Integrated Market Enforcement Teams Reserve Fund

Overview

The purpose of the Integrated Market Enforcement Teams (IMET) is to effectively enforce the law against serious criminal capital market fraud offences in Canada, and ultimately to contribute to improved Canadian and international investor confidence in the integrity of Canada’s capital markets. IMET initiative activities include the prevention, investigation and prosecution of serious criminal capital market fraud offences.

Who is Eligible

Only provinces and territories are eligible for IMET funding. A province/territory who has signed a prosecution agreement or coordinating protocol may receive federal contributions to defray exceptional prosecution expenses incurred during an IMET-generated prosecution.

Objectives

The objective of the IMET Reserve Fund is to assist Provincial Attorneys General to conduct prosecutions in cases that present exceptional challenges in terms of expenses in capital market fraud cases of national significance. The Reserve Fund is intended to encourage provincial attorneys general to participate in the Strategy for Enhanced Protection of Canada’s Capital Markets and to play a role in the prosecution of IMET-generated cases, subject to federal/provincial prosecution agreements or coordinating protocols. The Fund will help defray exceptional costs associated with the prosecution of capital market fraud cases, generated by IMET, by Provincial Attorneys General who are cooperating with the IMET Initiative.

Activities

Funds may be used only for exceptional prosecutorial expenses, which the Crown considers reasonable and for which the Province is seeking assistance. Financial assistance is only available for prosecutions that emanate from IMET investigations and that further the objectives of Canada’s Strategy for Enhanced Protection of Canada’s Capital Markets.

Contributions made under the Reserve Fund are limited to the funds appropriated from Parliament in any fiscal year. The number of IMET-generated prosecutions funded will influence the amount of funding available to each province or territory. For a contribution to be made, actual or anticipated expenses must fall within one of the following categories:

Exceptional disclosure cost category includes the cost of providing additional disclosure of information from within Canada or abroad that the defence demands and the court orders, or to a defence demand for hard copies instead of electronic disclosure. Disclosure costs include, but are not limited to, wiretap transcription costs; electronic disclosure costs (including the cost of electronic storage devices); photocopy charges and associated office supplies.
Specialized contract category includes expenses such as, but not limited to, contracts with forensic experts; language and interpretation experts to translate documents, interpret wiretaps and testify in court; and contracts with translators for interviews and court duties and includes temporary accommodation costs for out-of town specialists.
Technical or equipment expense category includes a specialized/dedicated workroom or accommodation for the IMET prosecution team and all of the exceptional technical equipment that is currently required or may, in the near future, become necessary for the development and presentation of a case in court electronically. For example, scanning equipment, computers and computer monitors, audio and video technology to allow “virtual” testimony in court from a remote or foreign location, and CD production equipment.

Please note: A province shall provide financial information sufficient to describe exceptional costs, actual or anticipated. Salary dollars for provincial prosecutors or employees are not eligible.

How to Apply

To submit a request for funding, we suggest that you complete the IMET Application/Proposal Form (PDF Version)

To facilitate the review of the request for funding, please include all the required information as follows:

Provincial applicant information form;
A statement of the purpose of the contribution;
A work plan that specifies the deliverables;
A draft detailed budget; and
Information sufficient to demonstrate that the proposed expenditures are exceptional by their very nature and that it might be difficult for the prosecution to proceed effectively unless access to the Reserve Fund is granted.

Sustainable Development

The Department of Justice encourages you to submit all documents electronically. If you submit documentation on paper, please consider printing on both sides of the paper. These actions will minimize environmental impacts.

Contact Information

For further information, please contact: