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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

 

Current Report
Pursuant To Section 13 or 15 (d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 


Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): January 21, 2020

 

 

 

Waste Connections, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Ontario, Canada   1-34370   98-1202763

(State or other jurisdiction

of Incorporation)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

 

610 Applewood Crescent, 2nd Floor
Vaughan
Ontario L4K 0E3
Canada
(Address of principal executive offices)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (905) 532-7510

 

Not Applicable
(Former name or address, if changed since last report.)

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

 

  ¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

  

  ¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

  ¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-(b))

 

  ¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class Trading Symbol(s) Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Shares, no par value WCN

New York Stock Exchange

Toronto Stock Exchange

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2).

 

Emerging growth company ¨

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨

 

 

 

 

Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement

  

Underwriting Agreement

 

On January 21, 2020, Waste Connections, Inc. (“Waste Connections” or the “Company”) entered into an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with BofA Securities, Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, MUFG Securities Americas Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC as representatives of the several underwriters named therein (collectively, the “Underwriters”) relating to the public offering (the “Offering”) by Waste Connections of $600,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 2.600% Senior Notes due 2030 (the “Notes”). The Offering closed on January 23, 2020, and the Company used the net proceeds therefrom to repay borrowings under its revolving credit agreement. 

 

The Underwriting Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and agreements by the Company and customary conditions to closing, obligations of the parties and termination provisions. Additionally, the Company has agreed to indemnify the Underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or to contribute to payments the Underwriters may be required to make because of any of those liabilities.

 

The Offering was registered under the Securities Act, pursuant to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-3ASR (File No. 333-225219), as supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement, dated January 21, 2020, relating to the Notes (together with the accompanying base prospectus, dated May 25, 2018, the “Prospectus Supplement”), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act on January 23, 2020. 

 

As more fully described under the caption “Underwriting (Conflicts of Interest)” in the Prospectus Supplement, from time to time, certain of the Underwriters and their affiliates have engaged in, and may in the future engage in, investment banking and other commercial dealings in the ordinary course of business with the Company or its affiliates. They have received, or may in the future receive, customary fees and commissions for these transactions. In addition, certain of the Underwriters or their affiliates serve various roles under the Company’s revolving credit agreement, and, as a result, such Underwriters or their affiliates indirectly received a portion of the proceeds of the Offering. 

 

The summary of the Underwriting Agreement in this report does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Underwriting Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 1.1 hereto, and is incorporated herein by reference. 

 

Indenture 

 

On January 23, 2020, the Company issued the Notes under the Indenture, dated as of November 16, 2018 (the “Base Indenture”), by and between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), as supplemented by the Third Supplemental Indenture, dated as of January 23, 2020 (the “Supplemental Indenture” and the Base Indenture as so supplemented, the “Indenture”). 

 

The Company will pay interest on the Notes semi-annually on February 1 and August 1 of each year, commencing on August 1, 2020, and the Notes will mature on February 1, 2030. The Notes are the Company’s senior unsecured obligations, ranking equally in right of payment with its other existing and future unsubordinated debt and senior to any of its future subordinated debt. The Notes are not guaranteed by any of the Company’s subsidiaries.

 

 

 

 

Waste Connections may redeem some or all of the Notes at its option prior to November 1, 2029 (three months before the maturity date) at any time and from time to time at a redemption price equal to the greater of 100% of the principal amount of the Notes redeemed, or the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the Notes redeemed. Commencing on November 1, 2029 (three months before the maturity date), the Company may redeem some or all of the Notes, at any time and from time to time, at a redemption price equal to the principal amount of the Notes being redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date. 

