CIBC Asset Management Inc. and CIBC Global Asset Management Inc. - MRRS Decision
Headnote
Mutual Reliance Review System for Exemptive Relief Applications -- Exemption to allow dealer managed mutual funds to invest in securities of an issuer during the 60 days after the distribution period in which an affiliate of the dealer manager has acted as an underwriter in connection with the distribution of securities of the issuer -- The conflict is mitigated by the oversight of an independent review committee -- Subsection 4.1(1) of National Instrument 81-102 Mutual Funds.
Applicable Legislative Provisions
National Instrument 81-102 Mutual Funds, subsection 4.1(1) and section 19.1.
February 7, 2007
IN THE MATTER OF
THE SECURITIES LEGISLATION OF
BRITISH COLUMBIA, ALBERTA, SASKATCHEWAN,
MANITOBA, ONTARIO, QUEBEC, NEW BRUNSWICK,
NOVA SCOTIA, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND,
NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR, AND
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES,
NUNAVUT AND THE YUKON
(the "Jurisdictions")
AND
IN THE MATTER OF
THE MUTUAL RELIANCE REVIEW SYSTEM FOR
EXEMPTIVE RELIEF APPLICATIONS
AND
IN THE MATTER OF
CIBC ASSET MANAGEMENT INC. AND
CIBC GLOBAL ASSET MANAGEMENT INC.
(the "Applicants")
MRRS DECISION DOCUMENT
Background
The local securities regulatory authority or regulator (the "Decision Maker") in each of the Jurisdictions has received an application from the Applicants (or "Dealer Managers"), for and on behalf of the mutual funds listed in Appendix "A" (the "Funds" or "Dealer Managed Funds") for which the Applicants act as portfolio adviser, for a decision under section 19.1 of National Instrument 81-102 Mutual Funds ("NI 81-102") for:
• an exemption from subsection 4.1(1) of NI 81-102 to enable the Dealer Managed Funds to invest in the trust units (the "Units") of Westfield Real Estate Investment Trust (the "Issuer") on the Toronto Stock Exchange (the "TSX") during the 60-day period following the completion of the distribution (the "Prohibition Period") notwithstanding that the Dealer Managers or their associates or affiliates act or have acted as an underwriter in connection with the offering (the "Offering") of Units pursuant to a short form prospectus dated January 24, 2007 which the Issuer has filed with the securities regulatory authorities in each of the Canadian provinces (the "Requested Relief").
Under the Mutual Reliance Review System for Exemptive Relief Applications:
(a) the Ontario Securities Commission (the "OSC") is the principal regulator for this application, and
(b) this MRRS decision document evidences the decision of each Decision Maker.
It is the responsibility of each of the Decision Makers to make a global assessment of the risks involved in granting exemptive relief from subsection 4.1 of NI 81-102 in relation to the specific facts of each application.
Interpretation
Defined terms contained in National Instrument 14-101 - Definitions have the same meanings in this decision unless they are defined in this decision.
Representations
This decision is based on the following facts represented by the Applicant:
1. Each Dealer Manager is a "dealer manager" with respect to the Dealer Managed Funds, and each Dealer Managed Fund is a "dealer managed mutual fund", as such term is defined in section 1.1 of NI 81-102.
2. The securities of the Dealer Managed Funds are qualified for distribution in one or more of the provinces and territories of Canada pursuant to simplified prospectuses that have been prepared and filed in accordance with their respective securities legislation.
3. The head office of CIBC Asset Management Inc. is in Toronto, Ontario. The head office of CIBC Global Asset Management Inc. is in Montreal, Quebec.
4. The Offering is being underwritten, subject to certain terms, by an underwriting syndicate which includes CIBC World Markets Inc. (the "Related Underwriter"), among others (the Related Underwriter, together with the other underwriters, which are now or may become party to the syndicate prior to closing, the "Underwriters"). The Related Underwriter is an affiliate of each Dealer Manager.
5. The Issuer is a publicly traded real estate investment trust which identifies and undertakes acquisitions in primary and growing secondary markets in western Canada, primarily in the province of Alberta. The Issuer seeks to acquire well-located, income producing office, retail and industrial properties with credit worthy tenants.
