The long-awaited mutual fund market timing settlement has finally been scheduled for regulatory consideration Dec. 16.

The Investment Dealers Association of Canada will hold a hearing to consider settlement agreements with BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc., TD Waterhouse Canada and RBC Dominion Securities Inc.

In a separate announcement, the Mutual Fund Dealers Association issued its first ever notice of settlement hearing between MFDA staff and Investors Group Financial Services Inc.

The settlement with the three investment dealers will consider an allegation that they failed to implement supervisory systems to detect and prevent potentially harmful market timing activities.

Similarly, the MFDA says its proposed settlement involves an allegation that IGFS permitted an institutional client to conduct a frequent trading market timing strategy in certain Investors Group mutual funds during the period September 2000 to November 2002.

Regarding his firm’s involvement, Bill Hatanaka, executive vice-president, wealth management, TD Bank, said, “We take this matter very seriously. As a financial institution, we realize that the most important asset we have is the trust of investors and customers and we know we must work hard every day to earn and maintain that trust.”

“TD Waterhouse Canada does not condone market timing. We have enhanced our practices and procedures and are committed to reviewing them on a regular basis,” added Hatanaka. He also noted that the settlement with the IDA does not relate to TD Asset Management or TD Mutual Funds.