 

Under certain circumstances, Waste Connections may become obligated to pay additional amounts (the “Additional Amounts”) with respect to the Notes to ensure that the net amounts received by each holder of the Notes will not be less than the amount such holder would have received if withholding taxes or deductions were not incurred on a payment under or with respect to the Notes. If such payment of Additional Amounts are a result of a change in the laws or regulations, including a change in any official position, the introduction of an official position or a holding by a court of competent jurisdiction, of any jurisdiction from or through which payment is made by or on behalf of the Notes having power to tax, and the Company cannot avoid such payments of Additional Amounts through reasonable measures, then the Company may redeem the Notes then outstanding at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date (subject to the right of holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on an interest payment date that is on or prior to the redemption date). 

 

If the Company experiences certain kinds of changes of control, each holder of the Notes may require the Company to repurchase all or a portion of the Notes for cash at a price equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of such Notes, plus any accrued but unpaid interest to the date of repurchase.

 

The covenants in the Indenture include limitations on liens, sale-leaseback transactions and mergers and sales of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets. 

 

The Indenture contains the following customary events of default (each an “Event of Default”): 

 

· default in the payment of any interest upon any Note when it becomes due and payable, and the continuance of such default for a period of 30 days (unless the entire amount of the payment is deposited by Waste Connections with the Trustee prior to the expiration of the 30-day period);

· default in the payment of principal of any Note at its maturity;

· default in the performance or breach of any other covenant or warranty by the Company in the Indenture (other than a covenant or warranty that has been included in the Indenture solely for the benefit of a series of debt securities other than the Notes), which default continues uncured for a period of 60 days after the Company receives written notice from the Trustee or the Company and the Trustee receive written notice from the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes as provided in the Indenture; or

· certain voluntary or involuntary events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization of Waste Connections.

 

Upon an Event of Default, the principal of and accrued and unpaid interest on all the Notes may be declared to be due and payable by the Trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes. Upon such a declaration, such principal and accrued interest on all of the Notes will be due and payable immediately. In the case of an Event of Default resulting from certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, the principal (or such specified amount) of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all outstanding Notes will become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any holder of the Notes. Under certain circumstances, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes may rescind any such acceleration with respect to the Notes and its consequences.

 

The terms of the Notes are further described in the Prospectus Supplement under the captions “Description of Debt Securities” and “Description of Notes.” The foregoing description of the Indenture is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Base Indenture and the Third Supplemental Indenture thereto, copies of which are filed as Exhibit 4.1 and Exhibit 4.2, respectively, hereto and are incorporated herein by reference.

 

 

 

 

Item 2.03. Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement.

 

The information set forth under the heading “Indenture” in “Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement” is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Safe Harbor and Forward-Looking Information

 

This document contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (“PSLRA”), including “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. These forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance and reflect Waste Connections’ current beliefs and expectations regarding future events. These forward-looking statements are often identified by the words “plans,” “may,” “believes,” “expects,” “estimates,” “intends” or other words of similar meaning, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. All of the forward-looking statements included in this document are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the PSLRA and applicable securities laws in Canada. Forward-looking statements involve risks, assumptions and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ, possibly materially, from those indicated by the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, risk factors detailed in the prospectus supplement, the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 and those risk factors set forth from time to time in the Company’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the securities commissions or similar regulatory authorities in Canada. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this document. Waste Connections undertakes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements set forth in this document, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, unless required by applicable securities laws.

  

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits

 

The following exhibits are being filed herewith:

 

Exhibit
Number
Description
   
1.1 Underwriting Agreement, dated as of January 21, 2020, by and among Waste Connections, Inc. and BofA Securities, Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, MUFG Securities Americas Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters named therein.
4.1 Indenture, dated as of November 16, 2018, by and between Waste Connections, Inc. and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on November 16, 2018).
4.2 Third Supplemental Indenture, dated as of January 23, 2020, by and between Waste Connections, Inc. and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee.
4.3 Form of Note (included in Exhibit 4.2 hereto).
5.1 Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP regarding the enforceability of the Notes.
5.2 Opinion of Bennett Jones LLP regarding the legality of the Notes.
23.1 Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1 hereto).
23.2 Consent of Bennett Jones LLP (included in Exhibit 5.2 hereto).

