* Expects to launch new venue in November

* Net fee holiday would run until March 1

TORONTO, Aug 13 (Reuters) - Canada’s Alpha Group said on Friday it plans a fee holiday when it launches its new “dark pool” trading venue later this year, a move that could put pressure on the rival Toronto Stock Exchange.

Alpha, Canada’s biggest alternative trading system, said it expects to launch its IntraSpread facility in November and will apply a holiday on net fees until March 1. Its new fee structure is subject to regulatory approval.

Dark pools are trading venues that allow buyers and sellers to avoid revealing pre-trade information that can signal their intentions to the rest of the market.

These alternative trading systems have surged in popularity in recent years, taking business away for traditional exchanges. But they’ve also triggered complaints about market fragmentation and attracted the scrutiny of regulators.

Alpha’s IntraSpread venue would let Canadian investment dealers match orders within their own firm without pre-trade transparency.

Once it begins charging net fees, Alpha said it expects they will be at least 50 percent lower than those charged by any other Canadian marketplace, with the exception of some trades subject to preferential fees at TMX Group Inc X.TO.

TMX Group, which owns the Toronto Stock Exchange and junior TSX Venture Exchange, has seen its share of equity trading fall since Alpha Group launched in 2008.

TMX Group shares were up 1.8 percent at C$28.25 late on Friday.

Alpha's owners include the investment dealer arms of Canada's largest banks: BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc BMO.TO, CIBC World Markets Inc CM.TO, National Bank Financial Inc NA.TO, RBC Dominion Securities Inc RY.TO, Scotia Capital Inc BNS.TO, and TD Securities Inc TD.TO.