Notice 2015-006 - CSE Production Environment - Universal Test Symbols

September 4, 2015

Effective Thursday October 1, 2015, the CSE will enable a select list of universal test symbols (UTS) for limited testing in the production environment. 

The test symbols and the policies governing the permitted use are outlined below:

Universal Test Symbols by Listing Exchange    
            
CSE: YTZ.B, YTZ.DB

TSX: ZYZ.A, ZYZ.B, ZYZ.C, ZYZ.D, ZYZ.F

TSX Venture : ZYQ.Z, ZYQ.H, AYQ.A, AYQ.H

Policies and Procedures regarding the use of Universal Test Symbols

1. Use and Restrictions

Marketplace participants must ensure that they are using the facility appropriately. Misuse of this facility by marketplace participants may amount to the breach of the fair and orderly markets provisions of NI 23-103 Electronic Trading and Direct Electronic Access to Marketplaces and will be reported to the appropriate securities regulator.

The following are not permitted uses of the UTS facility:

• Any type of capacity, volume or stress testing
• Basic functional testing that can, and must, be performed in the UAT/GTE. The UTS facility may be used only after any bugs identified through basic functional testing have been resolved 
• Any use by vendors unless carried out on behalf of a marketplace participant
• Any use by DEA clients unless specifically sponsored by a marketplace participant

In summary, a marketplace participant is fully responsible for any testing activity that takes place in a production environment.
2. Availability and Notification

Use of the UTS is limited to a designated window between the hours of 8:00am and 9:00am. At least 24 hour prior notification is required by a marketplace participant wishing to use the UTS facility. Notifications are to be sent by email to the designated representative at each marketplace to be impacted by the test. The same or different tests at a later date will require a separate notification.
At a minimum, the notification will contain the following: 
• the date and time of the test
• the approximate volume of test transactions and messages
• a brief description of what is to be tested
• a contact name and number

3. Suspension of Access

A marketplace may suspend access to a test symbol where, in the view of the marketplace, the use of the test symbol in a particular circumstance reasonably represents undue risk to the operation or performance of the marketplace’s production environment.  In the event that termination occurs, the marketplace will notify the appropriate securities regulator immediately so that appropriate follow-up action can be taken.

Note: Test securities will not be suppressed on the market data feeds.  

For further information, please contact CSE Market Operations at 416-306-0772 or Marketops@thecse.com. 
 
Market Operations 
CSE | Canadian Securities Exchange