The OSC’s 2026-27 Statement of Priorities sets their regulatory agenda for their fiscal year, including what issues they will focus on, what reforms they will advance and how they plan to address risks facing investors. These priorities directly impact retail investors.
While generally supportive, FAIR Canada is calling on the OSC to do more to:
- Improve its priority-setting process by presenting clearer objectives, specific actions to achieve those objectives, and key performance metrics to measure its results;
- Play a leadership role to adopt harmonized and timely complaint handling standards across Canada and implement the OBSI binding authority into law;
- Examine compensation structures, proprietary product shelves, and sales pressures across all dealer types, not just bank branches;
- Enhance CIRO oversight of OEO firms, including their relationship with finfluencers and their digital engagement practices;
- Collect data to evaluate the impact of expanding retail investor access to long-term, illiquid private assets and determine whether and how its proposals will impact the real economy; and
- Address account transfer delays.
We’re also calling on the OSC to pause any further delegation of authority to CIRO until the CSA has:
(a) reviewed CIRO cybersecurity practices,
(b) assessed whether the benefits of SRO consolidation outlined in the CSA Position Paper has been achieved, and
(c) developed a long-term vision for Canada’s securities regulatory framework that berevtter serves the public interest and protects investors.