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Amending the Amendments! 2020 AML Changes for Real Estate

Background

Back on July 10, 2019, the highly anticipated final version of the amendments to the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (PCMLTFA) and its enacted regulations were published. However, on June 10, 2020, further amendments to those amended regulations were published in the Canada Gazette. To make reading these changes a little easier, we have created a redlined version of the regulations, with new content showing as tracked changes, which can be found here.

The purpose of this round of amendments is to better align measures with international standards and level the playing field across reporting entities by applying stronger customer due diligence requirements and beneficial ownership requirements to designated non-financial businesses and professions (DNFBPs). The amendments come into force on June 1, 2021.

We have summarized the changes that will have an impact on real estate developers, brokers, and sales representatives below.

Business Relationship

One of the most significant proposed changes for real estate developers, brokers, and sales representatives is related to the definition of a business relationship. Currently, a business relationship is defined as:

If a person or entity does not have an account with you, a business relationship is formed once you have conducted two transactions or activities for which you have to:

  • verify the identity of the individual; or
  • confirm the existence of the entity.

The amendments change the definition for real estate developers, brokers, and sales representatives to the first time that the person or entity is required to verify the identity of the client.

For business relationships, a reporting entity must:

  • keep a record of the purpose and intended nature of the business relationship;
  • conduct ongoing monitoring of your business relationship with your client to:
    • detect any transactions that need to be reported as suspicious;
    • keep client identification and beneficial ownership information, as well as the purpose and intended nature records, up-to-date;
    • reassess your client’s risk level based on their transactions and activities; and
    • determine if the transactions and activities are consistent with what you know about your client;
  • keep a record of the measures you take to monitor your business relationships and the information you obtain as a result.

 This change in definition also means that ongoing monitoring must be applied for the following purposes:

  1. detecting any transactions that are required to be reported;
  2. keeping client identification information and the information up to date;
  3. reassessing the level of risk associated with the client’s transactions/activities; and
  4. determining whether transactions or activities are consistent with the information obtained about their client, including the risk assessment of the client.

PEP

The amendments will require real estate developers, brokers, and sales representatives to make a Politically exposed persons (PEP) determination when they enter into a business relationship (as defined above) with a client.

In addition, they will also be required to take reasonable measures to determine whether a client from whom they receive an amount of CAD 100,000 or more is a PEP.

If a positive determination is made, the following records must be kept:

  1. the office or position, and the organization or institution, in respect of which the person is determined to be a politically exposed foreign person, a politically exposed domestic person or a head of an international organization, or a family member of, or a person who is closely associated with, one of those persons;
  2. the date of the determination; and
  3. the source, if known, of the person’s wealth.

Beneficial Ownership

The amendments will require real estate developers, brokers, and sales representatives to comply with existing beneficial ownership requirements that apply to other reporting entities.

This means when identifying an entity, a reporting entity needs to collect the following information for all Directors and individuals who own or control, directly or indirectly, 25% or more of the organization:

  • Their full legal name;
  • Their full home address; and
  • Information establishing the ownership, control, and structure of the entity.

A record of the reasonable measures to confirm the accuracy of the information, when it is first obtained and in the course of ongoing monitoring of business relationships, must be retained.

We’re Here To Help

If you would like assistance in updating your compliance program and processes, or have any questions related to the changes, please get in touch!

Amending the Amendments! 2020 AML Changes for MSBs

Background

Back on July 10, 2019, the highly anticipated final version of the amendments to the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (PCMLTFA) and its enacted regulations were published. However, on June 10, 2020, further amendments to those amended regulations were published in the Canada Gazette. To make reading these changes a little easier, we have created a redlined version of the regulations, with new content showing as tracked changes, which can be found here.

The purpose of this round of amendments is to better align measures with international standards and level the playing field across reporting entities by applying stronger customer due diligence requirements and beneficial ownership requirements to designated non-financial businesses and professions (DNFBPs). The amendments come into force on June 1, 2021.

We have summarized the changes that will have an impact on Money Services Businesses (MSB)s below.

Travel Rule

One of the most significant changes that will impact MSBs and Foreign Money Services Businesses (FMSB)s relates to a new requirement for records to be kept on all virtual currency transfers of CAD 1,000 or more.

