Make a Complaint About a Financial Planner

Complaints Investigated by FP Canada Standards Council

The Standards Council receives and reviews complaints about FP Canada certificants involving:

• Any conduct that may breach the Standards of Professional Responsibility (Code of Ethics; Rules of Conduct; Fitness Standards and Practice Standards);
• Any other conduct that may bring the reputation of the certification marks into question.

If you are not sure if your complaint meets the above criteria or if you are not sure if your complaint involves an FP Canada certificant, contact us at complaints@fpcanada.ca.

Timing to Submit a Complaint

Complaints must be filed within six years of the date you knew (or ought to have known) of the events about which you are complaining. It is important to act quickly and to respond promptly to any requests for more information regarding your complaint. If you wait too long, the Standards Council may not be able to proceed with the complaint as the evidence required to investigate your complaint may no longer be available or reliable. The sooner you make your complaint, the more likely it is that relevant documents still exist, witnesses can be more easily located, memories have not faded, and evidence is not missing.

Anonymous Complaints

The Standards Council does not, typically, review anonymous complaints and it is strongly suggested that you identify yourself in the Complaint Form. A reluctance to participate in the process frequently results in the Standards Council not being able to conduct a full and fair Investigation, which may result in the complaint being closed or dismissed.

What Happens after Filing a Complaint

The Standards Council will confirm receipt of your complaint within approximately ten (10) business days. Staff will conduct an initial review of the complaint. Staff may contact you during this initial review to request additional information/documentation from you. The initial review may take up to 90 days to complete depending on the complexity of the complaint and the need for additional documentation/information. Standards Council staff may contact the Certificant during the initial review process.

You will be notified of the outcome of the initial review process.

If the Standards Council determines that a formal investigation is warranted, the Certificant who is the subject of your complaint will be notified and given an opportunity to respond.

Where an investigation is instructed, the Standards Council will conduct the investigation in a timely, transparent and fair manner. Staff may contact you during the investigation to request your assistance, additional information and/or additional documentation. The investigation will be completed in as timely a manner as is reasonably practicable and appropriate in the circumstances of each case. You will be notified of the outcome of the investigation.

Other Enforcement Bodies

If your complaint falls outside of the Standards Council’s jurisdiction, you may wish to contact other oversight bodies.

Below is a list of federal and provincial/territorial enforcement organizations that accept complaints from the public.

Below is a list of membership associations that may accept complaints from the public:

Questions?

If you require additional information or would like to discuss your situation before submitting a formal complaint, email complaints@fpcanada.ca or call 416-593-8587, 1-800-305-9886, and ask to speak with the Standards Council.