Legislation to regulate the major advisor titles — financial advisor and financial planner — is now in effect in New Brunswick.
Under the new regime, which came into force on Jan. 1, industry professionals will now have to meet certain minimum proficiency standards, and be overseen by approved credentialing bodies, to use these titles.
“The aim of the legislation is to increase consumer and investor protection by providing New Brunswickers with clarity and confidence when working with individuals using those or similar titles,” according to a notice from the Financial and Consumer Services Commission of New Brunswick (FCNB). The regulator will enforce compliance with the new rules by overseeing the credentialing bodies, and approving the credentials that reps must acquire to use the regulated titles.
For reps that opt to qualify to use these titles, “they can have confidence knowing that New Brunswick’s title protection legislation is promoting consistency, professionalism and credibility among their colleagues and New Brunswickers,” said Marissa Sollows, the director of communication and public affairs at the FCNB, in a release.
The legislation to introduce title regulation received Royal Assent on June 16, 2023, and the rules required to operationalize the regime were approved by the provincial Minister of Finance and Treasury Board on November 7, 2025.
For advisors that were already using these titles when the new regime took effect, the requirements for the advisor title are being phased in over two years (reps must comply by Jan. 1, 2028), while the planner title is subject to a four-year transition period (to Jan. 1, 2030).