On May 6, 2026, the Canadian federal government introduced Bill C-31, which includes the Budget 2025 proposals to add two new investment fund categories of qualified investments for registered plans and to repeal the registered investment regime.
Budget 2025 included draft legislation for the proposed amendments to the rules that restrict investments that can be made by registered plans, including adding two new categories of qualified investments and repealing the registered investment regime. Further revisions to the draft legislation were released on January 29, 2026.
New categories of qualified investments
Under current law, as long as an investment fund that is organized as a trust either qualifies as a mutual fund trust, is a registered investment, or has its units listed on a designated stock exchange, units of the fund are considered “qualified investments” for purposes of the rules governing registered plans. Bill C-31 proposes to add two new categories of trust units that
