finalist: CI Harbour Growth & Income, CI Investments Inc.

US Small/Mid Cap Equity Fund

Winner: TD US Mid-Cap Growth, TD Mutual Funds

Finalist: Trimark US Small Companies Class, AIM Trimark Investments

Finalist: RBC US Mid-Cap Equity, RBC US Mid-Cap Equity

Global Fixed Income Fund

Winner: Templeton Global Bond, Franklin Templeton Investments Corp.

Finalist: RBC Global Bond, Royal Mutual Funds Inc.

Finalist: GGOF Global Bond Classic, Guardian Group of Funds Ltd.

Global Small/MidCap Equity Fund

Winner: IA Clarington Global Small Cap, IA Clarington Investments Inc.

Finalist: CI Global Small Companies, CI Investments Inc.

Finalist: GGOF Global Small Cap, Guardian Group of Funds Ltd.

Global Equity Fund

Winner: Trimark Fund, AIM Trimark Investments

Finalist: Mutual Discovery, Franklin Templeton Investments Corp.

Finalist: Dynamic Global Value, Dynamic Funds

Canadian Fixed Income Fund

Winner: Phillips, Hager & North Total Return Bond, Phillips, Hager &

North Investment Management Ltd.

Finalist: Beutel Goodman Income, Beutel Goodman Managed Funds Inc.

Finalist: Phillips, Hager & North Short Term Bond & Mortgage, Phillips,

Hager & North Investment Management Ltd.

Canadian Income Trust Fund

Winner: Renaissance Canadian Monthly Income, CIBC Securities Inc.

Finalist: Saxon High Income, Saxon Funds Management Limited

Finalist: Sentry Select Canadian Income, Sentry Select Capital Corp.

Canadian Equity Fund ((greater than) 50% Canada)

Winner: Fidelity True North, Fidelity Investments Canada Limited

Finalist: Leith Wheeler Canadian Equity, Leith Wheeler Investment Counsel

Ltd.

Finalist: Mawer Canadian Equity, Mawer Investment Management Ltd.

Emerging Markets Equity Fund

Winner: AGF Emerging Markets, AGF Funds Inc.

Finalist: TD Emerging Markets, TD Mutual Funds

Finalsit: Brandes Emerging Markets Equity, Brandes Investment Partners &

Co.

Global Balanced Fund

Winner: McLean Budden Balanced Growth, McLean Budden Limited

Finalist: Trimark Global Balanced, AIM Trimark Investments

Finalist: Phillips, Hager & North Balanced, Phillips, Hager & North

Investment Management Ltd.

High Yield Fixed Income Fund

Winner: Phillips, Hager & North High Yield Bond, Phillips, Hager & North

Investment Management Ltd.

Finalist: Renaissance Canadian High Yield Bond, CIBC Securities Inc.

Finalist: Dynamic High Yield Bond, Dynamic Funds

Asian Equity Fund

Winner: Fidelity Far East, Fidelity Investments Canada Limited

Finalist: Dynamic Far East Value, Dynamic Funds

Finalist: Excel China, Excel Funds Management Inc.

Finalist: Franklin Japan Corporate Class, Franklin Templeton Investments

Corp.

International Equity Fund

Winner: Mawer World Investment, Mawer Investment Management Ltd.

Finalist: AIM International Growth, AIM Trimark Investments

Finalist: AGF International Stock, AGF Funds Inc.

European Equity Fund

Winner: AGF European Equity, AGF Funds Inc.

Finalist: Trimark Europlus, AIM Trimark Investments

Finalist: Investors European Mid-Cap Equity, Investors Group Inc.

US Equity Fund

Winner: Dynamic Power American Growth, Dynamic Funds

Finalist: Fidelity American Disciplined Equity, Fidelity Investments

Canada Limited

Finalist: RBC O'Shaughnessy US Value, Royal Mutual Funds Inc.

Precious Metals Equity Fund

Winner: AGF Precious Metals, AGF Funds Inc.

Finalist: Mackenzie Universal World Precious Metals, Mackenzie Financial

Corporation

Finalist: Sentry Select Precious Metals Growth, Sentry Select Capital

Corp.

