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ARTICLE · 30 DECEMBER 2025

Alberta Expands ASC Powers To Address Financial Misinformation

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The Government of Alberta has enacted amendments to the Securities Act, aimed at protecting investors and supporting the integrity of Alberta's capital markets.

CanadaCorporate/Commercial Law
William Osler
William Osler
Denise D. Bright
Denise D. Bright
Olu Akinniyi
Olu Akinniyi
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The Government of Alberta has enacted amendments to the Securities Act, aimed at protecting investors and supporting the integrity of Alberta's capital markets. Developed with input from the Alberta Securities Commission (ASC), the amendments impose penalties for spreading financial misinformation and give authority to the ASC to halt trading of a stock for up to 15 days to protect investors. The amendments to the Securities Act, which were part of the broader Financial Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 (No. 2), received Royal Assent on December 11, 2025.

ASC Granted Broader Discretion in Preventing Financial Misinformation

A key amendment expands the definition of "forward-looking information" in the Securities Act to include disclosure involving future-oriented statements that may be prescribed by regulation. This amendment gives the ASC discretion to penalize misinformation that could harm investors or negatively impact the stock market. With many Albertans

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