John Stewart

Achieving your financial goals isn't a box to check on a list, it's a life-long process.

Being smart with your money means being able to live well, to retire confidently, and to transfer your wealth to the next generation.  It means collaborating with a team of well-qualified professionals, who will conduct a searching analysis, apply their expertise, and develop a thorough understanding of your position and your potential.  Only then can we feel confident in crafting a comfortable plan together, that considers all of the aspects of your family's present, in order to shape its successful future.  That is why we maintain that our ultimate role is to help you to achieve your financial goals.

The Approach to our process begins by first asking the right questions about you and your family so that we can understand where you are today financially.  Second, we want to understand what your goals are for the future. Third, we perform a thorough analysis so that we can provide you with an objective assessment of your goals and confirm which ones are the most achievable.  Are they all realistic?  What are your priorities? The next step is to explore what actions we need take to realize those goals successfully, and to ask you how your feel about those actions.

The most cost-efficient and high-value way to invest means that we are dedicated to respecting your money.  To achieve that, we follow these principles:

Helping you with more than your money.  Our approach to wealth management is a holistic one.  We know that requires a disciplined and process oriented approach not just to investing, but also to:  planning your retirement planning, managing your risk outside of the portfolio, transferring your wealth to the next generation, and avoiding "death taxes" through effective planning, and ensuring that your Will and Powers of Attorney are up to date.

Long-term diversified investment strategies that are built through a process of planning and research are at the core of being smart with your money.

Making sure you Keep on track is vital to any financial plan.  Through regular and meaningful communication are we able to support you in your effort to maintain the plan.  Regular reporting, in depth check-ins and comprehensive annual reviews where you contribute to a three-part agenda are an important part of the process that we use to give your the best chance of achieving your financial goals.  We examine life changes, your opinions of our service to you, and your satisfaction with your investments.  We then update your plan and service requirements, where necessary.

Seeking professional advice will enable you to succeed in rising above the noise and misinformation that inundates investors and markets.  Although I enjoy serving a diverse clientele of families who benefit from broad experience and a strategic approach to wealth management, I also enjoy advising small and medium businesses, educational institutions, and the foundations which support them.  The lessons I learn from my clients are important to me, and I apply them to everyone's benefit, where possible.

My career began over 30 years ago on the bond desk of a major dealer, and over time, I eventually made my way to pension services at another firm.  Almost 20 years ago, I joined TD Asset Management and eventually led a team of Investment Specialists.  In 2003 and 2004, TD gave me leave to serve with the Canadian Army in Afghanistan (I was a Major in the active Army Reserve, and finished with 42 years of service in Canada and many parts of the world). After service in Afghanistan, I came back to TD and made my way back to the role of Investment Advisor, which I thoroughly enjoy!

In addition to my various financial designations, I hold a degree in Latin American Studies with a concentration in Developmental Economics (B.A.) from University of Toronto, and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Commercial Law - litigation, which I earned in England. I have also graduated from U of T with programmes in Business, Human Resources Management, and Alternate Dispute Resolution, and from the United Nations OCHA programme conducted in Buenos Aires by the UN.  My ongoing involvement in the University of Toronto has included serving on Governing Council, where I was the Vice-Chair of the University Affairs Board, and Chaired the Boundless Campaign for Woodsworth College.  I also served for many years in the role of Board Member and Treasurer for Academics Without Borders, St. John Ambulance Council For Ontario and have been involved in the governance of many other organizations.