Investor Knowledge
May 13 2026

Synthetic Canada Real Return Bond Replication Strategies to Help Manage Inflation-Linked Liability Risk

15 minutes

Mathieu Cote, Vice President, Derivatives Client Portfolio Management, TD Asset Management Inc.
Adnann Syed, Managing Director, Head of Derivatives Portfolio Management, TD Asset Management Inc.

Canada Real Return Bonds (RRBs) are federal government issued and guaranteed bonds where coupon payments and principal are adjusted to inflation. The inflation-sensitive aspect of RRBs has made them an attractive asset for Canadian investors, particularly for those employing liability-driven investment (LDI) strategies. A successful inflation hedging solution supplements nominal bonds by providing exposure to both the realized inflation and inflation breakeven (market implied) rate so that portfolio cashflows and valuation move in line with that of liabilities that are sensitive to inflation.