Introduction to the Numbering System

The Canadian Securities Administrators ("CSA"), follows a system in which securities regulatory instruments are assigned numbers which indicates the kind of instrument it is and the subject matter of the instrument.

Under the numbering system, each instrument is assigned a five digit number, with a hyphen appearing between the second and third number.

Example: 34-202

The numbering system has the following four major components:

The first number relates to the subject matter category into which the instrument has been classified. The nine subject matter categories are:

1. Procedures and Related Matters
2. Certain Capital Market Participants (Self-Regulatory Organizations, Exchanges and Market Operations)
3. Registration Requirements and Related Matters (Dealers, Advisers and other registrants)
4. Distribution Requirements (Prospectus requirements and prospectus exemptions)
5. Ongoing Requirements for Issuers and Insiders (continuous disclosure)
6. Take-over Bids and Special Transactions
7. Securities Transactions Outside the Jurisdiction
8. Mutual Funds
9. Derivatives

The number "3" in the example above indicates that the instrument relates to Registration Requirements and Related Matters.

The second number relates to the sub-category of the subject matter category into which the instrument has been classified.

Using the example above, within the Registration Requirements and Related Matters category, a sub-category for instruments dealing with fitness for registration is denoted by the number "4". Accordingly, all instruments relating to fitness for registration will commence with the numbers "34".

The third number relates to the type of instrument. The numbers 1 through 8 are used to classify the types of instruments as follows:

1. National Instrument/Multilateral Instrument and any related Companion Policy or Form(s)
2. National Policy/Multilateral Policy
3. CSA Notice
4. Concept Proposal
5. Local Rule, Regulation or Blanket Order or Ruling and any related Companion Policy or Form(s)
6. Local Policy
7. Local Notice
8. Implementing Instrument
9. Miscellaneous

The number "2" in the example above indicates that the instrument is a National Policy/Multilateral Policy.

The fourth and fifth numbers are assigned to instruments in consecutive order from 01 to 99 within a particular sub-category. The numbers "02" above indicate that the instrument is the second National Policy in that particular sub-category.

A Companion Policy or Form that is related to a National Instrument or Local Rule, will have the same number as the National Instrument or Local Rule to which it relates, followed by the suffix "CP" in the case of a Companion Policy or "F" in the case of a Form. If there is more than one Form related to a particular instrument, the Forms will be numbered consecutively (F1, F2, F3, etc.).

Note: This numbering system has been used since 1995, and prior instruments may not be numbered according to this system.