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CSA Staff Notice 55-316 Questions and Answers on Insider Reporting and SEDI
3 Issuer Information

SEDI issuers need to *

SEDI issuers need to file certain information on SEDI. SEDI issuers must create their issuer profile supplement before insiders can file their insider reports. As a SEDI issuer, you need to 

  • ensure your SEDAR profile is accurate and up to date 
  • register on SEDI through a registered issuer representative or agent (see Part 2 Registration) 
  • file your issuer profile supplement (including a list of your issued and outstanding securities and related financial instruments) on SEDI through a registered issuer representative or agent

And then, on a continuous basis: 

  • file any change in the information disclosed 
  • file on SEDI an issuer report when required


CSA Staff Notice 55-316 Questions and Answers on Insider Reporting and SEDI
3 Issuer Information
3.1 General
Section 3.1.2

Do I have to file a report if I am a reporting insider of (a) an income trust, (b) a labour sponsored investment fund corporations (LSIFs) or a labour sponsored venture capital fund corporation (LSVCF), (c) a mutual fund or (d) a limited partnership?

(a) an income trust?

Yes

(b) a labour-sponsored investment fund (LSIF) or labour-sponsored venture capital fund
corporation (LSVCF)?

The answer depends on the province(s) where the LSIF or LSVCF is a reporting issuer
(or equivalent). In certain jurisdictions, such as Alberta, LSIFs and their insiders do not
have to file on SEDI because LSIFs are considered mutual funds. In other jurisdictions,
such as Ontario and Manitoba, LSIFs and their reporting insiders must file on SEDI
because LSIFs are not considered to be mutual funds for insider reporting purposes.

(c) a mutual fund?

No. The insider reporting requirement does not apply to an insider of an issuer that is a
mutual fund (see section 9.1 of NI 55-104).

(d) a limited partnership?

Yes. You need to file insider reports if you are a reporting insider of a limited
partnership that is a reporting issuer and hold securities or related financial instruments
of that limited partnership.


CSA Staff Notice 55-316 Questions and Answers on Insider Reporting and SEDI
3 Issuer Information
3.1 General
Section 3.1.7

What Do I Need To File On SEDI?

As a SEDI issuer, you need to file, through a registered issuer representative or agent:

The issuer profile supplement contains information about the issuer, including the designations of its outstanding securities and related financial instruments that its insiders hold, and contact information for the person responsible for insider affairs. The legal form is Form 55-102F3.

The issuer event report contains information about an issuer event. An issuer event is a stock dividend, stock split, consolidation, amalgamation, reorganization, merger or other similar event that affects all holdings of a class of the issuer’s securities in the same manner. The legal form is Form 55-102F4.

An issuer may choose to file issuer grant reports. Issuer grant reports disclose specific information relating to the grant or issue of an issuer’s securities and related financial instruments made to insiders of the issuer pursuant to compensation arrangements.


CSA Staff Notice 55-316 Questions and Answers on Insider Reporting and SEDI
3 Issuer Information
3.1 General
Section 3.1.8

How Do I File Issuer Information On SEDI?

You must be a registered SEDI user and have an active SEDI user account (see Part 2 Registration). Once registered and validated, log onto the system. At your home page, select ‘Create issuer profile supplement’ in order to create the issuer profile supplement for the issuer. Simply follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process. Once this process is completed, you will obtain the issuer access key.

To file an issuer event report you must log on to SEDI and enter the issuer access key for that issuer. From the Issuer activities page, click ‘Issuer event report’ and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.

To file an issuer grant report when an issuer grants or issues securities or related financial instruments pursuant to a compensation arrangement, you must log on to SEDI and enter the issuer access key for that issuer. From the Issuer activities page, click ‘Issuer grant report’ and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.


CSA Staff Notice 55-316 Questions and Answers on Insider Reporting and SEDI
3 Issuer Information
3.1 General
Section 3.1.9

Do Issuers Pay Fees To File On SEDI?

Do issuers pay fees to file on SEDI? What are they, how are they paid and when? SEDI issuers pay fees through the SEDAR system as SEDAR annual filing service charges related to SEDI. The fees are implemented by the SEDAR operator in SEDAR in code updates.

The annual filing service charges effective as of January 1, 2005 are set out in CSA Staff Notice 13-314 2005 Changes to SEDAR Annual Filing Service Charges.

Insiders and the public are not charged any fees to use the system.


CSA Staff Notice 55-316 Questions and Answers on Insider Reporting and SEDI
3 Issuer Information
3.1 General
Section 3.1.10

What Do I Do If I Cannot Access SEDI To File Issuer Information?

