JUST 12 MONTHS AGO,  none of us thought we’d be one year into the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, after a series of lockdowns, we are still hopeful that 2021 will provide some relief and optimism. The rollout of vaccines has begun around the globe, so patience and collaboration over time will give us the underpinning that we all need to move away from this singular focus and allow us to anticipate what our “new normal” activities will eventually look like.

CFA Society Toronto offers many programs to meet the evolving needs of our members as they pursue their professional and personal goals. The results of our most recent member survey have been invaluable to our Board, volunteers, and office in guiding us towards the kind of topics and services that our members require for the various stages of their respective career paths.

There continues to be strong interest around issues based in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) for our members and the clients that they serve. CFA Society Toronto is pleased to offer, once again, our interactive ESG Bootcamp series, which will run on April 13th, 22nd, and 29th. Each bootcamp will feature an experienced portfolio manager who will share their experiences with ESG integration. Also this year, we will hold our industry-anticipated Annual Pension Conference, with a four-part virtual series—stay tuned for more details.

For nearly 14 years, our mentorship program has paired over 600 mentors and protégés. The roles of both mentor and protégé are critical parts of our financial community’s professional development and leadership. Our Mentorship Committee and staff have carefully adapted to supporting our community virtually with a variety of relevant programs on the importance of this topic. They have also recently created new on-line resources to expand the reach of our mentorship program. The Knowledge Network, Ask Us Anything series, and Knowledge Network Directory are unique and convenient services that are accessible to all of our members.

In addition to serving CFA charterholders, CFA Society Toronto always aspires to provide opportunities to the next generation of financial professionals. We are pleased and very proud to announce the expansion of our award and scholarship programming through the CFA Society Toronto’s Veterans’ Scholarship Program. The Veterans’ Scholarship Program aims to recognize the sacrifice and dedication to service made by the men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), and to support the transition of CAF personnel into civilian careers in the field of finance. The CFA Society Toronto Award Scholarship provides successful candidates the opportunity to jumpstart their careers and work towards earning their CFA designations.

I look forward to continuing to work with you all in creating an inclusive, robust, and welcoming financial community. I wish you and your loved ones a safe, healthy, and productive spring.