Find Answers
We have answers to a variety of frequently asked questions.
Opening and Managing Your Account
Who can open an account at Desjardins Online Brokerage?
All Canadian citizens or residents can open an account at Desjardins Online Brokerage. Unfortunately, we cannot open an account for non-residents.
How do I open an account?
Choose from the following methods:
- Online: Complete the This link will open in a new tab. online form in less than 20 minutes, paperless and without postage delays, using electronic signature. Certain types of accounts will require the forms to be mailed in. This will be specifically mentioned in the account opening process. Adding accounts (US currency, RRSP, TFSA, Options) for existing customers are done through the same process. In the online form, select "Add an account to your existing customer number" and follow the process. Please note that new accounts will only appear online once they are opened. It may take a few days. Once opened, you must request (if applicable) the transfer of your positions.
- In a Desjardins Caisse: Contact your Desjardins caisse to make an appointment. An advisor from this establishment will be happy to open an account for you.
What is the delay for an opening account?
Once your forms have been completed, you should generally allow 48 hours before receiving your temporary password which will allow you to access your account.
Can I fax you the documents required to open an account?
No, we only accept original documents duly signed.
Is there a minimum investment required?
As an initial deposit, a cheque or transfert of at least $1,000 CAD is required to open an account. Cheques should be made payable to Desjardins Online Brokerage.
How do I transfer an account?
To transfer an account from another broker, either partially or entirely, you must fill out a transfer request form and send it back to us along with a copy of your most recent account statement. We will contact the other broker with your request and perform any necessary follow-ups. The average transfer delays are 5 to 10 business days. Please search for D108 for an RRSP transfer and D112 for a non-registered account
How can I switch between Disnat Classic and Disnat Direct platforms?
All you need to do is write to us at infodisnat@desjardins.com. Additional charges may apply for use of the Disnat Direct platform. See our Fees section for more details.
What should I do if my Desjardins Online Brokerage accounts do not appear in the "Transfer" section of AccèsD?
If your accounts do not appear in the "Transfer" section, follow the steps below:
Step 1: Click on the “Savings and investments” tab
Step 2: Click on “VMD and Disnat”
Step 3: Finally, Click on the Confirm button.
You are now ready to proceed with your transfers. Should you still have difficulty viewing the accounts, we suggest you contact AccèsD technical support This link will open in a new tab. for assistance.
How do I pay for my transactions?
You can deposit funds to your account using one of the following methods:
- If you are a Caisse Desjardins member, you can wire funds using Accès D
- Make a deposit at your local Desjardins Caisse
- Mail in a cheque (see the Contact Us page for our mailing address)
- Transfer from your financial institution via their "bill payment" function. To transfer funds this way, you must set up your account as a "payee" on you financial institution's website. For Desjardins Online Brokerage, specify "Valeurs Mobilières Desjardins" as the payee. Input your full 7-character account number as the payee account. You can use this function to transfer funds to your non-registered account and also to make contributions to your RRSP. You will need to set up separate "bill payees" to specify multiple accounts.
Please note that Desjardins Online Brokerage does not accept or electronically transfer funds to or from third parties.
How do I deposit share certificates to my account?
Simply sign the back side of the certificate, indicate your account number and send it to the address below, by registered mail. Certain fees apply. For details, please see the fee schedules for the Disnat Classic and Disnat Direct platforms.
1170 Peel Street, Suite 105
Montréal, Qc, H3B 0A9
How do I get a share certificate from my account?
You can request share certificates by email or by telephone. Please see the "Contact Us" page for our coordinates. Applicable fees are deducted directly from your account.
Is my account protected against broker insolvency?
Yes. In the event your broker goes bankrupt, the CIPF (Canadian Investor Protection Fund) ensures your cash and securities within defined limits. Please visit the CIPF website This link will open in a new tab. for details.
How can I allow someone else to trade in my account?
You and your agent (the person who will be trading on your behalf) must complete a Power of Attorney form (D104), available on our forms page.
When will I receive my income tax forms?