 

 

 

 

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

Date: January 23, 2020 WASTE CONNECTIONS, INC.  
     
     
  BY: /s/ Patrick J. Shea
   

Patrick J. Shea
Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary 

 

 

 

Exhibit 1.1

 

Execution Version

 

WASTE CONNECTIONS, INC.

 

$600,000,000

 

2.600% Senior Notes due 2030

 

Underwriting Agreement

 

January 21, 2020

 

BofA Securities, Inc.

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

MUFG Securities Americas Inc.

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

As Representatives of the

several Underwriters listed

in Schedule 1 hereto

 

c/o BofA Securities, Inc.

One Bryant Park

New York, New York 10036

 

c/o J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

383 Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10179

 

c/o MUFG Securities Americas Inc.

1221 Avenue of the Americas

New York, NY 10020

 

c/o Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

550 South Tryon Street

Charlotte, NC 28202

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Waste Connections, Inc., a corporation incorporated under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you are acting as representatives (the “Representatives”), $600,000,000 principal amount of its 2.600% Senior Notes due 2030 (the “Securities”). The Securities will be issued pursuant to an Indenture dated as of November 16, 2018 (the “Base Indenture”) between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), as amended by a Supplemental Indenture to be dated as of January 23, 2020 (the “Supplemental Indenture” and, together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”).

 

The Company hereby confirms its agreement with the several Underwriters concerning the purchase and sale of the Securities, as follows:

 

 

 

 

1.       Registration Statement. The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-225219), including a base prospectus, relating to the Securities. Such registration statement, as amended as of the date hereof, including the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act to be part of the registration statement (“Rule 430 Information”), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement”; and as used herein, the term “Preliminary Prospectus” means any prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act relating to the offering of the Securities and the base prospectus included in the Registration Statement, and the term “Prospectus” means the prospectus supplement in the form first used (or made available upon request of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) in connection with confirmation of sales of the Securities. Any reference in this agreement (this “Agreement”) to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, as of the effective date of the Registration Statement or the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, and any reference to “amend”, “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed after such date under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”) that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

 

At or prior to 2:05 P.M., New York City time, on January 21, 2020, the time when sales of the Securities were first made (the “Time of Sale”), the Company had prepared the following information (collectively, the “Time of Sale Information”): (i) the Preliminary Prospectus, dated as of January 21, 2020, and (ii) each “free-writing prospectus” (as defined pursuant to Rule 405 under the Securities Act) listed on Annex A hereto.

 

The Company intends to use the proceeds of the offering of the Securities to repay a portion of the borrowings outstanding under its credit agreement and for general corporate purposes.

 

2.       Purchase and Sale of the Securities.

 

(a)               The Company agrees to issue and sell the Securities to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and each Underwriter, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective principal amount of Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule 1 hereto at a price equal to 99.341% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued interest, if any, from January 23, 2020 to the Closing Date (as defined below). The Company will not be obligated to deliver any of the Securities except upon payment for all the Securities to be purchased as provided herein.

 

(b)               The Company understands that the Underwriters intend to make a public offering of the Securities as soon after the effectiveness of this Agreement as in the judgment of the Representatives is advisable, and initially to offer the Securities on the terms set forth in the Time of Sale Information. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters may offer and sell Securities to or through any affiliate of an Underwriter and that any such affiliate may offer and sell Securities purchased by it to or through any Underwriter.

 

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(c)               Payment for and delivery of the Securities will be made at the offices of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on January 23, 2020, or at such other time or place on the same or such other date, not later than the fifth business day thereafter, as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing. The time and date of such payment and delivery is referred to herein as the “Closing Date.”

 

(d)               Payment for the Securities shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account(s) specified by the Company to the Representatives against delivery to the nominee of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), for the account of the Underwriters, of one or more global notes representing the Securities (collectively, the “Global Note”), with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the sale of the Securities duly paid by the Company. The Global Note will be made available electronically for inspection by the Representatives not later than 1:00 P.M., New York City time, on the business day prior to the Closing Date.

