News Release

Vancouver - 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/ (link no longer operational) 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.

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