6. According to the Issuer's preliminary short form prospectus (the "Preliminary Prospectus"), the Offering consists of 5,050,000 Units at $15.85 per Unit with gross proceeds of $80,042,500. In addition, the Issuer has granted to the Underwriters an option (the "Over-Allotment Option"), exercisable in whole or in part up to 30 days following the closing date which is expected to occur on February 8, 2007, to purchase up to an additional 757,500 Units at $15.85 per Unit. If the Over-Allotment Option is exercised in full, the gross proceeds of the Offering are expected to be $92,048,875.
7. According to the Preliminary Prospectus, the Issuer intends to use the net proceeds to acquire additional properties, for general working capital purposes and/or to reduce indebtedness. In the event that one or more of the Issuer's proposed acquisitions does not close, the Issuer will use the proceeds of the Offering that were intended to be used to acquire such properties to acquire properties of substantially similar quality, for working capital purposes and to reduce indebtedness.
8. The Issuer and the Underwriters have entered into an underwriting agreement dated January 24, 2007 whereby the Underwriters have agreed to purchase a total of 5,050,000 Units at a purchase price of $15.85 per Unit. The Underwriters will receive an aggregate fee of $3,201,700.
9. The Issuer's outstanding units are listed on the TSX under the symbol "WFD.UN". The Issuer will apply to list the Units offered pursuant to the Offering on the TSX.
10. According to the Preliminary Prospectus, the Issuer may be a "connected issuer" as defined in National Instrument 33-105 of the Related Underwriter for the reasons set forth in the Preliminary Prospectus. As disclosed in the Preliminary Prospectus, these reasons include that the Related Underwriter is a indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of a Canadian chartered bank (the "Bank") that is a mortgage lender to the Issuer and its subsidiaries. The Issuer and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of the mortgages. None of the proceeds of the Offering are intended to be applied to reduce the indebtedness under the mortgages to the Bank. The Bank has a first mortgage against certain of the Issuer's properties as security for the indebtedness. The terms, structure and pricing of the Offering were determined by negotiation between the Issuer, the Related Underwriter and Canaccord Capital Corporation, on behalf of the Underwriters. The Offering was not required, suggested or consented to by the Bank.
11. The Preliminary Prospectus does not disclose the Issuer is a "related issuer" of the Related Underwriters, as defined in NI 33-105.
12. Despite the affiliation between the Dealer Managers and the Related Underwriter, they operate independently of each other. In particular, the investment banking and related dealer activities of the Related Underwriter and the investment portfolio management activities of the Dealer Managers are separated by "ethical" walls. Accordingly, no information flows from one to the other concerning their respective business operations or activities generally, except in the following or similar circumstances:
(a) in respect of compliance matters (for example, the Dealer Manager and the Related Underwriter may communicate to enable the Dealer Manager to maintain an up to date restricted-issuer list to ensure that the Dealer Manager complies with applicable securities laws); and
(b) each Dealer Manager and the Related Underwriter may share general market information such as discussion on general economic conditions, bank rates, etc.
13. The Dealer Managed Funds are not required or obligated to purchase any Units during the Prohibition Period.
14. The Dealer Managers may cause the Dealer Managed Funds to invest in Units during the Prohibition Period. Any purchase of the Units will be consistent with the investment objectives of the Dealer Managed Funds and represent the business judgment of the Dealer Managers uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Dealer Managed Funds or in fact be in the best interests of the Dealer Managed Funds.
15. To the extent that the same portfolio manager or team of portfolio managers of a Dealer Manager manages two or more Dealer Managed Funds and other client accounts that are managed on a discretionary basis (the "Managed Accounts"), the Units purchased for them will be allocated:
(a) in accordance with the allocation factors or criteria stated in the written policies or procedures put in place by the Dealer Manager for its Dealer Managed Funds and Managed Accounts, and
(b) taking into account the amount of cash available to each Dealer Managed Fund for investment.
16. There will be an independent committee (the "Independent Committee") appointed in respect of each Dealer Managed Fund to review the investments of the Dealer Managed Funds in Units during the Prohibition Period.
17. The Independent Committee will have at least three members and every member must be independent. A member of the Independent Committee is not independent if the member has a direct or indirect material relationship with its Dealer Manager, the Dealer Managed Fund, or any affiliate or associate thereof. For the purpose of this Decision, a material relationship means a relationship which could, in the view of a reasonable person, reasonably interfere with the exercise of the member's independent judgment regarding conflicts of interest facing the Dealer Manager.
