The Investment Funds Institute of Canada’s 16th Annual Conference will launch later this afternoon with a cocktail reception to honour the Institute’s 40th anniversary. The IFIC conference will take place from September 17 to September 19 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

The conference opens this afternoon with the Annual General Meeting, followed by the anniversary reception.

On Wednesday, guest speaker Mimi Donaldson will be the first on the podium at 8:30 ET. She will be followed by Kevin Wolfe, IFIC’s chairman from 2000-2002, IFIC’s incoming chairman (to be determined at the AGM on Tuesday) and Pierre Gravelle, CEO of the Centre for the Financial Services OmbudsNetwork. At 16:30 ET, guest speaker Retired Major-General Lewis Mackenzie will address conference delegates.

Throughout the day, concurrent education tracks, featuring speakers such as Earl Bederman of Investor Economics, Larry Waite, COO of the Mutual Fund Dealers Association, and Brent Aitken, vice chair of the British Columbia Securities Commission, to name but a few, will keep delegates informed of the latest industry developments.

At noon on Wednesday, IFIC will announce the winners of the French and English IFIC Journalism Awards Program, and the winners of the IFIC and CIFP Education Awards.

I am certain that conference delegates will find great value in attending this conference, not only because it is the largest and most comprehensive investment industry conference and exhibition in Canada, but also because the opportunities to learn from, and interact with, industry peers is unparalleled,” said Kevin Wolfe, IFIC’s chairman from 2000-2002, in a news release.