Getting financially fit is a lot like getting physically fit. It takes hard work, planning and discipline, and getting started is often the hardest part.

The first step is to understand your current financial health by finding out how much you own, owe, earn, and spend.

Next, think about what your financial goals are. The strongest financial goals are specific and measurable. Your goals should also be realistic and based on your current financial situation. For example, instead of saying that you want to have enough money to retire comfortably, think about how much money you’ll need. Perhaps your specific goal will be to save $500,000 by the time you’re 65. Learn more

Gig Economy

The “gig economy” is where people typically find temporary, short-term jobs as independent contractors, consultants or freelancers.

As a gig worker, your income could fluctuate depending on the amount and type of work you find. Managing financial priorities can be a challenge at times, especially when you’re also trying to save, invest or reduce debt. Read our new article to learn about these 3 money management tips.

Market Bubbles

A market bubble can occur when the price of an investment rises quickly to well above its true value and is followed by a sudden, sharp decline in value. People, often driven by emotion, put so much demand on an investment causing the price to rise significantly to more than its actual worth. Read our new article to learn more.

The Cranial Cash Clash

Self-assessment can be an important first step in better educating yourself about finances. The Cranial Cash Clash is a financial literacy game that helps you test your knowledge on important topics like spending, saving, investing, debt and investment fraud.

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

Extra Income

Receiving unexpected or extra income is always welcome, but people may be unsure of what to do with it. Read our new article for 4 financially responsible things to do with extra income.

Buying on Margin

You may be able to borrow money from your investment firm to pay for part of your investments. This is called buying on margin. Buying on margin allows you to buy more shares than you would normally be able to afford but it also comes with greater risks. Learn more

Tracking Your Returns

Track your investment progress against your goals so you can make any necessary adjustments along the way. Regularly check the account statements for all of your investments so you know how much you’ve earned towards your goals. You can also compare your returns with those of similar investments in a benchmark index. Learn more

Affinity Fraud

Affinity fraud is a form of investment fraud in which fraudsters approach potential victims through a group or community organization that they belong to. These groups could be religious groups, ethnic groups, or even workforce communities.

Fraudsters will use their targets’ group identity to gain their trust. Once they have established strong relationships, they convince people to invest in their scheme. Learn more

There are many ways people can invest in the real estate market without buying and maintaining properties on their own. But while real estate can help diversify your investment portfolio, real estate investment products have their own unique features and risks that anyone looking to invest should fully understand. Visit GetSmarterAboutRealEstate.ca to learn more

The Canadian Investor Protection Fund (CIPF) provides limited protection for property held by a CIPF member firm on behalf of an eligible client, if the firm becomes insolvent. CIPF's mandate was established by Canada's provincial and territorial securities regulators, including the Ontario Securities Commission. Watch this new CIPF video to learn more about what they do.

Registration for the May 27, 2019 burden reduction roundtable is open. This is the third roundtable and part of the OSC’s ongoing consultation on reducing regulatory burden in Ontario’s capital markets and improving the investor experience.

In this working meeting, senior OSC staff will discuss how the OSC is considering the evaluation and prioritization of the burden reduction opportunities identified during the consultation process in OSC Staff Notice 11-784: Burden Reduction.

The upcoming roundtable will explore opportunities to streamline regulation related to trading, marketplaces, issuer requirements and derivatives.

The OSC's independent Investor Advisory Panel (IAP) recently released its 2018 Annual Report summarizing its activities, submissions, consultations, and meetings during the calendar year.

The IAP advises and comments on proposed rules, policies and investor protection initiatives, while considering the views of a broad range of investors through consultation with investors and organizations representing investors. The IAP is comprised of nine members appointed by the OSC Chair following a public application process and on the advice of a selection committee consisting of two Commissioners and a Vice-Chair.