Canadian securities regulators announce review of minimum amount and accredited investor prospectus exemptions

CSA

Vancouver - The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) today announced that they are reviewing the $150,000 minimum amount prospectus exemption (the minimum amount exemption) and the accredited investor prospectus exemption (AI exemption) contained in National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus and Registration Exemptions.

"The CSA is undertaking this consultation with a view to ensuring that both of these exemptions continue to meet the needs of market participants by striking the appropriate balance between investor protection and efficient capital-raising in Canadian capital markets," said Bill Rice, Chair of the CSA and Chair and CEO of the Alberta Securities Commission.

As part of the review, the CSA will be consulting with the various stakeholders, including investors, issuers, registrants and professional advisors.

At the conclusion of the review, CSA staff may recommend either retaining the exemptions in their current form, or may propose changes based on the market participant feedback.

The consultation note, published today and available on the CSA member websites, provides more information on the scope of the review, including some background on these exemptions and specific consultation questions for consideration.

The public comment period is open until February 29, 2012.

The CSA, the council of securities regulators of Canada's provinces and territories, coordinates and harmonizes regulation for the Canadian capital markets.

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For more information:

CSA member name

Point of contact

Phone number

Autorité des marchés financiers

Sylvain Théberge

514-940-2176

Alberta Securities Commission

Mark Dickey

403-297-4481

British Columbia Securities Commission

Richard Gilhooney

604-899-6577

Financial Services Regulation Div. Newfoundland and Labrador

Doug Connolly

709-729-2594

Manitoba Securities Commission

Ainsley Cunningham

204-945-4733

New Brunswick Securities Commission

Wendy Connors-Beckett

506-643-7745

Northwest Territories Securities Office

Donn MacDougall

867-920-8984

Nova Scotia Securities Commission

Natalie MacLellan

902-424-8586

Nunavut Securities Office

Louis Arki

867-975-6587

Ontario Securities Commission

Carolyn Shaw-Rimmington

416-593-2361

PEI Securities Office, Office of the Attorney General

Janice Callbeck

902-368-6288

Saskatchewan Financial Services Commission

Jennifer Anderson

306-798-4160

Yukon Securities Registry

Ken Kilpatrick

867-667-5466