Table of Guidelines

Guidelines are "best" or "prudent" practices that OSFI expects federally regulated financial institutions to follow. Guidelines set standards for industry activities and behaviour. They address areas such as: solvency standards (e.g., capital adequacy), prudential standards (e.g., large exposure limits), and accounting standards (e.g., non-accrual loans). Guidelines are usually developed in a two-step process, with a draft or interim guideline issued for industry comment, followed by a final guideline. Unlike a draft guideline, an interim guideline comes into effect immediately. Interim guidelines will usually be used in the case of emerging issues or trends where OSFI believes guidance is needed prior to the release of a final guideline.

By Category

Click here for Private Pension Plan related Guidelines.

OSFI publishes guidelines, which are essentially best or prudent practices, that it expects financial institutions to follow. Guidelines are used to set standards to govern industry activities and behaviour. These include solvency standards (capital adequacy), prudential standards (large exposure limits, portfolio mix), and accounting standards (e.g., non-accrual loans, transfer of assets, etc.).

In 2002, a letter was sent to guideline manual holders, FRFIs, industry associations and provincial superintendents, explaining that paper-based notification of guidelines will be discontinued and invites users to become subscribers.

Capital Adequacy Requirements
Guideline Bank FBB T&L CRA CCA L&F P&C
A-2 -- Capital Regime for Regulated Insurance Holding Companies and Non-Operating Life Companies           *  
A-3 -- Transitional Period Capital Floor Requirement for Institutions Using the Internal Ratings Based Approach to Credit Risk *   * *      
A-4 -- Regulatory Capital and Internal Capital Targets           * *
A-10 -- Capital Equivalency Deposit (Appendices revised April 2002)   *          

CAR -- Capital Adequacy Requirements 2014 (Banks, T&L and Retail Associations)

Updates to Chapter 6 of the Capital Adequacy Requirements (CAR) guideline - DRAFT

 *   * *      
CAR -- Capital Adequacy Requirements (Cooperative Credit Associations)         *    
LAR -- Liquidity Adequacy Requirements *   * *       
LR -- Leverage Requirements *   *  *      
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Prudential Limits and Restrictions
Guideline Bank FBB T&L CRA CCA L&F P&C
B-1 -- Prudent Person Approach *   * * * * *
B-2 -- Large Exposure Limits * * * *      
B-2 -- Large Exposure Limits         *  
B-2 -- Investment Concentration Limit           *
B-3 -- Classification of Loans Guaranteed by Parent Bank *          
B-4 -- Securities Lending           *
B-4 -- Securities Lending         *  
B-4 -- Securities Lending * * *  
B-5 -- Asset Securitization   * * *
B-5A -- Asset Securitization   *        
B-6 -- Liquidity Principles *   * *      
          *
B-11 -- Pledging *   * * * * *
E-2 -- Commercial Lending Criteria     * * * *
E-2A -- Commercial Lending Restrictions - Foreign Life & Foreign Fraternals         *  
E-6 -- Draft Materiality Criteria for Related Party Transactions *   * * * * *
E-6 -- Materiality Criteria for Related Party Transactions         *  
E-6 -- Materiality Criteria for Related Party Transactions           *
E-6 -- Materiality Criteria for Related Party Transactions * * *        
  • Guidelines B-8, B-12 and B-3 for reinsurance are now located under the heading Sound Business and Financial Practices
Accounting and Disclosure
Guideline Bank FBB T&L CRA CCA L&F P&C
IFRS 9 Financial Instruments and Disclosures * * * * * * *
C-1 -- Impairment - Sound Credit Risk Assessment and Valuation Practices for Financial Instruments at Amortized Cost * * * * * * *
C-5 -- Collective Allowances - Sound Credit Risk Assessment and Valuation Practices for Financial Instruments at Amortized Cost * * * *      
D-1 -- Annual Disclosures * * * * *    
D-1A -- Annual Disclosures         *  
D-1B -- Annual Disclosures           *
D-5 -- Accounting for Structured Settlements           *
D-6 -- Derivatives Disclosure * * * * * * *
D-9 -- Source of Earnings Disclosure (Life Insurance Companies)         *  
D-10 -- Accounting for Financial Instruments Designated as Fair Value Option * * * * * * *
D-11 -- Public Disclosure Requirements for Domestic Systemically Important Banks on Liquidity Coverage Ratio *            
D-12 -- Public Capital Disclosure Requirements related to Basel III Leverage Ratio *   * *      
Pillar 3 Disclosure Requirements *   * *      
Sound Business and Financial Practices
Guideline Bank FBB T&L CRA CCA L&F P&C
Corporate Governance Guideline * * * * * *
B-3 -- Sound Reinsurance Practices and Procedures         * *
B-7 -- Derivatives Sound Practices * * * * * * *
B-8 -- Deterring & Detecting Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing * * *   *  
B-10 -- Outsourcing of Business Activities, Functions and Processes * * * * * * *
B-12 -- Guideline - Interest Rate Risk (IRR) Management *   * *      
B-20 -- Residential Mortgage Underwriting Practices and Procedures * * * * * * *
B-21 -- Residential Mortgage Insurance Underwriting Practices and Procedures           *
E-4A -- Role of the Chief Agent & Record Keeping Requirements         * *
E-4B -- Role of the Principal Officer and Record Keeping Requirements   *        
E-5 -- Retention/Destruction of Records         *  
E-10 -- Use of Depositories by Insurance Companies         * *

E-12 -- Inter-segment Notes for Life Insurance Companies

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E-13 -- Regulatory Compliance Management (RCM) * * * * * * *
E-14 -- Role of the Independent Actuary         *  
E-15 -- Appointed Actuary: Legal Requirements, Qualifications and Peer Review         * *
E-16 -- Participating Account Management and Disclosure to Participating Policyholders and Adjustable Policyholders         *
E-17 -- Background Checks on Directors and Senior Management of FREs * * * * * * *
E-18 -- Stress Testing *   * * * * *
E-19 -- Own Risk and Solvency Assessment (ORSA)         * *
E-19 -- Internal Capital Adequacy Assessment Process (ICAAP) *   * *      
E-20 -- CDOR Benchmark-Setting Submissions *            
E-21 -- Operational Risk Management * * * * * * *
E-22 -- Margin Requirements for Non-Centrally Cleared Derivatives * * * * * * *
Standards of Sound Business and Financial Practices for Life Insurance Companies
F1-F12 -- Rescinded Letter (August 22, 2005)            
  • Guideline E-1 is now located under Other Application Guides
  • Guidelines E-2, E-2A and E-6 are now located under Prudential Limits and Restrictions
  • Guidelines E-4, E-5, E-10, E-12, E-13, E-14 and E-15 are now located under Sound Business and Financial Practices