The Ontario Securities Commission
The Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) is an independent Crown corporation that is responsible for regulating the capital markets in Ontario. Our statutory mandate 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.
Providing protection to investors is a key part of the OSC’s mandate. As a regulatory agency, the OSC administers and enforces the Securities Act (Ontario) and the Commodity Futures Act (Ontario). Specifically, the OSC works to protect investors by making and enforcing rules governing the securities industry in Ontario.
The Investor Office
The OSC is a leader in Canadian financial education and has a wide range of educational resources for investors.
The Investor Office leads the OSC’s efforts in investor engagement, education and outreach, and brings the investor perspective to policy initiatives throughout the OSC.
The Investor Office manages GetSmarterAboutMoney.ca, the OSC’s award-winning investor education website. You’ll find free, unbiased information and interactive resources to help you make informed investment decisions.
We’ve recently added advanced capability to help you navigate GetSmarterAboutMoney.ca, including:
- An AI-based recommendations engine – Provides content for you based on your on-site reading history and curated learning paths.
- A text-to-voice article reader – Makes content easier to access for users across platforms and abilities. You’ll be able to listen to any article you choose.
- On-site voice search – Helps visitors easily search the site to find what they need — just click on the microphone to record your query.
Explore GetSmarterAboutMoney.ca — you’ll be glad you made the trip.
OSC Contact Centre
The OSC Contact Centre helps investors with a wide range of concerns, including fraud prevention and checking the registration of an individual or firm. If you think you may be a victim of an investment fraud or scam in Ontario, or if you would like to report potential unfair, improper or fraudulent practices, contact us: call 1-877-785-1555, email inquiries@osc.gov.on.ca, or submit an online form.
The Contact Centre handles about 15,000 inquiries and complaints each year from investors and market participants. They can answer inquiries in English and French and can arrange for translators in more than 200 other languages. They are open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You can leave a voicemail after hours and they will return your call.
OSC Contact Centre
Call 1-877-785-1555
Email inquiries@osc.gov.on.ca
Visit our other resources
- Investing Academy – Learn the basics about investing, managing your money, and planning for the future, with our free courses.
- CheckBeforeYouInvest.ca – Always check the registration of any person or business trying to sell you an investment or give you investment advice.
- InvestingQuestions.ca – Have a question about investing or the investment world? Ask us or read what other investors are curious about.
- InvestingIntroduction.ca – Whether you are new to investing or new to Canada, investing for your future is important. And no matter how much (or little) money you have to invest, having the right information and resources can help you make better decisions for you and your family. Visit our multilingual website.
- GetSmarterAboutCrypto.ca – The rise and fall of crypto assets is in many news headlines. GetSmarterAboutCrypto.ca has important information on many crypto topics including breaking down the jargon, rules and regulations, and crypto fraud scenarios.
- OSC in the Community – An outreach program that takes the Ontario Securities Commission’s (OSC) regulatory mandate from Bay Street to Main Street. OSC staff travel to communities across Ontario to engage with investors, including newcomers and multicultural groups, to deliver investor education presentations on fraud prevention, investing 101 and the client-advisor relationship.