Nordic Partners Inc. - s. 6.1(1) of NI 31-102 National Registration Database and s. 6.1 of OSC Rule 13-502 Fees
Headnote
Applicant seeking registration as an international dealer is exempted from the electronic funds transfer requirement pursuant to subsection 6.1(1) of National Instrument 31-102 National Registration Database and activity fee contemplated under section 4.1 of Ontario Securities Commission Rule 13-502 Fees is waived in respect of this discretionary relief, subject to certain conditions.
Rules Cited
National Instrument 31-102 National Registration Database (2007) 30 O.S.C.B. 5430, s. 6.1.
Ontario Securities Commission Rule 13-502 Fees (2003) 26 O.S.C.B. 867, ss. 4.1 and 6.1.
February 14, 2008
IN THE MATTER OF
THE SECURITIES ACT,
R.S.O. 1990, CHAPTER S.5, AS AMENDED (the Act)
AND
IN THE MATTER OF
NORDIC PARTNERS INC.
DECISION
(Subsection 6.1(1) of National Instrument 31-102 - National Registration Database
and Section 6.1 of Ontario Securities Commission Rule 13-502 - Fees)
UPON the Director having received the application of Nordic Partners Inc. (the Applicant) for an order pursuant to subsection 6.1(1) of National Instrument 31-102 - National Registration Database (NI 31-102) granting the Applicant relief from the electronic funds transfer requirement contemplated under NI 31-102 and for relief from the activity fee requirement contemplated under section 4.1 of Ontario Securities Commission Rule 13-502 - Fees (Rule 13-502) in respect of this discretionary relief;
AND UPON considering the application and the recommendation of the staff of the Ontario Securities Commission (the Commission);
AND UPON the Applicant having represented to the Director as follows:
1. The Applicant is organized as a corporation under the laws of the State of Delaware in the United States. The head office of the Applicant is located in New York, New York, USA.
2. The Applicant is registered as a broker-dealer with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.
3. The Applicant is not registered in any capacity under the Act and is not a reporting issuer in any province or territory of Canada. However, the Applicant is seeking registration under the Act as a dealer in the category of international dealer.
4. NI 31-102 requires that all registrants in Canada enrol with CDS INC. (CDS) and use the national registration database (NRD) to complete certain registration filings. As part of the enrolment process, registrants are required to open an account with a member of the Canadian Payments Association from which fees may be paid with respect to NRD by electronic pre-authorized debit (the EFT Requirement).
5. The Applicant anticipates encountering difficulties in setting up a Canadian based bank account for purposes of fulfilling the EFT Requirement.
6. The Applicant confirms that it is not registered in and does not intend to register in any other category to which the EFT Requirement applies and that Ontario is the only jurisdiction in which it is seeking registration.
7. Staff of the Canadian Securities Administrators has indicated that, with respect to applications from international dealers and international advisers (or applicants in equivalent categories of registration) for relief from the EFT Requirement, it is prepared to recommend waiving the fee normally required to accompany applications for discretionary relief (the Application Fee).
8. For Ontario registrants, the requirement for payment of the Application Fee is set out in section 4.1 of Rule 13-502.
AND UPON the Director being satisfied that to do so would not be prejudicial to the public interest;
IT IS THE DECISION of the Director, pursuant to subsection 6.1(1) of NI 31-102, that the Applicant is granted an exemption from the EFT Requirement for so long as the Applicant:
A. makes acceptable alternative arrangements with CDS for the payment of NRD fees and makes such payment within ten (10) business days of the date of the NRD filing or payment due date;
B. pays its participation fee under the Act to the Commission by cheque, draft, money order or other acceptable means at the time of filing its application for annual renewal, which shall be no later than the first day of December in each year;
C. pays any applicable activity fees, or other fees that the Act requires it to pay to the Commission, by cheque, draft, money order or other acceptable means at the appropriate time; and
D. is not registered in any other Canadian jurisdiction in another category to which the EFT Requirement applies;
PROVIDED THAT the Applicant submits a similar application in any other Canadian jurisdiction where it becomes registered as an international dealer, international adviser or in an equivalent registration category;
AND IT IS THE FURTHER DECISION of the Director, pursuant to section 6.1 of Rule 13-502, that the Application Fee will be waived in respect of the application for this Decision.