Real Estate Asset Liquidity Trust
Headnote
National Policy 11-203 Process for Exemptive Relief Applications in Multiple Jurisdictions -- Issuer of mortgage pass-through securities previously granted an exemption from the requirements to file annual and interim financial statements, subject to certain conditions. Issuer granted an exemption from the requirements in National Instrument 52-109 to file interim and annual certificates, subject to certain conditions, including the requirement to file alternative forms of annual and interim certificates.
Applicable Legislative Provisions
National Instrument 52-109 Certification of Disclosure in Issuers' Annual and Interim Filings.
July 12, 2013
IN THE MATTER OF
THE SECURITIES LEGISLATION OF
ONTARIO
(the Jurisdiction)
AND
IN THE MATTER OF
THE PROCESS FOR EXEMPTIVE RELIEF
APPLICATIONS IN MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS
AND
IN THE MATTER OF
REAL ESTATE ASSET LIQUIDITY TRUST
(the Filer)
DECISION
Background
The principal regulator in the Jurisdiction has received a further application from the Filer for a decision under the securities legislation of the Jurisdiction of the principal regulator (the Legislation) for an exemption from the provisions of National Instrument 52-109 Certification of Disclosure in Issuers' Annual and Interim Filings (NI 52-109) to file interim certificates and annual certificates (the Exemption Sought).
Under the Process for Exemptive Relief Applications in Multiple Jurisdictions (for a passport application):
(a) the Ontario Securities Commission is the principal regulator for this application, and
(b) the Filer has provided notice that section 4.7(1) of Multilateral Instrument 11-102 Passport System (MI 11-102) is intended to be relied upon in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan and Quebec.
Interpretation
Defined terms contained in National Instrument 14-101 Definitions, MI 11-102, the Financial Statements Decision (as defined below), the Original Decision (as defined below) and the Previous Decision (as defined below) have the same meaning if used in this decision, unless otherwise defined.
Representations
The decision is based on the following facts represented by the Filer:
1. The Filer is a special purpose vehicle created pursuant to a declaration of trust made as of September 13, 2004, as amended and restated as of October 7, 2004, under the laws of the Province of Ontario, the beneficiary of which is a charity registered under the Income Tax Act (Canada).
2. The head office of the Filer is located in Toronto, Ontario.
3. The issuer trustee of the Filer is Montreal Trust Company of Canada, whose principal office is located in Toronto, Ontario. The head office of Royal Bank of Canada, the administrative agent of the Filer, is located in Montreal, Quebec and Royal Bank of Canada's corporate headquarters are located in Toronto, Ontario.
4. The Filer is a reporting issuer, or the equivalent, in each of the provinces of Canada.
5. The Filer is a "venture issuer" as defined in National Instrument 51-102 Continuous Disclosure Obligations (NI 51-102).
6. The Filer is not in default of any of the requirements of the securities legislation in any jurisdiction in Canada.
7. The Filer does not carry on any activities other than activities related to issuing asset-backed securities and purchasing assets in connection thereto.
8. The Filer has no material assets or liabilities other than its rights and obligations arising from issuing asset-backed securities and acquiring assets in connection thereto.
9. Pursuant to an MRRS decision document dated May 2, 2005 (the Financial Statements Decision), the Filer is exempted, on certain terms and conditions, from the requirements of the securities legislation in the Jurisdictions concerning, inter alia, the preparation, filing and delivery of interim and annual financial statements (the Financial Statements).
10. Pursuant to an MRRS decision document dated May 31, 2005 (the Original Decision), the Filer was exempted, on certain terms and conditions, from the requirements in MI 52-109 to file interim and annual certificates, which relief terminated on June 1, 2008.
11. Pursuant to a decision dated July 18, 2008 (the Previous Decision), the Filer is exempted, on certain terms and conditions, from the requirements in NI 52-109 to file interim and annual certificates, which relief terminates on the earlier of (i) on June 1, 2013, or (ii) the date on which a rule regarding the continuous disclosure requirements for asset-backed securities issuers comes into force in a jurisdiction of Canada.
