| BILL NUMBER |
TITLE | CHAPTER NUMBER |
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| 47 | BUSINESS CORPORATIONS ACT | c. 57 | |||||
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Division 1 -- Office of Registrar
400 A Registrar of Companies, and the officers and employees necessary to enable the registrar to perform the registrar's duties, must be appointed in accordance with the Public Service Act.
401 The registrar may have a seal of office for use in the performance of the registrar's duties.
402 (1) Despite this Act or any other enactment, if the registrar is of the opinion that it is, was or will be impracticable to provide or perform one or more of the registrar's services or functions for any period, the registrar may suspend, for that period, any or all of the services provided or functions performed by the registrar, including
(a) filing, issuing or furnishing any records, and
(b) allowing searches or inspections of any records filed with the registrar.
(2) A suspension under subsection (1) may precede, follow or be made during the period in relation to which the suspension is ordered.
(3) Despite this Act or any other enactment, if the registrar is satisfied that but for a suspension under subsection (1) of one or more of the services provided or functions performed by the registrar, a record submitted to the registrar would have been received by the registrar on, or filed with the registrar on, a date and time within the suspension period,
(a) the registrar may accept the record as if it were received on, or may date the filing of the record as of, that date and time, and
(b) the date and time referred to in paragraph (a) of this subsection is deemed for all purposes to be the date and time on which the record was received by or filed with the registrar, as the case may be.
403 A record may be served on the registrar by leaving it at the office of the registrar or by mailing it by registered mail to the registrar's office.
404 (1) Despite any subpoena, order or summons issued from a court in British Columbia and whether or not that subpoena, order or summons is directed to the registrar personally or in the registrar's official capacity, the registrar is not bound, in the registrar's official capacity,
(a) to attend as a witness for examination, or
(b) to produce any record kept or filed with the registrar under this Act or any other enactment.
(2) Despite subsection (1), the registrar may be examined and required to produce records, under a commission or otherwise, at the registrar's office.
405 (1) Subject to subsection (2), no legal proceeding for damages lies or may be commenced or maintained against the registrar, any agent of the registrar or any officer or employee employed in the office of the registrar because of anything done or omitted to be done
(a) in the performance or intended performance of any duty under this Act or any other enactment, or
(b) in the exercise or intended exercise of any power under this Act or any other enactment.
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to a person referred to in that subsection in relation to anything done or omitted to be done by that person in bad faith.
(3) Subsection (1) does not absolve the government from vicarious liability arising out of anything done or omitted to be done by a person referred to in that subsection for which the government would be vicariously liable if this section were not in force.
406 (1) A person may appeal to the Appeals Commission a direction, decision, order or ruling by which the person is aggrieved that was given or made by the registrar under this Act, including a refusal of the registrar to receive or file any record.
(2) On an appeal under subsection (1) of this section, the Appeals Commission may confirm, vary or reverse the direction, decision, order or ruling and may give the directions it considers appropriate.
(3) Despite subsections (1) and (2), no appeal lies under this section in respect of an order of the registrar under section 29 (5).
Division 2 -- Records Filed with or Issued by the Registrar
407 A record required or permitted, by this Act, to be filed with the registrar
(a) must be submitted to the registrar for filing in the prescribed manner,
(b) must, in the opinion of the registrar, be legible and suitable for photographing or for electronic or digital imaging or storage, and
(c) must be in the English language or be filed with an English translation verified in a manner satisfactory to the registrar.
408 (1) Subject to section 402 (3), a record is filed with the registrar when the registrar
(a) is satisfied that the record and the information contained in it appear to meet the requirements of this Act and the regulations, and
(b) accepts the record and includes in the corporate register the information contained in the record.
(2) Despite any other provision of this Act, the registrar may refuse to file a record submitted to the registrar for filing if, in the opinion of the registrar,
(a) the record has not been duly completed by reason of any omission or misdescription,
(b) the record does not comply with the requirements of this Act or the regulations,
(c) the record contains any error, alteration or erasure, or
(d) another record that, under this Act, must be provided to the registrar, or submitted to the registrar for filing, in conjunction with the record submitted for filing has not yet been provided or submitted for filing.
(3) Nothing in this section requires the registrar to ensure that a record filed with the registrar, or the information contained in it, meets the requirements of this Act and the regulations.
