East Coast Fund Management Inc. Wins 1st Place - 10-Year Return in Credit-Focused Category at the Canadian Hedge Fund Awards

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - November 13, 2025) - East Coast Fund Management Inc. ("ECFMI") is proud to announce that its flagship fund, the East Coast Strategic Credit Trust (the "Fund") has been awarded 1st Place in the 10-Year Average Annual Return, Credit-Focused Category, at the 2025 Canadian Hedge Fund Awards. This award recognizes the firm's long-term performance, risk management discipline, and capital stewardship through multiple market cycles. We are grateful for the support from our clients and partners in helping us achieve this award.

Now in its 17th year, the Canadian Hedge Fund Awards remain the industry's most respected independent, performance-based ranking across all strategy categories.

Trusted Credit Partner for Long-Term Capital

The Fund's strategy provides institutional and high-net-worth investors with disciplined exposure to North American corporate credit, with active downside protection. The strategy was built on a deep and fundamental understanding of the Canadian credit curve and optimized for pure credit exposure versus rate duration in a risk-first framework. The strategy has delivered strong results across rising, falling, and volatile rate regimes.

Why Alternative Credit Allocations Matter in Building Diversified Portfolios

At a time when traditional 60/40 portfolios have faced different structural headwinds over the past 10 years, The Fund has an enhanced portfolio construction, by providing:

• Enhanced diversification versus traditional equity and fixed income funds

• Attractive income through credit risk premiums not available in passive allocations

• Lower correlation during equity drawdowns

• Active risk management with a focus on preservation of capital

About East Coast Fund Management

East Coast Fund Management is a Canadian alternative investment fund manager specializing in actively managed credit strategies. Serving institutions, family offices, and high-net-worth investors, ECFMI provides solutions designed to enhance portfolio diversification and deliver stable, risk-adjusted returns over the long term.

This document is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offering memorandum. Readers of this information are expressly cautioned to seek the advice of a registered investment advisor or other professional advisors, as applicable, regarding the appropriateness of investing in any securities or any investment strategies, including those discussed above. Please review the most recent offering memorandum for a detailed description of the Fund, the Fund's strategies, objectives, and risk factors. All information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable; however, the accuracy of the information cannot be guaranteed. Unless otherwise stated, the source for all data cited is from East Coast Asset Management SEZC and East Coast Fund Management Inc., or their fund administrator. Past performance is not indicative of future performance, and no representation, express or implied, is made that individual accounts in future years will achieve similar results. There is no guarantee that a hedging strategy will be effective or achieve its intended effect. The use of derivatives or short selling carries several risks which may restrict a strategy in realizing its profits or limiting its losses.

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