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Generating
National Instrument 81-107 Independent Review Committee for Investment Funds
Part 2 Functions of the manager
Section 2.2

Manager to have written policies and procedures

(1) Before proceeding with a conflict of interest matter or any other matter that securities legislation requires the manager to refer to the independent review committee, the manager must

(a) establish written policies and procedures that it must follow on that matter or on that type of matter, having regard to its duties under securities legislation; and

(b) refer the policies and procedures to the independent review committee for its review and input.

(2) In establishing the written policies and procedures described in subsection (1), the manager must consider the input of the independent review committee, if any.

(3) The manager may revise its policies and procedures if it provides the independent review committee with a written description of any significant changes for the independent review committee’s review and input before implementing the revisions.

Commentary

1. Section 2.2 contemplates that a manager should identify for each investment fund the conflict of interest matters it expects will arise and that will be required to be referred to the IRC under section 5.1, and review its policies and procedures for those matters with the IRC. Section 2.2 further requires the manager to establish policies and procedures for other matters it expects will arise and that will be required by securities legislation to be referred to the IRC, for example, certain reorganizations and transfers of assets between related mutual funds under Part 5 of NI 81-102.

2. A manager is expected to establish policies and procedures that are consistent with its obligations to the investment fund under securities legislation to make decisions in the best interests of the fund. Paragraph (1)(a) is intended to reinforce this obligation. A manager that manages more than one investment fund may establish policies and procedures for an action or category of actions for all of the investment funds it manages. Alternatively, the manager may establish separate policies and procedures for the action or category of actions for each of its investment funds, or groups of its investment funds. However structured, the CSA expect the written policies and procedures the manager establishes to be designed to prevent any violations by the manager and the investment fund of securities legislation in the areas that this Instrument addresses, and to detect and promptly correct any violations that occur.

3. A manager is expected to follow the policies and procedures established under this section. In referring a matter to the IRC under section 5.1, the CSA expect the manager to inform the IRC whether its proposed action follows its written policies and procedures on the matter. If an unanticipated conflict of interest matter arises for which the manager does not have a policy and procedure, the CSA expect the manager to bring the matter and its proposed action to the IRC for its review and input at the time the matter is referred to the IRC.

4. Small investment fund families may require fewer written policies and procedures than large fund complexes that, for example, have conflicts of interest as a result of affiliations with other financial service firms.