409 (1) In this section:
"current filing" means a record, affecting a corporation or a limited liability company, that is submitted to the registrar for filing before a future dated filing that affects the corporation or limited liability company takes effect;
"future dated filing" means a record referred to in section 410 (1) (b), that specifies a date or a date and time on which the record is to take effect that is later than the date and time on which the record is filed.
(2) Subject to subsections (3) and (4) of this section, the registrar is not to file a current filing in relation to a corporation or a limited liability company until any future dated filing in relation to that corporation or limited liability company has taken effect.
(3) If a current filing in relation to a corporation or a limited liability company is or includes a copy of an entered court order, the registrar is to withdraw any future dated filing in relation to the corporation or limited liability company and file the current filing.
(4) If a current filing in relation to a corporation or a limited liability company is a notice of withdrawal of a future dated filing, the registrar may file the notice of withdrawal and withdraw the future dated filing.
(5) Nothing in this section removes from a corporation or a limited liability company the obligation to make any filing it is obliged to make with the registrar under this Act.
(6) Despite any other provision of this Act, if, before a future dated filing affecting a company or extraprovincial company takes effect, the company is dissolved or the registration of the extraprovincial company is cancelled, the future dated filing is deemed to be withdrawn on the date on which the company is dissolved or the extraprovincial company's registration is cancelled.
410 (1) A record submitted for filing to the registrar must not specify a date, or a date and time, on which the record is to take effect that is later than the date and time on which the record is filed with the registrar unless the record is
(a) a notice of resignation of attorney referred to in section 395, or
(b) a record of a class of records that has been prescribed for that purpose.
(2) A record of a class of records prescribed under subsection (1) (b) must not specify a date or a date and time that is more than 10 days later than the date and time on which the record is filed.
411 (1) If a record is, under this Act, or was, under a former Companies Act, required to be filed with the registrar by or on behalf of a corporation or a limited liability company, the registrar may, until that record is filed with the registrar,
(a) refuse to accept any other record submitted to the registrar for filing by or on behalf of the corporation or limited liability company, and
(b) refuse to issue or furnish any certificate or other record to, or to the order of, the corporation or limited liability company.
(2) A corporation or limited liability company that has not filed with the registrar one or more annual reports under the Company Act, 1996 must remedy that default before filing with the registrar any other annual report under this Act.
(3) Nothing in this section removes from a corporation or limited liability company the obligation to make any filing it is obliged to make with the registrar under this Act.
412 (1) If a record is filed with the registrar under this Act or any other enactment or is otherwise maintained by the registrar, the registrar may have that record photographed, stored in electronic or digital form or reproduced in any other prescribed manner.
(2) If the information contained in a record filed with or otherwise maintained by the registrar in paper form under this Act or any other enactment is converted into another form under subsection (1),
(a) the registrar may destroy the paper form record, and
(b) the photograph, stored record or reproduction is, for all purposes of the corporate register and the office of the registrar, deemed to be the record photographed, stored or reproduced.
(3) If records are filed with or otherwise maintained by the registrar otherwise than in paper form,
(a) any copies of those records that the registrar is required to furnish must be furnished
(i) in paper form,
(ii) by being transmitted, by electronic means, directly to the computer of the recipient, or
(iii) in any other prescribed form, and
(b) any report prepared by the registrar that consists of information reproduced from those records, if that report is certified by the registrar or by a person designated by the registrar as a signing officer, is admissible in evidence in place of and to the same extent as the original records.
413 If a record in respect of which this Act imposes certain requirements is filed with the registrar in relation to a corporation or a limited liability company and that record does not meet all of those requirements,
(a) the record takes effect in accordance with its terms as if it did meet all of those requirements, and
(b) the corporation or limited liability company, on receiving an order of the registrar to do so, must
(i) file with the registrar any records necessary to rectify or replace the deficient filing, and
(ii) return any records required by the registrar that were furnished to the corporation or limited liability company by the registrar in relation to the deficient filing.
414 (1) The registrar may correct an error or omission in the corporate register if
(a) the registrar is satisfied that an error or omission exists, and
(b) the registrar is satisfied as to the true facts that ought to have been incorporated into the corporate register.
(2) Subsection (1) applies whether or not the error or omission was made by
(a) a person who submitted a record to the registrar for filing, or
(b) the registrar.
