Mackenzie Investments announces several All-Canadian equity funds

TORONTO , Sept. 14 /CNW/ - Mackenzie Financial Corporation (Mackenzie Investments), part of IGM Financial Inc. (TSX:IGM), today announced the introduction of several All-Canadian equity mandates. Each fund's mandate is to invest purely in Canadian equities, with no foreign content.(1)

The funds will pursue long-term growth by investing primarily all of their assets in equity securities of Canadian companies, providing certainty for advisors and investors seeking a pure Canadian asset allocation. As well, with entirely Canadian content, the funds will not be affected by foreign exchange fluctuations.

The investment strategies of Mackenzie Universal Canadian Growth Class, Mackenzie Maxxum Canadian Equity Growth Class and Mackenzie Ivy Canadian Class will be modified such that the funds will invest purely in Canadian equities. The changes will be effective on October 2, 2009 . To reflect the change to pure Canadian mandates, the funds will be renamed as shown below:

    
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    Current name                          New name
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    Mackenzie Universal Canadian Growth   Mackenzie Universal All-Canadian
    Class                                 Growth Class
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    Mackenzie Maxxum Canadian Equity      Mackenzie Maxxum All-Canadian
    Growth Class                          Equity Class
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Mackenzie Ivy Canadian Class          Mackenzie Ivy All-Canadian Class
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    

In addition to the change in investment strategies of Mackenzie Universal Canadian Growth Class, currency hedging will be eliminated on the hedged version of the fund. The hedged class will be renamed B Class and will immediately be closed to new sales. Mackenzie Universal Canadian Growth unhedged class will be renamed A Class. These changes will also be effective on October 2, 2009 .

Mackenzie Focus Canada Class

Mackenzie Focus Canada Class' roster of managers will be changed on October 30, 2009 to include Ian Ainsworth of Mackenzie Universal Funds, as well as the Mackenzie Maxxum investment team, the Mackenzie Cundill investment team, the Mackenzie Ivy investment team, and Bluewater Investment Management Inc.

A special meeting of investors in Mackenzie Focus Canada Class is scheduled to vote on a proposed change in investment objectives of the Fund such that the Fund will invest purely in Canadian equities. The meeting will be held on October 26, 2009 at Mackenzie's offices in Toronto .

Full details about the proposed change will be outlined in a Management Information Circular and Proxy that will be sent out in early October to all investors of record in the Fund. Prospective investors may obtain these materials from Mackenzie prior to the meeting. The changes are expected to be effective on October 30, 2009 . If approved, the name of the Fund will be changed to Mackenzie Focus All-Canadian Class.

Other fund changes

Mackenzie GPS Allocation Fund and Symmetry Allocation Pool will be closed to new investments, effective October 23 , and subject to regulatory approval will be replaced with series GP and SP of Mackenzie Sentinel Money Market Fund, respectively. The new series GP and SP are expected to be available on or about September 25, 2009 . Mackenzie GPS Allocation Fund and Symmetry Allocation Pool will be terminated effective November 25, 2009 . Special meetings of investors in the terminating funds to vote on these terminations will not be held as Mackenzie will be sole investor at the time of the meetings. Full details about these terminations will be outlined in an Investor Notice that will be sent out in late September to investors of record in each of these funds.

Mackenzie Investments: Mackenzie Investments was founded in 1967, and is a leading investment management firm providing investment advisory and related services. With $60.2 billion in assets under management as of August 31, 2009 , Mackenzie Investments distributes its services through a diversified network of third-party financial advisors. Mackenzie Investments is a member of the IGM Financial Inc. (TSX: IGM) group of companies. IGM Financial is one of Canada's premier financial services companies with over $114 billion in total assets under management as of August 31, 2009 .

    
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    (1) The funds' amended investment strategies will, in rare circumstances,
        allow the funds to hold foreign securities.
    

For further information: Trish Tervit, Environics Communications Inc., [phone], [email protected]