British Columbia Securities Commission (BCSC)

What Is the British Columbia Securities Commission (BCSC)?

The British Columbia Securities Commission is one of 13 independent securities trading regulators in Canada. The BCSC operates as an independent Canadian government agency responsible for the regulation of securities trading in British Columbia, Canada.

The British Columbia Securities Commission is located in Vancouver, British Columbia. It seeks to oversee securities trading and the enacting of applicable legislation in the province of British Columbia.

Understanding the British Columbia Securities Commission (BCSC)

Each of the 13 provinces and territories of Canada has its own independent securities trading agency. Each agency works independently but is a part of the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA), which seeks to bring together the agencies under one umbrella organization for unification and collective collaboration.

The British Columbia Securities Commission was implemented by the Securities Act, RSBC 1996, c. 418. The act gave the Commission regulatory oversight authority over the securities market in British Columbia.

Members of the CSA

The CSA serves to bring together the securities regulators of Canada. The 13 members representing Canada’s provinces and territories include the following (alphabetically):

BCSC Framework

Like the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission and other global securities regulators, the BCSC seeks to maintain orderly and fair securities trading activities for all market participants within its jurisdiction.

Primary rules and regulations pertaining to the British Columbia financial market include the following:

Rules and regulations govern both the registration and reporting of publicly traded companies as well as the oversight of individual advisers.

Exchanges

The primary exchanges trading public securities in British Columbia under the oversight of the BCSC include the following:

Issuers on these exchanges must make regular filings to report the financial performance of their firms publicly.

BCSC Structure, Mission, and Responsibilities

The BCSC is structured with eight commissioners and one chairperson. The nine-person group is responsible for managing oversight of all documentation, systems, and regulations pertaining to the British Columbia securities industry. Commissioners work with stakeholders, industry groups, market participants, and other regulators within the CSA. The BCSC also provides some thought leadership analysis on the British Columbia market.

Like all securities regulators, the BCSC works to facilitate a safe, secure, and fair public trading market for all participants. Its responsibilities are broad in scope. Some of its key regulatory oversight aspects include the following: