Skip to content

Unclaimed Property and Complaints

Unclaimed Property

The provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, and Quebec have enacted specific regulations concerning unclaimed property, including investment assets. As a result, Guardian Capital LP (“GCLP”) has implemented policies and procedures to locate investors for whom we are holding unclaimed property, if their last known address was in one of these four provinces.

What is an unclaimed asset?

Cash or cheques, securities (i.e. stocks, bonds, mutual funds and exchange traded funds) or other receivables held in an account with a financial institution will be deemed to be “unclaimed” assets if certain time periods set out in the respective provincial legislation expire, and the following conditions apply:

  • a communication or cheque has been mailed to a GCLP investor for whom we are holding an account and has been returned as “undeliverable”;
  • a communication has been sent to an investor for whom we are holding an account requesting that an action be taken by a specified date, and no action has been taken;
  • a cheque was sent to an investor for whom we are holding an account and the cheque has not been cashed remains uncashed after 3 years or more, depending on the jurisdiction;
  • the investor has not indicated an interest in the account;

    and
  • the value of the unclaimed property is $1.00 or more residing in the province of New Brunswick; or
  • the value of the unclaimed property is $50.00 or more for investors residing in the province of British Columbia; or
  • the value of the unclaimed property is $100.00 or more for investors residing in the province of Quebec; or
  • the value of the unclaimed property is $250.00 or more for investors residing in the province of Alberta.

GCLP makes reasonable efforts, within a prescribed timeframe, to locate owners for whom we are holding unclaimed property. Efforts to locate such individuals may include, but are not limited to the following means:

  • correspondence with investment professionals named on the account
  • searching our recordkeeping system for other existing accounts for the same individual
  • public listing searches (telephone book, 411 assistance and electronic databases).

GCLP maintains a record of unclaimed property owners whom we have been unable to contact or locate. If you believe that you may have unclaimed property at GCLP and would like to request a search of our database, please contact:

Guardian Capital LP
Commerce Court West
199 Bay Street, Suite 2700
P.O. Box 201
Toronto ON M5L 1E8

Email: unclaimedproperty@guardiancapital.com


Where can investors go for more information:

Residents of Alberta

Residents of British Columbia

Residents of Manitoba

  • Manitoba does not offer a service to search for unclaimed assets. Investors resident in this province are encouraged to contact their account provider (their broker, investment dealer, trust company or mutual fund dealer).
  • The applicable Manitoba legislation is known as the Vacant Property Act and The Escheats Act 

Residents of New Brunswick

Residents of Quebec

Residents of Other Provinces

  • Investors resident in other provinces or territories should contact their account provider (their broker, investment dealer, trust company or mutual fund dealer).

As a disclaimer:

(Note: By clicking on any of the above listed links, you will leave our website and enter a third party site. We are not responsible for the content on this third party site, and you will be subject to the applicable privacy policy and terms & conditions of the third party site.)


CLIENT COMPLAINT AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION SERVICE INFORMATION

Clients who are not satisfied with a financial product or service have the right to make a complaint and to seek resolution of the problem. Guardian Capital LP (“GCLP”) has designated its Chief Compliance Officer to act as its complaints officer.  If a complaint exists, it should be directed to the complaints officer at GCLP’s head office at the address below:

Guardian Capital LP
Commerce Court West
199 Bay Street, Suite 2700
P.O. Box 201
Toronto ON M5L 1E8
Attention: Chief Compliance Officer

GCLP will acknowledge receipt of any complaint promptly, generally within five days. GCLP will investigate any complaint and provide a response. The response may be an offer to resolve the complaint, a denial of the complaint with reasons, or another appropriate response.  GCLP will generally provide a response within 90 days, unless GCLP is waiting for additional information from the client, or the case is novel or very complicated. In the case of the latter, GCLP will advise the client of the anticipated response date.

If a client is unsatisfied with GCLP’s response to a complaint or if GCLP does not provide a decision concerning the complaint within 90 days after the complaint was filed, the client may be eligible for the independent dispute resolution service offered by the Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (“OBSI”).  OBSI provides an independent and impartial process for the investigation and resolution of complaints about the provision of financial services to clients. OBSI can make a non-binding recommendation that GCLP compensate a client (up to $350,000) if it determines the client has been treated unfairly, taking into account the criteria of good financial services and business practice, relevant codes of practice or conduct, industry regulation and the law. The OBSI process is free of charge and is confidential. OBSI can be contacted by e-mail at ombudsman@obsi.ca or by phone, toll free at 1-888-451-4519.

If the client is a resident of Québec, in accordance with the Securities Act (Québec), GCLP will acknowledge receipt of any complaint promptly, in writing, within 10 days (unless a simplified procedure is being used). The acknowledgement will include a summary and/or copy of GCLP’s complaint handling policy.  GCLP will investigate any complaint and provide a response. The response may be an offer to resolve the complaint, a denial of the complaint with reasons, or another appropriate response.  GCLP will provide a final written decision within 60 days or a maximum of 90 days in exceptional circumstances. If an offer to resolve the complaint is accepted by the complainant, GCLP will settle the offer within 30 days.

If a client is unsatisfied with GCLP’s response to a complaint or if GCLP does not provide a decision concerning the complaint within 90 days after the complaint was filed, the client may request the complaint record to be examined by the Autorité des marches financiers (“AMF”). GCLP will transfer the complaint records to the AMF within 15 days of receipt of a request. The AMF will examine the complaint records and may, with the complainant’s consent, act as the conciliator or mediator regarding the complaint or designate a person to act as such at no cost to the complainant.

Alternately, a resident of Québec may use the Complaint Form available on the AMF website to file a compliant directly at https://lautorite.qc.ca/en/general-public/assistance-and-complaints.

For investors in Guardian Capital Funds and ETFs who are not direct clients of GCLP, please speak to your account provider (your financial advisor, or the complaints officer at your investment dealer or mutual fund dealer).

Effective: July 1, 2025