If SEDI is unavailable due to technical difficulties for more than a short period, the CSA would consider, depending on the jurisdiction and the circumstances, providing blanket relief from the filing requirements, or otherwise varying the time periods for filing during the period of service interruption.

If unanticipated technical difficulties prevent a SEDI issuer from filing issuer information on SEDI, then that issuer must file that information as soon as practicable after these difficulties have been resolved.


CSA Staff Notice 55-316 Questions and Answers on Insider Reporting and SEDI
3 Issuer Information
3.2 Issuer Profile Supplement
Section 3.2.1

What Is An Issuer Profile Supplement?

The issuer profile supplement provides certain information about the issuer, particularly relating to its outstanding securities and related financial instruments that may be held by insiders, that is additional to the information the issuer files on SEDAR. The issuer profile supplement must contain the information required under Form 55-102F3.

As a SEDI issuer, you need to designate on your issuer profile supplement all types of securities and related financial instruments that may be held by your insiders. However, we recommend that you designate all your issued and outstanding securities and related financial instruments.


CSA Staff Notice 55-316 Questions and Answers on Insider Reporting and SEDI
3 Issuer Information
3.2 Issuer Profile Supplement
Section 3.2.3

What If I Do Not File An Issuer Profile Supplement On SEDI?

If you do not file an issuer profile supplement, you will be in breach of securities legislation. The securities regulatory authorities can take certain actions against issuers not complying with the law, including placing the issuer on a public default list.

Also, by not filing your issuer profile supplement, your insiders will not be able to file their reports on SEDI. You will cause unnecessary inconvenience to them. Your insiders will have to file paper reports relying on the temporary hardship exemption. After you do complete your issuer profile supplement, your insiders will have to file on SEDI every report previously filed in paper format under the temporary hardship exemption.


CSA Staff Notice 55-316 Questions and Answers on Insider Reporting and SEDI
3 Issuer Information
3.2 Issuer Profile Supplement
Section 3.2.4

How Do I Designate The Issuer’S Outstanding Securities And Related Financial Instruments?

Important note: SEDI does not use the term “related financial instrument”. Instead, for the purposes of SEDI, all instruments – whether securities or related financial instruments – are considered securities.

To create a security designation for an outstanding security or related financial instrument, you need to do the following for each:

A list of the security names under each security category on SEDI is set out in Appendix 1 of the SEDI User Guide available on the SEDI website (www.SEDI.ca).

See question 3.2.7 for examples on how to designate specific securities.


CSA Staff Notice 55-316 Questions and Answers on Insider Reporting and SEDI
3 Issuer Information
3.2 Issuer Profile Supplement
Section 3.2.7

How Do I Designate The Following Types Of Securities?

 

1. Asset-backed securities   a) Select   
b) Select  
c) Describe
‘Equity’ or ‘Debt’ category
‘Other’ as security name
type ‘Asset-backed Securities’
in the additional description field
2. Options*
(exercisable into common shares
under plan)
for the underlying security
(common shares)
a) Select  
b) Select
c) Describe
d) Select  
e) Select  
f) Describe
Issuer derivative’ category
‘Options’ as security name
(if needed, add description)
‘Equity’ category
‘Common shares’ as security name
(if needed, add description)
3. Convertible debentures a) Select  
b) Select  
c) Describe
‘Debt’ category
Convertible debentures’ as security name
(if needed, add description)

* See also the questions and answers under section 4.4. Reporting for Related Financial Instruments for an explanation of “issuer derivatives” and “underlying security”.

Suggestion: Together, the security name and description will appear as one of the designated securities on this issuer’s list of securities. Its insiders will see and select from this list in order to report transactions and holdings in securities or related financial instruments of that issuer. Make sure to enter any additional words used to describe the specific security or class of security that will distinguish this security or class of security from another that will allow your reporting insiders to choose the appropriate security or related financial instrument. SEDI will compute the total balances of securities and related financial instruments that have the same designation, ownership type and registered holder name combination.


CSA Staff Notice 55-316 Questions and Answers on Insider Reporting and SEDI
3 Issuer Information
3.2 Issuer Profile Supplement
Section 3.2.9

Are Shares And Options The Same Thing?

No. An option is the right to buy or sell a specific security, such as a common share, at a predetermined price within a specified time. A share is a security that represents a residual ownership interest in a company and generally carries voting privileges.

