Mr. Neil Macdonald reports

SCOTIAFUNDS LAUNCHES SCOTIA ARIA RETIREMENT PROGRAM

Bank of Nova Scotia's ScotiaFunds has launched the Scotia Aria Retirement Program (Aria), an innovative investment solution designed to help investors achieve their retirement savings goals and retirement income goals. Aria includes nine Scotia Aria portfolios that are managed by 1832 Asset Management LP. The minimum initial investment for the program is $150,000 for Series A funds and $300,000 for Premium Series funds.

"The journey to and through retirement is seldom linear, and the risks investors face are multidimensional," says Neil Macdonald, managing director, ScotiaFunds. "Aria embraces the intricacies of retirement with a program that is uniquely designed to mitigate those risks, while addressing different investment needs throughout a client's lifetime."

Unlike traditional, managed wrap programs that use a single-portfolio solution to address an investor's needs, Aria offers a customized blend of two of the Scotia Aria portfolios that is designed to align investors to their stage in life, risk tolerance and income requirements. "Separately, each Scotia Aria portfolio is built for a distinct purpose. Combined in the Scotia Aria Retirement Program, they form a complete solution," says Mr. Macdonald.

Each Scotia Aria portfolio is composed of an exclusive blend of ScotiaFunds, Scotia private pools and other investments that tap into the expertise of specialized portfolio managers. The portfolios include the following.

Scotia Aria build portfolios

When saving for retirement, emphasizing a growth strategy is most prudent during an investor's working years. Scotia Aria build portfolios are designed to achieve long-term growth through a diversified mix of equity and fixed-income strategies that are primarily geared toward capital appreciation.

Scotia Aria core portfolios

Managing the ups and downs of the market becomes increasingly important as investors approach retirement and when they begin to draw down their savings. Scotia Aria core portfolios are designed to take a more cautious approach to achieving long-term growth by selectively investing in lower-volatility investments.

Scotia Aria pay portfolios

Many retirees need a flexible investment solution that can help deliver regular income and stay ahead of inflation. Scotia Aria pay portfolios are designed to generate income and provide growth potential by seeking out income-producing equities and fixed-income securities, such as dividend-paying stocks and higher-yielding bonds.

ScotiaFunds are managed by 1832 Asset Management LP. ScotiaFunds are available through Scotia Securities Inc., and from other dealers and advisers, including ScotiaMcLeod and Scotia iTrade, which are divisions of Scotia Capital Inc.