News Release

Calgary – Canada’s securities regulators are raising the awareness of investing concepts among young people by launching the second annual Test Your Financial I.Q.Contest. The essay contest’s goal is to encourage Canadians from 14 to 18 years of age to learn more about investing. To participate, young people must submit a 500- to 750-word essay in English or French answering the following question:

The following guidelines can be used to answer the question:

· What are your overall financial goals and how do you expect to reach them?
· Describe the factors you would consider when saving and investing your money.
· What kind of financial products would interest you the most and why?
· Where would you turn for financial advice and information?
· How would you determine if the advice and information is credible?

The contest begins on Oct. 15, 2003 and runs until Feb. 27, 2004. The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) will award thirteen provincial and territorial prizes of $750 each in April 2004 during Investor Education Month. The national grand prize of $2,500 will be announced in May 2004.

“Young people are tomorrow’s financial consumers,” says CSA Chair Stephen Sibold. “This contest encourages young people to expand their financial knowledge in pursuit of their goals.”

Last year’s contest resulted in 400 essay submissions across the country. The national grand prize was awarded to Elizabeth Penner, 14, of DeBolt, Alberta whose essay "Spending My Money Wisely" discussed how her saving and investment strategy will allow her to meet her personal goals.

The CSA, a council of the 13 securities regulators of Canada's provinces and territories, coordinates and harmonizes regulation for the Canadian capital markets. The contest rules and entry form can be found on the websites of the provincial and territorial securities regulators and on the CSA website at www.csa-acvm.ca.

Registrar of Securities Yukon Territories Richard Roberts 867-667-5225 Richard.roberts@gov.yk.ca	B.C. Securities Commission Andrew Poon 604-899-6880 1-800-373-6393 (B.C. & Alberta only) www.bcsc.bc.ca
Securities Registry Northwest Territories Tony Wong 867-873-7490 www.justice.gov.nt.ca/SecuritiesRegistry/SecuritiesRegistry.htm	Alberta Securities Commission Joni Delaurier 403-297-4481 www.albertasecurities.com
Registrar of Securities Nunavut Legal Registries Gary Crowe 867-975-6190 GCrowe@gov.nu.ca	Saskatchewan Financial Services Commission, Securities Division Patti Pacholek 306-787-5871 www.sfsc.gov.sk.ca
Manitoba Securities Commission Ainsley Cunningham 204-945-4733 1-800-655-5244 (Manitoba only) www.msc.gov.mb.ca	Ontario Securities Commission Perry Quinton 416-593-2348 1-877-785-1555 (toll free in Canada) www.investorED.ca
Commission des valeurs mobilières du Québec Barbara Timmins 514-940-2199, ext. 4434 1-800-361-5072 (Québec only) www.cvmq.com	N.B. Securities Administration Branch Christina Taylor 506-658-3060 1-866-933-2222 (New Brunswick only) www.investor-info.ca
Nova Scotia Securities Commission Scott Peacock 902-424-6179 www.gov.ns.ca/nssc	Department of Attorney General Prince Edward Island Mark Gallant 902-368-4552 www.gov.pe.ca/securities
Securities Commission of Newfoundland and Labrador Susan W. Powell 709-729-4875 www.gov.nl.ca/scon