Requirements - CE for Finance & Insurance Professionals

All Participants must complete the required number of credits in each CE cycle. Each cycle will be 2 years in length, starting December 1 of each odd numbered year. This aligns with the CSF’s continuing education cycle. Participants registered as Dealing Representatives must take 30 credits total in each cycle, which is comprised of: - 8 Business Conduct (BC) Credits. A minimum of 1 and maximum of 2 of these Business Conduct Credits must relate to ethics. A single Business Conduct Credit consists of 1 hour of training in educational material that promotes, directs and guides ethical and compliant conduct. It includes education regarding ethical issues, MFDA Rules and Policies, other applicable legislation, and Member’s policies and procedures for complying with regulatory requirements. This would include topics such as conflicts of interest, Know-Your-Client standard and suitability, and complaint handling. - 20 Professional Development (PD) Credits. A single Professional Development Credit consists of 1 hour of training in educational material that maintains or enhances an advisor’s financial knowledge or proficiency. This would include topics such as products, financial planning, and investment strategies and asset allocation. - 2 MFDA Compliance (MC) Credits. These must be obtained by completing continuing education activities specifically created and designated by the MFDA for the purposes of MFDA Compliance Credits. Those Participants who are not Dealing Representatives, but are registered or designated as Chief Compliance Officers (CCOs), Ultimate Designated Persons (UDPs), Branch Managers (BMs), Alternate CCOs or Alternate BMs are required to take 10 credits total in each cycle: 8 Business Conduct credits (1 to 2 in ethics) and 2 MFDA Compliance credits.

Associate Portfolio Managers, Portfolio Managers, Registered Representatives (retail) and their Supervisors, are required to complete a minimum of 10 hours of Compliance courses and 20 hours of PD courses in each CE cycle. Other CE Participants are required to complete 10 hours of Compliance courses.

CE Requirements – Institute for Advanced Financial Education (IAFE)

Annual Requirements

All designation holders with The Institute (excluding student and retired members) are required to complete 30 continuing education (CE) hours annually. This must include:

A minimum of 15 hours of structured learning through CE programs accredited by The Institute’s Accreditation Service or approved licensing/designation program courses (e.g., LLQP, CFP, CLU, CHS).
Up to 15 hours of informal or unstructured learning, such as reading, research, or self-study.

Structured activities must align with The Institute’s Practice Guidelines for Financial Advisors and Planners. Informal learning does not count toward the structured CE requirement.

Audit & Documentation

Designates are encouraged to log CE activities throughout the year. CE records must be submitted via the Advocis or Institute portal. Courses accredited by The Institute and delivered through Advocis are automatically recorded in a member’s CE profile.

Members who do not meet the CE requirement by December 31^st may be selected for an audit. In such cases, written documentation for non-accredited CE activities must be submitted. Failure to meet requirements may affect designation standing.

Exemptions

Members unable to fulfill annual CE requirements due to maternity leave or medical necessity may apply for a CE exemption. A formal exemption form and supporting documentation are required for consideration.

Course Eligibility

Only courses that have been formally accredited by the Institute for Advanced Financial Education qualify as structured CE under IAFE’s requirements. These courses will be clearly marked on the LearnFormula platform. No other courses should be considered eligible for structured credit unless explicitly accredited.

Disclaimer

LearnFormula is not affiliated with the Institute for Advanced Financial Education. Only courses specifically marked as accredited by The Institute may be used toward structured CE requirements. Final recognition of CE hours remains at the sole discretion of The Institute.

Requirements
CIM® designation holders must complete 30 CE Hours every 2 years, with the cycle running January 1 of an even year to December 31 of the following odd year.

The 30-hour requirement must include:

20 hours Professional Development
10 hours Compliance

All CE must correspond to competencies in the CIM® Professional Competency Profile.

Accreditation & Course Eligibility
CE activities do not need to be pre-approved by CSI. Courses, seminars, webinars, and programs from third-party providers are acceptable if they align with the CIM® competencies.

Acceptable activities include:

Seminars, webinars, and conferences
Online courses with proof of completion (exam or quiz)
Programs offered by recognized educational providers

Unacceptable activities include:

Client seminars or client-focused writing
Basic business skills training (e.g., Word, Excel)
Non-verifiable activities such as casual reading
Proprietary product training not tied to competencies

Reporting, Record-Keeping & Auditing
CIM® holders must maintain records of CE activities and are not required to submit documentation at renewal unless selected for audit. Supporting documents must be retained for at least 1 year after the cycle ends and may include:

Certificate of completion or attendance
Course description or agenda
Proof of passing a test or quiz

Certificates must clearly show:

Attendee name
Provider name (with signature or logo)
Course title
Date and location
CE credit hours
CE type (Professional Development or Compliance)

CSI conducts annual audits, selecting a percentage of renewal applicants each quarter. Members must provide documentation within the audit timeline or risk losing credits toward compliance.

