-- INCREASED INVESTMENTS IN RENEWABLE ENERGY, SUSTAINABLE REAL ESTATE 
     AND ONTARIO GREEN BONDS

OPTrust, one of Canada's largest defined benefit pension plans, released its 
2019 Responsible Investing (RI) Report, Looking to the Future ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=2801166-1&h=4171552552&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.optrust.com%2Finvestments%2Fresponsible-investing.asp&a=Looking+to+the+Future 
). The report details the Plan's RI results and philosophy, as well as the 
introduction of the new Sustainable Investing and Innovation (SII) team that 
will build on OPTrust's record of responsible investing. Highlights of the 
report and OPTrust's 2019 RI results include:

Logo - 
https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1166824/OPTrust_OPTrust_Releases_2019_Responsible_Investing_Report.jpg 
 

     - Received an A+ rating for the Fund's strategy and governance approach 
       to responsible investing from the Principles for Responsible 
       Investment (PRI) 
     - Expanded OPTrust's Green Bond holdings with a $100 million investment 
       in Ontario government Green Bonds 
     - Awarded top ranking in the GRESB 2019 Global Sustainable Index for 
       portfolio company Globalvia 
     - Maintained an active ownership program, including voting at more 
       than 2,000 company meetings in over 50 countries 
     - Partnered with the Investor Leadership Network, and committed to 
       accelerating progress on gender diversity issues in the companies 
       and other partners in which OPTrust invests 
     - Strengthened reporting in accordance with the Task Force on 
       Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)

"We are focused on sustainability, of the Plan and of the planet," said OPTrust 
President and CEO, Peter Lindley. "This is reflected in our commitment to 
overcome the unique challenges we face as long-term investors for the financial 
benefit of our members and society."

The report details OPTrust's progress in measuring total fund exposure to 
climate risk. In 2019, OPTrust worked with an external partner to conduct their 
first bottom-up climate risk assessment on a near-total fund basis. This 
includes beginning to measure and disclose portfolio emissions and establishing 
a baseline. 

"As a pension plan, we are long-term investors and our role is to look far 
ahead at challenges and opportunities that could affect our members' retirement 
security across multiple generations," said OPTrust CIO, James Davis. "The 
world is changing at an increasingly rapid pace, but our approach to 
responsible investing embraces that change and recognizes challenges also bring 
opportunities."

OPTrust reached another milestone in 2019 through the introduction of the 
Sustainable Investing and Innovation team. The team will focus on managing 
long-term sustainability issues through a capital allocation mandate. With an 
initial focus on innovations arising from climate change, the SII team will 
enable OPTrust to more proactively identify and act on emerging climate risks 
and opportunities.

ABOUT OPTRUST

With net assets of almost $22 billion, OPTrust invests and manages one of 
Canada's largest pension funds and administers the OPSEU Pension Plan 
(including OPTrust Select), a defined benefit plan with over 96,000 members. 
OPTrust was established to give plan members and the Government of Ontario an 
equal voice in the administration of the Plan and the investment of its assets 
through joint trusteeship. OPTrust is governed by a 10-member Board of 
Trustees, five of whom are appointed by OPSEU and five by the Government of 
Ontario.

MEDIA CONTACT: Claire Prashaw, OPTrust, Director, Public Affairs, 1- 
416-681-3617, cprashaw@optrust.com

Source - OPTrust