INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT BULLETIN MARCH 2015 THE YEAR AHEAD – 2015 Key Milestones and Expected Regulatory Developments for the Investment Management Industry This publication The Year Ahead – 2015 is new. It is intended to help you keep track of regulatory developments and prepare for new regulatory deadlines and also to know what can be expected during the coming year. Securities regulation has long been a fact of life for participants in Canada’s investment management industry. The success of the Canadian industry is driven to a large degree by the industry’s embrace of the necessity for a strong regulatory regime. But the industry’s continued growth has attracted close attention from the Canadian Securities Administrators (the CSA) and investor advocates (including FAIR Canada) in recent years, which has translated into enhanced regulatory expectations and a relentless drive to seek additional protections for retail investors. We understand the challenges for the industry in keeping pace with the regulatory changes, both in monitoring deadlines and understanding what may be coming next. The Investment Management Group of Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG) keeps close watch on regulatory developments. We work with our clients and others in the industry to allow them to meet the regulatory challenges and to understand the new requirements and to know how they should be implemented. We regularly publish Bulletins and Alerts describing developments in securities regulation as it applies to the Canadian investment management industry, as well as identifying issues in the regulation and how it must be implemented. This Bulletin provides a chronological time-line of regulatory deadlines and new and expected publications and regulatory announcements. Our 2015 time-line summarizes known upcoming deadlines, as well as our best estimate of expected timing of regulatory proposals or final rules. It is intended as a comprehensive snap-shot of INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT BULLETIN | MARCH 2015 2 the coming year for industry participants operating in all jurisdictions of Canada, although it must be recognized that the timing of regulatory initiatives is subject to change. And in some cases, the expected timing of initiatives based on information from the CSA and other sources is non-specific (“Spring 2015” or “during 2015”). Although our time-line does not specifically call out MFDA or IIROC publications, both self-regulatory organizations have published reports of their priorities for 2015. The MFDA’s 2015 regulatory priorities were outlined in their February 19, 2015 publication entitled 2015 Compliance and Member Education Priorities and IIROC’s 2015 regulatory priorities were discussed in their January 27, 2015 publication entitled Annual Consolidated Compliance Report. We hope that you will find this Bulletin useful. Throughout the Bulletin you will find links to our more detailed newsletters and commentary, including our letters to the CSA on various regulatory proposals. Certain national instruments and companion policies are referred to using shortened versions of their full name. For example, National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations and its companion policy are referred to as NI 31-103 and 31-103CP, respectively. If you have any feedback on this Bulletin or you would like to discuss any of the initiatives listed in it, including what they may mean for your business, we would very much like to hear from you. Please contact your usual lawyer in BLG’s Investment Management Group or any of the leaders noted at the end of this Bulletin. The information in this Bulletin was compiled by Rebecca Cowdery, with input from the following lawyers: Rebecca Cowdery 416.367.6340 rcowdery@blg.com Jason Brooks 604.640.4102 jbrooks@blg.com Carol Derk 416.367.6181 cderk@blg.com Ron Kosonic 416.367.6621 rkosonic@blg.com Julie Mansi 416.367.6224 jmansi@blg.com Lynn McGrade 416.367.6115 lmcgrade@blg.com Francesca Smirnakis 416.367.6443 fsmirnakis@blg.com Laura White 416.367.6268 lmwhite@blg.com Matt Williams 416.367.6261 mwilliams@blg.com 3 INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT GROUP The Investment Management Group at BLG consists of a team of over 50 lawyers located in offices across Canada who understand the business, regulatory and administrative issues that face participants in the Canadian investment management industry. We have the largest and most experienced investment management practice in Canada, having provided legal services to Canadian and international industry participants for over 50 years. Our lawyers are leaders in investment funds, registrant regulation and compliance, private-pooled and hedge funds, segregated funds, derivatives and structured