Tax forms are mailed within the first 60 calendar days of the following fiscal year. For trust units, statements are sent during the first 90 days of the following year. If you have registered for electronic statements, most of your tax slips will be available directly on your platform.
How can I update my address?
There are 2 easy ways to update your address:
- Enter your new address in AccèsD, under the Profile and preferences tab, and have the change applied to your Desjardins Online Brokerage account.
- Call Desjardins Online Brokerage customer service at 1-866-873-7103.
For security purposes, you cannot update your address by email.
Trading & Platforms
Can I place a trade when I do not have access to a computer?
Two options are available if you need to place an order and do not have access to a computer. You can access your account through our mobile app, or contact a customer service representative who will be happy to assist you. Visit our Contact Us page for our contact information.
How can I learn more about using your site?
Our "Help" section is quite user-friendly and clearly explains the functions on the site. You can also attend our many webinars from the events calendar and consult the videos in the « Learning » section of our website.
Which stock markets can I trade on?
We offer trading on all major North American stock exchanges.
Is there a minimum amount of shares required when I send an order?
No, there is no minimum for the quantity of shares. However, you should consider the minimum commission per trade i.e., The value of the trade compared to the minimum commissions charged.
Do you offer real-time quotes?
Yes. To activate real time quotes, you must subscribe to this service and electronically sign the exchange user agreements on our web site.
What are virtual trailing stop orders (VTSO)?
This type of order follows the price of a stock using a price spread, in essence tracking the price of stock as it rises or falls.
A trailing stop for a sell order sets the stop price at a defined spread below the market price. If the market price rises, the stop loss price rises by the same amount, tracking the stock, but if the stock price falls, the stop loss price remains the same. If the stock reaches the stop price, a sell order is triggered at market and filled at the prevailing market price. The reverse of this logic applies to VTSO buy orders.
VTSOs are an effective tool to let profits run in your account while cutting losses at the same time.
Example: You bought 100 shares at $10. The stock is now trading at $15. You want to protect yourself against a drop in the stock. Instead of a stop loss order at $13, you place a trailing stop with a stop spread of $2. The trigger price is calculated by subtracting the stop increment from the current price. In the order entry screen, you can click on the “trigger price” link to retrieve this information. In this example, the initial trigger price is $13. If the stock never goes higher than $15, a market order will be activated when the stock hits $13. If the stock goes to $16, the trigger price will become $14.
What is the difference between day trading and direct access brokerage?
Day trading is an investment method that involves trading several times within the same stock exchange session whereas direct access brokerage is an investment service that provides direct access to the exchanges and parallel markets (ECNs).
What are ECNs?
ECNs are electronic communication networks that disseminate the price and size of open orders and match buy and sell orders for a given share.
What is the difference between Level 1, Level 1 ¾ and Level 2?
Level I provides real-time quotes, including the highest price, lowest price, bid, ask, volume, price of the last transaction and any price variation.
Level 1 ¾ presents all the buyer and seller prices available on a title as well as all the lots available at these prices.
Level 2 indicates the depth of the market, allowing the investor to see orders behind the bid and ask for a given share and the origin of the orders according to the broker code.
I forgot my password, how can I access if my account is disabled?
Click on the "Forgot your password?" link on the login page.
If you do not receive an automated message from us, you should check your spam folder. If you are an Accès-D customer and you are no longer certain of your user code for your Desjardins Online Brokerage access, consult the Transfer between accounts by Accès-D section to see your brokerage accounts.
Are there any fees for using your platforms?
Yes, trading platforms have an utilisation fee. However, it is important to note that these fees can be waived depending on your monthly trading volume. To view the fees related to the platforms, please see our Fees section.
When do I start paying for platform fees?
Usage fees are not charged for Disnat Direct platforms for the first month following the first access to your new account (the free month is one calendar month so it is advantageous for your first access be early in the month). After the first two free months, your account will be charged, at the beginning of each month, based on the platform you use and the activity in the account. Current month billing is based on the number of executed trades in the previous month.
