Investor Information for Canadians

Investor Education for Canadians

Council for Investor Education
The Council for Investor Education is a forum of organizations and regulators interested in empowering Canadians with the knowledge to make informed financial decisions. We share, coordinate and create ideas and initiatives that facilitate the best and most efficient use of our collective expertise . [The links to most of the sites and descriptions below are provided by the CIE .]

 

Advocis: The Voice of Canada’s Financial AdvisorsAdvocis is the brand name of The Financial Advisors Association of Canada. In September 2002, members of the Canadian Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (CAIFA) and the Canadian Association of Financial Planners (CAFP) voted in favour of merging their two groups to create Advocis, Canada’s largest association of professional financial advisors, with members in 50 chapters across the country. Advocis represents thousands of professional advisors from coast to coast who advise their clients on the short- and long-term financial needs of individuals, families, and owners of small and medium-sized businesses. Our members provide financial services that include financial planning, estate planning, tax preparation, tax planning, and consultation on employee group benefits, pensions and retirement plans.

Alberta Capital Market Foundation

The Foundation funds specific projects to educate the public and entrepreneurs about investing and capital formation. The Foundation does not conduct active operations as an educator. The Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation established in 1998 with start-up funding contributed by the Alberta Securities Commission and The Alberta Stock Exchange (now the TSX Venture Exchange).

Canadian Bankers Association

The Canadian Bankers Association (CBA) is a professional industry association that provides its members - the chartered banks of Canada - with information, research and operational support and contributes to the development of public policy on financial services.

The CBA also provides information to help individual and small business consumers manage their financial affairs, by offering booklets, seminars and website resources.

YourMoney is a free, non-commercial money management seminar designed to provide young people with a foundation in financial basics and give them the tools to make informed decisions on financial issues. This seminar is geared to young people in grades 10 and above and addresses three future directions students may take: pursuing a post-secondary education, starting their own business or launching a career in the work force. Presented by community bankers, the seminar is delivered to high schools and community youth organizations upon request.

Canadian Investor Protection Fund (CIPF)

CIPF was established by the investment industry in 1969 to ensure client assets were protected, within limits, if a CIPF Member became bankrupt. CIPF is sponsored by the following Self-Regulatory Organizations (SRO’s):
• The Investment Dealers Association
• The Bourse de Montreal Inc. and
• The TSX Group of Companies.

Approximately 200 investment dealers across Canada are members of CIPF through their membership in CIPF’s sponsoring SRO’s.

The primary role of CIPF is investor protection and the secondary role of CIPF is overseeing the self-regulatory system.

 

The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA)

The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) is a council of the 13 securities regulators of Canada's provinces and territories which coordinates and harmonizes regulation for the Canadian capital markets. Members of the CSA share ideas and work at designing policies and regulations that are consistent across the country and ensure the smooth operation of Canada's securities industry. Visit www.csa-acvm.ca for further information about the CSA, and to access investor education resources.

The Centre for the Financial Services OmbudsNetwork (CFSON)

The Centre for the Financial Services OmbudsNetwork (CFSON) provides Canadian financial services consumers with single-window access to high-quality, independent, impartial and effective complaint resolution services in the banking, life and health insurance, general insurance, securities and mutual funds industries.

Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC)

Established in 2001 by the federal government to strengthen oversight of consumer issues and expand consumer education in the financial sector, the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) is an independent body working to protect and educate consumers of financial services.

As a federal regulatory agency, the FCAC is responsible for enforcing many of the federal laws that protect consumers in their dealings with financial institutions. Through co-operation with other organizations, information programs, a toll-free consumer help line and our website, we also promote greater awareness of the financial system and the rights and responsibilities of consumers.

Financial Planners Standards Council (FPSC)

Financial Planners Standards Council (FPSC) is a not-for-profit organization established in 1995 to foster professionalism in personal financial planning. FPSC develops and enforces the highest standards in financial planning competency and ethics for individuals who hold the CFP™ (CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™) in Canada. There are currently about 16,000 CFP professionals in Canada and more than 90,000 individuals who have earned the CFP designation in 18 countries around the world.

The Investment Dealers Association of Canada

The Investment Dealers Association of Canada is the national self-regulatory organization and representative of the securities industry. Members include more than 190 investment dealers who play an essential role in the Canadian economy by raising capital for governments and businesses and by helping individuals and institutions invest with confidence in open and fair capital markets.

As Canada's national self-regulatory organization for the securities industry, the Association regulates the activities of investment dealers in terms of both their capital adequacy and conduct of business. To qualify as a Member firm, an organization must meet stringent capital requirements, demonstrate an ability and willingness to conduct its business in a manner consistent with the by-laws, rules and regulations of the Association, and be subject to ongoing supervision. Member firm employees who deal with the public must be appropriately licensed. Investor protection is a top priority.

As the industry's national representative, the IDA represents a critically important Canadian industry. Member firms, employing more than 37,000 people in all provinces and abroad, play a key role in our national and provincial economies and account for over 97% of the industry's revenue and capital.

 

The Investment Funds Institute of Canada (IFIC)

The Investment Funds Institute of Canada (IFIC) is the trade association of the investment funds industry in Canada. Membership includes mutual fund management companies, retail distributors and affiliates from the legal, accounting, and other professions.

IFIC's member funds currently manage over $500 billion in assets in approximately 50 million unitholder accounts.
IFIC is dedicated to enhancing the integrity and growth of the investment funds industry by being the voice of the industry. IFIC works to improve industry knowledge and proficiency, improve the regulatory framework, improve business operational efficiencies, enhance investor confidence by broadening public awareness and understanding of investment funds, and facilitate communication among Members.

The Investor Education Fund

The Investor Education Fund offers trustworthy and unbiased investment education to the general public via www.investorED.ca and to students through its Taking Stock In Your Future Teacher program. We also provide funding support to not-for-profit and community organizations. The Investor Education Fund was established by the Ontario Securities Commission, Ontario's investment industry regulator and is funded through OSC enforcement settlements.

Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada

In 1997, the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) invited the mutual fund industry to participate in the development of a self-regulatory organization. The CSA-initiated discussions with the Investment Dealers Association of Canada (IDA) and the Investment Funds Institute of Canada (IFIC) to facilitate the formation of a Self Regulatory Organization (SRO) that would directly regulate distributors of mutual funds. The result of these discussions was an agreement between the CSA, the IDA and IFIC for the joint sponsorship and development of the Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada as a SRO for mutual fund dealers in the provinces and territories of Canada.

The MFDA has seven busy departments with two regional offices located in Vancouver and Calgary, and it employs 60 full-time staff (as at September 15, 2003). The compliance department became operational in May 2001 and compliance officers now conduct regular compliance examinations at Member firms. The enforcement department began to handle investor complaints in November 2002. Complaints officers receive calls from investors and determine if there are possible regulatory violations of MFDA rules or policies. If violations of MFDA rules or policies are discovered, the MFDA may conduct investigations and undertake appropriate disciplinary action