David Smith, PFP Hamilton Investment Advisor 905-538-5324 Trevor Ireland, FMA, CIM, PFP Halton Investment Advisor 905-691-0468 Carolyn Humby, CFP, FMA, CIM, FCSI Niagara Investment Advisor 905-988-3562 John Fraone Niagara Investment Advisor 289-219-4753 Jun Kim St. Catharines Investment Advisor 289-257-0166 John Grasso, PFP Southwest Region Investment Advisor 226-377-0884 Philippe Hamon, CHS Hamilton, Haldimand Insurance & Estate Advisor 905-574-5637 Richard Westberg, CFP, CLU, CH.F.C. Hamilton, Halton Insurance & Estate Advisor 289-439-7867 Maryuri Herrera, CLU Niagara Insurance & Estate Advisor 289-257-0231 *Mutual Funds are offered through Credential Asset Management Inc. and *Mutual funds, other securities and financial planning are offered through Credential Securities Inc. Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with mutual fund investments. Please read the prospectus before investing. Unless otherwise stated, mutual funds, other securities and cash balances are not covered by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation or by any other government deposit insurer that insures deposits in credit unions. Mutual funds and other securities are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Credential Securities Inc. is a Member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund. ®Credential is a registered mark owned by Credential Financial Inc. and is used under licence. FirstOntario Insurance is a program provided by Credential Financial Strategies Inc. offering financial planning, life insurance and investments to members of credit unions and their communities. Trademark(s) of FirstOntario Insurance are used under licence. Carey Smith Chair, Board of Directors Contact a Wealth Advisor today Chat The Value of Advice Winter 2017 Ejaz Nadeem, MA, CFP, CLU Vice President, Wealth Management 1-800-616-8878 t FirstOntario.com contact@firstontario.com 4 Another year has begun and on behalf of your Board of Directors I would like to wish you all a very Happy New Year. This past year has seen unprecedented growth for FirstOntario. We achieved another milestone in terms of assets under management, which reached over $4.4 billion. We also reached over $6 billion in funds under management. These numbers reflect the trust and commitment that you, our Members, have in FirstOntario and I thank you. FirstOntario is now over 110,000 Members strong and still growing. FirstOntario grew branch-wise by opening a 5,000 square foot state-of-the-art branch this past September in North Oakville. This branch has been very successful and offers both wealth and business services. We also have plans to make our first foray into Milton with a new branch. Milton is the fastest growing town in the country and presents us with many business opportunities. Similar to what we have done in St. Catharines, we are very pleased to have secured the naming rights to Hamilton Place. The new “FirstOntario Concert Hall” in Hamilton will be unveiled shortly. These investments into the arts and culture of these communities enriches and creates more cultural cohesion. One only has to drive by the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre in St. Catharines to see the revitalizing effect that these investments have on an area, as new restaurants and other hospitality-related businesses gain foothold. As in Hamilton, our cooperative principles continue to guide us and FirstOntario remains a committed community partner. Your Board of Directors is extremely proud of our Blue Wave employee volunteers. Together they’ve spent more than 7,000 hours since inception helping at charities, organizations and events, embodying our commitment to helping our communities. In fact, FirstOntario was awarded for Outstanding Corporate Achievement at the Ontario Credit Union Foundation’s Annual General Meeting in April. The award recognized the Student Nutrition Program for FirstOntario’s financial support and the Blue Wave volunteers who power the program in each of our communities. FirstOntario’s investment of $750,000 over the last three years to the Student Nutrition Program has helped support over 78,000 students by providing access to healthy food and snacks. In the fall, FirstOntario partnered with the Hamilton YWCA to offer 1stBiz, which is a comprehensive micro loan program. This micro loan program helps aspiring entrepreneurs in our communities with access to capital and expertise. The Hamilton YWCA provides educational resources to those who are looking to start up their own business and also provides support with hands-on coaching and guidance to those who are enrolled in the program and are looking for a loan. FirstOntario provides access to micro loans, up to $2,500. Our objective is to provide the financial support to help individuals to take an idea and develop it into a business that can provide for a consistent income and financial independence. After five years in the Hamilton Region, the 1Awards expanded into the Niagara Region. These awards offer financial support and in-kind services and are FirstOntario’s way of helping promising small businesses expand. Recently, a survey by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business found that credit unions are rated better than the banks in providing service to small and mid-sized businesses, highlighting once gain the exceptional service credit unions provide. Finally, I would like to give you an update on our upcoming Board of Directors election. January 26 through to March 13, 2017 marks the voting period for our election. This is your opportunity to vote for the four candidates you feel will best fill important roles on the Board of Directors. Election winners will be announced at our Annual General Meeting which will take place at Carmen’s Banquet Centre, 1520 Stone Church Road East in Hamilton on Wednesday, April 12, 2017 at 7 p.m. All FirstOntario Members are welcome. As always, I’d like to hear from you – owner to owner - about anything; where we did well, where we stumbled, or just to say hello... please feel free to email me at [email protected]. Dealing with complex financial matters and planning for your future can be a daunting task - many people don’t know where to start because when it comes to your money, every situation is different. When it’s time to start planning, it’s a good idea to get advice from an experienced professional. A good financial advisor usually follows a six-step financial planning approach: 1. Introduction —You’ll learn about your advisor’s areas of expertise and work together to figure out long-term goals and accomplishments. 2. Discovery—The advisor gathers detailed information about your personal finances to understand your goals and the risks you’re willing to take. 3. Analysis—The advisor analyzes the data to determine the gap between your current situation and your financial goals. They will consider your income, taxes, retirement expenses and investments and then they’ll look at alternative approaches to cover that gap. 4. Recommendation—Your advisor will give you a plan that includes recommendations and a to-do list to reach your targets. 5. Implementation—You will be ready to put the plan into action by selecting from a list of financial products recommended by your advisor. 6. Review—A semi-annual or annual review of your plan with your advisor will help you keep your eye on the ball and allow for any necessary changes along the way. A good financial advisor can help you determine a budget for you and your family, teach you about investment options and help steer you on the right path. These professionals can assess your risk tolerance, purchase investment products for you, look at tax issues and manage your portfolio. It’s not about how much money is in your bank account, it’s about getting the most out of what you already have. FirstOntario Credit Union has a great team of financial advisors specializing in various areas of wealth management including retirement, investment management, estate and succession planning and individual financial risk management. These professionals are here to help our Members plan for the future and realize their financial dreams —their advice is included as part of the benefits of membership. Please visit FirstOntarioInvestments.com to learn more and to reach out to our wealth team. Take control of your financial future — you’ll be glad you did. Let us help you realize your dreams and start planning for your future. FirstOntarioInvestments.com EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT! We will be welcoming guest speaker Bob Young, owner of the Hamilton Tiger Cats, to our Annual General Meeting, so don’t miss out!