Charles Schwab Canada is celebrating its move into Atlantic Canada by offering one month of free trading in self-managed investment accounts at the company’s new Halifax branch.

The firm says that the offer is designed to help clients, who may be weary of the markets, rebuild their confidence in investing for the long term. “Investors can take advantage of our free-trading offer to rebalance and diversify their portfolio,” says Mark Young, manager of the Halifax branch.

The new branch is the firm’s ninth to open in Canada. “We believe a physical presence is needed to round out the online trading experience, and to build our brand name in local markets,” says Paul Bates, president of Charles Schwab Canada. “We understand that face-to-face contact is important to our clients in establishing the important bonds of trust and familiarity.”

The firm says that its research shows that 70% of self-managed clients prefer to visit a branch initially. Clients seeking full-service advice prefer to sit down in one-on-one meetings with their advisor, and the branch is usually the most convenient location.

The free-trading offer is open to residents of the Atlantic provinces, providing they put a minimum of $20,000 in a new self-managed account or make an additional deposit to an existing self-managed account by October 31.

Clients must identify their desired free-trading period within 15 days of the end of the selected month to receive their rebate. Following the 30 days of free trading, standard brokerage fees will apply. The offer is open until December 31.