Are my trades cumulative?
All orders are treated individually and on a daily basis. Therefore, if several orders for the same stock are sent during the day, the minimum commission is applicable on each order. As well, the minimum commission will be apply each day an order is partially executed.
Which markets can I trade on?
At Desjardins Online Brokerage, you have access to ECNs and market makers. This allows you to trade US stocks on the NASDAQ, NYSE, AMEX and the CBOE. You can also trade on the TSX Exchange, TSX Venture Exchange, CNSX, Neo Exchange and the Montreal Exchange (options) in Canada.
Are there additional fees to access the TSX Venture Exchange?
Yes, but only if you use Market-Q and you do not meet the minimum trading requirements per month. To find out more about the additional fee, please see our Accounts & Fees section.
There are no additional fees for clients who do not have access to Market-Q.
How can I have access to the TSX Venture Exchange?
Market-Q users must send us an email stating that they wish to have access to the TSX Venture Exchange.
How can I cancel access to the TSX Venture Exchange should I no longer want it (thereby avoiding the additional fees)?
In order to avoid quote fees for the following month, Market-Q users must send us an email before the last day of the current month.
How can I get access to the Montreal Exchange (MX) to trade options?
You need to send us an email stating that you want to have access to the Montreal Exchange (MX).
What is the OTC market and do I have access?
It's an unregulated over-the-counter market. The only trading Desjardins Online Brokerage offers on this market is for American Depositary Receipts (ADR), which are traded by phone.
Other
As a client, can I access my account using my computer at work?
Yes, as long as the computer meets the minimum system requirements. Also, make sure that you do not have a firewall or Internet security that would prevent any data transmission.
Can I combine more than one account to calculate fees and trades?
You can have a single log in for all of the accounts for which you have trading authorization.
On the Disnat Direct platform, trading volumes and applicable commissions for the current calendar month are based on the combined activity of all accounts linked to the same login ID during the preceding calendar month.
I do not receive my confirmation slips by mail, how will I see or receive them?
Confirmation slips are available online. You can access them by loging into our website in the E-documents section. From there you will be able to download your confirmations to your computer and print them, if you wish. Fees may apply if you wish to receive these by mail.
When will I receive my monthly account statement?
Your statements are available online. You can access them by loging into our website in the E-documents section. Fees may apply if you wish to receive these by mail.
How can I change my password?
To change your password you must log in to your Disnat platform and go to "Profile". Input your new password and click Save Data.
How to transfer money from my Caisse account to my Online Brokerage account in AccèsD?
If you’re a Desjardins member, you can view your Desjardins Online Brokerage in AccèsD and transfer funds between your accounts.
If you have just opened your account with DCL, please note that there is a delay of a few days before your brokerage account is visible in AccèsD. For your first money transfer, please use the "Bill Payment" function. The name of the supplier is Desjardins Securities (Disnat) (QC). Please indicate your account number in Canadian currency. The amounts will appear in the Desjardins Online Brokerage account 24 to 48 hours after the payment.
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First go to This link will open in a new tab. www.desjardins.com and log in to AccèsD.
On the AccèsD overview page, click to expand the Savings and investments section. Then click Desjardins Securities/Disnat: View accounts.
Your online brokerage accounts will appear in the Savings and investments section. Your Desjardins Online Brokerage accounts will also appear when you click Transfers between accounts.
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Then choose the “Transfer” option then “Transfers between accounts.” Select the caisse account “From” to the online brokerage account “To.” To contribute to your RRSP, select your RRSP online brokerage account.
Your funds should be visible in your account on Disnat.com within approximately 10 minutes.
How do I make a transfer from an account at another financial institution to my Desjardins Online Brokerage account?
If you are a client of another financial institution, you can add a new payee and choose “Desjardins Securities,” and enter your account number made up of 7 characters. You can then make your payment.
Your funds should be visible in your account on Disnat.com within approximately 48 hours.

