On September 21, 2017, following the results of a stakeholder survey conducted over the course of the year to date, the British Columbia Securities Commission (BCSC) announced changes to the existing equity crowdfunding rules found in British Columbia Instrument 45-535 – Start-up Crowdfunding Registration and Prospectus Exemptions (BCI 45-535) to address two of the most

On May 6, 2016, the B.C. Securities Commission (Commission) adopted BC Instrument 72-505 Exemption from prospectus requirement for crowdfunding distributions to purchasers outside British Columbia (BCI 72-505).  BCI 72-505 creates an exemption from the prospectus requirement for B.C. issuers that distribute securities to purchasers resident outside of B.C. using Multilateral Instrument 45-108 Crowdfunding (MI 45-108), which has not been otherwise adopted in B.C.

To qualify for the prospectus exemption under BCI 72-505, the following conditions must be met:

  • the distribution must not be made to a purchaser resident in B.C.;
  • the purchaser must purchase the security as principal;
  • the purchaser must certify in the subscription agreement that the purchaser is not resident in B.C.;
  • the issuer must comply with the requirements of MI 45-108 in the jurisdiction where the purchaser is resident; and
  • if the issuer is concurrently offering securities to a purchaser resident in B.C. using British Columbia Instrument 45-535 Start-up Crowdfunding Registration and Prospectus Exemptions (BCI 45-535), the issuer must provide the purchaser resident in B.C. with the same disclosure provided to purchasers in other jurisdictions under MI 45-108.

Continue Reading Crowdfunding Prospectus Exemptions for B.C. Issuers