News Releases

Canadian Securities Regulators Seek Input on Proposed Trade-through Protection Rule

Oct 17, 2008

The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) today published amendments to National Instrument 21-101 Marketplace Operation (NI 21-101) and National Instrument 23-101 Trading Rules (NI 23-101) that would introduce a trade-through protection rule.

Trade-through protection ensures that better-priced orders are executed first. The proposed rule would require each marketplace to establish, maintain and enforce written policies and procedures that are designed to prevent trade-throughs.  Trade-through protection is currently addressed as part of the best price obligation imposed by the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC).

“Trade-through protection is important to maintain investor confidence in the fairness and efficiency of our market,” said Jean St-Gelais, Chair of the CSA and President & Chief Executive Officer of the Autorité des marchés financiers (Québec). “At this stage, having sought input on a trade-through protection framework and its impact on the Canadian market, we have developed a proposed rule that will ultimately benefit investors.”

Throughout the development of the proposed rule, the CSA has sought feedback from Canadian market participants, the majority of whom voiced their support for trade-through protection.  The proposed rule follows the publication of a CSA Discussion Paper 23-403 Market Structure Developments and Trade-through Obligations, as well as a public forum in 2005, and a Joint Notice with Market Regulation Services Inc. (now IIROC) on Trade-Through, Best Execution and Access to Marketplaces in April 2007.

The CSA invites interested stakeholders to provide input on the amendments and responses to the various questions raised in the CSA Notice.  National Instrument 21-101 Marketplace Operation, National Instrument 23-101 Trading Rules, and related companion policies are available on various CSA members’ websites. The comment period is open until January 15, 2009.

The CSA, the council of the securities regulators of Canada’s provinces and territories, co-ordinates and harmonizes regulation for the Canadian capital markets.

For more information:

Laurie Gillett
Ontario Securities Commission
416-595-8913

Barbara Shourounis
Saskatchewan Financial Services Commission
306-787-5842

Sylvain Théberge
Autorité des marchés financiers
514-940-2176

Ken Gracey
British Columbia Securities Commission
604-899-6577   

Natalie MacLellan
Nova Scotia Securities Commission
902-424-8586

Mark Dickey
Alberta Securities Commission
403-297-4481

Ainsley Cunningham
Manitoba Securities Commission
204-945-4733

Wendy Connors-Beckett
New Brunswick Securities Commission
506-643-7745

Mark Gallant
Prince Edward Island
Office of Attorney General
902-368-4552

Doug Connolly
Financial Services Regulation Division
Newfoundland and Labrador
709-729-2594

Louis Arki
Nunavut Securities Registry
867-975-6587

Donn MacDougall
Securities Registry
Northwest Territories
867-920-8984

Fred Pretorius
Yukon Securities Office
867-667-5225