12. The representations contained in the Financial Statements Decision, the Original Decision and the Previous Decision remain true and accurate and are incorporated by reference into this decision document as representations of the Filer.
Decision
The principal regulator is satisfied that the decision meets the test set out in the Legislation for the principal regulator to make the decision.
The decision of the principal regulator under the Legislation is that the Exemption Sought is granted provided that:
(a) the Filer is not required to prepare, file and deliver Financial Statements under the securities legislation of any jurisdiction in Canada, whether pursuant to exemptive relief or otherwise;
(b) for each financial year of the Filer, within 120 days of the end of the financial year (or within 90 days of the end of a financial year of the Filer if the Filer is not a venture issuer at the end of such financial year), the Filer or its duly appointed representative or agent will file through SEDAR an annual certificate in the form set out in Schedule "A" of this decision document and personally signed by a person who, at the time of filing of the annual certificate, is a senior officer of the Filer, a Servicer or an administrative agent of the Filer;
(c) if the Filer voluntarily files an AIF, as defined in NI 51-102, for a financial year after it has filed the annual certificate referred to in paragraph (b) above for the financial year, the Filer will file through SEDAR a second annual certificate that:
(i) is in the form set out in Schedule "A" of this decision document;
(ii) is personally signed by a person who, at the time of filing of the second annual certificate, is a senior officer of the same person or company of which the senior officer who signed the annual certificate referred to in paragraph (b) is an officer; and
(iii) certifies the AIF in addition to the other documents identified in the annual certificate;
(d) for each interim period, within 60 days of the end of the interim period (or within 45 days of the end of an interim period of the Filer if the Filer is not a venture issuer at the end of such interim period), the Filer or its duly appointed representative or agent will file through SEDAR an interim certificate in the form set out in Schedule "B" of this decision document and personally signed by a person who, at the time of filing of the interim certificate, is a senior officer of the Filer, a Servicer or an administrative agent of the Filer; and
(e) the Exemption Sought will cease to be effective in a jurisdiction of Canada on the date on which a specific rule regarding substantive continuous disclosure requirements for asset-backed securities issuers (other than issuers of asset-backed commercial paper) comes into force in that jurisdiction.
SCHEDULE "A"
Certification of annual filings for issuers of asset-backed securities
I, <identify (i) the certifying individual, (ii) his or her position in relation to the issuer and (iii) the name of the issuer>, certify that:
1. I have reviewed the following documents of <identify issuer>(the issuer):
(a) the servicer reports for each month in the financial year ended <insert financial year end> (the servicer reports);
(b) annual MD&A in respect of the issuer's pool(s) of assets for the financial year ended <insert the relevant date> (the annual MD&A);
(c) AIF for the financial year ended <insert the relevant date> (the AIF); [if applicable] and
(d) each annual statement of compliance regarding fulfillment of the obligations of the servicer(s) under the related servicing agreement(s) for the financial year ended <insert the relevant date> (the annual compliance certificate(s)),
(the servicer reports, the annual MD&A, the AIF [if applicable] and the annual compliance certificate(s) are together the annual filings);
2. Based on my knowledge, having exercised reasonable diligence, the annual filings, taken as a whole, do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated or that is necessary to make the statements not misleading in light of the circumstances under which they were made, with respect to the periods covered by the annual filings;
3. Based on my knowledge, having exercised reasonable diligence, all of the distribution, servicing and other information and all of the reports on assessment of compliance with servicing criteria for asset-backed securities and the annual accountant's report respecting compliance by the servicer(s) with servicing criteria for asset-backed securities required to be filed under the decision(s) <identify the decision(s)> as of the date of this certificate, other than material change reports and press releases, have been filed with the securities regulatory authorities through SEDAR;
4. Option #1 <use this alternative if a servicer is providing the certificate>
I am responsible for reviewing the activities performed by the servicer(s) and based on my knowledge, having exercised reasonable diligence, and the compliance review(s) conducted in preparing the annual compliance certificate(s), and except as disclosed in the annual filings, the servicer(s) [has/have] fulfilled [its/their] obligations under the servicing agreement(s); and
Option #2 <use this alternative if the Issuer or the administrative agent is providing the certificate>
Based on my knowledge, having exercised reasonable diligence, and the annual compliance certificate(s), and except as disclosed in the annual filings, the servicer(s) [has/have] fulfilled [its/their] obligations under the servicing agreement(s); and
5. The annual filings disclose all material instances of noncompliance with the servicing criteria based on the [servicer's/servicers'] assessment of compliance with such criteria.
