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
Aaron Boles on The Corporate Governance Podcast
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 Evolved. Have You?
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.
Wes Hall On Canada's 2026 Proxy Season: Early Insights
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 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.