Bulletins

As a not-for-profit organization, OBSI recovers all of its budgeted operating expenses from its participating firms each year. OBSI's budget and the allocation of this budget between the different industry sectors that use OBSI's services is approved by OBSI's Board of Directors each September. Our board also considers fairness and the impact of fee changes on member firms when setting fees. A guiding principle is that no sector or registrant category should subsidize another.

Financial fraud is rising – we all see reports of it every day in the news and our social media feeds, but it can be difficult to appreciate the risks and impacts of fraud when we have not had first-hand experience. It is important for everyone to understand how financial frauds take place and how to remain vigilant for ourselves and our loved ones. Opting out of financial services is not possible – these services are an essential part of managing our money and securing our financial future. Understanding how to participate in the system and protect ourselves is the key to avoiding becoming a victim.

Participating firm fees are set annually by the OBSI Board of Directors in accordance with our corporate Bylaw. As a not-for-profit organization, participating firm fees fund all our operations and are set on a cost-recovery basis.

A growing number of Canadians are interested in investing in new categories, such as cryptocurrency, but these emerging technologies and platforms are unfamiliar to most investors, giving fraudsters the advantage when they are looking for people to target. According to the RCMP, fraud involving cryptocurrency rose 400 per cent between 2017 and 2020. What had been hundreds of cases (734) in 2017 jumped to thousands of cases (7,598) in the first eight months of 2020, causing losses of almost $11 million dollars to Canadians since the onset of the pandemic.

More Canadians are choosing to be self-directed or do-it-yourself (DIY) investors than ever before.

Participating firm fees are set annually by the OBSI Board of Directors in accordance with our corporate Bylaw. 

While final fees will not be determined until approved by our board in late September and will not be invoiced until November 1, the purpose of this bulletin is to assist firms in their annual planning by sharing the likely direction of OBSI fees for 2022.

Deferred sales charges (DSCs) are fees that mutual fund investors pay to the mutual fund company if they sell the mutual fund within a certain time after purchasing it.

Canadians have good reason to fear getting scammed.

Participating firm fees are set annually by the OBSI Board of Directors in accordance with our corporate Bylaw. As a not-for-profit organization, participating firm fees fund all our operations and are set on a cost-recovery basis.