 

(e)               The Company acknowledges and agrees that each Underwriter is acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Company with respect to the offering of Securities contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the Company or any other person. Additionally, neither the Representatives nor any other Underwriter is advising the Company or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction. The Company shall consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Underwriters shall have no responsibility or liability to the Company with respect thereto. Any review by the Representatives or any Underwriter of the Company, the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Representatives or such Underwriter, as the case may be, and shall not be on behalf of the Company or any other person.

 

(f)                Each Underwriter hereby represents, covenants and agrees with the Company that neither it nor any affiliate will directly or indirectly undertake a distribution (as such term is defined in the applicable securities laws, rules, regulations and published policy statements, blanket orders, orders, national and local instruments and notices applicable in each of the provinces and territories of Canada (collectively, the “Canadian Securities Laws”)) in Canada or to persons or companies in Canada.

 

3.       Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter that:

 

(a)               Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf registration statement” as defined under Rule 405 of the Securities Act that has been filed with the Commission not earlier than three years prior to the date hereof; and no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of such registration statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act has been received by the Company. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued by the Commission and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act against the Company or related to the offering of the Securities has been initiated or threatened by the Commission; as of the applicable effective date of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, the Registration Statement complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Trust Indenture Act”), and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and as of the date of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and as of the Closing Date, the Prospectus will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to (i) that part of the Registration Statement that constitutes the Statement of Eligibility and Qualification (Form T-1) of the Trustee under the Trust Indenture Act or (ii) any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto.

 

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(b)               Preliminary Prospectus. No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act and did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in any Preliminary Prospectus.

 

(c)               Time of Sale Information. The Time of Sale Information, at the Time of Sale did not, and at the Closing Date will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Time of Sale Information or the Prospectus. No statement of material fact included in the Prospectus has been omitted from the Time of Sale Information, and no statement of material fact included in the Time of Sale Information that is required to be included in the Prospectus has been omitted therefrom.

 

(d)               Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. The Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Underwriters in their capacity as such) has not prepared, made, used, authorized, approved or referred to and will not prepare, make, use, authorize, approve or refer to any “written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Securities (each such communication by the Company or its agents and representatives (other than a communication referred to in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) below), an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”) other than (i) any document not constituting a prospectus pursuant to Section 2(a)(10)(a) of the Securities Act or Rule 134 under the Securities Act, (ii) the Preliminary Prospectus, (iii) the Prospectus, (iv) each document listed on Annex A hereto (which constitute part of the Time of Sale Information) and (v) any electronic road show or other written communications, in each case approved in writing in advance by the Representatives. Each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus complies in all material respects with the Securities Act and has been or will be (within the time period specified in Rule 433) filed in accordance with the Securities Act (to the extent required thereby). Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, when taken together with the Preliminary Prospectus accompanying, or delivered prior to delivery of, or filed prior to the first use of such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, at the Time of Sale, did not, and at the Closing Date will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.

 

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(e)               Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information, when they were filed with the Commission, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act, and none of such documents contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Time of Sale Information, at the Time of Sale and at the Closing Date, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

(f)                Financial Statements. The financial statements and the related notes thereto included or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the applicable Canadian Securities Laws, as applicable, and present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations and the changes in their cash flows for the periods specified; such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby, and the supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information present fairly, in all material respects, the information required to be stated therein. The other financial information included or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries and presents fairly, in all material respects, the information shown therein. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and is prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

 

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(g)               No Material Adverse Change. Since the date of the most recent financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, (i) there has not been any change in the share capital (other than the issuance of common shares upon exercise of share options and warrants or vesting of awards described as outstanding in, and the grant of options and awards under existing equity incentive plans described in, the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus) or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, set aside for payment, paid or made by the Company on any class of share capital, or any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the business, properties, management, financial position, results of operations or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; (ii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has entered into any transaction or agreement that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained any loss or interference with its business that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor disturbance or dispute or any action, order or decree of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except in each case as otherwise disclosed in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

