Ontario Securities Commission

Office address: 20 Queen Street West, 20th Floor, Toronto ON M5H 3S8
Website: https://www.osc.ca/en
Year established: no information available
Company type: financial regulation
Employees: over 600
Expertise: investor protection, enforcement, regulation, ontario securities law, capital markets, policy
Parent company: N/A
CEO and key people: Grant Vingoe, CEO
Financing status: -

The Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) is an independent Crown agency that regulates the capital markets in the province. Its responsibilities include enforcing the Securities Act and the Commodity Futures Act with the end goal of protecting investors from unfair and fraudulent practices. The OSC reports to the Ontario Minister of Finance.

History of Ontario Securities Commission

The OSC was established as a regulatory body tasked with protecting investors and ensuring fair, efficient markets. Over the years, the OSC has adapted to changes in the financial landscape. Even today, it continues to implement regulations and practices to address emerging challenges and opportunities in the capital markets.

Products and Services of Ontario Securities Commission

The OSC offers services to market participants and the wider public, such as:

• regulation of capital markets: oversees public companies, investment fund issuers, registered firms, and individuals in Ontario.
• investor outreach: in 2022-2023, the OSC reached close to 8,000 Ontarians through 151 outreach events. It also manages investment education programs through getsmarteraboutmoney.ca and getsmarteraboutcrypto.ca
• inquiry and complaint handling: in 2022-2023, the Inquiries and Contact Centre handled over 93,000 calls, emails, and complaints
• crypto asset regulation: this has become an emerging priority for the OSC – among its many activities in this area, it has registered 6 crypto asset trading platforms  

Culture at Ontario Securities Commission

The OSC corporate values cover 3 pillars:

Professional: protecting investors comes first. The OSC engages in dialogue with the marketplace, seeking regular feedback from the community and market participants.
People: respect, diversity and inclusion, and teamwork are key aspects of the OSC’s corporate culture.
Ethical: the organization acts with integrity and takes accountability for actions and decisions made.

The OSC is a self-funded Crown agency, accountable to the Ontario government and to the public it serves.

About Ontario Securities Commission CEO Grant Vingoe

Grant Vingoe has been with the OSC since 2015. He first joined as vice chair and commissioner, then as chair and CEO in 2020.

In 2022, the OSC underwent structural changes to comply with the Securities Commission Act 2021. One of the changes involved splitting the chair and CEO roles. As such, Vingoe became the OSC's first dedicated CEO in April 2022. His term expires in 2024.

Future at Ontario Securities Commission

As always, the OSC’s main priority is Ontario’s investors. Its goals for 2024 reflect this – the OSC aims to build trust in the capital markets and strengthen protection for its investors.   

The OSC will leverage technology to deliver these goals and engage with stakeholders in innovative ways. It will invest in tech, infrastructure, and cybersecurity to help with data access which, in turn, will help identify and mitigate risks.

In responding to an evolving industry, the OSC continues to be at the forefront of capital markets regulation in Canada.