Canada Small Business Financing (Establishment and Operation of Capital Leasing Pilot Project) Regulations

47 (1) The Minister may, after giving at least 21 days notice in writing to a lessor, conduct an audit or examination of the lessor’s documents, records and books of account to verify that these Regulations are being complied with in respect of a capital lease, including that the lessor has acted in accordance with the due diligence requirements referred to in section 19 in respect of the approval and administration of the capital lease and that the documents submitted to the Minister in respect of the lessor are accurate and complete.

(2) The Minister is authorized to designate persons to carry out audits or examinations under these Regulations. A person designated by the Minister may, at any reasonable time, consult the lessor’s documents, records and books of account in respect of a capital lease.

(3) Every lessor shall, for the purpose of an audit or examination under these Regulations, give all reasonable assistance to any person designated by the Minister to carry out the audit or examination, provide access to all relevant sites, answer, orally or in writing, all questions relating to the subject-matter of the audit or examination and provide all information and documents in their possession and all copies required for the purpose of the audit or examination. The designated person shall not remove the documents or copies from the relevant sites without the permission of the lessor.

(4) The Minister shall provide the lessor with a copy of the report of the audit or examination within 21 days after the report is completed.

(5) If a lessor refuses or intentionally fails to comply with any requirement of this section, the Minister may notify the lessor in writing that the Minister is not liable under these Regulations to make any payment to the lessor for any loss sustained as a result of a lessee’s default on any capital lease entered into by the lessor.