NI 23-103 Electronic Trading and Companion Policy 23-103 Electronic Trading
NI 23-103 Electronic Trading and Companion Policy 23-103 Electronic Trading
NATIONAL INSTRUMENT 23-103
ELECTRONIC TRADING
PART 1
DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION
Definitions
1. In this Instrument,
"automated order system" means a system used to automatically generate or electronically transmit orders on a pre-determined basis;
"marketplace and regulatory requirements" means
(a) the rules, policies, requirements or other similar instruments set by a marketplace respecting the method of trading by marketplace participants, including those related to order entry, the use of automated order systems, order types and features and the execution of trades;
(b) the applicable requirements in securities legislation; and
(c) the applicable requirements set by a recognized exchange, a recognized quotation and trade reporting system or a regulation services provider under section 7.1, 7.3 or 8.2 of NI 23-101;
and
"participant dealer" means a marketplace participant that is an investment dealer.
Interpretation
2. A term that is defined or interpreted in National Instrument 21-101 Marketplace Operation, or National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations has, if used in this Instrument, the meaning ascribed to it in National Instrument 21-101 or National Instrument 31-103.
PART 2
REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE TO MARKETPLACE PARTICIPANTS
Risk Management and Supervisory Controls, Policies and Procedures
3.
(1) A marketplace participant must
(a) establish, maintain and ensure compliance with risk management and supervisory controls, policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to manage, in accordance with prudent business practices, the financial, regulatory and other risks associated with marketplace access or providing clients with access to a marketplace; and
(b) record the policies and procedures required under paragraph (a) and maintain a description of the marketplace participant's risk management and supervisory controls in written form.
(2) The risk management and supervisory controls, policies and procedures required under subsection (1) must be reasonably designed to ensure that all orders are monitored and for greater certainty, include
(a) automated pre-trade controls, and
(b) regular post-trade monitoring.
(3) The risk management and supervisory controls, policies and procedures required in subsection (1) must be reasonably designed to
(a) systematically limit the financial exposure of the marketplace participant, including, for greater certainty, preventing
(i) the entry of one or more orders that would result in exceeding pre-determined credit or capital thresholds for the marketplace participant and, if applicable, its client with marketplace access provided by the marketplace participant,
(ii) the entry of one or more orders that exceed pre-determined price or size parameters;
(b) ensure compliance with marketplace and regulatory requirements, including, for greater certainty,
(i) preventing the entry of orders that do not comply with marketplace and regulatory requirements that must be satisfied on a pre-order entry basis;
(ii) limiting the entry of orders to those securities that a marketplace participant or, if applicable, its client with marketplace access provided by the marketplace participant, is authorized to trade;
(iii) restricting access to trading on a marketplace to persons authorized by the marketplace participant; and
(iv) ensuring that the compliance staff of the marketplace participant receives immediate order and trade information, including, for greater certainty, execution reports, resulting from orders sent by the marketplace participant or, if applicable, its client with marketplace access provided by the marketplace participant;
(c) enable the marketplace participant to immediately stop or cancel one or more orders entered by the marketplace participant or, if applicable, its client with marketplace access provided by the marketplace participant;
(d) enable the marketplace participant to immediately suspend or terminate any access to a marketplace granted to a client with marketplace access provided by the marketplace participant; and
(e) ensure that the entry of orders does not interfere with fair and orderly markets.
(4) A third party that provides risk management and supervisory controls, policies or procedures to a marketplace participant must be independent from each client with marketplace access provided by the marketplace participant, except if the client is an affiliate of the marketplace participant.
(5) A marketplace participant must directly and exclusively set and adjust the risk management and supervisory controls, policies and procedures required under this section, including those provided by third parties.
(6) A marketplace participant must
(a) regularly assess and document the adequacy and effectiveness of its risk management and supervisory controls, policies and procedures; and
(b) document any deficiencies in the adequacy or effectiveness of a risk management or supervisory control, policy or procedure and promptly remedy the deficiency.