(3) Any correction made by the registrar under this section
(a) must be shown in the corporate register as a correction, with the date and time of the correction noted by the registrar, and
(b) if the correction is made to a record filed with the registrar in paper form, must be initialed by the registrar, with the date and time of the correction noted.
415 The legal effect of information in the corporate register is not affected merely because the registrar has received information indicating that there is an error or omission in the corporate register.
416 Any person may, in the manner and to the extent permitted by the regulations,
(a) conduct a search of the corporate register according to
(i) the name, translated name or incorporation number of a company,
(ii) the name or assumed name of an extraprovincial company, or its registration number, or
(iii) any other prescribed criteria,
(b) inspect a record filed with the registrar,
(c) obtain a copy of all or any part of a record filed with the registrar, and
(d) require that a copy of all or any part of a record filed with the registrar be certified in accordance with section 418.
417 If, under this Act or any other enactment, the registrar is required to provide a record on request and if, after such request, the registrar is unable to provide the record as a result of its having been lost, mislaid or destroyed, the registrar
(a) must sign, and furnish to the person making the request, a record to that effect, and
(b) may produce, instead of the lost, mislaid or destroyed record, whatever evidence relating to the record is available to the registrar.
418 (1) The following records may be issued by the registrar:
(a) a certificate or any other certified record;
(b) a search result;
(c) a certified copy of a record filed with the registrar;
(d) any other record the registrar considers appropriate.
(2) A record referred to in subsection (1) (c) must be certified, in the prescribed manner, to be a true copy.
(3) The registrar or a person designated as a signing officer by the registrar may sign a record referred to in this section, and that signature may be produced by any means, whether graphic, electronic, digital, mechanical or otherwise.
(4) If, under this Act, a decision, notice or response of the registrar is required to be in writing, the decision, notice or response may be recorded or otherwise furnished by the registrar
(a) on paper,
(b) by being transmitted, by electronic means, directly to the computer of the recipient, or
(c) by any other prescribed method.
419 (1) A record issued under section 418 (1) is evidence of any of the matters stated in the record that relate to the corporate register.
(2) If a record is filed with the registrar under this Act, a copy of that record, certified by the registrar under section 418 (2), is admissible in evidence in place of and to the same extent as the original record.
(3) A record purporting to be issued under section 418 may be received in evidence and, unless the contrary is shown, is deemed to have been issued by the registrar without the necessity of proving any signature or official position of the registrar or person designated as a signing officer by the registrar.
420 (1) If a record issued by the registrar under section 418 (1) (a) contains an error, the person to whom the record is issued must, promptly after the written request of the registrar, and in any event no later than 21 days after that request, return the record containing the error to the registrar.
(2) Whether or not the record referred to in subsection (1) of this section is returned to the registrar, the registrar may issue a corrected record, and a record corrected under this section must set out the date of issue of the record it replaces.
421 No person is affected by or is deemed to have notice or knowledge of the contents of a record concerning a corporation or limited liability company merely because the record has been filed with the registrar or is available for examination at an office of the corporation or limited liability company.
Division 3 -- Powers of Dissolution and Cancellation
422 (1) The registrar may, in accordance with this section, dissolve a company or cancel the registration of a foreign entity as an extraprovincial company if the company or extraprovincial company
(a) fails, in each of 2 consecutive years, to file with the registrar an annual report required by this Act or a former Companies Act to be filed,
(b) has, for a period of at least 2 years, failed to file with the registrar a record required by this Act or a former Companies Act to be filed, other than an annual report,
(c) fails to comply with an order of the registrar, including an order to change its name or assumed name,
(d) fails, without reasonable excuse, to return a record to the registrar within 21 days after the date of a request furnished by the registrar under section 420 (1),
(e) tenders a cheque in payment of a fee required under section 431, which cheque fails to clear the savings institution on which it is drawn,
(f) in the case of a pre-existing company, fails to comply with section 370 or 436, as the case may be, or
(g) in the case of an extraprovincial company, fails to comply with section 386 or breaches an undertaking given under section 26 (2).
(2) If the registrar has reasonable cause for believing that one or more of the paragraphs of subsection (1) of this section apply to a company or an extraprovincial company, the registrar may furnish to the company or extraprovincial company a letter informing it of its default and of the powers of the registrar under this section.
