The long-awaited amendments to reduce the regulatory burden on investment funds were published by the Canadian securities administrators (CSA) in final form on October 7, 2021 and take effect on January 5, 2022. The amendments mostly relate to housekeeping matters that reduce very little regulatory burden, while other aspects might actually increase regulatory burden in the short term. We are disappointed that the CSA did not introduce a number of additional changes that would have had a far greater impact on reducing the regulatory burden on industry participants.
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Investment Funds
CSA to Combine IIROC and MFDA in a Single Self-Regulatory Organization
Introduction
On August 3, 2021, the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) announced their plan to “consolidate the functions” of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) and the Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada (MFDA). The consolidation will create a new single self-regulatory organization (New SRO) with the goal of providing enhanced regulation of the investment industry. The CSA will also consolidate the two existing investor protection funds into a single protection fund independent from the New SRO. The CSA plans to implement the New SRO in two phases, described below.Continue Reading CSA to Combine IIROC and MFDA in a Single Self-Regulatory Organization
OSC’s Investment Funds and Structured Products Branch Will Consider Filing Extensions for Investment Fund Issuers
On March 15, 2021, the Investment Funds and Structured Products Branch (IFSP Branch) of the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) issued an eNews communication advising that the IFSP Branch will consider requests for filing date extensions on a case-by-case basis for investment fund issuers that are unable to meet filing requirements as…
Additional Proficiency Options for Distributing Alternative Mutual Funds
On January 3, 2019, the final phase of the Canadian Securities Administrators (“CSA”)’s Modernization of Investment Fund Product Regulation Project relating to the establishment of a regulatory framework for alternative mutual funds came into effect. These amendments introduced a new category of mutual funds, “alternative mutual funds”, which are mutual funds that have…
Nouvelles options de formation pour les OPC alternatifs
Le 3 janvier 2019, la dernière étape du projet de modernisation de la réglementation des produits de fonds d’investissement des Autorités canadiennes en valeurs mobilières (les « ACVM ») concernant l’établissement d’un encadrement réglementaire des organismes de placement collectif est entrée en vigueur. Ces modifications ont introduit une nouvelle catégorie d’organismes de placement (ci-après, les « OPC »), soit les « OPC alternatifs », une expression qui désigne les OPC qui ont adopté des objectifs de placement leur permettant d’investir dans des marchandises physiques ou des dérivés visés, d’emprunter des fonds ou d’effectuer des ventes à découvert d’une manière généralement non permise aux OPC « réguliers ».
Ces modifications ont transféré la majorité du cadre réglementaire alors applicable aux fonds de marché à terme en vertu du Règlement 81-104 sur les fonds marché à terme (renommé le Règlement 81-104 sur les organismes de placement collectif alternatifs) (le « règlement 81-104 ») vers le Règlement 81-102 sur les fonds d’investissement, à l’exception des normes de formation visant les courtiers en épargne collective qui font des opérations sur des OPC alternatifs. Ces normes de formation interdisent aux personnes physiques dont les activités sont restreintes aux OPC[1] (les « personnes physiques dont les activités sont restreintes ») de faire des opérations sur les titres d’un OPC alternatifs sauf si elles ont réussi l’un des cours prévus dans la partie 4 du règlement 81-104. Ces normes de formation ont été conservées par les ACVM, qui « [reconnaît] que les OPC alternatifs peuvent être plus complexes que d’autres types d’OPC, et qu’une formation additionnelle pourrait s’avérer nécessaire pour les courtiers en épargne collective offrant ces produits[2] ». Selon les ACVM, le maintien de normes de formation plus rigoureuses à l’égard des OPC alternatifs contribuera à mieux outiller les personnes physiques dont les activités sont restreintes pour offrir ces produits.
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Expect Big Changes to SROs: CSA Releases its Consultation Paper for a Revised SRO Framework
Introduction
On June 25, 2020 the Canadian Securities Administrators (“CSA”) released their Consultation Paper 25-402 – Consultation on the Self-Regulation Organization Framework (“Consultation Paper”). The Consultation Paper discusses seven key issues of the existing framework for self-regulatory organizations (“SROs”) and is seeking feedback from industry representatives, investor advocates, and the public on how the innovation…
Canadian Securities Regulators Publish Additional Relief Orders to Provide Market Participants Relief from Reporting Deadlines during COVID-19
On May 20, 2020, Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) issued a news release to announce that the CSA has published new local blanket orders (New Blanket Orders) for market participants that provide a 45-day extension for periodic filings normally required to be made by non-investment fund issuers between June 2, 2020 and…
Canadian Securities Regulators Publish Local Blanket Relief Orders to Provide Market Participants Relief from Reporting Deadlines during COVID-19
On March 23, 2020, the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) issued a news release to announce that the CSA has published local blanket orders (Blanket Orders) for market participants that provide a 45-day extension for periodic filings normally required to be made by market participants on or before June 1, 2020. Market…
Fasken Comments to CSA to Reduce Regulatory Burden for Investment Funds
The Investment Management Group of Fasken has provided the Canadian Securities Authorities (the “CSA”) with an extensive comment letter in response to the proposals described in Reducing Regulatory Burden for Investment Fund Issuers – Phase 2, Stage 1 (the “Proposals”) set out in the CSA Notice and Request for Comment dated…
Developments in Private Equity and Fund Formation – ILPA Publishes its Model LPA
On October 30, 2019, the International Limited Partner Association (ILPA) published its model limited partnership agreement (LPA) template for private equity. The model LPA is available online by clicking here and constitutes a Delaware-law based “whole of fund” waterfall LPA that can be used to structure investments into traditional private equity buyout funds. It is…