Saving

(3) Despite subsection (1), if a person contravenes subsection 374(1) by reason only that, as a result of an event that has occurred and is continuing and is not within the control of the person, shares of the bank beneficially owned by the person or by any entity controlled by the person acquire voting rights in such number so as to cause the person to be a major shareholder of the bank, the Minister may, after consideration of the circumstances, permit the person and any entity controlled by the person to exercise voting rights, in person or by proxy, in respect of any class of voting shares of the bank beneficially owned by them that do not in aggregate exceed 20 per cent of the voting rights attached to that class of voting shares.

Loss of control - banks and bank holding companies

393. (1) Despite sections 374 and 377, a widely held bank or a widely held bank holding company may be a major shareholder of a bank with equity of five billion dollars or more and cease to control, within the meaning of paragraphs 3(1)(a) and (d), the bank if it has entered into an agreement with the Minister to do all things necessary to ensure that it is not a major shareholder of the bank on the expiration of the day specified in the agreement.

Extension

(2) If general market conditions so warrant and the Minister is satisfied that the bank or the bank holding company has used its best efforts to be in compliance with subsection (1) on the required day, the Minister may specify a later day as the day from and after which it must comply with that subsection.

Loss of control - other entities

393.1 (1) Despite sections 374 and 377, an eligible foreign institution, an eligible Canadian financial institution, other than a bank, or a widely held insurance holding company may be a major shareholder of a bank with equity of five billion dollars or more and cease to control, within the meaning of paragraph 3(1)(d), the bank if it has entered into an agreement with the Minister to do all things necessary to ensure that it is not a major shareholder of the bank on the expiration of the day specified in the agreement.

Extension

(2) If general market conditions so warrant and the Minister is satisfied that the institution or insurance holding company has used its best efforts to be in compliance with subsection (1) on the required day, the Minister may specify a later day as the day from and after which it must comply with that subsection.

Change in status

394. (1) If a body corporate that is an eligible financial institution other than a bank controls, within the meaning of paragraph 3(1)(d), a bank with equity of five billion dollars or more and the body corporate subsequently ceases to be an eligible financial institution, the body corporate must do all things necessary to ensure that, on the day that is one year after the day it ceased to be an eligible financial institution,

    (a) it does not control, within the meaning of paragraph 3(1)(d), the bank; and

    (b) it is not a major shareholder of the bank.

Extension

(2) If general market conditions so warrant and the Minister is satisfied that the body corporate has used its best efforts to be in compliance with subsection (1) on the required day, the Minister may specify a later day as the day from and after which it must comply with that subsection.

Approval Process

Application for approval

395. (1) An application for an approval of the Minister required under this Part must be filed with the Superintendent and contain the information, material and evidence that the Superintendent may require.

Applicant

(2) If, with respect to any particular transaction, this Part applies to more than one person, any one of those persons may make the application to the Minister for approval on behalf of all of those persons.

Matters for consideration

396. (1) Subject to subsection (2), if an application for an approval under section 373 is made, the Minister, in determining whether or not to approve the transaction, shall take into account all matters that the Minister considers relevant to the application, including

    (a) the nature and sufficiency of the financial resources of the applicant or applicants as a source of continuing financial support for the bank;

    (b) the soundness and feasibility of the plans of the applicant or applicants for the future conduct and development of the business of the bank;

    (c) the business record and experience of the applicant or applicants;

    (d) the character and integrity of the applicant or applicants or, if the applicant or any of the applicants is a body corporate, its reputation for being operated in a manner that is consistent with the standards of good character and integrity;

    (e) whether the bank will be operated responsibly by persons with the competence and experience suitable for involvement in the operation of a financial institution;

    (f) the impact of any integration of the businesses and operations of the applicant or applicants with those of the bank on the conduct of those businesses and operations;

    (g) the opinion of the Superintendent regarding the extent to which the proposed corporate structure of the applicant or applicants and their affiliates may affect the supervision and regulation of the bank, having regard to

      (i) the nature and extent of the proposed financial services activities to be carried out by the bank and its affiliates, and

      (ii) the nature and degree of supervision and regulation applying to the proposed financial services activities to be carried out by the affiliates of the bank; and

    (h) the best interests of the financial system in Canada.