(3) The registrar may publish in the prescribed manner a notice that complies with subsection (4) unless, within one month after the date of the letter referred to in subsection (2),
(a) the default identified in the letter is remedied, or
(b) the registrar receives a response to the letter
(i) that satisfies the registrar that reasonable steps are being taken to remedy the default, or
(ii) that is otherwise satisfactory to the registrar.
(4) A notice published by the registrar under subsection (3) must
(a) identify the company or extraprovincial company to which the letter referred to in subsection (2) was furnished, and
(b) state that the company may be dissolved or that the registration of the foreign entity as an extraprovincial company may be cancelled unless, within one month after the date of the publication of the notice under subsection (3),
(i) cause to the contrary is shown,
(ii) the company or extraprovincial company satisfies the registrar that it is not in default, that the default has been remedied or that reasonable steps are being taken to remedy the default, or
(iii) a copy of an entered court order to the contrary is filed with the registrar.
(5) At any time after one month after the date of publication of the notice under subsection (3), the registrar may dissolve the company or cancel the registration of the foreign entity as an extraprovincial company unless
(a) cause to the contrary is shown,
(b) the company or extraprovincial company has satisfied the registrar in accordance with subsection (4) (b) (ii), or
(c) a copy of an entered court order to the contrary is filed with the registrar.
(6) A company is dissolved under this section, or the registration of a foreign entity as an extraprovincial company is cancelled under this section, on the date and time recorded in the corporate register as the date and time of dissolution or cancellation.
423 The Lieutenant Governor in Council may cancel the incorporation of a company and declare it to be dissolved.
424 If a company is dissolved under section 422 or 423, the registrar must publish in the prescribed manner a notice of the dissolution.
Division 4 -- Offences and Penalties
425 Sections 4 and 5 of the Offence Act do not apply to this Act or the regulations.
426 (1) A person commits an offence who
(a) contravenes section 34 (1), 42, 127 (1), 196, 199, 216 (2) or (4), 217, 262, 284 (7) (b), 308 (4), 327 (2), 335 or 434 (1),
(b) contravenes section 375 (1),
(c) uses information, extracts or copies referred to in section 47 for purposes other than the purposes referred to in section 47 (2), or uses a list obtained under section 49 for purposes other than the purposes referred to in section 49 (3),
(d) uses a list obtained under section 93 for purposes other than the purposes referred to in section 93 (4),
(e) publishes financial statements required under this Act that do not comply with the regulations, or
(f) fails to comply with section 251 in any way, including
(i) by destroying, altering or refusing to produce any accounting record or other record required under that section,
(ii) by refusing to fully answer any question asked under section 251 (2) or otherwise failing to give any information required under section 251, or
(iii) by, in giving the information required by that section, making a statement that the person knows or ought reasonably to know is false in a material particular, or recklessly making a statement that is false in a material particular.
(2) A person who contravenes section 24 commits an offence.
(3) An individual who acts as a director of a company and who, under section 124 (2), is not qualified to act as a director of a company commits an offence.
(4) An individual who acts as an officer of a company and who, under section 141 (3), is not qualified to act as an officer of a company commits an offence.
(5) It is an offence for a person who maintains the records office for the company or, in the case of a central securities register that is kept at a location other than the company's records office, for the person who has custody or control of the company's central securities register, to refuse, without reasonable excuse,
(a) to permit a person to inspect any record that the person is entitled to inspect and for which the appropriate fee, if any, has been tendered, or
(b) to provide, within the meaning of section 48 (3), to a person a copy of any record that the person is entitled to receive a copy of and for which the appropriate fee, if any, has been tendered.
(6) It is an offence for a company or for a person who has custody or control of a central securities register to refuse, without reasonable excuse, to provide, within the meaning of section 49 (8), to a person who has submitted the appropriate records and fee, if any, under section 49 the list or lists requested by that person.
(7) It is an offence for a trustee under a trust indenture, as that term is defined in section 90, to refuse, without reasonable excuse, to provide to a person who has submitted the appropriate records and fee, if any, under section 93 the list requested by that person.
(8) It is an offence for a person who is required, under section 351 (2), to retain and produce the records of a company to
(a) contravene section 351 without reasonable excuse, or
(b) refuse, without reasonable excuse, to
(i) permit a person to inspect any record that the person is entitled to inspect and for which the appropriate fee, if any, has been tendered, or
(ii) to provide, within the meaning of section 352 (3), to a person a copy of any record that the person is entitled to receive a copy of and for which the appropriate fee, if any, has been tendered.
