Your opinion matters! Financial Literacy in the Ontario Curriculum

In November 2009, the Ontario government announced that, starting in September 2011, Ontario students in Grades 4 to 12 will be taught about the use and management of money. The Working Group on Financial Literacy, co-chaired by Leeanna Pendergast, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Education and MPP for Kitchener-Conestoga, and Tom Hamza, President of the Investor Education Fund, has been convened to gather information and conduct consultations about ways to embed financial literacy in the curriculum.

The working group will clarify the meaning of financial literacy and will make recommendations to the Curriculum Council about the knowledge and skills required to support the development of financial literacy among Ontario students.

Tell us what you think!

What knowledge and skills do Ontario students need in order to become financially literate? The Working Group on Financial Literacy would like to hear your opinion. Please follow this link to complete the online survey. (You will be directed to questions designed specifically for members of the general public, parents, students, teachers, or representatives of education organizations or other sectors.)

By completing the survey, you will be playing an important part in shaping financial literacy education for all Ontario students.

Want to know more about this survey? Answers to frequently asked questions are provided on this page.

The survey will be available until June 16, 2010.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the Ontario government committed to financial literacy education?
The government recognizes the importance of providing youth with the knowledge and skills they will need to make economic and financial decisions with confidence and competence. For this reason, the government has started to gather input about what students need to learn in elementary and secondary school to ensure that they are well prepared for the economic opportunities and challenges they will encounter as adults.

Isn’t financial literacy already taught in Ontario schools?
Yes. In the current elementary and secondary curriculum, topics related to financial literacy are addressed in various subjects and disciplines, such as social studies, mathematics, business studies, guidance and career education, and Canadian and world studies. However, the ministry is aiming to enhance students’ financial literacy education by integrating more relevant content throughout the existing curriculum. (There is no plan for new courses or new curriculum expectations.)

What is financial literacy?
Although there are many different definitions of financial literacy, the working group has proposed the following working definition to facilitate the consultation process:

“Financial literacy means having the knowledge, skills and abilities to undertake responsible economic and financial decisions and actions with a requisite level of competence"

  How will my answers be used?
Your participation in the online survey is part of the consultation process being conducted by the Working Group on Financial Literacy. The working group will take your responses into account as it prepares its recommendations for the Curriculum Council. This survey is an important opportunity to have your opinion heard and to help Ontario students become financially literate citizens.