Before the Ontario Municipal Employees' Retirement System (OMERS) began, most municipalities and local boards throughout Ontario did not provide their employees with pensions. The few that did often had limited staff and resources available for the complex task of administering their plans and investing their retirement funds, and it was difficult for employees to take their pension with them if they moved from one municipal employer to another – without having to go through a complex transfer process – and the benefits varied greatly amongst municipal plans. OMERS was created as a new vision for those employees.
OMERS was born in 1962 as “a new vision for Ontario municipal sector employees.” While we have grown in the decades since, we have always maintained a clear focus on delivering the pension promise to our expanding membership, who keep our communities safe, clean and healthy.
The Plan
Our teams work across the globe, managing a diversified portfolio of high-quality investments in bonds, public and private credit, public and private equities, infrastructure and real estate. These investments fund pensions for members all across Ontario.
Investments
As one of Canada’s largest defined benefit pension plans, our global teams share an incredible culture grounded in our values of inclusion, integrity, humility and excellence.
Leadership and recognition
OMERS timeline
A new vision for Ontario municipal sector employees: 1962-1963
Rapid growth, improved benefits and early investing: 1964 - 1975
Broadening investment reach and continued enhancements: 1976 - 1988
Plan growth - Taking benefits to the next level and reaching investing milestones: 1989 – 2000
Laying the groundwork for the OMERS of today: 2001 – 2016
Building Tomorrow Together: 2017 – Today
