2023 RIA Investor Opinion Survey
The 2023 RIA Investor Opinion Survey, which is based on an Ipsos poll of 1,001 individual investors in Canada, confirms that the vast majority of Canadian retail investors are concerned about AI and want to see risk mitigation embedded in their portfolios. Investors are slightly less concerned about greenwashing than they were in 2022, with 68% very or somewhat concerned compared to the previously reported 75%.
The survey, sponsored by AGF Investments and Desjardins Investments, also shows that two thirds of respondents want their financial services provider to inform them about responsible investments (RI) that are aligned with their values, while less than a third report to have been asked if they were interested. RI ownership has remained consistent since 2020, with a third of respondents indicating current ownership.
Additional Highlights
- Two thirds of respondents (65%) are interested in RI, with younger respondents generally expressing greater interest than older respondents, and female respondents more interested than their male counterparts.
- Unchanged from last year, 70% of respondents know little or nothing about RI, including 21% that have never heard of it.
- Considering the impact of world events, 36% of respondents say they are more likely to choose RI than one year ago, while 44% say they are neither more nor less likely. RI ownership has remained consistent since 2020.
- Greenwashing concerns continue to be a deterrent to RI. 68% of respondents are very or somewhat concerned about greenwashing, however, this is lower than the 75% expressing concern in 2022.
