October is Investor Education Month, and the Financial and Consumer Services Commission (FCNB) is using the time to encourage New Brunswickers to think about investment opportunities.
Investor Education Month is a national initiative aimed to provide Canadians with more investor information.
“(As well), to understand their investment decisions, implications of them, and their responsibilities in the decision-making process, and particularly now with new online ways to investing,” said Marissa Sollows, director of education and communications for FCNB.
Sollows mentioned, FCNB has noticed over the years New Brunswickers are becoming more comfortable with investing.
“And as it becomes more accessible to people, we are seeing more New Brunswickers starting to put money away for their future, so that’s positive.”
The majority of New Brunswickers are investing in mutual funds, which is the most common product that investors hold.
Meantime, FCNB has also discovered investing is gaining popularity in young people.
“It could be due to increased media, or an increased use of social media coverage that they’re being exposed to investing topics, and wanting to get in and try a little bit earlier … and there are new trends that are becoming more popular with younger investors like DIY investing and using different online tools and apps,” said Sollows.
Sollows encourages new investors to meet with a registered investment professional and added the future looks quite exciting but will also present some challenges.
Throughout the month, FCNB will provide investor guides, videos, and social media posts on how to be an informed investor.
At any time of year, New Brunswickers can turn to the commission’s website for unbiased investor and consumer tools and information.
