In 2013, a group of seasoned wealth advisors got together and decided to do something about the investment limitations which continue to plague the bank-owned, large conglomerates, and other mainstream investment dealers. Due to a general lack of access, the majority of investment advisors across Canada are limited to investing their clients’ dollars the old way – exclusively in publicly traded securities, with no allocation to private investments.  

While pension plans, endowment funds, and ultra-high net worth investors have been investing in private securities for decades, these asset classes had not made their way into the retail investor portfolio. So why are retail investors competing for the same, limited list of publicly traded stocks and bonds, which regularly results in high valuations and unnecessary risk?  Meanwhile, millions of private businesses exist, many of which look to issue equity or borrow money from investors?

The short answer is – access. The barrier to entry for the retail investor has been high: private businesses seeking capital generally approach institutions, the Canadian Securities Commissions usually require certain investor accreditations, and large investment firms lack agility and tend to be burdened by multiple layers of red tape.  

For progression to occur, innovation must exist. Charles Schwab shaped the industry by providing mainstream access to the stock market; ETFs sprouted with Blackrock; Bloomberg invented a terminal to provide real-time financial data, and the list goes on. Banks and other large conglomerates eventually followed, but the visionaries paved the path.      

Since the first branch opening in 2013, Harbourfront has grown to 30+ branches nationwide (as of January 2024), and also provides services to clients in the US through its sister company, Harbourfront Wealth America Inc.

Purpose-driven seasoned advisors continue to leave their current investment firms and bring their client practices to Harbourfront. 

Investment advice, tax planning, lifestyle income management, trusts and estate preservation, philanthropy, business succession, and access to exclusive private securities. The future of wealth management is here!