La Cible - October 2024

An inspiring journey

Even before I joined the Board, I was driven by a passion for our profession and a profound desire to contribute to its advancement. Financial planning is not just an occupation: it is a vocation and a life mission. We have all chosen this path to help our clients achieve their financial goals, secure their future and achieve their dreams. This pass has guided every action I have taken and every decision we have made together on the Board.

I remember my first months as a director: we were hammering out the new strategic plan. We worked together to craft a clear vision: to make the Institute a leader in personal financial planning education and to aspire to transform it into a world-class institution. That ambition was the impetus for many initiatives, and I am proud of what we accomplished together.

Collective achievements

Prompted by this strategic momentum, many structuring projects were launched, and they will continue to bear fruit in the years ahead. We diversified the content of our courses, enriched the client experience and solidified the reputation of our profession. I especially remember the adoption of our “Competency Guide,” an essential tool that will support the development of our profession for years to come.
Another high point in my term was the first in-person graduation ceremony after two years of virtual events. Welcoming over 100 new financial planners into our community was an extremely gratifying experience. Seeing these new graduates, enthusiastic and ready to rise to the challenges of our profession, reminded me why we pursue this career.

I also really enjoyed meeting you, especially at our entirely virtual Congress in 2020 and those that took place in Québec City, Montréal and La Malbaie in the years that followed. Watching these important meetings unfold, meeting the financial planners of the future and feeling part of the great community we form, united by the love of financial planning, thrills me every time!

Winds of change

Last year, we unveiled a new brand identity for the Institute. Far more than a simple makeover, this change was the outcome of a deep reflection on our very essence and our future ambitions. Our vision of becoming a world-class institution has become more tangible than ever.

Attracting successors has been a constant challenge, but our efforts are starting to pay off. We reviewed our promotional tools, created new rewards and set up events to warmly welcome each new cohort. These actions are crucial to secure the future of our profession and meet the growing demand for our services.

What can I say about the work we did with our partner FP Canada, which has allowed us to start offering a more direct route to the F.Pl. designation and which lets graduates present themselves as financial planners from coast to coast to coast? And, of course, the design and roll-out of our very first specialization program, “Accompagner et conseiller les entrepreneurs dans leur planification financière personnelle,” which was a real milestone in our development as an educational institute.

A promising future

As my term draws to a close, I am looking forward with optimism. The work we have accomplished so far has allowed us to lay down a solid foundation that we can continue to build on. I am convinced that the Institute will keep innovating and developing, thanks to the commitment and passion in every one of us.

I want to express my profound gratitude to my colleagues on the Board. I enjoyed all our discussions and all the work we did together, buoyed by our shared values and our desire to make a difference in the lives of financial planners. I salute the staff, as well as the Institute’s collaborators, who met so many major challenges to bring to life the vision set out in the strategic plan. Your dedication and professionalism have been a constant source of inspiration.

And on this hopeful note, I want to share one last thought: beyond the numbers we calculate and the financial plans we develop, beyond the technologies that have come along and shaken up our daily practice, it is and will always be human relationships that truly define our profession. Every client we help, every family we support, every colleague we collaborate with adds a human dimension to our work that is inestimable.

It is this humanity, this capacity to understand and accompany our clients authentically and with empathy that will always be the strength of our profession. As I pass the baton, I hope that you will always be animated by this passion for people and their financial wellbeing, and I hope that your passion pushes you to continue to acquire new knowledge and to hone your skills in order to contribute to something bigger than you: the financial wellness of our society.

Thank you for trusting in me and for allowing me to go on this extraordinary adventure alongside you. Together, we have made significant strides, and I am certain that the Institute will continue to prosper and evolve, borne ahead by the commitment and devotion of F.Pls.

Gratefully, and with my best wishes for the future,

Bernard Fortin, MBA, FCSI^MD, C.Adm., F.Pl., FICB
Chair of the Board of Directors of the Institute from 2022 to 2024