Capital Markets Regulatory Authority
The Capital Markets Regulatory Authority (CMRA) brings six jurisdictions together under one regulatory body, helping simplify Canada’s fragmented system of 13 regulators. I designed the new logo and helped develop the broader brand system, giving the organization a way to present itself as reliable, efficient, globally competitive, and distinctly Canadian.
But the challenge was bigger than creating a new identity.
Bringing six jurisdictions together was one challenge. Making them feel like one organization was another. Each participating regulator brought its own history, working culture and point of view. A new identity wasn’t going to solve that on its own, but it could give the organization an early shared expression of what it wanted to become.
Industry
- Financial Services
- Regulator
Category
- Brand Identity
- Visual Systems
Agency
- Yield Branding
Role
- Lead Designer
Team
- Account Executive
Brad Usherwood - Associate Designer
Jai Paek - Production Designer
Gonzalo Briceno - Copywriter
Ted Nation
The project kicked off with in-depth interviews across six jurisdictions, senior leadership, board members, and industry associations; a global competitive audit; and a 900+ staff values survey. From that foundation, I led a logo design process emphasizing protection, efficiency, and Canadian unity.
One identity, two languages. The bilingual acronym keeps CMRA’s regulatory role clear in both English and French. The maple leaf brings in a restrained Canadian cue, while the arch represents cooperation and forward movement. Together, they gave the new organization a symbol that felt authoritative without becoming overly institutional.
Extending the identity. I lifted the Cooperative Arch from the main logo and turned it into a flexible graphic asset across reports, presentations, signage and other collateral. It gave the identity something recognizable to carry across very different applications without making everything look the same.
Different colour and pattern treatments let the arch shift between four qualities that came out of the research:
- Dynamic & Cooperative
- Innovative & Effective
- Protective & Efficient
- Authoritative & Fair