18. The members of the Independent Committee will exercise their powers and discharge their duties honestly, in good faith, and in the best interests of investors in the Dealer Managed Funds and, in so doing, exercise the degree of care, diligence and skill that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in the circumstances.
19. Each Dealer Manager, in respect of the Dealer Managed Funds, will notify a member of staff in the Investment Funds Branch of the Ontario Securities Commission, of the filing of the SEDAR Report (as defined below) on SEDAR, as soon as practicable after the filing of such report, and the notice shall include the SEDAR project number of the SEDAR Report and the date on which it was filed.
20. Each Dealer Manager has not been involved in the work of the Related Underwriter and the Related Underwriter has not been and will not be involved in the decisions of the Dealer Manager as to whether the Dealer Managed Funds will purchase Units during the Prohibition Period.
Decision
Each of the Decision Makers has assessed the conflict of interest risks associated with granting an exemption in this instance from subsection 4.1(1) of NI 81-102 and is satisfied that, at the time this Decision is granted, the potential risks are sufficiently mitigated.
Each of the Decision Makers is satisfied that the test contained in NI 81-102 that provides the Decision Maker with the jurisdiction to make the Decision has been met.
The Decision of the Decision Makers under the Legislation is that the Requested Relief is granted, notwithstanding that the Related Underwriter acts or has acted as underwriter in the Offering provided that, in respect of each Dealer Manager and its Dealer Managed Funds, the following conditions are satisfied:
I. At the time of each purchase (the "Purchase") of Units by a Dealer Managed Fund pursuant to this Decision, the following conditions are satisfied:
(a) the Purchase
(i) represents the business judgment of the Dealer Manager uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Dealer Managed Fund, or
(ii) is, in fact, in the best interests of the Dealer Managed Fund;
(b) the Purchase is consistent with, or is necessary to meet, the investment objective of the Dealer Managed Fund as disclosed in its simplified prospectus; and
(c) the Dealer Managed Fund does not place the order to purchase, on a principal or agency basis, with its Related Underwriter;
II. Prior to effecting any Purchase pursuant to this Decision, each Dealer Managed Fund has in place written policies or procedures to ensure that,
(a) there is compliance with the conditions of this Decision; and
(b) in connection with any Purchase,
(i) there are stated factors or criteria for allocating the Units purchased for two or more Dealer Managed Funds and other Managed Accounts, and
(ii) there is full documentation of the reasons for any allocation to a Dealer Managed Fund or Managed Account that departs from the stated allocation factors or criteria;
III. The Dealer Manager does not accept solicitation by its Related Underwriter for the Purchase of Units for the Dealer Managed Fund;
IV. Each Dealer Managed Fund has an Independent Committee to review the Dealer Managed Fund's investments in the Units during the Prohibition Period;
V. The Independent Committee has a written mandate describing its duties and standard of care which, as a minimum, sets out the applicable conditions of this Decision;
VI. The members of the Independent Committee exercise their powers and discharge their duties honestly, in good faith, and in the best interests of investors in the Dealer Managed Fund and, in so doing, exercise the degree of care, diligence and skill that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in the circumstances;
VII. The Dealer Managed Fund does not relieve the members of the Independent Committee from liability for loss that arises out of a failure to satisfy the standard of care set out in paragraph VI above:,
VIII. The Dealer Managed Fund does not incur the cost of any portion of liability insurance that insures a member of the Independent Committee for a liability for loss that arises out of a failure to satisfy the standard of care set out in paragraph VI above;
IX. The cost of any indemnification or insurance coverage paid for by the Dealer Manager, any portfolio manager of the Dealer Managed Fund, or any associate or affiliate of the Dealer Manager or any portfolio manager of the Dealer Managed Funds to indemnify or insure the members of the Independent Committee in respect of a loss that arises out of a failure to satisfy the standard of care set out in paragraph VI above is not paid either directly or indirectly by the Dealer Managed Fund;
X. The Dealer Manager files a certified report on SEDAR (the "SEDAR Report") in respect of the Dealer Managed Fund, no later than 30 days after the end of the Prohibition Period, that contains a certification by the Dealer Manager that contains:
