Research
The British Columbia Securities Commission (BCSC) views investor education, and research about investor knowledge and attitudes, as an important component of regulation. Through research, the BCSC, its partners, and its provincial counterparts 
are trying to understand Canadians' overall investment knowledge, their understanding of financial concepts like savings and budgeting, and their experience with fraud and unsuitable investments.
The information gathered from these studies helps the BCSC and other provincial securities regulators in their mandate to help:
investors make appropriate investments decisions; and
investors recognize, avoid and report investment scams; and
people, both young and old, to develop better financial life skills
Visit the sections below to learn more about investor research:
This research focuses on the “Silver Tsunami”, a large group of Canadians who are currently in transition from working to retiring. The first phase of the on-line study of 1,770 Canadian investors was conducted in July 2008, with a significant sample of investors who are retired or nearing retirement. Following the global financial crisis, a second shorter survey of 1,058 Canadian investors took place between Oct. 16 and 17 to determine whether there has been a shift in investors’ attitudes.
An investor survey focused on Metro Vancouver’s Chinese-language residents, which found that some of their attitudes toward investing could put them at risk of falling victim to investment fraud.
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The Central Okanagan School District conducts a survey of recent high school graduates to identify how well Kelowna-area graduates feel their education prepares them for life, work, post-secondary education and managing their finances. The BCSC worked with the school district to develop 13 new questions for the 2007 study aimed at assessing graduates financial life skills. This work part of the BCSC's ongoing financial literacy program that provides resources to high school teachers and students, both locally and nationally, to help young people build better financial life skills.
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Following up on its 2006 Investor Index, the CSA conducted a national study in 2007 to assess the impact of investment fraud on Canadian investors. The study showed that investment fraud is a serious problem in Canada that can affect people's trust in others as well as their mental and physical health.
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The CSA released the Investor Index at the beginning of Investor Education month in October 2006. The study was conducted to gauge investor knowledge and skills; their understanding and experience of fraud; and Canadians' awareness and expectations of their securities regulators.
The BCSC commissioned Professor Neil Boyd, an Simon Fraser University criminology expert, to conduct a systematic study of the Eron Mortgage fraud that saw thousands of investors lose most of the $240-million invested in the scheme that operated from 1993 to 1997. Boyd and his research team conducted surveys, held focus groups and interviewed Eron investors.
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- October 2008
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