Science and Technology Equity Fund

Winner: GGOF Global Technology Classic, Guardian Group of Funds Ltd.

Finalist: TD Entertainment & Communications, TD Mutual Funds

Finalist: Fidelity Focus Telecommunications, Fidelity Investments Canada

Limited

Healthcare Equity Fund

Winner: Renaissance Global Health Care, CIBC Securities Inc.

Finalist: TD Health Sciences, TD Mutual Funds

Finalist: CI Global Health Sciences, CI Investments Inc.

Natural Resources Equity Fund

Winner: RBC Global Resources, Royal Mutual Funds Inc.

Finalist: Mackenzie Universal World Resource, Mackenzie Financial

Corporation

Finalist: Mackenzie Universal Canadian Resource, Mackenzie Financial

Corporation

Socially Responsible Investment Fund

Winner: Ethical Special Equity, Ethical Funds Inc.

Finalist: Meritas International Equity, Meritas Mutual Funds

Opportunistic Strategy Hedge Fund

Winner: Dynamic Power Hedge Fund, Dynamic Funds

Finalist: BluMont Hirsch Performance Fund, BluMont Capital

Multi Strategy Hedge Fund

Winner: Salida Multi Strategy Hedge Fund, Salida Capital Corporation

Finalist: Vertex Fund, Vertex One Asset Management Inc.

Canadian Equity Pooled Fund

Winner: Mawer Canadian Equity Pooled, Mawer Investment Management Ltd.

Finalist: Highstreet Canadian Equity Fund, Highstreet Asset Management

Inc.

Finalist: Greystone Canadian Equity, Greystone Managed Investments Inc.

Canadian Income Pooled Fund

Winner: PH&N Bond Fund, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management

Ltd.

Finalist: Beutel Goodman Income Fund, Beutel Goodman Managed Funds Inc.

Finalist: FGP Bond Fund, Foyston, Gordon & Payne Inc.

Canadian Small Cap Pooled Fund

Winner: Standard Life Canadian Small-Cap Equity Fund, Standard Life

Canada

Finalist: Legg Mason Batterymarch Canadian Small Cap Fund, Legg Mason

Canada Inc.

Finalist: Acuity Pooled Canadian Small Cap Fund, Acuity Funds Ltd.

Global Equity Pooled Fund

Winner: Trimark Fund, AIM Trimark Investments

Finalist: Legg Mason Brandywine International Equity Fund, Legg Mason

Canada Inc.

Finalist: Templeton Global Equity Trust, Franklin Templeton Investments

Corp.

Canadian Balanced Pooled Fund

Winner: Fidelity Canadian Balanced, Fidelity Investments Canada Limited

Finalist: BonaVista Balanced, BonaVista Asset Management Ltd.

Finalist: Greystone Balanced, Greystone Managed Investments Inc.

Global Balanced Pooled Fund

Winner: PH&N Balanced Pension Trust, Phillips, Hager & North Investment

Management Ltd.

Finalist: Mawer Canadian Balanced Pooled, Mawer Investment Management

Ltd.

Finalist: MB Balanced Growth Fund, McLean Budden Limited

US Equity Pooled Fund

Winner: CI American Value, CI Investments Inc.

Finalist: McLean Budden American Equity, McLean Budden Limited

Finalist: Beutel Goodman American Equity Fund, Beutel Goodman Managed

Funds Inc.

International Equity Pooled Fund

Winner: Mawer World Investment, Mawer Investment Management Ltd.

Finalist: GE Asset Management International Equity, GE Asset Management

Canada

Finalist: Desjardins Bernstein International Equity Value Fund,

Desjardins Financial Security

Canadian Investment Marketing Award

Winner: "Value of Commitment", AIC Limited

Winner: "Launch of IncomePlus", Manulife Investments

Winner: "Putting Criterion on the Map", VenGrowth Asset Management /

Criterion Investments

Winner: "The Bag Lady Program", Blackmont Capital Inc.

