Ekinox launches training and mentorship program for Quebec financial advisors

Ekinox Courtage & Finances has launched a structured training and mentorship program in Quebec to help new and career-changing candidates enter the financial security profession. The initiative targets a shrinking advisor pipeline as retirements rise and demand for retirement, estate and wealth-planning advice grows.

Why it matters: - Quebec’s financial services sector is facing a succession problem as many advisors near retirement. - Ekinox Courtage & Finances is trying to widen the entry path into a profession that needs more new advisors to maintain client service. - The program is designed to reduce early-career dropoff, which remains a major reason new advisors leave after licensing.

What happened: - Ekinox Courtage & Finances announced a new training and mentorship program for people who want to become financial security advisors in Quebec. - The program is aimed at both career changers and new entrants to the sector. - The company framed the launch as a response to a structural shortage in advisor renewal across the province.

The details: - The program prepares candidates for the Programme de qualification en assurance de personnes, or PQAP. - PQAP includes four modules leading to the certificate of representative in personal insurance. - Each module includes a certification exam with a passing mark of 60%. - Candidates then move to the official exams of the Autorité des marchés financiers, which are required before licensing. - The program continues after certification with structured mentorship during the first months of practice. - That support includes help with first client meetings, access to a range of products, support in prospecting and guidance toward building an initial book of business. - Ekinox said the program is largely online and can be completed at the candidate’s own pace. - The program does not require a university degree in finance. - Ekinox said the model is open to people from teaching, health care, sales and management. - The company pointed to transferable skills such as communication, relationship-building and discipline. - Ekinox also provided contact details and said interested people can review eligibility and registration information on its website, More information.

Between the lines: - The announcement is as much about workforce development as recruitment. - By pairing exam prep with post-licensing mentorship, Ekinox is targeting the stage where many newcomers typically quit. - The open-access design suggests the company wants to pull candidates from outside traditional finance pipelines. - The strategy reflects a broader industry need: more advisors who can serve retirement, succession and wealth-management demand as Canada’s population ages. - Ekinox cited industry signals that advisor retirements will account for part of future job openings through 2027.

What's next: - Ekinox will enroll candidates into the program and guide them through qualification, exams and early client development. - The company expects the mentorship phase to help more licensed candidates remain in the profession long enough to build viable practices. - Demand for personalized financial advice is likely to keep pressure on firms to train and retain new advisors.

The bottom line: - Ekinox is betting that Quebec’s advisor shortage can be eased by making entry into the profession more structured, more supported and more accessible.