OSC announces Financial Literacy Month initiatives including new crypto content

TORONTO – The Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) is helping people make more informed decisions about their money through educational activities during Financial Literacy Month. In-person and online events will be held throughout November to help Ontarians increase their financial knowledge. To help people better understand emerging investments, the OSC has also expanded its crypto asset resources.

“Financial Literacy Month is a great time to assess and increase your knowledge about investment products, including newer options such as crypto assets,” said Tyler Fleming, Director of the OSC’s Investor Office. “Our website, GetSmarterAboutCrypto.ca, can help you learn about the rules and the risks of investing in crypto. And, whether you’re learning how to budget or trying to save, we have a wealth of free, unbiased resources online and events this month to help increase your financial confidence.”

The OSC has many Financial Literacy Month outreach events and educational resources including:

• Crypto educational resources – The OSC’s expanded crypto resources include:
  • GetSmarterAboutCrypto.ca – Visit our new website to learn how crypto assets work and read stories of crypto fraud based on real events.
  • Crypto Assets 2022 – Read the results of a research study looking at Canadians’ crypto asset knowledge and behaviours recently published by the OSC.
  • Crypto quiz – Try our new quiz that tests general crypto knowledge.
• Fraud Prevention webinar with the Ontario Provincial Police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre – Learn tips to avoid becoming a victim of fraud during our webinar on Nov. 8, 2022, from 11 a.m. to noon EST. OSC staff will be joined by staff from the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and OPP. Registration is open to the public.
• Province-wide Telephone Townhall – Join our special Financial Literacy Month virtual townhall on Nov. 17, 2022, at 7 p.m. EST to hear important information from OSC staff and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. Ontarians can ask questions and hear from experts about working with financial advisors and protecting their money from fraud. Register now.
• Fraud prevention Twitter chat – Join the OSC’s Twitter chat to get smarter about fraud on Nov. 22, 2022, from 1 to 2 p.m. EST. The chat will include special guests from law enforcement, community organizations and regulatory partners. Follow the OSC’s investor education Twitter handle, @smarter_money, for the latest information and use the hashtag #FraudChat to participate.
• Financial literacy tune-up – Find targeted tips about managing debt, planning for the future, and more during Financial Literacy Month. Follow #FLM2022 throughout November on Instagram, Twitter  and Facebook to see articles and tools.
• Fraud video series – Watch our new fraud videos to learn how to avoid work from home scams, pump and dump scams, and more.

Investor News — the OSC’s popular e-newsletter will include financial literacy articles and links to tools featured on GetSmarterAboutMoney.ca. The newsletter helps Ontarians stay informed with topical articles, fraud red flags, educational resources, and investor alerts.

The mandate of the OSC is 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. Investors are urged to check the registration of any persons or company offering an investment opportunity and to review the OSC investor materials available at http://www.osc.ca.

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