(a) the following particulars of each Purchase:
(ii) the number of Units purchased by the Dealer Managed Fund;
(ii) the date of the Purchase and purchase price;
(iii) whether it is known whether any underwriter or syndicate member has engaged in market stabilization activities in respect of the Units;
(iv) if the Units were purchased for two or more Dealer Managed Funds and other Managed Accounts of the Dealer Manager, the aggregate amount so purchased and the percentage of such aggregate amount that was allocated to each Dealer Managed Fund; and
(v) the dealer from whom the Dealer Managed Fund purchased the Units and the fees or commissions, if any, paid by the Dealer Managed Fund in respect of such Purchase;
(b) a certification by the Dealer Manager that the Purchase:
(i) was made free from any influence by the Related Underwriter or any affiliate or associate thereof and without taking into account any consideration relevant to the Related Underwriter or any associate or affiliate thereof; and
(ii) represented the business judgment of the Dealer Manager uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interest of the Dealer Managed Fund, or
(iii) was, in fact, in the best interests of the Dealer Managed Fund;
(c) confirmation of the existence of the Independent Committee to review the Purchase of the Units by the Dealer Managed Funds, the names of the members of the Independent Committee, the fact that they meet the independence requirements set forth in this Decision, and whether and how they were compensated for their review;
(d) a certification by each member of the Independent Committee that after reasonable inquiry the member formed the opinion that the policies and procedures referred to in Condition II(a) above are adequate and effective to ensure compliance with this Decision and that the decision made on behalf of each Dealer Managed Fund by the Dealer Manager to purchase Units for the Dealer Managed Funds and each Purchase by the Dealer Managed Fund:
(i) was made in compliance with the conditions of this Decision;
(ii) was made by the Dealer Manager free from any influence by the Related Underwriter or any affiliate or associate thereof and without taking into account any consideration relevant to the Related Underwriter or any associate or affiliate thereof; and
(iii) represented the business judgment of the Dealer Manager uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Dealer Managed Fund, or
(iv) was, in fact, in the best interests of the Dealer Managed Fund.
XI. The Independent Committee advises the Decision Makers in writing of:
(a) any determination by it that the condition set out in paragraph X(d) has not been satisfied with respect to any Purchase of the Units by a Dealer Managed Fund;
(b) any determination by it that any other condition of this Decision has not been satisfied;
(c) any action it has taken or proposes to take following the determinations referred to above; and
(d) any action taken, or proposed to be taken, by the Dealer Manager or a portfolio manager of a Dealer Managed Fund. in response to the determinations referred to above.
XII. Each Purchase of Units during the Prohibition Period is made on the TSX; and
XIII. An underwriter provides to the Dealer Manager written confirmation that the "dealer restricted period" in respect of the Offering, as defined in Ontario Securities Commission Rule 48-501, Trading During Distributions, Formal Bids and Share Exchange Transactions, has ended.
SEDAR Project Nos.. 1044871,1044872,1044874,1044875
APPENDIX A
THE MUTUAL FUNDS
Imperial Pools
Imperial Canadian Dividend Income Pool
Imperial Canadian Dividend Pool
Imperial Canadian Equity Pool
Imperial Canadian Income Trust Pool
Renaissance Talvest Mutual Funds
Renaissance Canadian Balanced Value Fund
Renaissance Canadian Core Value Fund
Renaissance Canadian Dividend Income Fund
Renaissance Canadian Growth Fund
Renaissance Canadian Monthly Income Fund
Renaissance Canadian Diversified Income Fund
Renaissance Canadian Small Cap Fund
Talvest Cdn. Asset Allocation Fund
Talvest Cdn. Equity Value Fund
Talvest Dividend Fund
Talvest Millennium High Income Fund
Talvest Millennium Next Generation Fund
Talvest Small Cap Cdn. Equity Fund
CIBC Mutual Funds and CIBC Family of Managed Portfolios
CIBC Balanced Fund
CIBC Balanced Index Fund
CIBC Canadian Equity Fund (formerly CIBC Core Canadian Equity Fund)
CIBC Canadian Equity Value Fund (formerly Canadian Imperial Equity Fund)
CIBC Canadian Real Estate Fund
CIBC Canadian Small Companies Fund
CIBC Capital Appreciation Fund
CIBC Diversified Income Fund
CIBC Dividend Fund
CIBC Financial Companies Fund
CIBC Global Monthly Income Fund
CIBC Monthly Income Fund
Frontiers Pools
Frontiers Canadian Equity Pool
Frontiers Canadian Monthly Income Pool