products. BLG’s Investment Management Group is ranked Number 1 in Canada in The Best Lawyers in Canada ® (2008 – 2015) in the field of Mutual Funds Law. Several of our lawyers are recognized as leaders in the area of investment funds in industry publications, including: • Lexpert®/American Lawyer Guide to Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada • Canadian Legal Lexpert ® Directory • The Best Lawyers in Canada® • Who’s Who Legal: The International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers • PLC Cross-border Investment Funds Handbook Our clients, both Canadian and international, include open and closed end investment fund complexes, providers of alternative investment, pooled and private equity products, portfolio managers and dealers, financial institutions, service providers, securities regulators, self regulatory organizations and industry trade associations. BLG is a leading, full service, national law firm focusing on business law, commercial litigation and intellectual property solutions for our clients. With more than 750 lawyers, intellectual property agents and other professionals in five Canadian cities, clients turn to us for assistance for all their legal needs, from major litigation to financing and patent registration. The Best Lawyers in Canada ® 2015. © Copyright 2014 by Woodward/White, Inc., Aiken, SC. Lexpert ® is a registered trademark of Thomson Reuters Canada Limited. © Copyright Thomson Reuters Canada Limited and its Licensors. All rights reserved. 4 JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH 2 0 1 5 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 8 9 9 9 10 10 10 FIRST QUARTER Development BLG Resources January 1 First day on which “Reporting Financial Institutions” were required to have obtained a GIIN from the U.S. IRS and to have provided their GIIN to U.S. withholding agents Canada Reaches Agreement with the U.S. on FATCA Tax Law Alert February 2014 January 11 Effective date for amendments to NI 31-103 and 31-103CP, as well as amendments to NI 33-109 and related instruments Significant Amendments to National Instrument 31-103 Finalized Impact on Canadian Registered and International Firms Effective January 11, 2015 Investment Management Bulletin October 2014 January 16 Date for voluntary submission of specified data to consultant engaged by CSA to conduct analysis of mutual fund fees in Canada February 4 CSA sent fund managers an undertaking concerning the use of the data requested to be submitted to consultant engaged by the CSA to conduct analysis of mutual fund fees in Canada, with request to submit specified data as soon as possible February 18 Publication of the Annual Summary Report for 2014 from the OSC’s Investment Funds & Structured Products Branch March 11 Effective date of amendments to NI 81-101 and 81-101CP relating to “point of sale” delivery of Fund Facts to investors by dealers (with transition periods) Fund Facts Delivery Before Purchase of Canadian Mutual Funds – Effective May 30, 2016 Investment Management Bulletin December 2014 March 16 End of comment period on the TSX’s proposed amendments to the TSX Company Manual for certain exchange traded products TSX Proposes New Listing Requirements for Investment Funds and Structured Products Investment Management Bulletin January 2015 March 24 End of comment period on Multilateral Instrument 91-101 Derivatives: Product Determination and Multilateral Instrument 96-101 Trade Repositories and Derivatives Data Reporting Proposed Derivatives Product Determination and Trade Reporting Rules Announced by Five Additional Provinces Derivatives Alert January 2015 March 27 Final date to take advantage of the OSC amnesty for late disclosure of “outside business activities”OSC Staff Notice 13-705 Disclosing “Outside Business Activities” – OSC Amnesty Deadline Ends March 27, 2015 Investment Management Bulletin January 2015 March 30 End of comment period on CSA Consultation Paper 92-401 Derivatives Trading Facilities Discover what you need to know about the Canadian OTC Derivatives Trading Facilities Consultation Paper Derivatives Alert February 2015 11 11 11 12 12 12 13 13 13 14 14 14 15 15 15 16 16 16 17 17 17 18 18 18 19 19 19 20 20 20 21 21 21 22 22 22 23 23 23 24 24 24 25 25 25 26 26 26 27 27 27 28 28 28 29 29 30 30 31 31 5 SECOND QUARTER April 11 Effective date for amendments to OSC Rule 13-502 Fees Letter dated December 17, 2014 from BLG lawyers providing comments on the proposed amendments April 30 Publication of the OSC’s draft statement of priorities for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2016 expected May 2 May 4 May 5 May 13 May 30 June 30 June 30 expected “early Spring 2015” June 30 expected “Spring 2015” Filing due date for the 2014 Part XVIII Information Return required to be filed by CRA by a Reporting Canadian