A case competition submission analyzing how Scotiabank can convert young Canadian depositors (18–34) into long-term investors, and win back the demographic currently flocking to fintechs like Wealthsimple.

• Case Overview
• Key Stats & Data
• Competitive Landscape
• Our Solution Framework
• Repo Structure

Scotiabank has nearly two centuries of institutional trust, CDIC deposit protection, a national branch network, and existing banking relationships with millions of young Canadians. Yet when those same customers decide to start investing, they're opening Wealthsimple — not Scotia Smart Investor.

The core problem: Investment product adoption among Scotiabank's 18–34 demographic has not kept pace with deposit account growth in the same cohort.

Why it matters: CPA Canada projects over $1 trillion in wealth will transfer from Baby Boomers to younger generations between 2023 and 2026. The institutions that build investment relationships with younger Canadians now will be positioned to manage that capital for decades. First-mover advantage in investment relationships is durable — customers who begin investing with a platform tend to stay.

The case question: How should Scotiabank convert young depositors into active investors within an 18-month implementation horizon, in a way that's compatible with its regulatory environment and existing product infrastructure?

Key insight: The primary barrier to first investment is confidence and clarity, not capital. Many young Canadians have money they could invest — they just don't know whether they should, or how.

Scotiabank's structural advantages: 190 years of institutional trust · CDIC protection · Full registered account suite (TFSA, RRSP, FHSA, RESP, RRIF, RDSP) · National branch + advisor network · Existing primary banking relationship with target demographic

• AUM: $50B+ (end of 2024) · Users: 3M+ Canadians
• Managed investing fee: 0.50%/yr under $100K; 0.40% above — no minimum
• Self-directed: $0 commissions on Canadian stocks & ETFs
• Differentiation: Plain-language UX, pre-defined risk-tolerance portfolios, heavy investment in financial education content (magazine, newsletter, social)

• Canada's largest independent online brokerage
• Questwealth fee: 0.20–0.25%/yr — among the lowest in Canada
• Minimum: $250
• ETF purchases: Commission-free; sells are $4.95–$9.95
• Differentiation: Cost-conscious positioning; targets financially literate late-20s/30s investors focused on minimizing fees

⚠️ This section is the team's working space — update with your proposed solution as you develop it.

Scotiabank doesn't have an awareness problem with this demographic — it has a conversion problem. Young Canadians trust the bank with their paycheques. The gap is in making the leap from "I have money here" to "I'm investing here."

1. Reduce the first step — Lower the activation energy to invest. Consider a lower minimum investment entry point via Smart Investor, or a "round-up" micro-investing feature integrated into the Scotia app.

2. Build financial confidence, not just product access — The data is clear: the barrier is knowledge, not capital. In-app financial literacy content (short-form, plain language) tied directly to account opening flows could close the confidence gap before it becomes a dropout.

3. Leverage the existing relationship — Scotiabank already has the primary banking relationship. Contextual nudges ("You've saved $500 this month — want to put $50 to work in your TFSA?") within the existing app are a distribution advantage no fintech can replicate.

4. Meet them where they get information — 82% of 18–24 investors use social media for investment info. A structured creator/influencer education strategy (distinct from product advertising) could build trust upstream of the product decision.

• 18-month implementation horizon
• Must be compatible with Scotiabank's regulatory environment (OSFI, CDIC, CIRO)
• Must integrate with or extend existing product infrastructure (Smart Investor, iTRADE, Scotia app)
• Must move the needle on sustained engagement, not just account openings

scotiabank-casehacks/
├── README.md               ← You are here
├── research/
│   ├── case-document.pdf   ← Original CaseHacks case file
│   └── sources.md          ← Annotated bibliography of key data sources
├── analysis/
│   ├── competitive-landscape.md
│   ├── customer-insights.md
│   └── scotiabank-products.md
├── solution/
│   ├── executive-summary.md
│   ├── solution-deck.pptx  ← Final presentation
│   └── implementation-plan.md
└── notes/
    └── team-scratchpad.md