Falconbridge Limited - MRRS Decision

MRRS Decision

Headnote

Mutual Reliance Review System for Exemptive Relief Applications -- Relief from the prospectus and registration requirements granted for trades in negotiable promissory notes and commercial paper (short-term debt instruments). The short-term debt instruments may not meet the "approved credit rating" requirement contained in the short-term debt exemption in section 2.35 of National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus and Registration Exemptions (NI 45-106). The definition of an "approved credit rating" requires, among other things, that every rating of the short-term debt instrument be at or above a prescribed standard. The relief is granted provided the short-term debt instrument:

(i) matures not more than one year from the date of issue;

(ii) is not convertible or exchangeable into or accompanied by a right to purchase another security other than a short-term debt instrument; and

(iii) has a rating issued by one of the following rating organizations at or above one of the following rating categories: DBRS: "R-1(low); Fitch: "F2"; Moody's: "P-2" or S&P: "A-2".

The relief will terminate on the earlier of 90 days upon an amendment to section 2.35 of NI 45-106 or three years from the date of the decision.

Applicable Ontario Statutory Provisions

Securities Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. S.5, as am., ss.s 25, 53, 74.

May 30,2006

IN THE MATTER OF

THE SECURITIES LEGISLATION OF

ALBERTA, BRITISH COLUMBIA, MANITOBA,

NEW BRUNSWICK, NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR,

NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, NOVA SCOTIA, NUNAVUT,

ONTARIO, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND, QUÉBEC,

SASKATCHEWAN AND YUKON

(the Jurisdictions)

AND

IN THE MATTER OF

THE MUTUAL RELIANCE REVIEW SYSTEM

FOR EXEMPTIVE RELIEF APPLICATIONS

AND

IN THE MATTER OF

FALCONBRIDGE LIMITED

(the Filer)

 

MRRS DECISION DOCUMENT

Background

The local securities regulatory authority or regulator (the Decision Makers) in each of the Jurisdictions has received an application of the Filer for a decision under the securities legislation of the Jurisdictions (the Legislation) for:

(a) an exemption from the dealer registration requirement in respect of a trade in a negotiable promissory note or commercial paper maturing not more than one year from the date of issue (together Commercial Paper); and

(b) an exemption from the prospectus requirement in respect of the distribution of the Commercial Paper,

(collectively, the Requested Relief).

Under the Mutual Reliance Review System for Exemptive Relief Applications:.

(a) The Ontario Securities Commission is the principal regulator for this application, and

(b) This MRRS decision document evidences the decision of each Decision Maker.

Interpretation

Defined terms contained in National Instrument 14-101 -- Definitions have the same meaning in this decision unless they are defined in this decision.

Representations

This decision is based on the following facts represented by the Filer:

1. The Filer is a corporation under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) with its head and principal office located in Toronto, Ontario. The Filer is a reporting issuer or equivalent in each Jurisdiction that recognizes such concept and is not on the list of reporting issuers in default in any of such Jurisdictions.

2. Subsection 2.35(1)(b) of National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus and Registration Exemptions (NI 45-106) provides an exemption from the dealer registration and prospectus requirements of the Legislation for short-term debt (the Short Term Debt Exemption) is available only where such short-term debt "has an approved credit rating from an approved credit rating organization". NI 45-106 incorporates by reference the definitions for "approved credit rating" and "approved credit rating organization" that are used in National Instrument 81-102 Mutual Funds (NI 81-102).

3. The definition of an "approved credit rating" in NI 81-102, requires, among other things, that (a) the rating assigned to such debt must be "at or above" certain prescribed short term ratings, and (b) such debt must not have been assigned a rating by any "approved credit rating organization" that is not an "approved credit rating".

4. The Filer's Commercial Paper has received an "R-1(low)" rating from Dominion Bond Rating Service Limited (DBRS), which meets the prescribed threshold in NI 81-102.

5. The Filer's Commercial Paper does not, however, meet the "approved credit rating" in NI 81-102 because it has a rating of "A-3" from Standard & Poor's (S&P), which is a lower rating than required by the Short Term Debt Exemption. Accordingly, section 2.35 of NI 45-106 is not available to the Filer.

Decision

Each of the Decision Makers is satisfied that the test contained in the Legislation 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 provided that the Commercial Paper:

(a) matures not more than one year from the date of issue;

(b) is not convertible or exchangeable into or accompanied by a right to purchase another security other than Commercial Paper; and

(c) has a rating issued by one of the following rating organizations, or any of their successors, at or above one of the following rating categories or a rating category that replaces a category listed below:

Rating Organization
Rating
 
Dominion Bond Rating Service Limited
R-1 (low)
 
Fitch Ratings Ltd.
F2
 
Moody's Investors Service
P-2
 
Standard & Poor's
A-2

For each Jurisdiction, this decision will terminate on the earlier of:

(a) 90 days after the coming into force of any rule, other regulation or blanket order or ruling under the Legislation of the Jurisdiction that amends section 2.35 of NI 45-106 or provides an alternate exemption; and

(b) three years from the date of this decision.

"Paul Moore"
Vice-Chair
Ontario Securities Commission
 
"Wendell S. Wigle"
Commissioner
Ontario Securities Commission