Canada’s Shifting Wealth Landscape: From Growth to Guidance

The Canadian wealth management industry is entering a period of meaningful transformation. Growth in assets under management, combined with shifting investor expectations, is redefining how firms serve their clients.

Where traditional models have often focused on transactions and product delivery, today’s affluent Canadians are looking for something more thoughtful. They want clarity, alignment with their values, and guidance that extends beyond markets into real-life decisions.

This report explores three key forces reshaping the industry:

• Sustained growth in assets under management (AUM)

• Rising demand for values-driven investing

• Increased client openness to change

Together, these shifts are creating an environment where advice, relationships, and long-term thinking matter more than ever.

Market Growth & Shifting Dynamics

The Canadian wealth management platform market is valued at USD 1.06 billion in 2024 and is projected to more than double, reaching USD 2.25 billion by 2035, representing a CAGR of 7.1% (Market Research Future, 2024).

At the same time, Canada’s broader asset management market is expected to reach USD 6.38 trillion in AUM by 2029, driven by retirement planning needs, demographic shifts, and intergenerational wealth transfer (IMARC Group, 2024).

An aging population is accelerating demand for more personalized planning. Retirement, estate structuring, and wealth transition are becoming central conversations, requiring not just technical expertise but thoughtful, forward-looking guidance.

Implication: Growth is creating opportunity, but also increasing competition. Firms that rely solely on performance will find it harder to stand out. Those that provide clarity, consistency, and long-term perspective will be better positioned to retain and grow relationships.

Values-Driven Investing

According to Ortec Finance, 96% of Canadian wealth managers report increased client demand for values-driven portfolios (2023).

However, a gap remains. Fewer than one-third of investors feel their advisors are engaging them in meaningful discussions around values and purpose (Mackenzie Investments Survey, 2023).

This is especially true for younger investors, who expect their financial decisions to reflect their personal beliefs. For many, wealth is not just about returns, but about impact, responsibility, and long-term contribution.

Implication: There is a clear opportunity for advisors to deepen conversations and better understand what matters to their clients. Integrating values into financial planning is no longer a niche offering. It is becoming a core expectation.

Client Behavior & Market Fluidity

An EY survey (2023) found that 45% of Canadians are considering changing or adding a wealth provider, more than double the global average.

Key drivers include:

• A desire for more personalized, relationship-driven service

• Frustration with overly product-focused approaches

• A need for guidance through increasingly complex financial and life decisions

Implication: Clients are more open than ever to new advisory relationships. Trust, communication, and consistency are becoming key differentiators, especially for firms that can offer a more tailored and human approach.

A Clear Opportunity for Stansfield Wealth Group

The convergence of market growth, evolving client expectations, and increased openness to change presents a meaningful opportunity.

Stansfield Wealth Group is well positioned to meet this moment by focusing on what clients are increasingly seeking:

• Clear, structured financial guidance

• Long-term planning across life stages and generations

• A relationship grounded in trust, consistency, and understanding

Rather than focusing solely on products or transactions, the emphasis is on helping clients make confident, informed decisions over time.

“Next Chapter. Refined.” reflects this philosophy. It signals a commitment to helping clients move forward with clarity and purpose as their financial lives evolve.

Conclusion

Canada’s wealth management industry is entering a new phase.

Growth in AUM is expanding the market. Values-driven expectations are reshaping conversations. And increased client openness is creating new opportunities for firms that can differentiate through trust and guidance.

The firms that will succeed are those that move beyond transactions and focus on long-term relationships, clear advice, and a deeper understanding of what truly matters to their clients.