The Assante Story

When you choose an Assante Wealth Management advisor, you are joining a national success story.

Established in 1995, Assante has since become one of the largest wealth management firms in Canada, supporting over 750 advisors who oversee over $39 billion in assets for 300, 000 clients and their families nationwide.

In 2003, Assante was purchased by CI Financial Corp. – a diversified wealth management firm and the third-largest investment fund company in Canada – bringing additional financial strength and resources to the Assante organization. Since becoming a public company in 1994, CI has been one of the best-performing securities on the S&P/TSX Composite Index.

The Advantages Are Clear

You can feel secure knowing that your financial needs are being looked after by an Assante advisor. Our advisors, on average, administer almost twice the assets of advisors at other major independent firms. That’s a powerful indication of their proficiency – and the trust they have earned from their clients.

With access to a wealth of tools and resources, our advisors and their clients are supported by the exceptional investment management team and wealth planning group available through our sister company, CI Investments Inc., and Assante Private Client, a division of CI Private Counsel LP.

Our core values of integrity, passion and professionalism drive our business. It’s through our all-encompassing approach, which offers a comprehensive and integrated range of services and advice that your Assante advisor can partner with you to tailor a strategy that meets your unique needs and simplifies and enhances your financial well-being.

Strong Corporate Backing

The first level of client protection is provided by our comprehensive governance processes and the substantial financial resources of Assante Wealth Management’s parent company, CI Financial Corp. Assante’s legal and compliance personnel keep senior management, as well as CI Financial’s board of directors, aware of legal, regulatory and compliance matters on a continuous basis. In addition, CI Financial’s Internal Audit Department plays an integral role by reviewing and testing the processes and internal controls of Assante to ensure they are meeting regulatory requirements.

CI Financial is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol “CIX” and is a component of the S&P/TSX Composite Index. CI Financial’s status as a publicly traded company provides additional transparency and accountability through continuous financial disclosure obligations.

CI Financial, Canada’s third largest investment fund company, is financially strong. To see CI Financial’s most recent annual and quarterly reports and other related investor information, click here.

Security Safekeeping Measures

Assante is required by regulators to maintain adequate capital to cover our business risks, keep comprehensive and accurate records and employ appropriate securities handling procedures. Most securities owned by our clients are held through central industry-wide electronic or book-based systems. In this approach, investments are tracked using independent service providers, including FundSERV in the case of mutual funds, and the Canadian Depository for Securities for most equity securities. In situations where fully paid up securities are physically held by us, they are kept separate from any securities related to our corporate investing activities and are subject to regulatory audit on an annual basis. This safeguard helps to ensure that clients’ investments are not subject to any risks related to their dealer’s business activities and are adequately segregated for the benefit of clients. Custodial services for all securities held in client accounts, other than mutual funds, are provided through the National Bank Correspondent Network, which is owned by the National Bank of Canada. The provision of security recordkeeping and custody by independent service providers results in multiple parties being involved in transactions in client accounts. The benefit to clients is additional oversight of the firm’s procedures to ensure all assets are accounted for accurately.

Strict Industry Standards

Assante’s dealer subsidiaries, Assante Capital Management Ltd., a member of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC), and Assante Financial Management Ltd., a member of the Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada (MFDA), are subject to the oversight of the provincial securities commissions. Both Assante Capital Management and Assante Financial Management are required to adhere to regulations governing investor protection, fiduciary responsibilities and stringent recordkeeping. These requirements are monitored by IIROC and the MFDA, respectively, through independent audits conducted regularly by external auditors and by examiners or the regulators. IIROC and MFDA undertake business conduct examinations that include the assessment of marketing materials, trades, disclosures on client statements, and branch operations, as well as financial compliance audits that include a detailed review of the firm’s financial and custodial procedures and adherence with regulatory policies. In addition, every financial advisor at Assante is subject to regulatory oversight. For every fiduciary relationship you have, we would encourage you to check with the applicable regulator to ensure the firm is registered and in good standing.

Industry-Wide Protection

Although Assante clients’ assets are segregated from the dealer’s assets, additional security is provided to our clients through industry investor protection plans that will reimburse investors, within predefined limits, if their dealer becomes insolvent or bankrupt and their assets are missing as a result. The Canadian Investor Protection Fund reimburses clients of securities dealers up to a maximum loss of $1 million by account type (i.e. separate coverage for open accounts and registered accounts). The MFDA Investor Protection Corporation provides similar protection for clients of mutual fund dealers.