(9) In any prosecution under subsection (1) (b) of this section, the onus is on the accused to prove that a foreign entity
(a) is registered as an extraprovincial company, or
(b) is not required to be registered as an extraprovincial company.
427 (1) Subject to subsection (3), a person who makes or assists in making a statement that is included in a record that is required or permitted to be made by or for the purposes of this Act or the regulations commits an offence if the statement
(a) is, at the time and in the light of the circumstances under which it is made, false or misleading in respect of any material fact, or
(b) omits any material fact, the omission of which makes the statement false or misleading.
(2) If a corporation or limited liability company commits an offence under subsection (1), any director or officer of the corporation, or any manager of the limited liability company, who knowingly authorized, permitted or acquiesced in the commission of the offence is a party to and guilty of the offence, and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of not more than $10 000, whether or not the corporation or limited liability company has been prosecuted or convicted.
(3) No person is guilty of an offence under this section if that person
(a) did not know that the statement was false or misleading, and
(b) with the exercise of reasonable diligence, could not have known that the statement was false or misleading.
428 (1) A person who commits an offence under section 426 (1) (a), (c), (d), (e) or (f), (5), (6), (7) or (8) is liable,
(a) in the case of a person other than an individual, to a fine of not more than $5 000, or
(b) in the case of an individual, to a fine of not more than $2 000.
(2) A person who commits an offence under section 427 (1) is liable,
(a) in the case of a person other than an individual, to a fine of not more than $25 000, or
(b) in the case of an individual, to a fine of not more than $10 000.
(3) A foreign entity that commits an offence under section 426 (1) (b) is liable to a fine in a prescribed amount for each day that the offence continues.
(4) A person that commits an offence under section 426 (2) is liable to a fine in a prescribed amount for each day that the offence continues.
(5) An individual that commits an offence under section 426 (3) or (4) is liable to a fine of not more than $2 000.
429 (1) A legal proceeding, conviction or penalty for an offence under this Act does not relieve a person from any other liability.
(2) Without limiting subsection (1), if a person is convicted of an offence under this Act, the court may, in addition to any penalty the court may impose for the offence, order the person to comply with the provisions of this Act.
430 (1) A legal proceeding for an offence under this Act may not be commenced more than 3 years after the commission of the offence.
(2) An information must not be laid in respect of an offence if
(a) the offence is committed by the failure to file, or to file within a required period, a record with the registrar, and
(b) before the laying of the information, the appropriate record is filed with the registrar.
Division 5 -- Fees and Regulations
431 There must be paid to the registrar, in respect of each matter set out in Column 1 of the Schedule to this Act, the fee set out opposite that matter in Column 2 of that schedule and payment of the applicable fee is a condition precedent to the registrar filing any record and taking any other action under this Act.
432 (1) The Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations as referred to in section 41 of the Interpretation Act.
(2) Without limiting subsection (1) of this section, the Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations as follows:
(a) respecting the services or functions to be provided by the registrar;
(b) respecting the location and business hours for the office of the registrar;
(c) respecting the form of the corporate register and the manner in which it is kept;
(d) respecting the manner and form in which, and the method by which, records and information may be provided or submitted to, or furnished or certified by, the registrar;
(e) prescribing records and information that must be provided or submitted to the registrar in, or in conjunction with, any record or information provided to the registrar or submitted to the registrar for filing, with power to prescribe different records and information for different situations;
(f) respecting the manner in which, and the method by which, records and information may be mailed, sent, furnished or provided, and the requirements that a person must meet to mail, send, furnish, provide or receive records or information in an electronic or other format for the purposes of this Act, with power to prescribe different manners, methods and requirements for different records, information and situations;
(g) respecting the manner and form in which and the time period within which records that are required or permitted to be prepared or kept under this Act must be prepared or kept, with power to prescribe different manners and forms for different records and situations;
(h) respecting prescribed addresses;
(i) respecting the form and content of the information to be included in any address required or permitted under this Act;
(j) respecting what must be included in a notice of articles, including amending, adding to or removing any of the requirements established under this Act;
