Introducing Franklin Templeton Canada’s ETF Proficiency Course
Franklin Templeton, in partnership with NEO and Trackinsight, is here to help – now offering an ETF Proficiency Course to help advisors get up to speed and meet the Mutual Fund Dealers Association (MFDA) proficiency criteria for selling ETFs.
ETFs, or exchange-traded funds, are a growing part of Canadian financial markets with last year seeing record flows into the investment vehicle. In 2021, Canadians invested $55.5 billion CAD in domestic-listed ETFs, exceeding the prior year’s record of $42 billion CAD. The year also saw a record number of new ETF products coming to market, with 174 new funds launched, bringing the total number of available ETFs to over 1200 with assets reaching a record-high $340 billion CAD.
The growing popularity of Canadian ETFs underscores the importance of understanding the features and benefits of ETFs as well as what sets them apart from conventional mutual funds or stocks. Franklin Templeton, in partnership with NEO and Trackinsight, is here to help – now offering an ETF Proficiency Course to help advisors get up to speed and meet the Mutual Fund Dealers Association (MFDA) proficiency criteria for selling ETFs. The course may also be used to meet Continuing Education (CE) credits.
Consisting of five modules, the course provides a broad overview of ETFs and how to use them.
- Introduction – this module will help define ETFs, compare and contrast the fund structure to conventional mutual funds and stocks, and review the types of ETFs that may or may not be sold by Dealing Representatives
- Regulation of ETFs – this module will describe the regulation of ETFs, including offering documents, disclosure requirements, investment restrictions, and the role of the Independent Review Committee
- Characteristics of ETFs – this module will define and describe different ETF investment management styles, the creation/redemption process, benefits and risks of the structure, and the roles of various players within the ETF ecosystem
- Exchange Trading – this module explores concepts related to trading ETFs on exchanges such as the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX), order processing, distributions, and Universal Market Integrity Rules (UMIR)
- Investing in ETFs – this module explores concepts such as client obligations, portfolio management, and various parties involved in the investment process
Available in both English and French, the duration of the course is approximately 2.5 hours, finishing with a final assessment that includes 30 questions. Upon meeting or exceeding the minimum passing score of 65%, the advisor will be able to immediately download a certificate showing that they have successfully completed the course.
“We want to support and enhance advisors’ ETF knowledge and training, so that they can use the innovation and diversity of ETFs to enhance their clients’ portfolios,” said Duane Green, President and CEO of Franklin Templeton Canada in Toronto. “Franklin Templeton hopes the ETF Proficiency Course will become an invaluable resource for investment advisors across the country.”
For more information or to sign up for Franklin Templeton’s Canadian ETF Proficiency Course, please click here. See the official press release on NEO Exchange.
