Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization releases fiscal 2027 annual priorities focusing on final rulebook harmonization, cyber resilience and complaint handling timelines

The Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) published its Annual Priorities for fiscal year 2027, setting out planned work to strengthen investor protection and market integrity as the final year of its 2025–2027 Strategic Plan. The programme maintains an emphasis on completing integration activities, strengthening cyber resilience, and reviewing complaint handling practices. Key deliverables include wrapping up integration initiatives by publishing a final harmonized rulebook consolidating investment dealer and mutual fund dealer rules, and advancing reforms to registration and continuing education frameworks. Investor protection work includes removing fraudulent websites, improving account transfer processes, expanding research into investor behaviours, and reviewing complaint handling resolution timelines, alongside a proposed harmonized complaint reporting and handling rule issued for comment as part of the Rule Consolidation Project. Other priorities cover regulatory modernization through technology and automation, expansion of the InnovateSafe sandbox, industry cyber resilience measures through new data frameworks and targeted exercises, refining the framework for tailored online advice, operationalizing delegated registration responsibilities across Canada, publishing CIRO’s first annual Market Regulation report, and reviewing Universal Market Integrity Rules to better support smaller dealers and junior issuers.