Exception

(2) Subject to subsection 377(1), the Minister shall take into account only paragraph (1)(d) if the application is in respect of a transaction that would result in the applicant or applicants holding

    (a) more than 10 per cent but no more than 20 per cent of any class of the outstanding voting shares of a widely held bank with equity of five billion dollars or more; or

    (b) more than 10 per cent but no more than 30 per cent of any class of the outstanding non-voting shares of such a bank.

Favourable treatment

(3) The Minister shall not approve a transaction that would cause a bank to become a subsidiary of a foreign bank within the meaning of any of paragraphs (a) to (f) of the definition ``foreign bank'' in section 2 that is a non-WTO Member foreign bank unless the Minister is satisfied that treatment as favourable for banks to which this Act applies exists or will be provided in the jurisdiction in which the foreign bank principally carries on business, either directly or through a subsidiary.

Terms and conditions

397. The Minister may impose any terms and conditions in respect of an approval given under this Part that the Minister considers necessary to ensure compliance with any provision of this Act.

Certifying receipt of application

398. (1) If, in the opinion of the Superintendent, an application filed under this Part contains all the required information, the Superintendent shall without delay refer the application to the Minister and send a receipt to the applicant certifying the date on which the completed application was received by the Superintendent.

Incomplete application

(2) If, in the opinion of the Superintendent, an application filed under this Part is incomplete, the Superintendent shall send a notice to the applicant specifying the information required by the Superintendent to complete the application.

Notice of decision

399. (1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3) and 400(1), the Minister shall, within a period of thirty days after the certified date referred to in subsection 398(1), send to the applicant

    (a) a notice approving the transaction to which the application relates; or

    (b) if the Minister is not satisfied that the transaction to which the application relates should be approved, a notice to that effect, advising the applicant of the right to make representations to the Minister in respect of the matter.

Notice of decision

(2) Subject to subsections (4) and 400(2), if an application involves the acquisition of control of a bank, the Minister shall, within a period of forty-five days after the certified date referred to in subsection 398(1), send to the applicant

    (a) a notice approving the transaction to which the application relates; or

    (b) if the Minister is not satisfied that the transaction to which the application relates should be approved, a notice to that effect, advising the applicant of the right to make representations to the Minister in respect of the matter.

Extension of period for notice

(3) If the Minister is unable to complete the consideration of an application within the period referred to in subsection (1), the Minister shall

    (a) within that period, send a notice to that effect to the applicant; and

    (b) within a further period of thirty days after the date of the sending of the notice referred to in paragraph (a) or within any other further period that may be agreed on by the applicant and the Minister, send a notice referred to in paragraph (1)(a) or (b) to the applicant.

Further extensions

(4) If the Minister considers it appropriate to do so, the Minister may extend the period referred to in subsection (2) for one or more periods of forty-five days.

Reasonable opportunity to make representation s

400. (1) If, after receipt of the notice referred to in paragraph 399(1)(b), the applicant advises the Minister that the applicant wishes to make representations, the Minister must provide the applicant with a reasonable opportunity within a period of thirty days after the date of the notice, or within any further period that may be agreed on by the applicant and the Minister, to make representations in respect of the matter.

Reasonable opportunity to make representation s

(2) If, after receipt of the notice referred to in paragraph 399(2)(b), the applicant advises the Minister that the applicant wishes to make representations, the Minister must provide the applicant with a reasonable opportunity within a period of forty-five days after the date of the notice, or within any further period that may be agreed on by the applicant and the Minister, to make representations in respect of the matter.

Notice of decision

401. (1) Within a period of thirty days after the expiration of the period for making representations referred to in subsection 400(1), the Minister shall, in the light of any such representations and having regard to the matters to be taken into account, send a notice to the applicant indicating whether or not the Minister approves the transaction to which the application relates.

Notice of decision

(2) Within a period of forty-five days after the expiration of the period for making representations referred to in subsection 400(2), the Minister shall, in the light of any such representations and having regard to the matters to be taken into account, send a notice to the applicant indicating whether or not the Minister approves the transaction to which the application relates.

Deemed approval

401.1 If the Minister does not send a notice under subsection 399(1) or (3) or 401(1) within the period provided for in those subsections, the Minister is deemed to have approved the transaction to which the application relates.

Constraining registration: Crown and foreign governments

401.2 (1) No bank shall record in its securities register a transfer or issue of any share of the bank to

    (a) Her Majesty in right of Canada or of a province or any agent or agency of Her Majesty in either of those rights; or

    (b) the government of a foreign country or any political subdivision of a foreign country, or any agent or agency of a foreign government.

