Bloomberg Tradebook Canada Company et al. – s. 21.0.1

Headnote

Section 21.0.1 of the Securities Act (Ontario) -- decision requiring alternative trading systems to comply with Process for the Review and Approval of the Information Contained in Form 21-101F2 and the Exhibits Thereto (ATS Protocol) -- requested order granted.

Applicable Legislative Provisions

Securities Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. S.5, as am., s. 21.0.1.

March 21, 2024

IN THE MATTER OF
THE SECURITIES ACT, R.S.O. 1990, CHAPTER S.5, AS AMENDED
(Act)

 AND

IN THE MATTER OF
BLOOMBERG TRADEBOOK CANADA COMPANY,
CANDEAL MARKETS INC.,
COINSQUARE CAPITAL MARKETS LTD.,
INSTINET CANADA CROSS LIMITED,
LIQUIDNET CANADA INC.,
MARKETAXESS CANADA COMPANY,
PERIMETER MARKETS INC.,
AND
TRADELOGIQ MARKETS INC.

ORDER
(Section 21.0.1 of the Act)
 

WHEREAS each of Bloomberg Tradebook Canada Company, CanDeal Markets Inc., Coinsquare Capital Markets Ltd., Instinet Canada Cross Limited, Liquidnet Canada Inc., MarketAxess Canada Company, Perimeter Markets Inc., and Tradelogiq Markets Inc. is an alternative trading system (together, the ATSs) carrying on business in Ontario;

AND WHEREAS section 21.0.1 of the Act states that the Ontario Securities Commission (Commission) may, if it considers it in the public interest, make any decision with respect to,

(a) the manner in which an alternative trading system carries on business in Ontario;

(b) the trading of securities or derivatives on or through the facilities of the alternative trading system; or

(c) any by-law, rule, regulation, policy, procedure, interpretation or practice of the alternative trading system;

AND WHEREAS the information contained in Form 21-101F2 Information Statement Alternative Trading System (Form 21-101F2), as amended from time to time, and its exhibits, describes the manner in which an ATS operates, describes the trading of securities or derivatives on or through the facilities of the ATS and contains the ATS' by-laws, rules, regulations, policies, procedures, interpretations, and practices;

AND WHEREAS Part 3 of National Instrument 21-101 Marketplace Operation sets out requirements for ATSs to file information in Form 21-101F2, including making any changes to the information set out therein;

AND WHEREAS the ATSs were all required to comply with the Process for the Review and Approval of the Information Contained in Form 21-101F2 and the Exhibits Thereto (ATS Protocol), described in Appendix A, as amended from time to time, through orders dated June 22, 2012, and varied on September 29, 2015 and August 31, 2020, and orders dated July 30, 2021 and October 19, 2022 (ATS Orders);

AND WHEREAS the Commission is simultaneously issuing a separate Order revoking the ATS Orders (ATS Revocation Order);

AND WHEREAS the intention of the ATS Revocation Order and this Order (ATS Protocol Order) is to require the ATSs to comply with the ATS Protocol, while reflecting name changes and changes in operational status;

AND WHEREAS in the Commission's opinion, it is in the public interest to issue this ATS Protocol Order;

AND WHEREAS the ATSs consent to this ATS Protocol Order;

IT IS ORDERED that, pursuant to section 21.0.1 of the Act, the ATSs are required to follow the ATS Protocol, described in Appendix A, as amended from time to time.

DATED this 21st day of March, 2024.

APPENDIX A

PROCESS FOR THE REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN FORM 21-101F2 AND THE EXHIBITS THERETO

1. Purpose

This Protocol sets out the procedures an alternative trading system (ATS) must follow for any Change, as defined in section 2 below, and describes the procedures for its review by Commission Staff (Staff) and approval by the Commission or the Director. This Protocol also establishes requirements regarding the time at which an ATS may begin operations following registration by the Commission.

2. Definitions

For the purposes of this Protocol:

(a) Change means a Fee Change, a Housekeeping Change or a Significant Change.

(b) Director means "Director" as defined in subsection 1(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario).

(c) Fee Change means any new fee or fee model of the ATS and any amendment to a fee or fee model.

(d) Fee Change subject to Public Comment means a Fee Change that, in Staff's view, may have a significant impact on the ATS, its market structure, subscribers, investors or the Canadian capital markets or otherwise raises regulatory or public interest concerns and should be subject to public comment.

(e) Housekeeping Change means an amendment to the information in Form 21-101F2 that

(i) does not have a significant impact on the ATS, its market structure, subscribers, investors or the Canadian capital markets, or

(ii) is of a housekeeping or administrative nature and is comparable to the types of housekeeping changes listed in subsection 6.1(5)(b) of Companion Policy 21-101CP.

