Invesco launches three ETFs in Canada

An executive with Invesco Canada says Canadian-listed exchange-traded funds (ETFs) provide benefits that outweigh potentially higher costs. 

The investment firm has launched some of its U.S.-listed ETFs in Canada, which became available this summer. 

Pat Chiefalo, senior vice president and head of ETFs and indexed strategies at Invesco Canada, told BNN Bloomberg that bringing ETF products into Canada leverages the nation’s regulatory regime, which adds value for investors.

“They're meant to protect Canadian investors. They're really tailored for Canadians,” Chiefalo said of the regulations in a Friday interview.

“It's that extra layer of protection. It's having our own regulatory body looking out for investors that I think matters and has that incremental difference.”

Last month, Invesco Canada announced the launch of three ETFs in Canada, which include the Invesco Russell 1000 Dynamic-Multifactor Index ETF, the Invesco International Developed Dynamic-Multifactor Index ETF and the Invesco Morningstar Global Energy Transition Index ETF. 

Chiefalo said that the products may have higher expenses in Canada, but overall have low expense ratios.

“When we list (ETF products) in Canada, the servicing angle, the legal angle, there's an additional cost that we incur by bringing those up north. Those are marginally a little bit more expensive than what you see in the U.S,” he said.

“The recent ones we brought up, the returns and the opportunity far outweigh any modest kind of increase that we would have to impose.”