(7) If a marketplace participant uses the services of a third party to provide risk management or supervisory controls, policies and procedures, the marketplace participant must
(a) regularly assess and document the adequacy and effectiveness of the third party's relevant risk management and supervisory controls, policies and procedures; and
(b) document any deficiencies in the adequacy or effectiveness of a risk management or supervisory control, policy or procedure and ensure the deficiency is promptly remedied.
Authorization to Set or Adjust Risk Management and Supervisory Controls, Policies and Procedures
4. Despite subsection 3(5), a participant dealer may, on a reasonable basis, authorize an investment dealer to perform, on the participant dealer's behalf, the setting or adjusting of a specific risk management or supervisory control, policy or procedure required under subsection 3(1) if
(a) the participant dealer has a reasonable basis for determining that the investment dealer, based on the investment dealer's relationship with the ultimate client, has better access to information relating to the ultimate client than the participant dealer such that the investment dealer can more effectively set or adjust the control, policy or procedure;
(b) a description of the specific risk management or supervisory control, policy or procedure and the conditions under which the investment dealer is authorized to set or adjust the specific risk management or supervisory control, policy or procedure are set out in a written agreement between the participant dealer and investment dealer;
(c) before authorizing the investment dealer to set or adjust a specific risk management or supervisory control, policy or procedure, the participant dealer assesses and documents the adequacy and effectiveness of the investment dealer's setting or adjusting of the risk management or supervisory control, policy or procedure;
(d) the participant dealer
(i) regularly assesses the adequacy and effectiveness of the setting or adjusting of the risk management or supervisory control, policy or procedure by the investment dealer, and
(ii) documents any deficiencies in the adequacy or effectiveness of the setting or adjusting of the risk management or supervisory control, policy or procedure and ensures that the deficiencies are promptly remedied, and
(e) the participant dealer provides the investment dealer with the immediate order and trade information of the ultimate client that the participant dealer receives under subparagraph 3(3)(b)(iv).
PART 3
REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE TO USE OF AUTOMATED ORDER SYSTEMS
Use of Automated Order Systems
5.
(1) A marketplace participant must take all reasonable steps to ensure that its use of an automated order system or the use of an automated order system by any client, does not interfere with fair and orderly markets.
(2) A client of a marketplace participant must take all reasonable steps to ensure that its use of an automated order system does not interfere with fair and orderly markets.
(3) For the purpose of the risk management and supervisory controls, policies and procedures required under subsection 3(1), a marketplace participant must
(a) have a level of knowledge and understanding of any automated order system used by the marketplace participant or any client that is sufficient to allow the marketplace participant to identify and manage the risks associated with the use of the automated order system,
(b) ensure that every automated order system used by the marketplace participant or any client is tested in accordance with prudent business practices initially before use and at least annually thereafter, and
(c) have controls in place to immediately
(i) disable an automated order system used by the marketplace participant, and
(ii) prevent orders generated by an automated order system used by the marketplace participant or any client from reaching a marketplace.
PART 4
REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE TO MARKETPLACES
Availability of Order and Trade Information
6.
(1) A marketplace must provide a marketplace participant with access to its order and trade information, including execution reports, on an immediate basis to enable the marketplace participant to effectively implement the risk management and supervisory controls, policies and procedures required under section 3.
(2) A marketplace must provide a marketplace participant access to its order and trade information referenced in subsection (1) on reasonable terms.
Marketplace Controls Relating to Electronic Trading
7.
(1) A marketplace must not provide access to a marketplace participant unless it has the ability and authority to terminate all or a portion of the access provided to the marketplace participant.
(2) A marketplace must
(a) regularly assess and document whether the marketplace requires any risk management and supervisory controls, policies and procedures relating to electronic trading, in addition to those controls that a marketplace participant is required to have under subsection 3(1), and ensure that such controls, policies and procedures are implemented in a timely manner;
(b) regularly assess and document the adequacy and effectiveness of any risk management and supervisory controls, policies and procedures implemented under paragraph (a);and
(c) document and promptly remedy any deficiencies in the adequacy or effectiveness of the controls, policies and procedures implemented under paragraph (a).
Marketplace Thresholds
8.
