Canadian securities regulators introduce harmonized reporting for the prospectus-exempt market

Toronto – The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) today published amendments to National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions (NI 45-106) and its companion policy to introduce a new harmonized report of exempt distribution.

“The prospectus-exempt market has seen tremendous growth in recent years and regulators must adapt to this growth,” said Louis Morisset, Chair of the CSA and President and CEO of the Autorité des marchés financiers. “With the introduction of a single and harmonized report, issuers will be able to more adequately provide the information needed by regulators to ensure effective oversight of this market.”

The new report will apply to all issuers that distribute securities under certain prospectus exemptions. It will require additional disclosure about the issuer and its insiders, securities distributed, prospectus exemptions relied on and persons compensated for the distribution.

Issuers will not be required to provide certain information in the new report where this data can be gathered through other available sources, such as the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) and the National Registration Database (NRD). The new report also includes carve-outs from a number of information requirements for certain issuers, including investment fund issuers, reporting issuers and foreign public issuers.

The CSA published proposed amendments to NI 45-106 and the new report for a 60-day comment period, which expired on October 13, 2015. The CSA received 19 written submissions, which the CSA took into consideration in finalizing the new report.

Provided all necessary Ministerial approvals are obtained, all issuers must use the new report for distributions that occur on or after June 30, 2016. A transition period is available for investment fund issuers that file reports annually. The new report must be filed electronically in all CSA jurisdictions as paper submissions will no longer be accepted, except from foreign issuers in certain cases.

The CSA, the council of the securities regulators of Canada’s provinces and territories, co-ordinates and harmonizes regulation for the Canadian capital markets.

For more information:

Kristen Rose
Ontario Securities Commission
416-593-2336

Mark Dickey
Alberta Securities Commission
403-297-4481

Richard Gilhooley
British Columbia Securities Commission
604-899-6713

Sylvain Théberge
Autorité des marchés financiers
514-940-2176

Ainsley Cunningham
Manitoba Securities Commission
204-945-4733

Andrew Nicholson
Financial and Consumer Services
Commission, New Brunswick
506-658-3021

Tanya Wiltshire
Nova Scotia Securities Commission
902-424-8586

Janice Callbeck
Office of the Superintendent of Securities
P.E.I.
902-368-6288

Carl Allwood
Office of the Superintendent of Securities
Newfoundland and Labrador
709-729-2956

Rhonda Horte
Office of the Yukon Superintendent of
Securities
867-667-5466

Jeff Mason
Nunavut Securities Office
867-975-6591

Tom Hall
Office of the Superintendent of Securities
Northwest Territories
867-767-9305

Shannon McMillan
Financial and Consumer Affairs
Authority of Saskatchewan
306-798-4160