The Ontario Securities Commission yesterday released its statement of priorities for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2014. The statement follows the OSC's publication of a draft in April, and takes into account stakeholder comments received in response to the draft.
Of note, among the priorities listed for the upcoming year, will be a focus on improving shareholder democracy by facilitating the adoption of majority voting by TSX-listed issuers and publishing a consultation paper on key proxy voting infrastructure issues. The TSX announced in October 2012 that it intends to impose majority voting on all of its listed issuers as of December 31st of this year. The OSC states in its statement that it is supportive of the TSX's initiative and that numerous commentators encouraged the OSC to continue to review shareholder democracy issues as outlined in 2011 in OSC Staff Notice 54-701. With respect to proxy voting infrastructure, the CSA plan to publish a concept paper this summer to outline and seek feedback on key issues.
Other priorities include a focus on disclosure, mainly through cost disclosure and performance reporting by advisers and dealers, delivery of fund facts in the place of a mutual fund prospectus and developing a summary disclosure document for exchange-traded funds or ETFs.
The OSC will also continue its study of a best interest duty on dealers and advisers and its discussion of mutual fund fees and fees for other investment products. Capital market structure and capital raising will be on the agenda as well, with the aim of completing stakeholder consultations on last year's prospectus exemption consultation paper and looking at options to expand access to capital for Ontario issuers, including an examination of Canada's capital market structure and the impact of the order protection rule, electronic trading and market data fees. Finally, as has been the focus for the last few years, in accordance with its G20 commitments, the OSC will also continue working with other CSA members towards implementation of an OTC derivatives regime, including with respect to clearing and trade reporting.
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