CIBC Global Asset Management Inc. et al.

Decision

Headnote

NP 11-203 -- Process for Exemptive Relief Applications in Multiple Jurisdictions -- Relief granted from the Dealer Registration Requirement to permit trades in units of prospectus-qualified funds managed by affiliate entities to clients under a discretionary managed account agreement.

Applicable Legislative Provisions

Securities Act (Ontario), ss. 25 and 74(1).

September 28, 2010

IN THE MATTER OF

THE SECURITIES LEGISLATION OF

QUEBEC AND ONTARIO

(THE JURISDICTIONS)

AND

IN THE MATTER OF

THE PROCESS FOR EXEMPTIVE RELIEF

APPLICATIONS IN MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS

AND

IN THE MATTER OF

CIBC GLOBAL ASSET MANAGEMENT INC.

(CGAM or THE FILER)

AND

THE IMPERIAL POOLS LISTED IN SCHEDULE A

AND

THE CIBC POOLED FUNDS LISTED IN SCHEDULE B

AND

THE RENAISSANCE FUNDS LISTED IN SCHEDULE C

DECISION

Background

The securities regulatory authority or regulator in the Jurisdictions (the Decision Maker) has received an application from the Filer for a decision under the securities legislation of the Jurisdictions (the Legislation) granting an exemption to the Filer from the dealer registration requirement in respect of trades in units of the mutual funds set out in Schedule A hereto (the Existing Imperial Pools) and any mutual funds established in the future as part of the group of Imperial Pools (the Future Imperial Pools and together with the Existing Imperial Pools, the Imperial Pools), the mutual funds set out in Schedule B hereto (the Existing CIBC Pooled Funds) and any mutual funds established in the future as part of the group of CIBC Pooled Funds (the Future Pooled Funds and together with the Existing CIBC Pooled Funds, the CIBC Pooled Funds), Class O units of the mutual funds set out in Schedule C hereto (the Existing Renaissance Funds) and any mutual funds established in the future as part of the group of Renaissance Funds (the Future Renaissance Funds and together with the Existing Renaissance Funds, the Renaissance Funds) (the Imperial Pools, the CIBC Pooled Funds and the Renaissance Funds together, the Funds) to the clients of the Filer (the Requested Relief).

Under the Process for Exemptive Relief Applications in Multiple Jurisdictions (for a dual application):

(a) the Autorité des marchés financiers is the principal regulator for the application;

(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 British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nunavut, Northwest Territories and Yukon; and

(c) the decision is the decision of the principal regulator and evidences the decision of the securities regulatory authority or regulator in Ontario.

Interpretation

Terms defined in National Instrument 14-101 Definitions and MI 11-102 have the same meaning if used in this decision, unless otherwise defined.

Representations

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

The Filer

1. The Filer is a corporation incorporated under the laws of Canada and has its head office in Montreal, Quebec. The Filer is registered as an adviser in the category of portfolio manager under the securities legislation of each jurisdiction of Canada. It will be registering as an investment fund manager as it is the manager of the CIBC Pooled Funds. The Filer was registered as a limited market dealer in Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador and automatically became an exempt market dealer (EMD) when National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements and Exemptions (NI 31-103) came into effect. In the jurisdictions other than Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador, it has relied, under the transition provision in section 16.7 of NI 31-103, on the temporary exemption from the dealer registration requirement when acting in the exempt market. This temporary exemption expires on September 28, 2010.

2. If the Requested Relief is granted, the Filer will drop its EMD registration in Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador, making its registration status consistent across all jurisdictions.

3. The Filer is not in default of the securities legislation of any jurisdiction of Canada.

The Funds

4. Each of the Funds is or will be an open-ended mutual fund trust established under the laws of the Province of Ontario.

5. The Funds are used as tools to provide the investment management services to the clients of the Filer.

6. None of the Imperial Pools or CIBC Pooled Funds pay investment management fees nor do the Renaissance Funds pay management fees in respect of their Class O units. Investment management fees of the Filer's clients are paid under the managed account agreements (Managed Account Agreements) or agreements with CGAM Fund Clients (as defined below).

