Acts and Regulations

L-11.2 - Loan and Trust Companies Act

Full text
Current to 1 January 2024
CHAPTER L-11.2
Loan and Trust Companies Act
Assented to June 27, 1987
Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick, enacts as follows:
I
INTERPRETATION AND APPLICATION
Definitions and interpretation
1(1)In this Act
“accountant” means a person who is a chartered professional accountant and is approved by the Commission;(comptable)
“affairs” means the relationships among a body corporate, its affiliates and the shareholders, directors and officers of those bodies corporate but does not include the business carried on by those bodies corporate;(affaires internes)
“affiliate” means an affiliated body corporate within the meaning of subsection (2);(affilié)
“annual financial statement” means the statement referred to in subsection 137(3);(états financiers annuels)
“associate” when used to indicate a relationship with any person means(associé)
(a) a body corporate of which that person beneficially owns or controls, directly or indirectly, shares or securities currently convertible into shares carrying more than ten per cent of the voting rights under all circumstances or by reason of the occurrence of an event that has occurred and is continuing or a currently excercisable option or right to purchase those shares or convertible securities,
(b) a partner of that person acting on behalf of the partnership of which they are partners,
(c) a trust or estate in which that person has a substantial beneficial interest or in respect of which that person serves as a trustee or in a similar capacity,
(d) a spouse or child of that person, and
(e) a relative of that person or of that person’s spouse if that relative has the same residence as that person;
“auditor” means an accountant and includes a partnership of auditors;(vérificateur)
“bank” means a bank named in Schedule A or B to the Bank Act, as enacted by section 2 of the Banks and Banking Law Revision Act, 1980, chapter 40 of the Statutes of Canada, 1980-81-82-83;(banque)
“beneficial interest” means an interest arising out of the beneficial ownership of securities;(droit à titre de bénéficiaire)
“beneficial ownership” includes ownership through a trustee, legal representative, agent or other intermediary;(propriété à titre de bénéficiaire)
“body corporate” means a body corporate with or without share capital wherever or however incorporated;(corps constitué)
“branch” means an office of a company where it offers services to the public or where it provides fiduciary services;(succursale)
“capital base” means the shareholders’ equity of a company calculated in the manner prescribed by regulation;(capital de base)
“Commission” means the Financial and Consumer Services Commission continued under the Financial and Consumer Services Commission Act;(Commission)
“common trust fund” means a fund maintained by a trust company in which money, other than deposits, belonging to various estates and trusts in its care is combined for the purpose of facilitating investment;(fonds de fiducie commun)
“company” means both a provincial and an extra-provincial company unless expressly restricted to a provincial company or an extra-provincial company, as the case may be, or unless the context otherwise requires and “licensed company” means both a provincial and an extra-provincial company licensed under this Act, unless expressly restricted to a licensed provincial company or a licensed extra-provincial company, as the case may be, or unless the context otherwise requires;(compagnie)
“corporation” means a body corporate that is not a loan company, trust company or any other body corporate authorized to execute the office of executor, administrator, trustee, guardian of a minor’s estate, committee of a mentally incompetent person’s estate or representative under the Supported Decision-Making and Representation Act;(corporation)
“Court” means The Court of King’s Bench of New Brunswick;(Cour)
“debt obligation” means a bond, debenture, note or other evidence of indebtedness, whether secured or unsecured;(titre de créance)
“deposit” , in relation to a licensed provincial company, means money received by it under subsection 34(1) and includes a deposit within the meaning of the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation Act, chapter C-3 of the Revised Statutes of Canada, 1970, and in relation to a licensed extra-provincial company, means money received by it within the meaning of that subsection and includes a deposit within the meaning of that Act;(dépôt)
“designated jurisdiction” means a jurisdiction designated by the Lieutenant-Governor in Council under subsection 190(2) or deemed to be a designated jurisdiction under this Act;(territoire désigné)
“director” means a person occupying the position of director of a body corporate by whatever named called;(administrateur)
“extra-provincial company” means a loan company or trust company incorporated under the laws of Canada or a province or territory of Canada other than New Brunswick or a body corporate authorized under those laws to execute the office of executor, administrator, trustee, guardian of a minor’s estate or committee of a mentally incompetent person’s estate and “licensed extra-provincial company” means an extra-provincial company licensed under this Act;(compagnie extraprovinciale)
“improved real estate” means real estate(bien réel amélioré)
(a) on which there exists a building used or capable of being used for residential, financial, commercial, industrial, educational, professional, institutional, religious, charitable or recreational purposes,
(b) on which a building capable of being used for residential, commercial, financial, industrial, professional, institutional, educational, religious, charitable or recreational purposes is being or is about to be constructed,
(c) on which bona fide farming operations are being conducted, or
(d) consisting of vacant land within a local government that is restricted by law in its use to commercial, industrial or residential purposes by zoning or otherwise;
“individual” means a natural person;(particulier)
“instrument of incorporation” means original or restated letters patent of incorporation, letters patent of amalgamation, letters patent of continuance and any supplementary letters patent issued and any special Act or charter incorporating a body corporate and any amendments to the special Act or charter;(acte constitutif)
“lending value” , in relation to real estate, means the market value of the real estate reduced by those amounts that are attributable to contingencies or assumptions the occurrence of which is remote and that have increased the market value of the real estate, multiplied by the lesser of(valeur d’emprunt)
(a) seventy-five per cent, and
(b) such percentage less than seventy-five per cent as the company has determined in accordance with its prudent investment standards to be appropriate in the circumstances;
“licensed trust company” means a trust company or any other body corporate licensed as a trust company under this Act;(compagnie de fiducie titulaire d’un permis)
“loan company” means a body corporate incorporated or operated for the purpose of receiving deposits from the public and lending or investing those deposits, but does not include a bank, an insurance corporation, a trust company or a credit union incorporated under the Credit Unions Act or any former Credit Unions Act of New Brunswick;(compagnie de prêt)
“market value” means the amount in terms of cash that would probably be realized for property in an arm’s length sale in an open market under conditions requisite to a fair sale, the buyer and seller each acting knowledgeably and willingly;(valeur marchande)
“Minister” means the Minister of Finance and Treasury Board and includes any person designated by the Minister under section 217 to act on the Minister’s behalf;(Ministre)
“mortgage” includes a charge or hypothec;(hypothèque)
“mutual fund” includes an issuer of securities that entitle the holder to receive on demand, or within a specified period after demand, an amount computed by reference to the value of a proportionate interest in the whole or in a part of the net assets, including a separate fund or trust account, of the issuer of the securities;(fonds mutuel)
“officer” means the chairman and any vice-chairman of the board of directors, the president, any vice-president, the secretary, any assistant secretary, the treasurer, any assistant treasurer, the general manager and any other person designated an officer by by-law or by resolution of the directors and any other individual who performs functions for the company similar to those normally performed by an individual occupying any of those offices;(dirigeant)
“ordinary resolution” means a resolution passed by a majority of the votes cast by the shareholders who voted at a meeting in respect of that resolution;(résolution ordinaire)
“prescribed” means prescribed by the regulations or, unless the context otherwise requires, by the rules made by the Commission under the Financial and Consumer Services Commission Act;(prescrit)
“provincial company” means a loan company or trust company incorporated or continued under this Act and includes a loan company, trust company or any other body corporate authorized to execute the office of executor, administrator, trustee, guardian of a minor’s estate, committee of a mentally incompetent person’s estate or representative under the Supported Decision-Making and Representation Act, incorporated under a special Act of the Legislature after the commencement of this Act, whether or not it is licensed under this Act, and “licensed provincial company” means a provincial loan company or provincial trust company licensed under this Act;(compagnie provinciale) et (compagnie provinciale titulaire d’un permis)
“provincial loan company” means a loan company referred to in the definition “provincial company” and “licensed provincial loan company” means a provincial loan company licensed as a loan company under this Act;(compagnie de prêt provinciale)
“provincial trust company” means a trust company referred to in the definition “provincial company” and “licensed provincial trust company” means a provincial trust company licensed as a trust company under this Act;(compagnie de fiducie provinciale)
“real estate” includes messuages, lands, rents, and hereditaments, whether freehold or of any other tenure, and whether corporeal or incorporeal, and leasehold estates, and any undivided share of them, and any estate, right or interest in them but does not include hydrocarbons or minerals in or under the ground;(biens réels)
“redeemable share” means a share issued by a company(action rachetable)
(a) that the company may purchase or redeem upon the demand of the company, or
(b) that the company is required to purchase or redeem at a specified time or upon the demand of a shareholder;
“registered office” means(bureau enregistré)
(a) the office of a provincial company located at the place specified in its instrument of incorporation, and
(b) in the case of an extra-provincial company, means the office located in the jurisdiction of incorporation of that extra-provincial company at the address specified in the charter or other incorporation document or documents of the extra-provincial company required to be filed by the laws of the incorporator’s jurisdiction and includes head office;
“restricted party” means a person who with respect to a company is(partie limitée)
(a) an officer or director of the company,
(b) a beneficial holder, directly or indirectly, of ten per cent or more of any class of voting shares of the company,
(c) a beneficial holder of ten per cent or more of any class of non-voting shares of the company,
(d) a beneficial holder, directly or indirectly, of ten per cent or more of any class of voting shares of an affiliate of the company,
(e) an affiliate of the company other than a subsidiary of the company,
(f) an employee of the company,
(g) an auditor of the company, if the auditor is a sole practitioner,
(h) a partner in the partnership of accountants that are the company’s auditors, if the partner is actually engaged in auditing the company,
(i) a director or officer of a body corporate described in paragraph (b) or (c),
(j) a spouse or child of an individual described in paragraph (a), (b), (c) or (d),
(k) any relative of an individual referred to in paragraph (a), (b), (c) or (d) or the spouse of that individual if that relative has the same residence as that individual or the spouse of that individual;
(l) a body corporate in which a person described in paragraph (a) or (b) is the beneficial holder, directly or indirectly, of ten per cent or more of any class of voting shares,
(m) a body corporate in which a person described in paragraph (c), (f), (g), (h), (i) or (j) is the beneficial holder, directly or indirectly, of more than fifty per cent of any class of voting shares,
(n) a person designated under subsection 178(1) as a restricted party;
“security” means, except where the context otherwise requires, a share of any class of shares or a debt obligation of a body corporate and includes a certificate evidencing such a share or debt obligation and includes a warrant but does not include a deposit or any instrument evidencing a deposit in a company;(valeur mobilière)
“send” includes deliver;(envoyer)
“series” in relation to shares means a division of a class of shares;(série)
“shareholder” includes the personal representative of a shareholder;(actionnaire)
“special resolution” means a resolution passed by not less than two-thirds of the votes cast by the shareholders who voted in respect of that resolution or signed by all the shareholders entitled to vote on that resolution;(résolution spéciale)
“spouse” means a person to whom an individual is married;(conjoint)
“stated capital” is the aggregate amount of capital in all stated capital accounts;(capital déclaré)
“subordinated note” means a note issued under section 37;(billet subalterne)
“Superintendent” means the Superintendent of Loan and Trust Companies appointed under the Financial and Consumer Services Commission Act and includes any person designated by the Commission or the Superintendent to act on the Superintendent’s behalf;(surintendant)
“total assets” means the assets of a company calculated in the manner prescribed by regulation and includes cash and securities earmarked and set aside under subsection 34(4);(actif total)
“Tribunal” means the Tribunal as defined in the Financial and Consumer Services Commission Act;(Tribunal)
“trust company” means a body corporate incorporated or operated for the purpose of offering its services to the public to act as trustee, bailee, agent, executor, administrator, receiver, liquidator, assignee, guardian of a minor’s estate, committee of a mentally incompetent person’s estate or representative under the Supported Decision-Making and Representation Act and, unless restricted in accordance with subsection 11(2), for the purpose of receiving deposits from the public and of lending or investing those deposits;(compagnie de fiducie)
“voting share” means a share to which is attached one or more votes that may be cast to elect directors of a body corporate under all circumstances or by reason of the occurrence of an event that has occurred and that is continuing.(action conférant droit de vote)
1(2)For the purposes of this Act
(a) one body corporate is affiliated with another body corporate if one of them is the subsidiary of the other or both are subsidiaries of the same body corporate or each of them is controlled by the same person, and
(b) if two bodies corporate are affiliated with the same body corporate at the same time, they shall be deemed to be affiliated with each other.
1(3)For the purposes of this Act, a body corporate shall be deemed to be controlled by a person if
(a) securities of the body corporate to which are attached more than fifty per cent of the votes that may be cast to elect directors of the body corporate are held other than by way of security only by or for the benefit of that person, and
(b) the votes attached to those securities are sufficient, if exercised, to elect a majority of the directors of the body corporate.
1(4)A body corporate is the holding body corporate of another if that other body corporate is its subsidiary.
1(5)For the purposes of this Act, a body corporate shall be deemed to be a subsidiary of another body corporate if
(a) it is controlled by,
(i) that other,
(ii) that other and one or more bodies corporate each of which is controlled by that other, or
(iii) two or more bodies corporate each of which is controlled by that other, or
(b) it is a subsidiary within the meaning of paragraph (a) of a body corporate that is that other’s subsidiary.
1(6)For the purposes of this Act, a person shall be deemed to own beneficially securities that are beneficially owned by a body corporate controlled by the person or by an affiliate of such a body corporate.
1(7)For the purposes of this Act, where a person or group of persons owns beneficially, directly or indirectly, shares of a body corporate, that person or group of persons shall be deemed to own beneficially that proportion of shares of every other body corporate that is owned beneficially, directly or indirectly, by the first-mentioned body corporate, that is equal to the proportion of shares of the first-mentioned body corporate that is owned beneficially, directly or indirectly, by that person or group of persons.
1991, c.27, s.23; 1992, c.C-32.2, s.311; 2005, c.7, s.40; 2006, c.16, s.104; 2008, c.45, s.13; 2012, c.39, s.86; 2013, c.31, s.21; 2014, c.28, s.75; 2016, c.37, s.98; 2017, c.20, s.95; 2019, c.29, s.81; 2022, c.60, s.74; 2023, c.6, s.13; 2023, c.17, s.144
Application of Act
2This Act applies
(a) to every provincial company,
(b) subject to section 3, to every loan company, trust company and every other body corporate authorized to execute the office of executor, administrator, trustee, guardian of a minor’s estate or committee of a mentally incompetent person’s estate, incorporated under a special or general Act of the Legislature before the commencement of this Act, and
(c) subject to section 7, to every extra-provincial company.
Transitional provisions respecting existing companies
3(1)Every body corporate referred to in paragraph 2(b) shall, within one year after the commencement of this Act,
(a) apply for letters patent of continuance in accordance with section 26,
(b) subject to sections 4 and 5, apply to be continued in another jurisdiction, or
(c) apply for a certificate of continuance under the Business Corporations Act in accordance with section 29 as if it were a provincial company and that section applies with the necessary modifications to that application.
3(2)A body corporate referred to in paragraph 2(b) and for which letters patent of continuance, a certificate referred to in subsection 4(2) or a certificate of discontinuance has not been issued under this Act within one year after the commencement of this Act shall be dissolved upon the expiry of that period and shall not be revived and the Minister may issue a certificate acknowledging or confirming the dissolution, which certificate shall be dated the date of dissolution.
3(3)When a body corporate is dissolved under subsection (2), sections 173 to 176 apply with the necessary modifications as if the body corporate were a provincial company under those sections.
Idem
4(1)Every body corporate referred to in paragraph 2(b) that was not licensed under the Trust, Building and Loan Companies Licensing Act immediately before the commencement of this Act may, with the consent of the Minister, apply to the appropriate official or public body of any other jurisdiction requesting that it be continued as if it had been incorporated under the laws of that jurisdiction.
4(2)Upon receipt of notice satisfactory to the Superintendent that a body corporate referred to in subsection (1) has been continued under the laws of another jurisdiction, the Superintendent shall file the notice and the Minister shall issue a certificate acknowledging or confirming that continuance outside New Brunswick.
4(3)This Act and any other Act of the Legislature cease to apply to the body corporate on the date shown in the certificate issued under subsection (2), which shall be dated the date upon which it is continued under the laws of another jurisdiction.
4(4)Notice of the issue of the certificate referred to in subsection (2) shall be published by the Superintendent in The Royal Gazette.
Transitional provisions respecting existing companies
5Every body corporate referred to in paragraph 2(b) that was licensed under the Trust, Building and Loan Companies Licensing Act immediately before the commencement of this Act may apply to be continued under the laws of Canada or a province or territory of Canada other than New Brunswick, in accordance with section 28, as if it were a provincial company and that section applies with the necessary modifications to that application.
Exemptions
6This Act, except where it is otherwise expressly provided, does not apply to a body corporate
(a) incorporated or continued under the Cooperatives Act or to a body corporate incorporated or continued under the Credit Unions Act, or
(b) required to be licensed as an insurer under the Insurance Act.
1992, c.C-32.2, s.311; 1996, c.62, s.4; 2017, c.55, s.6; 2019, c.24, s.190
Idem
6.1Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, this Act does not apply to a body corporate specified in Schedule A.
1988, c.65, s.1
Extra-provincial companies
7An extra-provincial company is subject to this Part and Part XI and such other provisions of this Act as may be specified in this Act.
The Winding-up Act
8The Winding-up Act does not apply to a provincial company to which this Act applies.
Revival of bodies corporate
9No body corporate that has had its charter forfeited under the Companies Act or is dissolved under the Business Corporations Act or this Act shall be revived under this Act.
2023, c.2, s.189
Paramountcy of Act
10Where there is a conflict between this Act or the regulations and the instrument of incorporation of a provincial company or of any other Act of the Legislature in relation to a provincial company, this Act or the regulations, as the case may be, prevail.
II
INCORPORATION AND CONTINUATION
AND CHANGES BY SUPPLEMENTARY
LETTERS PATENT
Application for letters patent or supplementary letters patent
11(1)On application by one or more persons, the Minister may, subject to subsection (3) and with the approval of the Lieutenant-Governor in Council, issue letters patent incorporating a loan company or trust company.
11(2)Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, letters patent incorporating a trust company may be issued restricting the purpose of the company to offering its services to the public to act as trustee, bailee, agent, executor, administrator, receiver, liquidator, assignee, guardian of a minor’s estate or representative under the Supported Decision-Making and Representation Act or to any of those purposes and restricting the company from receiving deposits from the public.
11(3)The Minister shall not issue letters patent under subsection (1) unless
(a) in the case of a loan company, one or more responsible persons have subscribed in good faith for at least three million dollars of common shares,
(b) in the case of a trust company, one or more responsible persons have subscribed in good faith for shares of the company that, when issued and added to the stated capital account and the capital base, will in both cases equal or exceed five million dollars of which at least three million dollars shall be in common shares,
(c) notwithstanding paragraph (b), in the case of a trust company referred to in subsection (2), one or more responsible persons have subscribed in good faith for shares of the company that, when issued and added to the stated capital account and the capital base, will in both cases equal or exceed one hundred thousand dollars of which at least one hundred thousand dollars shall be in common shares,
(d) it is shown to the satisfaction of the Minister that
(i) there exists a public benefit and advantage for establishing a loan company or trust company or an additional loan company or trust company,
(ii) the proposed management is fit, both as to character and as to competence, to manage a loan company or trust company,
(iii) each person subscribing for ten per cent or more of any class of shares of the proposed company can demonstrate the adequacy of that person’s financial resources and is fit as to character to own ten per cent or more of that class of shares,
(iv) each proposed director is fit, both as to character and as to competence, to be a director of a loan company or trust company,
(v) the proposed plan of operations as a loan company or trust company is feasible, and
(vi) the proposed company intends to offer to the public, initially or within a reasonable time after incorporation, the services set out in the application for incorporation.
11(4)Notwithstanding paragraphs (3)(a), (b) and (c), the Minister may, with the approval of the Lieutenant-Governor in Council, alter the stated capital account and capital base requirements set out in those paragraphs.
11(5)On application by a provincial company, duly authorized by special resolution, the Minister may, subject to subsections (6) and (7) and with the approval of the Lieutenant-Governor in Council, issue supplementary letters patent
(a) in the case of a provincial loan company to continue it as a trust company, or
(b) in the case of a provincial trust company, to continue it as a loan company.
11(6)The Minister shall not issue supplementary letters patent under paragraph (5)(a) or (b) unless the company meets the requirements for incorporating a loan or trust company, as the case may be, set out in subsection (3).
11(7)The Minister shall not issue supplementary letters patent under paragraph (5)(b) unless it is shown to the Minister’s satisfaction that arrangements have been made to transfer to another licensed trust company the business in relation to which the provincial trust company acted as a fiduciary and those arrangements are adequate to protect the persons in relation to which the provincial trust company acted in a fiduciary capacity.
11(8)Subsection (7) does not apply so as to require a trust company that has applied to continue as a loan company to transfer money received by it as deposits.
11(9)Supplementary letters patent issued under paragraphs (5)(a) or (b) may effect any change in the provisions of the existing instrument of incorporation of the provincial company
(a) that could be made under subsection (10), and
(b) that was approved by the special resolution of the company authorizing the application for supplementary letters patent.
11(10)On application by a provincial company, duly authorized by a special resolution and subject to section 131, the Minister may issue supplementary letters patent to add, change or remove any provision that is permitted by this Act to be or that is set out in, the instrument of incorporation of a company, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, to
(a) change its name,
(b) change the place in which its registered office is situated,
(c) add, change or remove any restriction upon the business or businesses that the company may carry on,
(d) add, change, or remove any maximum number of shares that the company is authorized to issue or any maximum consideration for which any shares of the company are authorized to be issued,
(e) create new classes of shares,
(f) change the designation of all or any of its shares and add, change or remove any rights, privileges, restrictions and conditions, including rights to accrued dividends, in respect of all or any of its shares, whether issued or unissued,
(g) change the kind of shares of any class or series whether issued or unissued to another kind of shares of any class or series,
(h) change the shares of any class or series, whether issued or unissued, into a different number of shares of the same class or series or into the same or a different number of shares of other classes or series,
(i) divide a class of shares, whether issued or unissued, into series and fix the number of shares in each series and the rights, privileges, restrictions and conditions of those shares,
(j) authorize the directors to divide any class of unissued shares into series and fix the number of shares in each series and the rights, privileges, restrictions and conditions of those shares,
(k) authorize the directors to change the rights, privileges, restrictions and conditions attached to unissued shares of any series,
(l) revoke, diminish or enlarge any authority conferred under paragraphs (j) and (k),
(m) increase or decrease the number, or minimum or maximum number, of directors,
(n) add, change or remove restrictions on the issue or transfer of shares of any class or series.
2022, c.60, s.74
Requirements and contents of application
12(1)An application for letters patent or supplementary letters patent under section 11 shall be made to the Minister in the form prescribed by regulation for that application and shall be filed with the Superintendent.
12(2)No application for supplementary letters patent referred to in subsection 11(5) or (10) shall be made unless it has been authorized by a special resolution of the provincial company and the application has been filed with the Superintendent within three months after the time of the passing of the special resolution.
12(3)The directors of a company may, if authorized by the shareholders in the special resolution authorizing an application referred to in subsection (2), abandon the application without further approval of the shareholders.
12(4)An application for letters patent referred to in subsection 11(1) shall set out
(a) the name of the company and the place in New Brunswick where the registered office is to be situated,
(b) the classes and any maximum number of shares that the company is authorized to issue and any maximum aggregate amount for which such shares may be issued, and
(i) if there will be two or more classes of shares, the rights, privileges, restrictions and conditions attaching to each class of shares,
(ii) if a class of shares may be issued in series, the authority given to the directors to fix the number of shares in, and to determine the designation of, and the rights, privileges, restrictions and conditions attaching to, the shares of each series,
(c) if the right to transfer shares of the company is to be restricted, a statement that the right to transfer shares is restricted and the nature of those restrictions,
(d) the full name, address of residence and occupation of each of the first or incumbent directors of the company,
(e) the number, or minimum or maximum number, of directors,
(f) the restrictions, if any, on the powers the company may exercise or the business or businesses it may carry on,
(g) evidence of the requirements for the incorporation of a loan company or trust company, as the case may be, referred to in subsection 11(3), and
(h) such further information, material or evidence as may be required by the regulations or the Minister.
12(5)An application for supplementary letters patent referred to in paragraph 11(5)(a) or (b) shall set out
(a) evidence of the requirements for the incorporation of a loan company or trust company, as the case may be, set out in subsection 11(3), and
(b) such further information, material or evidence as may be required by the regulations or the Minister,
and shall be accompanied by an application for a licence under this Act as a loan company or a trust company, as the case may be, in accordance with Part XII.
12(6)An application for supplementary letters patent referred to in subsection 11(10) shall set out
(a) the change in, addition to or deletion from, the existing instrument of incorporation in respect of which the application is made, and
(b) such further information, material or evidence as may be required by the regulations or the Minister.
Decision of Minister
13(1)The decision of the Minister to issue or not to issue letters patent or supplementary letters patent is final and not subject to appeal, but nothing in this subsection prevents an applicant from making a new application.
13(2)The Superintendent shall immediately notify the applicant in writing of the Minister’s decision referred to in subsection (1).
Contents of instrument of incorporation
14(1)The letters patent of a provincial company shall set out the information referred to in paragraphs 12(4)(a) to (f) and may set out any provisions not contrary to this Act that the Minister considers advisable to take into account the particular circumstances of the company being incorporated.
14(2)Supplementary letters patent issued under subsection 11(5) or (10)
(a) shall set out the change in, addition to or deletion from, the existing instrument of incorporation in respect of which the application was made, and
(b) may set out any provisions not contrary to this Act that the Minister considers advisable to take into account the particular circumstances of the company.
Notice of issue
15Notice of the issue of letters patent or supplementary letters patent under section 11 shall be published by the Superintendent in The Royal Gazette.
Coming into existence
16(1)A provincial company comes into existence on the date shown in its instrument of incorporation.
16(2)The first directors of a provincial company shall be those named in its original instrument of incorporation.
16(3)The instrument of incorporation of a provincial company expires and ceases to be in force, except for the sole purpose of effecting the liquidation and dissolution of the company,
(a) in the case of a provincial company incorporated under this Act, at the expiration of a period of two years after the date shown in the letters patent if it does not obtain a licence under this Act within that period, and
(b) in all cases, at the expiration of a period of two years during which the company has not held a licence under this Act.
16(4)Supplementary letters patent become effective on the date shown in the supplementary letters patent.
16(5)No issue of supplementary letters patent under subsection 11(5) or (10) affects an existing cause of action or claim or liability to prosecution in favour of or against a company or its directors or officers or any civil, criminal or administrative action or proceeding to which a company is or its directors or officers are a party.
Name provisions
17(1)The words “Loan Corporation”, “Corporation de prêt”, “Loan Corp.”, “Société de prêt”, “Loan Company”, “Compagnie de prêt”, shall be included in the name of every provincial loan company, and the words “Trust Corporation”, “Corporation de fiducie”, “Trust Corp.”, “Trust Company”, “Compagnie de fiducie”, “Trust Co.”, “Trustco”, “Trustee Corporation”, “Corporation fiduciaire”, “Trustee Corp.”, “Compagnie fiduciaire”, “Trustee Company” or “Société fiduciaire” shall be included in the name of every provincial trust company but, notwithstanding its legal name, a company may use and may be legally designated by either the full or the abbreviated form of those words.
17(2)The Superintendent may exempt a body corporate continued under this Act from the provisions of subsection (1).
17(3)Subject to subsection 19(1), the instrument of incorporation may set out the name of the company in an English form, a French form, an English form and a French form or in a combined English and French form and it may use and may be legally designated by any such form, but where the name is set out in an English form and a French form or in a combined English and French form, the company may use and may be legally designated by any one of those forms.
17(4)Subject to subsection 19(1), the instrument of incorporation may, for use outside Canada, set out the name of the company in any language form and it may use and may be legally designated by its name in any such form outside Canada.
17(5)A provincial company shall, in accordance with this section, set out its name in legible characters in all contracts, invoices, negotiable instruments and orders for goods or services issued or made by or on behalf of the company.
17(6)Subject to subsection (5), a provincial company may carry on business under or identify itself by a name other than its corporate name if it has registered a business name under the Partnerships and Business Names Registration Act.
Reservation of name
18The Superintendent may, upon request, reserve for ninety days a name for an intended provincial company or for a provincial company about to change its name.
Name restrictions
19(1)A provincial company shall not be incorporated or continued with a name or be given a name upon application to change its name
(a) that is the name or deceptively similar to the name of another company, a corporation under the Business Corporations Act, a body corporate registered under Part XVII of the Business Corporations Act, a company under the Companies Act, a limited partnership formed or continued under the Limited Partnership Act, an extra-provincial partnership that has filed a declaration under the Limited Partnership Act, or a firm or person that has registered under the Partnerships and Business Names Registration Act unless that company, corporation, body corporate or firm or person consents and in the case of a company, corporation, body corporate, firm or person, undertakes to change its name within six months after giving its consent,
(b) that is prohibited by regulation or is deceptively misdescriptive,
(c) that is reserved for another provincial company or intended provincial company under this Act or any other Act of the Legislature.
19(2)If, through inadvertence or otherwise, a provincial company
(a) comes into existence or is continued with a name, or
(b) upon an application to change its name, is granted a name,
that violates this section, the Superintendent may, after giving the company an opportunity to be heard, direct the company to change its name in accordance with subsection 11(10).
19(3)When a provincial company has been directed under subsection (2) to change its name and has not within sixty days after the service of the directive to that effect changed its name to a name that complies with this Act, the Superintendent may revoke the name of the company and assign to it a name and, until changed in accordance with subsection 11(10), the name of the company is thereafter the name so assigned.
19(4)When a provincial company gives an undertaking to change its name and does not carry out the undertaking or dissolve within the time specified, the Superintendent may, after giving the company an opportunity to be heard, revoke the name of the company and assign to it a name and, until changed in accordance with subsection 11(10), the name of the company is thereafter the name so assigned.
19(5)When a person who is not a provincial company gives an undertaking to change the name under which that person carries on business and does not carry out the undertaking or cease to carry on business under that name within the time specified, the Superintendent may, after giving the company that acquired the name by virtue of the undertaking an opportunity to be heard, revoke the name of the company and assign to it a name and, until changed in accordance with subsection 11(10) the name of the company is thereafter the name so assigned.
2023, c.2, s.189
Name changed or revoked by Superintendent
20When a provincial company has had its name revoked by the Superintendent and a name assigned to it under section 19, the Minister shall, on the recommendation of the Superintendent, issue supplementary letters patent showing the new name of the company and shall immediately give notice of the change of name in The Royal Gazette.
Capacity and powers of provincial company
21Subject to this Act and its instrument of incorporation and to any terms, conditions and restrictions imposed on its licence, a provincial company has
(a) the capacity and the rights, powers and privileges of a natural person, and
(b) if it holds a licence under this Act, the capacity to carry on its business, conduct its affairs and exercise its powers in any jurisdiction outside New Brunswick, subject to any terms, conditions or restrictions imposed on its licence, to the extent that the laws of that jurisdiction permit.
Conferring powers, restriction on business and powers, acts of company, no notice
22(1)Unless otherwise provided in this Act, it is not necessary for a by-law to be passed in order to confer any particular power on a provincial company or its directors.
22(2)A provincial company shall not carry on any business or exercise any power that it is restricted by its instrument of incorporation from carrying on or exercising, nor shall the company exercise any of its powers in a manner contrary to its instrument of incorporation.
22(3)No act of a provincial company, including any transfer of property to or by a company, is invalid by reason only that the act or transfer is contrary to its instrument of incorporation.
22(4)No person is affected by or shall be deemed to have notice or knowledge of the contents of a document concerning a provincial company by reason only that the document is available for inspection at an office of the company or has been filed with the Superintendent.
Actual or constructive knowledge
23A provincial company may not assert against a person dealing with the company or with any person who has acquired rights from the company that
(a) the instrument of incorporation or by-laws of the company have not been complied with,
(b) any terms, conditions or restrictions imposed on the licence of the company have not been complied with,
(c) the place named in the instrument of incorporation of the company is not the registered office of the company,
(d) a person held out by the company as a director, an officer or an agent of the company has not been duly appointed or has no authority to exercise the powers and perform the duties that are customary in the business of the company or usual for such director, officer or agent, or
(e) a document issued by any director, officer or agent of the company with actual or usual authority to issue the document is not valid or is not genuine,
except where the person has or ought to have, by virtue of the person’s position with or relationship to the company, knowledge to the contrary.
Restated letters patent
24(1)A provincial company may at any time, and shall when reasonably so directed by the Superintendent, apply for restated letters patent.
24(2)An application for restated letters patent shall be made to the Minister in the form prescribed by regulation and shall be filed with the Superintendent.
24(3)Upon receipt of the application, the Minister shall issue restated letters patent.
24(4)Restated letters patent are effective on the date shown in the restated letters patent and supersede the original instrument of incorporation and all amendments to it.
Continuance of extra-provincial company
25(1)An extra-provincial company that is carrying on the business of a loan or trust company may apply to the Minister, in accordance with section 12, for letters patent of continuance continuing it as if it had been incorporated under section 11.
25(2)On application by a company referred to in subsection (1), the Minister may, subject to subsections 11(3) and (7) and with the approval of the Lieutenant-Governor in Council, issue letters patent of continuance continuing the company as a loan company or trust company, as the case may be.
25(3)Letters patent of continuance may be issued in respect of a company only if it is authorized under the laws of Canada or the province or territory of Canada in which it was incorporated to apply for letters patent continuing it as if it had been incorporated under an Act of the Legislature.
25(4)When letters patent of continuance are issued, the Superintendent shall send a notice of the issue of the letters patent to the appropriate official or public body of the jurisdiction in which the company was incorporated.
Continuance of provincial bodies corporate
26(1)A loan company or trust company or any other body corporate authorized to execute the office of executor, administrator, trustee, guardian of a minor’s estate or committee of a mentally incompetent person’s estate, incorporated under a special or general Act of the Legislature before the commencement of this Act may, if it is duly authorized by special resolution, apply to the Minister in accordance with section 12, for letters patent of continuance continuing it as if it had been incorporated under section 11.
26(2)On application by a company or any other body corporate referred to in subsection (1) the Minister may, subject to subsections 11(3) and (7), issue letters patent of continuance continuing the company as a loan company or trust company, as the case may be.
Effect of continuance, letters patent of continuance, application
27(1)On the date shown in the letters patent of continuance issued in respect of a body corporate under section 25 or 26
(a) the body corporate becomes a provincial company to which this Act applies as if it had been incorporated under this Act,
(b) the letters patent of continuance are deemed to be the instrument of incorporation of the continued provincial company, and
(c) no statute that applied to the body corporate before that date applies to the provincial company on and after that date to any greater extent than it would apply if the body corporate had been incorporated under this Act.
27(2)When a body corporate is continued as a provincial company under section 25 or 26
(a) the property of the body corporate continues to be the property of the provincial company,
(b) the provincial company continues to be liable for the obligations of the body corporate,
(c) an existing cause of action, claim or liability to prosecution is unaffected,
(d) a civil, criminal or administrative action or proceeding pending by or against the body corporate or its directors or officers may be continued to be prosecuted by or against the provincial company or its directors or officers, and
(e) a conviction against, or a ruling, order or judgment in favour of or against, the body corporate or its directors or officers may be enforced by or against the provincial company or its directors or officers.