(1) A marketplace must not permit the execution of orders for exchange-traded securities to exceed the price and volume thresholds set by
(a) its regulation services provider;
(b) the marketplace, if it is a recognized exchange that directly monitors the conduct of its members and enforces requirements set under subsection 7.1(1) of NI 23-101; or
(c) the marketplace, if it is a recognized quotation and trade reporting system that directly monitors the conduct of its users and enforces the requirements set under subsection 7.3(1) of NI 23-101.
(2) A recognized exchange, recognized quotation and trade reporting system or regulation services provider setting a price threshold for an exchange-traded security under subsection (1) must coordinate its price threshold with all other exchanges, quotation and trade reporting systems and regulation services providers setting a price threshold under subsection (1) for the exchange-traded security or a security underlying the exchange-traded security.
Clearly Erroneous Trades
9.
(1) A marketplace must not provide access to a marketplace participant unless it has the ability to cancel, vary or correct a trade executed by the marketplace participant.
(2) If a marketplace has retained a regulation services provider, the marketplace must not cancel, vary or correct a trade executed on the marketplace unless
(a) instructed to do so by its regulation services provider;
(b) the cancellation, variation or correction is requested by a party to the trade, consent is provided by both parties to the trade and notification is provided to the marketplace's regulation services provider; or
(c) the cancellation, variation or correction is necessary to correct an error caused by a system or technological malfunction of the marketplace systems or equipment, or caused by an individual acting on behalf of the marketplace, and the consent to cancel, vary or correct has been obtained from the marketplace's regulation services provider.
(3) A marketplace must establish, maintain and ensure compliance with reasonable policies and procedures that clearly outline the processes and parameters associated with a cancellation, variation or correction and must make such policies and procedures publicly available.
PART 5
EXEMPTION AND EFFECTIVE DATE
Exemption
10.
(1) The regulator or the securities regulatory authority may grant an exemption from this Instrument, in whole or in part, subject to such conditions or restrictions as may be imposed in the exemption.
(2) Despite subsection (1), in Ontario, only the regulator may grant such an exemption.
(3) Except in Ontario, an exemption referred to in subsection (1) is granted under the statute referred to in Appendix B of National Instrument 14-101 Definitions opposite the name of the local jurisdiction.
Effective Date
11. This Instrument comes into force on March 1, 2013.
COMPANION POLICY 23-103CP
ELECTRONIC TRADING
PART 1 GENERAL COMMENTS
1.1 Introduction
(1) Purpose of National Instrument 23-103
The purpose of National Instrument 23-103 Electronic Trading (NI 23-103) is to address areas of concern and risks brought about by electronic trading. The increased speed and automation of trading on marketplaces give rise to various risks, including credit risk and market integrity risk. To protect marketplace participants from harm and to ensure continuing market integrity, these risks need to be reasonably and effectively controlled and monitored.
In the view of the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA or we), marketplace participants should bear primary responsibility for ensuring that these risks are reasonably and effectively controlled and monitored. This responsibility applies to orders that are entered electronically by the marketplace participant itself, as well as orders from clients using the participant dealer's marketplace participant identifier.
This responsibility includes both financial and regulatory obligations. This view is premised on the fact that it is the marketplace participant that makes the decision to engage in trading or provide marketplace access to a client. However, the marketplaces also have some responsibilities to manage risks to the market.
NI 23-103 is meant to address risks associated with electronic trading on a marketplace with a key focus on the gatekeeping function of the executing broker. However, a clearing broker also bears financial and regulatory risks associated with providing clearing services. Under National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations (NI 31-103) a dealer must manage the risks associated with its business in accordance with prudent business practices. As part of that obligation, we expect a clearing dealer to have in place effective systems and controls to properly manage its risks.
(2) Scope of NI 23-103
NI 23-103 applies to the electronic trading of securities on marketplaces. In Alberta and British Columbia, the term "security" when used in NI 23-103 includes an option that is an exchange contract but does not include a futures contract. In Ontario, the term "security" when used in NI 23-103, does not include a commodity futures contract or a commodity futures option that is not traded on a commodity futures exchange registered with or recognized by the Commission under the Commodity Futures Act or the form of which is not accepted by the Director under the Commodity Futures Act. In Québec, the term "security" when used in NI 23-103, includes a standardized derivative as this notion is defined in the Derivatives Act.
