Resolving your concerns
Canadian Western Financial ("CWF") prides itself on resolving client complaints quickly and effectively. If you are unsatisfied with any aspect of your relationship with CWF, we encourage you to give us the opportunity to resolve your complaint. The following describes how you can lodge a complaint with CWF and how CWF will attempt to address and resolve your complaint.
Step 1
You may file a complaint with:
1) your mutual fund sales representative, or
2) CWF’s Compliance Department (Phone: 780-423-8888).
All complaints received are forwarded to CWF’s Compliance Department for review.
While you are welcome to verbalize your complaint to CWF, CWF encourages you to submit your complaint in writing or email where possible. If you have difficulty expressing your complaint in writing, please contact CWF’s Compliance Department (Phone: 780-423-8888) for assistance. For confidentiality reasons, CWF will only discuss your complaint with you or with a person who has your express written authorization to deal with us on your behalf. You may wish to consider issues of internet security when sending sensitive information by standard email.
Step 2
CWF will acknowledge receipt of your complaint promptly, generally within five business days. Where your complaint relates to certain serious allegations, the MFDA requires us to include with our initial acknowledgement a copy of CWF's Complaint Handling Procedure and the MFDA’s ‘Client Complaint Information Form’.
CWF reviews all complaints thoroughly and fairly, taking into account all information obtained from you (initially and in subsequent interviews if necessary), interviews with CWF staff, CWF’s records, and other relevant sources. Once the review is complete, CWF will provide you with our response in writing. Our response may be an offer to resolve your complaint, a denial of the complaint with reasons or another appropriate response. Our response will summarize your complaint, our findings and will contain a reminder about your option to contact the Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments.
Step 3
CWF will review and provide a substantive response to your complaint in writing within 90 days, unless we are waiting for additional information from you or your complaint is novel or complicated. CWF will respond to communications you send us after the date of our response to the extent necessary to implement a resolution or to address any new issues or information you provide
Contacting CWF
You may contact us at any time for further information or to inquire as to the status of your complaint by contacting the individual handling the complaint or by sending an email to [email protected].
Settlements
If CWF offers you a financial settlement, we may ask you to sign a release and waiver for legal reasons.
Alternative Procedures
Though we ask that you give us the opportunity to resolve your complaint, you should be aware of the following alternative avenues for directing complaints:
MFDA – the Mutual Fund Dealers Association regulates the conduct of mutual fund dealers in Canada. CWF is a member of the MFDA. An overview of the MFDA’s complaint handling process entitled “Mutual Fund Dealers Association – Client Complaint Information Form", can be found at http://www.mfda.ca/regulation/forms/ClientComplaint_En.pdf
OBSI – The Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments is an independent service for resolving banking and investment disputes. Information about OBSI as well as contact information can be found at www.obsi.ca