Canadian Securities Regulators take steps to improve scholarship plan disclosure for investors
CSA Securities
Toronto – The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) today published for comment amendments to National Instrument 41-101 General Prospectus Requirements and Form 41- 101F2 Information Required in an Investment Fund Prospectus that are aimed at providing investors with more meaningful and effective disclosure about scholarship plans.
This publication is the first phase of the CSA’s approach to modernize the regulation of scholarship plans. The proposal includes Form 41-101F3 Information Required in a Scholarship Plan Prospectus, a new form that is tailored to the unique features of scholarship plans.
Central to the proposal is a new Plan Summary document that highlights the potential benefits, risks and costs of investing in a scholarship plan. It is written in plain language, will generally be no more than three pages and will be delivered with the prospectus.
“We know that investors often have trouble understanding the unique features and complexity of scholarship plans,” said Jean
St-Gelais, Chair of the CSA and President & Chief Executive Officer of the Autorité des marchés financiers (Québec). “The new prospectus form will provide investors with the opportunity to make more informed investment decisions by giving them key information in language they can better understand.”
The need for clearer and simpler prospectus disclosure for scholarship plans was also identified in Review of Registered Education Savings Plan Industry Practices, a 2008 report prepared for the department of Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC).
Copies of the proposed rule amendments and additional background information are available on the websites of CSA members. The CSA is seeking input from all stakeholders on the proposals. The comment period is open until June 22, 2010.
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 | |
Alberta Securities Commission | Mark Dickey | |
British Columbia Securities Commission | Ken Gracey | |
Financial Services Regulation Division, Newfoundland and Labrador | Doug Connolly | |
Manitoba Securities Commission | Ainsley Cunningham | |
New Brunswick Securities Commission | Wendy Connors-Beckett | |
Nova Scotia Securities Commission | Natalie MacLellan | |
Ontario Securities Commission | Theresa Ebden | |
PEI Securities Office, Department of the Attorney General | Janice Callbeck | |
Saskatchewan Financial Services Commission | Barbara Shourounis | |
Securities Office, Northwest Territories | Donn MacDougall | |
Securities Office, Nunavut | Louis Arki | |
Securities Office, Yukon | Fred Pretorius |