Schroder Fund Advisors Inc. - s. 218 of the Regulation

Order

Headnote

Applicant for registration as limited market dealer exempted, pursuant to section 218 of the Regulation, from Canadian incorporation requirement in section 213 of the Regulation, subject to terms and conditions.

Statutes Cited

Securities Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. S.5, as am., ss. 26(3), 53.

Regulations Cited

Regulation made under the Securities Act, R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 1015, as am., ss. 213, 218.

IN THE MATTER OF

THE SECURITIES ACT (ONTARIO),

R.S.O. 1990, c.S.5, AS AMENDED (THE ACT)

AND

IN THE MATTER OF

R.R.O. 1990, REGULATION 1015 --

SECURITIES ACT REGULATION,

AS AMENDED (THE REGULATION)

AND

IN THE MATTER OF

SCHRODER FUND ADVISORS INC.

 

ORDER

(Section 218 of the Regulation)

UPON the application (the Application) of Schroder Fund Advisors Inc. (the Applicant) to the Ontario Securities Commission (the Commission) for an order pursuant to section 218 of the regulation exempting the Applicant from the requirement under section 213 of the Regulation that the Applicant be incorporated, or otherwise formed or created, under the laws of Canada or a province or territory of Canada as a condition of registration under the Securities Act (Ontario) (the Act) as a dealer in the category of limited market dealer (LMD);

AND UPON considering the Application and the recommendation of staff of the Commission;

AND UPON the Applicant having represented to the Commission that:

1. The Applicant is a corporation organized under the laws of the State of New York. The Applicant has its principal place of business at 875 Third Avenue, 22nd Floor in New York, New York.

2. The Applicant is registered in the United States with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission as a broker-dealer. The Applicant is also a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

3. The Applicant is a limited broker dealer servicing clients in the United States and internationally and engages in the following businesses:

(i) mutual fund underwriter or sponsor;

(ii) mutual fund retailer on an application basis only; and

(iii) private placements of securities.

4. The Applicant is applying to the Commission for registration as a non-resident LMD under the Act.

5. As an LMD in Ontario, the Applicant proposes to engage in trading in securities, including equity securities of Canadian issuers, with "accredited investors" (as defined under National Instrument 45-106 -- Prospectus and Registration Exemptions) in Ontario, or otherwise pursuant to prospectus exemptions.

6. Section 213 of the Regulation provides that a registered dealer that is not an individual must be a company incorporated, or a person formed or created, under the laws of Canada or a province of territory of Canada.

7. The Applicant is not incorporated, formed or created under the laws of Canada or any province or territory of Canada. The Applicant is not a resident of Canada and does not require a separate Canadian company to carry out its proposed LMD activities in Ontario because it is more efficient and cost effective for the Applicant to carry out those activities through the existing company.

8. The Applicant requests an exemption from the requirement under section 213 of the Regulation to permit it to obtain registration as an LMD without having to incorporate a separate company under the laws of Canada or a province or territory of Canada.

9. Without the relief requested, the Applicant would not meet the requirements for registration as an LMD because the Applicant is not a company incorporated, formed or created under the laws of Canada or any province or territory of Canada.

AND UPON the Commission being satisfied that to do so would not be prejudicial to the public interest;

IT IS ORDERED, pursuant to section 218 of the Regulation, that, in connection with the registration of the Applicant as an LMD under the Act, section 213 of the Regulation shall not apply to the Applicant, provided that:

1. The Applicant appoints an agent for service of process in Ontario.

2. The Applicant provides to each client resident in Ontario a statement in writing disclosing the non-resident status of the Applicant, its jurisdiction of residence, the name and address of its agent for service of process in Ontario, and the nature of the risks to clients that legal rights may not be enforceable.

3. The Applicant will not change its agent for service of process in Ontario without giving the Commission 30 days' prior notice of that change by filing a new Submission to Jurisdiction and Appointment of Agent for Service of Process.

4. The Applicant and each of its registered directors or officers irrevocably and unconditionally submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the judicial, quasi-judicial, and administrative tribunals of Ontario and any administrative proceedings in Ontario, in any proceedings arising out of or related to or concerning its registration under the Act or its activities in Ontario as a registrant.

5. The Applicant must ensure that all securities, cash, and other property of a client of the non-resident registrant are held

(a) directly by the client,

(b) on behalf of the client by a custodian or sub-custodian that

(i) meets the guidelines prescribed for acting as a sub-custodian of the portfolio securities of a mutual fund in Part 6 of National Instrument 81-102 Mutual Funds, and

(ii) is subject to the Bank for International Settlements' framework for international convergence of capital measurement and capital standards, or

(c) on behalf of the client by a registered dealer that is a member of an SRO that is a member of Canadian Investor Protection Fund or other comparable compensation fund or contingency trust fund.

6. The Applicant will inform the Director immediately upon it becoming aware:

(a) that it has ceased to be registered in the United States as a broker-dealer;

(b) of its registration in any other jurisdiction not being renewed or being suspended or revoked;

(c) that it is the subject of an investigation or disciplinary action by any financial services or securities regulatory authority or self-regulatory authority;

(d) that the registration of its salespersons, officers or directors who are registered in Ontario have not been renewed or have been suspended or revoked in any Canadian or foreign jurisdiction; or

(e) that any of its salespersons, officers or directors who are registered in Ontario are the subject of an investigation or disciplinary action by any financial services or securities regulatory authority or self-regulatory authority in any Canadian or foreign jurisdiction.

7. The Applicant will pay the increased compliance and case assessment costs of the Commission due to its location outside Ontario, including the cost of hiring a third party to perform a compliance review on behalf of the Commission in connection with its registration as an LMD.

8. The Applicant will make its books and records outside Ontario, including electronic records, readily accessible in Ontario, and will produce physical records for the Commission within a reasonable time if requested.

9. If the laws of the jurisdiction in which the Applicant's books and records are located prohibit production of the books and records in Ontario without the consent of the relevant client, the Applicant shall, upon a request by the Commission:

(a) so advise the Commission; and

(b) use its best efforts to obtain the client's consent to the production of the books and records.

10. The Applicant will, upon the Commission's request, provide a representative to assist the Commission in compliance and enforcement matters.

11. The Applicant and each of its registered directors or officers will comply, at its expense, with requests under the Commission's investigation powers and orders under the Act in relation to the Applicant's dealings with Ontario clients, including producing documents and witnesses in Ontario, submitting to audit or search and seizure process or consenting to an asset freeze, to the extent those powers would be enforceable against the Applicant if it were resident in Ontario.

12. If the laws of the Applicant's jurisdiction of residence that are otherwise applicable to the giving of evidence or production of documents prohibit the Applicant or the witnesses from giving the evidence without the consent or leave of the relevant client or any third party, including a court of competent jurisdiction, the Applicant shall:

(a) so advise the Commission; and

(b) use its best efforts to obtain the client's consent to the giving of the evidence.

13. The Applicant will maintain appropriate registration and regulatory organization membership, in the jurisdiction of its principal operations, and if required, in its jurisdiction of residence.

March 7, 2008

"Robert L. Shirriff"

"Paul K. Bates"