The two are often linked. For example, in the case of an option to acquire shares in a reporting issuer, you must file separate insider reports for each of the following if they occur while you are reporting insider:


CSA Staff Notice 55-316 Questions and Answers on Insider Reporting and SEDI
3 Issuer Information
3.2 Issuer Profile Supplement
Section 3.2.10

What Derivatives Can I Select As A Category Of Securities?

A derivative is generally an instrument that derives its value, directly or indirectly, from an underlying interest, such as a security.

For SEDI, derivatives that are subject to insider reporting requirements may be classified as either “issuer derivatives” or “third party derivatives”. Issuer derivatives are derivatives such as options, warrants and rights issued by a company or other entity directly to its insiders. Share-based compensation instruments, including phantom stock units, deferred share units (DSUs), restricted share awards (RSAs), performance share units (PSUs), stock appreciation rights (SARs) and similar instruments are also generally issuer derivatives.

You can select ‘Issuer derivative’ as a category of security if you, as the issuer, have issued the derivatives. You would then select the appropriate name of the security: ‘options’, ‘rights’, ‘warrants’ or ‘other’. If necessary, you could also add a brief description to the name of the security.

A SEDI issuer cannot designate a third party derivative. Third party derivatives are designated by the insider when the insider files an insider report for those derivatives. Futures, forwards and exchange-traded call or put options are examples of third party derivatives.

For further guidance on how derivatives are reported, please refer to CSA Staff Notice 55-312 Insider Reporting Guidelines for Certain Derivative Transactions (Equity Monetization) (REVISED).


CSA Staff Notice 55-316 Questions and Answers on Insider Reporting and SEDI
3 Issuer Information
3.2 Issuer Profile Supplement
Section 3.2.11

What If A Class Of Securities On The Drop-Down List Box Of Security Designations Is No Longer Issued Or Outstanding?

You should amend your issuer profile supplement and indicate that this security is now to be listed as an ‘Archived security’. Insiders will still be able to report transactions in these securities, using the ‘Archived security’ list.


CSA Staff Notice 55-316 Questions and Answers on Insider Reporting and SEDI
3 Issuer Information
3.2 Issuer Profile Supplement
Section 3.2.12

What if I entered the wrong type of security or related financial instrument? Can I remove it?

No. You must contact your securities regulatory authority (see Appendix A) and request that the SEDI operator remove that security from your list of designated securities and related financial instruments. The SEDI operator can only remove the security or related financial instrument after receiving written authorization from the issuer’s representative to remove it.


CSA Staff Notice 55-316 Questions and Answers on Insider Reporting and SEDI
3 Issuer Information
3.2 Issuer Profile Supplement
Section 3.2.13

Who Is An Insider Affairs Contact?

An insider affairs contact is the contact person for an issuer whom any of the securities regulatory authorities will contact regarding the issuer and the issuer profile supplement, if there is an issue that a securities regulatory authority needs to discuss with that issuer. You need to include this individual’s full name, business address, business telephone number and business email address on the issuer profile supplement.


CSA Staff Notice 55-316 Questions and Answers on Insider Reporting and SEDI
3 Issuer Information
3.2 Issuer Profile Supplement
Section 3.2.14

Why Do I Need To Give Insider Affairs Contact Information?

When an insider creates an insider profile and therefore specifies that insider’s relationship with at least one SEDI issuer, SEDI will send an e-mail notification to the insider affairs contact for that issuer. If at any point the issuer has any concerns about the individual identified as the insider, the issuer should contact their local securities regulatory authority.


CSA Staff Notice 55-316 Questions and Answers on Insider Reporting and SEDI
3 Issuer Information
3.2 Issuer Profile Supplement
Section 3.2.15

How Does A SEDI Issuer Change Its Information On SEDI?

Your issuer information on SEDI is composed of the information you filed on SEDAR (SEDAR profile) and the information you filed on SEDI under the issuer profile supplement. Your SEDAR profie information is automatically transferred over to SEDI. Your issuer profile supplement includes your

You amend SEDI information, such as your insider affairs contact information and security designations, on SEDI as an amended issuer profile supplement. You need to amend SEDAR information, such as your head office or mailing address, on SEDAR.

If you need to change information filed on SEDI, log on, go to the Issuer Profile Supplement page, and follow the on-screen instructions. If you need to change the information that comes from SEDAR, you need to contact your SEDAR filing agent and have the agent amend this information.


CSA Staff Notice 55-316 Questions and Answers on Insider Reporting and SEDI
3 Issuer Information
3.2 Issuer Profile Supplement
Section 3.2.16

Do I Designate In The Issuer Profile Supplement All Types Of Issued Securities And Related Financial Instruments, Not Just The Ones Issued Currently To Insiders?