(3) Purpose of Companion Policy
This Companion Policy sets out how the CSA interpret or apply the provisions of NI 23-103 and related securities legislation.
Except for Part 1, the numbering of Parts and sections in this Companion Policy correspond to the numbering in NI 23-103. Any general guidance for a Part appears immediately after the Part name. Any specific guidance on sections in NI 23-103 follows any general guidance. If there is no guidance for a Part or section, the numbering in this Companion Policy will skip to the next provision that does have guidance.
All references in this Companion Policy to Parts and sections are to NI 23-103, unless otherwise noted.
1.2 Definitions
Unless defined in NI 23-103, terms used in NI 23-103 and in this Companion Policy have the meaning given to them in the securities legislation of each jurisdiction, in National Instrument 14-101 Definitions, National Instrument 21-101 Marketplace Operation (NI 21-101), or NI 31-103.
(1) Automated order systems
Automated order systems encompass both hardware and software used to generate or electronically transmit orders on a pre-determined basis and would include smart order routers and trading algorithms that are used by marketplace participants, offered by marketplace participants to clients or developed or used by clients.
PART 2 REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE TO MARKETPLACE PARTICIPANTS
3. Risk management and supervisory controls, policies and procedures
(1) National Instrument 31-103 requirements
For marketplace participants that are registered firms, section 11.1 of NI 31-103 requires the registered firm to establish, maintain and apply policies and procedures that establish a system of controls and supervision sufficient to: (a) provide reasonable assurance that the registered firm and each individual acting on its behalf complies with securities legislation; and (b) manage the risks associated with its business in accordance with prudent business practices. Section 3 of NI 23-103 builds on the obligations outlined in section 11.1 of NI 31-103. The CSA have included requirements in NI 23-103 for all marketplace participants that conduct trading on a marketplace to have risk management and supervisory controls, policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to manage their risks in accordance with prudent business practices. What would be considered to be "reasonably designed" in this context is tied to the risks associated with electronic trading that the marketplace participant is willing to bear and what is necessary to manage that risk in accordance with prudent business practices.
These requirements provide greater specificity with respect to the expectations surrounding controls, policies and procedures relating to electronic trading. The requirements apply to all marketplace participants, not just those that are registered firms.
(2) Documentation of risk management and supervisory controls, policies and procedures
Paragraph 3(1)(b) requires a marketplace participant to record its policies and procedures and maintain a copy of its risk management and supervisory controls in written form. This includes a narrative description of any electronic controls implemented by the marketplace participant as well as their functions.
We note that the risk management and supervisory controls, policies and procedures related to the trading of unlisted, government and corporate debt may not be the same as those related to the trading of equity securities due to the differences in the nature of trading of these types of securities. Different marketplace models such as a request for quote, negotiation system, or continuous auction market may require different risk management and supervisory controls, policies and procedures in order to appropriately address the varying levels of diverse risks these different marketplace models can pose to our markets.
A registered firm's obligation to maintain its risk management and supervisory controls in written form under paragraph 3(1)(b) includes retaining these documents and builds on a registered firm's obligation in NI 31-103 to retain its books and records. We expect a non-registered marketplace participant to retain these documents as part of its obligation under paragraph 3(1)(b) to maintain a description of its risk management and supervisory controls in written form.
(3) Clients that also maintain risk management controls
We are aware that a client that is not a registered dealer may maintain its own risk management controls. However, part of the intent of NI 23-103's risk management and supervisory controls, policies and procedures is to require a participant dealer to manage its risks associated with electronic trading and to protect the participant dealer under whose marketplace participant identifier an order is being entered. Consequently, a participant dealer must maintain reasonably designed risk management and supervisory controls, policies and procedures regardless of whether its clients maintain their own controls. It is not appropriate for a participant dealer to rely on a client's risk management controls, as the participant dealer would not be able to ensure the sufficiency of the client's controls, nor would the controls be tailored to the particular needs of the participant dealer.