The record must contain the following:

  1. include with the transfer, the name, address and, if any, the account number or other reference number of both the person or entity that requested the transfer and the beneficiary; and
  2. take reasonable measures to ensure that any transfer received includes the information referred to in paragraph (a) above.

Where the information required was not obtained, MSBs and FMSBs must have written risk-based policies and procedures for determining if the transaction should be suspended, rejected or if another follow-up measure should be taken.

PEP

In addition to the existing requirement for MSBs and FMSBs to take reasonable measures to determine whether a client from whom they receive an amount of CAD 100,000 or more is a Politically exposed person (PEP), the amendments will require MSBs and FMSBs to make a PEP determination when they establish a business relationship with a client.

A reminder that a business relationship is defined as:

If a person or entity does not have an account with you, a business relationship is formed once you have conducted two transactions or activities for which you have to:

  • verify the identity of the individual; or
  • confirm the existence of the entity.

MSBs and FMSBs will also periodically need to take reasonable measures to determine whether a person with whom they have a business relationship is a PEP. We will have to await guidance from FINTRAC on this, but our guess is the frequency for determination will align to the frequency for customer information and identification updates.

Given the definition of a business relationship, we do not expect this requirement to be overly burdensome. If you currently conduct list screening, PEP screening could easily be added to that process. You are also able to ask the customer directly, while presenting the definition of a PEP, and record their response.

If a positive determination is made, the following records must be kept:

  1. the office or position, and the organization or institution, in respect of which the person is determined to be a politically exposed foreign person, a politically exposed domestic person or a head of an international organization, or a family member of, or a person who is closely associated with, one of those persons;
  2. the date of the determination; and
  3. the source, if known, of the person’s wealth.

We’re Here To Help

If you would like assistance in updating your compliance program and processes, or have any questions related to the changes, please get in touch!

Amending the Amendments! 2020 AML Changes for Jewellers

Background

Back on July 10, 2019, the highly anticipated final version of the amendments to the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (PCMLTFA) and its enacted regulations were published. However, on June 10, 2020, further amendments to those amended regulations were published in the Canada Gazette. To make reading these changes a little easier, we have created a redlined version of the regulations, with new content showing as tracked changes, which can be found here.

The purpose of this round of amendments is to better align measures with international standards and level the playing field across reporting entities by applying stronger customer due diligence requirements and beneficial ownership requirements to designated non-financial businesses and professions (DNFBPs). The amendments come into force on June 1, 2021.

We have summarized the changes that will have an impact on Dealers in Precious Metals and Stones (DPMS) below.

PEP

The amendments will require DPMSs to make a Politically exposed persons (PEP) determination when they enter into a business relationship with a client. In addition, they will also be required to take reasonable measures to determine whether a client from whom they receive an amount of CAD 100,000 or more is a PEP.

A reminder that a business relationship is defined as:

If a person or entity does not have an account with you, a business relationship is formed once you have conducted two transactions or activities for which you have to:

  • verify the identity of the individual; or
  • confirm the existence of the entity.

Given the definition of a business relationship, we do not expect this requirement to be overly burdensome. If you currently conduct list screening, PEP screening could easily be added to that process.

If a positive determination is made, the following records must be kept:

  1. the office or position, and the organization or institution, in respect of which the person is determined to be a politically exposed foreign person, a politically exposed domestic person or a head of an international organization, or a family member of, or a person who is closely associated with, one of those persons;
  2. the date of the determination; and
  3. the source, if known, of the person’s wealth.

Beneficial Ownership

The amendments will require DPMSs to comply with existing beneficial ownership requirements that apply to other reporting entities.

This means when identifying an entity, a reporting entity needs to collect the following information for all Directors and individuals who own or control, directly or indirectly, 25% or more of the organization:

  • Their full legal name;
  • Their full home address; and
  • Information establishing the ownership, control, and structure of the entity.

A record of the reasonable measures to confirm the accuracy of the information, when it is first obtained and in the course of ongoing monitoring of business relationships, must be retained.

We’re Here To Help

If you would like assistance in updating your compliance program and processes, or have any questions related to the changes, please get in touch!

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