For one year, the Alberta Securities Commission (ASC) will coordinate fees with the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) for the annual approved person (AP) fee component of CIRO’s dealer member fee model as applicable to individual registrants residing in Alberta.
In a news release, the ASC shared that this temporary approach aims to keep the overall registration costs net neutral for those affected and to help CIRO recover the incremental costs arising from its expanded registration responsibilities.
An ASC staff notice provides the details of the temporary approach for 2026. Specifically, CIRO will reduce the AP fee component by $50 for Alberta-resident APs of dealer members with registration costs paid by Dec. 31, 2025.
To offset this reduction and keep costs net neutral, the ASC will pay CIRO $50 per Alberta-resident AP as a professional services expense to reflect the additional cost associated with CIRO’s expanded registration services.
Context of change
The ASC’s news release explained the background behind its recent announcement. In 2025, the ASC and other Canadian securities regulators delegated some registration functions and powers to CIRO for investment dealers, mutual fund dealers, and their representatives.
After a public comment period and the required approvals, on Jan. 29, 2026, CIRO announced that it would be implementing an increase relating to the annual AP fee component of its dealer member fee model.
CIRO dealer member fees are payable starting this Apr. 1. As of that date, CIRO has raised the annual AP fee component of its dealer member fee model to $300 per AP from $250 per AP, representing a $50 increase.
The temporary coordinated approach addresses the ASC’s collection of 2026 registration fees for individual registrants by Dec. 31, 2025, prior to CIRO’s final determination and announcement that it would be imposing a fee increase.
Based on its current records, the ASC estimated that it received the registration fee payments for 11,481 Alberta-resident APs as of last Dec. 31.
The ASC noted that the fee coordination approach for 2026 aims to respond to an issue relevant to this transitory period. The ASC said it would continue its discussion with CIRO about the applicable approach for 2027.