Mr. Ahmed Farooq reports

FRANKLIN TEMPLETON CANADA ANNOUNCES FEE REDUCTION FOR CANADIAN SMALL CAP FUND

Franklin Templeton Canada has made fee reductions of up to 35 basis points for various series of Franklin ClearBridge Canadian Small Cap Fund. With a four-star Morningstar rating for its three-year and five-year performance, Franklin ClearBridge Canadian Small Cap Fund has outperformed the Canadian small/mid-cap equity category and the S&P/TSX Small Cap TRI over one-year, three-year and five-year periods.

"Our Calgary-based team is committed to actively investing in their highest-conviction small-cap ideas within the Canadian market, while employing a consistent, disciplined investment process for this Lipper award-winning small-cap strategy," said Dennis Tew, head of distribution and business strategy.

Effective March 1, 2025, the management fees and administration fees for Franklin ClearBridge Canadian Small Cap Fund will be reduced for each fund series (see an attached table).

With more than a 30-year history of investing in Canadian small caps, Franklin ClearBridge Canadian Small Cap Fund is co-managed by the firm's Calgary-based ClearBridge Investments team, with co-lead portfolio managers Garey Aitken, head of Canadian equities, and Michael Richmond, portfolio manager. They have 33 and 24 years of industry experience, respectively.

Fee waivers continue in Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF suite

The management fees of two ETFs in the Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF suite will continue to be waived by 15 basis points until June 30, 2026 (see an attached table).

Ahmed Farooq, senior vice-president, head of retail ETF distribution, Franklin Templeton Canada, said, "This low-cost suite of ETFs offers a combined strategy of sustainable high dividends and low volatility, which aims to provide higher income and help reduce overall risk in a portfolio."

Distribution frequency changes for Franklin International Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF and Multi-Asset ETF portfolios

Effective March 31, 2025, the distribution frequency will change from monthly to quarterly for Franklin International Low Volatility High Dividend Index, and annual to quarterly for the A, F, O and ETF series of all the Franklin Multi-Asset ETF portfolios (see an attached table).

Franklin Multi-Asset ETF portfolios -- available in an ETF or mutual fund option -- are priced among the low-cost funds in their peer group at 18 basis points. The ETF portfolios are managed by Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions' team in Canada and supported by its global multiasset team that manages portfolios for discretionary private wealth clients, retail end investors and large pension funds. Franklin Templeton Canada has managed multiasset solutions in Canada since 1996.