Our History

1962

Guardian Founded

Norman Short, Ralph Horner and Alan Grieve launch Guardian Management Ltd., which is later renamed Guardian Capital Group Ltd. or “Guardian”, planting the seeds for the successor company that is known today as Guardian Capital LP.

1969

Initial Public Offering

Guardian Management completes its IPO and trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange as Gdn. Management Limited, becoming one of the first investment counselling firms in Canada to be publicly traded.

1973

A New Name

Gdn. Management Limited is renamed as Guardian Capital Group Limited.

1981

John Christodoulou Joins Guardian

John Christodoulou joins the Board of Directors of Guardian Capital Group, planting the seeds for the successor company that is known today as Guardian Capital LP.

1986

Guardian Group of Funds Created

Guardian Group of Funds (GGOF) Ltd. is created to provide management, administration and marketing for open-ended mutual funds through independent financial advisors in Canada.

1987

John Christodoulou Named As CEO

Norman Short retires and John Christodoulou, who had been involved with the company since the mid-1970s and was on the Board of Directors since 1981, is appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Guardian Capital Group Limited.

1989

Worldsource Founded

Worldsource Financial Services is formed as a mutual fund dealership and in 1996, it merges with Capital Management Group to form the predecessor to Worldsource Financial Management Inc., now one of Canada´s largest independent mutual fund dealers.

Guardian Offers Non-Canadian Mandates

Guardian sub-advises the portfolio management of its U.S. and International equity portfolios to external foreign asset managers.

1990

Alexandria Bancorp Formed

Guardian forms Alexandria Bancorp, a fully-licensed Schedule B bank in Cayman Islands that provides trust and corporate administration, investment management and banking services for international clients.

1992

Private Wealth Services Begin

Guardian Global Bancorp is founded as a provider of customized investment services for high net worth clients and is subsequently renamed Guardian Capital Advisors LP in 1999.

2001

Guardian Group of Funds Sold to BMO

Guardian´s mutual fund business, Guardian Group of Funds Ltd., is sold to the Bank of Montreal.

2002

Growing Capabilities

Guardian brings non-Canadian equity portfolio management capabilities in-house and in 2006, ends its sub-advisory portfolio management relationships with external foreign asset managers.

Worldsource Expands

Guardian´s financial advisory business is expanded to include a securities dealer with the launch of Worldsource Securities Inc. (WSI), whose agency model allows financial advisors to run their own practices under contract with WSI.

2003

Alexandria Trust Created

To complement our Cayman Islands-based international operations, Alexandria Trust Corporation is created in Barbados to provide trust and corporate administration services.

2004

Acquisition of Insurance Distributor

Worldsource purchases Trowbridge Insurance Networks to form Worldsource Insurance Network (WIN) Inc., which provides insurance-related services to independent insurance agents with its core businesses of life insurance policies and segregated funds.

2005

GEM Pooled Investment Fund Established

The GEM pooled investment funds (GEM Pools) were established as a joint venture between Guardian and the Ethical Funds Company, bringing together the institutional investment expertise of Guardian and the responsible investment screening process of the Ethical Fund Company to offer sustainable investment products and services to institutional and retail clients.

2011

Worldsource Insurance Network Merges with IDC

This merger results in the formation of IDC Worldsource Insurance Network Inc., one of the largest life insurance managing general agencies in Canada.

George Mavroudis, CEO

John Christodoulou passes away and George Mavroudis is appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Guardian Capital Group, and becomes a member of the Board of Directors.

2012

Celebrating 50 years

Guardian Capital Group Limited celebrates its 50th anniversary, since its initial founding on January 18, 1962.

2014

Acquisition of GuardCap

Guardian Capital Group Limited acquires boutique emerging markets equity firm, GuardCap Asset Management Limited, based in London, UK.

2018

Acquisition of Majority Interest in Alta

Guardian Capital Group Limited completes its acquisition of a 70% majority interest in US-based Alta Capital Management.

2020

Acquisition of Majority Interest in Modern Advisor Canada Inc.

Guardian Capital Group Limited completes its acquisition of ModernAdvisor a leading Canadian digital advisor platform.

Exchange-Traded Funds added to Product Line-up

Guardian Capital LP launches its first suite of ETF products into the Canadian retail channel.

2021

Acquisition of BNY Mellon Wealth Management, Advisory Services Inc.

Guardian Capital Group Limited acquires BNY Mellon Wealth Management, Advisory Services, Inc. and launches as newly named Guardian Partners Inc.

2022

Launch of Guardian Smart Infrastructure Management

Guardian Smart Infrastructure Management (GSIM) is created as a Direct Private Infrastructure Investment Business focused on investing in opportunities and projects to enhance the productivity of new and existing global infrastructure assets.

Acquisition of Rae & Lipskie Investment Counsel Inc.

Guardian Capital Group Limited completes its acquisition of a 60% majority interest in Rae & Lipskie Investment Counsel Inc., a Canadian private wealth manager.

Launch of GuardPath™ Longevity Solutions

Guardian Capital LP launches GuardPath™ Longevity Solutions, made-in-Canada, first-of-their kind solutions aimed at solving the misalignment between human longevity and portfolio longevity.

2023

Worldsource sold to Desjardins

Guardian’s life insurance, mutual fund and investment distribution networks sold to Desjardins Group.