27(3)Letters patent of continuance issued under section 25 or 26 may effect any change in the existing instrument of incorporation of the company being continued
(a) that could be made under subsection 11(10), and
(b) that was approved by the special resolution of the company authorizing the application for letters patent of continuance,
and shall set out any amendments to the existing instrument of incorporation necessary to comply with the Act.
27(4)Sections 11 to 16 apply with the necessary modifications to an application for letters patent of continuance under section 25 or 26 as if it were an application for letters patent or supplementary letters patent, as the case may be, under section 11.
Discontinuance of provincial company: continuance into another Canadian jurisdiction
28(1)Subject to subsection (8), a provincial company may, if it is authorized by the shareholders in accordance with this section, and it establishes to the satisfaction of the Minister that its proposed continuance in another jurisdiction will not adversely affect creditors, shareholders or depositors of the company or persons for whom the company acts in a fiduciary capacity, apply to the appropriate official or public body of another jurisdiction in Canada requesting that the company be continued as if it had been incorporated under the laws of Canada or a province or territory of Canada other than New Brunswick, as the case may be.
28(2)Each share of the company carries the right to vote in respect of a continuance whether or not it otherwise carries the right to vote.
28(3)An application for continuance under subsection (1) becomes authorized when the shareholders voting on it have approved of the continuance by a special resolution.
28(4)The directors of a company may, if authorized by the shareholders at the time of approving an application for continuance under this section, abandon the application without further approval of the shareholders.
28(5)Subject to subsection (1), upon receipt of notice satisfactory to the Superintendent that the company has been continued under the laws of another jurisdiction, the Superintendent shall file the notice and the Minister shall issue a certificate of discontinuance.
28(6)This Act and any special Act of the Legislature incorporating the company or body corporate cease to apply to the company or body corporate on the date shown in the certificate of discontinuance, which shall be dated the date upon which the company or body corporate is continued under the laws of another jurisdiction.
28(7)Notice of the issue of the certificate of discontinuance shall be published by the Superintendent in The Royal Gazette.
28(8)A provincial company shall not apply under subsection (1) to be continued as a body corporate under the laws of another jurisdiction unless those laws provide in effect that
(a) the property of the provincial company continues to be the property of the body corporate,
(b) the body corporate continues to be liable for the obligations of the provincial company,
(c) an existing cause of action, claim or liability to prosecution is unaffected,
(d) a civil, criminal or administrative action or proceeding pending by or against the provincial company may be continued to be prosecuted by or against the body corporate, and
(e) a conviction against the provincial company may be enforced against the body corporate or a ruling, order or judgment in favour of or against the company may be enforced by or against the body corporate.
Discontinuance: continuance into Business Corporations Act
2023, c.2, s.189
29(1)A provincial company may, with the approval in writing of the Minister, apply to the Director appointed under the Business Corporations Act for a certificate of continuance under section 126 of that Act.
29(2)The Minister shall not give approval under subsection (1) unless satisfied that
(a) the application for a certificate of continuance under the Business Corporations Act has been authorized by a special resolution, and
(b) the company is not carrying on the business of a loan company, trust company or any other body corporate authorized to execute the office of executor, administrator, trustee, guardian of a minor’s estate, committee of a mentally incompetent person’s estate or representative under the Supported Decision-Making and Representation Act.
29(3)Section 192 of the Business Corporations Act applies with the necessary modifications to an application referred to in subsection (1).
29(4)On the date shown in the certificate of continuance issued under section 126 of the Business Corporations Act, that Act applies and this Act and any special Act of the Legislature incorporating the company or the body corporate cease to apply to the corporation thereby continued.
29(5)Upon receipt of notice satisfactory to the Minister that the company has been continued under the Business Corporations Act, the Minister shall issue a certificate of discontinuance which shall be dated the date shown in the certificate of continuance referred to in subsection (4).
2022, c.60, s.74; 2023, c.2, s.189
Meeting of directors
30(1)On or after the day on which a provincial company is incorporated under this Act, a meeting of the directors shall be held at which they may, subject to this Act,
(a) make by-laws,
(b) adopt forms of share certificates and corporate records,
(c) authorize the issue of securities of the company,
(d) appoint officers,
(e) appoint an auditor to hold office until the first meeting of shareholders,
(f) make banking arrangements, and
(g) transact any other business necessary to organize the company.
30(2)An applicant for letters patent incorporating a provincial company or a director named in the letters patent may call the meeting of the directors referred to in subsection (1) by giving not less than five days notice of the meeting to each director, stating the time and place of the meeting.
Meetings of shareholders
31(1)When the minimum amount of capital required by this Act has been received from the issue of its shares by a provincial company incorporated under this Act, the directors shall call a meeting of the shareholders of the company in accordance with the procedure set out in section 124.
31(2)The shareholders of a company shall, by ordinary resolution at the meeting of shareholders referred to in subsection (1)
(a) approve, amend or reject any by-laws made by the directors,
(b) subject to section 99, elect directors to hold office until the first annual meeting of shareholders following the election, and
(c) appoint an auditor to hold office until the first annual meeting of shareholders.
31(3)An auditor appointed under paragraph 30(1)(e) is eligible for appointment under subsection (2).
31(4)A director named in the letters patent of a provincial company holds office until the election of directors at the meeting of shareholders referred to in subsection (1).
III
BUSINESS, INVESTMENTS AND
RESTRICTIONS ON POWERS
Prohibitions respecting business
32Except as provided by or under this Act, no provincial company shall, directly or indirectly, through a subsidiary or otherwise,
(a) deal in goods, wares and merchandise or engage in any trade or business,
(b) provide letters of credit or like instruments,
(c) guarantee the performance of any obligation by a person other than the company or its subsidiary unless the company has received security for the guarantee at least equal to the amount of the obligation guaranteed, or
(d) issue notes of the company payable to bearer on demand and intended for circulation.
Prudent investment standards
33(1)A licensed provincial company shall adhere to prudent investment standards in making investment decisions.
33(2)For the purposes of this Act, prudent investment standards are those that would be applied by a person exercising the judgment and care that a person of prudence, discretion and intelligence would exercise as a trustee of the property of others.
Deposits
34(1)A licensed provincial company may, for the purpose of investment, receive money
(a) repayable on demand or after notice, or
(b) repayable after the expiry of a fixed term,
and the company may issue debentures, investment certificates or other evidences of the money received by the company.
34(2)Money received by a company under subsection (1) shall be deemed to be held in trust for its depositors and the company shall be deemed to guarantee the repayment of the money.
34(3)Notwithstanding subsection (2), a company may retain the interest and profit resulting from the investment of money received under subsection (1) except the amount of interest payable to the depositor in respect of that money.
34(4)Every company receiving money as authorized by subsection (1) shall earmark and set aside, in respect of the money received, securities or cash and securities equal to the full aggregate amount of the money received, and for the purposes of this subsection, “cash” includes money on deposit and “securities” includes investments authorized under sections 41 to 45 and 49.
34(5)A debenture, investment certificate or other evidence of money received issued by a provincial company shall indicate that it is guaranteed only as against the assets of the company earmarked and set aside under subsection (4).
Deposit insurance
35(1)No licensed provincial company shall receive money as a deposit unless the company is a member institution within the meaning of the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation Act, chapter C-3 of the Revised Statutes of Canada, 1970, or the deposit is insured by some other public agency approved by the Minister.
35(2)A company may, with the approval of the Minister, borrow money from the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation or other similar public agencies approved by the Minister, and for such purposes, the company may mortgage the cash and securities earmarked and set aside under section 34.
Restrictions on amounts received and borrowed
36(1)Subject to subsections (2), (3) and (4), the total amount received as deposits and borrowed by a licensed provincial company shall not exceed at any time an amount equal to ten times its capital base.
36(2)Amounts borrowed by a licensed provincial company by way of subordinated notes and by way of mortgages on real estate owned by the company shall not be included in a determination of a total amount under subsection (1).
36(3)On the application of a licensed provincial company, the Superintendent may, by order and subject to such terms and conditions as may be set out in that order, increase the total amount that may be borrowed or received by the company to an amount equal to such multiplier in excess of ten times but not exceeding twenty-five times its capital base as may be set out in the order and subsections (1) and (2) shall be deemed to apply to that increased amount, substituting the new multiplier for “ten” in subsection (1).
36(4)A licensed provincial company may exceed at any time the limit on its borrowing multiple as set out in subsection (1) or in an order under subsection (3) if the board of directors has approved, by a resolution passed on an annual basis, the exceeding of the limit if the amount by which the limit is exceeded is invested in accordance with the investment standards prescribed by regulation.
36(5)No order shall be made under subsection (3) unless the application of the company is accompanied by a certified copy of the special resolution of the company supporting the increase requested under subsection (3).
36(6)At least once each year the Superintendent or a person designated by the Superintendent may review the borrowing multiple authorized for each company to determine if the borrowing multiple is appropriate.
36(7)The Superintendent may at any time, having given a licensed provincial company an opportunity to be heard, reduce the limit on its borrowing multiple authorized under this section, that the company may receive by way of deposit or borrow to any amount, including a multiplier that is less than ten times its capital base.
Subordinated notes
37(1)A licensed provincial company may borrow money by way of the issue of subordinated notes having a denomination of at least one hundred thousand dollars.
37(2)A subordinated note issued under this section is subject to the following provisions:
(a) the money borrowed by way of the issue of a subordinated note is not a deposit of the issuing company and is not insured by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation or other similar public agency; and
(b) in the event of the insolvency or liquidation of the company, the indebtedness evidenced by each subordinated note ranks equally with the indebtedness evidenced by all other subordinated notes of the company and is subordinated in right of payment to all other indebtedness of the company.
37(3)A subordinated note shall be evidenced by a certificate in a form approved for the company by the Superintendent and containing a statement of the terms set out in paragraphs (2)(a) and (b) and such other information as the Superintendent may require.
37(4)A subordinated note shall not be issued by a licensed provincial company except on application to the secretary of the company.
37(5)No licensed provincial company or person acting on its behalf, in any offering circular, advertisement, correspondence or literature relating to a subordinated note issued or to be issued by the company, shall refer to the note otherwise than as a subordinated note and the company or person, as the case may be, shall indicate clearly therein that the money borrowed by way of the issue of the subordinated note is not a deposit that is insured by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation or other similar public agency.
37(6)No licensed provincial company shall issue a subordinated note if, after the issue of the note, the amount of the outstanding subordinate notes of the company would exceed the amount obtained by subtracting its outstanding subordinated notes and the subordinate note or notes it proposes to issue from its capital base.
Pledging of assets for liquidity reasons
38(1)A licensed provincial company may pledge any of its own assets as security for a debt obligation of the company if the debt obligation is issued in respect of money borrowed to enable the company to meet short term requirements for liquid funds arising from its operations and if the total debt obligation of the company in relation to which assets are so pledged does not exceed fifty per cent of the capital base.
38(2)Subsection (1) does not apply so as to prevent a pledge of assets to the government of Canada with respect to the sale of Canada Savings Bonds or any other transactions as may be prescribed by regulation.
38(3)A company pledging any asset under subsection (1) shall immediately notify the Superintendent in writing of the amount so secured and of the nature of the asset pledged as security.
38(4)A licensed provincial company shall not borrow money except from a bank or a licensed company unless
(a) it is borrowing by way of the issue of subordinated notes, or
(b) it is borrowing money as authorized by subsection (1).
38(5)Except with respect to assets pledged as security under subsection (1) or (2), any agreement under which a creditor of a licensed provincial company is authorized to appoint a receiver or acquire control of the company or of any asset of the company by reason of the failure of the company to make payment in respect of a debt obligation is void.
38(6)A licensed provincial company shall not pledge any of its assets to a restricted party of the company.
Liquidity to be maintained
39A licensed provincial company shall at all times maintain liquidity in the form and amount and in the manner prescribed by regulation or, notwithstanding any regulation, as may be ordered by the Superintendent.
Restriction on investments
40(1)Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, a licensed trust company shall, with respect to funds held by it as a fiduciary, other than deposits, adhere to the prudent investment standards set out in section 33 with respect to those funds.
40(2)No licensed provincial company shall, with respect to its total assets, participate in or enter into any investment or pledge any of those assets except in accordance with sections 41 to 51.
40(3)Notwithstanding subsection (2), a licensed provincial company shall, with respect to its total assets, adhere to the prudent investment standards set out in section 33 with respect to its total assets.
40(4)No licensed provincial company shall purchase, directly or indirectly,
(a) shares or subordinated notes of any other company except under paragraph 48(1)(d) or (e) or section 156, or
(b) shares of any bank unless the shares are listed on a stock exchange prescribed by regulation.
Authorized investments
41(1)A licensed provincial company may invest by way of purchase of or loans on the security of
(a) mortgages on improved real estate in Canada if the amount paid for or advanced on any mortgage, together with the amount of indebtedness under any mortgage, on the real estate ranking equally with or prior to the mortgage in which the purchase or loan is made, does not exceed the lending value of the real estate to which the mortgage relates unless
(i) the loan for which the mortgage is security is an approved loan or an insured loan under the National Housing Act, chapter N-10 of the Revised Statutes of Canada, 1970, or
(ii) the excess is guaranteed or insured through an agency of the government of Canada or of a province or territory of Canada or is insured by a policy of mortgage insurance issued by an insurance company licensed or registered under the Canadian and British Insurance Companies Act, chapter I-15 of the Revised Statutes of Canada, 1970, the Foreign Insurance Companies Act, chapter 218 of the Statutes of Canada, 1980, the Insurance Act or similar legislation of any province or territory of Canada,
(b) bonds, debentures or other evidences of indebtedness
(i) of or guaranteed by the government of Canada or of a province or territory of Canada,
(ii) of or guaranteed by a foreign country or state forming part of such foreign country where the interest on the securities of such foreign country or state has been paid regularly when due for the previous ten years,
(iii) of a municipality or school board in Canada or guaranteed by a municipality in Canada, or secured by rates or taxes levied under the laws of any province or territory of Canada on property in such province or territory and collectable by or through the municipality or school board for the jurisdiction in which the property is situated,
(iv) of a corporation that are secured by a mortgage to a trust company in Canada, either singly or jointly with another trustee on improved real estate of that corporation or other assets of that corporation of the classes in paragraph (a) or subparagraph (i), (ii), (iii) or (v),
(v) of a corporation that are secured by the assignment to a trustee of payments that the government of Canada has agreed to make, if those payments are sufficient to meet the interest as it falls due on the bonds, debentures or other evidences of indebtedness outstanding and to meet the principal amount of the bonds, debentures or other evidences of indebtedness upon maturity,
but if the investment is by way of loan, the amount of the loan shall not exceed at the date of the loan the market value of the security given as collateral,
(c) unless those securities are prohibited by regulation, securities of or guaranteed by any corporation if, at the date of the investment, the corporation has been in bona fide operation for at least five years, but if the investment is by way of a loan, the amount of the loan shall not exceed at the date of the loan the market value of the security given as collateral,
(d) mortgages or assignments of life insurance policies but only by way of loan and only if at the date of the loan such policy has an ascertained cash surrender value admitted by the insurer at least equal to the amount of the loan,
(e) deposits in or receipts, deposit notes, certificates of deposit, acceptances and other similar instruments issued or endorsed by a bank but if the investment is by way of loan, the amount of the loan shall not exceed at the date of the loan the market value of the security given as collateral,
(f) deposits in a licensed company or in a credit union incorporated under the Credit Unions Act or any former Credit Unions Act of New Brunswick but if the investment is by way of loan, the amount of the loan shall not exceed at the date of the loan the market value of the security given as collateral,
(g) investments by way of purchase of personal property and the lease of it to a lessee or by way of loan to a lessee or conditional purchaser where the evidence of the investment is a lease of personal property or an instrument similar to a lease of personal property or a conditional sales contract but only if the investment is for a fixed term and the lessee or conditional purchaser is the government of Canada or of a province or territory of Canada or any agency of that government or any municipality in Canada, and
(h) such other investments as may be prescribed by regulation.
41(2)A licensed provincial company may invest
(a) if designated as a bank or a lender, as the case may be, under the Canada Student Loans Act, chapter S-17 of the Revised Statutes of Canada, 1970, the Farm Improvement Loans Act, chapter F-3 of the Revised Statutes of Canada, 1970, the Fisheries Improvement Loans Act, chapter F-22 of the Revised Statutes of Canada, 1970, the Small Businesses Loans Act, chapter S-10 of the Revised Statutes of Canada, 1970, or under any other Act of Parliament or of a province of Canada designated by the regulations, by lending money by way of guaranteed loans under and in accordance with the Acts for which it has been designated,
(b) by making personal loans to any individual, with or without security, not exceeding such amounts as may be prescribed by regulation,
(c) by making commercial or business loans not authorized by any other provision of this Act payable on demand or in less than one year to corporations, partnerships, sole proprietorships and joint ventures, and
(d) by way of purchase of personal property and the lease of it to a lessee or by way of loan to a lessee or conditional purchaser where the evidence of the investment is a lease of personal property or an instrument similar to a lease of personal property or a conditional sales contract but only if the investment is for a fixed term and
(i) the lessee or conditional purchaser is a corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship or joint venture, or
(ii) the lessee or conditional purchaser is an individual and the balance payable under the lease or instrument does not exceed such amounts as may be prescribed by regulation.
41(3)A licensed provincial company shall not make investments
(a) under paragraph (2)(b) or (c) or subparagraph (2)(d)(i) or (ii) unless
(i) it is authorized by its licence to make that class of investments, and
(ii) it complies with the terms, conditions and restrictions, if any, imposed on its licence with respect to that class of investments,
(b) under paragraph (2)(b) or subparagraph (2)(d)(ii) unless the aggregate total of such investments is twenty per cent or less of the total assets of the company or such other percentage as may be authorized by its licence, or
(c) under paragraph (2)(c) or subparagraph (2)(d)(i) unless the aggregate total of such investments is twenty per cent or less of the total assets of the company or such other percentage as may be authorized by its licence.
Investment in real estate – production of income
42(1)A licensed provincial company may, by way of purchase, invest in improved real estate in Canada for the production of income.
42(2)The total book value on a gross basis of all investments in real estate under this section and section 43, whether by a company or by a subsidiary of the company, shall not exceed ten per cent of the total assets of the company and not more than one per cent of the total assets of the company may be invested in any one parcel of real estate purchased under this section.
Investment in real estate – company use
43(1)Subject to subsection 42(2), a licensed provincial company may by way of purchase invest in improved real estate in Canada that is or is to be occupied by the company for its own use.
43(2)For the purposes of this section, real estate purchased by a subsidiary of a licensed provincial company that is occupied and used by the subsidiary for either or both its own purposes and the purposes of the company shall be deemed to be real estate purchased by the company under this section.
Real estate that has been mortgaged or conveyed in satisfaction of debts
44(1)The book value of real estate that has been mortgaged to a company or any of its subsidiaries and that has been acquired by the company or the subsidiary to protect its investment and of real estate that has been conveyed to it or any of its subsidiaries in satisfaction of debts previously contracted in the course of the company’s business or that of the subsidiary need not be included in determining total book value of real estate for the purposes of subsection 42(2).
44(2)Where real estate has been mortgaged to a company or any of its subsidiaries and the real estate has been acquired by the company or the subsidiary to protect its investment, the company or subsidiary may sell the real estate and take back a mortgage of it even though the mortgage does not satisfy the requirements of paragraph 41(1)(a).
Open “basket” on investments
45(1)A licensed provincial company may, by way of purchase or loan, make investments not authorized by sections 41 to 43 if the investment is not prohibited under any other provision of this Act or the regulations but the total book value of investments made under this section and held by the company shall not exceed five per cent of the total assets of the company.
45(2)Subsection (1) does not apply so as to
(a) enlarge the authority conferred by this Act to invest in mortgages, or to lend on the security of real estate, or
(b) affect the limit of ten per cent of the total assets that may be invested in real estate under section 42.
45(3)Where a company is authorized by its licence to make the class of investments set out in paragraph 41(2)(b) or (c) or subparagraph 41(2)(d)(i) or (ii), the company shall not make any such investments under subsection (1).
Investment limits
46(1)Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, a licensed provincial company shall, at all times, except where the Minister has approved the purchase of shares under section 156, maintain at least fifty per cent of its total assets, excluding assets of subsidiaries, in
(a) bonds, debentures or other evidences of indebtedness
(i) of or guaranteed by the government of Canada or a province or territory of Canada,
(ii) of a municipality or school board in Canada, or guaranteed by a municipality in Canada, or secured by rates or taxes levied under the laws of a province of Canada on property in that province and collectable by or through the municipality or school board for the jurisdiction in which that property is situated,
(b) first mortgages, on real estate in Canada,
(c) bonds, debentures or other evidences of indebtedness of a corporation that are secured by the assignment to a trustee of payments that the government of Canada has agreed to make, if those payments are sufficient to meet the interest as it falls due on the bonds, debentures or other evidences of indebtedness outstanding and to meet the principal amount of the bonds, debentures or other evidences of indebtedness upon maturity,
(d) deposits in or receipts, deposit notes, certificates of deposit, acceptances and other similar instruments issued or endorsed by a bank,
(e) deposits in a licensed company,
(f) bonds or debentures of banks,
(g) such other investments as may be prescribed by regulation, or
(h) any combination of cash and the investments referred to in paragraphs (a) to (g).
46(2)Investments by a licensed provincial company in third and subsequent mortgages shall be limited to two per cent of the total assets of the company.
46(3)For the purposes of subsection (2), an investment in a third or subsequent mortgage by a subsidiary of a licensed provincial company shall be deemed to be an investment in the mortgage by the company.
46(4)No licensed provincial company shall make an investment in securities of a corporation, if after the investment, its holdings of securities of all corporations carried on its books would exceed twenty-five per cent of its total assets.
46(5)For the purposes of subsection (4), an investment in shares, bonds or debentures by a subsidiary of a licensed provincial company other than a mutual fund or securities dealer subsidiary shall be deemed to be an investment by the company.
1989, c.21, s.1
Restrictions on single investments
47(1)No licensed provincial company shall directly or indirectly
(a) invest, by way of purchases from or loans to any one person or to two or more persons that to the knowledge of the company are associated, an amount exceeding the greater of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars or one per cent of the company’s total assets, or
(b) subject to paragraph 49(f), make any investment the effect of which will be that the company will hold more than ten per cent of the issued and outstanding shares of a class of voting shares of any one body corporate other than a subsidiary of the company.
47(2)Paragraph (1)(a) does not apply so as to restrict investments in
(a) securities issued or guaranteed by the government of Canada, including mortgages insured under the National Housing Act, chapter N-10 of the Revised Statutes of Canada, 1970, by the government of any province of Canada or by any municipality in Canada, or
(b) debt instruments issued or endorsed by a bank.
47(3)For the purposes of this section, a person is associated with
(a) a body corporate which that person controls and every affiliate of that body corporate,
(b) a partner of that person who has an interest of fifty per cent or more in a partnership in which that person has an interest of fifty per cent or more,
(c) a trust or estate in which that person has a substantial beneficial interest or in respect of which that person serves as trustee or in a similar capacity,
(d) a spouse or child of that person,
(e) a relative of that person or of that person’s spouse if that relative has the same residence as that person.
Investments in or by subsidiaries
48(1)Subject to such terms and conditions concerning subsidiaries as may be prescribed by regulation, a licensed provincial company may establish or acquire as a subsidiary
(a) any corporation incorporated in Canada to acquire, hold, maintain, improve, sell, lease or manage real estate or leaseholds or to act as agent in the sale or purchase of real estate or leaseholds,
(b) with the prior approval of the Minister, any corporation incorporated other than in Canada to acquire, hold, maintain, improve, sell, lease or manage real estate or leaseholds or act as agent in the sale or purchase of real estate or leaseholds,
(c) with the prior approval of the Minister and subject to such terms and conditions as the Minister may impose from time to time or as may be prescribed by regulation, any body corporate incorporated to carry on any business activity,
(d) a loan company, if the investing company is a trust company, and
(e) a trust company, if the investing company is a loan company.
48(2)A subsidiary described in subsection (1) shall not invest its funds except as provided for licensed provincial companies in this Act.
48(3)Subsection (2) does not apply to a subsidiary described in paragraph (1)(c) if the company satisfies all terms and conditions imposed by the Minister or the regulations.
48(4)A licensed company shall not make an investment in or guarantee any obligation of a subsidiary of the company if after the making of the investment or the giving of the guarantee the total book value of all of those investments and guarantees will exceed five per cent of the total assets of the company.
48(5)Subsection (4) does not apply to
(a) investments in or guarantees of the obligations of a subsidiary described in paragraphs (1)(d) or (e), or
(b) investments in or guarantees of the obligations of a subsidiary described in paragraph (1)(c) if the Minister, with respect to that particular subsidiary, exempts the company from the application of subsection (4).
1989, c.21, s.2
Authorization for other investments
49The Minister may authorize the acceptance by a licensed provincial company of bonds, notes, shares, debentures or other assets not fulfilling the requirements of this Act
(a) obtained in payment or part payment for securities sold by the company,
(b) obtained under a bona fide arrangement for the reorganization of a body corporate whose securities were previously owned by or pledged to the company,
(c) obtained under an amalgamation with another body corporate of the body corporate whose securities were previously owned by the company,
(d) obtained for the bona fide purpose of protecting investments of the company,
(e) obtained by virtue of the purchase by the company of the assets of another company, or
(f) obtained by virtue of realizing on the security for a loan where the security is shares in a body corporate and the effect of realizing on the security is that the licensed provincial company will hold more than ten per cent of the issued and outstanding shares of a class of voting shares in any one body corporate,
but the bonds, notes, shares or debentures or other assets whose acceptance is so authorized shall be sold and disposed of within five years after their acquisition or such longer period not exceeding one year as the Minister may order, unless it can be shown to the satisfaction of the Minister that the bonds, notes, shares, debentures or other assets whose acceptance is so authorized are not inferior in status or value to the securities for which they have been substituted.
Real or personal property as collateral security
50A licensed provincial company may take real or personal property as collateral security for any advance or for any debt due to the company in addition to any other security for the advance or debt required by this Act.
Allocation of security
51A single loan that is secured by two or more assets or classes of assets that would, but for this section, not be an investment of the licensed provincial company permitted by or under this Act may be divided into different amounts and considered as separate loans with respect to each asset or class of assets for the purposes of determining whether the loan is permitted by or under this Act.
Common trust funds
52(1)Notwithstanding this or any other Act, every licensed provincial trust company may, unless the trust instrument otherwise directs, invest money held by it as a fiduciary, other than deposits, in one or more common trust funds of the trust company.
52(2)No licensed provincial trust company shall include in a common trust fund authorized under subsection (1) any money in relation to a trust established exclusively for savings plans registered under the Income Tax Act, chapter 148 of the Revised Statutes of Canada, 1952.
52(3)No licensed provincial trust company shall establish or operate a common trust fund except as provided for in the regulations.
52(4)A licensed provincial trust company may, at any time, and shall, when required in writing by the Superintendent to do so under subsection (5), file with the Superintendent and pass an account of its dealings with respect to a common trust fund in the Court and the Court, on the passing of the account, has, subject to this section, the same duties and powers as The Probate Court of New Brunswick would have in the case of the passing of personal representatives’ accounts.
52(5)An account filed with the Superintendent in accordance with the regulations, except so far as mistake or fraud is shown, is binding and conclusive upon all interested persons as to all matters shown in the account and as to the trust company’s administration of the common trust fund for the period covered by the account, unless within six months after the date upon which the account is so filed, the Superintendent requires in writing that the account be filed and passed in the Court.
52(6)Notwithstanding any other Act or law, a licensed provincial trust company shall not be required to render an account of its dealings with a common trust fund except as provided in this section or the regulations.
52(7)Upon the filing of an account under this section, the Court shall fix a time and place for the passing of the account, and the trust company shall cause a written notice of the appointment and a copy of the account to be served upon the Superintendent at least fourteen days before the date fixed for the passing, and the trust company shall not be required to give any other notice of the appointment.
52(8)For the purposes of an accounting under this section, an account may be filed in the form of audited accounts filed with the Superintendent in accordance with the regulations.
52(9)Upon the passing of an account under this section, the Superintendent shall represent all persons having an interest in the funds invested in the common trust fund, but any interested person is entitled at his own expense to appear and be heard in person or to be separately represented.
52(10)Where an account filed under this section has been approved by the Court, the approval, except so far as mistake or fraud is shown, is binding and conclusive upon all interested persons as to all matters shown in the account and as to the trust company’s administration of the common trust fund for the period covered by the account.
52(11)The costs of passing an account under this section shall be charged to principal and income of the common trust fund in such proportions as the Court considers proper.
Mutual funds
53(1)No licensed provincial trust company or subsidiary of a licensed provincial trust company shall promote or operate a mutual fund unless
(a) the company or subsidiary gives notice to the Superintendent at least ninety days before starting to promote or operate the mutual fund and provides such information respecting the mutual fund as the Superintendent may require, and
(b) the company or subsidiary has received the approval of the Superintendent and the company or subsidiary complies with any terms or conditions imposed with respect to the approval by the Superintendent.
53(2)No licensed provincial company or subsidiary of a licensed provincial company shall be registered under the Securities Act or the regulations under that Act unless the company or subsidiary has received the approval of the Superintendent and the company or subsidiary complies with any terms or conditions imposed with respect to the approval by the Superintendent.
53(3)Where a prospectus for which a receipt has been issued is required under the Securities Act in order to trade in a security, no provincial company shall trade in its securities where that trade would be in the course of a primary distribution to the public of its securities unless the company has received the approval of the Superintendent.
2004, c.S-5.5, s.223; 2008, c.11, s.18
Liability, authority to exercise offices
54(1)The liability of a trust company to persons interested in an estate held by the trust company as executor, administrator, trustee, receiver, liquidator, assignee, guardian or representative is the same as if the estate had been held by an individual in the like capacity, and the company’s powers are the same.
54(2)Where a licensed trust company is authorized by a licence issued under this Act to execute the office of executor, administrator, trustee, receiver, liquidator, assignee, guardian or representative, every court or judge having authority to appoint such an officer may, with the consent of the company, appoint the company to exercise any of those offices in respect of any estate or person under the authority of that court or judge, or may grant to the company probate of any will in which the company is named as an executor.
54(3)A licensed trust company
(a) may, except where the trust instrument otherwise requires, be appointed to be a sole trustee,
(b) may be appointed to any of the offices mentioned in subsection (2) jointly with another person,
and the appointment may be made whether the trustee is required under a deed, will or document creating a trust or whether the appointment is under the Judicature Act or any other Act of the Legislature.
54(4)Notwithstanding any rule, practice or statutory provision, it is not necessary for a licensed trust company to give any security for the due performance of its duty as executor, administrator, trustee, receiver, liquidator, assignee, guardian or representative unless so ordered by the court or judge.
54(5)No court or judge shall appoint any body corporate other than a licensed trust company to execute the office of executor, administrator, trustee, guardian or representative.
1989, c.21, s.3; 2022, c.60, s.74
Execution of trusts
55(1)A licensed company is not bound to see to the execution of any trust, whether express, implied or constructive, to which any of its deposits are subject, other than a trust to which the company is a party.
55(2)The receipt of the person in whose name any deposit stands in the books of a licensed company is a sufficient discharge to the company for any payment made in respect of the deposit, and a direction to transfer, signed by the person in whose name any such deposit stands in the books of the company, is sufficient authority to the company for any transfer made in respect of the deposit, notwithstanding any trust to which the same may then be subject and whether the company has or has not had notice of the trust.
55(3)A company is not bound to see to the application of any money paid upon a receipt under subsection (2).
IV
REGISTERED OFFICE, BOOKS, RECORDS
AND RETURNS
Registered office
56(1)A provincial company shall at all times have a registered office in the place within New Brunswick specified in its instrument of incorporation.
56(2)The directors of a provincial company may change the place of the registered office by applying for supplementary letters patent under subsection 11(10).
56(3)The directors of a provincial company may change the address of the registered office within the place specified in the instrument of incorporation.
56(4)A provincial company shall file with the Superintendent, within fifteen days after any change of address of its registered office, a notice in the form prescribed by regulation.
Records maintained by company
57(1)A provincial company shall prepare and maintain at its registered office or at any other place in New Brunswick designated by the directors and approved by the Superintendent, records containing
(a) copies of its instrument of incorporation and the by-laws and all amendments to them,
(b) minutes of all meetings and resolutions of shareholders,
(c) a share register in accordance with section 48 of the Business Corporations Act as incorporated into this Act under section 94, and
(d) the names and addresses of all persons who are or have been directors of the company with the several dates at which each became or ceased to be directors.
57(2)In addition to the records described in subsection (1), a provincial company shall prepare and maintain
(a) adequate accounting records as required by this Act or the regulations,
(b) minutes of meetings and resolutions of the directors, the audit committee, the investment committee and any other committee of the board,
(c) a record of all investments held by the company,
(d) copies of all returns to the Superintendent required by this Act or the regulations,
(e) a record of all depositors, their names and addresses as far as are known and the sums deposited by the depositors,
(f) where the company is a trust company, full and adequate records relating to the fiduciary activities of the company, the names and addresses as far as are known of all persons for whom the company acts in a fiduciary capacity and the sums received and held in trust by the company on their behalf, and
(g) a copy of the written procedures referred to in section 119.
57(3)For the purposes of subsections (1) and (2) where a body corporate is continued under this Act, “records” includes similar records required by law to be maintained by the body corporate before it was so continued.
57(4)The records described in subsection (2) shall be kept at the registered office of the provincial company or at any other place the directors think fit and that is approved by the Superintendent.
2023, c.2, s.189
Examination of records
58(1)The directors and shareholders of a provincial company, their agents, their legal representatives and the Superintendent or Minister may examine the records referred to in subsection 57(1) during the usual business hours of the company without charge.
58(2)A shareholder of a provincial company is entitled upon request and without charge to one copy of the instrument of incorporation and by by-laws and amendments to them.
58(3)A creditor of a provincial company or a judgment creditor of a shareholder and any agent or legal representative of that creditor or judgment creditor may examine the records referred to in paragraphs 57(1)(a), (c) and (d) during the usual business hours of the company upon payment of a reasonable fee and may make copies of those records.
58(4)The directors of a provincial company and the Superintendent or Minister may examine the records referred to in subsection 57(2) during the usual business hours of the company without charge.
Form of records, offences
59(1)All registers, financial statements and other records required by this Act or the regulations to be prepared and maintained may be in a bound or loose-leaf form, or may be entered or recorded by any system of mechanical or electronic data processing or any other information storage device that is capable of reproducing any required information in intelligible written form within a reasonable time.
59(2)A provincial company and its agents shall take reasonable precautions to
(a) prevent loss or destruction of,
(b) prevent falsification of entries in, and
(c) facilitate detection and correction of inaccuracies in,
the registers, financial statements and other records required by this Act or the regulations to be prepared and maintained.
59(3)A person who without reasonable cause violates this section commits an offence.
59(4)An instrument or agreement executed on behalf of a provincial company by a director, an officer or an agent of a company is not invalid merely because a corporate seal is not affixed to it.
Provision of financial information
60A provincial company shall, at the times prescribed by regulation, provide to the Superintendent such financial or other information as may be prescribed by regulation.