Analysts' Choice Investment Fund Company of the Year

Winner: CI Investments Inc.

Finalist: Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management Ltd.

Finalist: Dynamic Funds

Investor Education Award

Winner: "Socially Responsible Investing", Mackenzie Financial Corporation

Finalist: "The Retirement Risk Zone", Manulife Investments

Advisor Education Award

Winner: "Advice Transition Program", PlanPlus Inc. & Wealth Enhancement

Academy

Finalist: "Insights", Dynamic Funds

Finalist: "Certified Portfolio Engineer Program", Dundee Wealth Inc.

(Dundee Wealth Management Division)

Career Achievement Award

Winner: Claude Lamoureux, Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan

Person of Influence of the Year Award

Winner: Blake Goldring, AGF Funds Inc.

Best Use of Technology Award

Winner: The Investment Platform, Scotia Securities Inc.

Finalist: C3 Mutual Fund System, TD Bank Financial Group - Wealth

Management

Finalist: IPC Connect, Investment Planning Counsel Inc.

Best New Initiative Award

Winner: Manulife GIF Select featuring IncomePlus, Manulife Financial

Finalist: The Next Generation Corporate Class Structure, NexGen Financial

Limited Partnership

Finalist: RBC Funds in Series D, RBC Asset Management

Advisors' Choice Investment Fund Company of the Year

Winner: Dynamic Funds

Finalist: CI Investments Inc.

Finalist: AGF Funds Inc.

Morningstar Fund Manager of the Year

Winner: Gerald Cooper-Key, Mawer Investment Management Ltd

"We are continuing the celebration of excellence and innovation with our new green commitment launched last night, this award will be given next year to a leading organization who best accomplishes their green company initiatives," said Steinbrecher. "Our goal is to recognize investment institutions and to encourage those who make a difference reducing their footprint."

"In closing, I want to sincerely thank all of our sponsors and look forward to another exciting year of raising the bar in the Canadian Financial Services industry. We would like everyone to join us next year for the 2008 Canadian Investment Awards to be held on November 27th, 2008."

For more information please visit www.InvestmentAwards.com. Awards were presented at the 13th Annual Gala held on November 29th, 2007 and winners will be posted online November 30th, 2007.

Key sponsors and partners:

Platinum: CGI / Morningstar

Gold: Canadian Business / MoneySense

Silver: Fundata Canada Inc. / Informco / Investment Executive / Learning

Library Inc. / Satyam Computer Services Ltd.

Strategic Partners: CCR Solutions / Imagine Canada / Kaleidoscope

Marketing and Communications / Prestige Glass International Inc. / VAULT

Solutions / YMCA Investment in Values

Partners: Broadridge / Bullfrog Power / Business News Network / CNW

Group / Data on the Spot / Elemente Magazine / Investment Fund Institute

of Canada / John Wiley & Sons Canada Ltd. / Matrix Search Group / RPM

Technologies / Tiffany & Co. / Vincor Canada

About the Canadian Investment Awards

The Canadian Investment Awards and Gala recognizes leading investment products and firms illustrating an enduring commitment to excellence within the Canadian financial services industry overall. It is the only time each year in Canada, that the industry, investors and advisors come together to select top performers. The event attracts 650 guests annually and represents the year long work of over 30 firms, 40 senior analysts and expert jury members researching and ranking 50 categories and is supported by over 25 principal sponsors.

The unusual nature of this collaborative structure provides an unbiased and objective outcome that is completely unique to these awards and to Canada. No other analysis process, nor any other resource, provides this broad industry representation via "collaborative results" and the top performers have become a valuable annual reference guide for Canadian investors and advisors.

This is the event of the season celebrating financial service excellence. For more information about the Canadian Investment Awards, and how to purchase your tickets, please visit www.investmentawards.com.

Sabine Steinbrecher, Canadian Investment Awards Inc., Tel: (416) 703-8674 x 229, Email: [email protected]; Kate Taylor, Kaleidoscope Marketing and Communications, Tel: (416) 271-9078, Email: [email protected]

Copyright 2007 Canada Newswire Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]