Regulators may show mercy in their first year of enforcing policies on advisor awards, but experts say award-winning advisors should consider reviewing their online profiles to be compliant. Last year, CIRO and the CSA issued a warning to registered firms about the criteria used in advisor rankings that investment firms or reps may tout online as a marketing tool. Melissa Shin asked lawyers and compliance experts how advisors should respond.

As new liquidity requirements for high-interest savings account ETFs take effect, a combination of lower rates offered from deposit-taking banks and changes to what the ETFs hold are affecting yields on the popular products. Yields on the ETFs have come down as banks implemented changes to liquidity rules mandated by OSFI before Jan. 31, though some ETF manufacturers said negotiations are ongoing. Certain funds are investing in money-market securities and other fixed income instruments as well as bank deposits.

Many clients are making decisions about downsizing after living for decades in the same house — or helping their parents with the process. Where to start? Here’s a primer from our Advisor to Client series, as well as a recent column from tax and estate specialist Doug Carroll.

Canadian Western Bank recently moved 14 Toronto-based CWB Wealth advisors into its office tower on Adelaide Street, consolidating its office space in the city and opening a branch at the location. The moves are part of the bank’s broader initiative to build out its business in Ontario, which began in 2020 when CWB opened a full-service branch in Mississauga. Rudy Mezzetta reports on how the new regional wealth hub and banking centre fits into CWB’s strategy to target business-owner clients.

Finally, a former mutual fund rep has been fined and banned after regulators found that he misappropriated money by using a client’s identity to open and use banking products, including a line of credit.