The Autorité des marchés financiers and the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada have signed a memorandum of understanding to share compliance information.

The purpose of the MOU is to enable AMF to actively participate in the program to fight money laundering and terrorist financing and to fulfill its responsibilities as a regulatory and supervisory body for financial markets.

The MOU also minimizes possible duplication of AMF’s and FINTRAC’s compliance reviews in various financial areas in Québec, thereby reducing the regulatory burden for firms subject to the legislation and regulations enforced by the two bodies.

FINTRAC will provide the AMF with information so that it can assess the risks related to using various compliance and inspection programs for clients subject to anti-money laundering legislation (the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act). In exchange, the AMF will provide FINTRAC with compliance information on the acceptance and application of the act and its regulations by the various stakeholders.

Under the current provisions of the act, FINTRAC will not disclose personal information related to money laundering, terrorist activity financing or threats to the security of Canada under this MOU. The AMF says it hopes that the act will develop to permit it to be recognized as an organization that can have access to additional information regarding the entities and individuals that it regulates.