Frequently Asked Questions

Many people find that they reach a point in their financial life when they have spent time and money experimenting with different investment vehicles, researching and attempting to speculate the market and understand the myriad options available for where to place their money. While this process can get the ball rolling in terms of building a nest egg, at a certain point most people feel that they need to work with an expert and place their money in a long-term investment where it can grow. 

Portfolio managers are decision-makers that work directly with clients to provide a portfolio that serves your specific needs. Banks and larger financial advisory institutions sell you boiler-plate investments that they would never use themselves. Portfolios from these institutions are typically saddled with steep fees, and are based on homogenized assessment tools, rather than quality client relationships. Portfolio managers offer a more personalized service, working in partnership with you to develop an investing approach that would best get you where you want to be.

Vulcan portfolio managers bring extensive experience in investing as well as in-depth market knowledge to the table. Our portfolio is based on a long-term investment strategy that aims for positive returns over a 3-5 year market cycle. Holding high-quality companies and trading infrequently allows value to emerge through the market cycle, despite any short-term fluctuations. You can read more about our approach here .

Our portfolio managers prove their integrity by personally holding the same assets that clients hold in their portfolios. This means that you are getting access to the investing decisions that top investors apply to their own money, and are never asked to invest anywhere that we are not also placing our own money in.

Vulcan uses a repeatable process to select investments, honed over several years of careful analysis and proven market insight. The portfolio is diversified across sectors, geography, and asset classes, so that it is not left vulnerable to the ebbs and flows of one particular market. We also have a cash-holding strategy that allows us to take advantage of market dips. If you would like more information, you can read about our process here .

The earlier you invest, the more opportunity you give your money to grow through compound interest. When you invest a sum and accumulate interest on it one month, that interest will be included when calculating the amount of interest for the next month. So, even if the original sum were to stay the same, the amount of interest collected increases over time. For an example of this in action, see Scenario 1 in our brochure .

Investing is an important tool for taking advantage of compound interest and maintaining the purchasing power of your assets. Inflation causes money to depreciate in value over time (think of your Grandma’s stories about all the things she used to buy for a handful of dimes), so investing allows you to maintain this value while saving for long-term goals, whether that is retirement, education, or any other big life change.

We work with Raymond James Custodial Services, one of the top five global custodial institutions, to manage client’s funds. Using a custodian ensures maximum accountability by delegating the transfer and movement of client’s money to a highly reputable third-party. Vulcan portfolio managers will never have direct access to clients’ money, and perform trades on behalf of the client through communication with Raymond James. Clients also have 24/7 online access to their accounts through Raymond James. 

Please call 647 808 5512 or email aaron.chaze@vulcanassets.com to schedule a consultation. 

The consultation includes a review of your current investments, a discussion of your personal investing goals, and, if needed, development of a financial plan moving forward. 

The main objective of the consultation is to tell us about what you need from an investing portfolio, learn about our investing approach, and determine whether an investing relationship would be well-suited. We view our relationship with you as a partnership, and place importance on taking the time to ensure both parties are reaching for the same goal.

Once a client has decided they would like to invest with us, we begin the process of setting up an account for them through our custodian (Raymond James Ltd). 

A Vulcan employee will go through an Intake Form with you, capturing all information required to create an account and client file. You will also be requested to provide a photocopy of valid government i.d. and any statements of investment accounts you currently hold.

The Vulcan employee will use the Intake Form to complete an Onboarding Package, which consists of several forms that must be completed and sent to Raymond James to initiate the account set up, as well as written agreements between you and Vulcan. Once the package has been completed, we will send a DocuSign envelope for you to review and sign the forms. DocuSign is secure and certified software that facilitates online signing of forms and contracts. Envelopes sent to clients are always password-protected.

Once the forms in the Onboarding Package are signed by the client, Vulcan sends the package to Raymond James, where the account will be set up, and any transfers from your previous investment institutions will be initiated. Vulcan will then send you a link to register online access to view your account.

This will vary depending on the institution being transferred from. Upon receiving your Onboarding Package, it typically takes less than a week for our custodian to set up your account and request a transfer from your current institution(s). It is then up to the sending institution to approve that request and send your money over. Vulcan maintains open communication with Raymond James throughout the onboarding process and follows up on client transfers. You may also contact the sending institution directly with any questions you may have. 

No, there are no taxes on moving your money from one institution to another. There will only be taxes if you withdraw directly from your RRSP. If you withdraw from your TFSA, there will be stipulations about when you can contribute to it again. We are happy to clarify this and go over any questions about your specific accounts before we set them up. 

When your account is set up, Vulcan will send you a link where you can register to view your accounts online. You will create login credentials, which you will use to sign in to the Raymond James portal at any time. 

You will receive monthly statements from Raymond James and quarterly portfolio updates from Vulcan. You also have 24/7 access to your accounts online through the Raymond James portal.