Who better to ask about the brokerage industry than those who work in it? That’s the philosophy of Investment Executive when we invite hundreds of advisors to sound off on their industry.

With their confidentiality fully ensured, 477 advisors from 12 firms across Canada offered up a first-hand glimpse of what it’s like to be a broker in today’s increasingly competitive, compliance-crazed industry. The results make up this year’s 13th annual Brokerage Report Card.

In keeping with tradition, advisors didn’t hold back. They told us they value freedom and independence in the way they run their businesses, that they’re overburdened with regulatory concerns, and that all they want to do is serve their clients the best they can — even though that is getting harder. They still care about their compensation but not as much as they value a fair, honest, bureaucracy-free workplace. The best-rated firms seem to know this already, and those that don’t will soon find out.

Inside this year’s pull-out report, we examine the different models of success in the top-rated brokerages. Advisors were also vocal about what they’re looking for in a firm. To find out which firms deliver the goods, see the main ratings table on page C5.