April 1, 2003

Securities Regulators Kick Off Annual Investor Education Month

VANCOUVER, April 1 /CNW/ - April is Investor Education Month, a North American campaign to promote investor awareness and financial literacy. The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) would like to emphasize the importance of lifelong learning. Whether in their formative years, starting out in the workplace, nearing retirement, or during retirement it is critical that investors are well versed in how to manage and protect their money. Canada's securities regulators have launched a nationwide campaign to help Canadians -- in particular, youth and seniors -- become informed investors.

The CSA, the umbrella organization representing the 13 provincial and territorial securities commissions, is involved in the following national initiatives for April:

Together with the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) the CSA is launching an Investment Fraud Awareness Quiz. The online quiz is designed to test investors' knowledge of investment scams and frauds, and encourage investors to watch out for the signs of a scam. The quiz will be available April 28 on the CSA website www.csa-acvm.ca.

The national winner of the CSA "Test Your Financial IQ" Contest, which ran in Fall 2002 and Winter 2003, will be announced mid-April. Contestants were required to submit an essay detailing how they would invest the contest grand prize of $2500 according to their risk tolerance, time horizon and goals, and give their thoughts on investor education for youth. The purpose of the contest was to encourage Canadian youth to learn about investing.

The CSA has continued its partnership with the award-winning weekly television program Street Cents, on CBC-TV. The show features youth talking to youth about issues important to them. The CSA has collaborated with Street Cents to produce three segments on Saving for School, Mutual Funds, and Choosing an Adviser. The segments will be available on the Street Cents website http://www.cbc.ca/streetcents/features/csa/ starting in April.

In addition to the national campaign, securities regulators in each province and territory have organized investor education events and seminars for investors in their locale.
For investor information or details about National Investor Education Month activities, visit the CSA's website at www.csa-acvm.ca or the following commission websites or contact your local securities regulator.

For further information:
Media relations contacts:

B.C. Securities Commission
Andrew Poon
604-899-6880
1-800-373-6393 (B.C. & Alberta only)
http://www.bcsc.bc.ca/

Alberta Securities Commission
Joni Delaurier
403-297-4481
http://www.albertasecurities.com/

Manitoba Securities Commission
Ainsley Cunningham
204-945-4733
1-800-655-5244 (Manitoba only)
http://www.msc.gov.mb.ca/

Ontario Securities Commission
Perry Quinton
416-593-2348
1-877-785-1555 (toll free in Canada)
http://www.osc.gov.on.ca/

Commission des valeurs mobiliÃ©res du QuÃ©bec
Barbara Timmins
514-940-2199, ext. 4434
1-800-361-5072 (QuÃ©bec only)
http://www.cvmq.com/

N.B. Securities Administration Branch
Christina Taylor
506-658-3060
1-866-933-2222 (New Brunswick only)
http://www.investor-info.ca/

Nova Scotia Securities Commission
Nick Pittas
902-424-7768
www.gov.ns.ca/nssc

Securities Commission of Newfoundland and Labrador
Susan W. Powell
709-729-4875
www.gov.nf.ca/gsl/cca/scon/

Registrar of Securities, Department of Justice/Government of the Northwest Territories
Tony Wong
867-873-7490
tony_wong@gov.nt.ca

Department of Attorney General, Prince Edward Island
Mark Gallant
902-368-4552
www.gov.pe.ca/oag