MONTREAL – The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) will mark Investor Education Month this October with a variety of activities designed to help investors achieve a greater understanding of how to grow and protect their investments. The CSA and its members are also supporting World Investor Week, an initiative of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), which takes place from October 1-7. 

“Securities regulators around the world are committed to building investor confidence and participating in World Investor Week helps promote investor education and protection both locally and globally,” said Tyler Fleming, Director of the Investor Office at the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) and a Canadian national co-ordinator for World Investor Week. 

“The CSA is hosting investor education initiatives in October to build investor knowledge and support the global campaign to raise awareness about the importance of investor education and protection,” added Camille Beaudoin, Director of Financial Education at the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF), also a Canadian national co-ordinator for World Investor Week. 

Investor Education Month is an initiative of the CSA that aims to highlight the importance of investor education and provide Canadians with helpful information on investing. 

Individual jurisdictions across Canada have activities throughout the month as part of both World Investor Week and Investor Education Month. These include: 

British Columbia: The British Columbia Securities Commission (BCSC) is releasing new research on millennials in October along with new tools and calculators to better help people understand their investment returns. In addition, the BCSC will be making a number of design updates to InvestRight.org to improve user experience. 

Alberta: The Alberta Securities Commission (ASC) is launching a new digital investor education campaign, “Spot the Odd,” in October as part of its larger outreach strategy designed to raise awareness of the ASC’s free tools and resources to help investors increase their financial literacy and protect themselves against investment fraud.  As part of this strategy, the ASC will engage with professionals, investors and the general public through a variety of events and activities across the province, including hosting a “Don’t Get Tricked” (by investment fraud) event in Calgary on October 17.  In addition to receiving financial literacy materials, individuals will be encouraged to visit the ASC’s consumer website, Checkfirst.ca for additional resources. 

Saskatchewan: The Financial and Consumer Affairs Authority of Saskatchewan (FCAA) will be launching a cryptocurrency campaign on Facebook, Twitter, FCAA’s website, and Youtube. Investors will learn about what cryptocurrency is, the risks involved, and how they can protect themselves. Businesses looking to get involved with cryptocurrency will also be encouraged to contact FCAA to discuss their project and find out if it falls under securities legislation. 

Manitoba: The Manitoba Securities Commission (MSC) will be formally launching its moneysmartmanitoba.ca website, a new made-in-Manitoba platform to promote and improve financial literacy and financial planning concepts within the province. In addition, MSC will be tweeting investor education news, tips, and strategies throughout the week. 

Ontario: The OSC will host several events as part of World Investor Week and Investor Education Month. Investors can follow social media chats on Twitter and Facebook with the hashtag #IEM2018 as well as visit GetSmarterAboutMoney.ca for resources. The OSC will also hold a telephone townhall on October 10 on investing and investment fraud protection, host several OSC in the Community events and educate investors through its popular Investor News newsletter. 

Québec: The AMF will launch celebrations of World Investor Week by releasing results of the fourth AMF Québec Financial Awareness Index. The main objective of the Index is to measure Québeckers’ knowledge (perception of usefulness) and adoption of vigilant behaviours in the use of financial products and services. The data collected will guide the AMF when implementing awareness campaigns. The AMF will also promote the third edition of its Talking money in class! contest for high school teachers and take part in the Québec Seniors’ Fair. 

New Brunswick: The Financial and Consumer Services Commission (FCNB) will be sharing information about investing online, particularly when it comes to investing in risky initial coin offerings (ICOs). Investors can visit fcnb.ca for information and resources about investing, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter throughout October for tips on avoiding investment fraud. FCNB will also be encouraging New Brunswickers to play its Fortune online trivia game by taking the Investor Challenge and competing against players across the province. Players can log onto fortune.fcnb.ca between October 1-31 for the opportunity to increase their investment knowledge and the chance to win prizes. 

In addition, the CSA will continue promoting investor tools and resources available at https://csa.dev.simalam.ca/. 

Investors can stay informed of the latest investor tips, news and developments during Investor Education Month and World Investor Week by following @CSA_News on Twitter and @CSA.ACVM on Facebook. 

The CSA, the council of the securities regulators of Canada’s provinces and territories, co-ordinates and harmonizes regulation for the Canadian capital markets. 

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