Explore exclusive reports, Kingsdale news, and case studies

Most boards can quantify their exposure to interest rates, but few can quantify their exposure to geopolitics, and investors are starting to notice the gap. Find out how to prepare your board for a world where geopolitical risk has become a governance priority.

For years, directors have navigated what many have described as the "Canadian director's dilemma," balancing the interests of shareholders alongside an expanding set of stakeholders. Canada's prosperity over the next decade may ultimately be shaped by two defining questions.

Kingsdale President, Aaron Boles, joins The Corporate Governance Institute's Dan Byrne to discuss 2026 proxy season trends in Canada. Listen in for what boards should take away from this year's proxy season, from activism to ESG to AI.

Activism has shifted from operational intervention to strategic influence, and most boards are still playing by the old rules. A clear example is Bill Ackman, from his 2012 proxy fight at Canadian Pacific to his bid for Universal Music Group in 2026. Prepared boards identify pressure early. See what this means for boards under pressure.

Kingsdale Founder & CEO, Wes Hall, was interviewed by Diligent, sharing early insights from the 2026 Proxy Season and highlighting a 28% rise in activist campaigns in Canada. As activism becomes more targeted and sophisticated, the message for boards is clear: preparation is no longer optional, it is essential.

When BP fired its chairman, the move was dressed up as a shock. A unanimous board decision. It had all the markings of a sudden crisis. It was nothing of the sort. By the time a board is forced to remove its chairman in public, the cheaper, quieter options have already expired.

A $7B cross-border acquisition, a shifting investor base, and surging gold prices made this one of the most complex shareholder votes in recent memory. Read the case study on how Kingsdale delivered a record-breaking mandate for New Gold.

Kingsdale EVP of Governance Advisory, Victor Li, shared early insights from the 2026 proxy season. While activism is rising, management teams are beginning to regain ground, underscoring the impact of stronger preparation.

Kingsdale President, Aaron Boles, was live on BNN Bloomberg's "The Open" with Andrew Bell to discuss our 2026 Proxy Season: Early Insights report. Access the full report to explore the latest trends in proxy season and corporate governance.

The exclusive report offers a first look at how Canada's 2026 proxy season is unfolding through a corporate governance lens. 50 activism campaigns have already been launched increasing pressure on boards as retail influence grows.

With shareholder activism already up 28% and retail participation influence growing, Canada’s 2026 proxy season is accelerating and reshaping governance expectations. This report delivers early insights into the trends and pressure points boards need to understand now.

Gore Mutual secured two historic member votes for its merger with Beneva. Read the case study on how the 185‑year‑old member mutual worked with Kingsdale to deliver record‑breaking member turnout and approval; not once, but twice.

Kingsdale President, Aaron Boles, joined industry leaders to explore the emerging role of AI in investment stewardship. The discussion focused on where AI is creating meaningful value, where risks are developing, and what boards must consider as governance evolves.

Canada’s blue-chip boards have never looked stronger: more diverse, more credentialed, more sophisticated. On paper, this is a governance success story. In practice, governance failures continue to surface, often at companies with the strongest boards. See what separates boards that look good on paper from those that actually work under pressure.

The Ontario Securities Commission is seeking feedback on how to build a machine-readable dataset of securities rules and regulatory documents. Comments are open until June 30, 2026. If this touches your world, it's worth weighing in.

Kingsdale Advisors Founder and CEO Wes Hall is featured in the March/April 2026 edition of ICD's Director Journal, weighing in on one of the most consequential questions facing Canadian business leaders right now: what should boards be doing before the CUSMA review?

Artificial intelligence is transforming how investors evaluate companies and how activists build campaigns. As investors adopt AI‑driven analysis and move away from standardized proxy adviser models, governance expectations are shifting quickly. See how AI is reshaping the proxy landscape and what it means for Canadian boards.

LabGold faced an activist campaign seeking majority control of its board. The company's historical three-year voter turnout was below 25%, the dissident held more than 8% of common shares, and the largest shareholder abstained from the vote. Here's how they won.

National Bank’s acquisition of Canadian Western Bank required separate approvals from common shareholders, preferred shareholders, and LRCN holders, making transaction certainty a matter of precise execution.

LSEG's newly published Global Shareholder Activism Review confirms Bloomberg's findings from earlier this month. Kingsdale Advisors ranks #1 in Canada and Top 8 globally for company-side proxy solicitation in FY 2025.

Our EVP of Governance Advisory, Victor Li, joins ICD’s Rahul K. Bhardwaj on the "Be It Resolved" podcast to discuss J.P. Morgan’s shift from proxy advisors to proprietary AI. Leveraging decades of experience at Kingsdale and ISS, Victor analyzes if AI will displace industry giants and how directors must adapt their oversight.

AGMs are strategic moments that shape investor confidence and test governance credibility. Kingsdale’s 2026 AGM Readiness Checklist cuts through the noise with seven essential questions every board and management team should answer before their upcoming meeting.

Aaron Boles, our President, offers a compelling perspective on JPMorgan’s decision to replace proxy advisory firms with its own AI platform and the implications for governance strategy, proxy contests, and the role of human judgment in capital markets.

We are happy to share that Kingsdale is ranked the #1 Proxy Solicitor in Canada and #8 globally for company-side engagements in the Bloomberg Global Activism League Tables for FY 2025. This ranking is about more than just activist defence. It is built on something foundational: mastery of the routine AGM.

Glass Lewis has released its 2026 policy updates for the U.S. and Canada, marking a transition year before moving to customized voting policies in 2027. These changes emphasize transparency, accountability, and shareholder rights.