Annual return
61(1)A provincial company shall prepare annually for the information of the Superintendent an annual return, in the form or forms provided by the Superintendent, outlining the financial condition and affairs of the company for the financial year of the company and the return shall be filed with the Superintendent within ninety days after the end of the period to which it relates.
61(2)The return referred to in subsection (1) shall have attached to it the financial statements for the year to which the annual return relates.
61(3)The return referred to in subsection (1) shall have attached to it a report of the auditor.
61(4)The return referred to in subsection (1) shall be accompanied by a certified copy of a resolution of the directors showing that the return was approved by them.
1989, c.21, s.4
Filing of financial statements with Superintendent
62Except as otherwise provided under this Act, a provincial company shall file with the Superintendent a copy of every statement of a financial nature furnished to its shareholders within seven days after the distribution of the statement to the shareholders.
Filing of corporate change
63A provincial company shall file with the Superintendent
(a) copies of all applications and supporting documents of any nature made under the laws of Canada or any province or territory of Canada for any change in its licensing or registration status and shall also file with the Superintendent a copy of any approval or refusal of that application within seven days after filing or receipt, as the case may be, and
(b) copies of any changes made in its licence or registration under the laws of Canada or any province or territory of Canada within seven days after the effective date of the change.
Returns of names of directors
64(1)A provincial company shall, within fifteen days after each annual meeting, make a return to the Superintendent showing
(a) the name and address of each director holding office immediately following the meeting,
(b) the bodies corporate of which each director referred to in paragraph (a) is an officer or director and the partnerships of which each director is a member,
(c) the name of the chief executive officer, the name of the chairman of the board of directors, the name of the president and the name of any other officer of the company who is a director of the company, and
(d) the name of any director who is a full-time employee of the company.
64(2)Where any information relating to a director of a provincial company shown in the latest return made to the Superintendent under subsection (1), other than information referred to in paragraph (1)(b), becomes inaccurate or incomplete or a vacancy in the board of directors of the company occurs or is filled, the company shall immediately file with the Superintendent notice in the form prescribed by regulation.
Filing of by-laws with Superintendent
65Except where otherwise provided, a provincial company shall send to the Superintendent a copy of all by-laws and amendments to them within fifteen days after their making.
Filing of additional information
66In addition to the statements and returns required by this Act or the regulations, a provincial company shall, when requested to do so by the Superintendent or Minister, furnish the Superintendent or Minister with such additional statements and information, at such times and in such form as the Superintendent or Minister considers necessary to enable the Superintendent or Minister to ascertain whether the company is complying with this Act and the regulations or any requirement, order, direction or other request made under this Act or the regulations.
Filing of information with Trust Companies Association of Canada
67A provincial company shall provide to the Trust Companies Association of Canada such financial and statistical information as may be prescribed by regulation.
File of Superintendent
68(1)The Superintendent shall maintain a file on each licensed company which shall contain such information as may be prescribed by regulation.
68(2)Upon payment of the fee prescribed by regulation, any person, during usual office hours, may examine the registers referred to in section 216 and the file referred to in subsection (1) and may take extracts from, or obtain copies of, the registers and the file.
V
SHARES AND CORPORATE FINANCE
Deposits are liability
69For the purposes of sections 77, 78 and 84, deposits in a company shall be deemed to be a liability of the company notwithstanding that the deposit is held by it as trustee.
Shares
70(1)Shares of a provincial company may be with nominal or par value or without nominal or par value or of both kinds.
70(2)A provincial company shall have one class of shares in which the rights of the holders of those shares are equal in all respects and include the rights
(a) to vote at any meeting of shareholders of the company,
(b) to receive any dividends declared by the company on those shares, and
(c) to receive the remaining property of the company on dissolution,
and those shares shall be designated as common shares.
70(3)The instrument of incorporation of a provincial company may provide for classes of shares in addition to those referred to in subsection (2), and if it so provides, the rights, privileges, restrictions and conditions attaching to the shares of each class shall be set out in the instrument of incorporation but those shares shall not be designated as common shares or by words of like import.
70(4)No class of shares shall be designated as preference shares or by words of like import unless that class has attached to it a preference or right over some other class of shares.
70(5)The shares of a company are personal property.
70(6)Subject to subsection 71(2), shares issued by a provincial company shall be fully paid in Canadian currency and are non-assessable and the holders are not liable to the company or to its creditors in respect of those shares.
Issue of shares
71(1)Subject to this Act and the instrument of incorporation, shares of a provincial company may be issued at such times, to such persons and for such consideration as the directors may determine.
71(2)No share of any class of shares of a provincial company shall be issued until it is fully paid for in money unless that share is issued
(a) pursuant to the exercise of conversion privileges, options or rights previously granted by the company,
(b) as a share dividend,
(c) in accordance with the terms of an amalgamation under Part IX,
(d) by way of consideration in accordance with the terms of a sale agreement under section 154,
(e) by way of consideration in any purchase of shares under section 156.
71(3)Where shares of any class of shares of a provincial company have a nominal or par value, the company shall not issue those shares
(a) except for a consideration at least equal to the par value of those shares, or
(b) if, after the issue, the total number of issued and outstanding shares of that class would be in excess of the maximum number of shares set out in the company’s instrument of incorporation for that class of shares.
71(4)Where shares of any class of shares of a provincial company are without nominal or par value, the company shall not issue those shares if, after the issue,
(a) the total number of issued and outstanding shares of that class would be in excess of the maximum number of shares set out in the company’s instrument of incorporation for shares of that class, or
(b) the aggregate consideration received by the company from the issue of shares of that class would be in excess of the aggregate consideration set out in the company’s instrument of incorporation for which all the shares of that class may be issued.
71(5)On the issue of a share, a provincial company shall not add to a stated capital account in respect of the share it issues an amount greater than the amount of the consideration it received for the share.
Capital account
72(1)A provincial company shall maintain a separate stated capital account for each class and series of shares it issues.
72(2)A provincial company shall add to the appropriate stated capital account the full amount of any consideration it receives for any shares it issues with or without par value including the full amount of any consideration it receives in excess of the par value for any shares it issues with par value.
72(3)A body corporate continued under this Act
(a) shall add to a stated capital account any consideration received by it for a share it issued without nominal or par value, and
(b) may add to that account any amount it credited to a retained earning account or other surplus accounts.
72(4)When a body corporate is continued under this Act, subsection (2) does not apply to the consideration received by it before it was so continued unless the share in respect of which the consideration is received is issued after the body corporate is so continued.
72(5)When a body corporate is continued under this Act, any amount unpaid in respect of a share issued by the body corporate before it was so continued and paid after it was so continued shall be added to the stated capital account maintained for the shares of that class or series.
72(6)A company shall not reduce its stated capital or any stated capital account except in the manner provided in this Act.
Shares in a series
73(1)The instrument of incorporation may authorize the issue of any class of shares other than common shares in one or more series and may authorize the directors to fix the number of shares in, and to determine the designation, rights, privileges, restrictions and conditions attaching to the shares of each series, subject to the limitations set out in the instrument of incorporation.
73(2)If any cumulative dividends or amounts payable on return of capital in respect of a series of shares are not paid in full, the shares of all series of the same class participate rateably in respect of accumulated dividends and return of capital.
73(3)No rights, privileges, restrictions or conditions attached to a series of shares shall confer on a series a priority in respect of dividends or return of capital over any other series of shares of the same class that are then outstanding.
73(4)Before the issue of shares of a series authorized under this section, the directors shall send to the Minister an application for supplementary letters patent in the form prescribed by regulation to designate a series of shares.
73(5)Upon receipt of an application for supplementary letters patent designating a series of shares, the Minister shall issue supplementary letters patent.
Preemptive rights
74(1)In this section
“equity shares” means shares of any class, whether or not preferred as to dividends or assets, which have unlimited dividend rights;(actions d’équité)
“preemptive right” means the right to purchase shares or other securities to be issued or subjected to rights or options to purchase, as such right is defined in this section;(droit de préemption)
“unlimited dividend right” means the right without limitation as to the amount either to all or to a share of the balance of any dividends after the payment of dividends on any shares entitled to a preference, and includes the right to all or to a share of the balance of any surplus upon winding up after the repayment of capital;(droit illimité aux dividendes)
“voting right” means the right to vote for the election of one or more directors excluding a right to vote which is dependent on the happening of an event specified in the instrument of incorporation or this Act;(droit de vote)
“voting shares” means the shares of any class which have voting rights as defined in this section.(actions avec droit de vote)
74(2)Except as otherwise provided in the instrument of incorporation and except as provided in this section, the holders of equity shares of any class, in the case of the proposed issuance by the provincial company of, or the proposed granting by the company of rights or options to purchase, its equity shares of any class of any shares or other securities convertible into or carrying rights or options to purchase its equity shares of any class shall, if the issuance of the equity shares proposed to be issued or issuable upon exercise of such rights or options or upon conversion of such other securities would adversely affect the unlimited dividend rights of such holders, have the right during a reasonable time and on reasonable conditions, both to be fixed by the board, to purchase such shares or other securities in such proportions as shall be determined as provided in this section.
74(3)Except as otherwise provided in the instrument of incorporation and except as provided in this section, the holders of voting shares of any class, in the case of the proposed issuance by the provincial company of, or the proposed granting by the company of rights or options to purchase, its voting shares of any class, or any shares or options to purchase its voting shares of any class shall, if the issuance of the voting shares proposed to be issued or issuable upon exercise of such rights or options or upon conversion of such other securities would adversely affect the voting rights of such holders, have the right during a reasonable time and on reasonable conditions, both to be fixed by the board, to purchase such shares or other securities in such proportions as shall be determined as provided in this section.
74(4)The preemptive right provided for in subsections (2) and (3) shall entitle shareholders having such rights to purchase the shares or other securities to be offered or optioned for sale as nearly as practicable in such proportions as would, if such preemptive right were exercised, preserve the relative unlimited dividend rights and voting rights of such holders and at a price or prices not less favourable at which such shares or other securities are proposed to be offered for sale to others, without deduction of such reasonable expenses of and compensation for the sale, underwriting or purchase of such shares or other securities by underwriters or dealers as may lawfully be paid by the provincial company.
74(5)In case each of the shares entitling the holders of the shares to preemptive rights does not confer the same unlimited dividend right or voting right, the board shall apportion the shares or other securities to be offered or optioned for sale among the shareholders having the preemptive rights to purchase them in such proportions as in the opinion of the board shall preserve as far as practicable the relative unlimited dividend rights and voting rights of the holders at the time of such offering.
74(6)The apportionment made by the board shall, in the absence of fraud or bad faith, be binding upon all shareholders.
74(7)Notwithstanding subsection (2) or (3), a shareholder has no preemptive right in respect of shares to be issued
(a) where the issue of shares to the shareholder is prohibited by this Act,
(b) pursuant to the exercise of conversion privileges, options or rights previously granted by the company,
(c) as a share dividend,
(d) in accordance with the terms of an amalgamation under Part IX,
(e) by way of consideration in accordance with the terms of a sale agreement under section 154,
(f) by way of consideration in any purchase of shares under section 156.
Conversion privileges
75(1)Subject to sections 71 and 74 and in accordance with the requirements of subsection (7) concerning the consideration payable for converted shares on the exercise of any outstanding options or rights issued under subsection (3), a provincial company may issue certificates, warrants or other evidences of conversion privileges and shall set out the conditions of those privileges
(a) in the certificates, warrants or other evidences, or
(b) in certificates evidencing the securities to which the conversion privileges are attached.
75(2)Conversion privileges may be made transferable or non-transferable.
75(3)Subject to sections 71 and 74, a provincial company may issue options or rights to acquire shares of the company to
(a) the officers and employees engaged by the company during the first five years following the issue of a first licence to the company if such options or rights are issued before the end of that five-year period, and
(b) the person or persons named in the application for incorporation of the company, if such options or rights are issued before the end of the five-year period referred to in paragraph (a),
but no option or right may be issued under this subsection where the company exists on the commencement of this Act or by reason of an amalgamation under Part IX.
75(4)Subject to subsection (5), no option or right issued under subsection (3) may be transferred or transmitted.
75(5)Where the holder of an option or right issued under subsection (3) dies, becomes bankrupt or has a representative appointed under the Supported Decision-Making and Representation Act, the option or right vests in the administrator of the holder’s estate, trustee in bankruptcy or appointed representative for a period of two years after the date of death, bankruptcy or appointment, at the end of which period the option or right lapses.
75(6)Where shares subject to an option or right issued under subsection (3) are split or consolidated into a greater or lesser number of similar shares, the holder of the option or right is entitled, after completion of the split or consolidation, to a proportionately greater or lesser number of shares at a proportionately lesser or greater consideration per share.
75(7)Where shares subject to an option or right issued under subsection (3) are converted to an equal, greater or lesser number of different shares, the holder of the option or right is entitled, after completion of the conversion, to the same or a proportionately greater or lesser number of the different shares, and the consideration payable for that number of different shares is the consideration set for the unconverted shares under the option agreement.
75(8)The Minister may specify the manner in which the options or rights may be issued under subsection (3), the maximum number of options and rights that may be so issued and any conditions attaching to such options or rights.
75(9)Where a provincial company has granted privileges to convert any securities issued by the company into shares, or into shares of another class or series, or has issued or granted options or rights, whether conditional or unconditional, to acquire shares, the company shall reserve sufficient authorized shares to meet the exercise of such conversion privileges, options and rights.
2022, c.60, s.74
Company cannot hold shares in itself
76Except as provided in sections 77 and 78, a provincial company
(a) shall not hold shares in itself or in its holding body corporate, and
(b) shall not permit any of its subsidiaries to hold shares in the company or in the holding body corporate of the company.
Purchase, redemption or acquisition of company’s own shares
77(1)Except as provided in this section or section 78, a provincial company shall not purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire shares issued by it.
77(2)Where the instrument of incorporation of a provincial company authorizes it to issue redeemable shares, the company may, subject to subsection (4), redeem such shares at prices not exceeding the redemption price stated in the terms of issue.
77(3)Subject to subsection (4), a provincial company may purchase or otherwise acquire shares issued by it to
(a) settle or compromise a debt or claim asserted by or against the company,
(b) eliminate fractional shares, or
(c) fulfill the terms of a non-assignable agreement under which the company has an option or is obliged to purchase shares owned by a current or former director, officer or employee of the company.
77(4)A provincial company shall not make any payment to purchase or redeem or otherwise acquire shares issued by it if there are reasonable grounds for believing that
(a) the company is or, after the payment, would be unable to pay its liabilities as they become due,
(b) after the payment, the realizable value of the company’s assets would be less than the aggregate of
(i) its liabilities, and
(ii) its stated capital of all classes, or
(c) the effect of the purchase, redemption or acquisition would be to cause the company to be in violation of this Act or the regulations.
Reduction of stated capital
78(1)Notwithstanding section 77 but subject to section 131, a provincial company may, by special resolution, reduce the stated capital of the company.
78(2)A company shall not reduce its stated capital under subsection (1) if there are reasonable grounds for believing that
(a) the company is or, after the taking of such action, would be unable to pay its liabilities as they become due,
(b) after the taking of such action, the realizable value of the company’s assets would be less than the aggregate of its liabilities, or
(c) the effect of the reduction would be to cause the company to be in violation of this Act or the regulations.
78(3)A special resolution under this section has no effect until it is approved in writing by the Minister.
78(4)No approval shall be given by the Minister under subsection (3) unless application for the approval is made within three months after the time of the passing of the special resolution.
78(5)A special resolution under this section shall specify the stated capital account or accounts from which the reduction of capital effected by the special resolution will be deducted.
78(6)In addition to evidence of the passing of the special resolution under this section, statements showing in respect of the company
(a) the number of its shares issued and outstanding,
(b) the number of its shares of the class or classes to which the special resolution applies represented by the shareholders who voted for the special resolution,
(c) its assets and liabilities, and
(d) the reason why the reduction is sought,
shall be submitted by the company to the Minister at the time of the application for approval of the special resolution.
78(7)Nothing in this section shall be construed to preclude the Minister from refusing to approve a special resolution under this section.
78(8)The stated capital of the company shall not be reduced below the amount stated in its instrument of incorporation and required before a licence may be issued to it under Part XII.
78(9)A shareholder, creditor or depositor of a provincial company may apply to the Court for an order compelling a shareholder or other recipient to pay or deliver to the company any money that was paid or distributed to the shareholder or other recipient as a consequence of a reduction of the stated capital made contrary to this section.
78(10)An action to enforce a liability imposed by this section shall not be commenced after two years after the date of the act complained of.
78(11)This section does not affect any liability that arises under section 113.
2008, c.11, s.18
Adjustment of stated capital account – acquisition under section 77 or special resolution referred to in subsection 78(1)
79(1)On a purchase, redemption or other acquisition by a provincial company under section 77 of shares issued by it, the company shall deduct from the stated capital account maintained for the class or series of shares of which the shares purchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired form a part, an amount equal to the result obtained by multiplying the stated capital of the shares of that class or series by the number of shares of that class or series or fractions thereof purchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired, divided by the number of issued shares of that class or series immediately before the purchase, redemption or other acquisition.
79(2)In like manner to the manner referred to in subsection (1), a provincial company shall adjust its stated capital account or accounts in accordance with any special resolution referred to in subsection 78(1).
Adjustment of stated capital account – conversion of shares or change under subsection 11(10) or section 252
80(1)Upon a conversion of shares or a change under subsection 11(10) or section 252 of issued shares of a provincial company into shares of another class or series or kind, the company shall
(a) deduct from the stated capital account maintained for the class or series of shares converted or changed an amount equal to the result obtained by multiplying the stated capital of the shares of that class or series by the number of shares of that class or series changed, divided by the number of issued shares of that class or series immediately before the change, and
(b) add the result obtained under paragraph (a) and any additional consideration received by the company pursuant to the change to the stated capital account maintained or to be maintained for the class or series of shares into which the shares have been changed.
80(2)For the purposes of subsection (1) and subject to its instrument of incorporation, if a provincial company issues two classes of shares without nominal or par value and there is attached to each class a right to convert a share of the one class into a share of the other class and a share of one class is converted into a share of the other class, the amount of stated capital attributable to a share of either class is the aggregate of the share capital of both classes divided by the number of issued shares of both classes immediately before the conversion.
80(3)Shares issued by a provincial company and converted or changed under subsection 11(10) or section 252 into shares of another class or series shall become issued shares of the class or series of shares into which the shares have been changed.
80(4)Where the instrument of incorporation limits the number of authorized shares of a class or series of shares of a provincial company and issued shares of that class or series have become, pursuant to subsection (3), issued shares of another class or series, the number of unissued shares of the first mentioned class or series shall, unless the supplementary letters patent otherwise provide, be increased by the number of shares that, pursuant to subsection (3), became shares of another class or series.
Cancellation and restoration of shares
81Shares or fractions of shares issued by a provincial company and purchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired by it may be cancelled or, if the instrument of incorporation limits the number of authorized shares, may be restored to the status of authorized but unissued shares.
Contract to purchase shares
82(1)A contract with a provincial company providing for the purchase by it of its own shares is specifically enforceable against it except to the extent that it can not perform the contract without being in breach of section 77 or 78.
82(2)In any action brought on a contract referred to in subsection (1), the provincial company has the burden of proving that performance of the contract is prevented by section 77 or 78.
82(3)Until the provincial company has fully performed a contract referred to in subsection (1), the other party to the contract retains the status of a claimant entitled to be paid as soon as the company is lawfully able to do so or in a liquidation to be ranked subordinate to the rights of depositors, creditors and holders of subordinated notes but in priority to the other shareholders.
Commission on sale of shares
83The directors of a provincial company may authorize the company to pay a reasonable commission to any person in consideration of the person’s purchasing or agreeing to purchase shares of the company from the company or from any other person, or procuring or agreeing to procure purchasers for any such shares.
Authorization of dividends
84A provincial company may declare or pay a dividend unless there are reasonable grounds for believing that
(a) the company is or, after the payment, would be unable to pay its liabilities as they become due,
(b) after the payment, the realizable value of the company’s assets would be less than the aggregate of
(i) its liabilities, and
(ii) its stated capital of all classes, or
(c) the effect of the payment would be to cause the company to be in violation of this Act or the regulations.
Payment of dividends
85(1)Subject to section 84, a provincial company may pay a dividend in money or property or by issuing fully paid shares of the company.
85(2)If shares of a provincial company are issued in payment of a dividend, the amount of the dividend stated as an amount in money shall, in accordance with section 72, be added to the stated capital account maintained or to be maintained for the shares of the class or series issued in payment of the dividend.
Donated shares
86A provincial company may accept from any shareholder a share of the company surrendered to it as a gift.
Shareholder’s limited liability
87The shareholders of a provincial company are not, as shareholders, liable for any liability, act or default of the company except under subsection 78(9) or 173(5).
Restriction on transfer of shares; consent by Minister
88(1)No transfer or issue of voting shares of a provincial company shall be entered in its share register until the consent of the Minister has been received by the company if
(a) when the total number of shares of a class of voting shares of the company held by a person and by other shareholders who are associates of the person, if any, exceeds ten per cent of the total number of the issued and outstanding shares of that class, the transfer or issue would increase the percentage of shares of that class held by such person and by other shareholders who are associates of the person, if any, or
(b) when the total number of shares of a class of voting shares of the provincial company held by a person and by other shareholders who are associates of the person, if any, is ten per cent or less of the total number of issued and outstanding shares of that class, the transfer or issue would cause the total number of shares of that class held by such person and by other shareholders who are associates of the person, if any, to exceed ten per cent of the issued and outstanding shares of that class,
and until the consent of the Minister is received by the company, no person shall, in person or by proxy, exercise the voting rights pertaining to any of the voting shares that are held by or in the name of the shareholder or by or in the name of any person who is an associate of the shareholder.
88(2)A person to whom shares are to be transferred or issued in circumstances that require the consent of the Minister may apply in writing for the consent and for the purposes of the application the person shall provide the Minister with any information the Minister may request.
88(3)On an application under subsection (2), the Minister may refuse consent where, in the Minister’s opinion, it would be in the public interest to do so, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Minister may refuse consent where the shareholder or any person who is an associate of the shareholder
(a) is or has been bankrupt,
(b) has been convicted of a criminal offence, an offence under this Act or an offence under the Securities Act or any similar legislation of another jurisdiction,
(c) is or has been subject to a cease trading order or an injunction from trading under the Securities Act or any similar legislation of another jurisdiction,
(d) is subject to an examination under section 226 or an investigation under section 248,
(e) is violating any provision of this Act or the regulations or any similar legislation of another jurisdiction or any undertaking given or agreement made with the Minister under this Act, or
(f) has failed to provide the information requested under subsection (2).
88(4)The consent of the Minister under this section takes effect on the date shown in the consent and the effective date may be a date before the date the consent is given.
2004, c.S-5.5, s.223
Declaration may be required
89The Minister may, from time to time, in writing, direct a provincial company to obtain from any person in whose name a share of the company is held or beneficially owned a declaration containing information
(a) concerning the ownership or beneficial ownership of such share,
(b) as to whether such share is held or beneficially owned by a person who is an associate of any other person and the name of that other person where applicable,
(c) concerning the ownership or beneficial ownership of the shares of a holding corporation, and
(d) concerning such other matters as are specified by the Minister,
and as soon as possible after the receipt of a direction from the Minister under this section, the directors of the company shall comply with the direction and every person who is requested by the company to provide a declaration in the form prescribed by regulation containing information referred to in this section shall immediately comply with the request by submitting the completed declaration to the company and the Minister.
Where consent withheld
90(1)Where the Minister proposes to refuse consent under section 88, the Minister shall immediately advise the applicant and shall give the applicant an opportunity to be heard.
90(2)Upon the petition of the applicant, filed with the Clerk of the Executive Council within twenty-eight days after the date of the decision of the Minister under subsection (1), the Lieutenant-Governor in Council may
(a) confirm, vary or rescind the whole or any part of the decision, or
(b) require the Minister to hold a public hearing of the whole or any part of the application to the Minister upon which the decision of the Minister was made,
and the decision of the Minister after the public hearing under paragraph (b) is not subject to petition under this section.
90(3)Except as provided in subsection (2), a decision of the Minister under this section is final and that decision or the decision as confirmed or varied under subsection (2) is not subject to appeal.
Exemption from section 88
91The Minister, with the approval of the Lieutenant-Governor in Council, may by order exempt any provincial company or other person from the application of section 88, in whole or in part, on such terms and conditions as are set out in the order and where any such order is filed with the company named in the order, it shall be deemed to be a consent of the Minister for the purpose of section 88, if the terms and conditions of the order have been complied with.
Declaration of shareholders
92(1)The directors of a provincial company may make by-laws
(a) requiring any person holding any voting share of the company to submit written declarations
(i) with respect to the ownership of a share of the company or of the holding body corporate,
(ii) with respect to the place in which the shareholder and any person for whose use or benefit the share is held are ordinarily resident,
(iii) as to whether the shareholder is associated with any other shareholder, and
(iv) with respect to such other matters as the directors consider relevant for the purposes of sections 88 and 89,
(b) prescribing the times at which and the manner in which any declarations required under paragraph (a) are to be submitted, and
(c) requiring any person desiring to have a transfer of a share to the person entered in the securities register of the company to submit such a declaration as may be required under this section in the case of a shareholder.
92(2)Where under any by-law made under subsection (1), any declaration is required to be submitted by any shareholder or person in respect of the transfer of any share, the directors may prohibit the entry of the transfer in the securities register of the company until the required declaration has been submitted.
92(3)In determining for the purposes relevant to the performance of their duties under sections 88 and 89, the directors of the provincial company and any other person acting as proxy for a shareholder of the provincial company may rely upon any statement made in any declarations or rely upon their own knowledge of the circumstances and the directors and any such person are not liable in any action for anything done or omitted by them in good faith as a result of any conclusions made by them on the basis of any such statements or knowledge.
No prohibited transfer or issue to be registered
93No transfer or issue of voting shares of a provincial company shall be entered by the provincial company in its share register if the transfer or issue of such shares is prohibited by regulation.
2008, c.11, s.18
Share certificates, transfers, registers
94Except where sections 45 to 49 of the Business Corporations Act or any other provisions referred to in those sections are inconsistent with this Act, those sections and the provisions referred to in those sections apply with the necessary modifications to share certificates, transfers and registers in respect of the shares of a provincial company as if that company were a corporation under that Act.
2023, c.2, s.189
Restrictions on transfer of shares
95A provincial company shall not impose restrictions on the issue, transfer or ownership of shares of any class or series except those restrictions as are authorized by its instrument of incorporation and this Act.
Trafficking in shareholders’ list
96No person shall offer for sale or sell or purchase or otherwise traffic in a list or a copy of a list of all or any of the holders of shares of a provincial company.
VI
DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
Management, number of directors
97(1)Subject to this Act, the directors shall manage the business and affairs of a provincial company.
97(2)The number of directors shall not be fewer than five.
97(3)Subject to the instrument of incorporation and subsection (2), the number of directors shall be as from time to time specified by the by-laws.
Qualifications respecting directors
98(1)The following persons are disqualified from being a director of a provincial company:
(a) a person who is not an individual;
(b) an individual who is less than nineteen years of age;
(c) an individual who is of unsound mind and has been so found by a court in Canada or elsewhere;
(d) an individual who has the status of a bankrupt;
(e) an individual convicted of an offence under the Criminal Code, chapter C-34 of the Revised Statutes of Canada, 1970, or the criminal law of any jurisdiction outside of Canada
(i) in connection with the promotion, formation or management of a body corporate, or
(ii) involving fraud,
unless five years have elapsed since the expiration of the period fixed for suspension of the passing of sentence without sentencing or since a fine was imposed, or unless the term of imprisonment and probation imposed, if any, was concluded, whichever is the latest, but the disability imposed by this paragraph ceases upon a pardon being granted;
(f) an individual who is a Minister of the Crown in right of Canada or in right of a province;
(g) an individual who is an agent or employee of the Crown in right of Canada or a province;
(h) an individual who is an employee of the government of a foreign state or any political subdivision of that state;
(i) an individual who is a director of a company not affiliated with the company of which the individual wishes to become a director; and
(j) such other individuals as may be prescribed by regulation.
98(2)A director of a provincial company is not required to hold shares issued by the company.
98(3)A person who is elected or appointed a director is not a director unless
(a) the person was present at the meeting when the person was elected or appointed and did not refuse to act as a director, or
(b) if the person was not present at the meeting when the person was elected or appointed
(i) the person consented to act as a director in writing before the election or appointment or within ten days after the election or appointment, or
(ii) the person has acted as a director pursuant to the election or appointment.
2023, c.17, s.144
Cumulative voting
99(1)Each shareholder entitled to vote at an election of directors has the right to cast a number of votes equal to the number of votes attached to the shares held by the shareholder multiplied by the number of directors to be elected, and the shareholder may cast all such votes in favour of one candidate or distribute them among the candidates in any manner.
99(2)A separate vote of shareholders shall be taken with respect to each candidate nominated for director unless a resolution is passed unanimously permitting two or more persons to be elected by a single resolution.
99(3)If a shareholder has voted for more than one candidate without specifying the distribution of the votes among the candidates, the shareholder shall be deemed to have distributed the votes equally among the candidates for whom the shareholder voted.
99(4)If the number of candidates nominated for director exceeds the number of positions to be filled, the candidates who receive the least number of votes shall be eliminated until the number of candidates remaining equals the number of positions to be filled.
99(5)Each director ceases to hold office at the close of the first annual meeting of shareholders following the director’s election.
99(6)Notwithstanding subsection (5), if directors are not elected at a meeting of shareholders the incumbent directors continue in office until their successors are elected.
99(7)A director may not be removed from office if the votes cast against the removal would be sufficient to elect the director and such votes could be voted pursuant to subsection (1) at an election at which the same total number of votes were cast and the number of directors required by the by-laws or the instrument of incorporation or under section 97 were then being elected.
Qualifications of directors, vacancy
100(1)The Superintendent may require a provincial company to provide the information, material and evidence that the Superintendent may consider necessary to assess the fitness of a person to be a director in accordance with this Act.
100(2)At least two of the directors of a provincial company must be ordinarily resident in New Brunswick.
100(3)At least one-third of the directors of a provincial company shall be outside directors unless the Lieutenant-Governor in Council otherwise directs.
100(4)For the purposes of this Part, an individual is not eligible to be an outside director if
(a) the individual holds more than ten per cent of the voting shares of the company or of any of its affiliates,
(b) the individual is an officer or employee of the company or any of its affiliates or has been an officer or employee of the company or any of its affiliates within two years of the date on which the individual would become or became a director,
(c) the individual is a spouse or child of an individual described in paragraph (a) or (b), or
(d) the individual is one prescribed by regulation.
100(5)The election or appointment of any person as a director of a provincial company is void if the composition of the board of directors would, as a result of the election or appointment, fail to comply with subsection (2) or (3).
100(6)If a meeting of shareholders fails to elect the number of directors required by the by-laws or the instrument of incorporation or under section 97 by reason of the disqualification, incapacity or death of any candidate, the directors elected at that meeting may exercise all the powers of the directors if the number so elected constitutes a quorum.
2013, c.31, s.21
When director ceases to hold office
101(1)A director of a provincial company ceases to hold office
(a) when the director dies or resigns,
(b) when the director is removed in accordance with section 102, or
(c) when the director becomes disqualified under subsection 98(1).
101(2)The resignation of a director shall be in writing and becomes effective at the time the resignation is sent to the company or at the time specified in the resignation, whichever is later.
Removal of directors
102(1)Subject to subsection 99(7), the shareholders of a provincial company may by ordinary resolution at a special meeting remove any director from office.
102(2)Where the holders of any class or series of shares of a provincial company have exclusive right to elect one or more directors, a director so elected may only be removed by an ordinary resolution at a meeting of the shareholders of that class or series.
102(3)Subject to subsections 99(1) to (4), a vacancy created by the removal of a director may be filled at the meeting of the shareholders at which the director is removed or, if not so filled, may be filled under section 104.
Meetings of shareholders; shareholder’s statements
103(1)A director of a provincial company is entitled to receive notice of and to attend and be heard at every meeting of shareholders.
103(2)A director who
(a) resigns,
(b) receives a notice or otherwise learns of a meeting of shareholders called for the purpose of removing the director from office, or
(c) receives a notice or otherwise learns of a meeting of directors or shareholders at which another person is to be appointed or elected to fill the office of director, whether because of the director’s resignation or removal or because the director’s term of office has expired or is about to expire,
is entitled to submit to the company a written statement giving the reasons for the resignation or the reasons why the director opposes any proposed action or resolution.
103(3)A provincial company shall immediately send a copy of the statement referred to in subsection (2) to shareholders entitled to receive notice of any meeting referred to in subsection (1) and to the Superintendent.
103(4)No provincial company or person acting on its behalf incurs any liability by reason only of circulating a director’s statement in compliance with subsection (3).
Vacancies on board of directors
104(1)Subject to subsections (3), (4) and (5), a quorum of directors may fill a vacancy among the directors except a vacancy among the directors resulting from an increase in the number of directors or from a failure to elect the number of directors required by the by-laws or the instrument of incorporation or under section 97.
104(2)If there is not a quorum of directors, or if there has been a failure to elect the number of directors required by the by-laws or the instrument of incorporation or under section 97, the directors then in office shall immediately call a special meeting of shareholders to fill the vacancy and, if they fail to call a meeting, the meeting may be called by any shareholder.
104(3)Where the holders of any class or series of shares of a provincial company have an exclusive right to elect one or more directors and a vacancy occurs among those directors
(a) subject to subsection (4), the remaining directors elected by that class or series may fill the vacancy except a vacancy resulting from an increase in the number of directors for that class or series or from a failure to elect the number of directors for that class or series,
(b) if there are no such remaining directors and, by reason of the vacancy, the composition of the board of directors fails to meet the requirement of subsection 100(2), the remaining directors may fill that vacancy, and
(c) if there are no such remaining directors and paragraph (b) does not apply, any holder of shares of that class or series may call a meeting of the holders of those shares for the purpose of filling the vacancy and if no such holder of shares calls a meeting, the meeting may be called by the directors then in office.
104(4)The by-laws of a company may provide that a vacancy among the directors shall only be filled by a vote of the shareholders or by a vote of the holders of any class or series of shares having an exclusive right to elect one or more directors if the vacancy occurs among the directors elected by that class or series.
104(5)Notwithstanding subsection (4), where by reason of a vacancy the composition of the board of directors fails to meet the requirement of subsection 100(2), the directors who in the absence of any by-law would be empowered to fill that vacancy shall do so immediately.
104(6)A director appointed or elected to fill a vacancy holds office for the unexpired term of his predecessor.
Number of directors
105(1)Subject to this Act and the instrument of incorporation, the directors of a provincial company shall by by-law determine the number of directors.
105(2)The by-law enacted pursuant to subsection (1) that provides for the number of directors may provide that the number of directors to be elected at any annual meeting of the shareholders shall be such number as is fixed by the directors before the annual meeting and may provide that the directors may at any time appoint a director to fill any vacancy existing because the number of directors is less than the number fixed by the by-law.
105(3)A by-law or an amendment or a repeal of a by-law made under subsection (1) is not effective and shall not be acted on until it has been submitted to the shareholders at the next meeting of shareholders following its enactment, and at such meeting the shareholders may by ordinary resolution confirm, reject or amend the by-law, amendment or repeal.
