Guide To Going Public In Canada July 2017

INTRODUCTION

This guide gives an overview of what is involved in going public and listing a company in Canada. It is a practical overview of the process from the prerequisites through to life as a public company.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Why List securities in Canada?

Listing your company's securities on a Canadian stock exchange provides access to significant capital pools and investors, both in Canada and abroad. The Canadian capital markets are particularly attractive for resource-based issuers and may provide greater visibility for smaller and medium sized issuers than a listing on other significant markets.

Aside from these advantages, Canada has less rigorous corporate governance requirements than the United States does under Sarbanes-Oxley. While going public in Canada is not fundamentally different than going public in the United States, this guide also highlights the advantages Canada has to offer from the corporate governance and regulatory perspectives.