Winnipeg Student wins 2011 CSA Financial Fitness Challenge grand prize

Montreal – Winnipeg student Ashley Olson is the national grand prize winner of $2,000 taking top spot in the 2011 Canadian Securities Administrator’s (CSA) Financial Fitness Challenge.

“I feel it is very important for youth to focus on saving and investing because it is an ability that will assist in achieving goals both in the short-term and the long-term,” said Ashley Olson. “The contest encouraged me to think more about saving than spending and to consider investment options as well.”

More than 9,000 Canadian youth took the challenge to become more “financially fit” by visiting the annual financial literacy contest’s website at www.financialfitnesschallenge.ca. From February 15 to April 15, 2011, the Financial Fitness Challenge was open to youth across Canada to test their knowledge of personal finance concepts including saving and investing.

“Providing Canadian youth with tools to boost their financial literacy today will make it easier for them to plan and protect their financial futures,” said Bill Rice, Chair of the CSA and Chair and CEO of the Alberta Securities Commission. “The CSA’s annual contest is a good way to reach youth and we are pleased that so many young Canadians participate in the Challenge each year.”

Thousands of visitors from across Canada explored the website’s educational resources, used interactive tools and participated in online discussions. Four new entertaining and informative videos on budgeting, credit cards, investing and investment fraud were added to the site’s list of resources and can also be viewed through YouTube.

Thirteen other provincial and territorial winners also demonstrated their financial savvy by participating in the Challenge and were awarded an Apple® iPad:

Provincial and territorial winners

• Brogan Pratt (British Columbia)
• Brittany Taylor (Alberta)
• Corissa Ducharme (Saskatchewan)
• Tyler Ibrahim (Manitoba)
• Natalee Whelan (Ontario)
• Joanie Lacroix (Québec)
• Alyssa Bannister (New Brunswick)
• Jennifer Tait (Nova Scotia)
• Pierce Smith (Prince Edward Island)
• Amber Dyke (Newfoundland and Labrador)
• Trey Talbot (Northwest Territories)
• Adam Jewis (Nunavut)
• Shellby Fulton (Yukon)

The CSA increased youth engagement through social media tools including Facebook, YouTube and Twitter that allowed youth to share and discuss the Challenge with their Facebook friends and Twitter followers.

While the 2011 Financial Fitness Challenge contest period has ended, the Facebook and Twitter pages, videos, educational resources and interactive tools remain available year-round to youth and teachers who visit www.financialfitnesschallenge.ca. To see more of the CSA’s free investor materials for people of all ages, visit www.securities-administrators.ca.

The CSA, the council of the securities regulators of Canada’s provinces and territories, co-ordinates and harmonizes regulation for the Canadian capital markets.