The following guidelines provide deposit brokers, financial consultants and other third parties with information regarding CDIC deposit insurance in advertising or informational media such as Web sites.



Section 2 of CDIC's Deposit Insurance Information By-law prohibits "false or deceptive representations" with respect to three areas:

1. what constitutes, or does not constitute, a deposit


2. what constitutes, or does not constitute, a deposit that is insured by CDIC


3. who is a member institution.

Anyone wishing to refer to CDIC or deposit insurance coverage must ensure the information complies with these provisions and does not mislead the audience.

Section 4 of the by-law outlines further provisions specific to advertising by CDIC member institutions. These provisions are also useful to parties other than CDIC members when considering advertising.




i) Advertising

Note: An advertisement can never state that deposits are "insured" by CDIC, because insurance depends on the personal finances of each client. It is subject to other deposits clients may have at the same institution, which could result in their total deposits exceeding the $100,000 deposit insurance maximum.

Any advertisement that includes a reference to CDIC or deposit insurance should refer exclusively to products that are (1) eligible for deposit insurance and (2) issued by CDIC member institutions. If the advertisement meets these criteria, the following statements would be acceptable:

• These deposits are issued by ________________________ (insert full name of institution), which is a member of Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation (CDIC).



• We make available deposits issued by member institutions of Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation (CDIC).

ii) Web Sites

1. References Within a List of Links


A third party may include "Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation (CDIC)" within a list of links from its Web site, provided that:



1. it does not misrepresent CDIC in any way



2. it does not state or imply in any way that it is a member institution of CDIC



3. it includes a link to the home page of the CDIC Web site (www.cdic.ca).



2. References Within Frequently Asked Questions


A third party may include reference to CDIC or deposit insurance in a response to a "Frequently Asked Question" about financial protection of consumers. As always, the third party must ensure the information provided is accurate and is not misleading in any way.
If a third-party company sells products issued by CDIC member institutions that are eligible for deposit insurance, the following is an example of an acceptably worded question and response:

Q. Are the financial products your company offers covered by any of the financial protection plans?

A. The protection that may apply to your investments depends on both the type of financial product you purchase and the company that issues it.

Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation (CDIC) insures eligible deposits issued by member institutions to a maximum of $100,000 per person at each institution in the event of its failure. A list of CDIC member institutions, information about products eligible for protection and more details about deposit insurance are available from CDIC's Web site www.cdic.ca. Each member institution maintains a Deposit Register that lists the eligible products it offers, as confirmed by CDIC. You may request a copy of a member institution's Deposit Register at any branch or through its other customer service channels.
(The answer may continue with reference to other protection plans that apply to other products offered by the company.)


3. References in Relation to Financial Products


Sections of a Web site that refer to financial products will be treated as advertising. In considering references to CDIC or deposit insurance in this context, third parties should follow the advertising guidelines provided above.

CDIC will be pleased to review the correctness of any proposed references to CDIC or deposit insurance in advertising, promotional materials or Web site texts. Please contact Communications and Public Affairs at 613-992-7124.

Last modified : 28 November 2006