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
BP Chairman Ouster Is A Governance Story, Not A Personality Story
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.
Case Study: An 18-Year Partnership Delivers 99% Shareholder Approval
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.
Our EVP, Governance In Conversation With The Deal By S&P Global
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.
When The Stakes Are Highest, Business Leaders Choose Kingsdale
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
* 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.