Updated:
Glossary term
Eligible Investor (NI 45-106 §1.1)
Investor category for exempt market securities (NI 45-106): (a) net assets $400K+ alone or with spouse, OR (b) pre-tax net income $75K solo / $125K with spouse 2 of last 2 years with continuation expected.
Related terms
Accredited Investor
Higher exempt-market tier: (a) income $200K solo / $300K with spouse 2 of last 2 years, OR (b) net financial…
EMD
Exempt Market Dealer — CSA-licensed firm category that distributes exempt market securities (MICs, private RE…
CIRO
Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization — SRO regulating investment dealers (former IIROC) and mutual fun…
NRD
National Registration Database — CSA's central registry of all licensed financial professionals in Canada. Ev…
MIC
Mortgage Investment Corporation — special Canadian corporate form (ITA §130.1) for pooled mortgage lending. 1…
REIT
Real Estate Investment Trust — trust owning income-producing real estate. Public REITs trade on TSX. Private…
Frequently asked questions
Who is an Eligible Investor in Canada?
A category under NI 45-106: income of $75K+ solo or $125K+ with a spouse over the last 2 years, OR net assets of $400K+ excluding your primary residence. It opens access to part of the exempt market, often with a per-offering cap absent deeper analysis.
How does Eligible differ from Accredited Investor?
Eligible has a lower threshold ($75K income / $400K assets), often with amount limits. Accredited has higher thresholds and broader access. The category is re-confirmed at the time of every investment.
Want this explained for your situation?
30-minute discovery call, no fee — we'll show how this term applies to your specific case.
Free discovery call