To mark the end of its year-long educational campaign, This is your life… for better or for worse, the CSA is announcing the winners of a contest that promoted the importance of saving and informed investing.

Fourteen Canadians from each province and territory were selected from a draw to win a signed, framed print of Lynn Johnston’s comic strip, For Better or For Worse®. Grand prize winner Paula Bonacci of Vaughan, Ontario will also be awarded $2000 in addition to the print. The other winners are:

• Shirley Hall, Edmonton, AB

• Gerry Copeman, Surrey, BC

• Doreen Magee, Winnipeg, MB

• Candice McIntyre, Charter Settlement, NB

• Tammy Power, Tor’s Cove, NL

• Susan Jerrot, Bedford, NS

• Chris Garven, Inuvik, NT

• Jorgen Gronfeldt, Kugluktuk, NU

• Anne deMercado, Ottawa, ON

• Janice Ellis, Tyne Valley, PEI

• Lisa Winter, Caronport, SK

• Gisèle Caron, Matane, QC

• Barb Schan, Whitehorse, YT

The CSA created the campaign in response to research showing that major life events like getting married, starting a family, planning retirement or receiving a financial windfall motivate people to seek out investment information.

“When you are faced with financial decisions, careful research beforehand can help you protect your money,” said Jean St-Gelais, Chair of the CSA and President & Chief Executive Officer of the Autorité des marchés financiers Québec). “The CSA offers free resources to help you make informed decisions.”

The campaign website was showcased through online partnerships, lifestyle events, and in movie theatres across Canada. More than 38,000 Canadians visited the website to register for the contest and access free investing resources. In addition, site visitors shared 5,489 tips for investing wisely, which the CSA will work into future campaigns. Tips include:

• Use the library instead of buying books and magazines you may only ever read once.

• Never charge more on your credit cards than you can pay in full each month.

• Bring your own lunch to work.

• Pay for everything in cash and save the coin change. I have saved up to $100 a month this way and it seems painless.

• Pay down your mortgage each and every year, to the maximum you are allowed – it pays off in the long run and saves you thousands of dollars in interest payments.

The CSA is a council of 13 provincial and territorial securities regulators that oversee Canada’s capital markets. Their mandate is to protect investors from unfair or fraudulent practices while fostering a fair and efficient marketplace. Part of this protection includes educating investors about the risk, responsibilities and rewards of investing. CSA investor resources are available online at www.csa-acvm.ca