Bank Act

Marginal note: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.

• Marginal note:Exception

  (2) Except for an application by an eligible agent for an approval under section 373, and 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 twelve 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.

• Marginal note: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.