Financial Institution in respect of financial accounts maintained by it during the reporting period, that were determined to be U.S. Reportable Accounts Canada Reaches Agreement with the U.S. on FATCA Tax Law Alert February 2014 End of comment period on OSC Staff Consultation Paper 15-401 Proposed Framework for an OSC Whistleblower Program Incentivizing Reports of Misconduct: The OSC Proposes New Whistleblower Program Securities & Capital Markets Bulletin February 2015 Effective date for amendments to NI 45-106 and OSC Rule 45-501 regarding prospectus exemptions Significant Changes to Canada’s Exempt Market Effective May 5, 2015: Implications for Issuers and Dealers, as well as for Retail Investors Securities & Capital Markets Bulletin February 2015 End of comment period on proposed National Instrument 94-101 Mandatory Central Counterparty Clearing of Derivatives Don’t be late to the party: The CSA releases proposed rules relating to mandatory central counterparty clearing Derivatives Bulletin February 2015 First date that dealers can send (or cause to be sent) Fund Facts Delivery Before Purchase of Canadian the prescribed notice under NI 81-101 to investors Mutual Funds – Effective May 30, 2016 Investment in mutual funds who purchase under a PAC plan Management Bulletin December 2014 to avoid having to provide a Fund Facts document in advance of the first trade under a PAC plan on and after May 30, 2016 (when the pre-sale delivery requirements for Fund Facts become effective) expected “Spring 2015” June 30 expected “Spring 2015” 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 8 9 9 9 10 10 10 11 11 11 12 12 12 13 13 13 14 14 14 15 15 15 16 16 16 17 17 17 18 18 18 19 19 19 20 20 20 21 21 21 22 22 22 Due date for a Canadian Reporting Financial Institution Canada Reaches Agreement with the U.S. on FATCA to have completed its review of pre-existing individual Tax Law Alert February 2014 accounts that were high value accounts (more than US$1 million) as at June 30, 2014 23 23 23 Release by the Cooperative Capital Markets Regulatory System of the draft initial regulations to be proposed for adoption under the proposed provincial Capital Markets Act. (comment period unknown) 26 26 26 Announcement by CSA on progress on mutual fund fees initiative - CSA Discussion Paper and Request for Comment 81-407 Mutual Fund Fees Towards a “More Perfect Union” Details of a Cooperative Capital Markets Regulatory System Proposal Released Securities & Capital Markets Bulletin September 2014 Letter dated December 8, 2014 to the various provincial governments from lawyers within BLG’s Securities & Capital Markets Group Letter dated April 11, 2013 of BLG’s Investment Management Group providing comments on the CSA Discussion Paper Release of consultant’s report June 30 MAY BLG Resources JUNE Development APRIL 2 0 1 5 Announcement by CSA on progress on “best interest” duty for dealers and advisers-CSA Consultation Paper 33-403 The Standard of Conduct for Advisers and Dealers: Exploring the Appropriateness of Introducing a Statutory Best Interest Duty When Advice is Provided to Retail Clients OSC Staff Notice on results of recent reviews of funds concerning liquidity issues, with views on best practices Letter dated February 22, 2013 of BLG’s Investment Management Group and Securities Litigation Group providing comments on the CSA Consultation Paper The Canadian Securities Regulators’ Proposals for a “Best Interest” Standard for Dealers and Advisers: the Long Road Ahead Investment Management Bulletin April 2013 24 24 24 25 25 25 27 27 27 28 28 28 29 29 29 30 30 30 6 AUGUST 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 8 9 9 9 JULY SEPTEMBER 2 0 1 5 THIRD QUARTER Development BLG Resources July 11 Effective date for amendments to NI 31-103 and 31-103CP that will restrict the activities of exempt market dealers and will provide for a short-term debt exemption for certain financial institutions Significant Amendments to National Instrument 31-103 Finalized Impact on Canadian Registered and International Firms Effective January 11, 2015 Investment Management Bulletin October 2014 July 15 Effective date for CRM-2 amendments to NI 31-103 that will require dealers and advisers to send account statements split into two segments – “nominee name” and “client name” Canadian Securities Administrators Finalize Rules Requiring Enhanced Account Level Disclosure by Registrants: Effective July 15, 2013 Investment Management Bulletin April 2013 Effective date for amendments to NI 31-103 that will require fund managers to provide account statements at least annually to “orphan” investors in their funds National Instrument 31-103 At a Glance (REVISED)* Investment Management Bulletin June 2013 Publication by CSA staff of proposed fund summary document for exchange traded funds (ETFs) Fund Facts Delivery