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A Message from our President, Blake Hutcheson

March 17, 2020

Here for you, here for each other. Our message: prudence, not panic.

These are unprecedented times that call for deep trust in each other and a belief in doing the right thing in all respects. As COVID-19 evolves, OMERS will be as proactive as possible to put the well-being of our members and our employees first, while ensuring that we are also acting responsibly toward both the communities in which we live, and your investment portfolio and pension promise.

Your OMERS pension is built for the long run. Our strength is in our diversity – of our people, of our investments, of our ideas and of our members – and we will always be here for you.

I am very proud of the way our organization is pulling together to support one another and our members, customers, partners and stakeholders. We all recognize that these markets are extremely difficult to navigate, yet we have a highly capable and experienced global enterprise and we are well prepared for situations like this. Knowing our organization as I do, I am fully confident that we will find our way through this cycle, better than most, and in selective ways we will find opportunities to set ourselves up even stronger for the future.

Like many workplaces, we have adapted our work arrangements as recommended by local, provincial and federal health authorities, including the Public Health Agency of Canada. For those who are now working from home, the sense of obligation to assist OMERS at this time is as strong as ever. It is times like these that true character shows.

At this juncture, I want to communicate three points for how we can work together and what you can expect from us as the situation unfolds:

  1. We are working our best to serve you

    We are committed to being here for you. Without question, pensions will continue to be paid on the first business day of each month. While you may experience slower than usual response times, rest assured that we will provide the best service that we can as we help all our members navigate their questions or concerns. You can help us prioritize business-critical needs by using our self-serve channels where appropriate.

  2. We can serve you digitally

    myOMERS remains ready and the best way to access your pension online 24/7. If you have not yet signed up, please take this opportunity to learn about all it has to offer. Due to advancing technology myOMERS is very simple to use, available to you wherever you are and whenever you need.

  3. We will keep you informed

    We are committed to keeping our lines of communication open to inform you of the latest developments across OMERS. We understand this is an uncertain time for everyone and we are here to continue to support you, whatever your needs may be.

You – our members – are the very reason OMERS exists. We are thinking creatively to serve you in new ways as we adapt to these circumstances. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work through this together.

Many of you are on the front line helping Ontario communities in critical ways, including helping combat COVID-19. We know you are all stretched in uncomfortable and unprecedented ways too. We wish you well. Thank you for your extraordinary contribution.

Please be safe, take care of yourself and support family and friends! Our message: prudence, not panic.

Best wishes,
Blake Hutcheson, President