How to transfer funds between my brokerage accounts at Desjardins Online Brokerage
On Disnat.com, go to “Transactions,” “Fund transfers” and select the type of transfer. You can contribute to your RRSP, TFSA and RESP accounts right from your non-registered online brokerage account.
Based on the type of request you submitted, it should take 24 hours for your transfer to be completed.

Transfer by your caisse
Are you having trouble transferring funds to your Desjardins Online Brokerage account? Did you know that your caisse can make e-transfers for you? Just ask them to make a transfer using the internal system SIPC.
Contributing to a spousal RRSP through AccèsD
You need to use the AccèsD “Bill Payments” feature to make a spousal RRSP contribution.

(1) Click the Add a bill tab
(2) Disnat
(3) Search

When information appears in the grey line (4), click the radio button at the beginning of the line (5), and then click OK (6).

In the "Reference no." box, enter your spouse's account number and add the letters CRERC at the end. Press "OK".

Click Confirm

You’ll see the following message: Your bill has been added.
How can I transfer money to my Caisse or bank account?
You can make a direct deposit from your Desjardins Online Brokerage account into the account you provided a void cheque for when you opened your account:
- Click Trading
- Click Fund Transfers
- Choose the Withdrawal tab
- Fill out the form and select Direct Deposit
- Click the Verify button
This applies to withdrawals from cash, margin and TFSA accounts.
Contributing to a RRSP or TFSA
On Disnat.com, go to “Transactions,” “Fund transfers” and select the type of transfer. You can contribute to your RRSP, TFSA and RESP accounts right from your non-registered online brokerage account.
Based on the type of request you submitted, it should take 24 hours for your transfer to be completed.

In AccèsD, choose the “Transfer” option then “Transfers between accounts.” Select the caisse account “From” to the online brokerage account “To.” To contribute to your RRSP, select your RRSP online brokerage account.

Your funds should be visible in your account on Disnat.com within approximately 10 minutes.
Contribution limits
Your annual RRSP contribution limit is 18% of the income your earned the previous year, up to a maximum of:
Year | Annual contribution |
---|---|
2021 | $27,830 |
2020 | $27,230 |
2019 | $26,500 |
2018 | $26,230 |
To find out your total contribution room, refer to your contribution notice which the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) sends you every year.
Deadline to contribute to your RRSP for the 2019 taxation year
The deadline to contribute to your RRSP for the 2020 taxation year is march 2, 2021.
For more information about RRSPs, please go to the This link will open in a new tab. CRA website.
Year | Annual limit | Cumulative limit |
---|---|---|
2009 | $5,000 | $5,000 |
2010 | $5,000 | $10,000 |
2011 | $5,000 | $15,000 |
2012 | $5,000 | $20,000 |
2013 | $5,500 | $25,500 |
2014 | $5,500 | $31,000 |
2015 | $10,000 | $41,000 |
2016 | $5,500 | $46,500 |
2017 | $5,500 | $52,000 |
2018 | $5,500 | $57,500 |
2019 | $6,000 | $63,500 |
2020 | $6,000 | $69,500 |
2021 | $6,000 | $75,500 |
For the maximum amounts in the table, we assume that the client was 18 years or older in 2009 and that they were eligible to contribute.
This link will open in a new tab. Information about TFSA contribution room
Contributing to your TFSA
The first days of the year are generally very busy for our customer service since many clients want to tie up some loose ends during this period. Take note that you may contribute to your TFSA at any time during the current year.
You can also avoid the bustle by contributing to your TFSA online through your financial institution or on Disnat.com.
Tax slips
If you deposited securities in an unregistered account during the year, you’ll receive the T5008 – Statement of securities transactions slip.
This slip shows, in box 20, the cost or book value, which is the initial cost paid or payable for securities or investments or the adjusted cost base (ACB). A new column “Capital gain / (loss)” has been added in 2021.
See the document This link will open in a new tab. Statements and tax slips delivery dates.
Securities without value and no longer traded on the markets
Do you have a security without a market value or a security with a market value, which, for some reasons, you have difficulty trading? Do you want to get rid of them so you don’t have to include them in your tax return for the current year?
You can ask to have a security withdrawn from your account by completing the This link will open in a new tab. Authorization to remove a security form. Please read the form carefully as it stipulates that once the transfer has been made, you may no longer claim ownership of the securities. You’re also responsible for consulting a tax advisor to find out if the transfer of securities to Desjardins Securities constitutes a disposition in accordance with the Income Tax Act.
Capital gains and losses
If you have any securities that you want to sell in order to include them in your tax return for the current year, make sure you do so before the deadline.
A capital gains and losses report can be produced on request for a cash or margin account.
This report is not an official tax document and should be used as a tool to help you fill out your tax returns.
Foreign property
The foreign property report can be produced on request if you held U.S. assets in your cash or margin accounts in 2019. It is not an official tax document and should be used as a tool to help you fill out CRA form T1135.
Form T1135 – Foreign Income Verification Statement is a control method used by the Canada Revenue Agency to ensure compliance with tax laws on reporting foreign-source income and to fight tax evasion. This requirement is for Canadian resident individuals, corporations, and certain trusts that at any time during the year, own specified foreign property valued more than $100,000; and certain partnerships that hold more than $100,000 of specified foreign property.
Since this requirement does not only apply to securities, it is important to speak with a tax specialist in order to make sure that every aspect of your wealth is covered.
For more information on the foreign income verification statement, please visit the CRA website for This link will open in a new tab. Form T1135, as well as their This link will open in a new tab. Questions and answers about Form T1135.