Canadian Securities Regulators Implement Improved Disclosure for Mutual Fund Investors

CSA

Toronto – The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) today published amendments to National Instrument 81-101 Mutual Fund Prospectus Disclosure, its Forms and Companion Policy, as well as related rule amendments, that are aimed at providing investors with more meaningful and effective mutual fund disclosure.

Effective January 1, 2011, mutual fund companies will be required to produce a new document, called “Fund Facts”, for each class or series for each of their mutual funds. Mutual fund companies must make the Fund Facts available to investors on their website and upon request by the investor no later than July 8, 2011.

Fund Facts highlights key information for investors, including a description of the fund, and the performance, risks and costs of buying and owning the fund, in a short, easy-to-read document.

“The new Fund Facts document is designed to help investors better understand the basic features of a fund and compare different funds they may be considering,” said Jean St-Gelais, Chair of the CSA and President and Chief Executive Officer of the Autorité des marchés financiers (Québec). “This important investor initiative will provide investors with the opportunity to make more informed investment decisions.”

The Fund Facts document completes the first stage of the CSA’s implementation of the point of sale disclosure project for mutual funds. Next, the CSA expects to publish for comment a proposal to allow delivery of the Fund Facts instead of the simplified prospectus to satisfy existing delivery requirements under securities legislation. Currently, investors must receive a simplified prospectus within two days of buying a fund.

In the final stage, the CSA intends to publish for further comment requirements for point of sale delivery of the Fund Facts for mutual funds. The CSA will also consider point of sale disclosure for other types of publicly offered investment funds.

The CSA, the council of the 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

Brenda Lea Brown

604-899-6554

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

Theresa Ebden

416-593-8307

PEI Securities Office, Office of the Attorney General

Janice Callbeck

902-368-6288

Saskatchewan Financial Services Commission

Barbara Shourounis

306-787-5842

Yukon Securities Registry

Fred Pretorius

867-667-5225