7. Trades in units of the Funds on behalf of the Filer's clients, are effected through the Filer acting as the dealer, in reliance on its exempt market dealer registration in Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador, or the temporary exemption from the dealer registration requirement in the other jurisdictions, as described above.

8. None of the Imperial Pools or CIBC Pooled Funds charge, nor do the clients pay, a sales commission or other fees in respect of trades in units of the Funds nor do the Renaissance Funds pay sales commissions in respect of their Class O units.

Imperial Pools

9. The Imperial Pools are reporting issuers in each of the jurisdictions of Canada.

10. The Imperial Pools are currently purchased in certain cases on behalf of clients of the Filer and are also purchased on behalf of managed account clients of CIBC Trust Corporation (CIBC Trust) and CIBC Private Investment Counsel Inc. (CPIC).

11. CIBC is the investment fund manager of the Imperial Pools and in that capacity provides, or arranges to provide for, the administration of each Imperial Pool. CIBC Asset Management Inc. (CAMI), an affiliate of CIBC and of the Filer, is the portfolio manager of the Imperial Pools. CAMI may retain portfolio sub-advisers, including the Filer, to provide portfolio management services to the Imperial Pools. CIBC Trust is the trustee and CIBC Mellon Trust Company is the custodian.

12. Clients of the Filer pay fees to the Filer, the Filer is responsible for paying the fees to CAMI for its services, and CAMI in turn is responsible for the fees of any sub-adviser.

CIBC Pooled Funds

13. The CIBC Pooled Funds are not reporting issuers in the Jurisdictions.

14. The CIBC Pooled Funds are purchased on behalf of clients with a Managed Account Agreement and CGAM Fund Clients (as defined below), and are also purchased on behalf of managed account clients of CPIC.

15. The Filer is both the investment fund manager and portfolio manager of each CIBC Pooled Fund and in that capacity is responsible for the administration of each CIBC Pooled Fund and the investment decisions made on behalf of each CIBC Pooled Fund. CIBC Mellon Trust Company is the trustee and custodian.

16. Each of the CIBC Pooled Funds either pays all administration fees and expenses relating to its operation or the Filer waives and/or absorbs such fees and expenses.

Renaissance Funds

17. The Renaissance Funds are reporting issuers in each of the jurisdictions of Canada. The Class O units of the Renaissance Funds are offered to certain investors, including institutional investors or segregated funds, fund of funds and investors where dealers or discretionary managers offer separately managed accounts or similar programs. Some of these investors may not qualify for any applicable private placement exemptions.

18. Although currently there are more than 40 Renaissance Funds which may offer Class O units, Class O units of the Renaissance Funds are only rarely used for the managed accounts of clients of the Filer.

19. The Renaissance Funds are purchased by the Filer on behalf of clients with a Managed Account Agreement with the Filer.

20. CAMI is the manager of the Renaissance Funds and in that capacity provides, or arranges to provide for, the administration of each Renaissance Fund. CAMI is also the portfolio adviser of the Renaissance Funds. CAMI may retain portfolio sub-advisers, including CGAM, to provide portfolio management services to the Renaissance Funds. CAMI is the trustee and CIBC is the custodian.

21. No management fees or operating expenses are charged in respect of the Class O units of the Renaissance Funds; instead a negotiated management fee is charged by CAMI directly to, or as directed by, the Class O unitholders or the Filer on behalf of the Class O unitholders.

22. The Filer is responsible for paying the negotiated management fees to CAMI for its services and CAMI in turn is responsible for the fees of any sub-adviser.

Investment Management Services

23. CIBC is in the business of offering investment management services to both individual and institutional clients. It uses different affiliates to do so, including the Filer, in order to focus its services appropriately for the relevant client groups.

