The Canadian Securities Administrators released proposed amendments to National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements and Exemptions and its companion policy today that would add (and clarify), as a condition to the exemptions for SRO members/approved persons provided in sections 3.16, 9.3 and 9.4 of the Instrument, that the registered individual or investment dealer comply with the specified corresponding provision of IIROC or, in the case of a mutual fund dealer firm, the MFDA.

The CSA has issued an extension for the consultation period for the draft securitization proposals that had been issued for consideration previously.

According to the federal budget announced yesterday (see page 130), the federal government intends to amend the Bank Act to create explicit regulation-making authority for banks in regards to over-the-counter derivatives.

The Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada today released proposed amendments to the Universal Market Integrity Rules that would repeal the restrictions on the price at which a short sale may be made on Canadian markets.

The Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada (MFDA) proposed amendments today intended to ensure consistency between its rules respecting the delivery of client account statements with those found in NI 31-103.

On February 10, the OSC announced that the Minister of Finance (Ontario) has approved amendments to NI 31-103, previously published in November 2011, related to exemptions for SRO members.

As I discussed in my post of January 4, the Ontario Personal Property Security Law Sub-Committee of the Ontario Bar Association’s Business Law Section has been working on a draft proposal over the last year to amend Ontario's personal property security legislation to deal more effectively with cash collateral

Earlier this month, Omega ATS announced the proposed introduction of "iceberg" orders to its trading platform.

The Ontario Minister of Finance has now approved amendments to National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

According to the recently released Ontario budget, personal property security legislation will be amended to make it easier for businesses and financial institutions to provide or obtain first‐priority security interests in cash collateral.

It was recently announced that the Ontario Securities Commission will be hosting a panel discussion on the potential imposition of a statutory fiduciary duty on advisers and dealers to act in the best interests of clients.

The last few years have seen the development and implementation of various regulatory initiatives affecting the Canadian asset management industry, including amendments to the dealer, adviser and investment fund manager registration framework.

The Quebec National Assembly passed, on November 30, 2011, an "Act to amend various legislative provisions mainly concerning the financial sector".

On November 10, 2011, the Quebec Minister for Finance introduced an amendment to Bill 7 presently before the Committee on Public Finance of the National Assembly which contemplates an amendment to the Derivatives Act (Quebec).

The Canadian Securities Administrators today announced the adoption of amendments to National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations and its Companion Policy related to exemptions for SRO members.

The Canadian Securities Administrators have recently published for comment proposed rules and rule amendments relating to securitized products.

Sterling Dietze, a partner in the Banking & Finance Group, discusses smart contracts and their impact on commercial financing transactions. (1 hour, 17 minutes)

The Toronto Stock Exchange announced today that it has adopted amendments to its Company Manual to introduce a Canadian Due Bill tracking system.

The OSC has announced that it has approved amendments to TSX rules and policies to repeal rules relating to "anti-scooping" and those setting out minimum capital and stabilization requirements for market makers.

As we discussed in October, TSX Inc. and TMX Select Inc. recently proposed the implementation of cancel on disconnect functionality that would provide the automatic cancellation of orders in the event of involuntary loss of connectivity between TMX and a client site.