(k) prescribing the manner in which the articles, notice of articles or restoration application of a company must set out any translation of the company's name that the company proposes to use outside Canada;
(l) prescribing classes of persons for the purposes of section 24 (1) (b) (iii);
(m) prescribing a period and an amount of support for the purposes of section 167 (7) (b);
(n) prescribing a fair market value amount for the purposes of section 188 (1) (b) (ii);
(o) prescribing a period and an amount of support for the purposes of section 189 (5) (c);
(p) prescribing a fraction of votes for the purposes of paragraph (b) of the definition of "insider" in section 192 (1);
(q) prescribing classes of corporations for the purposes of one or more of
(i) paragraph (c) of the definition of "pre-existing reporting company" in section 1 (1),
(ii) section 185 (1) (b),
(iii) paragraph (c) of the definition of "private company" in section 192 (1),
(iv) section 197 (c), and
(v) section 364 (3) (a);
(r) prescribing numbers of days for the purposes of one or more of
(i) paragraph (a) (i) of the definition of "exceptional resolution" in section 1 (1),
(ii) paragraph (a) (i) of the definition of "special resolution" in section 1 (1),
(iii) paragraph (a) (i) of the definition of "special separate resolution" in section 1 (1),
(iv) section 167 (5) (a),
(v) section 169 (1),
(vi) section 171 (2) (b),
(vii) section 240 (1),
(viii) section 271 (2),
(ix) section 284 (3), and
(x) section 289 (1) (c),
including prescribing different numbers of days for different resolutions, meetings, situations and classes of companies;
(s) respecting auditors and audit committees;
(t) prescribing the amounts of claims for the purposes of sections 278 (1) (a) and 322 (1) (b);
(u) prescribing the date in reference to which an extraprovincial company is required to file its annual report with the registrar under section 380 (1) (b);
(v) respecting
(i) the completion of proxies, and
(ii) the information that is to be contained in proxies;
(w) prescribing, for the purposes of section 410 (1) (b), which records may specify a date or a date and time on which the record is to take effect that is later than the filing of the record with the registrar;
(x) creating offences and prescribing penalties for the breach of any regulations made under this section;
(y) respecting fees or charges payable under this Act;
(z) respecting the amount of any fines payable under this Act;
(aa) respecting rates of interest payable under this Act;
(bb) prescribing a set of provisions, and designating those provisions as the "Statutory Reporting Company Provisions";
(cc) prescribing for the purposes of section 435 when any or all of the Statutory Reporting Company Provisions do not apply;
(dd) prescribing a set of articles, and designating those articles as "Table 1";
(ee) respecting any rules, orders, forms and directions that may be desirable for carrying out the provisions of this Act or for regulating procedure or establishing practice under this Act;
(ff) respecting any matter the registrar considers necessary for carrying out the purposes of this Act, including matters in respect of which no express or only partial or imperfect provision has been made;
(gg) defining any word or expression used but not defined in this Act;
(hh) for meeting or removing any difficulty arising out of the transition to this Act from the Company Act, 1996, and for that purpose disapplying or varying any provision of this Act.
(3) Regulations that may be made under subsection (2) (a) of this section include the following:
(a) requiring or permitting the registrar to furnish notices to confirm
(i) the receipt of records or information provided or submitted to the registrar, or
(ii) the filing of records or information with the registrar;
(b) respecting the retention, reproduction, disposition, return and destruction of records filed with or maintained by the registrar;
(c) respecting searches of the corporate register, including
(i) search requests, and
(ii) search results;
(d) respecting access to records or information filed with the registrar or maintained by the registrar in an electronic or other format;
(e) respecting the methods by which a decision, notice or response of the registrar may be recorded or furnished;
(f) respecting the verification of information contained in the corporate register or of records filed with the registrar under this Act;
(g) respecting names, assumed names and translations of names and prescribing the requirements names, assumed names or translations of names must meet before being available for reservation or use under this Act;
(h) respecting the reservation of names and assumed names;
(i) authorizing the registrar to return any or all of the records filed by or on behalf of a company or an extraprovincial company to the company or extraprovincial company or to any other person the Lieutenant Governor in Council may prescribe;
(j) respecting the retention, use and disclosure of records returned under paragraph (i) of this subsection;
(k) respecting if and to what extent the registrar must retain copies of records returned under paragraph (i) and, if copies are to be retained, respecting the retention, use and disclosure by the registrar of those copies;
(l) respecting the manner in which the registrar is to publish notices that the registrar is required or permitted to publish under this Act, including prescribing different manners of publication for different notices;
(m) respecting the manner in which records may be certified under section 418.