105(4)The shareholders of a company may amend the instrument of incorporation or by-laws to increase or, subject to subsection (5), to decrease the number of directors, or the minimum or maximum number of directors, but no decrease shall shorten the term of an incumbent director.
105(5)The number of directors required by the by-laws or the instrument of incorporation or under section 97 may not be decreased if the votes cast against the motion to decrease would be sufficient to elect a director and such votes could be voted in accordance with subsection 99(1) at an election at which the same total number of votes were cast and the number of directors required by the by-laws or the instrument of incorporation or under section 97 were then being elected.
Meetings of directors
106(1)Unless the by-laws otherwise provide, the directors may meet at any place and on such notice as the by-laws require.
106(2)Subject to the by-laws and instrument of incorporation of a provincial company, a majority of the directors required by the by-laws or the instrument of incorporation or under section 97 constitutes a quorum at any meeting of directors and, notwithstanding any vacancy among the directors, a quorum of directors may exercise all the powers of the directors.
106(3)A notice of a meeting of directors shall specify each matter referred to in subsection 108(3) that is to be dealt with at the meeting, but, unless the by-laws otherwise provide, need not otherwise specify the purpose of or the business to be transacted at the meeting.
106(4)A director may in any manner waive a notice of a meeting of directors and attendance of a director at a meeting of directors is a waiver of notice of a meeting except where a director attends the meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business on the grounds that the meeting is not lawfully called.
106(5)Notice of an adjourned meeting of directors is not required to be given if the time and place of the adjourned meeting is announced at the original meeting.
106(6)If authorized by by-law, a meeting of directors or of a committee of directors may be held by means of such telephone or other communications facilities as permit all persons participating in the meeting to hear each other, and a director participating in such a meeting by such means shall be deemed for the purposes of this Act to be present at that meeting.
By-laws
107(1)Unless the instrument of incorporation or the by-laws otherwise provide, the directors may by resolution make, amend or repeal any by-laws that regulate the business or affairs of the company in any respect that is not contrary to this Act or to anything set out in the instrument of incorporation.
107(2)The directors shall submit a by-law, or an amendment or a repeal of a by-law, made under subsection (1) to the shareholders at the next meeting of shareholders, and the shareholders may, by ordinary resolution, confirm or reject the by-law, amendment or repeal.
107(3)Where a by-law is made, amended or repealed under subsection (1), the by-law, amendment or repeal is effective from the date of the resolution of the directors until it is confirmed or rejected by the shareholders under subsection (2) or until it ceases to be effective under subsection (4), and where the by-law is confirmed it continues in effect in the form in which it was so confirmed.
107(4)If a by-law, amendment or repeal is rejected by the shareholders, or if the directors do not submit a by-law, amendment or a repeal to the shareholders as required under subsection (2), the by-law, amendment or repeal ceases to be effective and no subsequent resolution of the directors, within two years after the date on which the by-law, amendment or repeal ceases to be effective, to enact, amend or repeal a by-law having substantially the same purpose or effect is effective until it is confirmed by the shareholders.
107(5)A shareholder may, in accordance with section 126, make a proposal to make, amend or repeal a by-law.
107(6)Subject to subsection (7), where a by-law of a provincial company is in effect on the commencement of this section, it shall continue in effect until amended or repealed unless it is contrary to a provision of this Act.
107(7)A by-law of a provincial company respecting the remuneration of the directors of the company, as directors, in effect on the commencement of this section shall cease to have effect after the day on which the first annual meeting following the commencement of this section is held.
Chief executive officer and committees of directors
108(1)The directors of a provincial company shall elect from their number a chief executive officer and, subject to subsections (3) and (4), may delegate to that officer any of the powers of the directors.
108(2)Where the by-laws of a company so provide, the directors may appoint from their number committees of not fewer than three directors, at least one of whom, unless the Lieutenant-Governor in Council otherwise directs, is an outside director, and subject to subsection (3), may delegate to any such committee any of the powers of the directors.
108(3)A chief executive officer or a committee of directors appointed under this section has no authority to
(a) submit to the shareholders a question or matter requiring the approval of the shareholders,
(b) fill a vacancy among the directors or a committee of directors or in the office of auditor,
(c) issue or cause to be issued securities except in the manner and on terms authorized by the directors,
(d) declare a dividend,
(e) purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire shares issued by the company,
(f) pay a commission referred to in section 83,
(g) except as provided in subsection 137(4), approve a financial statement referred to in section 137,
(h) adopt, amend or repeal by-laws,
(i) approve the written procedures described in section 119, or
(j) approve any item requiring approval of the board of directors under Part X.
108(4)The election of a chief executive officer or the appointment of a committee of directors does not relieve the directors of a provincial company from any liability imposed by law.
108(5)Subject to the instrument of incorporation and where authorized to do so by a special resolution, the directors of a provincial trust company may delegate, with or without the power of sub-delegation, to the chief executive officer of the company the exercise of all or any of the powers or authorities, whether discretionary or otherwise, that may arise through the performance by the company of its responsibilites under any will, trust, deed, contract or other instrument and the exercise of any such power or authority by the chief executive officer or a delegate of the chief executive officer, if any, shall in all instances constitute a performance by the company of its responsibilities under the will, trust, deed, contract or other instrument, as the case may be.
Audit and investment committees
109The directors of a provincial company shall appoint, in accordance with sections 117 and 118, an audit committee and an investment committee which committees shall fulfill those duties required under this Act and the regulations.
Appointment and qualifications of officers
110(1)The directors of a provincial company may, subject to the by-laws, designate the offices of the company, appoint officers to those offices, specify the duties of those officers and delegate to them powers, except the powers referred to subsection 108(3).
110(2)Where the regulations prescribe qualifications for appointment as an officer, the directors shall not appoint a person who does not have those qualifications.
110(3)Two or more offices of a provincial company may be held by the same person.
Remuneration of directors
111(1)Subject to subsection (2) and the by-laws, the directors of a provincial company may fix the remuneration of the directors, officers and employees of the company.
111(2)No remuneration shall be paid to a director as director until a by-law fixing the aggregate of all amounts that may be paid to all directors in respect of that remuneration during a fixed period of time has been confirmed by special resolution.
Effect of irregularity or defect in appointment
112An act of a director or officer of a provincial company is valid notwithstanding an irregularity in the election or appointment of, or a defect in the qualifications of, the director or officer.
Joint and several liability of directors
113(1)Directors of a provincial company who vote for or consent to a resolution authorizing
(a) a purchase, redemption or other acquisition of shares contrary to section 77,
(b) a reduction in the stated capital of the company contrary to section 78,
(c) a commission contrary to section 83,
(d) a payment of a dividend contrary to section 84,
(e) a payment of an indemnity contrary to section 116,
(f) an investment or other transaction contrary to Part X,
(g) a payment to a shareholder contrary to an order under section 252, or
(h) any other payment to a shareholder, director or officer of the company the effect of which is to reduce the capital base of the company to an amount that is less than that required under this Act,
are jointly and severally liable to restore to the company any amounts so distributed or paid and not otherwise recovered by the company.
113(2)A director who has satisfied a judgment rendered under this section is entitled to contribution from the other directors who voted for or consented to the unlawful act on which the judgment was founded.
113(3)A director liable under subsection (1) is entitled to apply to the Court for an order compelling a shareholder or other recipient to pay or deliver to the director any money or property that was paid or distributed to the shareholder or other recipient contrary to section 77, 78, 83, 84, 116 or 252 or Part X.
113(4)Where an application is made to the Court under subsection (3), the Court may, where it is satisfied that it is equitable to do so,
(a) order a shareholder or other recipient to pay or deliver to a director any money or property that was paid or distributed to the shareholder or other recipient,
(b) order a company to return or issue shares to a person from whom the company has purchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired shares, or
(c) make any further order it thinks fit.
113(5)An action to enforce a liability imposed by this section shall not be commenced after two years after the date of the resolution authorizing the action complained of.
Standard of care and duties of directors and officers
114(1)For the purposes of this section, a director or officer includes a person acting in a capacity similar to, or performing functions of, a director or officer.
114(2)Every director and officer of a provincial company in exercising the powers of, and in discharging the duties of, director or officer shall
(a) act honestly and in good faith with a view to the best interests of the company as a whole, and
(b) exercise the care, diligence and skill of a reasonably prudent director or officer under comparable circumstances.
114(3)In considering whether a particular transaction or course of action is in the best interests of the provincial company as a whole, a director or officer shall have due regard to the interests of the depositors, as well as the shareholders of the company and, in the case of a trust company, shall also have due regard to the interests of the persons for whom it acts in a fiduciary capacity.
114(4)Every director and officer of a provincial company shall comply with this Act and the regulations and the company’s instrument of incorporation and by-laws.
114(5)No provision in a contract, the instrument of incorporation or the by-laws or a resolution relieves a director or officer of a provincial company from the duty to act in accordance with this Act and the regulations or relieves the director or officer from liability for a breach of this Act or the regulations.
Dissent by directors
115(1)A director who is present at a meeting of directors or a committee of directors shall be deemed to have consented to any resolution passed or action taken at the meeting unless
(a) the director requests that a dissent be entered or the director’s dissent is entered in the minutes of the meeting,
(b) the director sends a written dissent to the secretary of the meeting before the meeting is adjourned, or
(c) the director sends a dissent by registered mail or delivers it to the registered office of the company immediately after the meeting is adjourned.
115(2)A director who votes for or consents to a resolution is not entitled to dissent under subsection (1).
115(3)A director who is not present at a meeting at which a resolution is passed or action taken shall be deemed to have consented to the resolution or action unless, within seven days after becoming aware of the resolution or action, the director
(a) causes a dissent to be placed with the minutes of the meeting, or
(b) sends a dissent by registered mail or delivers it to the registered office of the company.
115(4)A director is not liable under section 113 if the director reasonably relies in good faith on
(a) the financial statement of the company represented to the director by an officer of the company or in a written report of the auditor of the company fairly to reflect the financial condition of the company, or
(b) a report of an accountant, lawyer, appraiser or other person whose profession lends credibility to a statement made by the accountant, lawyer, appraiser or other person.
Indemnification of directors
116(1)Except in respect of an action by or on behalf of the company or body corporate to procure a judgment in its favour, a provincial company may indemnify a director or an officer of the company, a former director or officer of the company or a person who acts or who acted at the company’s request as a director or an officer of a body corporate of which the company is or was a shareholder or creditor, and the heirs and legal representatives, against all costs, charges and expenses, including an amount paid to settle an action or satisfy a judgment reasonably incurred by the person in respect of any civil, criminal or administrative action or proceeding to which the person is made a party by reason of being or having been a director or an officer of such company or body corporate if
(a) the person acted honestly and in good faith with a view to the best interests of the company as a whole, and
(b) in the case of a criminal or administrative action or proceeding that is enforced by a monetary penalty, the person had reasonable grounds for believing that the conduct was lawful.
116(2)A provincial company may with the approval of the Court indemnify a person referred to in subsection (1) in respect of an action by or on behalf of the company or body corporate to procure a judgment in its favour to which the person is made a party by reason of being or having been a director or an officer of the company or body corporate against all costs, charges and expenses reasonably incurred by the person in connection with such action if the person fulfils the conditions set out in paragraphs (1)(a) and (b).
116(3)Notwithstanding anything in this section, a person referred to in subsection (1) is entitled to indemnity from the company in respect of all costs, charges and expenses reasonably incurred by the person in connection with the defence of any civil, criminal or administrative action or proceeding to which the person is made a party by reason of being or having been a director or officer of the company or body corporate, if the person seeking indemnity
(a) was substantially successful on the merits in the defence of the action or proceeding,
(b) fulfils the conditions set out in paragraphs (1)(a) and (b), and
(c) is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity.
116(4)A provincial company may purchase and maintain insurance for the benefit of any person referred to in subsection (1) against any liability incurred by the person
(a) in the person’s capacity as a director or officer of the company, except where the liability relates to the failure to act honestly and in good faith with a view to the best interests of the company, or
(b) in the person’s capacity as a director or officer of another body corporate if the person acts or acted in that capacity at the company’s request, except where the liability relates to the failure to act honestly and in good faith with a view to the best interests of that body corporate.
116(5)A company or a person referred to in subsection (1) may apply to the Court for an order approving an indemnity under this section and the Court may so order and make any further order it thinks fit.
116(6)An applicant under subsection (5) shall give the Superintendent notice of the application and the Superintendent is entitled to appear and be heard in person or by counsel.
116(7)On an application under subsection (5), the Court may order notice to be given to any interested person and such person is entitled to appear and be heard in person or by counsel.
Audit committee
117(1)Subject to subsection (2), the directors of a provincial company shall appoint from among their number a committee to be known as the audit committee to be composed of not fewer than three directors, of whom the majority, unless the Lieutenant-Governor otherwise directs, shall be outside directors, to hold office for one year or such additional period for which any of its members are reappointed.
117(2)Where there are fewer than ten directors, a provincial company may apply to the Superintendent to dispense with an audit committee, and the Superintendent may, if satisfied that the public interest will not be prejudiced, authorize the company to dispense with an audit committee on such conditions as the Superintendent thinks fit.
117(3)Where the Superintendent authorizes the company to dispense with an audit committee under subsection (2), the board of directors shall act in the place and stead of the audit committee in accordance with this section.
117(4)The audit committee shall meet at least twice each year to review
(a) any financial statements distributed to the shareholders,
(b) the annual return of the company filed with the Superintendent under subsection 61(1),
(c) all reports of the auditor under section 145, and
(d) any reports of transactions required by the regulations to be reviewed by the audit committee.
117(5)In the case of statements and returns that by or under this Act must be approved by the board of directors of a provincial company, the audit committee shall report on those statements and returns to the board before the approval is given.
2013, c.31, s.21
Investment committee
118(1)Subject to subsection (2), the directors of a provincial company shall appoint from among their number a committee to be known as the investment committee to be composed of not fewer than three directors, of whom the majority, unless the Lieutenant-Governor in Council otherwise directs, shall be outside directors, to hold office for one year or such additional period for which its members are reappointed.
118(2)Where there are fewer than ten directors, a company may apply to the Superintendent for authority to dispense with an investment committee, and the Superintendent may, if satisfied that the public interest will not be prejudiced, authorize the company to dispense with an investment committee on such conditions as the Superintendent thinks fit.
118(3)Where the Superintendent authorizes the company to dispense with an investment committee under subsection (2), the board of directors shall act in the place and stead of the investment committee in accordance with section 119.
2013, c.31, s.21
Written procedures and systems to be established
119(1)Subject to this Act and the regulations, a provincial company shall establish
(a) written procedures to ensure that prudent investment standards are applied by the company in making investment decisions,
(b) written review and approval procedures to be followed by the company to ensure compliance with Part X,
(c) such systems and written procedures as may be necessary to define the levels of authority and responsibility of its officers and employees with respect to any investment or other financial decision of the company and to ensure that those systems and procedures are communicated to its officers and employees, and
(d) such other procedures as may be prescribed by regulation.
119(2)The procedures and systems referred to in subsection (1) shall be developed by the investment committee of the board of directors of the company and shall be reviewed at least twice each year by the investment committee.
119(3)The investment committee shall report on its review and its recommendations, if any, with respect to the procedures and systems referred to in subsection (1) to the board of directors.
119(4)The procedures referred to in subsection (1) shall be subject to the approval of the board of directors and the board, upon receipt of any report or recommendations from the investment committee, shall review such procedures and systems and make such changes as may be necessary.
Records of meetings of directors
120(1)A provincial company shall keep a record of the total number of meetings of the directors and of the audit and investment committees and the number of such meetings attended by each director.
120(2)A summary of the record kept under subsection (1) shall be sent by the provincial company to each shareholder and to the Superintendent with the notice of the annual meeting and shall be available on request to any depositor of the company.
2008, c.11, s.18
VII
SHAREHOLDERS AND PROXIES
Meetings of shareholders
121(1)Meetings of shareholders of a provincial company shall be held at the place within New Brunswick provided in the by-laws or, in the absence of such provision, at the place within New Brunswick that the directors determine.
121(2)Notwithstanding subsection (1), a meeting of shareholders of a provincial company may be held outside New Brunswick if all the shareholders entitled to vote at that meeting so agree, and a shareholder who attends a meeting of shareholders held outside New Brunswick shall be deemed to have so agreed except when the shareholder attends the meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business on the grounds that the meeting is not lawfully held.
Idem
122(1)The directors of a provincial company
(a) shall call an annual meeting of shareholders to be held not later than fifteen months after the first organizational meeting of shareholders held under section 31 and subsequent annual meetings not later than fifteen months after holding the last preceding annual meeting, and
(b) may at any time call a special meeting of shareholders.
122(2)Notwithstanding subsection (1), the company may apply to the Court for an order extending the time within which the first or a subsequent annual meeting of the company shall be held.
122(3)A shareholder or any other person entitled to attend a meeting of shareholders may participate in the meeting by means of telephone or other communication facilities that permit all persons participating in the meeting to hear each other if
(a) the by-laws so provide, or
(b) subject to the by-laws, all the shareholders entitled to vote at the meeting consent,
and a person participating in such a meeting by those means shall be deemed for the purposes of this Act to be present at the meeting.
Record date
123(1)For the purpose of determining shareholders
(a) entitled to receive payment of a dividend, or
(b) entitled to participate in a liquidation distribution,
or for any other purpose except the right to receive notice of or to vote at a meeting the directors may fix in advance a date as the record date for that determination of shareholders, but that record date shall not precede by more than fifty days the particular action to be taken.
123(2)For the purpose of determining shareholders entitled to receive notice of a meeting of shareholders, the directors may fix in advance a date as the record date for that determination of shareholders, but that record date shall not precede by more than fifty days or by fewer than twenty-one days the date on which the meeting is to be held.
123(3)If no record date is fixed
(a) the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to receive notice of a meeting of shareholders shall be
(i) at the close of business on the day immediately preceding the day on which the notice is given, or
(ii) if no notice is given, the day on which the meeting is held, and
(b) the record date for the determination of shareholders for any purpose other than to establish a shareholder’s right to receive notice of a meeting or to vote shall be at the close of business on the day on which the directors pass the resolution relating thereto.
Notice of meeting
124(1)Notice of the time and place of a meeting of shareholders shall be sent not fewer than twenty-one days nor more than fifty days before the meeting
(a) to each shareholder entitled to vote at the meeting,
(b) to each director,
(c) to the auditor, and
(d) in the case of the annual meeting, to the Superintendent.
124(2)A notice of a meeting is not required to be sent to shareholders who were not registered on the records of the company or its transfer agent on the record date determined under subsection 123(2) or (3), but failure to receive a notice does not deprive a shareholder of the right to vote at the meeting.
124(3)If a meeting of shareholders is adjourned by one or more adjournments for an aggregate of sixty days or more, notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given as for an original meeting.
124(4)All business transacted at a special meeting of shareholders and all business transacted at an annual meeting of shareholders, except consideration of the financial statements, auditor’s report, election of directors and reappointment of the incumbent auditor and remuneration of the directors and auditor, shall be deemed to be special business.
124(5)Notice of a meeting of shareholders at which special business is to be transacted shall state
(a) the nature of that business in sufficient detail to permit the shareholder to form a reasoned judgment on it, and
(b) the text of any special resolution to be submitted to the meeting.
Waiver of notice
125A shareholder and any other person entitled to attend a meeting of shareholders may in any manner either before or after the meeting waive notice of a meeting of shareholders, and attendance of any such person at a meeting of shareholders is a waiver of notice of the meeting, except where that person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business on the grounds that the meeting is not lawfully called.
Proposals by shareholders
126(1)A shareholder entitled to vote at an annual meeting of shareholders may
(a) submit to the provincial company notice of any matter that the shareholder proposes to raise at the meeting, referred to in this section as a proposal, and
(b) discuss at the meeting any matter in respect of which the shareholder would have been entitled to submit a proposal.
126(2)A provincial company shall set out the proposal in the notice of meeting required by section 124 or attach the proposal to the notice.
126(3)If so requested by the shareholder, the company shall include in the notice of meeting or attach to the notice a statement by the shareholder of not more than two hundred words in support of the proposal and the name and address of the shareholder.
126(4)A proposal may include nominations for the election of directors if the proposal is signed by one or more holders of shares representing in the aggregate not less than five per cent of the shares or five per cent of the shares of a class of shares of the company entitled to vote at the meeting to which the proposal is to be presented, but this subsection does not preclude nominations made at a meeting of shareholders.
126(5)A provincial company is not required to comply with subsections (2) and (3)
(a) if the proposal is not submitted to the company at least ninety days before the anniversary date of the previous annual meeting of shareholders,
(b) if it appears to the directors that the proposal is submitted by the shareholder primarily for the purpose of enforcing a personal claim or redressing a personal grievance against the company or its directors, officers or shareholders, or for a purpose that is not related in any significant way to the business or affairs of the company,
(c) if the company, at the shareholder’s request, included a proposal in a notice of meeting relating to a meeting of shareholders held within two years preceding the receipt of such request, and the shareholder failed to present the proposal, in person or by proxy, at the meeting,
(d) if substantially the same proposal was submitted to shareholders in a notice of meeting relating to a meeting of shareholders held within two years preceding the receipt of the shareholder’s request and the proposal was defeated, or
(e) if the rights conferred by this section are being abused to secure publicity.
126(6)No provincial company or person acting on its behalf incurs any liability by reason only of circulating a proposal or statement in compliance with this section.
126(7)If a provincial company refuses to include a proposal in a notice of meeting, the company shall, within ten days after receiving the proposal, notify the shareholder submitting the proposal of its intention to omit the proposal from the notice of meeting and send to the shareholder a statement of the reasons for the refusal.
126(8)On the application of shareholder claiming to be aggrieved by a company’s refusal under subsection (7), the Court may restrain the holding of the meeting to which the proposal is sought to be presented and make any other or further order it thinks fit.
126(9)The company or any person claiming to be aggrieved by a proposal may apply to the Court for an order permitting the company to omit the proposal from the notice of meeting, and the Court, if it is satisfied that subsection (5) applies, may make such order as it thinks fit.
126(10)An applicant under subsection (8) or (9) shall give the Superintendent notice of the application and the Superintendent is entitled to appear and be heard in person or by counsel.
Shareholder lists and voting rights
127(1)A provincial company shall prepare a list of shareholders entitled to receive notice of a meeting, arranged in alphabetical order and showing the number of shares held by each shareholder
(a) if a record date is fixed under subsection 123(2), not later than ten days after that date, or
(b) if no record date is fixed
(i) at the close of business on the day immediately preceding the day on which the notice is given, or
(ii) where no notice is given, on the day on which the meeting is held.
127(2)Where a company fixes a record date under subsection 123(2), a person named in the list prepared under paragraph (1)(a) is entitled to vote the shares shown opposite that person’s name at the meeting to which the list relates except to the extent that
(a) that person has transferred the ownership of any of those shares after the record date, and
(b) subject to subsection 88(1) and section 93, the transferee of those shares
(i) produces a certificate in the transferee’s name or properly endorsed share certificates, or
(ii) otherwise establishes that the transferee owns the shares,
and demands, not later than ten days before the meeting or such shorter period before the meeting as the by-laws of the company may provide, that the transferee’s name be included in the list before the meeting,
in which case the transferee is entitled to vote those shares at the meeting.
127(3)Where a company does not fix a record date under subsection 123(2), a person named in a list prepared under paragraph (1)(b) is entitled to vote the shares shown opposite that person’s name at the meeting to which the list relates except to the extent that
(a) that person has transferred the ownership of any of that person’s shares after the date on which a list referred to in subparagraph (1)(b)(i) is prepared, and
(b) subject to subsection 88(1) and section 93, the transferee of those shares
(i) produces a share certificate in the transferee’s name or properly endorsed share certificates, or
(ii) otherwise established that the transferee owns the shares,
and demands, not later than ten days before the meeting or such shorter period before the meeting as the by-laws of the company may provide, that the transferee’s name be included in the list before the meeting,
in which case the transferee is entitled to vote those shares at the meeting.
127(4)A shareholder may examine the list of shareholders
(a) during usual business hours at the registered office of the company or at the place where its central share register is maintained, and
(b) at the meeting of shareholders for which the list was prepared.
Quorum
128(1)Unless the by-laws otherwise provide, the holder or holders of the majority of the shares entitled to vote at a meeting of shareholders present in person or by proxy constitute a quorum.
128(2)If a quorum is present at the opening of a meeting of shareholders, the shareholders present in person or represented by proxy may proceed with the business of the meeting, notwithstanding that a quorum is not present throughout the meeting.
128(3)If a quorum is not present at the opening of a meeting of shareholders, the shareholders present in person or represented by proxy may adjourn the meeting to a fixed time and place but not transact any other business.
One vote for each share
129(1)Unless the instrument of incorporation otherwise provides, each share of a provincial company entitles the holder of that share to one vote at a meeting of shareholders.
129(2)If a body corporate or association is a shareholder of a provincial company, the company shall recognize any individual authorized by a resolution of the directors or governing body of the body corporate or association to represent it at meetings of shareholders of the company.
129(3)An individual authorized under subsection (2) may exercise on behalf of the body corporate or association that individual represents all the powers it could exercise if it were an individual shareholder.
129(4)If two or more persons hold shares jointly, one of those holders present at a meeting of shareholders may in the absence of the others vote the shares, but if two or more of those persons who are present, in person or by proxy, vote, they shall vote as one on the shares jointly held by them.
Voting
130(1)Voting at a meeting of shareholders shall be by show of hands except where a ballot is demanded by a shareholder or proxyholder entitled to vote at the meeting.
130(2)A shareholder or proxyholder may demand a ballot either before or after any vote by show of hands.
Class or series vote
131(1)The holders of shares of a class or, subject to subsection (2), of a series are, unless the instrument of incorporation otherwise provides in the case of an amendment referred to in paragraph (a), (b) or (e), entitled to vote separately as a class or series on a special resolution to authorize an application under subsection 11(10) for the issue of supplementary letters patent to
(a) increase or decrease any maximum number of authorized shares of that class or series, or increase any maximum number of authorized shares of a class or series having rights or privileges equal or superior to the shares of that class or series,
(b) effect an exchange, reclassification or cancellation of all or part of the shares of that class or series,
(c) add, change or remove the rights, privileges, restrictions or conditions attached to the shares of that class or series and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing,
(i) remove or change prejudicially rights to accrued dividends or rights to cumulative dividends,
(ii) add, remove or change prejudicially redemption rights,
(iii) reduce or remove a dividend preference or a liquidation preference, or
(iv) add, remove or change prejudicially conversion privileges, options, voting rights, or rights to acquire securities of a company or sinking fund provisions,
(d) increase the rights or privileges of any class or series of shares having rights or privileges equal or superior to the shares of that class or series,
(e) create a new class of shares equal or superior to the shares of that class or series,
(f) make any class of shares having rights or privileges inferior to the shares of that class or series equal or superior to the shares of that class or series,
(g) effect an exchange or create a right of exchange of all or part of the shares of another class or series into shares of that class or series, or
(h) add, change or remove restrictions on the transfer or issue of that class or series.
131(2)The holders of a series of shares of a class are entitled to vote separately as a series under subsection (1) only if that series is affected by an amendment in a manner different from other shares of the same class.
131(3)Subsection (1) applies whether or not shares of a class or series otherwise carry the right to vote.
131(4)A special resolution referred to in subsection (1) is adopted when the holders of the shares of each class or series entitled to vote separately on the special resolution as a class or series have approved the resolution.
Written resolutions
132(1)Except where a written statement is submitted by a director under subsection 103(2) or where representations in writing are submitted by an auditor under subsection 142(6), a resolution in writing signed by all the shareholders entitled to vote on that resolution at a meeting of shareholders is as valid as if it had been passed at a meeting of the shareholders.
132(2)A resolution in writing dealing with all matters required by this Act to be dealt with at a meeting of shareholders, and signed by all the shareholders or signed counterparts of such resolution by all the shareholders entitled to vote at that meeting, satisfies all the requirements of this Act relating to meetings of shareholders duly called, constituted and held.
132(3)A copy of every resolution or counterpart of a resolution referred to in subsection (1) shall be kept with the minutes of the meetings of shareholders.
Requisition of meetings
133(1)The holders of not less than five per cent of the issued shares of a provincial company that carry the right to vote at a meeting sought to be held may requisition the directors to call a meeting of shareholders for the purposes stated in the requisition.
133(2)The requisition referred to in subsection (1), which may consist of several documents of like form each signed by one or more shareholders, shall state the business to be transacted at the meeting and shall be sent to each director and to the registered office of the company.
133(3)On receiving the requisition referred to in subsection (1), the directors shall call a meeting of shareholders to transact the business stated in the requisition unless
(a) a record date has been fixed under subsection 123(2),
(b) the directors have called a meeting of shareholders and have given notice of the meeting under section 124, or
(c) the business of the meeting as stated in the requisition includes matters described in pararaphs 126(5)(b) to (e).
133(4)Except where subsection (3) applies, if the directors do not within twenty-one days after receiving the requisition referred to in subsection (1) call a meeting, any shareholder who signed the requisition may call the meeting.
133(5)A meeting called under this section shall be called as nearly as possible in the manner in which meetings are to be called pursuant to the by-laws and this Part.
133(6)Unless the shareholders otherwise resolve at a meeting called by requisitionists under subsection (4), the company shall
(a) reimburse the requisitionists the expenses reasonably incurred by them in requisitioning, calling and holding the meeting unless they have not acted in good faith and in the interest of the shareholders of the company generally, and
(b) withhold rateably the amount the requisitionists were reimbursed from money due or to become due by way of fees or other remuneration to each director who was in default in not calling the meeting.
Meetings ordered by Court
134(1)If for any reason it is impracticable to call a meeting of shareholders of a provincial company in the manner in which meetings of those shareholders may be called, or to conduct the meeting in the manner prescribed by the by-laws or by this Act, or if for any other reason the Court thinks fit, the Court, on the application of a director, a shareholder entitled to vote at the meeting or the Minister or Superintendent, may order a meeting to be called, held and conducted in any manner the Court directs.
134(2)Without restricting the generality of subsection (1), the Court may order that the quorum required by this Act be varied or dispensed with at a meeting called, held and conducted pursuant to this section.
134(3)A meeting called, held and conducted pursuant to this section is for all purposes a meeting of shareholders of the company duly called, held and conducted.
134(4)A director or shareholder who makes an application to the Court under subsection (1) shall give notice to the Superintendent.
Determination of controversy
135(1)A provincial company, a director or shareholder of a provincial company or the Superintendent may apply to the Court to determine any controversy with respect to an election or appointment of a director or auditor of the company.
135(2)On an application under this section, the Court may make any order it thinks fit including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing,
(a) an order restraining a director or auditor whose election or appointment is challenged from acting pending determination of the dispute,
(b) an order declaring the result of the disputed election or appointment,
(c) an order requiring a new election or appointment, and including in the order directions for the management of the business and affairs of the company until a new election is held or appointment made, and
(d) an order determining the voting rights of shareholders and of persons claiming to own shares.
135(3)A provincial company or a director or shareholder who makes an application to the Court under subsection (1) shall give notice to the Superintendent.
Proxies
136Section 91 of the Business Corporations Act applies with the necessary modifications with respect to a provincial company as if it were a corporation under that Act.
2023, c.2, s.189
VIII
FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE AND AUDITORS
Financial year, annual financial statements
137(1)Subject to subsection (2), the financial year of a provincial company ends on the expiration of the thirty-first day of December in each year, but when a company obtains a first licence after the first day of July in any year, the first financial year of the company shall be a twelve-month period ending on the expiration of the thirty-first day of December in the next calendar year.
137(2)A provincial company may by by-law that has been confirmed by a special resolution and approved in writing by the Superintendent provide that the financial year of the company shall end at the expiration of the last day of any month.
137(3)The directors of a provincial company shall place before each annual meeting of the shareholders
(a) an annual financial statement consisting of financial statements in consolidated form for the financial year ending immediately preceding the annual meeting, including
(i) a statement of income for the year,
(ii) a statement of retained earnings for the year,
(iii) a statement of changes in financial position for the year,
(iv) a balance sheet as at the end of the year, and
(v) for the second and subsequent financial years, the comparative figures for the preceding year,
(b) the report of the auditor to the shareholders on the statements referred to in subparagraphs (a)(i) to (iv),
(c) the financial statement of the company in unconsolidated form,
(d) the financial statement in consolidated form of every subsidiary of the company, which statements may be presented in condensed form, and
(e) any further information respecting the financial position and the business and affairs of the company and the results of its operations required by its instrument of incorporation or its by-laws or by this Act or the regulations.
137(4)The directors of a provincial company shall approve the annual financial statement and the approval shall be evidenced by the signature of
(a) the chief executive officer or in the event of the chief executive officer’s absence or inability to act, a full-time salaried officer of the company authorized by the directors to sign in the place of the chief executive officer, and
(b) one director, where the signature required under paragraph (a) is that of a director, or two directors if the signature is that of an officer who is not a director,
and the report of the auditor shall be attached to or accompany that statement.
137(5)A provincial company shall not issue, publish or circulate copies of an annual financial statement unless it is
(a) approved and signed in accordance with subsection (4), and
(b) accompanied by the report of the auditor of the company.
137(6)A provincial company that violates subsection (5) commits an offence and every director, officer or employee of a company who wilfully participates in an offence committed by the company under that subsection is, whether or not company has been prosecuted or convicted for the offence, a party to the offence and commits an offence.
137(7)A provincial company shall send without charge a copy of the annual financial statement and the report of the auditor to every depositor who in writing requests a copy.
Annual statements to shareholders
138(1)A provincial company shall, at least twenty-one days before the date of each annual meeting send to each shareholder at the shareholder’s recorded address a copy of the annual financial statement.
138(2)Where a provincial company fails to send to each shareholder who is entitled to receive notice of a meeting under subsection 124(1) or (2), a copy of the annual financial statement of the company, as required by subsection (1), at least twenty-one days before the date of the annual meeting at which the statement is to be considered, the meeting shall be adjourned until such time as the requirement has been complied with.
Preparation of financial statements
139The financial statements required under this Act shall be prepared in accordance with this Act and the regulations and, except as otherwise required by this Act and the regulations, in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
Auditors
140(1)The shareholders of a provincial company shall, by ordinary resolution at the first annual meeting of shareholders and at each succeeding annual meeting, appoint an auditor to hold office until the next annual meeting.
140(2)An auditor appointed under subsection 31(2) is eligible for appointment under subsection (1).
140(3)The remuneration of an auditor may be fixed by ordinary resolution of the shareholders or, if not so fixed, or if the auditor is appointed by the directors or the Superintendent under subsection 141(6), may be fixed by the directors or the Superintendent, as the case may be.
140(4)A person is disqualified from being an auditor of a provincial company if the person is not an accountant and if the person is not independent of
(a) the company and its affiliates, and
(b) the directors and officers of the company and its affiliates.
140(5)For the purposes of subsection (4)
(a) independence is a question of fact, and
(b) a person shall be deemed not to be independent of a company if that person, any business partner of that person or any member of a partnership of accountants of which that person is a member
(i) is a director, an officer or an employee of the company or of any affiliate of the company, or is a business partner of any director, officer or employee of the company or of any affiliate of the company,
(ii) beneficially owns or controls, directly or indirectly, a material interest in the shares of the company or of any affiliate of the company, or
(iii) has been a liquidator, trustee in bankruptcy, receiver or receiver-manager of any affiliate of the company within two years of the proposed appointment as auditor of the company.