We recommend that you designate all your issued and outstanding securities and related financial instruments.

Remember: SEDI does not use the term “related financial instrument”. Instead, for the purposes of SEDI, all instruments – whether securities or related financial instruments – are considered securities.


CSA Staff Notice 55-316 Questions and Answers on Insider Reporting and SEDI
3 Issuer Information
3.3 Issuer Event Report
Section 3.3.2

What Is An Issuer Event Report?

It is a report filed by a SEDI issuer on SEDI. This report provides notice to insiders and members of the public that an issuer event has occurred. It helps insiders to report more accurately any changes in their securities or related financial instrument holdings that may result from the issuer event. The information that you need to complete this report is set out in Form 55-102F4.


CSA Staff Notice 55-316 Questions and Answers on Insider Reporting and SEDI
3 Issuer Information
3.3 Issuer Event Report
Section 3.3.4

When Do I Need To File An Issuer Event Report?

You need to file an issuer event report no later than one business day following the occurrence of an issuer event. For example, for a stock split, you report the event within one business day after the issuer issues the securities resulting from the stock split. As a preferred practice, you should report the event following the close of markets on the day of the event or before the opening of the markets on the day after the event occurred. See question 3.3.12.


CSA Staff Notice 55-316 Questions and Answers on Insider Reporting and SEDI
3 Issuer Information
3.3 Issuer Event Report
Section 3.3.5

What Information Do I Need To File?

The information is set out in Form 55-102F4. This information includes the:

The online help guide (available on the SEDI website by clicking ‘Help’) gives additional instructions on how to complete the report and provides examples.


CSA Staff Notice 55-316 Questions and Answers on Insider Reporting and SEDI
3 Issuer Information
3.3 Issuer Event Report
Section 3.3.6

Why Do I Need To File This Report?

The report notifies your insiders that an issuer event has occurred that may affect their holdings. It helps them to report accurately changes in their holdings in the securities or related financial instruments affected by the event. Whenever you file an issuer event report, an alert will appear on the screen the next time an affected insider logs on to SEDI. The alert notifies the insider an issuer event report was filed and identifies the particulars of that event.


CSA Staff Notice 55-316 Questions and Answers on Insider Reporting and SEDI
3 Issuer Information
3.3 Issuer Event Report
Section 3.3.8

Do I File One Report Or Several Reports If A Number Of Transactions Comprise The Issuer Event?

One report can be used to report several ‘sub-events’ in connection with the same event, all happening on the same day. However, you should fully describe all pertinent ‘sub-events’ in the issuer event title and issuer report details fields.

For example, an issuer event can be an amalgamation that is composed of a share exchange and also a consolidation (of the resulting company’s) share capital. You would report the event as follows:

  • Issuer event: Amalgamation, merger or reorganization
  • Issuer event title: Amalgamation of ABC Ltd. and DEF Corp. into XYZ Ltd. and consolidation of DEF Corp. shares
  • Issuer report details: describe the relevant information for both the amalgamation and consolidation aspects of the event and the impact on insider holdings.

CSA Staff Notice 55-316 Questions and Answers on Insider Reporting and SEDI
3 Issuer Information
3.3 Issuer Event Report
Section 3.3.9

What Information Do I Need To Provide In The ‘Issuer Report Details’ Field?

You need to include a description of the issuer event by providing the following information:

  • a description of the affected securities and related financial instruments along with their respective numbers or amounts, as disclosed in the issuer profile supplement, for that issuer
  • the name of the resulting issuer, if applicable
  • designation of all resulting securities and related financial instruments along with their respective numbers or amounts, if applicable
  • the exchange or conversion rates, if applicable
  • a description of the resulting securities and related financial instruments as created in the issuer profile supplement in SEDI, if applicable
  • the number of resulting securities and related financial instruments rounded up or down to the nearest share.

Include a description of the issuer event in either English or French, or both where appropriate.


CSA Staff Notice 55-316 Questions and Answers on Insider Reporting and SEDI
3 Issuer Information
3.3 Issuer Event Report
Section 3.3.11

Can I Provide Some Information Just To The Securities Regulators That Is Not Viewable By The Public?

Yes, you can provide additional information concerning the issuer event to staff of the securities regulatory authorities in the ‘Private remarks to securities regulatory authority’ field. The public, including the issuer’s insiders, will not have access to this information.