24. The principal components of the investment management services include:

(i) advisory services specific to clients, including discussing their investment needs and goals and reflecting those in a statement of investment policy (SIP) ;

(ii) selection of portfolio securities;

(iii) if funds are used to carry out the client's SIP, the establishment and operation of such funds.

25. Potential clients may be referred to the Filer from within the CIBC group of companies. Referral fees are paid to firms within the CIBC group of companies for the referral of a client in relation to the value of the assets that the client transfers to the Filer. The Filer currently does not pursue external referrals to any extent.

26. When potential clients approach the Filer or are approached by the Filer through business development representatives, it is to seek or solicit investment management services including understanding how portfolios are managed generally. When the client has determined to proceed with investment management services, discussions of how the clients' own assets will be managed occur, including the ability to carry out the SIP through relevant Funds. The client understands and is looking for more than what the client would receive if the client simply purchases Funds.

27. While the various segments of the investment management services are carried out in different entities, the investment management business for each client category is one integrated business of CIBC.

28. When a client selects investment management services from the Filer, the Filer is responsible not only for know-your-client and suitability reviews like a dealer but also takes on the responsibility of selection. There is also advice rendered to the client but, in the case of discretionary portfolio management services, the decision is clearly made by the portfolio manager and not the client. The Funds are a tool to deliver the investment management services required by the Filer, as portfolio manager, for its clients. They are not sold to investment management clients.

Institutional Clients

29. The Filer only provides investment management services to institutional clients. Such clients either approach the Filer directly or the Filer is approached by consultants acting for such clients in respect of investment management mandates. While many institutional clients have sufficient assets to have a diversified portfolio in a segregated account, some institutional clients authorize the Filer to utilize funds to carry out the investment management mandate because of their efficiency. The Filer uses the CIBC Pooled Funds for some of its institutional clients. The Imperial Pools are used by the Filer and very rarely the Renaissance Funds where there is not a comparable investment fund available in the CIBC Pooled Funds or through the Filer's portfolio managers.

30. Institutional clients will typically enter into a Managed Account Agreement with the Filer. In a few cases, clients (which will not include retail clients) will want to name the Fund(s) in which they will be invested in their agreement with the Filer (the CGAM Fund Clients). This agreement will deal with such topics as fees and reporting and functions as a subscription agreement as the client makes the final determination of the Funds to be used. Despite that difference in respect of the CGAM Fund Clients, the relationship between the Filer and all of its clients, both in seeking out the Filer and in respect of the ongoing relationship, is the same. The Filer carries on the business of advice in respect of securities with all clients. The Filer is not in the business of trading funds.

31. There is no offering document for the CIBC Pooled Funds. The CGAM Fund Clients receive a copy of the trust documents of the CIBC Pooled Funds, the general statement of investment policy of the CIBC Pooled Funds and the investment policy guidelines of the relevant CIBC Pooled Funds prior to their purchase and copies of financial statements thereafter.

32. Where the portfolio managers or an equivalent mutual fund are not available in the CIBC Pooled Funds, CGAM Fund Clients may invest in the Imperial Pools. Clients with whom the Filer has a Managed Account Agreement may be given a copy of the prospectus of the Imperial Pools; however these clients are not asked to participate in the selection of the Imperial Pools - this is done by the Filer as part of the discretionary investment mandate given to it.

Requested Dealer Relief

33. The Filer is seeking the Requested Relief for the same fundamental reasons behind the relief available pursuant to section 8.6 of NI 31-103, namely that the Filer is in the business of providing discretionary investment management services and not in the business of trading funds. No commissions or fees (other than its investment management fees payable to the Filer by its clients) are payable to the Filer on the purchase of units of the Funds, and no commissions or other fees are payable by the Filer's clients in connection with the Filer's investments in the Funds on its clients' behalf.

