Securities Regulatory Compliance In Canada

Describes and analyses the principal features of securities regulation in Canada, with emphasis on the provincial securities acts and the administrative agencies responsible for these acts. Deals with licences, continuous disclosure, insider trading, take-over bids, regulation of trade generally, and enforcement.

This paper presents an assessment IMF report on implementation of the International Organization of Securities Commission (IOSCO) principles in Canada. It highlights that developing an integrated and robust view of risks to support supervisory actions remains a key challenge. The IMF report suggests that the securities regulators should continue to take steps to ensure timely decision making in policy formulation. However, the current governance arrangements, based on a consensus building approach across several entities, is expected to affect timeliness of decision making.

This paper discusses key findings of the Report on the Observance of Standards and Codes for Canada. Canada has a very high level of compliance with the Basel Core Principles for Effective Banking Supervision. In response to the challenges and structure of its market, the Canadian banking supervisor (OSFI) has developed and is a strong proponent of risk-based, proportionate, supervisory practices and applies a “close touch” approach to its supervised entities. The supervisory approach is well structured, forward looking and maintained on as dynamic a basis as possible. Entry to the Canadian market is subject to demanding prudential entry standards.