The Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) today published new behavioural insights research, Getting Started: Human-Centred Solutions to Engage Ontario Millennials in Investing (OSC Staff Notice 11-782). The report identifies barriers millennials face when attempting to learn more about or start investing, and also describes tactics for addressing these barriers. 

Our research findings indicate many Ontario millennials are feeling overwhelmed by investing and don’t know where to start. We hope this work will facilitate the development of products and services that are responsive to younger investors’ needs and help foster innovation and efficiency in the capital markets.

Read the report

Getting Started identifies principles that could be applied to design products, services, programs, and other initiatives in ways that better meet the needs of millennials. We believe that the design principles described in Getting Started will be helpful to a broad range of stakeholders in the financial ecosystem, including investment firms, organizations delivering investor education, investor advocates, fintech startups, and other organizations. Learn more

Getting Started draws from nearly 30 hours of in-depth interviews with Ontarians in the millennial cohort, as well as a review of behavioural sciences literature and existing investing channels available to millennials. Read the report​ to learn more about the research.

We conducted the Getting Started study in response to the findings of Missing Out: Millennials and the Markets, a research study by the OSC Investor Office published in November 2017. Among that study's findings was that while 4 in 5 Ontario millennials (aged 18-36) are saving, only 1 in 2 are investing. Many non-investor millennials cited a lack of knowledge of investing and a fear of losing money in the markets as reasons for not investing. That research study pointed to additional areas of focus, which are outlined in Getting Started. Read Missing Out: Millennials and the Markets

OSC Statement of Priorities

The OSC recently published its 2018-2019 Statement of Priorities, which sets out the 15 priority areas where the OSC intends to focus resources and actions over the coming fiscal year, as well as the expected outcomes. Read the Statement of Priorities

In the last issue of Investor News, we published our new research study that examined knowledge and behaviours as it relates to the cryptoasset sector. 

Many Ontarians lack understanding of cryptoassets, and the study also revealed that an increasing number of people are being approached about participating in initial coin or token offerings, exposing them to potential risks given the lack of familiarity with these types of investments. 

Read about the research findings in Financial Post, Toronto Star, Canadian Press, The Globe and Mail, Metroland Media, Investment Executive, Advisor.ca, and The Insurance and Investment Journal. 

Investor Knowledge Quiz

Take this new quiz to test your investing knowledge and see how well you understand important concepts like investment risk, diversification, and fraud prevention.

Visit GetSmarterAboutMoney.ca for more popular tools and calculators to help you with your finances.​

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“Can index funds be purchased in Canada?”
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”If I open an RRSP now, can I contribute for past years like a TFSA?”

Budgeting 

Summer is a popular time for many to take a vacation. Whether it's an adventure in a far-flung place or a more low-key staycation, a budget is a great tool for managing how you spend your money. A budget can help you keep track of your spending, prepare for unexpected expenses and help you find ways to save money. Take a look at these 5 components of a budget and use our budget worksheet to help create your own personalized budget.

Behavioural Insights

Behavioural insights recognize how people actually behave in the real world versus traditional economic and market theory of people as rational actors. Learn more about behavioural insights and how they are being applied in the Investor Office report Behavioural Insights: Key Concepts, Applications and Regulatory Considerations or by visiting our Behavioural Insights hub on GetSmarterAboutMoney.ca.