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

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

Overview

In an effort to reduce the regulatory burden for issuers who wish to conduct “at-the-market” (“ATM”) offerings in Canada and facilitate capital raising by public companies, the Canadian Securities Administrators (the “CSA”) announced significant amendments (the “Amendments”) to the ATM distribution regime under National Instrument 44-102 – Shelf

Client Relationship Managers

On June 10, 2020, the Canadian Securities Administrators sent out a notice by means of a broadcast e-mail (the Notice) confirming that effective immediately portfolio managers (a PM) can register “client relationship management” (CRM) specialists as advising representatives (AR).  A CRM can interact with clients, but

On September 12, 2019, the Ontario Securities Commission (the OSC) issued a news release regarding certain amendments as to who can certify a registrant’s annual fee calculation form in Ontario (a Form 13-502F4), which also applies to foreign registrants relying on an international registration exemption in Ontario (each an unregistered registrant).

Whereas

On June 5, 2019, the Ontario Securities Commission (the OSC) sent out a notice by means of a broadcast e-mail (the Notice) with respect to certain amendments regarding the suppression of terrorism or Canadian sanctions (STCS) applicable to all registered firms, exempt dealers and exempt advisers (each a Firm).Continue Reading OSC Update re: Suppression of Terrorism Notice

The Ontario Securities Commission released OSC Staff Notice 33-749 – Annual Summary Report for Dealers, Advisers and Investment Fund Managers on August 23, 2018 (OSC Staff Notice).

In the OSC Staff Notice, OSC staff identified that some investment fund managers (IFMs) have outsourced fund administration functions (including fund accounting and transfer agency) to related parties.  Under National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations, IFMs are required to establish a system of controls and supervision to ensure compliance with securities legislation and are responsible and accountable for all functions that they outsource to a service provider.  Accordingly, IFMs should not rely solely on the related service provider and assume that all obligations under securities legislation are being met.Continue Reading OSC Staff Notice Comments on Fund Manager Oversight of Related Party Service Providers

Last month, provincial securities regulators approved Policy No. 8 (Policy) of The Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada (MFDA).  The Policy establishes proficiency standards for mutual fund dealing representatives (Representatives) who wish to sell exchange-traded fund (ETFs).

Although Representatives are legally permitted to sell certain types of

The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) have demanded that the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) boost business conduct compliance activities after the CSA noted serious deficiencies in multiple consecutive oversight reviews. In an Oversight Review Report on IIROC published July 4, 2017 (Report), CSA flagged ‘Business Conduct Compliance’ as a high priority area requiring immediate action. This public censure will likely result in stricter enforcement of IIROC dealer members.

The Report comes out of an oversight review of IIROC conducted by staff of seven provincial securities regulators, covering a period from April 1, 2015 to July 31, 2016. The purpose of the review was to assess whether the selected regulatory processes of IIROC were “effective, efficient, and applied consistently and fairly, and whether IIROC complied with the terms and conditions of the [CSA members’] recognition orders.” The Report also evaluated whether recommendations in the previous Oversight Review Report published on March 3, 2016 (covering the year before the period addressed by the current Report) (Previous Report) had been dealt with satisfactorily. The Report categorized deficiencies as high, medium, or low priority. High priority items “will result in IIROC not meeting its mandate” and require IIROC to “immediately put in place an action plan,” the implementation of which is to be directly monitored by the CSA.Continue Reading Securities Regulators to IIROC: Get Tougher!

Fasken Martineau’s Investment Products and Wealth Management team wishes to remind dealers and advisers registered under the Securities Act (Quebec) (the “registrants“) that as of June 19, 2017, registrants are subject to a new financial information disclosure obligation. Registrants whose main regulator is the Autorité des marchés financiers (the “AMF“) must