MFDA issues Notice of Settlement Hearing in respect of Wealthsimple Advisor Services Inc.

TORONTO, Nov. 2, 2022 /CNW/ - The Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada (the "MFDA") announced that it has issued a Notice of Settlement Hearing dated September 6, 2022, regarding the presentation, review and consideration of a proposed settlement agreement by a Hearing Panel of the MFDA's Central Regional Council.

The settlement agreement will be between Staff of the MFDA and Wealthsimple Advisor Services 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:

a)  between February 2019 and August 2019, the Respondent implemented a process for onboarding Approved Persons of other MFDA Members and Investment Dealers which failed to ensure that potential clients had consented to the disclosure of their confidential information to a company affiliated with the Respondent, thereby failing to implement an adequate system of controls and supervision over its onboarding process, contrary to MFDA Rules 2.1.3, 2.5.1 and 2.1.1; and

b)  between April 1, 2019 and May 27, 2019, the Respondent failed to implement an adequate system of controls and supervision over its process for onboarding Approved Persons of other MFDA Members and Investment Dealers by failing to prevent staff of an affiliated company from viewing and accessing the system of another MFDA Member in order to assist an incoming Approved Person to transfer confidential client information without the other MFDA Member's knowledge or consent, contrary to MFDA Rules 2.1.3, 2.5.1 and 2.1.1.

The settlement hearing will take place electronically by videoconference on November 23, 2022, commencing at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern), 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]