The 2024 edition of our Securities and Corporate Finance group’s proxy season guide sets out legislative, regulatory and advisory developments in respect of corporate governance and annual disclosure matters. The focus is on developments over the course of the 12 months prior to February 2024 that impact Canadian public companies. Also included are important reminders about continuing developments and future matters.

Please download the Dentons 2024 Proxy Season Guide. For the French version, please click here.

New developments

1. Proxy advisory firm updates: ISS and Glass Lewis
2. SEDAR+ and CSA filing systems upgrades
3. CIRO replaces and consolidates MFDA and IIROC
4. Modern slavery reporting guidelines

Continuing developments

1. Diversity on boards and in executive officer positions
2. ESG disclosure and greenwashing concerns
3. Virtual shareholder meetings

Upcoming developments

1. Diversity disclosure and corporate governance practices
2. Climate-related disclosure standards
3. Finalized access model for prospectus delivery and updates to access equals delivery model for continuous disclosure
4. Permanent WKSI regime

Possible developments

1. Artificial Intelligence in the capital markets
2. Consultation on changes to National Instrument 43-101

* Leigh-Anne Norris (Senior Associate), Darren Nguyen (Associate), Sarah Ferguson (Associate) and Diana Horsman Nakka (Knowledge and Legal Operations Lawyer) co-authored this guide, with assistance from Rachel Akinyemi, Emma Aspinall, Justin Morell, Eli Berman and Vivian Esmailzadeh (Articling Students).