APPROACH

Let us do the heavy lifting

APPROACH

Let us do the heavy lifting

Money. It’s what keeps you up at night. And gets you out of bed in the morning. Whether you earned it yourself or you’ve been entrusted to manage it on behalf of others, you have a responsibility to safeguard the future—and that’s where Bellwether comes in. As discretionary portfolio managers and financial planners, we’re able to offer the most comprehensive services and greatest peace of mind. Pair those credentials with our philosophy, processes and people, and we'll inspire confidence in the most skeptical client.

Portfolios tailor-made to fit you perfectly

GROWTH I need more money to realize my dreams

Clients who are mid-career and raising families need to grow their assets in order to achieve their financial goals: early retirement, a vacation property, education for the kids and more. Exchange traded funds (ETFs), which are investments that are traded on a stock exchange and often track an index, work well here.

Our Adaptive Global ETF Strategy® was designed for you. Investment in global markets offers the best growth opportunities, but we balance risk by also investing in companies offering steady returns closer to home. There are thousands of ETFs in the market, and they aren't all good investments. We review our shortlist of ETFs regularly on nine criteria, including fees, quality of fund manager, liquidity, and volatility, to make sure they meet our standards.

Learn about our Adaptive Global ETF Strategy^®

INCOME I need to support myself in retirement

If employment income is no longer a key contributor to your family's bottom line, your investments need to provide a reliable source of income at a level to keep you comfortable. Dividends, which are regular payouts to shareholders from a company's profits or reserves, are the answer.

Our North American dividend growth strategy has been developed just for you. Of the more than 4300 companies available to invest in, we select ones that have strong balance sheets, proven sustainable earnings and dividend growth. We do extensive research and testing to ensure profits and dividends will continue to grow in the future. The approach overall is conservative, with the portfolio mix for each client determined by their individual circumstances and risk tolerance.

How we help individuals

How we help families

Consistency We need to hit performance targets

If you sit on the investment committee of a pension plan, foundation, trust or corporation, there will be objective measures of success that you are responsible for achieving. A disciplined, rational, hands-on approach—which is best practice in every investment scenario—is critical here.

A tactical asset allocation strategy combined with one of our investment strategies is an excellent choice for investment committees. When you need to hit specific annual targets, you don't have the luxury of using a traditional buy-and-hold strategy, which asks you to weather market volatility for long term gains. With tactical asset allocation, we shift between different segments of the market to ensure you are optimally invested, so your annual returns are more likely to meet your committee's definition of success.

How we help organizations

An approach that inspires confidence

Independent, unbiased decision-making.

You're our only boss, because you're the only one who pays us—we don't receive a commission when we trade on your behalf. Instead, you pay us an investment management fee based on the value of your portfolio.

Our fees are far lower than a typical mutual fund's management expense which can be as high as 3% of the amount you have invested annually.

Hands-on management while knowing your money is safe and secure.

At Bellwether, you get the same level of protection and security as a bank because your money is held by a third-party "custodian" that keeps it safe and separate from its accounts. (We've chosen National Bank Independent Network, Fidelity Clearing Canada ULC and Raymond James Ltd as our preferred custodial partners.) If any of our custodians went bankrupt, your money would be guaranteed by the Canadian Investor Protection Fund.

We see the big picture—and help you plan for it.

There is more to achieving financial goals than simply investing well. Our financial planners can help you with succession planning, philanthropy, taxes, real estate, education planning, insurance, business advice and more so you and your loved ones are secure today and tomorrow. Best of all, these financial planning services are integrated with our investment management services, for consistent strategy and no broken telephone.

We have achieved the highest standard in our industry.

We are overseen by the provincial securities regulators (the Ontario Securities Commission is our lead regulator). We are true fiduciaries meaning we must always be able to prove we're acting in our clients' best interests. Our conduct is also governed by the Asset Managers Code of Professional Conduct as defined by the CFA Institute. If we don't comply, we lose our professional designation and we say goodbye to our careers. Finally, Bellwether is audited every year by an independent third party. (We've chosen BDO Canada LLP.)

We'll review your portfolio for FREE

Is your portfolio diversified enough? Are you paying too much in fees? What are you saving for? How much risk can you tolerate? We'll put your portfolio under the magnifying glass and tell you what we see—for free.

Give me a free review

We're held to a higher standard

When it comes to investing your money, working with a portfolio manager offers the highest standard in the industry. Portfolio managers offer: more accountability, more education, and more certification. Every investment decision made on behalf of Bellwether clients, whether they're a community foundation or growing family, is made by a portfolio manager. So when we say we put your interests ahead of our own, we mean it—and we're regulated and audited to prove it.

We are PMAC members

Our commitment to you

Your portfolio manager (and family wealth advisor, if you'd like to work with one) act in your interests, no one else’s.
Your money is managed with the highest degree of security and discretion.
You are treated like a person, not a number.

You know when, to whom, and how much you’re paying in fees.
Your investments are based on a strategy that is tailored to your circumstances and goals.
Your returns are the result of a proven, standardized, repeatable process.