Quick Rise Of Do-It-Yourself Investing Explored By Ontario Securities Commission Study Date 21/04/2021 The Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) today published a ne w study focused on the recent experiences of self-directed or do-it-yourself (DIY) retail investors. The OSC surveyed 2000 Canadian investors who trade a portion or a majority of their investments through the order-execution-only (OEO) dealer channel. Approximately 10 per cent of self-directed investors surveyed opened their account since the pandemic began and we wanted to know more about who self-directed investors are, why they chose to go it alone for at least some of their investments, and where they get information. The majority of DIY investors are male, and more than half are either young or retired and have graduated from university. Many self-directed investors are trading because they enjoy it, however, the experience is not always seamless as 10 per cent had trouble accessing their accounts, and 17 per cent had issues completing a trade during the pandemic.