Recent enforcement efforts have resulted in $6.3 million in sanctions, according to the latest edition of the Canadian Securities Administrators’ (CSA) Report on Enforcement Activities.

The report shows that between April 1 to Sept. 30, 2007 Canada’s securities regulators worked together to complete 58 cases involving 226 companies and individuals.

“We issue this report twice a year to raise public awareness of the enforcement efforts that securities regulatory authorities are taking individually and collectively to protect Canadian investors and Canada’s capital markets from harm,” says Jean St-Gelais, chairman of the CSA and president and CEO of the Autorité des marchés financiers (Québec). “The results clearly demonstrate that Canada’s regulators take very seriously any risk to investors and the capital markets.”

During this period, regulators also stopped 13 individuals and companies who were banned in one province or territory from continuing operations elsewhere.

As well, the CSA initiated proceedings in respect of 56 new enforcement matters and issued 42 interim orders to freeze assets and/or stop individuals and companies from trading in Canada’s capital markets.

Canadian criminal courts convicted 13 individuals and three companies of violating securities laws. These convictions resulted in $1.6 million in fines and restitution orders, and jail sentences for individuals up to six months. The majority of these court convictions were against those found to have illegally distributed securities.