If you have a complaint about our services or a product, it should be submitted in writing:
BY EMAIL TO:
info@itg84.com
BY PHYSICAL MAIL TO:
Independent Trading Group
33 Yonge Street, Suite 420
Toronto, Ontario M5E 1G4
You may want to consider using a method other than email for sensitive information.
Our team is available to address your concerns and will forward them to the appropriate team as required.
Tell us
Help us resolve your complaint sooner
If you’re not completely satisfied with the response that you have received from us, you may request that your concerns be escalated to the compliance team. If appropriate, or when required, your complaint will then be received, reviewed, and addressed by the compliance team.
If your complaint includes an allegation of misconduct or wrongdoing on the part of Independent Trading Group, it will be escalated to the Compliance department. The Compliance department is required to review any complaint which alleges misconduct or violation of applicable securities laws on the part of Independent Trading Group or its employees. Complaints handled by the compliance team will be handled as follows:
We will acknowledge your complaint
We will acknowledge your complaint in writing, as soon as possible, typically within 5 business days of receiving your complaint. We may ask you to provide clarification or more information to help us resolve your complaint.
We will provide our decision
We normally provide our decision in writing, within 90 days of receiving a complaint. It will include:
If our decision is delayed
If we cannot provide you with our decision within 90 days, we will:
If you are not satisfied with our decision
If you are not satisfied with our decision, there are different options available to you depending on the product(s) your complaint relates to and province or territory you live in.
Complaints related to your self-directed account(s)
Your self-directed accounts are those where you are responsible for making your investment decisions in stocks, exchange-traded funds, options and crypto. If you are not satisfied with our decision related to your Independent Trading Group self-directed accounts, other options available to you include:
If you are a resident of Québec, you may also consider the free mediation service offered by the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF). For more information, visit the AMF website.
Your self-directed accounts are provided by Independent Trading Group Inc., a member of the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (“CIRO”, formerly the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada or “IIROC”). If you believe that Independent Trading Group has violated CIRO rules, you can also submit a regulatory complaint to CIRO for an assessment of whether disciplinary action is warranted. For more information, visit the CIRO website.
Complaints related to your managed account
Your managed accounts are those where you have granted discretionary management to Independent Trading Group Inc. If you are not satisfied with our decision related to your managed account, other options available to you include:
If you are a resident of Québec, you may also consider the free mediation service offered by the Autorité des marchés financiers. For more information, visit the AMF website
Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments
If your complaint relates to your self-directed or managed accounts, then you may be eligible for the free and independent dispute resolution service provided by the Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (OBSI) if:
OBSI can recommend compensation of up to $350,000. However, the OBSI dispute resolution service requires that we complete our investigation before they can begin their independent review of your complaint.
Escalating to the OBSI does not restrict your ability to take a complaint to a dispute resolution service of your choosing at your own expense, or to bring an action in court. Keep in mind there are time limits for taking legal action.
If we do not provide you with our decision within 90 days, you can take your complaint to OBSI any time after the 90-day period has ended. If you are not satisfied with our decision, you have up to 180 days after we provide you with our decision to take your complaint to OBSI. The OBSI generally will not investigate a complaint until we have completed our investigation, unless the 90-day period has been exceeded.
Escalations can be submitted through the OBSI website (https://consumerportal.obsi.ca/public/inquiries/inquiry), by email to ombudsman@obsi.ca, or by phone at 1 (888) 451-4519. For more information on OBSI, visit www.obsi.ca.
Information OBSI needs to help you
OBSI can help you best if you promptly provide all relevant information, including:
OBSI will investigate
OBSI works confidentially and in an informal manner. It is not like going to court, and you do not need a lawyer. During its investigation, OBSI may interview you and representatives of our firm. We are required to cooperate in OBSI’s investigations.
OBSI will provide its recommendations
Once OBSI has completed its investigation, it will provide its recommendations to you and us. OBSI’s recommendations are not binding on you or us.
OBSI can recommend compensation of up to $350,000. If your claim is higher, you will have to agree to that limit on any compensation you seek through OBSI. If you want to recover more than $350,000, you may want to consider another option, such as legal action, to resolve your complaint.
A word about legal advice
You always have the right to go to a lawyer or seek other ways of resolving your dispute at any time. A lawyer can advise you of your options. There are time limits for taking legal action. Delays could limit your options and legal rights later on.