(4) Minimum risk management and supervisory controls, policies and procedures
Subsection 3(2) sets out the minimum elements of the risk management and supervisory controls, policies and procedures that must be addressed and documented by each marketplace participant. Automated pre-trade controls include an examination of the order before it is entered on a marketplace and the monitoring of entered orders whether executed or not. The marketplace participant should assess, document and implement any additional risk management and supervisory controls, policies and procedures that it determines are necessary to manage the marketplace participant's financial exposure and to ensure compliance with applicable marketplace and regulatory requirements.
With respect to regular post-trade monitoring, it is expected that the regularity of this monitoring will be conducted commensurate with the marketplace participant's determination of the order flow it is handling. At a minimum, an end of day check is expected.
(5) Pre-determined credit or capital thresholds
A marketplace participant can establish pre-determined credit thresholds by setting lending limits for a client and establish pre-determined capital thresholds by setting limits on the financial exposure that can be created by orders entered or executed on a marketplace under its marketplace participant identifier. The pre-determined credit or capital thresholds referenced in paragraph 3(3)(a) may be set based on different criteria, such as per order, trade account or other criteria, including overall trading strategy, or using a combination of these factors as required in the circumstances.
For example, a participant dealer that sets a credit limit for a client with marketplace access provided by the participant dealer could impose that credit limit by setting sub-limits applied at each marketplace to which the participant dealer provides access that together equal the total credit limit. A participant dealer may also consider whether to establish credit or capital thresholds based on sector, security or other relevant factors. In order to address the financial exposure that might result from rapid order entry, a participant dealer may also consider measuring compliance with set credit or capital thresholds on the basis of orders entered rather than executions obtained.
We note that different thresholds may be set for the marketplace participant's own order flow (including both proprietary and client order flow) and that of a client with marketplace access provided by the marketplace participant, if appropriate.
(6) Compliance with applicable marketplace and regulatory requirements
The CSA expect marketplace participants to prevent the entry of orders that do not comply with all applicable marketplace and regulatory requirements that must be satisfied on a pre-trade basis where possible. Specifically, marketplace and regulatory requirements that must be satisfied on a pre-order entry basis are those requirements that can effectively be complied with only before an order is entered on a marketplace, including: (i) conditions that must be satisfied under National Instrument 23-101 Trading Rules (NI 23-101) before an order can be marked a "directed-action order", (ii) marketplace requirements applicable to particular order types and (iii) compliance with trading halts. This requirement does not impose new substantive regulatory requirements on the marketplace participant. Rather it establishes that marketplace participants must have appropriate mechanisms in place that are reasonably designed to effectively comply with their existing regulatory obligations on a pre-trade basis in an automated, high-speed trading environment.
(7) Order and trade information
Subparagraph 3(3)(b)(iv) requires the risk management and supervisory controls, policies and procedures to be reasonably designed to ensure that the compliance staff of the marketplace participant receives immediate order and trade information. This will require the marketplace participant to ensure that it has the capability to view trading information in real-time or to receive immediate order and trade information from the marketplace, such as through a drop copy.
This requirement will help the marketplace participant fulfill its obligations under subsection 3(1) with respect to establishing and implementing reasonably designed risk management and supervisory controls, policies and procedures that manage its risks associated with access to marketplaces.
This provision does not prescribe that a marketplace participant carry out compliance monitoring in real-time. There are instances however, when automated, real-time monitoring should be considered, such as when an automated order system is used to generate orders. It is up to the marketplace participant to determine, based on the risk that the order flow poses to the marketplace participant, the appropriate timing for compliance monitoring. However, our view is that it is important that a marketplace participant have the necessary tools in place to facilitate order and trade monitoring as part of the marketplace participant's risk management and supervisory controls, policies and procedures.
(8) Direct and exclusive control over setting and adjusting of risk management and supervisory controls, policies and procedures
Subsection 3(5) specifies that a marketplace participant must directly and exclusively set and adjust its risk management and supervisory controls, policies and procedures. With respect to exclusive control, we expect that no person or company, other than the marketplace participant, will be able to set and adjust the controls, policies and procedures. With respect to direct control, a marketplace participant must not rely on a third party in order to perform the actual setting and adjusting of its controls, policies and procedures.