140(6)No person shall be disqualified from acting as the auditor of a provincial company solely on the grounds that the person is a depositor in the company.
140(7)An auditor who ceases to be qualified under this section shall, subject to subsection (9), resign immediately after becoming aware that the auditor has ceased to be so qualified.
140(8)An interested person or the Superintendent may apply to the Court for an order declaring an auditor to have ceased to be qualified under this section and the office of auditor to be vacant.
140(9)An interested person or the Superintendent may apply to the Court for an order exempting an auditor from disqualification under this section and the Court may, if it is satisfied that an exemption would not unfairly prejudice the shareholders or the depositors, make an exemption order on such terms as it thinks fit, which order may have retrospective effect.
140(10)An interested person who makes an application to the Court under subsection (9) shall give notice to the Superintendent.
2013, c.31, s.21
Vacancy in office of auditor
141(1)Except where the auditor has been appointed by the Superintendent under subsection (6), the shareholders of a provincial company may by ordinary resolution at a special meeting revoke the appointment of an auditor.
141(2)A vacancy created by the revocation of the appointment of an auditor may be filled at the meeting at which the appointment was revoked pursuant to subsection (1) and, if not so filled, may be filled by the directors under subsection (5).
141(3)An auditor of a provincial company ceases to hold office when
(a) the auditor resigns or, in the case of an individual, dies, or
(b) the appointment of the auditor is revoked under this section.
141(4)A resignation of an auditor becomes effective at the time a written resignation is sent to the company, or at the time specified in the resignation, whichever is later.
141(5)Subject to subsection (2), where a vacancy occurs in the office of auditor of a provincial company or where the shareholders fail to appoint an auditor under subsection 140(1), the directors shall immediately fill the vacancy or make the appointment and the auditor so appointed holds office until the next annual meeting.
141(6)Where the directors fail to fill a vacancy or make the appointment in accordance with subsection (5), the Superintendent may fill the vacancy or make the appointment and the auditor so appointed holds office until the next annual meeting.
141(7)A provincial company shall immediately after the appointment of a person as auditor give written notice of the appointment to the person and to the Superintendent.
141(8)Where a provincial company has a vacancy in the office of auditor, it shall immediately give notice of the vacancy to the Superintendent.
2013, c.31, s.21
Attendance at meetings, removal of auditor, auditor of subsidiary
142(1)The auditor of a provincial company is entitled to receive notice of every meeting of shareholders and, at the expense of the company, to attend and be heard at the meeting on matters relating to the auditor’s duties.
142(2)If a director or shareholder of a provincial company, whether or not the shareholder is entitled to vote at the meeting, gives written notice not fewer than ten days before a meeting of shareholders to an auditor or former auditor of the company, the auditor or former auditor shall attend the meeting at the expense of the company and answer questions relating to the auditor’s duties.
142(3)An auditor is not required to comply with subsection (2) where it clearly appears that the request under that subsection is made primarily for the purpose of enforcing a personal claim or redressing a personal grievance against the company or any of its directors, officers or security holders, or for a purpose that is not relating in any significant way to the auditor’s duties.
142(4)A director or shareholder who sends a notice referred to in subsection (2) shall send concurrently a copy of the notice to the company.
142(5)Before calling a special meeting for the purpose specified in subsection 141(1) or an annual or special meeting where the board is not recommending the reappointment of the incumbent auditor, the company shall, fifteen days or more before the mailing of the notice of the meeting, give to the auditor
(a) written notice of the intention to call the meeting, specifying the date on which the notice of the meeting is proposed to be mailed, and
(b) a copy of all material proposed to be sent to shareholders in connection with the meeting.
142(6)An auditor of a provincial company has the right to make to the company, three days or more before the mailing of the notice of the meeting, representations in writing concerning
(a) the auditor’s proposed removal,
(b) the appointment or election of another person to fill the office of auditor, or
(c) the auditor’s resignation,
and the company, at its expense, shall forward with the notice of the meeting a copy of such representations to each shareholder entitled to receive notice of the meeting and the Superintendent.
142(7)No person shall accept appointment or consent to be appointed as auditor of a provincial company if the person is replacing an auditor who has resigned, been removed or whose term of office has expired or is about to expire until the person has requested and received from that auditor a written statement of the circumstances and reasons why, in the auditor’s opinion, the auditor is to be replaced.
142(8)Notwithstanding subsection (7), a person otherwise qualified may accept appointment or consent to be appointed as auditor of a provincial company if, within fifteen days after making the request referred to in that subsection, the person does not receive a reply.
142(9)A person receiving a statement under subsection (7) shall immediately deliver a copy of the statement to the Superintendent and if no statement is received from the auditor being replaced within fifteen days after the request referred to in subsection (7), the person requesting the statement shall immediately give notice to the Superintendent of this fact.
142(10)Any interested person may apply to the Court for an order declaring the office of auditor of a provincial company to be vacant if the auditor has not complied with subsection (7) unless subsection (8) applies with respect to the appointment of the auditor.
142(11)The auditor of a provincial company shall be the auditor of any subsidiary of the company and the company shall take all necessary steps to ensure that its auditor is appointed auditor of its subsidiaries but this subsection does not apply in the case of a subsidiary that carries on its operations in a country other than Canada if the law of that country makes provision with respect to auditors.
Examination by auditor, right to information, immunity
143(1)The auditor of a provincial company shall make the examination that is in the auditor’s opinion necessary to enable the auditor to report
(a) on the annual financial statement and any other financial statements required by this Act or the regulations to be placed before the shareholders, and
(b) on the annual return to be filed with the Superintendent under subsection 61(1),
and the auditor shall report in accordance with this Act and the regulations and generally accepted auditing standards.
143(2)On the demand of the auditor of a provincial company, the current or former directors, officers, employees or agents of the company and the former auditors of the company shall
(a) permit access to such records, minutes, accounts, cash, securities, documents and vouchers of the company or any subsidiary of the company, and to any security held by the company, and
(b) furnish such information and explanations,
as are, in the opinion of the auditor, necessary to enable the auditor to perform the auditor’s duties and that the directors, officers, employees or agents or former auditors are reasonably able to furnish.
143(3)On the demand of the auditor of a provincial company, the directors of the company shall
(a) obtain from the current or former directors, officers, employees and agents or former auditors of any subsidiary of the company, the information and explanations that the current or former directors, officers or employees and agents or former auditors are reasonably able to furnish and that are, in the opinion of the auditor, necessary to enable the auditor to perform the auditor’s duties, and
(b) furnish the information and explanations so obtained to the auditor.
143(4)A person who in good faith makes an oral or written communication under subsection (2) or (3) shall not be liable in any civil action arising from the communication.
Auditor’s reports
144(1)The auditor of a provincial company shall, in accordance with this Act and the regulations, make a report in writing
(a) on the annual return to the Superintendent on or before the day that the return is required under subsection 61(1),
(b) on the annual financial statement referred to in section 137, to the shareholders of the company not fewer than twenty-one days before the date of the annual meeting of the shareholders, and
(c) on any other financial statement required by this Act or the regulations to be placed before the shareholders on or before the date that the statement is distributed.
144(2)In each report required under subsection (1), the auditor shall state whether, in the auditor’s opinion, the financial statement or return referred to in the report presents fairly the financial position of the company as at the end of the financial year or other period to which it relates and the results of its operation for that year or other period and
(a) whether the auditor has obtained all the information and explanations required,
(b) whether the examination has been made in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards,
(c) whether the statements referred to in the report have been prepared on a basis consistent with that of the preceding year or other period, and
(d) whether reliance has been placed on the reports of other auditors.
144(3)A director or an officer of a provincial company shall immediately notify the audit committee and the auditor or the former auditor, if applicable, of any error or misstatement of which the director or officer becomes aware in a financial statement or return filed with the Superintendent that the auditor or the former auditor has reported upon if the error or misstatement in all the circumstances appears to be material.
144(4)If an auditor or former auditor of a provincial company is notified or becomes aware of an error or misstatement in a financial statement or return filed with the Superintendent upon which the auditor or former auditor has reported, and if in the opinion of the auditor or former auditor the error or misstatement is material, the auditor or former auditor shall inform each director.
144(5)When under subsection (4) the auditor or former auditor informs the directors of an error or misstatement in a financial statement, the directors shall immediately prepare and issue revised financial statements or otherwise inform the shareholders and Superintendent.
144(6)When under subsection (4) the auditor or former auditor informs the directors of an error or misstatement in a return filed with the Superintendent, the directors shall immediately notify the Superintendent.
Report to board of directors, report to superintendent
145(1)The auditor of a provincial company shall report to the board of directors of the company whenever, in the auditor’s opinion,
(a) there has been any change in the circumstances of the company that might materially and adversely affect the financial position of the company or the company’s ability to carry on or transact business,
(b) there has been a violation of this Act or the regulations, or
(c) there has been a violation of the Criminal Code, chapter C-34 of the Revised Statutes of Canada, 1970.
145(2)The auditor shall make a report under subsection (1) immediately upon becoming aware of a change or violation referred to in that subsection.
145(3)The auditor shall report to the Superintendent any matter dealt with in a report under subsection (1) which in the opinion of the auditor could affect the well-being of the provincial company and has not been corrected or appropriately responded to by the board of directors within thirty days after the day that the matter was reported to the board of directors.
145(4)An auditor is not required to make a report under this section unless the auditor becomes aware of the change or violation described in subsection (1) in the ordinary course of the auditor’s duties.
Report on adequacy of procedure, audit
146(1)The Superintendent may at any time in writing, and shall when so required by the Minister, require that the auditor of a provincial company report to the Superintendent on the adequacy of the procedure adopted by the company for the safety of its creditors, shareholders, depositors and persons for whom the company acts in a fiduciary capacity and as to the sufficiency of the auditor’s own procedure in auditing the business and affairs of the company and the auditor shall comply with any such requirements by the Superintendent.
146(2)The Superintendent may at any time in writing, and shall when so required by the Minister, require that the scope of an annual audit of a provincial company be enlarged or extended in any manner that the Superintendent thinks fit.
146(3)The Superintendent may at any time in writing, and shall when so requested by the Minister, require the auditor of a provincial company to inspect or audit the accounts of the company for the purpose of determining whether the company is complying with this Act and the regulations and any terms, conditions, and restrictions imposed on its licence.
146(4)The company shall pay the costs and expenses incurred in connection with a report or audit required under subsection (1), (2) or (3).
Audit committee meetings, attendance at directors’ meetings
147(1)The auditor of a provincial company is entitled to receive notice of every meeting of the audit committee and, at the expense of the company, to attend and be heard at the meeting and, if so requested by a member of the audit committee, shall attend every meeting of the committee held during the auditor’s term of office.
147(2)The auditor of a provincial company may call a meeting of the audit committee at any time.
147(3)The auditor of a provincial company is entitled to attend and be heard at meetings of the board of directors on matters relating to the auditor’s duties.
147(4)The board of directors and the audit committee of a provincial company shall give reasonable notice of their meetings to the company’s auditor.
Liability of auditors, qualified privilege
148(1)An auditor or former auditor of a provincial company who in good faith makes an oral or written statement or report under this Act shall not be liable in any civil action arising from the statement or report.
148(2)Subsection (1) does not relieve an auditor or former auditor from liability in connection with a report referred to in subsection 143(1) or paragraph 137(3)(b).
148(3)Any oral or written statement or report made under this Act by the auditor or former auditors of a provincial company has qualified privilege.
IX
AMALGAMATION AND PURCHASE OR
SALE OF BUSINESS, TAKE OVER BIDS,
LIQUIDATION AND DISSOLUTION
Amalgamation by agreement
149(1)Two or more provincial companies may, with the prior approval of the Minister, enter into an agreement to amalgamate and continue as one company but no such agreement is effective until it is confirmed by letters patent issued under subsection 152(1).
149(2)An amalgamation agreement shall set out the terms and means of effecting the amalgamation and, in particular, shall set out
(a) the provisions that are required to be included in letters patent under subsection 14(1),
(b) subject to subsection (3), the basis upon which and manner in which the holders of the issued shares of each amalgamating company are to receive
(i) securities of the amalgamated company,
(ii) money, and
(iii) securities of any body corporate other than the amalgamated company,
in the amalgamation,
(c) the manner of payment of money in lieu of the issue of fractional shares of the amalgamated company or of any other body corporate the securities of which are to be received in the amalgamation,
(d) whether the by-laws of the amalgamated company are to be those of one of the amalgamating companies and, if not, a copy of the proposed by-laws, and
(e) details of any other matter necessary to perfect the amalgamation and to provide for the subsequent management and operation of the amalgamated company.
149(3)If shares of one of the amalgamating companies are held by or on behalf of another of the amalgamating companies other than in a fiduciary capacity, the amalgamation agreement shall provide for the cancellation of those shares when the amalgamation becomes effective without any repayment of capital in respect of those shares, and no provision shall be made in the agreement for the conversion of those shares into shares of the amalgamated company.
Shareholder approval
150(1)The directors of each amalgamating company shall submit the amalgamation agreement for approval to a meeting of shareholders of the amalgamating company of which they are directors and, subject to subsection (4), to the holders of each class or series of shares.
150(2)A notice of a meeting of shareholders complying with subsection 124(1) shall be sent in accordance with that subsection to each shareholder of each amalgamating company and the Superintendent and shall include or be accompanied by a copy of the amalgamation agreement.
150(3)Each share of an amalgamating company carries the right to vote in respect of an amalgamation whether or not it otherwise carries the right to vote.
150(4)The holders of shares of a class or series of shares of an amalgamating company are entitled to vote separately as a class or series in respect of an amalgamation if the amalgamation agreement contains a provision that, if contained in an application for supplementary letters patent would entitle the holders to vote separately as a class or series under section 131.
150(5)Subject to subsection (4), an amalgamation agreement is approved when the shareholders of each amalgamating company have approved of the amalgamation by special resolutions.
150(6)An amalgamation agreement may provide that at any time before letters patent confirming the agreement are issued under subsection 152(1), the agreement may be terminated by the directors of an amalgamating company, notwithstanding the adoption of the agreement by the shareholders of all or any of the amalgamating companies.
Application for letters patent of amalgamation
151(1)Unless an amalgamation agreement is terminated in accordance with subsection 150(6), the amalgamating companies shall, within six months after the approval of the agreement in accordance with subsection 150(5), jointly apply for letters patent of amalgamation confirming the amalgamation agreement amalgamating the companies and continuing them as one provincial company.
151(2)An application for letters patent of amalgamation amalgamating two or more provincial companies shall be made to the Minister in the form prescribed by regulation and shall be filed with the Superintendent.
151(3)No application for the issue of letters patent of amalgamation under subsection (1) may be made unless
(a) notice of intention to make the application has been published in The Royal Gazette and at least once a week for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper published or distributed in the place where each amalgamating company has its registered office, and
(b) one of the amalgamating companies has sent to the Superintendent
(i) a certified copy of the agreement,
(ii) certified copies of the reports on which the agreement is founded,
(iii) verification by the secretary, or other officer designated for the purpose by the directors, of each amalgamating company that the amalgamation agreement has been approved at a meeting of shareholders in accordance with subsection 150(5), and
(iv) evidence by the directors of one of the amalgamating companies that
(A) there exists a public benefit and advantage for the amalgamation of the companies,
(B) the proposed management is fit, both as to character and as to competence, to manage the amalgamated company,
(C) each person who will be a holder of ten per cent or more of any class of shares of the amalgamated company immediately after the amalgamation can demonstrate the adequacy of that person’s financial resources and is fit as to character to own ten per cent or more of that class of shares,
(D) each proposed director is fit as to character and as to competence to be a director of the amalgamated company,
(E) the proposed plan of operations for the amalgamated company is feasible,
(F) the amalgamated company intends to offer to the public, initially or within a reasonable time after the amalgamation, the services set out in the amalgamation agreement,
(G) where one of the parties to the agreement is a trust company and the amalgamated company is a loan company, the arrangements referred to in section 155 are adequate to protect the persons for whom the amalgamating trust company is acting in a fiduciary capacity, and
(H) where
(I) the amalgamated company is a loan company, the amalgamated company immediately after the amalgamation will have a capital base of at least three million dollars,
(II) the amalgamated company is a trust company, the amalgamated company immediately after the amalgamation will have a capital base of at least five million dollars, or
(III) the amalgamated company is a trust company referred to in subsection 11(2), the amalgamated company immediately after the amalgamation will have a capital base of at least one hundred thousand dollars.
Issue of letters patent of amalgamation
152(1)Where an application has been made to the Minister under subsection 151(2), the Minister may, subject to subsection (2), issue letters patent confirming the amalgamation agreement and amalgamating the companies and continuing them as one company.
152(2)The Minister shall not issue letters patent under subsection (1) unless the evidence referred to in subparagraph 151(3)(b)(iv) establishes to the satisfaction of the Minister that the requirements set out in that subparagraph have been met.
152(3)Notwithstanding subclauses 151(3)(b)(iv)(H) (I), (II) and (III), the Minister may, with the approval of the Lieutenant-Governor in Council, alter the capital base requirements specified in those subclauses.
152(4)The Superintendent shall publish notice of the issue of letters patent under subsection (1) in The Royal Gazette.
Effect of letters patent
153On the date shown in the letters patent issued under subsection 152(1)
(a) the amalgamation of the amalgamating companies and their continuance as one company becomes effective,
(b) the property of each amalgamating company continues to be the property of the amalgamated company,
(c) the amalgamated company continues to be liable for the obligations of each amalgamating company,
(d) an existing cause of action, claim or liability to prosecution is unaffected,
(e) a civil, criminal or administrative action or proceeding pending by or against an amalgamating provincial company may be continued to be prosecuted by or against the amalgamated company,
(f) a conviction against, or ruling, order or judgment in favour of or against, an amalgamating company may be enforced by or against the amalgamated company,
(g) where a licence has been issued under this Act to one or more of the amalgamating companies a licence shall be deemed to have been issued to the amalgamated company on the earliest date that one of the amalgamating companies was issued a licence and the Minister shall issue the appropriate licence for which the amalgamated company would qualify under subsection 212(2),
(h) if any director or officer of an amalgamating company continues as a director or officer of the amalgamated company, any disclosure by that director or officer of an interest in an investment or other transaction made to the amalgamating company under section 184 shall be deemed to be disclosure to the amalgamated company and any such disclosure shall be recorded in the minutes of the first meeting of directors of the amalgamated company, and
(i) the letters patent of amalgamation shall be deemed to be the instrument of incorporation of the amalgamated company.
Agreement for sale or purchase of business
154(1)A provincial company may enter into an agreement
(a) to sell or otherwise dispose of all or any part of its business, rights and property to any other body corporate for such consideration as the company thinks fit, or
(b) to acquire all or any part of the business, rights and property of any other body corporate the business of which the company is authorized to carry on and to assume such duties, obligations and liabilities of that body corporate with respect to such business, rights and property as are not performed by, or not applicable to, the other body corporate.
154(2)An agreement entered into under subsection (1) is not effective until it is approved in writing by the Minister.
154(3)This section does not apply to the purchase or sale by a company of an asset made in the ordinary course of business of the company.
154(4)Where a company enters into an agreement under paragraph (1)(a), subsections 150(1) to (5) apply with the necessary modifications to and in respect of the company as if the company were an amalgamating company and the agreement were an amalgamation agreement and for the purposes of section 150(2), a summary of the agreement may be sent to the shareholders.
154(5)Notwithstanding anything in this Act, the consideration for a sale or disposal of all or any part of the business, rights and property of a company under subsection (1) may be fully paid shares of the purchasing body corporate or in part cash and in part fully paid shares of the purchasing body corporate or such other consideration as may be provided for in the agreement.
154(6)The consideration for the acquisition of all or any part of the business, rights and property of a body corporate under subsection (1) may be cash or shares of the company or in part shares of the company or such other consideration as may be provided for in the agreement.
Arrangements for transfer of trust business
155Where
(a) one or more of the companies that are parties to an amalgamation is a trust company and the amalgamated company is not a trust company, or
(b) a trust company has entered into an agreement under paragraph 154(1)(a) and the purchasing body corporate is not a trust company,
the parties to the transaction shall make such arrangements as may be necessary to transfer to another trust company the business in relation to which the trust company acted as a fiduciary, but this section does not apply so as to require the trust company to transfer to another trust company money received by it as deposits.
Acquisition by purchase of shares
156(1)Notwithstanding anything in this Act, a provincial company may, for the purpose of amalgamating with another provincial company or for the purpose of acquiring all or substantially all of the business, rights and property of another body corporate, purchase not less than sixty-seven per cent of the voting shares and any number of the shares of any other class of shares of the other company or other body corporate, subject to the following provisions:
(a) no shares shall be purchased by the company until approved in writing by the Minister;
(b) the Minister shall not approve the purchase unless satisfied that
(i) there exists a public benefit and advantage for the purchase,
(ii) the management of the purchasing company is fit both as to character and as to competence, to manage the company as it will exist after it completes the purchase of the business, rights and property of the body corporate, or the amalgamation,
(iii) each person who holds ten per cent or more of any class of shares of the purchasing company can demonstrate the adequacy of that person’s financial resources and is fit as to character to own ten per cent or more of that class of shares,
(iv) each director is fit as to character and as to competence to be a director of the company as it will exist after it completes the purchase of the business, rights and property of the body corporate or the amalgamation, and
(v) the proposed plan of operations for the company as it will exist after it completes the purchase of the business, rights and property of the body corporate or the amalgamation is feasible;
(c) the Minister may approve the purchase where an offer to purchase has been made to all the holders of voting shares of the company or other body corporate and has been accepted by the holders of at least sixty-seven per cent of the outstanding voting shares of the company or other body corporate, the evidence of such acceptance being
(i) in the form of written agreements,
(ii) in the form of a resolution signed by or on behalf of the holders of voting shares of the other company or body corporate voting on the resolution, in person or by proxy, at a meeting of shareholders of that company or body corporate, or
(iii) partly in one such form and partly in the other;
(d) when a provincial company has purchased shares of a company or any other body corporate under this section, the company shall
(i) amalgamate with the company under this Part, or
(ii) acquire all or substantially all the business, rights and property and assume the related obligations and liabilities of the company or other body corporate, as the case may be,
within a period of two years after the purchase has been authorized by the Minister, but, on being satisfied that the circumstances so warrant, the Minister may extend that period from time to time; and
(e) after the expiration of the period referred to in paragraph (d) or any extension of that period given by the Minister, the shares shall not be allowed as assets of the purchasing company in the calculation of the capital base and the Minister may, in writing, require the company to sell or otherwise dispose of the shares.
156(2)Nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing a provincial company to purchase or acquire its own shares.
Take over bids
157(1)Subject to subsection (2), Part XII of the Business Corporations Act applies with the necessary modifications to a take over bid made in respect of a provincial company as if the provincial company were a corporation under that Act, but substituting the word “Superintendent” for the word “Director”.
157(2)No take over bid referred to in subsection (1) shall be made except with the prior written approval of the Minister.
2023, c.2, s.189
Effect of bankruptcy proceedings
158(1)Sections 158 to 176 do not apply to a provincial company that is bankrupt within the meaning of the Bankruptcy Act, chapter B-3 of the Revised Statutes of Canada, 1970.
158(2)Any proceedings taken under this Act to dissolve or to liquidate and dissolve a provincial company shall be stayed at any time the company becomes subject to or takes a proceeding under the Bankruptcy Act, chapter B-3 of the Revised Statutes of Canada, 1970.
Returns by liquidator
159A liquidator appointed to liquidate the business of a provincial company shall furnish the Superintendent with the information, in the form, relating to the business and affairs of the company, as the Superintendent may require.
Payment of unpaid money on liquidation
160(1)Where the business of a provincial company is being liquidated, the liquidator or the company shall, subject to section 175 and in accordance with the Unclaimed Property Act, pay any amount that is payable by the liquidator or the company to a creditor or shareholder of the company to whom payment of the amount has not, for any reason, been made to the Director of Unclaimed Property.
160(2)Repealed: 2020, c.5, s.61
2016, c.37, s.98; 2020, c.5, s.61
Dissolution where no property or liabilities
161(1)A provincial company that has no property and no liabilites may, if authorized by a special resolution of the shareholders, or where it has issued more than one class of shares, by special resolution of the holders of each class whether or not they are otherwise entitled to vote, or if there are no shareholders, by a resolution of the directors, apply to the Minister for letters patent dissolving the company.
161(2)Where the Minister has received an application under subsection (1) and is satisfied that all the circumstances so warrant, the Minister may issue letters patent dissolving the company.
161(3)A company in respect of which letters patent are issued under subsection (2) ceases to exist on the date shown in the letters patent.
Expiration of instrument of incorporation
162Where the instrument of incorporation of a provincial company expires and ceases to be in force in accordance with subsection 16(3), the Minister may
(a) dissolve the company by issuing letters patent dissolving the company, or
(b) apply to the Court for an order dissolving the company, in which case section 165 applies.
Voluntary liquidation and dissolution
163(1)The directors of a provincial company may propose or a shareholder who is entitled to vote at an annual meeting of shareholders of the company may make a proposal for the voluntary liquidation and dissolution of the company.
163(2)Notice of any meeting of shareholders at which voluntary liquidation and dissolution are to be proposed shall set out the terms of the proposal.
163(3)A provincial company proposing voluntary liquidation and dissolution may, if authorized by a special resolution of the shareholders ratifying a proposal or, where the company has issued more than one class of shares, by special resolutions of the holders of each class whether or not they are otherwise entitled to vote, apply to the Minister for letters patent dissolving the company.
163(4)No action directed toward the voluntary liquidation and dissolution of a provincial company shall be taken by a company, other than as provided in subsections (1) to (3), until an application made by the company under subsection (3) has been approved by the Minister.
163(5)Where the Minister is satisfied on the basis of an application made by the company under subsection (3) that the circumstances warrant the voluntary liquidation and dissolution of the company, the Minister may, in writing, approve the application.
163(6)Where the Minister has approved an application made by a company under subsection (3), the company shall not carry on business except to the extent necessary to complete the voluntary liquidation of the company.
163(7)Where the Minister has approved an application made under subsection (3), the company shall
(a) cause notice of the Minister’s approval of its application to be sent to each known claimant against and creditor of the company,
(b) publish notice of the Minister’s approval of the application in The Royal Gazette and at least once a week for four consecutive weeks in a newspaper published or distributed in the place where the company has its registered office,
(c) proceed to collect its property, dispose of properties that are not to be distributed in kind to its shareholders, discharge all its obligations and do all other acts required to liquidate its business, and
(d) after giving the notice required under paragraphs (a) and (b) and adequately providing for the payment or discharge of all its obligations, distribute its remaining property, either in money or in kind, among its shareholders according to their respective rights.
163(8)Unless the Court has made an order in accordance with section 164, the Minister may, if satisfied that the company has complied with subsection (7) and that all the circumstances so warrant, issue letters patent dissolving the company.
163(9)A provincial company in respect of which letters patent are issued under subsection (8) ceases to exist on the date shown in the letters patent.
Liquidation under supervision of Court
164(1)The Superintendent or any interested person may, at any time during the liquidation of a company, apply to the Court for an order that the liquidation be continued under the supervision of the Court in accordance with sections 165 to 170 and on such application the Court may so order and make any further order it thinks fit.
164(2)An application to the Court to supervise a voluntary liquidation and dissolution under subsection (1) shall state the reasons, verified by an affidavit of the applicant, why the Court should supervise the liquidation and dissolution.
164(3)An applicant under subsection (1), other than the Superintendent, shall give the Superintendent notice of the application and the Superintendent is entitled to appear and be heard in person or by counsel.
164(4)If the Court makes an order applied for under subsection (1), the liquidation and dissolution of the company shall continue under the supervision of the Court in accordance with this Act.
164(5)The liquidation of a company under an order made under subsection (1) commences on the date the order is made.
Powers of Court
165In connection with the liquidation and dissolution of a provincial company, the Court may, if it is satisfied that the company is able to pay or adequately provide for the discharge of all its obligations, make any order it thinks fit including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing,
(a) an order to liquidate,
(b) an order appointing a liquidator, with or without security, fixing the liquidator’s remuneration or replacing a liquidator,
(c) in the case of a trust company, an order appointing another licensed trust company as trustee for the purpose of administering any funds, other than deposits, held in trust by the company,
(d) an order appointing inspectors or referees, specifying their powers, fixing their remuneration or replacing inspectors or referees,
(e) an order determining the notice to be given to any interested person, or dispensing with notice to any person,
(f) an order determining the validity of any claims made against the company,
(g) an order, at any stage of the proceedings, restraining the directors and officers from
(i) exercising any of their powers, or
(ii) collecting or receiving any debt or other property of the company, and from paying out or transferring any property of the company, except as permitted by the Court,
(h) an order determining and enforcing the duty or liability of any present or former director, officer or shareholder
(i) to the company, or
(ii) for an obligation of the company,
(i) an order approving the payment, satisfaction or compromise of claims against the company and the retention of assets for such purpose, and determining the adequacy of provisions for the payment or discharge of obligations of the company, whether liquidated, unliquidated, future or contingent,
(j) an order disposing of or destroying the documents and records of the company,
(k) on the application of a creditor, the inspectors or the liquidator, an order giving directions on any matter arising in the liquidation,
(l) after notice has been given to all interested parties, an order relieving the liquidator from any omission or default on such terms as the Court thinks fit and confirming any act of the liquidator,
(m) subject to subsections 169(5) to (10), an order approving any proposed, interim or final distribution to shareholders in money or in property,
(n) an order disposing of any property belonging to creditors and shareholders who cannot be found,
(o) on the application of any director, officer, shareholder, creditor or the liquidator,
(i) an order staying the liquidation on such terms and conditions as the Court thinks fit,
(ii) an order continuing or discontinuing the liquidation proceedings, or
(iii) an order to the liquidator to restore to the company all its remaining property, or
(p) after the liquidator has rendered the final account to the Court, an order directing the company to apply to the Minister for letters patent dissolving the company.
Cessation of business and powers
166(1)If the Court makes an order for liquidation of a provincial company
(a) the company continues in existence but shall cease to carry on business, except the business that is, in the opinion of the liquidator, required for an orderly liquidation, and
(b) the powers of the directors, officers and shareholders, cease and vest in the liquidator, except as specifically authorized by the Court.
166(2)The liquidator may delegate any of the powers vested in the liquidator by paragraph (1)(b) to the directors or shareholders, if any.
Appointment of liquidator
167(1)When making an order for the liquidation of a company or at any time after the making of an order, the Court may appoint any person, including a director, an officer or a shareholder of the company or any other body corporate, as liquidator of the company.
167(2)Where an order for the liquidation of a company has been made and the office of liquidator is or becomes vacant, the property of the company is under the control of the Court until the office of liquidator is filled.
Duties of liquidator
168A liquidator shall
(a) immediately after the liquidator’s appointment give notice of the appointment to the Superintendent and to each claimant and creditor known to the liquidator,
(b) immediately after the liquidator’s appointment publish a notice once in The Royal Gazette and at least once a week for four consecutive weeks in a newspaper published or distributed in the place in which the company has its registered office and in such other places and manner as the Court may direct, requiring any person
(i) indebted to the company, to render an account and pay to the liquidator at the time and place specified any amount owing,
(ii) possessing property of the company, to deliver it to the liquidator at the time and place specified, and
(iii) having a claim against the company, whether liquidated, unliquidated, future or contingent, to present particulars of the claim in writing to the liquidator not later than two months after the first publication of the notice,
(c) subject to the appointment of a trustee under paragraph 165(c), take into custody and control the property of the company,
(d) open and maintain a trust account for the money of the company,
(e) keep accounts of the money of the company received and paid out by the liquidator,
(f) maintain separate lists of the shareholders, creditors and other persons having claims against the company,
(g) if at any time the liquidator determines that the company is unable to pay or adequately provide for the discharge of its obligations, apply to the Court for directions,
(h) deliver to the Court and to the Superintendent, at least once in every twelve-month period after the liquidator’s appointment or more often as the Court may require, financial statements of the company prepared in the manner described in subsection 137(3) or in such other manner as the liquidator may think proper or as the Court may require, and
(i) after the final accounts are approved by the Court, distribute any remaining property of the company among the shareholders according to their respective rights.
Powers of liquidator, application by liquidator, order of Court
169(1)A liquidator may
(a) retain lawyers, accountants, appraisers and other professional advisers,
(b) bring, defend or take part in any civil, criminal or administrative action or proceeding in the name and on behalf of the company,
(c) carry on the business of the company as required for an orderly liquidation,
(d) sell by public auction or private sale any property of the company,
(e) do all acts and execute any documents in the name and on behalf of the company,
(f) borrow money on the security of the property of the company,
(g) settle or compromise any claims by or against the company, and
(h) do all other things necessary for the liquidation of the company and distribution of its property.
169(2)A liquidator is not liable if the liquidator relies in good faith on
(a) financial statements of the company represented to the liquidator by an officer of the company or in a written report of the auditor of the company to reflect fairly the financial condition of the company, or
(b) an opinion, a report or a statement of a lawyer, an accountant, appraiser or other professional advisor retained by the liquidator.
169(3)A liquidator who has reason to believe that a person has in the person’s possession or under the person’s control, or has concealed, withheld or misappropriated any property of the company may apply to the Court for an order requiring that person to appear before the Court at the time and place designated in the order and to be examined.
169(4)If the examination referred to in subsection (3) discloses that a person has in the person’s possession or under the person’s control, or has concealed, withheld or misappropriated, property of the company, the Court may order that person to restore it or pay compensation to the liquidator.
169(5)A liquidator shall pay the costs of liquidation out of the property of the company and shall pay or make adequate provision for all claims against the company.
169(6)Within one year after the liquidator’s appointment, and after paying or making adequate provision for all claims against the company, the liquidator shall apply to the Court
(a) for approval of the final accounts and for an order permitting the distribution in money or in kind of the remaining property of the company to its shareholders according to their respective rights, or
(b) for an extension of time, setting out the reasons for the extension.
169(7)If a liquidator fails to make the application required by subsection (6), a shareholder of the company may apply to the Court for an order for the liquidator to show cause why a final accounting and distribution should not be made.
169(8)A liquidator shall give notice of the intention to make an application under subsection (6) to the Superintendent, each inspector appointed under section 165, each shareholder and any person who provided a security or fidelity bond for the liquidation and shall publish the notice in The Royal Gazette and in a newspaper published or distributed in the place where the company has its registered office or as otherwise directed by the Court.
169(9)If the Court approves the final accounts rendered by a liquidator, the Court shall make an order
(a) directing the company to apply to the Minister for letters patent dissolving the company,
(b) directing the custody or disposal of the documents and records of the company, and
(c) discharging the liquidator except in respect of the duty of a liquidator under subsection (10).
169(10)The liquidator shall immediately send a certified copy of the order referred to in subsection (9) to the Superintendent.
2013, c.31, s.21
Application by shareholder
170(1)If in the course of liquidation of a company the shareholders resolve or the liquidator proposes to
(a) exchange all or substantially all the property of the company for securities of another body corporate that are to be distributed to the shareholders, or
(b) distribute all or part of the property of the company to the shareholders in kind,
a shareholder may apply to the Court for an order requiring the distribution of the property of the company to be in money.
