The Venture Issuer

Historically, provincial securities regulators have adopted a “one size fits all” model in regulating public companies. As a result, junior issuers have been subjected to the same level of regulation as senior issuers, with the result that limited capital is deflected away from business development to pay for regulatory compliance. In recent years Canada’s regulators, and particularly the B.C. Securities Commission, have recognized that this model is in many cases inappropriate for junior companies with early stage development projects and limited capital resources, and ultimately not in the best interests of the very shareholders they sought to protect. In response, the concept of the “venture issuer” was born, and multiple exemptions have been developed to provide regulatory relief to this type of issuer. With over 30 years of experience in providing legal services almost exclusively to junior issuers, Venex Law is well positioned to provide legal advice and services to this particular class of public company.