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National Instrument 81-107 Independent Review Committee for Investment Funds
Part 5 Conflict of interest matters
Section 5.1

Manager to refer conflict of interest matters to independent review committee

(1) Subject to section 5.4, when a conflict of interest matter arises, and before taking any action in the matter, the manager must

(a) determine what action it proposes to take in respect of the matter, having regard to

(i) its duties under securities legislation; and

(ii) its written policies and procedures on the matter; and

(b) refer the matter, along with its proposed action, to the independent review committee for its review and decision.

(2) If a manager must hold a meeting of securityholders to obtain securityholder approval before taking an action in a conflict of interest matter, the manager must include a summary of the independent review committee’s decision under subsection (1) in the notice of the meeting.

Commentary

1. Section 5.1 recognizes that a manager may not be able to objectively determine whether it is acting in the best interests of the investment fund when it has a conflict of interest. This section requires managers to refer all conflict of interest matters — not just those subject to prohibitions or restrictions under securities legislation – to the IRC so that an independent perspective can be brought to bear on the manager’s proposed action.

A decision tree for different types of conflict of interest matters is set out in Appendix A to the Commentary.

While the CSA expect the IRC to bring a high degree of rigour and skeptical objectivity to its review of conflict of interest matters, the CSA do not consider it the role of the IRC to second-guess the investment or business decisions of a manager or an entity related to the manager.

2. Section 5.1 sets out how the manager must proceed when faced with a conflict of interest matter.

Referring proposed actions involving conflict of interest matters to the IRC for its review is not considered by the CSA to detract from the manager’s obligations to the investment fund under securities legislation to make decisions in the best interests of the fund. Subparagraph (a)(i) is intended to reinforce this obligation.

3. In referring a matter to the IRC, a manager is expected to inform the IRC whether its proposed action follows its written policies and procedures on the matter under section 2.2.

If an unanticipated conflict of interest matter arises for which the manager does not have an existing written 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. There may be matters that are subject to a securityholder vote that also involve a “conflict of interest matter” under this Instrument. For example, increases in the charges of the manager to the mutual fund will be a conflict of interest matter as well as a matter subject to a securityholder vote under Part 5 of NI 81-102. For these matters, subsection (2) requires a manager to refer the matter first to the IRC before seeking the approval of securityholders, and to include a summary of the IRC’s decision in the written notice to securityholders.


National Instrument 81-107 Independent Review Committee for Investment Funds
Part 5 Conflict of interest matters
Section 5.2

Matters requiring independent review committee approval

(1) A manager may not proceed with a proposed action under section 5.1 without the approval of the independent review committee if the action is

(a) an inter-fund trade as described in subsection 6.1(2) of this Instrument or a transaction as described in subsection 4.2(1) of National Instrument 81-102 Investment Funds;

(b) a transaction in securities of an issuer as described in subsection 6.2(1) of this Instrument;

(c) an investment in a class of securities of an issuer underwritten by an entity related to the manager as described in subsection 4.1(1) of National Instrument 81-102 Investment Funds; or

(d) a transaction in which an investment fund intends to borrow cash from a person or company that is an associate or affiliate of the investment fund manager.

(2) An independent review committee must not approve an action unless it has determined, after reasonable inquiry, that the action

(a) is proposed by the manager free from any influence by an entity related to the manager and without taking into account any consideration relevant to an entity related to the manager;

(b) represents the business judgment of the manager uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the investment fund;

(c) is in compliance with the manager’s written policies and procedures relating to the action; and

(d) achieves a fair and reasonable result for the investment fund.

Commentary

1. For the transactions described in subsection (1), provided the manager receives the IRC’s approval under this section, and satisfies the additional conditions imposed under the applicable sections of Part 6 of this Instrument or Part 2 and Part 4 of NI 81-102, the manager will be permitted to proceed with the action without obtaining regulatory exemptive relief.

The IRC may give its approval for certain actions or categories of actions in the form of a standing instruction as described in section 5.4. If no standing instruction is in effect, the manager is required to seek the IRC’s approval prior to proceeding with any action set out in subsection (1). An IRC may consider as guidance any conditions in prior exemptive relief orders, waivers or approvals obtained from the securities regulatory authorities when contemplating the appropriate terms and conditions in its approval.

2. If the IRC does not approve a proposed action described in subsection (1), the manager is not permitted to proceed without obtaining exemptive relief from the securities regulatory authorities. The CSA consider it in the best interests of the investment fund, and ultimately investors, for the IRC to be able to stop any proposed action which does not meet the test in subsection (2).

3. The CSA would usually expect that, before the IRC approves a proposed action described in subsection (1), it will have requested from the manager or others a report or certification to assist in its determination that the test in subsection (2) has been met.

4. The CSA expect that the manager will discuss with the IRC any instance where the IRC does not approve a proposed action, so that an alternative action satisfactory to both the manager and the IRC can be found, if possible.

5. The CSA consider that the ability of the manager to seek the removal of a member or members of the IRC under paragraph 3.10(2)(d) sufficiently addresses any concern that a manager may have about an IRC’s ongoing refusal to approve matters.


National Instrument 81-107 Independent Review Committee for Investment Funds
Part 5 Conflict of interest matters
Section 5.3

Matters subject to independent review committee recommendation

(1) Before a manager may proceed with a proposed action under section 5.1 other than those set out in subsection 5.2(1),

(a) the independent review committee must provide a recommendation to the manager as to whether, in the committee’s opinion after reasonable inquiry, the proposed action achieves a fair and reasonable result for the investment fund; and

(b) the manager must consider the recommendation of the independent review committee.