170(2)On an application under subsection (1), the Court may order that
(a) all the property of the company be converted into and distributed in money, or
(b) the claims of any shareholder applying under this section be satisfied by a distribution in money or in such other manner as the Court may order.
170(3)Where an order is made by the Court under paragraph (2)(b), the Court
(a) shall fix a fair value on the share of the property of the company attributable to the shareholder,
(b) may in its discretion appoint one or more appraisers to assist the Court to fix a fair value in accordance with paragraph (a), and
(c) shall render a final order against the company in favour of the shareholder for the amount of the share of the property of the company attributable to the shareholder.
Dissolution by letters patent
171(1)On an application under an order made under paragraph 169(9)(a), the Minister may issue letters patent dissolving the company.
171(2)A provincial company in respect of which letters patent are issued under subsection (1) ceases to exist on the date shown in the letters patent.
Custody of records
172(1)A person who has been granted custody of the documents and records of a dissolved company remains liable to produce those documents and records for six years following the date of its dissolution or until the expiry of such other shorter period as may be ordered under subsection 169(9).
172(2)A person who, without reasonable cause, violates subsection (1) commits an offence.
2008, c.11, s.18
Effects of dissolution, service, action against shareholders
173(1)In this section
“shareholder” includes the heirs and legal representatives of a shareholder.
173(2)Notwithstanding the dissolution of a provincial company under this Act
(a) a civil, criminal or administrative action or proceeding commenced by or against the company before its dissolution may be continued as if the company had not been dissolved,
(b) a civil, criminal or administrative action or proceeding may be brought against the company within two years after its dissolution as if the company had not been dissolved, and
(c) any property distributed to shareholders that would otherwise have been available to satisfy any judgment or order if the company had not been dissolved remains available for that purpose.
173(3)Service of a document on a company after its dissolution may be effected by serving the document on a person shown as a director in the last return filed with the Superintendent under section 64 or if no return has been filed, in the instrument of incorporation of the company.
173(4)Notwithstanding the dissolution of a provincial company, a shareholder to whom any of its property has been distributed is liable to any person claiming under subsection (2) to the extent of the amount received by that shareholder on that distribution, and an action to enforce that liability may be brought within two years after the date of the dissolution of the company.
173(5)The Court may order an action referred to in subsection (4) to be brought against the persons who were shareholders as a class, subject to such conditions as the Court thinks fit and, if the plaintiff establishes the claim, the Court may refer the proceedings to a special referee who may
(a) add as a party to the proceedings each person who was a shareholder found by the plaintiff,
(b) determine, subject to subsection (4), the amount that each person who was a shareholder shall contribute towards satisfaction of the plaintiff’s claim, and
(c) direct payment of the amounts so determined.
Disposition of unclaimed property
174(1)Upon the dissolution of a company and subject to section 175, the portion of the property distributable to a creditor or shareholder who cannot be found shall be converted into money and paid in accordance with the Unclaimed Property Act to the Director of Unclaimed Property.
174(2)Repealed: 2020, c.5, s.61
174(3)Repealed: 2020, c.5, s.61
2016, c.37, s.98; 2020, c.5, s.61
Disposition of property held in trust
175(1)Notwithstanding sections 158 to 176, and if no trustee has been appointed under paragraph 165(c), all property that immediately before the dissolution of a provincial trust company was being held in trust by it, other than deposits, shall be sent immediately by the persons who were its officers and directors before its dissolution or by the liquidator, if any, to a licensed trust company appointed as trustee by the Court for that purpose.
175(2)Where property is not delivered as required under subsection (1), the trustee shall do such things as may be necessary to obtain the property.
175(3)All property received by the trustee under subsections (1) and (2) shall be held in trust by the trustee for the beneficiaries of the trusts.
175(4)Where a licensed trust company has not been appointed under paragraph 165(c), the officers or directors of the company or the liquidator, if any, shall apply to the Court for an order appointing a trustee for the purposes of subsection (1).
175(5)Where a licensed trust company has not been appointed under paragraph 165(c) and where an application is not made under subsection (4) before the dissolution of a provincial trust company, the Superintendent shall make the application.
Final vesting in Province
Repealed: 2020, c.5, s.61
2020, c.5, s.61
176Repealed: 2020, c.5, s.61
2020, c.5, s.61
X
INSIDER TRADING AND
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
Application of Business Corporations Act
2023, c.2, s.189
177Section 83 of the Business Corporations Act applies with the necessary modifications with respect to a provincial company as if it were a corporation under that Act.
2023, c.2, s.189
Power to designate person as restricted party
178For the purposes of this Part, the Superintendent may designate
(a) a person to be a restricted party of a provincial company if the Superintendent is of the opinion that
(i) the person is acting in concert with a restricted party of the company to participate in or enter into an investment or other transaction with the company that would be prohibited or restricted if entered into with the company by the restricted party, or
(ii) there exists between the person and the company an interest or relationship that might reasonably be expected to affect the exercise of the best judgment of the company with respect to an investment or other transaction, or
(b) a shareholder of a provincial company or of an affiliate of a provincial company to be a restricted party of the company if the Superintendent is of the opinion that the shareholder is acting in concert with one or more other shareholders of the provincial company or of an affiliate to control directly or indirectly 10% or more of any class of shares of the company.
2013, c.31, s.21
Prohibitions respecting transactions
179(1)Except as provided in this Part
(a) no licenced provincial company or subsidiary of a licenced company shall directly or indirectly participate in, or enter into, any investment or other transaction with a restricted party of the company, and
(b) no restricted party of a licenced provincial company shall directly or indirectly participate in, or enter into, any investment or other transaction with the company or any subsidiary of the company.
179(2)Except as provided in paragraph 180(1)(a), no licenced provincial company or subsidiary of a licenced provincial company shall wilfully invest by way of purchase of or loans on the security of real estate that at any time in the period of thirty-six months preceding the date of the advance of any funds by the company or its subsidiary was owned by a director or the spouse or child of the director or any relative of the director or spouse if that relative has the same residence as the director.
179(3)This Part does not apply so as to prevent the payment of directors’ fees of the licenced provincial company or of a subsidiary of the licenced provincial company if the fees have been approved by the shareholders of the licenced provincial company.
Permitted transactions
180(1)Subject to the prior approval of the board of directors of the licensed provincial company, a licensed provincial company or a subsidiary of a licensed provincial company may
(a) make a loan to a director, officer or employee of the company, the spouse or any child of a director or officer of the company or any relative of a director or officer of the company or of the spouse of a director or officer of the company on the security of the residence of the person to whom the loan is made if
(i) the loan qualifies as an investment under paragraph 41(1)(a),
(ii) the amount of the loan does not exceed the greater of one-half of one per cent of the capital base of the company and such other amount as may be prescribed by regulation, and
(iii) in the case of a director who is not an employee or officer of the company or the spouse or child of the director, the terms of the loan are no more favourable than those offered by the company in the ordinary course of business,
(b) make a personal loan to an officer or employee of the company, the spouse or any child of an officer of the company or any relative of an officer of the company or of the spouse of an officer of the company if the loan qualifies as an investment under paragraph 41(2)(b),
(c) enter into written contracts with any restricted party for the provision of management services to or by the company or subsidiary if
(i) the consideration is at or exceeds competitive and fair rates where the services are provided by the company or the subsidiary and is otherwise reasonable for the services provided, and
(ii) the consideration does not exceed competitive and fair rates where the services are provided to the company or the subsidiary and is otherwise not unreasonable for the services provided,
(d) enter into a written lease of real estate or personal property with a restricted party for the use of the company or the subsidiary in carrying out its business if
(i) the rent does not exceed fair rental value,
(ii) the term of the lease and all renewals does not exceed five years, and
(iii) the terms of the lease are otherwise competitive and not unreasonable,
(e) enter into written contracts with a restricted party for pension and benefit plans and other reasonable commitments incidental to the employment of officers and employees of the company or the subsidiary,
(f) enter into employment contracts with officers or future officers of the company or the subsidiary,
(g) enter into written contracts with a restricted party for the purchase of goods or services, other than management services, used or required by the company or the subsidiary in carrying on its business, if the price paid for such goods or services is competitive and at market value or fair rates, supported by appropriate documentation of such value or rates, and
(h) enter into such investments or other transactions with a restricted party as may be prescribed by regulation.
180(2)Notwithstanding paragraph (1)(a) or (b), a licensed provincial company may make a loan to an employee of the company who is not a director or officer of the company or to the employee’s spouse or child without obtaining the approval of the board of directors if the amount of the loan does not exceed such amounts as may be prescribed by regulation and there is compliance with subparagraphs (1)(a)(i) and (ii) or paragraph (1)(b), as the case may be.
180(3)A licensed provincial company or a subsidiary of a licensed provincial company, without the approval of the board of directors, may enter into
(a) employment contracts with persons who are not directors or officers of the company or the subsidiary,
(b) transactions with a restricted party which involve nominal or immaterial expenditures by the company or the subsidiary,
(c) transactions with a restricted party for the sale of goods or the provision of services normally provided to the public by the company or the subsidiary in the ordinary course of business if the prices and rates charged by the company or subsidiary are competitive and at fair rates, and
(d) such investments or other transactions with a restricted party as may be prescribed by regulation.
1989, c.21, s.5
Onus respecting potential conflicts
181The onus is upon the restricted party and the licensed provincial company or its subsidiary to demonstrate
(a) for the purpose of subparagraph 180(1)(a)(iii), that the terms of the loan are no more favourable than those offered by the company in the ordinary course of business,
(b) for the purpose of paragraph 180(1)(c), that it is reasonable that the services be obtained or supplied,
(c) for the purpose of subparagraph 180(1)(c)(i), that the consideration is at or exceeds competitive and fair rates,
(d) for the purpose of subparagraph 180(1)(c)(ii), that the consideration does not exceed competitive and fair rates,
(e) for the purpose of paragraph 180(1)(d), that the rent does not exceed fair rental value and the terms of the lease are otherwise competitive and not unreasonable,
(f) for the purpose of paragraph 180(1)(g), that the price paid is competitive and at market value or fair rates,
(g) for the purpose of paragraph 180(3)(b), that expenditures are nominal or immaterial, and
(h) for the purpose of paragraph 180(3)(c), that services are normally provided to the public in the ordinary course of business and that the prices and rates are competitive and at fair rates.
Prohibitions respecting trust funds
182(1)A licensed provincial trust company shall not participate in or enter into any investment or other transaction with its subsidiaries or restricted parties using funds held by the company as a fiduciary, other than deposits.
182(2)Except as provided in this section, a licensed provincial trust company shall not invest funds held by the company as a fiduciary in any class of securities of the company or its subsidiaries or restricted parties.
182(3)A licensed provincial trust company may act as a fiduciary of one or more trusts or estates that own securities of the company or its subsidiaries or restricted parties if the securities were acquired before the company assumed responsibility as a fiduciary.
182(4)Nothing in this section authorizes a licensed provincial trust company to perform any act as a fiduciary which is otherwise prohibited.
182(5)Nothing in this section prevents a licensed provincial trust company from
(a) fulfilling a specific direction or permission of a court or of an instrument creating a fiduciary duty that the company should or may purchase or sell securities of the company or its subsidiaries or restricted parties or participate in, or enter into, any investment or other transaction with its subsidiaries or restricted parties but a general power to invest in the discretion of the fiduciary shall not be considered to be a specific direction or permission for the purposes of this paragraph,
(b) investing funds held by it as a fiduciary in the securities of its restricted parties if those securities are listed on a stock exchange prescribed by regulation,
(c) participating in or entering into an investment that a co-fiduciary or the co-fiduciaries of the company can direct to be made without the agreement of the company and that the co-fiduciary or co-fiduciaries have directed to be made.
Consent to unauthorized transactions
183(1)Upon the application of a licensed provincial company, the Superintendent may, subject to such terms and conditions as the Superintendent may impose, consent to any investment or other transaction set out in this Part, with a restricted party, if, in the Superintendent’s opinion, the investment or other transaction is necessary to the well-being of the company.
183(2)Subsection (1) does not apply so as to permit the Superintendent to consent to an investment or other transaction that is prohibited by section 182.
Disclosure of restricted party’s interest
184(1)A restricted party who is a party to an investment or other transaction with a licensed provincial company or a subsidiary of a licensed provincial company or to a proposed investment or other transaction with the company or the subsidiary for which the approval of the board of directors of the company is required, whether under this Act or otherwise, shall disclose in writing to the company the nature of the restricted party’s interest in that investment or other transaction.
184(2)A director or officer of a licensed provincial company, with respect to an investment or other transaction with the licensed provincial company or a subsidiary of the licensed provincial company or with respect to a proposed investment or other transaction with the company or the subsidiary, shall disclose the nature of the interest in that investment or other transaction if
(a) the director or officer is a director or an officer of a body corporate that is a party to any investment or other transaction of the licensed provincial company or the subsidiary or a proposed investment or other transaction of the company or subsidiary, or
(b) the director or officer holds ten per cent or more of the shares of a body corporate described in paragraph (a).
184(3)The disclosure required by subsection (1) or (2) shall be made, in the case of a director,
(a) at the meeting at which a proposed investment or other transaction is first considered,
(b) if the director was not then interested in a proposed investment or other transaction, at the first meeting after becoming so interested,
(c) if the director becomes interested after a proposed investment or other transaction is entered into, at the first meeting after becoming so interested, or
(d) if a person who is interested in a proposed investment or other transaction later becomes a director, at the first meeting after becoming a director.
184(4)The disclosure required by subsection (1) or (2) shall be made, in the case of a restricted party who is not a director,
(a) immediately after becoming aware that the proposed investment or other transaction is to be considered or has been considered at a meeting of directors,
(b) if the restricted party becomes interested after an investment or other transaction is entered into, immediately after becoming interested, or
(c) if a person who is interested in an investment or other transaction later becomes a restricted party, immediately after becoming a restricted party.
184(5)A director required by subsection (1) or (2) to make a disclosure shall not take part in the discussion or vote on any resolution to approve an investment or transaction in relation to which disclosure is required under subsection (1) or (2) and the director shall not be present at any meeting of the board while it is dealing with the matter.
184(6)A director referred to in subsection (5) shall not attempt in any way to influence the voting on any resolution to approve an investment or other transaction.
184(7)For the purposes of this section, a general notice to the directors by a director or officer, declaring that the director or officer is a director or officer of, or has an interest in, a person and is to be regarded as interested in any investment or other transaction made with that person, is a sufficient declaration of interest in relation to any investment or other transaction so entered into.
Application to set aside transaction
185Where a restricted party or a licensed provincial company or a subsidiary of a licensed provincial company fails to comply with this Part, and where an investment or other transaction which is prohibited by this Part takes place, the company or the Superintendent may apply to the Court for an order setting aside the investment or other transaction and directing that the restricted party account to the company for any profit or gain realized, and upon such application the Court may so order or make such other order as it thinks fit including compensation for loss or damage suffered by the company and punitive or exemplary damages from the restricted party.
Derivative action
186(1)Where an investment or other transaction that is prohibited under this Part takes place, a licensed provincial company or the Superintendent may apply to the Court for an order that each person who participated in or facilitated that investment or other transaction made in violation of this Part pay, on a joint and several basis,
(a) damages,
(b) the face value of the investment, or
(c) the amount expended by the company in the transaction.
186(2)Subsection (1) does not apply to a person who is not a director unless the person knew or ought reasonably to have known that the investment or other transaction was made in violation of this Part.
Reporting by auditor
187An auditor shall immediately report to the board of directors and the Superintendent any breach of any provision of this Part of which the auditor is aware or is made aware under section 188 and, if the board of directors does not act to rectify the breach within a reasonable period of time, the auditor shall immediately report the failure to rectify to the Superintendent.
Duties respecting professional advice
188(1)Any person who provides professional advice and services for or on behalf of the licensed provincial company, other than an auditor under section 187, who in providing the professional services becomes aware of any violation of any of the provisions of this Part in the course of providing such advice and services shall immediately advise the board of directors and the auditor.
188(2)No person referred to in subsection (1) shall advise or perform services for a company with respect to any investment or other transaction to which that person is a party or in which that person has a direct or indirect benefical interest in the subject matter of the investment or transaction.
188(3)Nothing in this Part shall be construed to affect the privilege that exists in respect of a solicitor and client.
Immunity
189A person who in good faith makes a report under subsection 188(1) shall not be liable in any civil action arising from the making of the report.
XI
EXTRA-PROVINCIAL COMPANIES
Application for a licence, designated jurisdiction
190(1)An extra-provincial company that is licensed or registered in a designated jurisdiction may apply for a licence in accordance with Part XII.
190(2)For the purposes of this Act, the Lieutenant-Governor in Council may, at the sole discretion of the Lieutenant-Governor in Council, designate any province or territory of Canada as a designated jurisdiction.
190(3)The Lieutenant-Governor in Council may, in determining whether a province or territory should be designated under subsection (2), consider whether the jurisdiction has enacted legislation similar to this Act and has established sufficient administrative, inspection, audit and compliance procedures to adequately enforce that legislation.
190(4)For the purposes of this Act, Canada shall be deemed to be a designated jurisdiction and an extra-provincial company that is incorporated and licensed or registered under the laws of Canada shall be deemed to be licensed or registered in a designated jurisdiction and, notwithstanding subsection (6), Canada shall be deemed to be that company’s designated jurisdiction.
190(5)Where an extra-provincial company is licensed or registered in one designated jurisdiction, that jurisdiction shall be deemed to be the company’s designated jurisdiction for the purposes of this Act.
190(6)Where an extra-provincial company is licensed or registered in two or more designated jurisdictions, the Minister shall, at the sole discretion of the Minister, name one designated jurisdiction as that company’s designated jurisdiction for the purposes of this Act.
Application of the Act
191A licensed extra-provincial company is subject to the provisions of this Part, Part I and Parts XII to XVII, except where those provisions are limited in application to a provincial company.
Name restrictions
192(1)Unless it registers a business name in accordance with the Partnerships and Business Names Registration Act under which it will carry on business in New Brunswick, no extra-provincial company shall be licensed in its own name under this Act except in accordance with subsections 17(1) and 19(1) and those subsections apply with the necessary modifications to an extra-provincial company as if it were a provincial company.
192(2)The Superintendent may exempt an extra-provincial company from the provisions of subsection 17(1).
192(3)If, through inadvertence or otherwise, an extra-provincial company is licensed in violation of subsection (1), the Superintendent may, after giving the company an opportunity to be heard, require the company to register, in accordance with the Partnerships and Business Names Registration Act, a business name that the Superintendent approves within sixty days after the Superintendent so requires and the extra-provincial company shall comply with that requirement.
192(4)An extra-provincial company that carries on business in New Brunswick under a name in violation of this section commits an offence.
Agents
193(1)An extra-provincial company shall, with its application for a first licence under this Act, file with the Superintendent the appointment of an agent and the power of attorney referred to in subsection 211(9).
193(2)If an agent of a licensed extra-provincial company dies or resigns or his appointment is revoked, the company shall file immediately with the Superintendent the appointment of another agent and a new power of attorney referred to in subsection 211(9).
193(3)An agent for a licensed extra-provincial company who intends to resign shall
(a) give not less than sixty days notice to the extra-provincial company at its registered office, and
(b) file immediately a copy of the notice with the Superintendent.
193(4)An agent shall file immediately with the Superintendent a notice in the form prescribed by regulation of any change of the agent’s address.
193(5)The address of an agent shown in the agent’s appointment or in a notice under subsection (4) shall be an office that is accessible to the public during usual business hours.
193(6)Service of any process, notice or document in any civil, criminal or administrative action or proceeding shall be deemed to have been sufficiently made upon a licensed extra-provincial company if made upon the agent as shown in the most recent appointment of an agent filed with the Superintendent.
193(7)A notice or document may be sent or served upon a licensed extra-provincial company by
(a) personally serving the agent as shown in the most recent appointment of an agent filed with the Superintendent,
(b) delivering the notice or document to the address, according to the Superintendent’s records, of its agent, or
(c) sending the notice or document by registered mail to that address.
193(8)A notice or document sent by registered mail to the agent’s address shall be deemed to have been received or served at the time it would have been delivered in the ordinary course of mail, unless there are reasonable grounds for believing that the agent did not receive the notice or document at that time or at all.
Notice of branch office
194No licensed extra-provincial company shall open a branch in New Brunswick unless the company gives notice to the Superintendent of its intention to do so at least thirty days before it opens the branch.
Deposits must be insured
195No licensed extra-provincial company shall receive or accept, in New Brunswick, money as deposits within the meaning of the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation Act, chapter C-3 of the Revised Statutes of Canada, 1970, unless it is a member institution within the meaning of that Act or the deposits are insured by some other public agency approved by the Minister.
Powers, capacity and restrictions
196(1)No licensed extra-provincial company shall carry on business, conduct its affairs or exercise its powers in New Brunswick to any greater extent than the company is authorized or permitted by its jurisdiction of incorporation to do in carrying on its business, conducting its affairs or exercising its powers in its jurisdiction of incorporation.
196(2)Notwithstanding subsection (1), no licensed extra-provincial company shall carry on business, conduct its affairs or exercise its powers in New Brunswick to any greater extent than the company is authorized or permitted by its designated jurisdiction to do in carrying on its business, conducting its affairs or exercising its powers in its designated jurisdiction.
196(3)Notwithstanding subsections (1) and (2), no licensed extra-provincial company shall, with respect to its total assets, participate in or enter into any investment in New Brunswick if the investment or the amount of the investment is prohibited or restricted, as the case may be, by regulation or by the company’s licence issued under this Act.
196(4)A licensed extra-provincial company may, with respect to money received in New Brunswick and held in trust by the company, other than deposits, invest that money in common trust funds in accordance with section 52 and that section applies with the necessary modifications to a licensed extra-provincial trust company as if it were a licensed provincial trust company.
196(5)No licensed extra-provincial company or subsidiary of a licenced extra-provincial company shall promote or operate a mutual fund in New Brunswick unless the company or subsidiary has received the approval of the Superintendent and complies with any terms or conditions imposed with respect to the approval by the Superintendent.
196(6)No licensed extra-provincial company or subsidiary of a licensed extra-provincial company shall be registered under the Securities Act or the regulations under that Act unless the company or subsidiary has received the approval of the Superintendent and complies with any terms or conditions imposed with respect to the approval by the Superintendent.
1989, c.21, s.6; 2004, c.S-5.5, s.223
Provision of prescribed information
197A licensed extra-provincial company at the times prescribed by regulation shall provide to the Superintendent such financial or other information as may be prescribed by regulation.
Filing of changes in information
198A licensed extra-provincial company shall file with the Superintendent
(a) copies of any change made in its instrument of incorporation, licence or registration under the laws of Canada or of any province or territory of Canada within seven days after the effective date of the change,
(b) Repealed: 2001, c.6, s.4
(c) the address of its principal office in New Brunswick and its registered office and a notice of any change in either of those addresses within seven days after the effective date of the change,
(d) the names and addresses of the members of its board of directors, board of management or other governing body and a notice of any change in the membership within seven days after the effective date of the change, and
(e) such financial or other information as may be required by the Superintendent from time to time.
2001, c.6, s.4
Filing of financial statements
199A licensed extra-provincial company shall file with the Superintendent a copy of every statement of a financial nature furnished to its shareholders within seven days after the distribution of the statement to the shareholders.
Filing of annual return
200A licensed extra-provincial company shall file with the Superintendent a copy of the annual return required to be filed in its designated jurisdiction within seven days after filing it in the designated jurisdiction together with a statement, on a form provided by the Superintendent, with respect to the information referred to in section 201 with respect to that same period.
Records to be maintained
201A licensed extra-provincial company shall maintain in Canada
(a) a record of all depositors in New Brunswick, their names and addresses as far as are known and the sums deposited by the depositors, and
(b) where the company is a trust company, full and adequate records relating to the fiduciary activities of the company in New Brunswick, the names and addresses as far as are known of all persons in New Brunswick for whom the company acts in a fiduciary capacity and the sums received and held in trust by the company on their behalf.
Confidentiality of documents
202The copy of any return, report, statement or other information or any other written document filed with the Superintendent under this Part and which was, or is to be, filed with a public official of the government of Canada or a province or territory of Canada or agency as confidential shall be so marked and shall be deemed to contain information the confidentiality of which is protected by law and shall not be subject to disclosure under this or any other Act of the Legislature.
Notice of restriction on licence in designated jurisdiction
203(1)Where any term, condition or restriction is imposed on the licence or registration of a licensed extra-provincial company in the company’s designated jurisdiction or its licence or registration is revoked, the company shall notify the Minister within twenty-four hours after receiving notice of it.
203(2)Upon receipt of the notice referred to in subsection (1), the Minister may
(a) in accordance with section 240
(i) impose a similar term, condition or restriction on the company’s licence issued under this Act, or
(ii) revoke the company’s licence issued under this Act, or
(b) take any other action in accordance with Part XIV the Minister thinks fit.
Effect of voluntary compliance program
204(1)A licensed extra-provincial company that enters into a voluntary compliance program or any other agreement similar to that referred to in section 239 with the appropriate official of its designated jurisdiction, shall notify the Minister within twenty-four hours after entering into that program or agreement.
204(2)A licensed extra-provincial company referred to in subsection (1) is bound to carry on its business, conduct its affairs and exercise its powers in New Brunswick in accordance with any order of the Minister or any change made in the company’s licence under subsection 239(5).
204(3)A licensed extra-provincial company referred to in subsection (1) shall, at the request of the Minister, enter into an agreement with the Minister which is supplementary to the voluntary compliance program or agreement entered into in its designated jurisdiction whereby the company is bound to carry on business, conduct its affairs and exercise its powers in New Brunswick in accordance with the terms of the program or agreement entered into in its designated jurisdiction.
Agreement respecting conflict of interest
205A licensed extra-provincial company of whose designated jurisdiction or jurisdiction of incorporation the legislation, in the opinion of the Minister, does not contain conflict of interest provisions similar to those set out in Part X, shall, at the request of the Minister, enter into an agreement with the Minister whereby the company is bound to carry on business, conduct its affairs or exercise its powers in New Brunswick in accordance with the provisions set out in Part X as if it were a licensed provincial company or in accordance with such of those provisions or such other terms, conditions and restrictions as may be specified in the agreement.
Notice of deposit broker, agent or representative
206A licensed extra-provincial company shall immediately notify the Superintendent of the name, address and telephone number of every deposit broker or agent or representative of the company or any other person who has the authority to receive or accept, in New Brunswick and on behalf of the company, money as deposits within the meaning of the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation Act, chapter C-3 of the Revised Statutes of Canada, 1970, or money intended to be deposits with the company.
Amalgamations
207(1)Where a licensed extra-provincial company amalgamates with one or more other licensed extra-provincial companies, it shall file with the Superintendent a statement relating to the amalgamation in the form prescribed by regulation, the written consent to the amalgamation from the appropriate official of the company’s designated jurisdiction and such other documents or information as the Superintendent may require and the Superintendent shall immediately notify the Minister of the amalgamation.
207(2)On being notified of the amalgamation under subsection (1), the Minister shall issue the appropriate licence for which the amalgamated extra-provincial company would qualify under subsection 212(2).
207(3)An amalgamated extra-provincial company referred to in subsection (2) may carry on business under the existing licence with respect to one of the amalgamating licensed companies, as directed by the Minister, until a licence has been issued to the amalgamated company by the Minister under subsection (2).
1989, c.21, s.7
Idem
208(1)Where one or more licensed extra-provincial companies amalgamate with an extra-provincial company that is not licensed under this Act, the amalgamated company shall apply immediately for a first licence in accordance with Part XII.
208(2)An amalgamated extra-provincial company required to apply for a licence under subsection (1) may continue to carry on business under the existing licence issued with respect to one of the amalgamating licensed companies, as directed by the Minister, until a first licence has been issued or refused to the amalgamated company by the Minister.
208(3)Where the licence referred to in subsection (2) has been refused by the Minister, a licensed extra-provincial company may carry on business under its existing licence only in accordance with subsection 240(5).
Liquidation
209(1)If liquidation proceedings are commenced in respect of a licensed extra-provincial company, the company or, if a liquidator is appointed, the liquidator
(a) shall send to the Superintendent immediately after the commencement of those proceedings a notice showing that the proceedings have commenced and the address of the liquidator, if one is appointed, and
(b) shall send to the Superintendent immediately after the completion of those proceedings a return relating to the liquidation.
209(2)The Superintendent shall
(a) upon receiving a notice under paragraph (1)(a), file it and publish a notice respecting the liquidation in The Royal Gazette, and
(b) upon receiving a return under paragraph (1)(b), file the return and notify the Minister.
209(3)The liquidator of a licensed extra-provincial company shall file with the Superintendent a notice of any change in the liquidator’s address within one month after the effective date of the change.
XII
LICENSING
Restrictions on carrying on business
210(1)No person other than a licensed loan company or licensed trust company shall conduct, undertake or transact the business of a loan company or trust company in New Brunswick.
210(2)No body corporate other than a licensed trust company shall offer its services to the public as or accept or execute the office of
(a) executor or administrator,
(b) guardian of a minor’s estate in New Brunswick or representative under the Supported Decision-Making and Representation Act, or
(c) trustee, in respect of services commonly provided by a trust company.
210(2.1)A body corporate does not violate paragraph (2)(c) by reason only that it manages a mutual fund trust if the trading of the mutual fund is authorized in accordance with the Securities Act.
210(2.2)Subsection (2) does not apply to a professional corporation as defined in the Law Society Act, 1996.
210(3)No person other than a licensed trust company shall hold itself out to the public in New Brunswick as a licensed trust company by using in its name the words “Trust Corporation”, “Corporation de fiducie”, “Trust Corp.”, “Trust Company”, “Compagnie de fiducie”, “Trust Co.”, “Trustco”, “Trustee Corporation”, “Corporation fiduciaire”, “Trustee Corp.”, “Compagnie fiduciaire”, “Trustee Company” or “Société fiduciaire” or any similar words in its name in conjunction with its business or undertakings, unless such name was lawfully in use before the day this section comes into force.
210(4)No company other than a licensed company shall hold itself out to the public in New Brunswick as a licensed company by conducting, undertaking or transacting any part or aspect of the business of a loan company or trust company.
210(5)No person, other than a licensed loan company or licensed trust company and a person authorized by that company to act on its behalf, shall solicit the business of a loan company or trust company in New Brunswick.
210(6)No person shall undertake, transact or solicit in New Brunswick any part or aspect of the business of a loan company or trust company for or on behalf of a loan or trust company that is not licensed under this Act.
1989, c.21, s.8; 1996, c.81, s.1; 2004, c.S-5.5, s.223; 2022, c.60, s.74
Application for licences and amendments, contents of application
211(1)A provincial company or an extra-provincial company licensed or registered in a designated jurisdiction may apply for a first licence under this Act as a loan company or trust company.
211(2)A licensed loan company may apply to change its licence to that of a trust company and a licensed trust company may apply to change its licence to that of a loan company.
211(3)A licensed company may apply to amend the terms, conditions and restrictions of its existing licence.
211(4)Where an amendment to the instrument of incorporation of a licensed company effects a change in the name of the company under which it is licensed, the Superintendent shall, on payment of the fee prescribed by regulation, issue an amended licence reflecting the change.
211(5)An application for a first licence shall be accompanied by evidence that from the date of its licence the company is or will be a member institution within the meaning of the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation Act, chapter C-3 of the Revised Statutes of Canada, 1970, or that its deposits are or will be insured by some other public agency approved by the Superintendent, unless the licence to be issued will prohibit the company from receiving money as deposits within New Brunswick.
211(6)An application for a first licence by a provincial company incorporated under this Act shall contain a sworn or solemnly affirmed statement setting forth the several sums of money paid or to be paid by the company in connection with the incorporation and organization of the company.
211(7)The particulars of all liabilities of a company referred to in subsection (6) shall be disclosed to the Superintendent at the time the application for a first licence is made.
211(8)An application for a licence as a trust company shall set out the services in relation to which the company proposes to act in a fiduciary capacity.
211(9)An application for a first licence by an extra-provincial company shall be accompanied by
(a) the appointment of an individual who is a resident of New Brunswick as its agent within New Brunswick and a power of attorney in the form prescribed by regulation from the company to the individual so appointed, which power of attorney shall be under the seal of the company, if required in the jurisdiction of incorporation, and be signed by the president or managing director and secretary of the company and be verified by the oath or solemn affirmation of an attesting witness, and which shall expressly authorize the agent to accept process, notice or any document in any civil, criminal or administrative action or proceeding in New Brunswick against the company and shall declare that service on the agent shall constitute sufficient service, and
(b) an undertaking to the Superintendent signed by the proper officers of the company that the company and its subsidiaries will provide the information that the Superintendent may request and will adhere to this Act and the regulations and to the terms, conditions and restrictions, if any, imposed on its licence under this Act.
211(10)An undertaking referred to in paragraph (9)(b) shall be accompanied by a certified copy of the resolution of the directors authorizing the company’s officers to apply for a licence under this Act and authorizing the execution of the undertaking.
211(11)An application under this section shall be submitted to the Superintendent in the prescribed form.
211(12)Where the Superintendent receives an application under this section, the Superintendent may require the applicant to provide such information, material and evidence as the Superintendent may consider necessary, in addition to the information, material and evidence required to be provided in or with the application together with such information, material and evidence as the form may specify.
2013, c.31, s.21
Granting of licence
212(1)Subject to subsection (2), on application by a company referred to in subsection 211(1) and on payment of the prescribed fee for that kind of company, the Superintendent, in his or her sole discretion, may
(a) issue a first licence to the company, as a loan company or trust company,
(b) change the licence of the licensed company in accordance with subsection 211(2), or
(c) amend the terms, conditions and restrictions of the existing licence of the licensed company in accordance with subsection 211(3).
212(2)The Superintendent shall not issue, change or amend a licence under subsection (1)
(a) until the Superintendent has received
(i) an application in the form prescribed by regulation together with the fee prescribed by regulation,
(ii) such other information as the Superintendent may require including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing,
(A) information relating to the ownership of the shares of the company,
(B) the name of each director and officer of the company and that person’s experience as it relates to financial institutions,
(C) copies of any financial statements or pro forma financial statements of the company,
(D) a detailed plan of the proposed operations of the first and any subsequent branch to be opened by the company, and
(E) in the case of an extra-provincial company, a copy of its instrument of incorporation and any amendments made to it,
(b) unless the capital base of the company is at least
(i) three million dollars where the company is a loan company,
(ii) five million dollars where the company is a trust company, or
(iii) notwithstanding subparagraph (ii), one hundred thousand dollars where the company is one in respect of which its instrument of incorporation prohibits, or its licence to be issued under this Act prohibits or will prohibit, the company from receiving money as deposits in New Brunswick,
(c) unless the company has satisfied the Superintendent that it has the capacity and power to engage in the activities of a loan company or a trust company,
(d) if the applicant is not a company described in subsection 211(1),
(e) unless it is shown to the satisfaction of the Superintendent that
(i) there exists a public benefit and advantage for the licensing of a company or for an additional company of the kind for which the licence is sought,
(ii) the management is fit, both as to character and as to competence, to manage a company of the kind for which the licence is sought,
(iii) each person who will be a holder of ten per cent or more of any class of shares of the applicant immediately after the receipt of the licence can demonstrate the adequacy of that person’s financial resources and is fit as to character to own ten per cent or more of that class of shares,
(iv) each director is fit, both as to character and as to competence, to be a director of the company of the kind for which the licence is being sought,
(v) the detailed plan of the proposed operations of the company is feasible, and
(vi) the applicant intends to offer to the public, initially or within a reasonable time after the receipt of its licence, the services set out in the application for a licence and the applicant has the capability to provide those services,
(f) in the case of a provincial company incorporated under this Act, unless sections 30 and 31 have been complied with and the expenses of incorporation and organization to be borne by the company are reasonable,
(g) unless the Superintendent is satisfied as to the adequacy of any information received with or in support of the application for the licence, and
(h) unless all other requirements of this Act antecedent to the issuing of the licence have been complied with.
