BCSC hiking fees starting Dec. 30

The British Columbia Securities Commission (BCSC) is raising its annual registration fees to enhance investor protection and securities oversight, the commission said Thursday.

The regulator is increasing a number of fees for the first time since 1994, with new rates taking effect Dec. 30. The move comes after a public consultation last spring.

Fee changes include the following:

• The annual registration fee for a dealing, advising or associate advising representative will increase by $100 to $350.
• The prospectus fee beyond the base fee will increase to 0.025% of the distributed securities’ value from 0.02%.
• The base fee for filing an exempt distribution report will rise by $100 to $200.

BCSC executive director Peter Brady said the higher fees reflect a larger and more complex securities market.

“As that market has evolved, so must the commission,” he said in a release. “For example, we are using advanced tools, such as predictive analytics, to strengthen compliance oversight and are deploying new technology to sharpen our ability to analyze market trading data.”

Staff

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