Canadian proxy contests reaching a vote hit a five-year high, campaign volume declined, but the fights that remained went further and hit harder, and boards with real shareholder relationships came out on top.
Download Kingsdale Advisors' most comprehensive look at what's reshaping Canadian and U.S. boardrooms. Covering July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026, the report shows a shareholder landscape that's more fragmented and harder to predict, with more of the voting decision moving in-house with investors themselves.
The in-depth research also examines CEO succession at S&P/TSX Composite companies overthe past three years, and what the difference between planned and reactive transitions reveals about board preparedness.
- Contests reaching a vote hit a five-year high, up 39% year over year.
- Large-cap activist targets more than doubled, from 4% to 9%.
- M&A activism drove 40% of campaigns, above the five-year average.
- Say-on-Pay support reached a five-year high of 93.4%.
- Governance proposals more than doubled to 56.
Latest Insights
Kingsdale Advisors Ranked Top 10 by Deals Intelligence Proxy Solicitor Globally
Kingsdale Advisors was ranked Top 10 Proxy Solicitor Globally by Deals Intelligence in LSEG Global Shareholder Activism Review.
In The Globe and Mail: "The Common-Sense Case for Virtual Shareholder Meetings”
In his latest op-ed published in the Globe and Mail, Ian Robertson, CEO of Kingsdale Advisors, advocates for a shift towards virtual meetings as a means to bolster shareholder accountability. He highlights the advantages of virtual meetings, including increased convenience and global participation, as well as reduced costs and environmental impact.
In The Globe and Mail: "40(ish) Larger-Than-Life Personalities Who Shaped Bay Street Over Four Decades"
In commemorating the 40-year journey of Report on Business magazine, the Globe highlighted our Executive Chairman and Founder, Wes Hall, as a pivotal figure who has significantly influenced Canada's corporate landscape.
When The Stakes Are Highest, Business Leaders Choose Kingsdale
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* Source: Bloomberg Global Shareholder Activism League Tables FY2025 and LSEG Global Shareholder Activism Review FY2025.
#2025 and 2026 indicate proxy seasons: July 2024 to June 2026.