Exception

(2) Despite subsection (1), a bank may record in its securities register a transfer or issue of any share of the bank to a foreign bank, or to a foreign institution, that is controlled by the government of a foreign country or any political subdivision of a foreign country or any agent or agency of a foreign country if the bank is a subsidiary of the foreign bank or foreign institution.

Suspension of voting rights held by governments

401.3 (1) Despite section 148, no person shall, in person or by proxy, exercise any voting rights attached to any share of a bank that is beneficially owned by

    (a) Her Majesty in right of Canada or of a province or any agency of Her Majesty in either of those rights; or

    (b) the government of a foreign country or any political subdivision thereof, or any agency thereof.

Exception

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to a foreign bank, or to a foreign institution, that is controlled by the government of a foreign country or any political subdivision of a foreign country or any agent or agency of a foreign country and that has a significant interest in a class of shares of a bank that is a subsidiary of the foreign bank or foreign institution.

99. (1) Subsection 402(1) of the Act is replaced by the following:

Disposition of shareholdings

402. (1) If, with respect to any bank, a person contravenes section 372 or subsection 373(1), 374(1) or 375(1) or section 376.1 or 376.2, subsection 377(1) or section 377.1 or fails to comply with an undertaking referred to in subsection 390(2) or with any terms and conditions imposed under section 397, the Minister may, if the Minister deems it in the public interest to do so, by order, direct that person and any person controlled by that person to dispose of any number of shares of the bank beneficially owned by any of those persons that the Minister specifies in the order, within the time specified in the order and in the proportion, if any, as between the person and the persons controlled by that person that is specified in the order.

1999, c. 28, s. 21

(2) Subsections 402(3) and (4) of the Act are replaced by the following:

Appeal

(3) Any person with respect to whom a direction has been made under subsection (1) may, within thirty days after the date of the direction, appeal the matter in accordance with section 977.

1997, c. 15, ss. 42(1) and (2)

100. (1) The portion of subsection 410(1) of the Act before paragraph (d) is replaced by the following:

Additional activities

410. (1) In addition, a bank may

    (a) hold, manage and otherwise deal with real property;

    (b) provide prescribed bank-related data processing services;

    (c) outside Canada or, with the prior written approval of the Minister, in Canada, engage in any of the following activities, namely,

      (i) collecting, manipulating and transmitting

        (A) information that is primarily financial or economic in nature,

        (B) information that relates to the business of a permitted entity, as defined in subsection 464(1), or

        (C) any other information that the Minister may, by order, specify,

      (ii) providing advisory or other services in the design, development or implementation of information management systems,

      (iii) designing, developing or marketing computer software, and

      (iv) designing, developing, manufacturing or selling, as an ancillary activity to any activity referred to in any of subparagraphs (i) to (iii) that the bank is engaging in, computer equipment integral to the provision of information services related to the business of financial institutions or to the provision of financial services;

    (c.1) with the prior written approval of the Minister, develop, design, hold, manage, manufacture, sell or otherwise deal with data transmission systems, information sites, communication devices or information platforms or portals that are used

      (i) to provide information that is primarily financial or economic in nature,

      (ii) to provide information that relates to the business of a permitted entity, as defined in subsection 464(1), or

      (iii) for a prescribed purpose or in prescribed circumstances;

    (c.2) engage, under prescribed terms and conditions, if any are prescribed, in specialized business management or advisory services;

1997, c. 15, s. 42(3)

(2) Paragraphs 410(3)(a) and (b) of the Act are replaced by the following:

    (a) respecting what a bank may or may not do with respect to the carrying on of the activities referred to in paragraphs (1)(c) to (c.2);

    (b) imposing terms and conditions in respect of

      (i) the provision of financial services referred to in paragraph 409(2)(a) that are financial planning services,

      (ii) the provision of services referred to in paragraph 409(2)(c), and

      (iii) the carrying on of the activities referred to in any of paragraphs (1)(c) to (c.2); and

    (c) respecting the circumstances in which banks may be exempted from the requirement to obtain the approval of the Minister before carrying on a particular activity referred to in paragraph (1)(c) or (c.1).

101. Paragraphs 411(1)(a) and (b) of the Act are replaced by the following:

    (a) act as agent for any person in respect of the provision of any service that is provided by a financial institution, a permitted entity as defined in subsection 464(1) or a prescribed entity and may enter into an arrangement with any person in respect of the provision of that service; or

    (b) refer any person to any such financial institution or entity.