The Exempt Market Dealers Association of Canada (EMDA) Announces its Name Change to the Private Capital Markets Association of Canada (PCMA)

TORONTO, March 19, 2014 /CNW/ - The Exempt Market Dealers Association of Canada™ (the EMDA) is pleased to announce our change of name to the Private Capital Markets Association of Canada / l'Association du marché des capitaux privés du Canada. The PCMA was originally established in 2002 as the Limited Markets Dealers Association of Canada™.

Our members and supporters believe the new name better reflects our membership and our mandate, and will better capture the important role our members play in the capital markets. Capital raised in the private capital markets helps finance and develop some of the most critical and entrepreneurial industries across Canada and is an important contributor to creating jobs and wealth for Canadians. The PCMA name reflects a continuation of the leadership of the EMDA in bringing together many elements of the private capital markets into a stronger and more inclusive brand in support of the Canadian private capital markets industry.

Speaking of the changes, Geoffrey Ritchie, PCMA Executive Director, comments, "We are delighted to unveil our new name and website that will be the foundation of our growth plans in the years ahead. Since our Association was founded in 2002, we have steadily grown our membership, expanded our focus and clearly established our national voice in the Canadian capital markets. We have done so through the strength of our member firms and individuals across Canada and our national Board of Directors representing dealers, issuers and other industry professionals from coast-to-coast. Membership in the PCMA provides exempt market professionals access to a deep pool of capital raising professionals, experts in regulatory compliance, finance and legal services and a strong and effective national voice for the private capital markets industry."

The PCMA is focused on strengthening and developing the private capital markets to ensure robust capital raising opportunities across Canada and ensure Canadian investors have access to diverse private market investment options. The private capital markets provide investors with an opportunity to access a wide range of asset classes and investment options typically accessible to only the largest institutional investors.

Upcoming PCMA Initiatives for 2014

• Launch of the PCMA regional chapters across Canada.
• Launch of the redesigned Exempt Market Product (EMP) course in partnership with IFSE Institute (owned by the Investment Funds Institute of Canada (IFIC) which is the only prescribed proficiency course focused on the exempt market in Canada and designed for Dealing Representatives and Chief Compliance Officers of Exempt Market Dealers.
• PCMA industry magazine, comment letters to Canadian securities regulators and other advocacy work to advance the interests of the private capital markets.
• The 3rd Annual PCMA Private Capital Markets Conference, June 2, 2014.
• The 2014 PCMA Awards - Private Capital Deals of the Year.
• The Annual PCMA Compliance and CFO Financial Education Series in major cities across Canada.

About Private Capital Markets Association of Canada

Since 2002, the Private Capital Markets Association of Canada (PCMA) (formerly the Exempt Market Dealers Association of Canada™) has brought together exempt market dealers, exempt market product issuers, and professional advisers to the exempt market. The PCMA is the leading national industry voice for the exempt market to securities regulators, government agencies and the capital markets. The PCMA provides valuable services and benefits to its members, including: regulatory and compliance resources, opportunities for professional development and industry education, exclusive insurance programs, and access to a network of exempt market professionals from coast to coast. For more information visit www.pcmacanada.com.

Note: ™Exempt Market Dealers Association of Canada, EMDA and Limited Market Dealers Association of Canada are trademarks of the Private Capital Markets Association of Canada

Image with caption: "Private Capital Markets Association of Canada (CNW Group/Private Capital Markets Association of Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20140319_C5987_PHOTO_EN_38126.jpg

SOURCE: Private Capital Markets Association of Canada

For further information:

For all media inquiries please contact:

Geoffrey Ritchie, PCMA Executive Director
[e-mail] | 416.509.9179

For other regional media inquiries contact:

British Columbia
Maurice Levesque, PCMA Director
[e-mail] | 604.601.5802

Alberta
Doug Bedard, PCMA Vice Chair
[e-mail] | 403.537.7683
&
Tim Kocsar, PCMA Vice Chair
[e-mail] | 403.781.6058

Quebec
Gilles Seguin, PCMA Director
[e-mail] | 514.397.5570

Atlantic Canada
Chris Dobbin, PCMA, Director
[e-mail] | 902.401.9480