Canadian securities regulators adopt amendments to early warning system

MONTREAL, Feb. 25, 2016 The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) announced today the publication of final amendments that are designed to provide greater transparency about holdings of reporting issuers' securities under the early warning system.  

"These final amendments enhance the quality and integrity of the early warning reporting regime in a manner that is appropriate for the Canadian capital markets," said Louis Morisset, CSA Chair and President and CEO the Autorité des marchés financiers. "By enhancing disclosure in early warning reports, the amendments intend to allow the market to review and assess the potential impact of changes in the ownership of, or control or direction over, a reporting issuer's securities."

Once in effect, the amendments will, among other things:

• require disclosure of decreases in ownership, control or direction of 2 per cent or more for security-holders subject to reporting;
• require disclosure when a security-holder's ownership, control or direction falls below the early warning reporting threshold of 10 per cent;
• exempt lenders and borrowers, in certain circumstances, from including the securities lent or borrowed for the purposes of determining the early warning reporting threshold trigger;
• make the alternative monthly reporting system unavailable to eligible institutional investors who solicit proxies from security holders in certain circumstances;
• enhance the disclosure in the early warning report; and
• further streamline the information required in a news release.

Except in Ontario, provided all necessary Ministerial approvals are obtained, the amendments will come into force on May 9, 2016. In Ontario, the amendments will come into force on the later of (a) May 9, 2016, and (b) the day on which certain sections of Schedule 18 of the Budget Measures Act, 2015 (Ontario) are proclaimed into force. A copy of the amendments can be found on CSA members' websites.

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:

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	Kristen Rose Ontario Securities Commission 416-593-2336
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
John O'Brien Office of the Superintendent of Securities Newfoundland and Labrador 709-729-4909	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

SOURCE Autorité des marchés financiers

Mark Dickey, Alberta Securities Commission, 403-297-4481; Richard Gilhooley, British Columbia Securities Commission, 604-899-6713; Ainsley Cunningham, Manitoba Securities Commission, 204-945-4733; Tanya Wiltshire, Nova Scotia Securities Commission, 902-424-8586; John O'Brien, Office of the Superintendent of Securities, Newfoundland and Labrador; 709-729-4909, Jeff Mason, Nunavut Securities Office, 867-975-6591; Shannon McMillanFinancial and Consumer Affairs, Authority of Saskatchewan, 306-798-4160; Sylvain Théberge, Autorité des marchés financiers, 514-940-2176; Kristen Rose, Ontario Securities Commission, 416-593-2336; Andrew Nicholson, Financial and Consumer Services, Commission, New Brunswick, 506-658-3021; Rhonda Horte, Office of the Yukon Superintendent of Securities, 867-667-5466; Tom Hall, Office of the Superintendent of Securities,Northwest Territories, 867-767-9305