OSC Whistleblower Program
Are you a whistleblower?
As part of its mandate to provide protection to investors from unfair, improper or fraudulent practices, the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) launched a whistleblower program in July 2016, the first of its kind by a Canadian securities regulator. The program accepts tips on possible violations of Ontario securities law, offers protections for individuals who come forward, as well as a reward of up to $5 million for tips that lead to enforcement action.
Examples of violations include illegal insider trading, tipping, fraud, misleading corporate disclosure or financial statements and trading-related misconduct.
OSC awards $1.5 million to whistleblower
February 27, 2024 - The Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) issued an award of CAD $1,500,000 to a whistleblower who provided information which allowed the OSC to act swiftly to protect investors from harm.
“The Commission will not tolerate deceptive conduct, reprisals against whistleblowers, or failures to maintain compliance systems.”
- Oral Reasons for Approval of a Settlement: In the Matter of Coinsquare Ltd. et al., par. 15
Submit a whistleblower report
Contact the Office of the Whistleblower
The Office of the Whistleblower (OWB), which administers the program, is comprised of a specialized team of accountants, lawyers and OSC staff who are focused on encouraging whistleblowers to come forward and report misconduct and supporting them throughout the process.
The program has a dedicated hotline 1-888-OSC-5553 (1-888-672-5553) for individuals who are considering reporting and have specific questions about making a submission, as well as for people who have already submitted a whistleblower report. Please note that we do not accept tips by phone. To report suspected securities related misconduct to the OSC’s OWB, please use the online form or submit by mail.
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