The Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) is a provincial agency responsible for regulating the capital markets in Ontario, Canada. Its primary purposes are:

Protecting investors: The OSC aims to safeguard investors from unfair, improper, or fraudulent practices within the capital markets. This includes investigating alleged breaches of securities law and taking enforcement action where appropriate.
Fostering fair, efficient, and competitive capital markets: The OSC works to ensure that Ontario's capital markets operate in a way that is transparent, orderly, and encourages healthy competition.
Fostering capital formation: By creating a well-regulated environment, the OSC supports businesses in raising capital to invest and grow, which contributes to the province's economic development.
**Contributing to the stability of the financial system and the reduction of systemic risk: The OSC plays a role in maintaining the overall stability of the financial system by regulating market participants and mitigating potential risks.
To achieve these purposes, the OSC administers and enforces Ontario's Securities Act and the Commodity Futures Act, and certain provisions of the Business Corporations Act. This involves:

Making and enforcing rules: The OSC develops and implements rules to maintain the integrity of capital markets and prevent financial misconduct.
Monitoring compliance: It oversees market participants (like firms and individuals who sell securities or provide investment advice, and public companies) to ensure they comply with securities law.
Taking enforcement action: When non-compliance is found, the OSC can take various actions, from issuing warnings and imposing conditions to initiating investigations and prosecuting wrongdoers through the courts.