(2) If the manager decides to proceed with an action in a conflict of interest matter that, in the opinion of the independent review committee after reasonable inquiry, does not achieve a fair and reasonable result for the investment fund under paragraph (1)(a), the manager must notify in writing the independent review committee before proceeding with the proposed action.

(3) Upon receiving the notification described in subsection (2), the independent review committee may require the manager to notify securityholders of the investment fund of the manager’s decision.

(4) A notification to securityholders under subsection (3) must

(a) sufficiently describe the proposed action of the manager, the recommendation of the independent review committee and the manager’s reasons for proceeding;

(b) state the date of the proposed implementation of the action; and

(c) be sent by the manager to each securityholder of the investment fund at least thirty days before the effective date of the proposed action.

(5) The investment fund must, as soon as practicable, file the notification referred to in subsection (4) with the securities regulatory authority or regulator upon the notice being sent to securityholders.

Commentary

1. This section captures all conflict of interest matters a manager encounters other than those listed in subsection 5.2(1). This includes conflict of interest matters prohibited or restricted by securities legislation not specified in subsection 5.2(1), and a manager’s business and commercial decisions made on behalf of the investment fund that may be motivated, or be perceived to be motivated, by the manager’s own interests rather than the best interests of the investment fund. Examples include:

    • increasing charges to the investment fund for costs incurred by the manager in operating the fund;
    • correcting material errors made by the manager in administering the investment fund;
    • negotiating soft dollar arrangements with dealers with whom the manager places portfolio transactions for the investment fund; and
    • choosing to bring services in-house over using third-party service providers.

The CSA expect that, in seeking guidance in identifying conflict of interest matters caught by this Instrument, among the factors the manager will look to for guidance to identify conflict of interest matters will be industry best practices. However, the CSA also acknowledge that each manager will need to consider the nature of its investment fund operations in determining a conflict of interest matter.

2. The CSA expect the IRC’s recommendation to state a positive or negative response as to whether they view the proposed action as achieving a fair and reasonable result for the investment fund.

3. For a proposed action in a conflict of interest matter under this section that is prohibited or restricted by securities legislation (but not specified in subsection 5.2(1)), a manager will still need to seek exemptive relief from the securities regulatory authorities.

4. Subsection (2) recognizes that, in exceptional circumstances, the manager may decide to proceed with a proposed course of action despite a negative recommendation from the IRC. In such instances, subsection (2) requires the manager to notify the IRC before proceeding with the action. If the IRC determines that the proposed action is sufficiently important to warrant notice to securityholders in the investment fund, the IRC has the authority to require the manager to give such notification before proceeding with the action.

The CSA anticipate that the situation of a manager proceeding with a conflict of interest matter, despite a negative recommendation by the IRC, will occur infrequently.

5. The notification referred to in subsection (5) should be filed on the SEDAR group profile number of the investment fund as a continuous disclosure document.


National Instrument 81-107 Independent Review Committee for Investment Funds
Part 5 Conflict of interest matters
Section 5.4

Standing instructions by the independent review committee

(1) Despite section 5.1, the manager is not required to refer a conflict of interest matter nor its proposed action to the independent review committee if the manager complies with the terms of a standing instruction that is in effect.

(2) For any action for which the independent review committee has provided a standing instruction, at the time of the independent review committee’s regular assessment described in subsection 4.2(1),

(a) the manager must provide a written report to the independent review committee describing each instance that it acted in reliance on a standing instruction; and

(b) the independent review committee must

(i) review and assess the adequacy and effectiveness of the manager’s written policies and procedures on the matter or on that type of matter with respect to all actions permitted by each standing instruction;

(ii) review and assess the manager’s and investment fund’s compliance with any conditions imposed by it in each standing instruction;

(iii) reaffirm or amend each standing instruction;

(iv) establish new standing instructions, if necessary; and

(v) advise the manager in writing of all changes to the standing instructions.

(3) A manager may continue to rely on a standing instruction under subsection (1) until such time as the independent review committee notifies the manager that the standing instruction has been amended or is no longer in effect.

Commentary

1. Section 5.4 recognizes that there are certain actions or categories of actions of the manager for which it may be appropriate for the IRC to choose to provide a standing instruction. For example, this may include a manager’s ongoing voting of proxies on securities held by the investment fund when the manager has a business relationship with the issuer of the securities, or, a manager’s decision to engage in inter-fund trading.

2. The CSA expect that, before providing or continuing a standing instruction to the manager for an action or category of actions, the IRC will have:

    • reviewed the manager’s written policies and procedures with respect to the action or category of actions;
    • requested from the manager or other persons a report or certification to assist in deciding whether to give its approval or recommendation for the action or category of actions under subsection 5.2(1) or 5.3(1), as the case may be;
    • considered whether a standing instruction for the particular action or category of actions is appropriate for the investment fund; and
    • established very clear terms and conditions surrounding the standing instruction for the action or category of actions.

An IRC may consider including in any standing instruction any terms or conditions in prior exemptive relief orders, waivers or approvals obtained from the securities regulatory authorities.

  1. As part of the IRC’s review under subparagraph (2)(b)(ii), the IRC is expected to be mindful of its reporting obligation under section 4.5 of this Instrument, which includes notifying the securities regulatory authorities of any instance where the manager, in proceeding with an action, did not meet a condition imposed by the IRC in its approval (this includes a standing instruction).
  1. This section is intended to improve the flexibility and timeliness of the manager’s decisions concerning a proposed course of action in a conflict of interest matter.