A marketplace participant can use technology of third parties, including that of marketplaces, as long as the marketplace participant, whether a registered dealer or institutional investor, is able to directly and exclusively set and adjust its supervisory and risk management controls, policies and procedures.
Section 4 provides a limited exception to the requirement in subsection 3(5) in that a participant dealer may , on a reasonable basis, and subject to other requirements, authorize an investment dealer to set or adjust a specific risk management or supervisory control, policy or procedure on behalf of the participant dealer.
(9) Risk management and supervisory controls, policies and procedures provided by an independent third party
Under subsection 3(4), a third party providing risk management and supervisory controls, policies or procedures to a marketplace participant must be independent of any client of the marketplace participant. However, an entity affiliated with a participant dealer that is also a client of the participant dealer may provide supervisory and risk management controls to the participant dealer. In all instances, the participant dealer must directly and exclusively set and adjust its supervisory and risk management controls.
Paragraph 3(7)(a) requires that a marketplace participant must regularly assess and document whether the risk management and supervisory controls, policies and procedures of the third party are effective and otherwise consistent with the provisions of NI 23-103 before engaging such services. Reliance on representations of a third party provider is insufficient to meet this assessment requirement. The CSA expect registered firms to be responsible and accountable for all functions that they outsource to a service provider as set out in Part 11 of Companion Policy 31-103CP Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations.
(10) Regular assessment of risk management controls and supervisory policies and procedures
Subsection 3(6) requires a marketplace participant to regularly assess and document the adequacy and effectiveness of the controls, policies and procedures it is required to establish under subsection 3(1). Under subsection 3(7), the same assessment requirement also applies if a marketplace participant uses the services of a third party to provide risk management or supervisory controls, policies and procedures. A "regular" assessment would constitute, at a minimum, an assessment conducted annually of the controls, policies and procedures and whenever a substantive change is made to the controls, policies and procedures. A marketplace participant should determine whether more frequent assessments are required, depending on the particular circumstances.
A marketplace participant that is a registered firm is expected to retain the documentation of each such assessment as part of its obligation to maintain books and records in NI 31-103.
4. Authorization to set or adjust risk management and supervisory controls, policies and procedures
Section 4 is intended to address introducing (originating) and carrying (executing) arrangements or jitney arrangements that involve multiple dealers. In such arrangements, there may be certain controls that are better directed by the originating dealer, since it is the originating dealer that has knowledge of its client and is responsible for suitability and other "know your client" obligations. However, the executing dealer must also have reasonable controls in place to manage the risks it incurs by executing orders for other dealers.
Therefore, section 4 provides that a participant dealer may, on a reasonable basis, authorize an investment dealer to set or adjust a specific risk management or supervisory control, policy or procedure on the participant dealer's behalf by written contract and after a thorough assessment. Our view is that where the originating investment dealer with the direct relationship with the ultimate client has better access than the participant dealer to information relating to the ultimate client, the originating investment dealer may more effectively assess the ultimate client's financial resources and investment objectives.
We also expect that the participant dealer will maintain a written contract with the investment dealer that sets out a description of the specific risk management or supervisory control, policy or procedure and the conditions under which the investment dealer is authorized to set or adjust the control, policy or procedure as part of its books and records obligations set out in NI 31-103.
Paragraph 4(d) requires a participant dealer to regularly assess the adequacy and effectiveness of the investment dealer's setting or adjusting of the risk management and supervisory controls, policies and procedures that it performs on the participant dealer's behalf. We expect that this will include an assessment of the performance of the investment dealer under the written agreement prescribed in paragraph 4(b). A "regular" assessment would constitute, at a minimum, an assessment conducted annually of the controls, policies and procedures and whenever a substantive change is made to the controls, policies or procedures. A marketplace participant should determine whether more frequent assessments are required, depending on the particular circumstances.
Under paragraph 4(e), the participant dealer must provide the compliance staff of the originating investment dealer with immediate order and trade information of the ultimate client. This is to allow the originating investment dealer to monitor trading more effectively and efficiently.
