TORONTO, Sept. 16, 2026 /CNW/ -- Franklin Templeton Canada today announced three proposed tax-deferred mutual fund mergers intended to streamline Franklin Templeton Canada's fund lineup.

Subject to the required unitholder approvals, the proposed mergers below are expected to be completed after the close of business on or around December 4, 2026:

Investors in Franklin Global Growth Fund, Franklin Innovation Fund, Franklin Unconstrained Global Equity Fund, Franklin Global Core Equity Fund and Franklin ClearBridge Canada Plus Equity Fund will vote on the proposed mergers at special meetings to be held on or around November 25, 2026, in Toronto.

Investor Information

Upon completion of the proposed mergers, investors in each Terminating Fund will receive units of the applicable Continuing Fund on a dollar-for-dollar and series-by-series basis, except series I-Hedged investors in Franklin Unconstrained Global Equity Fund will receive series A-Hedged units of Franklin Global Core Equity Fund, as further described below under Series Additions for Franklin Global Core Equity Fund.

Series Terminations for Franklin Unconstrained Global Equity Fund

Series FT-Hedged, T, T-Hedged and T-USD of Franklin Unconstrained Global Equity Fund will be terminated after the close of business on or around November 27, 2026, as these series are not offered in the Continuing Fund. Impacted investors will receive at least 60 days' notice details of the series terminations. Any unitholders in registered plans in series FT-Hedged of Franklin Unconstrained Global Equity Fund will receive series F units of Franklin Canadian Money Market Fund without tax consequences, and any unitholders in registered plans in series T, T-Hedged or T-USD of Franklin Unconstrained Global Equity Fund will receive series A units of Franklin Canadian Money Market Fund without tax consequences. For non-registered accounts, units will be redeemed at the series net asset value (NAV) per unit and Franklin Templeton Canada will send the proceeds to the investor or their dealer.

Series Additions for Franklin Global Core Equity Fund

Series A-Hedged, F-Hedged and O-Hedged units of Franklin Global Core Equity Fund are expected to be launched on or around November 27, 2026.

If the requisite approval at the special meeting is obtained, effective December 4, 2026, series A-Hedged, F-Hedged, I-Hedged and O-Hedged units of Franklin Unconstrained Global Equity Fund will be consolidated into the corresponding series of Franklin Global Core Equity Fund, except for series I-Hedged units of Franklin Unconstrained Global Equity Fund, which will be switched to series A-Hedged units of Franklin Global Core Equity Fund.

Information circulars describing the proposed mergers and related series changes in greater detail will be made available at franklintempleton.ca on or around October 26, 2026.

In anticipation of the proposed mergers, the Terminating Funds will be closed to new investors after the close of business on September 16, 2026.

Investors in a Terminating Fund who prefer to switch into another Franklin Templeton fund or redeem their investments before the applicable merger date should work with their investment advisor to submit instructions before December 3, 2026. Franklin Templeton Canada's client service team is also available to assist at 1-800-387-0830.

If the required approval for any proposed merger is not obtained, the applicable Terminating Fund will be terminated after the close of business on or around December 4, 2026.  Any investor who holds units of a Terminating Fund in a registered account will have their units switched into the same series of Franklin Canadian Money Market Fund without tax consequences, except for series T units of Franklin Global Growth Fund and series I-Hedged units of Franklin Unconstrained Global Equity Fund, which will be switched into series A units of Franklin Canadian Money Market Fund without tax consequences. For non-registered accounts, units will be redeemed at the series NAV per unit and Franklin Templeton Canada will send the proceeds to the investor or their dealer.

Independent Review Committee

Pursuant to National Instrument 81-107 – Independent Review Committee for Investment Funds, the independent review committee of the funds has reviewed the proposed mergers and provided its positive recommendation, as applicable.

About Franklin Templeton

Franklin Templeton is a trusted investment partner, delivering tailored solutions that align with clients' strategic goals. With deep portfolio management expertise across public and private markets, we combine investment excellence with cutting-edge technology. Since our founding in 1947, we have empowered clients through strategic partnership, forward-looking insights, and continuous innovation – providing the tools and resources to navigate change and capture opportunity.

In Canada, Franklin Templeton operates as Franklin Templeton Canada, a business name used by Franklin Templeton Investments Corp. To learn more, visit franklintempleton.ca and follow us on LinkedIn.

With approximately US$1.83 trillion in assets under management as of August 31, 2026, Franklin Templeton operates globally in more than 35 countries.

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