The Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) is looking for bright ideas to kickstart capital markets.
On Wednesday, the regulator announced the launch of a contest for academics with research ideas focused on market competitiveness.
The OSC issued a call for proposals from researchers at Canadian schools, in an effort to help drive debate on topics that are important to capital markets in Ontario — such as expanding retail investor access to private markets, factors that will affect the junior issuers ability to compete internationally, and a comparative analysis of the relative merits of private and public markets.
“The OSC Research Grant Competition is seeking to tap into Canada’s brightest minds to undertake the challenge of delving into the competitiveness of Ontario’s capital markets,” said Grant Vingoe, CEO of the OSC, in a release.
“In light of the current global geopolitical and economic challenges, it is increasingly important that we look at ways to help Ontario’s capital markets remain competitive, and we welcome the fresh thinking that the competition will bring, as we look ahead and plan future initiatives,” he added.
The regulator plans to award $30,000 research grants to as many as five winners, which will be selected by a panel comprised of industry professionals and representatives of the OSC.
The deadline to enter the competition is Feb. 27, 2026, with winners to be announced on April 17. The research will be due on Aug. 14.
In 2021, the provincial government formally expanded the OSC’s mandate to include fostering competition and capital formation alongside its traditional role of protecting investors and ensuring fair and efficient markets. The expanded mandate came alongside the launch of a division dedicated to spurring market activity, the Office of Economic Growth and Innovation.