Authorizing an investment dealer to set or adjust a risk management or supervisory control, policy or procedure does not relieve the participant dealer of its obligations under section 3, including the overall responsibility to establish, document, maintain and ensure compliance with risk management and supervisory controls, policies and procedures reasonably designed to manage, in accordance with prudent business practices, the financial, regulatory and other risks associated with marketplace access.
PART 3 REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE TO THE USE OF AUTOMATED ORDER SYSTEMS
5. Use of automated order systems
Section 5 stipulates that a marketplace participant or any client must take all reasonable steps to ensure that its use of automated order systems does not interfere with fair and orderly markets. A marketplace participant must also take all reasonable steps to ensure that the use of an automated order system by a client does not interfere with fair and orderly markets. This includes both the fair and orderly trading on a marketplace or the market as a whole and the proper functioning of a marketplace. For example, the sending of a continuous stream of orders that negatively impacts the price of a security or that overloads the systems of a marketplace may be considered as interfering with fair and orderly markets.
Paragraph 5(3)(a) requires a marketplace participant to have a level of knowledge and understanding of any automated order systems used by either the marketplace participant or the marketplace participant's clients that is sufficient to allow the marketplace participant to identify and manage the risks associated with the use of the automated order system. We understand that detailed information of automated order systems may be treated as proprietary information by some clients or third party service providers; however, the CSA expect that the marketplace participant will be able to obtain sufficient information in order to properly identify and manage its own risks.
Paragraph 5(3)(b) requires that each automated order system is tested in accordance with prudent business practices. A participating dealer does not necessarily have to conduct tests on each automated order system used by its clients but must satisfy itself that these automated order systems have been appropriately tested. Testing an automated order system in accordance with prudent business practices includes testing it before its initial use and at least annually thereafter. We would also expect that testing would also occur after any significant change to the automated order system is made.
PART 4 REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE TO MARKETPLACES
6. Availability of order and trade information
(1) Reasonable access
Subsection 6(1) is designed to ensure that a marketplace participant has immediate access to the marketplace participant's order and trade information when needed. Subsection 6(2) will help ensure that the marketplace does not have any rules, polices, procedures, fees or practices that would unreasonably create barriers to the marketplace participant in accessing this information.
This obligation is distinct from the requirement for marketplaces to disseminate order and trade information through an information processor under Parts 7 and 8 of NI 21-101. The information to be provided pursuant to section 6 would need to include the private information included on each order and trade in addition to the public information disseminated through an information processor.
(2) Immediate order and trade information
For the purposes of providing access to order and trade information on an immediate basis, we consider a marketplace's provision of this information by a drop copy to be acceptable.
7. Marketplace controls relating to electronic trading
(1) Termination of marketplace access
Subsection 7(1) requires a marketplace to have the ability and authority to terminate all or a portion of the access provided to a marketplace participant before providing access to that marketplace participant. This requirement also includes the authority of a marketplace to terminate access provided to a client that is using a participant dealer's marketplace participant identifier to access the marketplace. We expect a marketplace to act when it identifies trading behaviour that interferes with the fair and orderly functioning of its market.
(2) Assessments to be conducted
Paragraph 7(2)(a) requires a marketplace to regularly assess and document whether the marketplace requires any risk management and supervisory controls, policies and procedures relating to electronic trading, in addition to the risk management and supervisory controls, policies and procedures that marketplace participants are required to have under subsection 3(1), and ensure that such controls, policies and procedures are implemented in a timely manner. As well, a marketplace must regularly assess and document the adequacy and effectiveness of any risk management and supervisory controls, policies and procedures put in place under paragraph 7(2)(a). A marketplace is expected to document any conclusions reached as a result of its assessment and any deficiencies noted. It must also promptly remedy any identified deficiencies.
It is important that a marketplace take steps to ensure it does not engage in activity that interferes with fair and orderly markets. Part 12 of NI 21-101 requires marketplaces to establish systems-related risk management controls. It is therefore expected that a marketplace will be generally aware of the risk management and supervisory controls, policies and procedures of its marketplace participants and assess whether it needs to implement additional controls, policies and procedures to eliminate any risk management gaps and ensure the integrity of trading on its market.
