More than Half of Canadian Investors Feel They Will Have Enough Money for Retirement

Calgary – Canadian investors are twice as likely to believe they will have enough money to meet their retirement needs (62 per cent) as compared to their non-investing counterparts (31 per cent). This is just one of the findings in the 2010 Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) Survey on Retirement and Investing released today. 

The survey was released as part of Investor Education Month in October. Conducted by Ipsos Reid on behalf of the CSA, the online survey asked 2,318 Canadian adults about their financial readiness for retirement and behaviour towards investment opportunities. CSA members will use the results of this survey to research, develop and enhance investor tools and resources based on the needs of Canadian investors. 

“As securities regulators, our goal is to create an environment where Canadians feel confident to invest in Canada’s capital markets,” says Jean St-Gelais, Chair of the CSA “We are pleased to see that Canadians are investing as part of their retirement plan.”  

The survey also found that 71 per cent of Canadian investors say they’ve done research on their last investment opportunity, either themselves (31 per cent) or through their financial adviser (40 per cent). Furthermore, when it comes to recommendations on high return investments from friends and family most Canadians would do more research before investing.  

“We’ve been working hard to provide the tools and resources to help Canadians make important investment decisions,” says St-Gelais. “So we’re encouraged to see Canadians recognize the importance of researching investment opportunities, no matter who makes the recommendation.”

Investors can visit the CSA website to find information and tools about investing, choosing an adviser, and checking if an individual or company is registered with their local securities regulator. This information, along with the full 2010 CSA Survey on Retirement and Investing is available at www.securities-administrators.ca

The survey took place between August 16 and 19, 2010 and has an estimated margin of error of +/-2.4 percentage points 19 times out of 20.  

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

For more information: 

Mark Dickey
Alberta Securities Commission
403-297-4481

Sylvain Théberge
Autorité des marchés financiers
514-940-2176

Robert Merrick
Ontario Securities Commission
416-593-2315

Ken Gracey
British Columbia Securities Commission
604-899-6577

Ainsley Cunningham
Manitoba Securities Commission
204-945-4733

Wendy Connors-Beckett
New Brunswick Securities Commission
506-643-7745

Natalie MacLellan
Nova Scotia Securities Commission
902-424-8586

Barbara Shourounis
Saskatchewan Financial Services Commission
306-787-5842

Janice Callbeck
PEI Securities Office
Office of the Attorney General
902-368-6288

Doug Connolly
Financial Services Regulation Div.
Newfoundland and Labrador
709-729-2594

Fred Pretorius
Yukon Securities Registry
867-667-5225

Louis Arki
Nunavut Securities Office
867-975-6587

Donn MacDougall
Northwest Territories
Securities Office
867-920-8984