"How are my investments protected?" - MoneySense | Canada News Media
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"How are my investments protected?" – MoneySense

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Photo by Jana Sabeth on Unsplash

Canada’s financial system is known around the world for its stability, but it isn’t immune to the pressures that face global banking. Economic uncertainty, changing regulations and shifting investment markets can all lead to a lack of trust in financial institutions. 

Protection for investments and deposits, however, can play a role in bolstering investor confidence and injecting dependability into financial systems—which is where the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation (CDIC) and the Canadian Investor Protection Fund (CIPF) step in. 

What happens if your financial institution fails?

Canadians generally have two basic sources of account protection: the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation (CDIC), and the Canadian Investor Protection Fund (CIPF). The CDIC is a federal Crown corporation, established by an act of Parliament in 1967, and CIPF is a not-for-profit corporation created by the Canadian investment industry in 1969. 

The CDIC protects eligible deposits, within stated limits, made to member institutions—banks, trust companies, loan companies, and federal credit unions— in case a member institution goes under. 

CIPF, for its part, protects property in client accounts, again within specified limits, if a CIPF member— investment firms that are members of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC)—fails. 

What does each type of protection cover?

Although the two institutions may sound similar, they provide coverage for different types of financial institutions and were established to fill two different purposes: 

  • The CDIC ensures Canadians don’t lose the money they’ve deposited as cash and Guaranteed Investment Certificates (GICs); invested funds are not covered by the CDIC. The goal of CDIC is to ensure that Canadians feel confident in the Canadian banking system. Without these protections in place, depositors might prefer to stash their money away under the mattress instead. 
  • In contrast, CIPF doesn’t cover investment losses. The goal of CIPF is to return your property, such as securities and cash, if your investment dealer folds. 

How are hybrid accounts protected?

In recent months, the difference between these two forms of coverage has gained attention, in part because Canadian online portfolio manager Wealthsimple launched Wealthsimple Cash in January 2020. This hybrid account combines the features of a high-interest savings account, a prepaid Visa debit account and a regular spending account (the latter is similar to a traditional chequing account).

Unlike Wealthsimple’s previous Smart Savings accounts, which are eligible for CDIC coverage (as they were deposited with CDIC members), Wealthsimple Cash accounts are eligible for protection by CIPF, not CDIC. Balances in Wealthsimple Cash accounts are held in an account with Canadian ShareOwner Investments, Wealthsimple’s custodial affiliate dealer, which is a CIPF member. (As an investment dealer, Canadian ShareOwner Investments, holds and custodies investor assets for Wealthsimple customers.) CIPF protection is triggered, however, only if Canadian ShareOwner goes insolvent, not Wealthsimple.

Now that Canadians have access to a “bank-like” product that doesn’t have the traditional protections offered to banking clients, should they be worried about the lack of depositor protection on these “hybrid” accounts—or is the coverage provided by the CIPF adequate? Let’s take a closer look at how the CIPF’s coverage works. 

How CIPF protects Canadian investors

When an investor opens an account with a CIPF member, they automatically receive CIPF coverage. In other words, you don’t need to apply or take any other action in order to be protected.

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S&P/TSX composite up more than 100 points, U.S. stock markets mixed

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TORONTO – Canada’s main stock index was up more than 100 points in late-morning trading, helped by strength in base metal and utility stocks, while U.S. stock markets were mixed.

The S&P/TSX composite index was up 103.40 points at 24,542.48.

In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 192.31 points at 42,932.73. The S&P 500 index was up 7.14 points at 5,822.40, while the Nasdaq composite was down 9.03 points at 18,306.56.

The Canadian dollar traded for 72.61 cents US compared with 72.44 cents US on Tuesday.

The November crude oil contract was down 71 cents at US$69.87 per barrel and the November natural gas contract was down eight cents at US$2.42 per mmBTU.

The December gold contract was up US$7.20 at US$2,686.10 an ounce and the December copper contract was up a penny at US$4.35 a pound.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 16, 2024.

Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD)

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Economy

S&P/TSX up more than 200 points, U.S. markets also higher

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TORONTO – Canada’s main stock index was up more than 200 points in late-morning trading, while U.S. stock markets were also headed higher.

The S&P/TSX composite index was up 205.86 points at 24,508.12.

In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 336.62 points at 42,790.74. The S&P 500 index was up 34.19 points at 5,814.24, while the Nasdaq composite was up 60.27 points at 18.342.32.

The Canadian dollar traded for 72.61 cents US compared with 72.71 cents US on Thursday.

The November crude oil contract was down 15 cents at US$75.70 per barrel and the November natural gas contract was down two cents at US$2.65 per mmBTU.

The December gold contract was down US$29.60 at US$2,668.90 an ounce and the December copper contract was up four cents at US$4.47 a pound.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 11, 2024.

Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD)

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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S&P/TSX composite little changed in late-morning trading, U.S. stock markets down

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TORONTO – Canada’s main stock index was little changed in late-morning trading as the financial sector fell, but energy and base metal stocks moved higher.

The S&P/TSX composite index was up 0.05 of a point at 24,224.95.

In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 94.31 points at 42,417.69. The S&P 500 index was down 10.91 points at 5,781.13, while the Nasdaq composite was down 29.59 points at 18,262.03.

The Canadian dollar traded for 72.71 cents US compared with 73.05 cents US on Wednesday.

The November crude oil contract was up US$1.69 at US$74.93 per barrel and the November natural gas contract was up a penny at US$2.67 per mmBTU.

The December gold contract was up US$14.70 at US$2,640.70 an ounce and the December copper contract was up two cents at US$4.42 a pound.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 10, 2024.

Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD)

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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