RBC InvestEase Inc. Client Complaint Examination and Resolution Policy Overview

Problem Resolution Process: At RBC InvestEase (“RBC IE”) we strive to provide a high level of client service. If you have a problem or a complaint about your account, we encourage you to contact us so that we can review and resolve your issues. If you make a written or verbal complaint about a product or service offered by RBC IE, we will follow our internal complaint policy and respond to your complaint in a timely and fair manner.

Step 1 - Contact Head Office
You should contact RBC IE’s Head Office and tell us your concerns. You may contact us by telephone at 1-800-769-2531, email us at questions@rbcinvestease.com, or send your written complaint to the following address:

RBC InvestEase Inc.
P.O. Box 4288, STN A
Toronto, ON
M5W 0J8

We will make sure we understand your complaint and what you expect from us. If necessary, we’ll contact you to request additional information. In certain circumstances, we may send you a written acknowledgement of your complaint within 5 business days of receipt of your complaint. All complaints are responded to as soon as possible where we’ll explain our response and, if possible, provide a proposed solution to your complaint. For each complaint received, we create a record in which we record information regarding your complaint.

If you reside outside of Quebec:

Responses may take up to 90 calendar days depending on the complexity of the matter.
We will provide you with a status update if your complaint is going to take longer than 90 calendar days to respond to with the revised expected response timeframe.

If you reside in Quebec:

We will respond to your complaint as soon as possible and by no later than 60 calendar days, except in exceptional circumstances or circumstances beyond our control, when we will provide a response by no later than 90 calendar days following receipt of your complaint.
We may handle certain complaints under a Simplified Process, where we consider a client has accepted our proposed solution or explanation within 20 days. If we cannot resolve your complaint under this Simplified Process, we will follow the response process for residents of Quebec as described earlier. This will not impact the timelines to provide you with a written final response within 60 calendar days of receiving your complaint.

Step 2 - The Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (OBSI) or Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) or the RBC Client Complaints Appeal Office (CCAO)

If RBC IE does not provide you with a final response within 90 calendar days of receiving your complaint, or if you are not satisfied with our response to your concerns, you may escalate the matter to the Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (OBSI) for their review. OBSI is a free, independent service for resolving investment disputes impartiall, and can recommend compensation of up to $350,000. You have up to 180 days after receiving RBC IE’s final response to submit your complaint to OBSI. The OBSI may be contacted as follows:

Tel: 1-888-451-4519
Email: ombudsman@obsi.ca
Website: www.obsi.ca (opens to external site)

Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF)

If you reside in Quebec, and if you are not satisfied with the outcome or with the examination of the complaint, you may request that your complaint file be transferred to the Autorité des marches financiers (AMF) at any time. Or if you have not received our response you may submit your request to the AMF. We are required to send your complaint record to the AMF no later than 15 calendar days following receipt of your request. Transferring your file to the AMF does not interrupt the prescriptive period for civil remedies. Following the transfer, the AMF will examine the file and, if deemed appropriate, may offer dispute resolution services.

The AMF may be contacted as follows:

Online at: lautorite.qc.ca/en/general-public/contact-us
Email: information@lautorite.qc.ca

Québec City:
2640, boulevard Laurier, bureau 400
Québec (Québec), QC G1V 5C1
Telephone: 418-525-0337
Fax: 418-525-9512

Montreal
800, rue du Square-Victoria, bureau 2200
Montréal (Québec) H3C 0B4
Telephone: 514-395-0337
Fax: 514-873-3090
Toll Free Telephone: 1-877-525-0337

Upon receipt of RBC IE’s final response, you may also ask the RBC Client Complaints Appeal Office (CCAO) to review your complaint. Information on how to contact the CCAO will be included in the final response. The CCAO’s services are free. The CCAO is employed by RBC and is not an independent dispute resolution service. The estimated time that the CCAO takes to review and provide a response to matters is within 90 days upon receipt of a signed client consent form; however, complex investigations may take longer to resolve.

If RBC IE does not provide a final response to you within 90 calendar days of receiving your initial complaint, or you are not satisfied with our response to your concerns, you may immediately submit a complaint to the OBSI without going to the CCAO. The use of the CCAO process is voluntary and the limitation period for escalation to the OBSI or to commence a civil action continue to run while the CCAO reviews your complaint.

Escalation to OBSI, AMF or the CCAO does not affect your rights for taking legal action in the civil courts. Consult your legal counsel accordingly for how this may impact your options and statutory time limits for pursuing future claims.

You can also visit RBC Royal Bank’s Make a Complaint website to learn about the steps you can take if you have a complaint about RBC Royal Bank or its products and services.