(f) Significant Change means an amendment to the information in Form 21-101F2 other than

(i) a Housekeeping Change, or

(ii) a Fee Change,

and for greater certainty includes the matters listed in subsection 6.1(4) of Companion Policy 21-101 CP.

(g) Significant Change subject to Public Comment means a Significant Change that

(i) is listed in paragraphs 6.1(4)(a) or (b) of Companion Policy 21-101 CP, or

(ii) in Staff's view, may have a significant impact on the ATS, its market structure, subscribers, investors or the Canadian capital markets or otherwise raises regulatory or public interest concerns and should be subject to public comment.

3. Scope

The ATS and Staff will follow the process for review and approval set out in this Protocol for all Changes.

4. Waiving or Varying the Protocol

(a) The ATS may submit a written request with Staff to waive or vary any part of this Protocol. The request must provide reasons why granting the waiver is appropriate in the circumstances.

(b) Staff will use their best efforts to provide to the ATS within five business days of receipt of its request either:

(i) written notice that Staff object to granting the waiver or variation; or

(ii) written notice that the waiver or variation has been granted by Staff.

5. Commencement of ATS Operations

The ATS must not begin operations until a reasonable period of time after the ATS is notified that it has been registered by the Commission.

6. Materials to be Submitted and Timelines

(a) Prior to the implementation of a Fee Change or Significant Change, the ATS will provide Staff with the following materials:

(i) a cover letter that, together with the notice for publication submitted under paragraph (a)(ii), if applicable, fully describes:

(A) the proposed Fee Change or Significant Change;

(B) the expected date of implementation of the proposed Fee Change or Significant Change;

(C) the rationale for the proposal and any relevant supporting analysis;

(D) the expected impact, including the quantitative impact, of the proposed Fee Change or Significant Change on the market structure, subscribers and, if applicable, on investors and the capital markets;

(E) the expected impact of the Fee Change or Significant Change on the ATS's compliance with Ontario securities law requirements and in particular requirements for fair access and maintenance of fair and orderly markets;

(F) a summary of any consultations, including consultations with external parties, undertaken in formulating the Fee Change or Significant Change, and the internal governance process followed to approve the Change;

(G) for a proposed Fee Change:

1. the expected number of marketplace participants likely to be subject to the new fee, along with a description of the costs they will incur; and

2. if the proposed Fee Change applies differently across types of marketplace participants, a description of this difference, how it impacts each class of affected marketplace participant, including, where applicable, numerical examples, and any justification for the difference in treatment.

(H) if the Significant Change will require subscribers or service vendors to modify their systems after implementation of the Change, the expected impact of the Change on the systems of subscribers and service vendors together with an estimate of the amount of time needed to perform the necessary work and how the estimated amount of time was deemed reasonable in light of the expected impact of the Significant Change on the ATS, its market structure, subscribers, investors or the Canadian capital markets;

(I) where the proposed Significant Change is not a Significant Change subject to Public Comment, the rationale for why the proposed Significant Change is not considered a Significant Change subject to Public Comment;

(J) a discussion of any alternatives considered; and

(K) if applicable, whether the proposed Fee Change or Significant Change would introduce a fee model or feature that currently exists in other markets or jurisdictions;

(ii) for a proposed Significant Change subject to Public Comment or Fee Change subject to Public Comment, a notice for publication that generally includes the information required under paragraph (a)(i), except information that, if included in the notice, would result in the public disclosure of sensitive information or confidential or proprietary financial, commercial or technical information;

(iii) for a proposed Fee Change or Significant Change, blacklined and clean copies of Form 21-101F2 showing the proposed Change.

(b) The ATS will submit the materials set out in subsection (a)

(i) at least 45 days prior to the expected implementation date of a proposed Significant Change; and

(ii) at least fifteen business days prior to the expected implementation date of a proposed Fee Change.

(c) For a Housekeeping Change, the ATS will provide Staff with the following materials:

(i) a cover letter that fully describes the Change and indicates that it was classified as a Housekeeping Change and, for each Housekeeping Change, provides an analysis of the rationale for the classification and the expected or actual date of implementation of the Change; and

(ii) blacklined and clean copies of Form 21-101F2 showing the Change.

(d) The ATS will submit the materials set out in subsection (c) by the earlier of

(i) the ATS's close of business on the 10^th calendar day after the end of the calendar quarter in which the Housekeeping Change was implemented; and

(ii) the date on which the ATS publicly announces a Housekeeping Change, if applicable.

7. Review by Staff of notice and materials to be published for comment

(a) Within 5 business days of the receipt of the notice and materials submitted by the ATS relating to a Significant Change subject to Public Comment or Fee Change subject to Public Comment, in accordance with paragraph 6(a)(ii), Staff will review the notice and materials to ensure that they contain an adequate level of detail, analysis and discussion to elicit meaningful public comment, and will promptly notify the ATS of any deficiency requiring a resubmission of the notice and/or materials.

