To mark the start of Investor Education Month in October, the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) published its Investor Education in Canada, 2019 report. The annual report highlights the different regulators’ investor education and outreach initiatives.

“Investor education and protection are key CSA priorities,” says Louis Morisset, CSA’s chair, president and CEO. “The report summarizes the comprehensive approach we’re taking to educate and connect with Canadians and reflects the strong collaboration among CSA members.”

Cryptocurrency awareness

The review of investor education initiatives undertaken by regulators includes a look at new rules requiring firms to produce proper disclosure documents to their ETF investors, a cross-Canada effort to get investors more interested in the investment fees they pay and at cryptocurrency awareness in Canada. The report also examines the fraud prevention efforts, consumer outreach and financial literacy and education efforts being undertaken by different regulators, the Autorité des marchés financiers’ (AMF) annual action plan, and at the multi-year research efforts underway at the Ontario Securities Commission.

In addition to publishing the report, the CSA is also launching two national digital education campaigns for Investor Education Month. The first continues to encourage Canadians to understand the importance of knowing what fees they pay on their investments. The second encourages Canadians to use the National Registration Search to ensure the person offering them investments is properly registered to sell securities.

“Our vision is that Canadians understand their role in, and are aware of, the impact of their financial decisions on their families and their future,” say the report’s authors. “The CSA wants Canadians to know they can turn to their securities regulator for unbiased information to help them make informed and suitable investment decisions.”