2013, c.31, s.21
213(1)Where the Superintendent is not satisfied as to all of the matters referred to in paragraphs 212(2)(a), (b), (c), (e), (f), (g) and (h), the Superintendent may issue a licence to the applicant
(a) as a company of a kind other than that for which the application was made and subject to such terms, conditions and restrictions as the Superintendent may impose, or
(b) as a company of the kind for which the application was made but subject to such terms, conditions and restrictions as the Superintendent may impose.
213(2)Before refusing to issue, change or amend a licence under subsection 212(1) or before issuing a licence subject to terms, conditions and restrictions, the Superintendent shall give the company an opportunity to be heard.
213(3)With the consent of the licensed company, the Superintendent may impose terms, conditions and restrictions on the licence of a company or terms, conditions and restrictions in addition to those previously imposed on the licence of the company and subsection (2) does not apply with respect to the imposition of those terms, conditions and restrictions.
2013, c.31, s.21
Licences and notice
214(1)A licence shall be in the prescribed form and may contain the terms, conditions and restrictions relating to the powers and business of the company that the Superintendent may impose.
214(2)Notice of the issue of a first licence to a company shall be published by the Superintendent in The Royal Gazette.
214(3)A licensed company shall publish notice of the issue to it of a first licence once a week for four consecutive weeks in a newspaper published or distributed
(a) in the case of a provincial company, in the place where the company has its registered office, and
(b) in the case of an extra-provincial company, in the place where the company has its principal place of business in New Brunswick.
2013, c.31, s.21
Duration of licence
215(1)The licence of a company expires on the thirtieth day of June each year unless
(a) a date other than the thirtieth day of June of a particular year is specified in the licence, in which case it expires on the date specified in that licence,
(b) it has been revoked in accordance with this Act in which case it expires on the date of the revocation, or
(c) the term of the licence has been reduced in accordance with this Act in which case it expires at the end of the reduced term as specified in that licence.
215(2)Subject to subsection (5) and subsections 240(1) and 243(1), the Superintendent may, on or before the date the licence expires and upon payment of the fee prescribed by regulation, issue a second or subsequent licence, as the case may be, for a period ending the thirtieth day of June of the subsequent year, or where the term of the licence is to be reduced, for such shorter period as may be specified in the licence.
215(3)Despite subsection (2), when a licence has expired because of inadvertence, the failure to pay the prescribed fee or any other reason acceptable to the Superintendent, within six months after the licence has expired and if in the opinion of the Superintendent to do so would not be prejudicial to the public interest, the Superintendent may issue a second or subsequent licence, as the case may be, and that licence shall be deemed to be effective from the expiry date of the preceding licence.
215(4)The Superintendent on being satisfied that a licensed company is not carrying on any aspect of the business of a loan company or trust company may, subject to subsection (5), revoke the company’s licence.
215(5)Before refusing to issue a second or subsequent licence or issuing a second or subsequent licence with terms, conditions or restrictions different from those imposed on the previous licence, or before revoking a licence under subsection (4), the Superintendent shall give the company an opportunity to be heard.
215(6)At the request of a licensed company, the Superintendent may revoke the company’s licence subject to such terms, conditions and restrictions as the Superintendent may impose.
2013, c.31, s.21
Register to be maintained
216The Superintendent shall maintain a register in which the Superintendent shall cause to be entered the name of every company to which a licence is issued under this Act and
(a) the nature of the licence and any terms, conditions and restrictions imposed on the licence,
(b) the fact that the licence of the company has been changed or amended in accordance with this Act and the nature of the change or amendment, and
(c) the fact that the licence of the company has been revoked or that a second or subsequent licence has not been issued.
XIII
ADMINISTRATION
Administration
217(1)The Commission is responsible for the administration of this Act.
217(2)The Minister may designate the Commission, the Superintendent or any other person to act on the Minister’s behalf.
217(3)A person designated by the Minister under subsection (2) may delegate, in writing, the authority to act on behalf of the Minister to another person and may impose on the delegate the terms and conditions that the person considers appropriate.
2013, c.31, s.21
Appeals
218When an appeal is provided for under this Act, the Tribunal shall hear the appeal.
2013, c.31, s.21
Prohibitions respecting employees
219(1)No employee under the Civil Service Act or of the Commission performing duties or exercising powers under this Act shall accept directly or indirectly any grant or gratuity from a licensed company or any affiliate of that company or from any director, officer, employee or agent of that company and no licensed company, director, officer, employee or agent of that company or any affiliate of that company shall make or give directly or indirectly any such grant or gratuity.
219(2)No employee under the Civil Service Act or of the Commission performing duties or exercising powers under this Act shall hold any shares of a licensed company.
2013, c.31, s.21
Extra-provincial jurisdiction
220The Commission and the Superintendent may, for the purpose of the administration and enforcement of this Act and the regulations, act outside New Brunswick as if they were acting inside New Brunswick.
2013, c.31, s.21
Documents and records
221(1)All documents filed with the Superintendent and records required by this Act to be prepared and maintained by the Superintendent may be in bound or loose-leaf form or in photographic film form, or may be entered or recorded by any system of mechanical or electronic data processing or by any other information storage device that is capable of reproducing any required information in intelligible written form within a reasonable time.
221(2)Where documents filed with the Superintendent or records prepared and maintained by the Superintendent are maintained other than in written form
(a) the Superintendent shall furnish any copies required to be furnished in intelligible written form, and
(b) a report reproduced from such documents or records, if it is certified as correct by the Superintendent, is, without proof of the office or signature of the Superintendent, admissible in evidence to the same extent as the original written documents or records would have been.
221(3)The Superintendent is not required to produce any document or record where a copy of the document is furnished in compliance with paragraph (2)(a).
221(4)The Superintendent is not required to produce any document or record, other than an instrument of incorporation filed with the Superintendent, after six years after the date the Superintendent receives it.
Power to require evidence, reporting evidence
222(1)In carrying out their duties under this Act, the Superintendent or the Tribunal may require to be made or may take and receive affidavits, statutory declarations or depositions and may examine witnesses on oath or solemn affirmation.
222(2)The evidence and proceedings in a matter before the Superintendent or the Tribunal may be reported by a stenographer sworn or solemnly affirmed before the Superintendent or the Tribunal to faithfully report the evidence.
2013, c.31, s.21
Examinations, audits and inspections
223(1)It is a condition of a licence of a licensed company that the company facilitate examinations, audits and inspections under this Act.
223(2)For the purposes of an examination, audit or inspection under this Act, a licensed company and its subsidiaries shall prepare and submit to the person conducting the examination, audit or inspection such statements or returns with respect to its business, finances or other affairs, in addition to the statements or returns mentioned in this Act, as the Superintendent or the Commission may require and the officers, agents and servants of the company and its subsidiaries shall cause their books to be open for inspection and shall otherwise facilitate that examination so far as it is in their power.
223(3)In order to facilitate an examination, audit or inspection of the books and records of a licensed company, the Superintendent or the Commission may require the company and its subsidiaries to produce the books and records
(a) in the case of a provincial company, at its registered office,
(b) in the case of an extra-provincial company, at its principal place of business in New Brunswick, or
(c) at a convenient place that the Superintendent or the Commission directs.
223(4)For the purpose of an examination, audit or inspection under this Act, the licensed company and its subsidiaries or the auditor shall make available to the person conducting the examination the working papers of the auditor used in preparing an audit or other report under this Act.
223(5)On the direction of the Superintendent or the Commission, where an examination, audit or inspection of a licensed company or a subsidiary of the company is made at an office situated outside New Brunswick, the company shall pay such costs and expenses in connection with that examination, audit or inspection as directed.
2013, c.31, s.21
Annual inspections of licensed companies
224(1)Once each year or during such other period as the Superintendent considers appropriate for a particular company, the Superintendent may examine or cause a person acting under the Superintendent’s direction to examine the statements of the condition and affairs of each licensed provincial company and the Superintendent or other person acting under the Superintendent’s direction shall make such inquiries as are necessary to ascertain the company’s condition and ability to meet its obligations as and when they become due, whether the company is following sound business and financial practices, the procedures and standards of its management and whether or not the company has complied with this Act and the regulations and any requirement, order, term, condition or restriction of a licence or inquiry made under this Act or the regulations.
224(2)In conducting an examination under subsection (1), the Superintendent or other person acting under the Superintendent’s direction may attend at the registered office of the company or its principal place of business in New Brunswick and, if necessary, the Superintendent or other person acting under the Superintendent’s direction may visit any branch of the company.
224(3)The Superintendent may in whole or in part rely on an examination of a licensed extra-provincial company conducted by the government of Canada or of the company’s designated jurisdiction or a recognized agency of that government unless the Superintendent is made aware and believes the examination conducted in relation to that company is not satisfactory in any respect, in which case the Superintendent may examine or cause a person acting under the Superintendent’s direction to examine the statements of the condition and affairs of the extra-provincial company, as if it were a provincial company under subsection (1).
Examination by Superintendent
225The Superintendent or other person acting under the Superintendent’s or the Commission’s direction, may at any time during normal business hours, examine any books of or in the possession of a licensed company or any of its subsidiaries relating to its business, wherever situated, and vouchers, securities and documents of a licensed company.
2013, c.31, s.21
Special examinations
226(1)The Superintendent may, at any time, on the Superintendent’s own motion or upon an application by any interested party being made in writing, or shall, when so required by the Commission, appoint a person as a special examiner to make a special examination and audit of a licensed company’s books, accounts and securities and to inquire generally into the conduct of the business and affairs of the company.
226(2)An application under subsection (1) shall be supported by such evidence as the Superintendent may require for the purpose of showing that there is good reason for requiring the investigation to be made and that it is not prompted by irrelevant or malicious motives.
226(3)The Superintendent may require an applicant under subsection (1) to give security for the payment of the costs of the inquiry to be given before appointing a person as a special examiner.
226(4)A person appointed as a special examiner may summon witnesses and take evidence under oath or on solemn affirmation for the purposes of an examination, audit and inquiry and shall have all the powers, privileges and immunities of a commissioner under the Inquiries Act.
226(5)On the conclusion of the examination, audit and inquiry, the special examiner shall make a report in writing to the Superintendent, who shall provide a copy of the report and the Superintendent’s recommendations, if any, to the Commission.
226(6)On the conclusion of an examination under this section, the Commission may order the licensed company or the party requesting the examination under subsection (1) to pay the costs and expenses of that examination or include the costs and expenses in those referred to in section 232.
2013, c.31, s.21
Inquiries by Superintendent
227(1)The Superintendent may, or shall when so ordered by the Commission, address any inquiries under this Act to a licensed company or to the president, secretary or any other officer of the company or to the agent of an extra-provincial company to ascertain the company’s condition and ability to meet its obligations or as to the conduct of its business and affairs or as to complaints made by depositors, borrowers or by persons for whom the licensed company acts in a fiduciary capacity and it is the duty of a licensed company or officer or agent so addressed to reply immediately in writing to that inquiry.
227(2)The Superintendent may require a licensed company to forward a copy of any letter addressed to the company by the Superintendent and any answer to that letter to each director of the company and, upon that requirement being made, the secretary of the company shall include a copy of that letter and the answer to that letter in the minutes of the meeting of the directors next following the requirement being made by the Superintendent.
2013, c.31, s.21
Extension of time
228Where by or under this Act a licensed company is required to provide to or file with the Superintendent any return or document or other information, the Superintendent, in the Superintendent’s absolute discretion and upon payment by the company of the fee prescribed by regulation, may, before or after the last day for providing or filing the return or document or other information and except where otherwise provided, extend the time, for any period not exceeding sixty days as the Superintendent considers appropriate.
Evidence
229(1)A notice published in The Royal Gazette over the name of the Superintendent or of a member or other employee of the Commission, is admissible in evidence in any civil, criminal or administrative action or proceeding or for any other purpose and when introduced as evidence is proof, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, of the facts set forth in the notice, without proof of the signature or official character of the person appearing to have signed the notice.
229(2)A certificate of the Superintendent that on a stated day a body corporate mentioned in the certificate was or was not licensed or was licensed subject to terms, conditions or restrictions or that the licence of a company was revoked on a stated day is admissible in evidence in any civil, criminal or administration action or proceeding or for any other purpose and when introduced as evidence is proof, in the absence of evidence of the contrary, of the facts stated in the certificate.
229(3)Copies of, or extracts from, any book, record, instrument or document in the office of the Superintendent or of or from any instrument or document issued under this Act, if certified as correct by the Superintendent, are, without proof of the office or signature of the Superintendent, admissible in evidence to the same extent as the original would have been.
2013, c.31, s.21
Repealed
230Repealed: 2013, c.31, s.21
2013, c.31, s.21
Powers relating to administration and enforcement
231The Commission and the Superintendent may do all things necessary or incidental to the administration and enforcement of this Act and the regulations and, in particular but without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Commission or the Superintendent may
(a) in accordance with this Act, receive undertakings from, and enter into agreements with, companies, and
(b) enter into agreements with third parties related to the administration of this Act and the regulations and give indemnities to third parties related to such activities as are authorized under those agreements.
2013, c.31, s.21
Assessment of Minister’s costs
232(1)The expenses and costs incurred by the Minister or any other person acting under the direction of the Minister under this Act or the regulations shall be borne by and recovered from licensed companies by means of assessments.
232(2)The Minister shall assess the amounts ascertained under subsection (1) against each licensed company in the manner and to the extent prescribed by regulation.
232(3)An assessment made under this section constitutes a debt due by the company against which it is made to the Crown in right of the Province, is immediately payable and may be recovered as a debt in any court of competent jurisdiction.
2013, c.31, s.21; 2023, c.17, s.144
Assessment of Commission’s costs
232.1(1)The expenses and costs incurred by the Commission in administering this Act and the regulations, including the carrying out of examinations and inspections under this Act and the costs of the Tribunal, shall be borne by and recovered from licensed companies by means of assessments.
232.1(2)The Commission shall assess the amounts ascertained under subsection (1) against each licensed company in the manner and to the extent that is prescribed.
232.1(3)An assessment made under this section constitutes a debt due by the company against which it is made to the Commission, is immediately payable and may be recovered as a debt in a court of competent jurisdiction.
2013, c.31, s.21
XIV
ENFORCEMENT AND CIVIL REMEDIES
Orders of Superintendent respecting compliance
233(1)Where, in the opinion of the Superintendent, a licensed company or other person is committing any act or pursuing any course of conduct that
(a) does not comply with this Act or the regulations,
(b) might reasonably be expected, if continued, to result in a state of affairs that would not be in compliance with this Act or the regulations,
(c) does not comply with a voluntary compliance program under section 239, or in the case of a licensed extra-provincial company, does not comply with an order of the Minister or any terms, conditions or restrictions imposed on its licence under subsection 239(5),
(d) does not comply with any undertaking given or agreement made with the Minister under this Act, or
(e) constitutes a practice that might prejudice or adversely affect the interests of depositors or of persons for whom the company acts in a fiduciary capacity,
the Superintendent may give notice to the licensed company or other person of an intention to order the company or other person
(f) to cease doing any act or to cease pursuing any course of conduct identified by the Superintendent, or
(g) to perform such acts as in the opinion of the Superintendent are necessary to remedy the situation.
233(2)The licensed company or other person may, by written notice served on the Superintendent within fifteen days after the service of the notice on the company or other person under subsection (1), request a hearing before the Superintendent.
233(3)Where no hearing is requested within the time set out in subsection (2) or (4), or where a hearing is held and the Superintendent is of the opinion that an order described in paragraph (1)(f) or (g) should be made, the Superintendent may make an order under either or both of those paragraphs which shall take effect immediately on its making or at such later date as may be set out in the order.
233(4)Notwithstanding subsection (2), where in the opinion of the Superintendent the interests of the depositors or persons for whom the company acts in a fiduciary capacity or the public may be prejudiced or adversely affected by any delay in the issuance of a an order, the Superintendent may make an interim order as described in paragraph (1)(f) or (g) which shall take effect immediately on its making and which shall become final on the fifteenth day after its making unless within that time a hearing before the Superintendent is requested.
233(5)A request for a hearing under subsection (4) shall be in writing and served on the Superintendent.
233(6)Where a hearing is requested under subsection (4), the Superintendent may extend the interim order until the hearing is concluded or any appeal from the hearing is concluded and the order is confirmed, varied or revoked.
233(7)Where an order is made with respect to a licensed company under this section, a copy of the order shall be sent to each director of the company.
233(8)The Superintendent may, after giving the company or other person named in the order an opportunity to be heard, modify or revoke an order made under this section.
Repealed
234Repealed: 2013, c.31, s.21
2013, c.31, s.21
Ministerial approvals
235(1)Where this Act provides for a decision, order, or approval or consent of the Minister, the decision, order, or approval or consent shall be subject to such terms and conditions as the Minister may impose.
235(2)A decision, order, or approval or consent of the Minister under this Act shall be in writing and is not subject to appeal.
235(3)Before rendering a decision, making an order, refusing an approval or consent or granting an approval or consent subject to terms and conditions, the Minister shall give the licensed company notice of the Minister’s intention and the licensed company may require a hearing before the Minister.
235(4)The Minister may at any time, having given the licensed company an opportunity to be heard, confirm, revoke or vary any decision, order, approval, consent or refusal.
Approvals by Superintendent
235.1(1)When this Act provides for a decision, order, approval or consent of the Superintendent, the decision, order, approval or consent shall be subject to the terms and conditions that the Superintendent imposes.
235.1(2)A decision, order, approval or consent of the Superintendent under this Act shall be in writing and may be appealed to the Tribunal within 30 days after the date of the decision, order, approval or consent.
235.1(2.1)Despite subsection (2), the Tribunal may extend the period for appealing a decision, order, approval or consent, before or after the expiration of the time, if it is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for an extension.
235.1(3)Before rendering a decision, making an order, refusing an approval or consent or granting an approval or consent subject to terms and conditions, the Superintendent shall give the licensed company notice of the Superintendent’s intention and the licensed company may require a hearing before the Superintendent.
235.1(4)At any time, having given the licensed company an opportunity to be heard, the Superintendent may confirm, revoke or vary a decision, order, approval, consent or refusal.
2013, c.31, s.21; 2017, c.48, s.10
Superintendent may be party at hearings
236The Superintendent is entitled to appear and be heard in person or by counsel at any hearing before the Minister or the Tribunal.
2013, c.31, s.21
Transcript of oral evidence
237Oral evidence taken before the Superintendent or the Tribunal may be recorded and, if recorded, copies of a transcript of the evidence shall be furnished on request on the same terms and for the same fees as in the Court.
2013, c.31, s.21
Hearings may be private or public
238A hearing before the Superintendent or the Tribunal, at the discretion of the Superintendent or the Tribunal, as the case may be, may be heard in private or in public.
2013, c.31, s.21
Voluntary compliance program
239(1)When, in the opinion of the Superintendent, a licensed provincial company or other person is committing any act or pursuing any course of conduct that
(a) does not comply with this Act or the regulations,
(b) might reasonably be expected, if continued, to result in a state of affairs that would not be in compliance with this Act or the regulations,
(c) does not comply with any undertaking given or agreement made with the Superintendent under this Act, or
(d) constitutes a practice that might prejudice or adversely affect the interests of depositors or persons for whom the company acts in a fiduciary capacity,
the licensed provincial company or other person may enter into a program of voluntary compliance related to any act or course of conduct described in paragraph (a), (b), (c) or (d).
239(2)A voluntary compliance program under this section shall be in writing and shall bind the licensed provincial company or other person from the time it is approved by the Superintendent.
239(3)Where a voluntary compliance program has been entered into, the Superintendent shall not be prevented from making orders against the licensed provincial company or other person
(a) on matters not covered by the program,
(b) where the program is not complied with, on matters covered in the voluntary compliance program,
(c) if there has been a deterioration in the condition of the company, or
(d) on matters covered in the program where all the facts related to the matter covered by the program were not known by the Superintendent at the time the program was entered into.
239(4)The Superintendent may, on the request of a licensed provincial company or other person, approve the alteration of a voluntary compliance program entered into under this section.
239(5)Where a licensed extra-provincial company has entered into a voluntary compliance program or any other agreement similar to that program with the appropriate official of the company’s designated jurisdiction, the Superintendent may enter into an agreement with the company in accordance with subsection 204(3) or make any order or impose any terms, conditions, or restrictions on the licence of that company the Superintendent thinks necessary to compel any New Brunswick branch or operation of the company to comply with the program or the agreement, as the case may be.
2013, c.31, s.21
Revocation of licence or modification of terms
(a) a licensed company or other person has not complied with an order of the Superintendent or appeal board,
(b) a licensed company or other person has breached an order of the Court made under section 251,
(c) grounds exist for the possession and control of the assets of a licensed company by the Commission, or
(d) the licence or registration of the company has been revoked or suspended, or terms, conditions or restrictions have been imposed on the licence or registration of the company, by the government of Canada or of any other province or territory of Canada,
the Superintendent may, subject to subsections (2), (3) and (4), revoke the licence of the company, impose terms, conditions or restrictions on the licence of the company or refuse to grant a second or subsequent licence to the company.
240(2)Where the Superintendent proposes to act under subsection (1), the Superintendent shall serve a notice of the intention to act on the company.
240(3)The company may, by written notice served on the Superintendent within ten days after the service of the notice on the company under subsection (1), request a hearing before the Superintendent.
240(4)Where no hearing is requested within the time set out in subsection (3) or where a hearing is held and the Superintendent is of the opinion that the Superintendent should proceed under subsection (1), the Superintendent may do so immediately.
240(5)After the revocation of a licence under this section, the company shall, unless again licensed under this Act, cease to transact or undertake business in New Brunswick, except so far as it is necessary for the liquidation of its business in New Brunswick, but any liability incurred by it either before or after the revocation may be enforced against it as if the revocation had not taken place.
2013, c.31, s.21
Notice of revocation or modification
241(1)On the revocation of the licence of any company, or the modification of any of the terms, conditions or restrictions imposed on its licence, the Minister shall cause notice in writing of the revocation or modification to be sent to it.
241(2)Notice of the revocation of a licence issued under this Act shall be published by the Superintendent in The Royal Gazette.
Definitions
242In sections 243 to 253
“licensed company” or “licensed provincial company” includes a provincial company whether or not it has or had a licence issued under this Act;(compagnie titulaire d’un permis) ou (compagnie provinciale titulaire d’un permis)
“licensed company” or “licensed extra-provincial company” includes an extra-provincial company that has, or had in the previous two years, a licence issued under this Act.(compagnie titulaire d’un permis) ou (compagnie extraprovinciale titulaire d’un permis)
Orders for possession and control or to impose conditions
243(1)Despite any other provision of this Act, the Commission, without holding a hearing or issuing a notice, may make either of the following orders:
(a) that the licence of a licensed company is subject to the terms, conditions and restrictions set out in the order; or
(b) subject to subsection (7), that the Commission take possession and control of the assets of a licensed company.
243(2)The Commission may only make an order under subsection (1) if it is of the opinion that
(a) there has been a transfer or issue of shares of a provincial company to which subsection 88(1) or (2) applies and the consent of the Minister has not been obtained under section 88, or there has been such a transfer of the shares of a licensed extra-provincial company for which consent to that transfer is required in the company’s designated jurisdiction and that consent was not obtained,
(b) the licensed company has defaulted on payment of any of its liabilities or will not be able to pay its liabilities as they become due and payable,
(c) the licensed company is not complying with this Act or the regulations or an undertaking given or agreement made with the Superintendent under this Act,
(d) the provincial company’s assets or investments are not satisfactorily accounted for,
(e) the provincial company’s assets are not sufficient, having regard to all the circumstances, to give adequate protection to the company’s depositors or those persons for whom the company acts in a fiduciary capacity,
(f) in the case of a licensed extra-provincial company, it has become or is about to become subject to an order for possession and control of its assets in its designated jurisdiction or its jurisdiction of incorporation, or
(g) there exists a practice or state of affairs within the licensed company that is or may be prejudicial to the public interest or to the interests of the company’s depositors or those persons for whom the company acts in a fiduciary capacity or creditors, and in the case of a licensed provincial company, to its shareholders.
243(3)When the Commission makes an order under subsection (1), the Superintendent shall send a copy of the order to an officer of the licensed provincial company, or, in the case of an extra-provincial company, to its agent in accordance with subsection 193(7).
243(4)An order under subsection (1) shall take effect immediately and is final and binding and that order shall not be stayed, varied or set aside by any court.
243(5)For the purposes of this section, the Commission may appoint those persons that it considers necessary to value and appraise the assets and liabilities of the licensed company and report on its condition and its ability, or otherwise, to meet its liabilities.
243(6)Within 60 days after the date of an order made under subsection (1), a party to the order or an interested person may appeal the making of the order to the Tribunal, and the Tribunal may confirm, vary or rescind, in whole or in part, the order.
243(7)An order of the Tribunal confirming or varying an order made under subsection (1) is final and binding and, despite section 48 of the Financial and Consumer Services Commission Act, shall not be stayed, varied or set aside by any court.
243(8)When the Commission makes an order under paragraph (1)(b) with respect to a licensed extra-provincial company, the order shall be limited to the possession and control of the assets of the company in New Brunswick.
243(9)Nothing in this section affects the right of the Commission to vary or rescind, at any time, an order made under subsection (1).
2013, c.31, s.21
Power of Commission on taking possession and control
244(1)When the Commission takes possession and control of the assets of a licensed company under the authority of an order under paragraph 243(1)(b), the Commission shall conduct the licensed company’s business and take those steps that, in the Commission’s opinion, should be taken toward the company’s rehabilitation.
244(2) For the purposes set out in subsection (1), the Commission has all the powers of the board of directors of the licensed company and may do the following:
(a) exclude the directors, officers, servants and agents of the licensed provincial company from the premises, property and business of the company, and, in the case of an extra-provincial company, from the premises, property and business of the company situated in New Brunswick;
(b) carry on, manage and conduct the operations of the licensed provincial company and, in the name of the company, preserve, maintain, realize, dispose of and add to the property of the company, receive the incomes and revenues of the company and exercise all the powers of the company, and, in the case of an extra-provincial company, exercise those powers in New Brunswick; and
(c) in the case of an extra-provincial company, make any agreement with the appropriate official of the company’s designated jurisdiction or its jurisdiction of incorporation to carry out the Commission’s order.
244(3)While the Commission has possession and control of the assets of a licensed company under this section, the Commission may apply to the Court for an order for the liquidation of the licensed provincial company under subsection 164(1) as if it were an application for the supervision of a voluntary liquidation under that subsection, or, in the case of a licensed extra-provincial company, for an order for the liquidation of the assets of the branch or branches of the company located in New Brunswick.
244(4)When the Commission is in possession and control of the assets of a licensed company and is conducting its business, the Commission may appoint one or more persons to manage and operate the business of the company, and such an appointee
(a) is a representative of the Commission, and
(b) is entitled to the remuneration fixed by the Commission, unless he or she is an employee under the Civil Service Act.
244(5)When the Commission is of the opinion that a licensed company whose assets are in its possession and control meets the requirements of this Act and the regulations and that it is otherwise proper for the company to resume possession and control of its assets and the conduct of its business, the Commission may relinquish to the company the possession and control of its assets, and, on and after the date the assets are relinquished, the powers of the Commission under this section cease.
244(6)If the Commission considers that further efforts to rehabilitate a licensed company whose assets are in its possession and control would be futile, the Commission may relinquish to the company the possession and control of its assets, and, on and after the date the assets are relinquished, the powers of the Commission under this section cease.
244(7)The costs and expenses of the Commission incurred in proceedings under section 243 and this section
(a) shall be paid by the licensed company, or
(b) if the company cannot pay the costs and expenses, the Commission may include the costs and expenses in those referred to in section 232.1.
2013, c.31, s.21
Application to Court
245(1)Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, where the Commission has taken possession and control of a licensed company under section 243, the Commission may apply to the Court for an order
(a) authorizing some other person to conduct the business of the company on such terms and conditions as the Court thinks fit,
(b) authorizing and directing the sale of the assets of the licensed company in whole or in part,
(c) appointing interim or permanent substitute trustees in respect of all or any part of the fiduciary obligations and duties, other than those in respect of deposits, of a licensed trust company,
(d) authorizing or directing such other action as the Court thinks fit and in the best interests of the depositors, persons for whom the licensed company acts in a fiduciary capacity, the creditors and the public, or
(e) staying any civil proceedings against the licensed company while the Commission is in possession and control of the company.
245(2)Where the Court has made an order under paragraph (1)(c), the fiduciary obligations and duties vest in, bind and may be enforced against the substituted fiduciary as fully and effectually as if the substituted fiduciary was originally named as fiduciary.
2004, c.23, s.5; 2013, c.31, s.21
Orders binding on successors and assignees
246Where a decision, or an order, approval or consent is made or given under this Act or a term, condition or restriction is imposed on its licence, it is binding on every successor or assignee of the licensed company or other person to whom it is directed.
Requirements respecting over-valued property
247(1)Subject to subsection (2), if in the opinion of the Superintendent with respect to a licensed company or its subsidiaries, it appears that
(a) the value placed upon the real estate owned by the company or any of its subsidiaries or any parcel of real estate is too great,
(b) the amount secured by mortgage upon any parcel of real estate, together with interest due and accrued on the amount secured is greater than the lending value of the parcel, or that the parcel is not sufficient security for the loan and interest, or
(c) the market value of any other asset is less than the amount shown in the books of the company or any of its subsidiaries,
the Superintendent may require the company to secure the appraisal of those assets by one or more competent valuators or the Superintendent may procure the appraisal at the expense of the company.
247(2)Subsection (1) applies in the case of a licensed extra-provincial company or its subsidiaries only to real estate or any other assets situated in New Brunswick.
247(3)If following an appraisal under subsection (1) it appears to the Superintendent that a condition referred to in paragraph (1)(a), (b) or (c) exists, the Superintendent may, in the case of a licensed provincial company, order that the appraised value be reflected in calculations made for the purposes of this Act and the regulations and, in the case of a licensed extra-provincial company, shall send immediately a copy of the appraisal to the appropriate official of the company’s designated jurisdiction.
247(4)An order of the Superintendent under subsection (3) shall be noted in the annual financial statement of a licensed provincial company.
Investigation ordered by Superintendent
248(1)When, on a statement made under oath or by solemn affirmation, it appears probable to the Superintendent that a licensed company or other person has violated any of the provisions of this Act or the regulations or an undertaking given or agreement made with the Superintendent or Commission under this Act, the Superintendent may, by order, appoint a person to make the investigation the Superintendent considers expedient for the due administration of this Act, and in the order shall determine and prescribe the scope of the investigation.
248(2)For the purpose of any investigation ordered under this section, the person appointed to make the investigation may, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, investigate, inquire into and examine
(a) the affairs of the person or company in respect of whom the investigation is being made and any books, papers, documents, correspondence, communications, negotiations, transactions, investigations, loans, borrowings and payments to, by, on behalf of or in relation to or connected with the company or other person and any property, assets or things owned, acquired or alienated in whole or in any part by the company or other person or by any person or body corporate acting on behalf of or as agent for the person or company, and
(b) the assets at any time held, the liabilities, debts, undertakings and obligations at any time existing, the financial or other conditions at any time prevailing in or in relation to or in connection with the company or other person and the relationship that may at any time exist or may have existed between the company or other person and any other person by reason of investments, purchases, commissions promised, secured or paid, interests held or acquired, purchase or sale of stock or other property, the transfer, negotiation or holding of stock, interlocking directorates, common control, undue influence or control or any other relationship.
248(3)The person making an investigation under this section has the same power to summon and enforce the attendance of witnesses and to compel them to give evidence on oath or solemn affirmation or otherwise, and to produce documents, records and things, as is vested in the Court for the trial of civil actions, and the failure or refusal of a person to attend, to answer questions or to produce such documents, records and things as are in the person’s custody or possession makes the person liable for contempt by a judge of the Court as if in breach of an order or judgment of the Court and no provision of the Evidence Act exempts any bank or loan company or trust company or any officer or employee of a bank or loan company or trust company from the operation of this section.
248(4)A person giving evidence at an investigation under this section may be represented by counsel.
248(5)Where an investigation is ordered under this section, the person appointed to make the investigation may seize and take possession of any documents, records, securities or other property of the licensed company or other person whose affairs are being investigated.
248(6)Where any documents, records, securities or other property are seized under subsection (5), the documents, records, securities or other property shall be made available for inspection and copying by the licensed company or other person from whom seized at a mutually convenient time and place if a request for an opportunity to inspect or copy is made by the person or company to the person appointed to make the investigation.
248(7)Where an investigation is ordered under this section, the Superintendent may appoint an accountant or other expert to examine documents, records, properties and matters of the person or licensed company whose affairs are being investigated.
248(8)Every person appointed under subsection (1) or (7) shall provide the Superintendent with a full and complete report of the investigation including any transcript of evidence and material in the person’s possession relating to the investigation.
248(9)The costs and expenses incurred by the Commission in an investigation ordered under this section
(a) shall be paid by the licensed company or other person to which the investigation relates, or
(b) if the company or other person cannot pay the costs and expenses, the Commission may include the costs and expenses in those referred to in section 232.1.
2013, c.31, s.21
Repealed
249Repealed: 2013, c.31, s.21
2013, c.31, s.21
Order to freeze property
250(1)The Superintendent may
(a) where the Superintendent is about to order an investigation in respect of a licensed company or other person under section 248 or during or after an investigation in respect of a person or licensed company under that section,
(b) where the Superintendent is about to make or has made a decision revoking the licence of any licensed company, or
(c) where proceedings in respect of a violation of this Act or the regulations or of any other matters referred to in subsection 248(1) are about to be or have been instituted against any licensed company or other person, that in the opinion of the Superintendent are connected with or arise out of any business and affairs conducted by the company or other person,
by any method that provides a written or printed copy, order any licensed company or other person having on deposit or under control or for safekeeping any funds, securities or assets of the company or other person referred to in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) to hold those funds or securities or assets or direct the company or other person referred to in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) to refrain from withdrawing or dealing with those funds, securities or assets from any other person having any of them on deposit, under control or for safekeeping or to hold all funds, securities or assets in their possession or control in trust for the Commission or until the Superintendent in writing revokes the order or consents to release any particular fund or property from the order.
250(2)In the case of an extra-provincial company, subsection (1) applies only to funds, securities or assets in New Brunswick.
250(3)An order issued under subsection (1) does not apply to funds or securities in a stock exchange clearing house or to securities in process of transfer by a transfer agent unless the order expressly so states, and in the case of a bank or a loan company or trust company, the order applies only to the offices, branches or agencies of the bank or loan company or trust company named in the order.
250(4)Any person or licensed company named in an order issued under subsection (1), if in doubt as to the application of the direction to particular funds, securities or assets, may apply to the Superintendent for an order of clarification.
