Canadian Securities Regulators Adopt Amendments to Prospectus Rules

CALGARY, Feb. 28, 2013 /CNW/ - The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) announced today amendments to National Instrument (NI) 41-101 General Prospectus Requirements, NI 44-101 Short Form Prospectus Distributions, NI 44-102 Shelf Distributions, NI 81-101 Mutual Fund Prospectus Disclosure, and related policies and consequential amendments.  The CSA are amending the prospectus rules and their related companion policies to address user feedback and the CSA's experience with the prospectus rules since the implementation of the general prospectus rule, NI 41-101, on March 17, 2008.

"The CSA constantly reviews the effectiveness of its rules, regulations and policies to ensure they are meeting the needs of both investors and market participants," said Bill Rice, Chair of the CSA and Chair and CEO of the Alberta Securities Commission.  "These changes clarify, modify or eliminate aspects of the prospectus rules to make the process more streamlined and accessible to users."

The amendments are intended to:

• clarify certain provisions of the prospectus rules;
• address gaps in the prospectus rules;
• modify certain requirements in the prospectus rules to enhance their effectiveness;
• remove or streamline certain requirements in the prospectus rules that are burdensome for issuers and of limited utility for investors; and
• codify prospectus relief that has been granted in the past.

The amendments and related materials can be found on CSA members' websites.  In some jurisdictions, ministerial approvals are required to implement the amendments.  If all such approvals are obtained, the amendments will take effect on May 14, 2013. 

The CSA, the council of the securities regulators of Canada's provinces and territories, coordinates and harmonizes regulation for the Canadian capital markets.

SOURCE: Canadian Securities Administrators

Mark Dickey
Alberta Securities Commission
403-297-4481

Sylvain Théberge
Autorité des marchés financiers
514-940-2176

Ainsley Cunningham
Manitoba Securities Commission
204-945-4733      

Tanya Wiltshire
Nova Scotia Securities Commission 
902-424-8586

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

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

Donn MacDougall
Northwest Territories Securities Office
867-920-8984

Carolyn Shaw-Rimmington
Ontario Securities Commission
416-593-2361

Richard Gilhooley
British Columbia Securities Commission
604-899-6713

Wendy Connors-Beckett
New Brunswick Securities Commission
506-643-7745 

Dean Murrison 
Financial and Consumer Affairs
Authority of Saskatchewan 
306-787-5842

Doug Connolly
Financial Services Regulation Division of
Newfoundland and Labrador
709-729-2594

Louis Arki
Nunavut Securities Office
867-975-6587