34. The Filer does not qualify for the relief under section 8.6 of NI 31-103 for the following reasons:

(i) the Imperial Pools and the Renaissance Funds are not managed nor advised by the Filer, but by affiliates of the Filer;

(ii) the Imperial Pools and the Renaissance Funds are offered by prospectus; and

(iii) a minority of the Filer's clients choose to name the Fund(s) in their agreement with the Filer and, accordingly, do not provide full discretion to the Filer with respect to the Funds selected.

Decision

The Decision Maker is satisfied that the decision meets the test set out in the Legislation for the Decision Maker to make the decision.

The decision of the Decision Maker under the Legislation is that the Requested Relief is granted provided that the Filer is, at the time of trade, registered under the Legislation as an adviser in the category of portfolio manager.

Superintendent, Client Services, Compensation and Distribution,

(s) Mario Albert

 

SCHEDULE A

IMPERIAL POOLS

Imperial Money Market Pool
Imperial Short-Term Bond Pool
Imperial Canadian Bond Pool
Imperial Canadian Dividend Pool
Imperial International Bond Pool
Imperial Canadian Income Trust Pool
Imperial Canadian Dividend Income Pool
Imperial Global Equity Income Pool
Imperial Canadian Equity Pool
Imperial Registered U.S. Equity Index Pool
Imperial U.S. Equity Pool
Imperial Registered International Equity Index Pool
Imperial International Equity Pool
Imperial Overseas Equity Pool
Imperial Emerging Economies Pool

 

SCHEDULE B

CIBC POOLED FUNDS

CIBC Pooled Balanced Fund
CIBC Pooled Global Balanced Fund
CIBC Pooled Canadian Equity Fund
CIBC Pooled Canadian Equity S&P/TSX Indexed Fund
CIBC Pooled Canadian Value Fund
CIBC Pooled Fixed Income Fund
CIBC Pooled Canadian Bond Index Fund
CIBC Pooled Canadian Bond Overlay Fund
CIBC Pooled Long Term Bond Index Fund
CIBC Pooled Canadian Bond Index Plus Fund
CIBC Pooled U.S. Equity S&P500 Enhanced Index Fund
CIBC Pooled U.S. Equity S&P500 Index Fund
CIBC Pooled Canadian Money Market Fund
CIBC Pooled International Equity Index Fund
CIBC Pooled Eafe Equity Fund
CIBC Pooled Smaller Companies Fund
CIBC Pooled Commodity Fund

 

SCHEDULE C

RENAISSANCE FUNDS

Class O

Renaissance Asian Fund
Renaissance Canadian Asset Allocation Fund
Renaissance Canadian Balanced Fund
Renaissance Canadian Balanced Value Fund
Renaissance Canadian Bond Fund
Renaissance Canadian Core Value Fund
Renaissance Canadian Dividend Income Fund
Renaissance Canadian Growth Fund
Renaissance Canadian Monthly Income Fund
Renaissance Canadian Small-Cap Fund
Renaissance Canadian T-Bill Fund
Renaissance China Plus Fund
Renaissance Corporate Bond Capital Yield Fund
Renaissance Diversified Income Fund
Renaissance Dividend Fund
Renaissance Emerging Markets Fund
Renaissance European Fund
Renaissance Global Bond Fund
Renaissance Global Focus Fund
Renaissance Global Growth Fund
Renaissance Global Health Care Fund
Renaissance Global Infrastructure Fund
Renaissance Global Markets Fund
Renaissance Global Resource Fund
Renaissance Global Science & Technology Fund
Renaissance Global Small-Cap Fund
Renaissance Global Value Fund
Renaissance High-Yield Bond Fund
Renaissance International Dividend Fund
Renaissance International Equity Fund
Renaissance Millennium High Income Fund
Renaissance Millennium Next Generation Fund
Renaissance Money Market Fund
Renaissance Optimal Global Equity Portfolio
Renaissance Optimal Income Portfolio
Renaissance Real Return Bond Fund
Renaissance Short-Term Income Fund
Renaissance U.S. Equity Fund
Renaissance U.S. Equity Growth Fund
Renaissance U.S. Equity Value Fund
Renaissance U.S. Money Market Fund