News Release

Vancouver – The B.C. Securities Commission is unveiling new features on its website to help investors better protect themselves, including an easy-to-access list of persons who have run afoul of securities rules.

Dubbed the “Disciplined Persons List,” the website feature is an alphabetically-organized list of all individuals who have received sanctions since 1987 such as trading bans and monetary penalties from the commission for securities market misconduct. The most common violations include illegal distributions, fraud and unregistered advising.

“One of our prime mandates is to help investors protect themselves,” says BCSC Executive Director Steve Wilson. “And one of the most common questions we get from the public is ‘How do I get information on the people that I’m dealing with?’

“Nowadays, the Internet is one of the first places people go to when they are researching investments and the backgrounds of the people that they are dealing with when they invest their money. So, it makes sense to give them an easy-to-use list of the people who have been disciplined by the commission to help them in their research.”

Wilson cautions that the commission is not saying that investors should avoid dealing with a person just because his or her name is on the list.

“It is just a case of full disclosure. We find that investors appreciate knowing as much as possible of the professional backgrounds of the advisers that they are dealing with.”

In another website upgrade, the commission has added access to an online version of the securities act, rules and regulations with a promise to update changes to securities legislation within 14 days of the amendments coming into force.

Investment industry professionals also benefit from the BCSC website improvements: the commission has launched a Compliance Toolkit, a feature that includes frequently requested information about the securities rules and regulations governing registrants.

Also new on the BCSC website is an online feedback option, which allows website users to send in their comments about the commission.

The B.C. Securities Commission is the independent provincial government agency responsible for regulating trading in securities and exchange contracts within the province.