New committee launches as industry groups discuss working together on regulation
Advocis, The Financial Advisors Association of Canada, has established a Financial Industry Advisory Committee (FIAC) to bring together insurance and wealth management professionals in support of its advocacy work, the association announced Wednesday.
The committee will draw on expertise across both sectors, helping Advocis anticipate emerging issues and develop practical responses to challenges facing financial advisors and the Canadians they serve, according to the announcement. Barb Leighton, vice-president, chief compliance and privacy officer at PPI Management Inc., will serve as its inaugural chair.
Building on advocacy momentum
“Advocis has made important progress on a number of advocacy priorities, and we want to build on that momentum,” said Kelly Gorman, president and CEO of Advocis. “There’s a tremendous amount of expertise across our industry. Bringing more of that knowledge together will help us build on the work already underway and make an even stronger contribution to the issues that matter.”
The initiative comes as advisors navigate an increasingly complex regulatory environment while adapting to new technologies and changing client expectations, Advocis said. It added that many Canadians remain underserved or underinsured, reinforcing the importance of protecting access to professional financial advice.
The committee will work alongside Marsha Gerhart, Advocis’ general counsel, contributing technical expertise and industry insight. Its work will complement existing governance and policy development processes, the association said.
“These are issues that affect the entire industry, and no single organization can address them alone,” said Arun Channan, chair of the TFAAC Board of Directors. “Advocis has an important role to play in bringing people together. This initiative builds on the work we’ve been doing and will help ensure we continue making a meaningful difference for advisors and the Canadians who rely on them.”
Chair brings compliance experience
Leighton has more than 27 years of experience in the insurance industry, with senior compliance and risk management roles across the carrier and MGA sectors, according to the release. She has served as a board member and on committees with organizations including Advocis (The Institute for Advanced Financial Education) and the Canadian Association of Independent Life Brokerage Agencies (CAILBA).
“We all bring different experiences to the table, and I think that’s what makes this initiative so valuable,” Leighton said. “We won’t always see every issue the same way, but having those conversations will help us find common ground and develop solutions that make sense for the industry and the people it serves.”
Announcement timed with Symposium
The announcement coincides with Advocis Symposium 2026, to be held Thursday at the InterContinental Toronto Centre. Leighton will moderate a panel titled Stronger Together: Industry Collaboration in a Changing Landscape, featuring Gorman; Guy Legault, president and CEO of the Conference for Advanced Life Underwriting; Luke O’Connor, vice-president, distribution and industry relations at the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association (CLHIA); and Nina Kavalinas, board director at CAILBA.
The discussion will explore how industry organizations can work more closely to respond to regulatory developments and protect Canadians’ access to professional financial advice. The event’s agenda also covers advisor recruitment and succession, artificial intelligence in advice delivery and Canada’s economic outlook, according to the Symposium event listing.
Advocis has previously pressed for national standards for financial advisors. In a March 2025 release, it urged federal and provincial policymakers to work toward a nationally recognized, enforceable standard, noting that several provinces, including Manitoba, New Brunswick and Saskatchewan, were taking steps, led by Ontario.
Details on the committee’s inaugural membership will be announced in the coming weeks.
