The British Columbia Securities Commission (BCSC) is proposing an array of fee hikes that would generate an estimated $8 million in added annual revenue for the regulator, enabling it to balance a growing budget.
The BCSC launched a consultation on a series of proposed fee changes — including increases in many of the flat fees it charges for regulatory filings — citing the regulator’s expanding duties as the province’s investment markets have grown and become increasingly complex in recent years.
According to the consultation, the BCSC ran operating deficits in 2024 and 2025, and expects to return to deficit in fiscal 2027, after recording a modest surplus in fiscal 2026.
“The proposed fee changes … are designed to allow the BCSC to return to a balanced budget for fiscal 2028,” it said.
Many of the fees that it’s seeking to hike haven’t been adjusted for years, the BCSC noted.
For instance, it’s proposing to raise the fee for filing technical (mining) reports to $2,000 from $500, which has been unchanged since 1988.
Alongside the straightforward increases, the regulator is also proposing to recast the existing fee that’s charged for firms and individuals that are seeking registration into a fee for maintaining registration that kicks in when registration is granted.
For reps, registration fees will go to $410 from $350. For dealers, the fee will increase to $1,400 from $1,200; for advisory firms, the fee rises to $1,755 from $1,500; and investment fund managers will see an increase to $2,925 from $2,500.
Subject to government approval, the revised rates would apply to fees that are paid beginning April 1, 2027, except for the fees for maintaining registration that would kick in on April 1, 2028.
Comments on the proposed changes are due by Aug. 25.