Northwest Mutual Funds Inc. has received an extension for its mutual fund prospectuses to allow for completion of fund mergers and system integration with the Maestral funds.

Northwest and Desjardins Trust are in the process of integrating the management of the Northwest Funds and the Maestral Funds to avoid duplication. In connection with the integration, they are contemplating certain mergers of the Maestral Funds and the Northwest Funds to eliminate duplication of investment objectives in the fund families, it notes.

Unitholders of the terminating funds and any funds for which the mergers would be a significant change will be asked to approve the applicable merger at special meetings to be held on May 14.

Northwest Funds’ prospectuses are scheduled to expire on April 11. An extension is required in order to allow sufficient time for completion of the integration, including any mergers and to coordinate the lapse dates for the continuing Northwest Funds and Maestral Funds, as well as to avoid the undue costs associated with filing a renewal simplified prospectus and annual information form.

The regulators ruled that the offering of securities of the Northwest Funds may continue provided that a (final) simplified prospectus and annual information form for the Northwest Funds is filed no later than June 11, and a receipt is obtained no later than June 21.