CSA Staff Notice 55-316 Questions and Answers on Insider Reporting and SEDI
3 Issuer Information
3.3 Issuer Event Report
Section 3.3.12

When Do I File An Issuer Event Report Versus A Material Change Report?

You need to file an issuer event report when an event affects the entire class of securities or related financial instruments in the same manner. This may also be a material change. [FN 6] If so, you will also need to file a material change report. However, not all material changes are issuer events. For example, while a company buy-back of shares might be considered a material change, it would not be an issuer event. Please see question 4.5.1 for how to report transactions under a normal course issuer bid.

FN 6 As defined in securities legislation.


CSA Staff Notice 55-316 Questions and Answers on Insider Reporting and SEDI
3 Issuer Information
3.4 Issuer Grant Report
Section 3.4.1

What Is An Issuer Grant Report?

What is an issuer grant report? An issuer grant report is a report filed by an issuer on SEDI that publicly discloses the details of compensation arrangements under which grants of stock options or similar instruments are made to reporting insiders. While there is no obligation for an issuer to file an issuer grant report, it may choose to do so to assist its reporting insiders with their reporting obligations, provide them with the benefits of an exemption and communicate material information about its compensation practices to the market in a timely manner.

The issuer grant report exemption reduces the regulatory burden on reporting insiders that is associated with insider reporting of stock options and similar instruments since it allows an issuer to make a single filing on SEDI. This filing provides the market with timely information about the existence and material terms of the grant, and makes it unnecessary for each of the affected reporting insiders to file an insider report about the grant within the ordinary reporting time periods.

It contains the information listed in question 3.4.4.


CSA Staff Notice 55-316 Questions and Answers on Insider Reporting and SEDI
3 Issuer Information
3.4 Issuer Grant Report
Section 3.4.3

When Do I File An Issuer Grant Report?

The deadline for an issuer to file an issuer grant report is effectively within five days [FN 7] of a grant or award. This is because the exemption in Part 6 of NI 55-104 for reporting insiders is available only when an issuer grant report is filed within the time prescribed for filing insider reports.

Reporting insiders will be in breach of their individual insider reporting obligations if the issuer has not filed the report within five days of the grant, and the reporting insiders have not filed their insider reports. We therefore recommend that the issuer file the issuer grant report as soon as reasonably practicable following the grant, award or issue of securities or related financial instruments to reporting insiders.

FN 7 Prior to November 1, 2010, within 10 calendar days.


CSA Staff Notice 55-316 Questions and Answers on Insider Reporting and SEDI
3 Issuer Information
3.4 Issuer Grant Report
Section 3.4.4

What Information Do I Need To Provide In An Issuer Grant Report?

The issuer grant report discloses the details of a compensation arrangement and must include

  • the date the option or other security or related financial instrument was issued or granted;
  • the number of options or other securities or related financial instruments issued or granted to each director or officer;
  • the price at which the option or other security or related financial instrument was issued or granted and the exercise price;
  • the number and type of securities or related financial instruments issuable on the exercise of the option or other security or instrument; and
  • any other material terms that have not been previously disclosed or filed in a public filing on SEDAR.

CSA Staff Notice 55-316 Questions and Answers on Insider Reporting and SEDI
3 Issuer Information
3.4 Issuer Grant Report
Section 3.4.6

If An Issuer Files An Issuer Grant Report, When Do The Reporting Insiders Need To File Insider Reports About The Grant?

If an issuer files an issuer grant report within five days [FN 8] of a grant, award or issue of securities or related financial instruments, the reporting insiders named in the issuer grant report can report the grant on a deferred basis. Instead of reporting the grant within the usual five day reporting timeframe, the reporting insiders have until March 31 of the next calendar year to report the grant or award.

If, subsequent to the grant and prior to March 31 of the next calendar year, the reporting insider disposes of or transfers the securities or related financial instruments identified in the issuer grant report (other than as part of a specified disposition), the reporting insider must file an insider report within five days of the disposition or transfer.

FN 8 Prior to November 1, 2010, within 10 calendar days.


CSA Staff Notice 55-316 Questions and Answers on Insider Reporting and SEDI
3 Issuer Information
3.4 Issuer Grant Report
Section 3.4.7

What Happens If I Do Not File An Issuer Grant Report?

There is no requirement to file issuer grant reports. If an issuer chooses not to file an issuer grant report, the issuer should notify reporting insiders of a grant, award or issue of securities and related financial instruments in a timely manner so that those insiders can meet their individual reporting obligations within the period prescribed for filing insider reports.