Trust and Loan Companies Act — T-19.8 320
Qualification of auditor 320 (1) A natural person or firm of accountants is qualified to be an auditor of a company if (a) in the case of a natural person, the person is an accountant who (i) is a member in good standing of an institute or association of accountants incorporated by or under an Act of the legislature of a province, (ii) has at least five years experience at a senior level in performing audits of a financial institution, (iii) is ordinarily resident in Canada, and (iv) is independent of the company; and (b) in the case of a firm of accountants, the member of the firm jointly designated by the firm and the company to conduct the audit of the company on behalf of the firm is qualified in accordance with paragraph (a). Independence (2) For the purposes of subsection (1), (a) independence is a question of fact; and (b) a person is deemed not to be independent of a company if that person, a business partner of that person or a firm of accountants of which that person is a member (i) is a business partner, director, officer or employee of the company or of any affiliate of the company or is a business partner of any director, officer or employee of the company or of any affiliate of the company, (ii) beneficially owns or controls, directly or indirectly, a material interest in the shares of the company or of any affiliate of the company, or (iii) has been a liquidator, trustee in bankruptcy, receiver or receiver and manager of any affiliate of the company within the two years immediately preceding the person’s proposed appointment as auditor of the company, other than an affiliate that is a subsidiary of the company acquired pursuant to section 457 or through a realization of security pursuant to section 458. Business partners (2.1) For the purposes of subsection (2), (a) in the case of the appointment of a natural person as the auditor of a company, a business partner of the person includes a shareholder of the business partner; and (b) in the case of the appointment of a firm of accountants as the auditor of a company, a business partner of a member of the firm includes another member of the firm and a shareholder of the firm or of a business partner of the member. Notice of designation (3) Within fifteen days after the appointment of a firm of accountants as auditor of a company, the company and the firm of accountants shall jointly designate a member of the firm who meets the qualifications described in subsection (1) to conduct the audit of the company on behalf of the firm and the company shall forthwith notify the Superintendent in writing of the designation. New designation (4) Where for any reason a member of a firm of accountants designated pursuant to subsection (3) ceases to conduct the audit of the company, the company and the firm of accountants may jointly designate another member of the same firm of accountants who meets the qualifications described in subsection (1) to conduct the audit of the company and the company shall forthwith notify the Superintendent in writing of the designation. Deemed vacancy (5) In any case where subsection (4) applies and a designation is not made pursuant to that subsection within thirty days after the designated member ceases to conduct the audit of the company, there shall be deemed to be a vacancy in the office of auditor of the company. 1991, c. 45, s. 320; 2001, c. 9, s. 516; 2005, c. 54, s. 437