Canadian Securities Regulators Propose Disclosure Enhancements to Fund Facts

TORONTO, June 21, 2012 /CNW/ - The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) today published for a second comment period proposed amendments to National Instrument 81-101 Mutual Fund Prospectus Disclosure, which were originally published in August 2011 (2011 Proposal).

In the 2011 Proposal, the CSA set out Stage 2 of the implementation of the point of sale framework for mutual funds, which proposed amendments to allow delivery of the Fund Facts document to satisfy prospectus delivery requirements.  The Fund Facts document is central to the point of sale initiative.  It is in plain language, no more than two pages double-sided and highlights key information about a mutual fund that is important to investors.

Based on investor and stakeholder feedback on the 2011 Proposal, the CSA are now proposing changes to the content of the Fund Facts document, in particular, the presentation of risk in the document. Some of the more notable changes to the Fund Facts document include:

• Adding an explanation of the risk scale and the relationship between risk and losses;
• Requiring a list of some of the specific risk factors that could impact a fund's returns; and,
• Including a comparison of the mutual fund's performance with a low risk investment - a one-year Guaranteed Investment Certificate.

"The CSA's proposals are an important step in the implementation of this investor-focused initiative," said Bill Rice, Chair of the CSA and Chair and CEO of the Alberta Securities Commission. "The proposed changes to the Fund Facts are intended to provide more effective disclosure to assist investors in making informed investment decisions."

During the second comment period, the CSA will also conduct further document testing of the Fund Facts with investors to inform the final changes to the document.

To view the proposed amendments, please refer to the CSA Notice on NI 81-101 Mutual Fund Prospectus Disclosure, which is available on the websites of CSA members. A sample Fund Facts including the proposed changes is available in Appendix A of the Notice.  The comment period is open until September 6, 2012.

The CSA, the council of the securities regulators of Canada's provinces and territories, co-ordinate and harmonize regulation for the Canadian capital markets.

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

Mark Dickey
Alberta Securities Commission
403-297-4481

Sylvain Théberge
Autorité des marchés financiers
514-940-2176

Richard Gilhooley
British Columbia Securities Commission
604-899-6713

Ainsley Cunningham
Manitoba Securities Commission
204-945-4733

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

Tanya Wiltshire
Nova Scotia Securities Commission
902-424-8586

Dean Murrison
Saskatchewan Financial Services
Commission
306-787-5879

Janice Callbeck
PEI Securities Office
Office of the Attorney General
902-368-6288

Doug Connolly
Financial Services Regulation Div.
Newfoundland and Labrador
709-729-2594

Helena Hrubesova
Yukon Securities Office
867-667-5466

Louis Arki
Nunavut Securities Office
867-975-6587

Donn MacDougall
Northwest Territories
Securities Office
867-920-8984