[In giving the certifications above, I have reasonably relied on information provided to me by the following unaffiliated parties <insert name of issuer, servicer, sub-servicer, co-servicer, administrative agent, reporting agent or trustee>.]
Date: <insert date of filing>
_______________________
[Signature]
[Title]
<indicate the capacity in which the certifying officer is providing the certificate>
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NOTE TO READER
This certificate does not include representations relating to the establishment and maintenance of disclosure controls and procedures (DC&P) and internal control over financial reporting (ICFR), as defined in National Instrument 52-109 Certification of Disclosure in Issuers' Annual and Interim Filings (NI 52-109). In particular, the certifying officer filing this certificate is not making any representations relating to the establishment and maintenance of:
i) controls and other procedures designed to provide reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed by the issuer in its annual filings, interim filings or other reports filed or submitted under securities legislation is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in securities legislation; and
ii) a process to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with the issuer's GAAP.
The issuer's certifying officer is responsible for ensuring that processes are in place to provide him or her with sufficient knowledge to support the representations he or she is making in this certificate. Investors should be aware that inherent limitations on the ability of a certifying officer of the issuer to design and implement on a cost effective basis DC&P and ICFR, as defined in NI 52-109, may result in additional risks to the quality, reliability, transparency and timeliness of interim and annual filings and other reports provided under securities legislation.
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SCHEDULE "B"
Certification of interim filings for issuers of asset-backed securities
I, <identify (i) the certifying individual, (ii) his or her position in relation to the issuer and (iii) the name of the issuer>, certify that:
1. I have reviewed the following documents of <identify issuer> (the issuer):
(a) the servicer reports for each month in the interim period ended <insert relevant date> (the servicer reports); and
(b) interim MD&A in respect of the issuer's pool(s) of assets for the interim period ended <insert the relevant date> (the interim MD&A),
(the servicer reports and the interim MD&A are together the interim filings);
2. Based on my knowledge, having exercised reasonable diligence, the interim filings, taken as a whole, do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated or that is necessary to make the statements not misleading in light of the circumstances under which they were made, with respect to the periods covered by the interim filings; and
3. Based on my knowledge, having exercised reasonable diligence, all of the distribution, servicing and other information required to be filed under the decision(s) <identify the decision(s)> as of the date of this certificate, other than material change reports and press releases, have been filed with the securities regulatory authorities through SEDAR.
[In giving the certifications above, I have reasonably relied on information provided to me by the following unaffiliated parties <insert name of issuer, servicer, sub-servicer, co-servicer, administrative agent, reporting agent or trustee >.]
Date: <insert date of filing>
_______________________
[Signature]
[Title]
<indicate the capacity in which the certifying officer is providing the certificate>
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
NOTE TO READER
This certificate does not include representations relating to the establishment and maintenance of disclosure controls and procedures (DC&P) and internal control over financial reporting (ICFR), as defined in National Instrument 52-109 Certification of Disclosure in Issuers' Annual and Interim Filings (NI 52-109). In particular, the certifying officer filing this certificate is not making any representations relating to the establishment and maintenance of:
i) controls and other procedures designed to provide reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed by the issuer in its annual filings, interim filings or other reports filed or submitted under securities legislation is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in securities legislation; and
ii) a process to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with the issuer's GAAP.
The issuer's certifying officer is responsible for ensuring that processes are in place to provide him or her with sufficient knowledge to support the representations he or she is making in this certificate. Investors should be aware that inherent limitations on the ability of a certifying officer of the issuer to design and implement on a cost effective basis DC&P and ICFR, as defined in NI 52- 109, may result in additional risks to the quality, reliability, transparency and timeliness of interim and annual filings and other reports provided under securities legislation.
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