The Litigator
The Litigator
AGM :: Affleck Greene McMurtry LLP
THE LITIGATOR
Affleck Greene McMurtry LLP
365 Bay Street, Suite 200  ·  Toronto, Canada
416 360 2800  ·  info@agmlawyers.com  ·  www.thelitigator.ca

Securities regulators provide guidance to investors and market participants during COVID-19 pandemic

After an initial sharp downturn in the Spring of 2020, it would appear that the capital markets are the least of most people’s worries during the COVID-19 pandemic. But we are not yet out of the woods, and Canadian securities regulators have provided guidance to  investors, public companies, investment industry professionals and other market participants on a number of issues that have arisen during the pandemic, including how to deal with a volatile market and fraud avoidance.

Here are a few links to guidance from Canadian securities regulators:

The Ontario Securities Commission: The OSC’s web page, COVID-19 and Your Money includes numerous resources for investors, inclujding how to avoid COVID-19-related scams, coping with job loss and the impact of COVID-19 on retirement savings and RRIFs.

The Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC): IIROC has compiled all of its COVID-19-related guidance and orders here. Focused more on investment firms and their ability to continue serve their clients during the pandemic, IIROC has provided guidance on such things as dealing with cybersecurity threats related to the pandemic and the increasing need for employees to work remotely, and issued Answers to Frequently Asked Questions from dealers and advisors on such issues as conducting branch reviews during the pandemic, the conduct of virtual meetings with clients, and the use of electronic alternatives to “wet” signatures on client documents.

The Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada (MFDA): The MFDA collects its COVID-19 resources here. The MFDA has Answers to Frequently Asked Questions from dealers about COVID-19, information about the increase in cyber-crime during the pandemic, as well as a Bulletin for investors released in October titled Investing in the Age of COVID-19.

Kenneth A. Dekker
Affleck Greene McMurtry LLP

Kenneth A. Dekker

Kenneth Dekker, a partner of the firm, is a successful trial and appellate lawyer who is valued by his clients as a resourceful and practical litigation counsel.

Over more than two decades, Ken has litigated noteworthy cases in a range of fields that include class action defence, securities and broker-dealer litigation and regulatory defence, corporate and shareholder disputes (including oppression and winding up cases), defamation, civil fraud litigation, disputes over contracts, injunctions, professional liability litigation, employment litigation and cross-border litigation issues.

Ken has appeared before all levels of courts in Ontario, including the Ontario Court of Justice, the Superior Court of Justice, the Divisional Court and the Court of Appeal for Ontario, as well as before the Supreme Court of Canada. Ken also represents and advises clients in regulatory matters before the Investment Industry Organization of Canada (IIROC), the Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada (MFDA) and the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC).

Ken has been ranked as Repeatedly Recommended for Securities Litigation by Lexpert, for Corporate and Commercial Litigation by Best Lawyers of Canada, and he has been given the highest available rating of AV, or pre-eminent, by his peers on Martindale-Hubbell.

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