(3) Timing of assessments
A "regular" assessment would constitute, at a minimum, an assessment conducted annually and whenever a substantive change is made to a marketplace's operations, rules, controls, policies or procedures that relate to methods of electronic trading. A marketplace should determine whether more frequent assessments are required depending on the particular circumstances of the marketplace, for example when the number of orders or trades is increasing very rapidly or when new types of clients or trading activities are identified. A marketplace should document and preserve a copy of each such assessment as part of its books and records obligation in NI 21-101.
(4) Implementing controls, policies and procedures in a timely manner
A "timely manner" will depend on the particular circumstances, including the degree of potential risk of financial harm to marketplace participants and their clients or harm to the integrity of the marketplace and to the market as a whole. The marketplace must ensure the timely implementation of any necessary risk management and supervisory controls, policies and procedures.
8. Marketplace thresholds
Section 8 requires that each marketplace must not permit the execution of orders of exchange-traded securities exceeding price and volume thresholds set by its regulation services provider, or by the marketplace if it is a recognized exchange or recognized quotation and trade reporting system that directly monitors the conduct of its members or users and enforces certain requirements set under NI 23-101.
These price and volume thresholds are expected to reduce erroneous orders and price volatility by preventing the execution of orders that could interfere with a fair and orderly market.
There are a variety of methods that may be used to prevent the execution of these orders. However, the setting of the price threshold is to be coordinated among all regulation services providers, recognized exchanges and recognized quotation and trade reporting systems that set the threshold under subsection 8(1).
The coordination requirement also applies when setting a price threshold for securities that have underlying interests in an exchange-traded security. We note that there may be differences in the actual price thresholds set for an exchange-traded security and a security that has underlying interests in that exchange-traded security.
9. Clearly erroneous trades
(1) Application of section 9
Section 9 provides that a marketplace cannot provide access to a marketplace participant unless it has the ability to cancel, vary or correct a trade executed by that marketplace participant. This requirement would apply in the instance where the marketplace decides to cancel, vary or correct a trade or is instructed to do so by a regulation services provider.
Before cancelling, varying or correcting a trade, paragraph 9 (2)(a) requires that a marketplace receive instructions from its regulation services provider, if it has retained one. We note that this would not apply in the case of a recognized exchange or recognized quotation and trade reporting system that directly monitors the conduct of its members or users and enforces requirements set pursuant to subsection 7.1(1) or 7.3(1) respectively of NI 23-101.
(2) Cancellation, variation or correction where necessary to correct a system or technological malfunction or error made by the marketplace systems or equipment
Under paragraph 9(2)(c) a marketplace may cancel, vary or correct a trade where necessary to correct an error caused by a system or technological malfunction of the marketplace's systems or equipment or an individual acting on behalf of the marketplace. If a marketplace has retained a regulation services provider, it must not cancel, vary or correct a trade unless it has obtained permission from its regulation services provider to do so.
Examples of errors caused by a system or technological malfunction include where the system executes a trade on terms that are inconsistent with the explicit conditions placed on the order by the marketplace participant, or allocates fills for orders at the same price level in a manner or sequence that is inconsistent with the stated manner or sequence in which such fills are to occur on the marketplace. Another example includes where the trade price was calculated by a marketplace's systems or equipment based on some stated reference price, but it was calculated incorrectly.
(3) Policies and procedures
For policies and procedures established by the marketplace in accordance with the requirements of subsection 9(3) to be "reasonable", they should be clear and understandable to all marketplace participants.
The policies and procedures should also provide for consistent application. For example, if a marketplace decides that it will consider requests for cancellation, variation or correction of trades in accordance with paragraph 9(2)(b), it should consider all requests received regardless of the identity of the counterparty. If a marketplace chooses to establish parameters only within which it might be willing to consider such requests, it should apply these parameters consistently to each request, and should not exercise its discretion to refuse a cancellation or amendment when the request falls within the stated parameters and the consent of the affected parties has been provided.
When establishing any policies and procedures in accordance with subsection 9(3), a marketplace should also consider what additional policies and procedures might be appropriate to address any conflicts of interest that might arise.