Whistleblowers Whistleblower Program

Are you a whistleblower?

A whistleblower is a person who wants to make a disclosure of wrongdoing to the AMF (an act called whistleblowingWhistleblowing is when an individual discloses information to the AMF that may demonstrate a violation or imminent violation of an Act administered by the AMF.). Potential whistleblowers can be employees, former employees, directors, colleagues of the person whose conduct is being reported, services providers and friends and relatives, among others.

The AMF has put various measures in place to extend maximum protection to whistleblowers, ensuring their identity remains confidential and they are shielded from potential reprisals.

A whistleblower discloses information that may show that:

  • A violation of an Act administered by the AMF has been committed,
  • A violation of an Act administered by the AMF is about to be committed, or
  • The whistleblower has been asked to commit such a violation.

Whistleblowers make an invaluable contribution by providing investigators with information that would otherwise be hard to access. With their help, the AMF is able to uncover more violations, take action earlier and minimize the impact of violations on victims. In some instances, a whistleblower’s disclosure can help prevent a violation before it happens.

What protections are extended to whistleblowers?

The AMF has put various measures in place to extend maximum protection to whistleblowers, ensuring their identity remains confidential and they are shielded from potential reprisal. These include:

  • Confidentiality: The AMF takes all the necessary steps to protect the anonymity of anyone who makes a disclosure.
  • Immunity from liability: Anyone who discloses a violation of an Act administered by the AMF will, provided they act in good faith, be immune from liability for whistleblowing to the AMF.
  • Ability to make a disclosure despite confidentiality obligations. Violations may be reported despite any restriction on disclosure set out in Québec statutes, any provision of any contract or any duty of loyalty or confidentiality that would normally be binding on the whistleblower, including in respect of the employer or a client of the whistleblower.
  • Prohibition on reprisal against a good faith whistleblower to cause the whistleblower to refrain from making a disclosure to the AMF. Reprisal includes demotion, suspension, dismissal or transfer or any disciplinary or other measure that adversely affects the potential whistleblower’s employment or working conditions.
  • Prohibition on threats of reprisal against a good faith whistleblower to cause the whistleblower to refrain from making a disclosure to the AMF or from cooperating with an AMF investigation.

How are whistleblower disclosures handled?

The AMF ensures that disclosures are received and handled in a secure manner. For reasons of confidentiality, we will not provide a written acknowledgement of receipt of any disclosure that is made.

A team specialized in handling these types of disclosures will collect and analyze the information disclosed while applying strict measures to keep the whistleblower’s identity confidential.

If additional information or clarification is required after a disclosure is analyzed, an investigator from the Whistleblower Program will contact the whistleblower on a confidential basis. Should a disclosure lead to an investigation by the AMF, Whistleblower Program staff, to protect the integrity of the process, will not share the status of the investigation with the whistleblower while the investigation is ongoing.

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The AMF’s Whistleblower Program seeks to: 

  • extend maximum privacy protection to whistleblowers.
  • collect any information that may demonstrate a violation or imminent violation of an Act administered by the AMF.

You’re not sure this program applies to you? Refer to our section Making a complaint

Make a disclosure

  • Gather information and prepare your documents: You will need to indicate the names of the persons or firms involved, their contact information, key dates, etc. You may attach digital documents.
  • Find a moment when you know you won’t be interrupted: The form must be submitted in a single session. You won’t be able to save your progress and return to the form later to complete it. After a period of inactivity, your session may time out. We will check whether you wish to continue. If you don’t, your disclosure will be cancelled.
  • As a precautionary measure, we recommend you use a personal computer and that you not log in from a public wi-fi network.

Complete the disclosure form This link will open in a new window

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YOUR SECURE SPACE

Log in to your secure space, where you and the AMF can exchange information and documents by e-mail.

To have access to a secure space, you need to have previously completed and submitted an on-line disclosure form.

Log in to my secure space This link will open in a new window