(b) Where the notice and/or materials are considered by Staff to be deficient, the ATS will amend and resubmit the notice and/or materials accordingly, and the date of resubmission will serve as the submission date for the purposes of this Protocol.

(c) Where the notice and materials are considered by Staff to be adequate for publication, Staff will proceed with the processes set out in section 8.

8. Publication of a Significant Change Subject to Public Comment or Fee Change Subject to Public Comment

(a) As soon as practicable after the receipt of the notice and materials submitted by the ATS relating to a Significant Change subject to Public Comment or Fee Change subject to Public Comment, in accordance with paragraph 6(a)(ii), Staff will publish in the OSC Bulletin and/or on the OSC website, the notice prepared by the ATS, along with a notice prepared by Staff, if necessary, that provides market participants with an opportunity to provide comments to Staff and to the ATS within 30 days from the date the notice appears in the OSC Bulletin or on the OSC website, whichever comes first.

(b) If public comments are received

(i) the ATS will forward copies of the comments promptly to Staff; and

(ii) the ATS will prepare a summary of the public comments and a response to those comments and provide them to Staff promptly after the end of the comment period.

9. Review and Approval Process for Proposed Fee Changes and Significant Changes

(a) Staff will use their best efforts to complete their review of a proposed Fee Change or Significant Change within

(i) 45 days from the date of submission of a proposed Significant Change; and

(ii) fifteen business days from the date of submission of a proposed Fee Change.

(b) Staff will notify the ATS if they anticipate that their review of the proposed Fee Change or Significant Change will exceed the timelines in subsection (a).

(c) If Staff have material comments or require additional information to complete their review of a proposed Fee Change or Significant Change, Staff will use best efforts to provide the ATS with a comment letter promptly by the end of the public comment period for a Significant Change subject to Public Comment or Fee Change subject to Public Comment, and promptly after the receipt of the materials submitted under section 6 for all other Changes.

(d) The ATS will respond to any comments received from Staff in writing.

(e) Unless Staff agree to an extension of time, if the ATS fails to respond to Staff's comments within 120 days after the receipt of Staff's comment letter, the ATS will be deemed to have withdrawn the proposed Fee Change or Significant Change. If the ATS wishes to proceed with the Fee Change or Significant Change after it has been deemed withdrawn, the ATS will have to re-submit it for review and approval in accordance with this Protocol.

(f) Upon completion of Staff's review of a Fee Change or Significant Change, Staff will submit the Change to the Director or, in the circumstances described in subsection (g), to the Commission, for a decision within the following timelines:

(i) for a Significant Change subject to Public Comment or Fee Change subject to Public Comment, the later of 45 days from the date that the related materials were published for comment and the date that Staff's comments and public comments, including any concerns identified, have been adequately addressed by the ATS;

(ii) for any other Significant Change, the later of 45 days from the date of submission of the Change and the date that Staff's comments and any concerns identified have been adequately addressed by the ATS; or

(iii) for any other Fee Change, the later of fifteen business days from the date of submission of the change and the date that Staff's comments and any concerns identified have been adequately addressed by the ATS.

(g) A Fee Change or Significant Change may be submitted to the Commission for a decision, within the timelines in subsection (f),

(i) if the proposed Fee Change or Significant Change introduces a novel feature to the ATS or the capital markets;

(ii) if the proposed Fee Change or Significant Change raises significant regulatory or public interest concerns; or

(iii) in any other situation where, in Staff's view, Commission approval is appropriate.

(h) Staff will promptly notify the ATS of the decision.

(i) If a Significant Change subject to Public Comment or Fee Change subject to Public Comment is approved, Staff will publish the following documents in the OSC Bulletin and/or on the OSC website promptly after the approval:

(i) a notice indicating that the proposed Change is approved;

(ii) the summary of public comments and responses prepared by the ATS, if applicable; and

(iii) if non-material changes were made to the version published for public comment, a brief description of these changes prepared by the ATS and a blacklined copy of the revised Change highlighting the revisions made.

10. Review Criteria for a Fee Change and Significant Change

(a) Staff will review a proposed Fee Change or Significant Change to assess whether it is in the public interest for the Director or the Commission to approve the Change. In making this determination, Staff will have regard for the purposes of the Securities Act (Ontario) (Act) as set out in section 1.1 of the Act. The factors that Staff will consider in making their determination also include whether:

(i) the Change would impact the ATS's compliance with Ontario securities law;

(ii) the ATS followed its established internal governance practices in approving the proposed Change;

(iii) the ATS followed the requirements of this Protocol and has provided sufficient analysis of the nature, purpose and effect of the Change; and

(iv) the ATS adequately addressed any comments received.

