News Release
Canadian securities regulators propose new nationally harmonized crowdfunding rules
Feb 27, 2020
Vancouver – The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) is seeking comment on proposed harmonized rules for start-up securities crowdfunding.
Proposed National Instrument 45-110 Start-up Crowdfunding Registration and Prospectus Exemptions would replace and enhance the requirements currently in effect in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Québec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
Enhancements from the current requirements include:
- Increasing to $1 million (from $500,000) the maximum total amount that could be raised by a business under the crowdfunding prospectus exemption per year;
- Increasing to $2,500 (from $1,500) the maximum investment a purchaser can make in an offering, with a higher limit of $5,000 if the purchaser obtains advice from a registered dealer that the investment is suitable for the purchaser;
- Requiring funding portals to annually certify that they have sufficient working capital to continue operations for the following year.
“Small businesses and start-ups need unified regulatory requirements for securities crowdfunding to expand their access to capital,” said Louis Morisset, Chair of the CSA and President and CEO of the Autorité des marchés financiers. “This proposed National Instrument would introduce a single, harmonized set of rules, and increase the thresholds for capital-raising and investing, while still providing appropriate investor protection.”
Since 2015, about 70 distributions of securities have taken place under the existing start-up crowdfunding prospectus exemptions, with an average investment of $734 from each purchaser.
The notice and request for comment can be found on CSA members’ websites. Stakeholders are invited to submit their comments in writing by May 27, 2020.
The CSA, the council of the securities regulators of Canada’s provinces and territories, co-ordinates and harmonizes regulation for the Canadian capital markets.
- 30 -
For investor inquiries, please refer to your respective securities regulator. You can contact them here.
For media inquiries, please refer to the list of provincial and territorial representatives below or contact us at media@acvm-csa.ca:
Kristen Rose
Ontario Securities Commission
416-593-2336
media_inquiries@osc.gov.on.ca
Brian Kladko
British Columbia Securities Commission
mediainquiries@bcsc.bc.ca
Jason Booth
The Manitoba Securities Commission
204-945-1660
Shannon McMillan
Financial and Consumer Affairs Authority of Saskatchewan
306-798-4160
David Harrison
Nova Scotia Securities Commission
902-424-8586
Renée Dyer
Office of the Superintendent of Securities
Newfoundland and Labrador
709-729-4909
Rhonda Horte
Office of the Yukon Superintendent of Securities
867-667-5466
Hilary McMeekin
Alberta Securities Commission
403-592-8186
Sylvain Théberge
Autorité des marchés financiers
sylvain.theberge@lautorite.qc.ca
Sara Wilson
Financial and Consumer Services Commission, New Brunswick
506-643-7045
Steven Dowling
Government of Prince Edward Island
Superintendent of Securities
902-368-4550
Jeff Mason
Nunavut Securities Office
867-975-6591
Tom Hall
Office of the Superintendent of Securities,
Northwest Territories
867-767-9305