The real estate sector's vulnerabilities to money laundering and corruption extend beyond simple schemes to use illicit funds when purchasing property. In many cases, the third parties involved in such deals pose risks too.
As Canadian officials move forward with plans to better scrutinize the country's property market, they'll likely run into two questions without easy answers: how will dirty money be identified and who will do it?
Black-market tobacco, market fraud, bribery and the exploitation by criminal networks of third-party professionals are among the biggest threats to Canada's efforts to fight money laundering, according to a national report.
Canadian financial institutions will soon need to amend how they identify clients with political ties and assess risks associated with new technologies, under regulatory proposals by the Department of Finance.
Canada's highest court will determine whether attorneys must retain client data for regulatory purposes and whether the nation's financial intelligence unit can retain and share such records following onsite searches.
In the world of financial compliance, Canada "talks a good game" but does little to enforce counter-terrorism financing and anti-money laundering regulations, according to Chris Mathers, a Toronto-based consultant.
Requirements that Canadian real estate developers better identify their customers and that casinos record and report large disbursements went into effect Monday. Among the requirements of the rules is the provision that home builders must obtain proof of a customer's identity.
Canadian authorities charged a Sri Lankan-born man with raising funds for a terrorist organization, marking the first time Canada has charged an individual with the crime.
The Canadian government is broadening the scope of its anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing reporting requirements in the real estate and casino industries in a bid to bring the country's regime in line with international standards.
Criminals will increasingly turn to real estate deals to commit fraud and launder their illegally obtained cash as long as the industry continues to operate free of anti-money laundering regulations and without uniform agent licensing rules, banking analysts and regulators say.