11. Effective Date of a Fee Change or Significant Change

(a) A Fee Change or Significant Change will be effective on the later of:

(i) the date that the ATS is notified that the Change is approved;

(ii) if applicable, the date of publication of the notice of approval on the OSC website;

(iii) if applicable, the implementation date established by the ATSs' rules, agreements, practices, policies or procedures; and

(iv) the date designated by the ATS.

(b) The ATS must not implement a Fee Change unless the ATS has provided stakeholders, including marketplace participants, issuers and vendors, as applicable, with notice of the Fee Change at least five business days prior to implementation.

(c) Where a Significant Change involves a material change to any of the systems, operated by or on behalf of the ATS, described in section 12.1 of National Instrument 21-101, the Significant Change will not be effective until a reasonable period of time after the ATS is notified that the Significant Change is approved.

(d) In determining what constitutes a reasonable period of time for purposes of implementing a Significant Change under paragraph (c), Staff will consider how the Significant Change will impact the ATS, its market structure, subscribers, investors or the Canadian capital markets or otherwise raises regulatory or public interest concerns.

(e) The ATS must notify Staff promptly following the implementation of a Significant Change or Fee Change that becomes effective under subsections (a) and (b).

(f) Where the ATS does not implement a Significant Change or Fee Change within 180 days of the effective date of the Fee Change or Significant Change, as provided for in subsections (a) and (b), the Significant Change or Fee Change will be deemed to be withdrawn.

12. Significant Revisions and Republication

(a) If, subsequent to its publication for comment, the ATS revises a Significant Change subject to Public Comment or Fee Change subject to Public Comment in a manner that results in a material change to the proposed substance or effect of the Change, Staff will, in consultation with the ATS, determine whether or not the revised Change should be published for an additional 30-day comment period.

(b) If a Significant Change subject to Public Comment or Fee Change subject to Public Comment is republished under subsection (a), the request for comments will include a blacklined version marked to the originally published version, a summary of comments and responses prepared by the ATS, and an explanation of the revisions and the supporting rationale for the revisions.

13. Withdrawal of a Fee Change or Significant Change

(a) If the ATS withdraws a Fee Change or a Significant Change that was previously submitted, it will provide a written notice of withdrawal to Staff.

(b) If the notice of withdrawal relates to a Significant Change subject to Public Comment or Fee Change subject to Public Comment, Staff will publish the notice of withdrawal in the OSC Bulletin and/or on the OSC website as soon as practicable.

(c) If a Significant Change subject to Public Comment or Fee Change subject to Public Comment is deemed to have been withdrawn as provided in subsection 9(e), Staff will prepare and publish a notice informing market participants that the ATS did not proceed with the Change.

14. Effective Date of a Housekeeping Change

(a) Subject to subsections (b) and (c), a Housekeeping Change will be effective on the date designated by the ATS.

(b) Staff will review the materials submitted by the ATS for a Housekeeping Change to assess the appropriateness of the categorization of the Change as housekeeping within five business days from the date that the ATS submitted the documents in accordance with subsections 6(c) and 6(d). The ATS will be notified in writing if there is disagreement with respect to the categorization of the Change as housekeeping.

(c) If Staff disagree with the categorization of the Change as housekeeping, the ATS will immediately repeal the Change, submit the proposed Change as a Significant Change, and follow the review and approval process described in this Protocol as applying to a Significant Change, including those processes applicable to a Significant Change subject to Public Comment, if applicable.

15. Immediate Implementation of a Significant Change

(a) The ATS may need to make a Significant Change effective immediately where the ATS determines that there is an urgent need to implement the Change to maintain fair and orderly markets, or because of a substantial and imminent risk of material harm to the ATS, its subscribers, other market participants or investors.

(b) When the ATS determines that immediate implementation is necessary, it will advise Staff in writing as soon as possible, but in any event, at least five business days prior to the proposed implementation of the Significant Change. The written notice will include the expected effective date of the Significant Change and an analysis to support the need for immediate implementation. An application for an exemption from the 45-day advance filing requirements in National Instrument 21-101 must follow within five business days following the ATS receiving notice that Staff agree with immediate implementation of the Significant Change.

(c) If Staff do not agree that immediate implementation is necessary, Staff will promptly notify the ATS, in writing, of the disagreement no later than the end of the third business day following submission of the notice under subsection (b). If the disagreement is not resolved, the ATS will submit the Significant Change in accordance with the timelines in section 6.

16. Review of a Significant Change Implemented Immediately

A Significant Change that has been implemented immediately in accordance with section 15 will be published, if applicable, and reviewed and approved by the Director or by the Commission in accordance with the procedures set out in section 9, with necessary modifications. If the Director or the Commission does not approve the Significant Change, the ATS will immediately repeal the Change and inform its subscribers of the decision.

17. Application of Section 21 of the Securities Act (Ontario)

The Commission's powers under section 21.0.1 of the Securities Act (Ontario) are not constrained in any way, notwithstanding a Change having been approved under this Protocol.