Signature Conference Brings Canada’s Leading Wealth Advisors to Victoria, B.C.

The Acuity Conference for Distinguished Advisors (DAC) is Canada’s preeminent conference for wealth advisors from the tax accounting and financial services industry and it will be held in Victoria, B.C. November 21 to 24. At a time when a new Canadian economy is facing challenging global headwinds, the 23 speakers at this unique conference will break down the cutting edge issues taxpayer and their advisors are facing. This is also your opportunity to build strong inter-advisory relationships with like-minded pros from coast to coast. Enrol by September 30 for early bird tuition rates.

Backdrop. Hosted at the spectacular Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort, the 2026 conference theme: The North Star: Strategic Direction & Value Reflection, brings together 23 outstanding world class speakers to collaborate on the many ways to prepare for and navigate significant disruptors their clients are facing: 

• Aggressive tax audits
• Investor angst during global economic uncertainty brought about by tariff wars,
• Estate planning risk management
• Practice management challenges due to technological disruption from AI advancements,
• Small businesses facing changing client expectations due to inflationary pressures,
• Challenges regarding caregiving and charitable giving
• How the retirement of the Boomers and Gen Z affects cross border planning  
• Evolving new regulatory burdens especially from the CRA,
• All while continuing to demonstrate meaningful value to clients as empathetic advisors and build trust with all generations.

It’s also an important way for advisors to earn CE Credits before the end of the year, as required by their various educational and professional licensing requirements. 

The Agenda at a Glance. This year’s conference agenda features keynote presentations, educational sessions, rapid-fire professional development discussions, networking experiences, awards celebrations, designed especially for distinguished advisors seeking practical, immediately implementable insights across multiple disciplines. There is even a Rock n Roll Victorian Ball planned to celebrate the regions Victorian roots and have some fun!

Agenda at a Glance

Saturday November 21: Pre-Conference Events

• 4:30 Off the Record – Meeting of The Society of Distinguished Wealth Professionals™ with Special Guest Minto Roy, Co-Founder, Social Print Paper Ltd. & Sugar Sheet Paper®

Topic: How to Solve Problems in Plain Sight: Advisors will learn from a passionate business leader

1. Developing communication frameworks that resonate with team members and clients
2. Helping organizations operationalize business goals in their next giant leap forward
3. Enabling revenue growth by turning commoditized transactions into a value-driven platform

• 7:00 Faculty and Sponsor Dinner

Sunday November 22: Conference Opening Events

• 5:00 Delegate Registration
• 5:30 Speaker Rehearsal
• 6:30 Opening Reception featuring the Distinguished Advisors Awards Gala and Special Guest Carol Bellringer, FCPA, ICD.D, British Columbia Ferries Deputy Commissioner; Board Member: Winnipeg Airports Authority, Neechewam, Chair U Vic Foundation; Audit Committee member: Manitoba Legislature, GNWTCPAB Hearing Officer and former Auditor General of Manitoba and B.C. who will present a Keynote on Standards of Accountability

Monday, November 23: Educational Sessions

• 7:00  Breakfast Buffet
• 7:45  Welcome Remarks
• 8:00  Navigating Fundamental Transformation with Evelyn Jacks, President, Knowledge Bureau
• 8:45  Critical Anchors for Strategic Resilience with David Wahl, Senior Client Portfolio Manager, sponsored by
• 9:30   Principled, Turmoil Busting Portfolios with Brayden Dueck, CFA, Associate Portfolio Manager, BCV Asset Management
• 10:15 Alternatives: Investing for the Crisis to Come, Mark Taucar and Nicolas Johnson, executive leaders, Accilent Capital Management and Pavilion Flow Through Fund
• 11:00 RAPID FIRE PD: Strategic Networking Mimosas & Bingo Brunch with Christina Fazio, Director Broker Deposits
• 12:00 Prospecting: New Clients, New Teams, April-Lynn Levitt
• 12:45 KYC Panel: Advice and The AI Hybrid, Christine Logan, Esther Sande and Tony Mahibir
• 1:30  Insurance: New Risks, New Wants, Daniel Dessureault and Melanie Zimmerman
• 2:15  Communications Break
• 2:30  Revocable Trust: Our Place in a Cynical World, Kevin Press 
• 3:00  FP Education: Preparing for a New Future, Alexandra McQueen
• 3:30 Legacy Planning: Construct, Distribute, Reconstruct with Kim Moody and Curtis Scoville
• 4:15 Day 1 Close and Door Prizes
• 6:30 The DAC Gala: Rock n Roll Victorian Ball

Tuesday, November 24: Educational Sessions

• 7:00 Breakfast Buffet
• 7:45 The Opener with Our Special Guest
• 8:00 The Entrepreneurial Drought Meets the Succession Cliff, Dan Kelly
• 8:45 Intergenerational Wealth Transfer and Estate Planning, Larry Frostiak
• 9:30 Cross Border Tax for Owner-Managers, Dr. Dean Smith
• 10:15 Caregiving Complexity & the Advisor’s Role, Erin Roy, Jack Groucott, Liz da Mata
• 10: 45 RAPID FIRE PD: Speed Learning Mimosa Brunch – Reflecting New Value Propositions
• 11:15 Philanthropy: Correcting the Giving Deficit, Chantal Thomas
• 12:00 Leadership: Guiding In A New Direction, NOW

Learn more and register at: learn.knowledgebureau.com/acuity

Media Inquiries:

Contact Evelyn Jacks President, Knowledge Bureau, evelyn.jacks@knowledgebureau.com

Knowledge Bureau extends special thanks to the distinguished sponsors helping make this year’s conference possible.