MFDA issues Notice of Settlement Hearing in respect of Funds Direct Canada Inc.

TORONTO, Nov. 30, 2022 /CNW/ - The Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada (the "MFDA") announced that it has issued a Notice of Settlement Hearing dated November 17, 2022, regarding the presentation, review and consideration of a proposed settlement agreement by a Hearing Panel of the MFDA's Prairie Regional Council.

The settlement agreement will be between Staff of the MFDA and Funds Direct Canada Inc. (the "Respondent") and involves matters for which the Respondent may be disciplined by a Hearing Panel pursuant to MFDA By-laws. The proposed settlement agreement concerns allegations that the Respondent:

a)      between October 1, 2019 and September 30, 2020, failed to conduct or maintain evidence of tier-one trade supervision, contrary to MFDA Rules 2.2.1(c), 2.5, and MFDA Policy No. 2;

b)      between October 1, 2019 and September 30, 2020, failed to ensure that tier-one trade supervision was conducted on a timely basis, contrary to MFDA Rules 2.2.1(c), 2.5, and MFDA Policy No. 2; and

c)      between March 11, 2019 and December 2, 2020, failed to adequately resolve supervisory queries, and resolve queries on a timely basis, contrary to MFDA Rules 2.2.1(c), 2.5, and MFDA Policy No. 2.

The settlement hearing will take place electronically by videoconference on December 20, 2022, commencing at 10:00 a.m. (Central), or as soon thereafter as the matter can be held. Members of the public who would like to obtain further particulars should contact [email protected].

MFDA settlement hearings are typically held in the absence of the public pursuant to section 20.5 of MFDA By-law No. 1 and Rule 15.2(2) of the MFDA Rules of Procedure. If the Hearing Panel accepts the settlement agreement, then the proceeding will become open to the public and a copy of the decision of the Hearing Panel and the settlement agreement will be made available at www.mfda.ca.

A copy of the Notice of Settlement Hearing is available on the MFDA website at www.mfda.ca.

The MFDA is the self-regulatory organization for Canadian mutual fund dealers, regulating the operations, standards of practice and business conduct of its Members and their approximately 76,695 Approved Persons with a mandate to protect investors and the public interest. For more information about the MFDA's complaint and enforcement processes, as well as links to 'Check an Advisor' and other Investor Tools, visit the For Investors page on the MFDA website.

SOURCE Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada

Charles Toth, Vice-President, Enforcement, 416-943-4619, [email protected]; Mark Stott, Vice-President, Prairie Region, 403-215-8329, [email protected]