Background
On December 18, 2014, the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) published its final guidance note outlining common due diligence practices and suggestions for IIROC dealer members (Dealer Members) in underwritten public offerings of securities. The guidance note follows IIROC’s March 6, 2014 proposed guidance and a three month public comment period.
The guidance note urges Dealer Members to take an approach to due diligence that goes beyond the mere avoidance of liability and mitigation of risk to the underwriter as Dealer Members play a role in protecting investors, fostering fair and efficient capital markets and creating and maintaining confidence in the capital markets.
The guidance note was prepared specifically to address Dealer Members involved in public offerings of securities. Although the March 6, 2014 proposed guidance indicated that some aspects of the guidance may be helpful to Dealer Members in the context of private placements, such reference to private placements was removed in the final guidance note.
Nine Principles of Underwriting Due Diligence
The guidance note is designed to promote consistency and enhanced underwriting due diligence standards among Dealer Members. It sets out nine principles which underwriters should consider in the context of their due diligence of the issuer. These are:
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