Before Purchase of Canadian Mutual Funds – Effective May 30, 2016 Investment Management Bulletin December 2014 Publication of final rules or revised rules Significant Changes to Canada’s Exempt Market Effective May 5, 2015: Implications for Issuers and Dealers, as well as for Retail Investors Securities & Capital Markets Bulletin February 2015 10 10 10 11 11 11 July 31 12 12 12 expected “Spring or early Summer 2015” 13 13 13 14 14 14 15 15 15 16 16 16 July 31 expected for comment on crowdfunding and Ontario “Summer 2015” OM exemption 17 17 17 18 18 18 September 21 Effective date for new restrictions and requirements for closed-end funds engaging in securities lending and use of repurchase and reverse repurchase agreements September 30 Expected date for the Annual Report from the OSC’s Compliance and Registrant Regulation Branch 19 19 19 20 20 20 21 21 21 22 22 22 23 23 23 24 24 24 25 25 25 26 26 26 27 27 27 28 28 28 29 29 29 30 30 30 31 31 expected Harmonized Securities Regulation for Canadian Public Investment Funds Finalized with Twist (But There’s More to Come) Investment Management Bulletin August 2014 7 FOURTH QUARTER December 31 expected “end of year 2015” New effective date for disclosure of prescribed “position” cost in quarterly account statements (that is, required by March 31, 2016). Announced in Letter to IIAC from Bill Rice, Chair of the CSA dated January 28, 2015 (rules to be developed) Publication of proposed CSA rule amendments to implement a proposed alternative funds regulatory regime Harmonized Securities Regulation for Canadian Public Investment Funds Finalized with Twist (But There’s More to Come) Investment Management Bulletin August 2014 Moving Beyond Mutual Funds New Proposed Regulation for Public Closed-End Funds and Alternative Funds Investment Management Bulletin April 2013 December 31 expected “during 2015” Proposed rule amendments to NI 81-101/ NI 81-102 to provide for a standardized risk classification methodology for use by mutual funds – CSA Staff Notice 81-325 Status Report on Consultation under CSA Notice 81-324 and Request for Comment on Proposed CSA Mutual Fund Risk Classification Methodology for Use in Fund Facts Canadian Regulators Propose Standard Deviation as the Mandatory Risk Measurement for Canadian Investment Funds Investment Management Bulletin January 2014 Letter dated March 12, 2014 providing comments from BLG’s Investment Management Group DECEMBER proposed OCTOBER December 31 BLG Resources NOVEMBER Development 2 0 1 5 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 8 9 9 9 10 10 10 11 11 11 12 12 12 13 13 13 14 14 14 15 15 15 16 16 16 17 17 17 18 18 18 19 19 19 20 20 20 21 21 21 22 22 22 23 23 23 24 24 24 25 25 25 26 26 26 27 27 27 28 28 28 29 29 29 30 30 30 31 31 INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT GROUP National Leader John E. Hall Toronto 416.367.6643jhall@blg.com Regional Leaders Brad J. Pierce Calgary 403.232.9421bpierce@blg.com Christian Faribault Montréal Lynn M. McGradeToronto 514.954.2501 cfaribault@blg.com 416.367.6115 lmcgrade@blg.com Jason J. Brooks Vancouver604.640.4102 jbrooks@blg.com BORDEN LADNER GERVAIS LAWYERS | PATENT & TRADE-MARK AGENTS Calgary Centennial Place, East Tower 1900, 520 – 3rd Ave S W, Calgary, AB, Canada T2P 0R3 T 403.232.9500 | F 403.266.1395 Montréal 1000 De La Gauchetière St W, Suite 900, Montréal, QC H3B 5H4 T 514.879.1212 | F 514.954.1905 Ottawa World Exchange Plaza, 100 Queen St, Suite 1300 Ottawa, ON, Canada K1P 1J9 T 613.237.5160 | F 613.230.8842 (Legal) F 613.787.3558 (IP) | ipinfo@blg.com (IP) Toronto Scotia Plaza, 40 King St W, Toronto, ON, Canada M5H 3Y4 T 416.367.6000 | F 416.367.6749 Vancouver 1200 Waterfront Centre, 200 Burrard St, P.O. Box 48600 Vancouver, BC, Canada V7X 1T2 T 604.687.5744 | F 604.687.1415 blg.com This publication is not intended to constitute legal advice, a complete statement of the law, or an opinion on any subject. No one should act upon it or refrain from acting without a thorough examination of the law after the facts of a specific situation are considered. You are urged to consult your legal adviser if you have specific questions or concerns. BLG does not warrant, guarantee the accuracy, currency or completeness of this publication. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written permission of Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG). If this publication was sent to you by BLG and you do not wish to receive further publications from BLG, you may ask to have your contact information removed from our mailing lists by phoning 1.877.BLG.LAW1 or by emailing unsubscribe@blg.com. BLG’s privacy policy relative to publications may be found at www.blg.com/home/website-electronic-privacy. © 2015 Borden Ladner Gervais LLP Borden Ladner Gervais LLP is an Ontario Limited Liability Partnership.
© Copyright 2024