(4) Regulations that may be made under subsection (2) (c) include the following:
(a) respecting the computerization of the corporate register;
(b) respecting the manner in which the registrar may record, photograph, store, maintain or reproduce a record or information filed with or provided to the registrar;
(c) authorizing the establishment of databases in an electronic or other format for records or information required or permitted to be filed with or maintained by the registrar under this Act;
(d) providing for the maintenance of, access to and use of the databases established under this Act;
(e) providing to the registrar the authority to enter into agreements for access to the computer database of the corporate register;
(f) respecting the authority provided to the registrar under paragraph (e) of this subsection.
(5) Regulations that may be made under subsection (2) (d) include the following:
(a) respecting the manner in which or the method by which records and information may be submitted to the registrar for filing under this Act, including prescribing different manners or methods for different records, information and situations, including regulations requiring or permitting records and information that, under this Act, are required or permitted to be provided to the registrar or submitted to the registrar for filing
(i) to be provided, or submitted to the registrar for filing, in an electronic or other format or in a combination of formats, or
(ii) to be transmitted, either electronically or by another method, to an electronic or other database;
(b) requiring or permitting a record that, under this Act, is required or permitted to be provided to the registrar or submitted to the registrar for filing as a signed record
(i) to be signed by an electronic signature or to be identified by a prescribed method, or
(ii) to be submitted to the registrar for filing without signatures;
(c) providing that the electronic signature or other method of identification referred to in paragraph (b) (i) of this subsection has the same effect for all purposes as a signature, and providing that a record referred to in paragraph (b) (ii) has the same effect for all purposes as if it had the signatures that would otherwise have been required.
(6) A regulation under subsection (2) (d) may prescribe different forms for use by, different information to be provided by and different manners or methods of submitting records and information to the registrar for filing by corporations or limited liability companies or by different classes of corporations or limited liability companies including classes based on one or more of the following:
(a) the nature of the corporation or limited liability company;
(b) the jurisdiction in which the corporation was incorporated or, in the case of a limited liability company, in which the limited liability company was organized;
(c) if the corporation or limited liability company has, since its incorporation or organization, been continued or otherwise transferred by a process similar to continuation, the jurisdiction into which the corporation or limited liability company was most recently continued or transferred;
(d) if the corporation or limited liability company resulted from an amalgamation or a similar process, the jurisdiction in which the most recent of those events occurred.
(7) Regulations that may be made under subsection (2) (g) include the following:
(a) respecting the form and manner in which financial statements required under this Act must be produced;
(b) respecting data processing or information retrieval systems in which may be entered or recorded any record that any person is required by this Act to prepare or keep;
(c) respecting the form, content and use of any record or class of records, any statement or class of statements or any information or class of information that is required or permitted to be prepared, issued, sent, filed, given or provided under this Act;
(d) prescribing the times during which records may be inspected under section 46 (8) or 352 (4);
(e) prescribing the information respecting the addresses of directors and officers that must be recorded or otherwise kept by any person under this Act, and prescribing the persons or classes of persons to whom the residential address of a director or officer may be, or is not to be, disclosed in a search of that information.
(8) Regulations that may be made under subsection (2) (h) of this section include the following:
(a) prescribing the criteria that must apply to an address before it can be used as a prescribed address for the purposes of this Act;
(b) prescribing information that must or may be filed with or provided to the registrar by or in respect of a person in relation to whom a prescribed address is or is to be included in any record filed with or provided to the registrar, and the manner in which or the method by which and the time within which that information must or may be filed or provided;
(c) prescribing the information respecting the addresses of directors and officers that may be provided in response to search requests or otherwise, and prescribing the persons or classes of persons to whom the residential address of a director or officer may be, or is not to be, disclosed in a search of the corporate register or otherwise.
(9) Regulations that may be made under subsection (2) (s) include the following:
(a) respecting information that must be provided by the directors of a company to the company's auditor;
(b) prescribing the form and manner in which auditors' reports must be prepared;
(c) assigning responsibilities to audit committees.
(10) The Lieutenant Governor in Council may, under this section, make different regulations for computerized and non-computerized records and information.
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