About us
The Ontario Securities Commission is an independent Crown agency that regulates Ontario’s capital markets by making rules that have the force of law and by adopting policies that influence the behaviour of capital markets participants.
The OSC carries out the powers, duties and functions given to it pursuant to the Securities Commission Act, 2021. The OSC exercises its regulatory oversight function through the administration and enforcement of Ontario’s Securities Act and Commodity Futures Act and administration of certain provisions of Ontario’s Business Corporations Act.
Vision: Working together to make Ontario’s capital markets inviting, thriving and secure.
Mandate: To provide protection to investors from unfair, improper or fraudulent practices, to foster fair, efficient and competitive capital markets and confidence in the capital markets, to foster capital formation, and to contribute to the stability of the financial system and the reduction of systemic risk.
We contribute to the health and performance of Ontario’s economy by using our rule‑making and enforcement powers to help safeguard investors, to deter financial misconduct, and to direct participants involved in capital markets in Ontario. We regulate market participants including firms and individuals who sell securities and derivatives, firms who provide investment advice in Ontario, and public companies. We also regulate marketplaces, such as the Toronto Stock Exchange.
Our Goals
- Quickly deliver effective regulatory actions in anticipation of emerging trends
- Enhance the experience of individual investors
- Dynamically right-size regulation informed by changing needs, risks and practices in Ontario and globally
- Implement a tougher and more visible response to capital markets misconduct
- Foster conditions for capital formation and innovation in both public and private markets
- Strengthen OSC’s position as a trusted and influential voice in Canadian capital markets
Our direction for the next six years is set out in our Strategic Plan.
Our priorities for the current year are set out in our Statement of Priorities, which is included in our 3-year Business Plan.
Ontario’s capital markets
- Ontario is Canada’s most populous province and home of more than one-third of Canadian businesses.
- Toronto is the most prominent financial centre in Canada, featuring the largest stock exchange by market value and the headquarters of many of the country’s largest financial institutions.
- As of March 31, 2024, Ontario has:
- 2,954 public companies,
- 4,517 investment fund issuers,
- 1,348 registered firms, and
- 70,272 registered individuals.
- More than half of Canada’s equity market value comes from issuers registered in Ontario, as of March 2024. That represents the total of all listed issuers on TSX, TSXV and CSE, including exchange traded products and other closed-end funds.