LearnFormula is not affiliated with the Canadian Securities Institute. For full information, please visit: https://www.csi.ca/en/credentials/cim/ce-course-guidelines

Life and Accident & Sickness insurance agents, General insurance agents and Adjusters are required to complete in each certificate term at least 15 hours of approved continuing education courses.

Life and/or Accident and Sickness Insurance Agents are required to complete fifteen (15) hours of continuing education per licence period. General Insurance Agents and Salespersons and Insurance Adjusters are required to complete eight (8) hours of continuing education per license period.

Life and/or Accident & Sickness License Holders are required to accumulate 15 continuing education credit (CEC) hours per license period. General or Insurance Adjuster License Holders are required to accumulate 8 CEC hours per license period.

Principal Brokers, Deputy Principal Brokers, and Supervising Brokers 10 hours of continuing education credits every year between October 1st and September 30th subject to the following conditions: minimum of 1 hour Ethics, 5 hours Management, and Professional Development category courses cannot be applied. The remaining hours may be in the Management or Technical categories. A carryover of a maximum of 10 hours (or one term’s requirements) is permitted however the minimum category requirements must be maintained. All other licensed individuals 8 hours of continuing education credits every year between October 1st and September 30th subject to the following conditions: minimum of 1 hour Ethics, 3 hours Technical, and a maximum of 2 hours Professional Development may be applied. A carryover of a maximum of 8 hours (or one term’s requirements) is permitted however the minimum category requirements must be maintained.

To renew your life and accident & sickness licence, you are required to complete 30 continuing education (CE) credits in the previous two years that you were licensed. Keep your certificates of completion for at least four years. FSRA does not approve providers or delivery formats. CE Courses are eligible for CE provided that they cover 'eligible' topics. Eligible topics include: Legal, legislative and regulatory matters Fundamentals or principles of life insurance Fundamentals or principles of accident & sickness insurance Financial planning Taxation Client needs analysis Proper use of life insurance products Rating, underwriting and claims Accounting and actuarial considerations Risk management principles Provisions and differences in policy contracts

FP Canada requires all QAFP® and CFP® professionals to complete 25 CE hours annually (Jan 1–Dec 31), consisting of: • 12 hours Financial Planning CE (must be FP Canada–accredited) • 2 hours Professional Responsibility CE (must be pre-accredited; post-delivery accreditation not permitted) • Up to 11 hours General CE, including max 5 hours of Giving Back Financial Planning CE must relate to the FP Canada Standards Council Competency Profiles and may include CE on professional skills such as behavioural factors, relationship management, and EDI topics. All Financial Planning CE must be FP Canada–accredited. Professional Responsibility CE must be pre-accredited and must demonstrate application of FP Canada’s Standards of Professional Responsibility through scenarios, examples, and assessment activities. General CE includes CE related to financial planning, financial services, professional skills, prior Practice Management and Product Knowledge content, teaching, writing, and designation-related CE. Giving Back activities include volunteering, pro bono work, financial literacy initiatives, and committee participation. Documentation & Audit: Professionals must record CE in FP Canada’s CE Tracker and keep supporting documentation for three years. Accredited CE only requires proof of completion. Non-accredited General CE requires content descriptions, agendas, syllabi, or similar materials plus proof of completion. Missing documentation results in denial of credit. FP Canada may audit professionals randomly or automatically. LearnFormula is not affiliated with FP Canada. For full information, please visit: https://www.fpcanada.ca/planners/continuing-education

The Regulation of the Chambre de la sécurité financière respecting compulsory professional development applies to every professional holding an authorization issued by the Autorité des marchés financiers allowing him to practise in any of the following sectors and registration categories: Mutual funds; Scholarship plans; Insurance of persons; Group insurance of persons. A representative must accumulate the following professional development units (PDUs): 10 PDUs in general subjects; 10 PDUs in compliance with standards, ethics and business conduct (Important: See section on mandatory course on compliance); 10 PDUs in topics specific to each sector or registration category in which he is authorized to pursue activities

Life Licensees are required to earn a minimum of fifteen credit hours of continuing education in each annual reporting period. Level 1 to Level 3 Property and Casualty Licensees, Insurer Representatives, and Adjuster Licensees are required to earn a minimum of eight credit hours of continuing education.

CE for Finance & Insurance Professionals

Requirements, Accreditations & Approvals

Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) MFD CE Program

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Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) ID CE Program

Canadian Finance & Insurance Professionals

The Institute for Advanced Financial Education (Advocis)

CE Requirements – Institute for Advanced Financial Education (IAFE)

Annual Requirements

Audit & Documentation

Exemptions

Course Eligibility

Disclaimer

Canadian Securities Institute (CIM CE Program)

Alberta Insurance Council

Insurance Council of British Columbia

Insurance Council of Manitoba

Registered Insurance Brokers of Ontario

Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario

FP Canada

Chambre de la Sécurité Financière (Québec)

Insurance Councils of Saskatchewan