Enforcement

The British Columbia Securities Commission's Enforcement Division protects investors and upholds market integrity by investigating complaints and taking action against misconduct in the investment market.

Common types of securities misconduct are fraud, misrepresentation, unregistered trading and advising, illegally selling securities (for example, selling securities without a prospectus), insider trading and market manipulation.

We use various tools to swiftly and decisively disrupt ongoing or potential wrongdoing before harm is done to investors. We hold the wrongdoers accountable through administrative hearings or criminal courts.

Effective March 27, 2020, if a person is the subject of certain orders or settlement agreements issued by another securities regulator in Canada, that order or settlement is automatically in effect against the person in British Columbia, without notice to the person and without an opportunity to be heard. For more information about the types of orders and settlements that are automatically in effect in BC, see Automatic Reciprocal Orders.