Membership

Eligibility for Membership

To be eligible for membership in the Victoria Estate Planning Council you must:

  • Have at least 3 years of relevant estate planning experience
  • Have your place of business within Greater Victoria, BC
  • Be recommended for membership by a current member
  • Agree to abide by the Articles of Association of the Council
  • Belong to one of the following seven groups:
    • Lawyers (being a member of the Law Society of British Columbia who holds a current practice certificate); Maximum 25 Members
    • Chartered Accountants (being a member in good standing of the Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia); Maximum 25 Members
    • Charter Life Underwriters (being a member in good standing of CAIFA); Maximum 15 Members
    • Trust Administrators and Officers (being individuals employed in the area of estate and trust administration, and recognized as having a high degree of knowledge, experience and education directly related to estate and trust planning or administration and whose membership the Executive Committee considers will contribute towards the advancement of the Council); Maximum 15 Members
    • Financial Planners (being a member in good standing of one or more of Advocis, the Institute of Advanced Financial Planners or the Financial Planners Standards Council and with one of the following designations: Certified Financial Planner, Registered Financial Planner or Chartered Financial Consultant); Maximum 15 Members
    • Portfolio Managers (being a member registered with the British Columbia Securities Commission as a Portfolio Manager); Maximum 15 Members
    • Designated others (with a relevant professional designation being an individual with specific qualifications, knowledge or experience which the Executive Committee considers will contribute towards the advancement of the Council and who is approved by at least two-thirds majority of the Executive Committee); Maximum 15 Members

Once approved as a member, it is hoped that you will attend as many meetings, as possible. Any member who fails to attend three consecutive meetings of the Council and who is not thereby contributing to the objects of the Council, may thereby forfeit their membership.

Membership Limit

Membership in the Council is limited to a total of 125 active members, as well as Honorary and Life Members. The Executive Council strives to have an inclusive number of members from each of the professional categories.

Fees and Meeting Times

The current membership fee is $400 per membership year. The membership year runs from July 1 to June 30. If you become a member part way through a membership year, the membership fee for the initial year is pro-rated. Do not send payment of the membership fee with an application for membership. You will be advised of the membership fee that is payable if your membership application is accepted. Guests of Members are required to pay $50.00 to attend the luncheon. Please confirm with the Member who invited you if you will have to bring a cheque payable to the “Estate Planning Council of Victoria” to the registration desk upon your arrival.

Subject to changes, regular luncheons are held at the Union Club from 11:45 (for start at noon) to 1:30 PM on the second Tuesday of each the following months:

September to May

Every second year, there is a half-day educational seminar typically held in early June. September is the Annual General Meeting.

Agreements

By submitting an application, you agree to the following:

  1. A member of the Victoria Estate Planning Council (the “VEPC”) may contact third parties to verify the accuracy and completeness of any information that you have provided.
  2. The VEPC may communicate with you by email or other electronic forms of transmission.
  3. The VEPC may disclose the information set out under the heading “General Information” in the application form. For example, the VEPC may include that information in a general membership list that is made available to other members.
  4. The VEPC may disclose information that is under the heading “Confidential Information” in the application form but may do so only to members of the VEPC executive committee, who will use that information only for the purpose of evaluating the application for membership.

Your application must be accompanied by a recommendation for membership by a current member of the association. If you do not know a current member, please contact the Membership Chair to request an introduction.

Apply for Membership