In this week's edition

Investment dealer representatives may finally get the option of structuring their businesses using personal corporations, as the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) seeks to resolve a long-standing difference between the investment dealer and mutual fund dealer worlds. The self-regulatory organization published a consultation paper with possible approaches to levelling the playing field between full-service advisors and fund dealer reps when it comes to the tax treatment of their compensation. James Langton reports.

There are many reasons that a beneficiary or other interested party might want to remove an executor. These include hostile relations, failure to fulfil their duties or to act in the best interests of the estate, and possible misconduct. Anyone with an interest in an estate can apply to court to have an executor removed, but, as Rudy Mezzetta reports, courts have been reluctant to do so.

The Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario approved CIRO as a credentialing body under Ontario’s title protection regime, opening up the protected “financial advisor” title to the SRO’s registrants. The move means thousands of investment professionals will be able to call themselves financial advisors, but some observers are concerned about the licensing regime’s product focus. Michelle Schriver reports.

Federally incorporated private businesses must now disclose personal information about controlling shareholders or risk fines that could reach $100,000. Bill C-42, which received royal assent in November and went into force Monday, amended the Canada Business Corporations Act to require all private corporations registered under the act to disclose the names and addresses of controlling shareholders, as well as the size of their share ownership. Michael McKiernan reports.

Finally, obituaries for the 60/40 portfolio were piling up a year ago after the negative correlation between stocks and bonds collapsed spectacularly in 2022. But the balanced portfolio rebounded last year, and experts see steady returns continuing with bonds playing a larger role.