November is Financial Literacy Month and this year's theme is: Take charge of your finances.

Each week of Financial Literacy Month is dedicated to a sub-theme. In this issue of Investor News we've highlighted some of our resources and tools at GetSmarterAboutMoney.ca that can help you achieve your financial goals.

Week 1 - Achieve financial well-being 
Read our resources on financial planning, retirement planning, and things to consider when raising a family. 

Week 2 - Live within your means
Learn about 9 ways to cut your spending, how to get your savings back on track, and 8 tips to avoid debt for this upcoming holiday season.

Week 3 - Manage money for student life
A savings plan, like an RESP, can make it easier to save for an education. Check out our resources on budgeting and managing debt.

Week 4 - Teach children about money
Here are 10 ways to help your child get smarter about money as well as some tips when talking to your child about good money management habits.

Week 5 - Know your financial rights and responsibilities
Find out where you can get information on your investment fees and how much you pay for advice. You should also understand your responsibilities as an investor and keep in mind these tips when working with an advisor.

Follow us on Facebook (@GetSmarterAboutMoney) and Twitter (@smarter_money) for more information during Financial Literacy Month.

Maureen Jensen, OSC Chair and CEO

Maureen Jensen's term as Chair and CEO of the OSC has been extended by the Ministry of Finance for three years, to February 2021. As part of the announcement, Maureen said “I look forward to continuing to lead the OSC and working alongside market participants and our dedicated staff to foster an environment that is competitive and attractive for Ontario’s businesses and investors. I remain strongly committed to moving forward with key reforms to better protect investors, reduce regulatory burden and support innovation in capital markets.” Learn more
 

Canada's Financial Literacy Leader

We sat down with Canada's Financial Literacy Leader Jane Rooney last year to discuss her role, background and priorities. In case you missed it, learn more about Jane and the National Strategy for Financial Literacy - Count me in, Canada.

Teletownhall

On November 23, 2017, the OSC Investor Office will connect with thousands of Ontarians through a teletownhall. Similar in format to a call-in radio show, OSC staff and guests provide information on investing and fraud prevention, answer questions and conduct live polls over the course of one hour.

Our upcoming teletownhall is being held as part of Financial Literacy Month, with special guests from the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC), the Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada (MFDA) and the Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (OBSI).

For more information and to join the teletownhall, please click here.

Investing in the Marijuana Industry 

We encourage investors to read our new resource on investing in the marijuana industry.

The marijuana industry has grown quickly in recent years as a number of jurisdictions, including Canada and certain U.S. states, have explored new laws around the sale and use of marijuana. While many marijuana companies are promising investors the chance to capitalize on an opportunity for considerable future growth, investing in a marijuana company comes with a number of risks that investors should also be aware of. 

The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) also published CSA Staff Notice 51-352 Issuers with U.S. Marijuana-Related Activities in October which, among other things, outlines CSA staff’s specific disclosure expectations for issuers that have, or are in the process of developing, marijuana-related activities in the United States.

Familiarity Bias

Do you only invest in GICs or a handful of stocks because you feel unfamiliar with other investment choices? Are you drawn to Canadian stocks because they're from the country you know best? It’s understandable to be anxious about the unfamiliar, but taking the time to learn more about different investments may help reduce that stress. Consider the impact familiarity bias could have on your investing goals. 

Learn more about behavioural insights concepts such as familiarity bias to help avoid making investment mistakes. You can also read the Investor Office report Behavioural Insights: Key Concepts, Applications and Regulatory Considerations (OSC Staff Notice 11-778) that describes key principles and concepts of behavioural insights, and examines how leading practitioners are using these insights to improve government policy and financial regulation.

Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments

The Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (OBSI) is a free, independent dispute resolution service for investors with a complaint or issue with an investment firm. Where a complaint has merit, OBSI can recommend compensation to investors of up to $350,000. For more information on OBSI, including how to make a complaint, visit OBSI.ca.

Fraud Prevention

Recognizing red flags could help you avoid becoming a victim of investment fraud. Tyler Fleming, Director of the Investor Office, recently offered some tips to investors on how to spot potential fraudsters in an interview with the Canadian Press. The article was published in The Globe and Mail, Financial Post and Toronto Star, among other publications.

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with these four signs of investment fraud and check out our other resources on protecting against fraud. We also encourage investors to visit CheckBeforeYouInvest.ca to learn more about checking registration and disciplinary histories, spotting the warning signs of fraud and receiving investor alerts and warnings from the OSC.

Investor Protection Clinic

The new Investor Protection Clinic at York University’s Osgoode Hall Law School may be able to help investors who believe that their funds have been mishandled and who cannot afford a lawyer to help them sort out the problem.

The Clinic provides free legal advice to qualifying investors on a range of issues and is a partnership between Osgoode Hall Law School and FAIR Canada, funded by the Law Foundation of Ontario Access to Justice Fund. Learn more about the Clinic from their recent publication and video.

InvestmentReporting.ca

Earlier this year you should have received two new annual reports detailing your investment performance and the cost of advice. These new reports are part of a regulatory initiative known as CRM2.

Visit our website InvestmentReporting.ca to help you navigate these two new reports. Take a moment to understand what these reports are telling you about your investment accounts. As always, ask questions if something isn't clear or if you have concerns.

Investor News

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