250(5)On the application of a licensed company or other person directly affected by an order issued under subsection (1), the Superintendent may order, on such terms and conditions as the Superintendent may impose, the revocation of the previous order or may consent to the release of any fund or security.
250(6)In any of the circumstances mentioned in paragraph (1)(a), (b) or (c), the Superintendent may by any method that provides a written or printed copy notify the appropriate registrar of deeds that proceedings are being or are about to be taken that may affect land belonging to the company or other person referred to in the notice, which notice shall be registered or recorded against the lands or claims mentioned in the notice in the appropriate Registry Office or in accordance with the Land Titles Act, as the case may be, and has the same effect as the registration or recording of a certificate of pending litigation, and the Superintendent may in writing revoke or modify the notice.
2013, c.31, s.21
Superintendent may apply to Court for order
251(1)Where it appears to the Superintendent that any licensed company or other person has failed to comply with or is not complying with
(a) any decision or order made or any approval given under this Act or the regulations,
(b) any voluntary compliance program entered into,
(c) any undertaking given or any agreement made with the Superintendent under this Act, or
(d) any term, condition or restriction imposed on its licence issued under this Act,
in addition to any other rights under this Act, the Superintendent may apply to the Court for an order
(e) directing the person or company to comply with the decision, order, approval, program, undertaking or agreement or a term, condition or restriction imposed on its licence or restraining the person or company from violating that decision, order, approval, program, undertaking or agreement or a term, condition or restriction imposed on its licence, and
(f) directing the directors and officers of the person or company to cause the person or company to comply with the decision, order, approval, program, undertaking or agreement or to cease violating that decision, order, approval, program, undertaking or agreement or a term, condition or restriction imposed on its licence,
and the Court may make any order it thinks fit.
251(2)An appeal lies to The Court of Appeal of New Brunswick from an order made under subsection (1).
2013, c.31, s.21
Order for compliance
252(1)A depositor, a person for whom the company acts in a fiduciary capacity, a shareholder or creditor of a licensed company, the Minister, the Superintendent, the Commission or any other person who, in the discretion of the Court, is a proper person to make an application under this section may apply to the Court for an order under this section.
252(2)Where, on an application under subsection (1), the Court is satisfied that in respect of a licensed company or any of its affiliates
(a) any act or omission of the company or any of its affiliates effects or threatens to effect a result,
(b) the business or affairs of the company or any of its affiliates are, have been or are threatened to be carried on or conducted in a manner, or
(c) the powers of the directors of the company or any of its affiliates are, have been or are threatened to be exercised in a manner,
that is oppressive or unfairly prejudicial to or that unfairly disregards the interests of any shareholder, depositor, creditor or person for whom the company acts in a fiduciary capacity, the Court may make an order to rectify the matters complained of.
252(3)An applicant under subsection (1), other than the Superintendent or the Commission, shall give notice of the application to the Superintendent, and the Superintendent or the Commission may appear and be heard in person or by counsel.
252(4)In connection with an application under this section, the Court may make any interim or final order it thinks fit including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing,
(a) an order restraining the conduct complained of,
(b) an order to regulate a provincial company’s affairs by amending the by-laws,
(c) an order appointing directors in place of or in addition to all or any of the directors of a provincial company then in office,
(d) an order varying or setting aside a transaction or contract to which a licensed company is a party and compensating the licensed company or any other party to the transaction or contract,
(e) an order requiring a licensed company, within a time specified by the Court, to produce to the Court or an interested person financial statements or an accounting in such other form as the Court may determine,
(f) an order compensating an aggrieved person,
(g) an order directing rectification of the records of a company, or
(h) an order requiring the trial of any issue.
2013, c.31, s.21
Want of prosecution, costs
253(1)An application made or an action brought or intervened in under section 252 shall not be stayed or dismissed by reason only that it is shown that an alleged breach of a right or duty owed to the company or its subsidiary has been or may be approved by the shareholders of such body corporate, but evidence of the approval by the shareholders may be taken into account by the court in making an order under section 252.
253(2)An application made or an action brought or intervened in under section 252 shall not be stayed, discontinued, settled or dismissed for want of prosecution without the approval of the Court given upon such terms as the Court thinks fit and, if the Court determines that the interests of any person described in subsection 252(1) may be substantially affected by such stay, discontinuance, settlement or dismissal, the Court may order any party to the application or action to give notice to the person.
253(3)A person described in subsection 252(1) is not required to give security for costs in any application made or action brought or intervened in under section 252.
253(4)In an application made or an action brought or intervened in under section 252, the Court may at any time order the licensed company or any of its affiliates to pay to the applicant interim costs, including reasonable legal fees and disbursements, for which interim costs the applicant may be held accountable to the company or its affiliate upon final disposition of the application or action.
Application for rectification
254(1)If the name of a person is alleged to be or to have been wrongly entered or retained in, or wrongly deleted or omitted from, the registers or other records of a company, the company, a shareholder of the company or any aggrieved person may apply to the Court for an order that the registers or records be rectified.
254(2)An applicant under this section shall give the Superintendent notice of the application, and the Superintendent may appear and be heard in person or by counsel.
254(3)In connection with an application under this section, the Court may make an order it thinks fit including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing,
(a) an order requiring the registers or records of the company to be rectified,
(b) an order determining the right of a party to the proceedings to have the party’s name entered or retained in, or deleted or omitted from, the registers or records of the company, whether the issue arises between two or more shareholders or alleged shareholders, or between the company and any shareholders or alleged shareholders, and
(c) an order compensating a party who has incurred a loss.
2013, c.31, s.21
XV
OFFENCES AND PENALTIES
Offences
255(1)A person who
(a) Repealed: 2008, c.11, s.18
(b) violates any provision of an agreement referred to in section 205,
(c) Repealed: 2008, c.11, s.18
(d) Repealed: 2008, c.11, s.18
(e) allows the person’s name to be used on behalf of a person having a beneficial interest in a provincial company for the purpose of disguising that interest,
(f) wilfully fails to comply with an undertaking given under this Act,
(g) wilfully fails to comply with an order made under this Act,
(h) in the case of a licensed company, violates any term, condition or restriction imposed on its licence,
(i) wilfully breaches the terms of a voluntary compliance program or an agreement referred to in subsection 204(3),
(j) wilfully fails to report to the Minister or the Superintendent as required under this Act or the regulations, or
(k) wilfully makes or assists in making a report, return, notice or other document required by this Act or the regulations to be sent to the Minister or Superintendent that
(i) contains an untrue statement of material fact, or
(ii) omits to state a material fact required in that report, return, notice or other document or necessary to make a statement contained in that report, return, notice or other document not misleading in light of the circumstances in which it was made,
commits an offence.
255(2)Repealed: 2008, c.11, s.18
255(3)Repealed: 2008, c.11, s.18
255(4)Repealed: 2008, c.11, s.18
255(5)Repealed: 2008, c.11, s.18
2008, c.11, s.18
Order to comply
256Where a person commits an offence under this Act or the regulations, any court in which proceedings in respect of the offence are taken may, in addition to any other punishment it may impose, order that person to comply with the provisions of this Act or the regulations for the violation of which the person has been convicted.
Compensation or restitution
257Where a person is convicted of an offence under this Act or the regulations, the court making the conviction may, in addition to any other penalty, order the person convicted to make compensation or restitution in relation to the offence.
Offences generally
258(1)A person who violates or fails to comply with a provision of the regulations commits an offence.
258(2)A person who violates or fails to comply with a provision of this Act that is listed in Column I of Schedule B commits an offence.
258(3)For the purposes of Part II of the Provincial Offences Procedure Act, each offence listed in Column I of Schedule B is punishable as an offence of the category listed beside it in Column II of Schedule B.
258(4)Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, a person for whom a voluntary compliance program has been approved by the Minister who complies fully with that program shall not be prosecuted for or convicted of an offence in respect of the breach of this Act that the program was intended to remedy.
258(5)A person does not commit an offence under paragraph 179(1)(a) or (b), subsection 179(2), subsection 182(1) or (2), subsection 184(1), (2), (5) or (6) or paragraph 255(1)(b) if the person was not a party to the offence and reported the failure to comply with the provision as set out in section 187 or 188.
2008, c.11, s.18
Repealed
259Repealed: 2008, c.11, s.18
2008, c.11, s.18
Repealed
260Repealed: 1990, c.22, s.29
1990, c.22, s.29
Continuing offence
261If an offence under this Act or the regulations continues for more than one day,
(a) the minimum fine that may be imposed is the minimum fine set by the Provincial Offences Procedure Act multiplied by the number of days during which the offence continues, and
(b) the maximum fine that may be imposed is the maximum fine set by the Provincial Offences Procedure Act multiplied by the number of days during which the offence continues.
2008, c.11, s.18
Limitation
262Any prosecution for an offence under this Act or the regulations may be instituted at any time within three years after the time when the subject matter of the complaint arose.
Civil remedy
263No civil remedy for an act or omission is suspended or affected by reason that the act or omission is an offence under this Act or the regulations.
XVI
MISCELLANEOUS AND REGULATIONS
Deposits from persons unable to contract
264A licensed company, without the authority, aid, assistance or intervention of any other person or official being required, may receive deposits from any person regardless of the person’s age, status or condition in life, and whether the person is qualified by law to enter into ordinary contracts or not, and from time to time may pay any or all of the principal of those deposits and any or all of the interest of those deposits to or to the order of the person, unless before payment, the money on deposit is claimed by some other person in a court proceeding to which the company is a party and in respect of which service of a notice of action or other process originating such proceeding has been made on the company, or in any other proceeding pursuant to which an injunction or order made by the court requiring the company not to make payment of that money or to make payment of that money to some person other than the depositor has been served on the company, and in the case of any such claim so made the money so deposited may be paid to the depositor with the consent of the claimant or to the claimant with the consent of the depositor.
Disposition of deposits on death
265(1)A person who has deposits with a licensed company not exceeding five thousand dollars in the aggregate may, by a writing signed by the person and deposited with the company, nominate any person to receive the amount of those deposits at the person’s death.
265(2)Upon receiving a statutory declaration as to the death of a person who has made a nomination under subsection (1), the licensed company may substitute on its books the name of the nominee in place of the name of the person or may immediately pay to the nominee the amount due.
265(3)Where a depositor as described in subsection (1) dies without making a nomination in accordance with that subsection, the deposit may, without letters probate or letters of administration being taken out, be paid or transferred to
(a) the person who appears to the company to be entitled under the will of that depositor or in the case of intestacy under the law relating to devolution of property to receive it, or
(b) a person who appears to the company to be equitably entitled to the deposit by reason of having incurred expense for the maintenance, medical attendance or burial of the depositor,
upon receipt by the licensed company of the statutory declaration of the person so claiming stating the time and place of the death of the depositor and the facts supporting the claim.
Payments by mistake
266Where a licensed company, after the death of a depositor, has paid or transferred a deposit to the person who at the time appeared to be entitled, the payment or transfer is valid with respect to any demand from any other person as the legatee, next of kin or the personal representative of the deceased against the licensed company, but the legatee, next of kin or personal representative is entitled to recover the amount of the deposit from the recipient or transferee.
Unclaimed deposits
267(1)Within thirty days after a deposit made in New Brunswick to a licensed provincial company becomes an unclaimed deposit, the company shall pay to the Minister the amount owing to the depositor.
267(2)The Minister may pay an amount received under subsection (1) to a person claiming to be entitled to it upon being furnished with satisfactory proof of the person’s entitlement.
267(3)For the purposes of subsection (1), a deposit becomes an unclaimed deposit on the day ten years after the day on which the fixed term ended, in the case of a deposit for a fixed term, and, in any other case, on the day ten years after the day on which the last transaction took place on the depositor’s account or a statement of account was last requested or acknowledged by the depositor, whichever is latest.
2016, c.37, s.98
Effect of transfer of fiduciary business
268The transfer by a licensed provincial trust company to another licensed trust company of the business in relation to which the company acted as a fiduciary, other than deposits, does not operate further or otherwise as a discharge to any former or continuing trustee, including the provincial company, than an appointment of new trustees for that purpose contained in an instrument would have operated, and the company to which the business was transferred has the same powers, authority and discretion and may act in all respects as if the trust company had been originally appointed a trustee by the instrument, if any, creating the trust.
Notices generally
269(1)A notice or document required by this Act, the regulations, the instrument of incorporation or the by-laws to be sent to a shareholder or director of a provincial company may be sent by prepaid mail addressed to, or may be delivered personally to
(a) the shareholder at the latest address as shown in the records of the company or its transfer agent, or
(b) the director at the latest address as shown in the records of the company or in the latest records of the Superintendent.
269(2)A director named in a notice sent by a provincial company to the Superintendent and filed by the Superintendent shall be deemed for the purposes of the service of the notice or document referred to in subsection (1) to be a director of the company referred to in the notice.
269(3)A notice or document sent in accordance with subsection (1) to a shareholder or director of a provincial company shall be deemed to have been received by the shareholder or director at the time it would have been delivered in the ordinary course of mail unless there are reasonable grounds for believing that the shareholder or director did not receive the notice or document at that time or at all.
269(4)If a provincial company sends a notice or document to a shareholder in accordance with subsection (1) and the notice or document is returned on three consecutive occasions because the shareholder cannot be found, the company is not required to send any further notices or documents to the shareholder until the shareholder informs the company in writing of the shareholder’s new address.
Notice sent to or served upon a company
270(1)A notice or document required to be sent to or served upon a company may be sent by registered mail to the registered office of the company and, if so sent, shall be deemed to have been received or served at the time it would have been delivered in the ordinary course of mail unless there are reasonable grounds for believing that the company did not receive the notice or document at that time or at all.
270(2)If there are reasonable grounds for believing that a company will not receive a notice or document, then a notice or document required to be sent to or served upon a company may be sent by registered mail to or served upon any director of the company as shown in the last notice filed with the Superintendent and, if so sent, shall be deemed to have been received or served on the company at the time it would have been delivered in the ordinary course of mail to such director, unless there are reasonable grounds for believing that the director did not receive the notice or document at the time or at all.
270(3)In the case of an extra-provincial company, a notice or document within the meaning of subsection (1) may be sent or served upon it in accordance with section 193.
270(4)Where a notice or document is required by this Act or the regulations to be sent, the notice may be waived or the time for the notice may be waived or abridged at any time, either before or after the event, with the consent in writing of the person entitled to the notice or document.
Certificates
271(1)Where this Act requires or authorizes the Minister or Superintendent to issue a certificate or to certify any fact, the certificate shall be signed by the Minister or Superintendent, as the case may be.
271(2)A certificate referred to in subsection (1) or a certified copy of such certificate is admissible in evidence and when introduced as evidence in any civil, criminal or administrative action or proceeding, or for any other purpose, is proof, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, of the facts so certified without proof of the signature or official character of the person appearing to have signed the certificate.
Notices and documents
272(1)Where a notice or document is required to be sent to or filed with the Superintendent under this Act, the Superintendent may accept a photostatic or photographic copy of the notice or document.
272(2)The Superintendent may require that a document or a fact stated in a document required by this Act or the regulations to be sent to the Superintendent shall be verified in accordance with subsection (3).
272(3)A document or fact required by this Act or by the Superintendent to be verified may be verified by affidavit made under oath or by statutory declaration under the Evidence Act before any commissioner for taking affidavits to be read in The Court of King’s Bench of New Brunswick or a Notary Public or in any such other manner as may be prescribed or permitted by the Evidence Act.
2023, c.17, s.144
Alteration to notice or document
273The Superintendent may alter a notice or document, other than an affidavit or statutory declaration, if so authorized by the person who sent the document or by the person’s representative.
Certificate of company
274(1)A certificate issued on behalf of a company stating any fact that is set out in the instrument of incorporation, the by-laws, the minutes of the meetings of the directors, a committee of directors or the shareholders, or in a trust indenture or other contract to which the company is a party may be signed by a director or an officer of the company.
274(2)When introduced as evidence in any civil, criminal or administrative action or proceeding
(a) a certificate referred to in subsection (1),
(b) a certified extract from any register of a company, or
(c) a certified copy of minutes or extracts from minutes of a meeting of shareholders, directors or a committee of directors of a company,
is proof, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, of the facts so certified without proof of the signature or official character of the person appearing to have signed the certificate.
Regulations
275The Lieutenant-Governor in Council may make regulations
(a) prescribing forms that are required to be prescribed under this Act and providing for their use;
(b) respecting forms to be used under this Act;
(c) requiring the payment of fees for letters patent, supplementary letters patent, letters patent of continuance, letters patent of amalgamation and licences issued under this Act and in respect of any function performed by the Minister, the Superintendent, the Commission or the Tribunal under this Act or the regulations and prescribing the amounts of those fees;
(d) requiring the payment of fees in respect of the filing, examination or copying of documents and prescribing the amounts of those fees;
(e) prescribing rules with respect to names prohibited by this Act;
(f) prescribing the method of calculating the capital base of a company including what may or may not be included in the calculation and the manner in which the value of anything included in the calculation shall be calculated or determined for that purpose;
(g) prescribing the method of calculating the total assets of a company including the manner in which the value of any of those assets shall be calculated or determined for that purpose;
(h) prescribing limits in dollar amounts or in a percentage of total assets of investments in any assets or any class of assets and, where a limit has been imposed by this Act with respect to any asset or class of assets, prescribing limits that are more restrictive than those set out in the Act;
(i) respecting the issue of subordinated notes;
(j) prescribing the method of calculating liquidity of a provincial company, and the form and amount of liquidity to be maintained by a provincial company;
(k) prohibiting securities for the purposes of paragraph 41(1)(c);
(l) designating Acts for the purposes of paragraph 41(2)(a);
(m) prescribing amounts that may be invested in personal loans under paragraph 41(2)(b);
(n) prescribing investments that are prohibited for the purposes of subsection 45(1);
(o) prescribing investments for the purposes of paragraph 46(1)(g);
(p) prescribing terms and conditions for the establishment or acquisition of subsidiaries of a provincial company;
(q) respecting common trust funds, including the establishment and operation of common trust funds and the investment of trust money in those funds;
(r) requiring the disclosure to borrowers of terms and conditions of loans, mortgages and interest rates in lending transactions;
(s) respecting the custody and safekeeping of securities, property or trust assets registered in the name of or held by a provincial company;
(t) prescribing recognized stock exchanges for the purposes of this Act;
(u) respecting the records, papers and documents to be retained by provincial companies and the length of time they shall be so retained;
(v) prescribing financial or other information to be provided by provincial companies to the Superintendent and the time at which such information shall be provided;
(w) prescribing information to be publicly disclosed by a provincial company or to be placed before the annual meeting of a provincial company;
(x) prescribing the information that shall be maintained by licensed companies and the public file of each company;
(y) exempting persons holding such percentage, as may be set out in the regulations, of shares of a provincial company from the requirements of section 88;
(z) exempting classes of provincial companies from the requirements of section 88;
(aa) requiring the bonding and insurance coverage of and for directors, officers, agents and employees of a company and of property of the company or held by it;
(bb) respecting the establishment of networks by or for licensed companies for the purpose of providing financial services to their clients;
(cc) prescribing information to be provided to security holders of a company and to persons on whose behalf a licensed company holds securities of a body corporate as fiduciary or agent;
(dd) prohibiting the transfer or issue of voting shares of a provincial company;
(ee) prescribing individuals disqualified from being a director of a provincial company for the purposes of paragraph 98(1)(j);
(ff) prescribing individuals who are not eligible to be outside directors for the purposes of paragraph 100(4)(d);
(gg) respecting the qualifications for appointment as an officer of a provincial company;
(hh) respecting reports of transactions required to be reviewed by the audit committee;
(ii) prescribing duties for audit and investment committees;
(jj) prescribing procedures to be established by a provincial company for the purposes of paragraph 119(1)(d);
(kk) respecting the activities of a company in dealing with persons who act as agents for the licensed company and governing the relationships between the company and its agents and reporting of those agents;
(ll) respecting the format and contents of financial statements, notices and other documents required under this Act;
(mm) respecting reports by auditors;
(nn) prescribing classes of loans, investments or transactions for the purposes of Part X;
(oo) permitting licensed provincial companies to make loans to employees as described in subsection 180(2) and prescribing the maximum amount of any such loan;
(oo.1) prescribing an amount for the purposes of subpararaph 180(1)(a)(ii);
(pp) respecting investments, and prohibiting or restricting as to amount investments, by licensed extra-provincial companies in New Brunswick for the purposes of section 196;
(qq) prescribing financial or other information to be provided to the Superintendent and the time at which such information shall be provided for the purposes of section 197;
(rr) respecting the activities of deposit brokers and any other person referred to in section 206 and the relationship between the company, deposit brokers and any other persons referred to in section 206 and their clients;
(ss) respecting hearings and appeals and the procedures for hearings and appeals;
(tt) respecting assessments with respect to licensed companies for recovering the costs and expenses referred to in subsection 232(1), including the amount of the assessment with respect to each company, the manner, time and frequency of assessments and payments and the use of different methods of assessment with respect to different companies;
(uu) prescribing procedures related to the payment of unclaimed deposits to the Minister under section 267, requiring provincial companies to give notices to depositors in relation to the deposits and to keep such records of the deposits as are prescribed by regulation;
(vv) prescribing rules with respect to exemptions permitted by this Act;
(ww) defining for the purposes of this Act and the regulations any word or expression used in this Act;
(xx) prescribing any matter required or authorized by this Act to be prescribed.
1989, c.21, s.9; 2013, c.31, s.21; 2016, c.37, s.98
XVII
TRANSITIONAL, CONSEQUENTIAL
AMENDMENTS, REPEAL AND
COMMENCEMENT
Prohibition respecting licensing, transitional licences, transitional provision re capital requirements
276(1)No body corporate shall apply for or obtain a licence under the Trust, Building and Loan Companies Licensing Act after the commencement of this Act.
276(2)Notwithstanding subsection (1) or any other provision of this Act, a loan company, trust company or other body corporate referred to in paragraph 2(b) that was licensed under the Trust, Building and Loan Companies Licensing Act on the commencement of this Act, may, without a licence issued under this Act, continue to carry on business in New Brunswick under its existing licence issued under the Trust, Building and Loan Companies Licensing Act and in accordance with that Act and the regulations and its licence issued under that Act
(a) for one year after the commencement of this Act,
(b) if it applies for letters patent of continuance in accordance with paragraph 3(1)(a) and a first licence under this Act, until the Minister issues or refuses to issue the letters patent of continuance and the first licence,
(c) if it applies to be continued in another jurisdiction in accordance with paragraph 3(1)(b) until the Minister issues a certificate referred to in subsection 4(2) or a certificate of discontinuance, as the case may be, or
(d) if it applies for a certificate of continuance under the Business Corporations Act in accordance with paragraph 3(1)(c), until the Minister issues a certificate of discontinuance referred to in subsection 29(5),
whichever is earliest.
276(3)Notwithstanding subsection (1) or any other provision of this Act, an extra-provincial company that was licensed under the Trust, Building and Loan Companies Licensing Act on the commencement of this Act, may, without a licence issued under this Act, continue to carry on business in New Brunswick under its existing licence issued under the Trust, Building and Loan Companies Licensing Act and in accordance with that Act and the regulations and its licence issued under that Act
(a) for one hundred and twenty days after the commencement of this Act, or
(b) if it applies for a first licence under subsection 211(1) within the period referred to in paragraph (a), until the Minister issues or refuses to issue a first licence to the company.
276(4)Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, where an extra-provincial company that was licensed under the Trust, Building and Loan Companies Licensing Act on the commencement of this Act does not meet the capital requirements referred to in subparagraph 212(2)(b)(i), (ii) or (iii), the Minister may, until June 1, 1990,issue to the company a first and second or subsequent licence for which the company otherwise qualifies, if the company maintains the capital base specified in the licence, subject to any terms, conditions or restrictions imposed on its licence.
2023, c.2, s.189
Transitional application of existing legislation
277The Deposit Insurance Act, the Trust, Building and Loan Companies Licensing Act and the Trust Companies Act apply
(a) to a loan company, trust company or other body corporate referred to in subsection 276(2), for that period during which it is authorized under that subsection to carry on business in New Brunswick under its existing licence, after which those Acts cease to apply to it,
(b) to an extra-provincial company referred to in subsection 276(3), for that period during which it is authorized under that subsection to carry on business in New Brunswick under its existing licence, after which those Acts cease to apply to it.
Auditor General Act
278Paragraph 1(h) of the Auditor General Act, chapter A-17.1 of the Acts of New Brunswick, 1981, is amended by adding“or a loan company or trust company carrying on business under the Loan and Trust Companies Act whose books are to be audited under any provision of that Act” after “under section 12 of the Trust Companies Act”.
Business Corporations Act
279(1)Subsection 2(8) of the Business Corporations Act, chapter B-9.1 of the Acts of New Brunswick, 1981, is repealed and the following is substituted:
2(8)This Act does not apply
(a) to a provincial company as defined in the Loan and Trust Companies Act or a body corporate referred to in paragraph 2(b) of that Act except as that Act otherwise provides, or
(b) to an insurance company.
279(2)Paragraph 13(3)(b) of the Act is repealed and the following is substituted:
(b) to carry on the business of a loan company or trust company as defined in the Loan and Trust Companies Act or of an insurance company;
279(3)Section 195 of the Act is amended
(a) in paragraph (a) by striking out “or” at the end of the paragraph;
(b) in paragraph (b) by striking out the period at the end of the paragraph and substituting a comma followed by “or”;
(c) by adding after paragraph (b) the following:
(c) a licensed extra-provincial company as defined in the Loan and Trust Companies Act.
Companies Act
280(1)The Companies Act, chapter C-13 of the Revised Statutes, 1973, is amended by adding after section 1.1 the following:
1.11After the commencement of the Loan and Trust Companies Act and notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, this Act does not apply to a provincial company as defined in the Loan and Trust Companies Act or, except as provided in subsection 1.2(3.1), a body corporate referred to in paragraph 2(b) of that Act.
280(2)Subsection 1.2(3.1) of the Act is repealed and the following is substituted:
1.2(3.1)Notwithstanding subsection (2), supplementary letters patent may be issued under this Act after the time stipulated in subsection (2)
(a) to a body corporate referred to in paragraph 2(b) of the Loan and Trust Companies Act,
(i) for one year after the commencement of the Loan and Trust Companies Act,
(ii) if it applies for letters patent of continuance in accordance with paragraph 3(1)(a) of the Loan and Trust Companies Act and a first licence under that Act, until the Minister issues or refuses to issue the letters patent of continuance and the first licence,
(iii) if it applies to be continued in another jurisdiction in accordance with paragraph 3(1)(b) of the Loan and Trust Companies Act, until the Minister issues a certificate referred to in subsection 4(2) of that Act or a certificate of discontinuance, as the case may be, or
(iv) if it applies for a certificate of continuance under the Business Corporations Act in accordance with paragraph 3(1)(c) of the Loan and Trust Companies Act, until the Minister issues a certificate of discontinuance referred to in subsection 29(5) of the Loan and Trust Companies Act,
whichever is earliest, and
(b) to an insurance company.
280(3)Subsection 126(1) of the Act is amended by adding “or the Loan and Trust Companies Act, as the case may be,” after “the Trust, Building and Loan Companies Licensing Act,”.
Deposit Insurance Act
281Section 4 of the Deposit Insurance Act, chapter D-7 of the Revised Statutes, 1973, is amended by adding after subsection (2) the following:
4(3)After the commencement of the Loan and Trust Companies Act and notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, this Act applies only to a loan or trust company that accepts, in the Province of New Brunswick, deposits within the meaning of the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation Act, chapter C-3 of the Revised Statutes of Canada, 1970, and that was licensed under the Trust, Building and Loan Companies Licensing Act on the commencement of this subsection, and it continues to apply to that loan or trust company for that period during which it is authorized under subsection 276(2) or (3) of the Loan and Trust Companies Act to continue to carry on business under its existing licence issued under the Trust, Building and Loan Companies Licensing Act.
Insurance Act
282(1)The Insurance Act, chapter I-12 of the Revised Statutes, 1973, is amended by adding after section 25 the following:
25.1No provincial company or extra-provincial company as defined in the Loan and Trust Companies Act shall apply for or obtain a licence under this Act after the commencement of the Loan and Trust Companies Act.
282(2)Subsection 326.1(1) of the Act is amended by adding “or the Loan and Trust Companies Act, as the case may be”after “the Trust, Building and Loan Companies Licensing Act”.
Trust, Building and Loan Companies Licensing Act
283Section 1 of the Trust, Building and Loan Companies Licensing Act, chapter T-13 of the Revised Statutes, 1973, is amended by adding after subsection (2) the following:
1(3)After the commencement of the Loan and Trust Companies Act and notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, no body corporate shall apply for or obtain a licence under this Act.
1(4)After the commencement of the Loan and Trust Companies Act and notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, this Act applies only to a loan company or trust company as defined in the Loan and Trust Companies Act or a body corporate referred to in paragraph 2(b) of that Act that was licensed under this Act on the commencement of this subsection, and continues to apply to it for that period during which it is authorized under subsection 276(2) or (3) of the Loan and Trust Companies Act to continue to carry on business in New Brunswick under its existing licence issued under this Act.
Trust Companies Act
284Section 1 of the Trust Companies Act, chapter T-14 of the Revised Statutes, 1973, is amended by adding after subsection (1.1) the following:
1(1.2)After the commencement of the Loan and Trust Companies Act and notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, no body corporate shall be approved or appointed as a trust company under this Act.
1(1.3)After the commencement of the Loan and Trust Companies Act and notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, this Act applies only to a body corporate that was licensed under the Trust, Building and Loan Companies Licensing Act and was approved and appointed as a trust company under this Act on the commencement of this subsection, and it continues to apply to that body corporate for that period during which it is authorized under subsection 276(2) or (3) of the Loan and Trust Companies Act to continue to carry on business under its existing licence issued under the Trust, Building and Loan Companies Licensing Act.
Security Frauds Prevention Act
285Paragraph 7(c) of the Security Frauds Prevention Act, chapter S-6 of the Revised Statutes, 1973, is amended by adding “or a licensed provincial company or licensed extra-provincial company as defined in the Loan and Trust Companies Act,” after “the Trust Companies Act,”.
1989, c.21, s.10
Repeal of certain Acts
286The Deposit Insurance Act, chapter D-7 of the Revised Statutes, 1973, the Trust, Building and Loan Companies Licensing Act, chapter T-13 of the Revised Statutes, 1973, and the Trust Companies Act, chapter T-14 of the Revised Statutes, 1973, are repealed one year after the commencement of this Act.
Commencement
287This Act or any provision of it comes into force on a day or days to be fixed by proclamation.
Schedule A
Cidel Trust International (Canada) Inc., as continued by An Act to Continue Pierson Management (Canada) Inc., chapter 46 of the Acts of New Brunswick, 1989
Concilium Trustees Canada Inc., as incorporated by An Act to Incorporate Concilium Trustees Canada Inc.
Kleinwort Benson International Trustees Limited, as incorporated by An Act to Incorporate Kleinwort Benson International Trustees Limited
Laforest Trustee Corporation, as incorporated by An Act to Incorporate Laforest Trustee Corporation
New World Trust Corporation, as incorporated under An Act to Incorporate New World Trust Corporation, chapter 59 of the Acts of New Brunswick, 1977
Royal Bank of Canada Trustees International Limited, as incorporated by An Act to Incorporate Royal Bank of Canada Trustees International Limited
Saffery Champness Trust Corporation, as continued under the laws of the Province of New Brunswick by An Act to Continue Griffin Trustees Limited
SG Hambros Trust Company (Canada) Inc., as incorporated by An Act to Incorporate SG Hambros Trust Company (Canada) Inc.
UBS Global Trust Corporation, as incorporated by An Act To Incorporate UBS Global Trust Corporation
1988, c.65, s.2; 1991, c.65, s.18; 1993, c.75, s.17; 1995, c.54, s.2; 1997, c.68, s.15; 1998, c.52, s.19; 1999, c.51, s.19; 1999, c.52, s.7; 2002, c.55, s.19; 2008, c.40, s.19; 2012, c.2, s.1
SCHEDULE B
Column I
Column II
Section
Category of Offence
17(5)..............
C
22(2)..............
F
24(1)..............
C
32..............
E
33(1)..............
F
34(4)..............
F
35(1)..............
E
37(5)..............
C
37(6)..............
E
38(3)..............
C
38(4)..............
E
38(6)..............
E
39..............
E
40(1)..............
E
40(2)..............
E
40(3)..............
E
40(4)..............
E
41(3)..............
E
42(2)..............
E
45(1)..............
E
45(3)..............
E
46(1)..............
E
46(2)..............
E
46(4)..............
E
47(1)..............
E
48(2)..............
E
48(4)..............
E
52(2)..............
E
52(3)..............
E
52(4)..............
E
53(1)..............
E
56(1)..............
C
56(4)..............
C
57(1)..............
C
57(2)..............
C
59(3)..............
C
60..............
C
61(1)..............
C
62..............
C
63(a)..............
C
63(b)..............
C
64(1)..............
C
64(2)..............
C
65..............
C
66..............
C
67..............
C
73(4)..............
C
76(a)..............
E
76(b)..............
E
77(1)..............
E
77(4)..............
E
78(2)..............
E
78(6)..............
C
89..............
C
93..............
C
96..............
E
103(3)..............
B
120(1)..............
B
120(2)..............
B
137(6)..............
C
137(7)..............
C
141(7)..............
C
141(8)..............
C
142(6)..............
C
142(7)..............
C
142(9)..............
C
143(2)..............
C
143(3)..............
C
144(3)..............
C
144(4)..............
C
144(5)..............
C
144(6)..............
C
145(3)..............
C
146(1)..............
E
156(1)(a)..............
E
157(2)..............
E
159..............
C
163(4)..............
E
163(6)..............
E
163(7)..............
E
164(3)..............
C
166(1)(a)..............
E
169(6)..............
E
169(10)..............
C
172(2)..............
E
179(1)(a)..............
F
179(1)(b)..............
F
179(2)..............
F
182(1)..............
F
182(2)..............
F
184(1)..............
F
184(2)..............
F
184(5)..............
F
184(6)..............
F
187..............
C
188(1)..............
C
188(2)..............
F
192(4)..............
E
193(2)..............
C
193(3)..............
C
193(4)..............
C
194..............
C
195..............
E
196(1)..............
E
196(2)..............
E
196(3)..............
E
196(5)..............
E
197..............
C
198..............
C
199..............
C
200..............
C
201..............
C
203(1)..............
C
204(1)..............
C
204(3)..............
C
205..............
C
206..............
C
207(1)..............
C
208(1)..............
C
209(1)(a)..............
C
209(1)(b)..............
C
209(3)..............
C
210(1)..............
E
210(2)..............
E
210(3)..............
E
210(4)..............
E
210(5)..............
E
210(6)..............
E
219(1)..............
E
219(2)..............
E
223(2)..............
E
223(4)..............
E
227(2)..............
C
240(5)..............
E
255(1)(b)..............
E
255(1)(e)..............
E
255(1)(f)..............
E
255(1)(g)..............
E
255(1)(h)..............
E
255(1)(i)..............
E
255(1)(j)..............
E
255(1)(k)..............
F
258(1)..............
B
2008, c.11, s.18
N.B. This Act, except s.198(b), was proclaimed and came into force July 1, 1992.
N.B. This Act is consolidated to January 1, 2024.