 

(h)               Organization and Good Standing. The Company and each of its subsidiaries have been duly organized and are validly existing and in good standing under the laws of their respective jurisdictions of organization, are duly qualified to do business and are in good standing in each jurisdiction in which their respective ownership or lease of property or the conduct of their respective businesses requires such qualification, and have all power and authority necessary to own or hold their respective properties and to conduct the businesses in which they are engaged, except where the failure to be so qualified, in good standing or have such power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the business, properties, management, financial position, results of operations or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or on the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement and the Securities (a “Material Adverse Effect”). The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than the subsidiaries listed on Schedule 2 hereto.

 

(i)                 Due Authorization. The Company has full right, power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement, the Securities and the Indenture (collectively, the “Transaction Documents”) and to perform its obligations hereunder and thereunder; and all action required to be taken for the due and proper authorization, execution and delivery of each of the Transaction Documents and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby has been duly and validly taken.

 

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(j)                 The Indenture. The Indenture has been duly authorized by the Company and on the Closing Date will be duly executed and delivered by the Company and, when the Supplemental Indenture has been duly executed and delivered in accordance with its terms by each of the parties thereto, the Indenture will constitute a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally or by equitable principles relating to enforceability (collectively, the “Enforceability Exceptions”); and the Indenture will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

(k)               The Securities. The Securities have been duly authorized by the Company and, when duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered as provided in the Indenture and paid for as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued and outstanding and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions, and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.

 

(l)                 Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

 

(m)             Descriptions of the Transaction Documents. Each Transaction Document conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

 

(n)               No Violation or Default. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its articles or by-laws or similar organizational documents; (ii) in default, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any property or asset of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject; and (iii) in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such default or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(o)               No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of each of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party, the issuance and sale of the Securities and compliance by the Company with the terms thereof and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, result in the termination, modification or acceleration of, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property, right or asset of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any property, right or asset of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the articles or by-laws or similar organizational documents of the Company or (iii) result in the violation by the Company of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) above, for any such conflict, breach, violation, default, lien, charge or encumbrance that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(p)               No Consents Required. No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of each of the Transaction Documents, the issuance and sale of the Securities and compliance by the Company with the terms thereof and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, except for (i) the registration of the Securities under the Securities Act, (ii) the qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act, (iii) any required filings with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and (iv) such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or qualifications as may be required under applicable state securities laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters. It is not necessary in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities to the Underwriters and the offer, resale and delivery of the Securities by the Underwriters to subsequent purchasers located outside of Canada, in each case in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, to file and obtain a receipt for a prospectus with and from any Canadian Securities Commission to qualify such offer, sale or delivery of the Securities under Canadian Securities Laws.

 

(q)               Legal Proceedings. Except as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, there are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, demands, claims, suits, arbitrations, inquiries or proceedings (“Actions”) pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject that, individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; no such Actions are, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened by any governmental or regulatory authority or threatened by others; and (i) there are no current or pending Actions that are required under the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus that are not so described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus and (ii) there are no contracts or other documents or statutes or regulations that are required under the Securities Act to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that are not so filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

 

(r)                Independent Accountants. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, which has certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, and Grant Thornton LLP, which has certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, are each an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and as required by the Securities Act. There has not been any reportable event (within the meaning of National Instrument 51-102 – Continuous Disclosure Obligations (“NI 51-102”) of the Canadian Securities Administrators) with respect to either firm, and any non-audit services provided to the Company and its subsidiaries by either firm have been approved by the audit committee of the board of directors of the Company.

 

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(s)                Title to Real and Personal Property. The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to, or have valid rights to lease or otherwise use, all items of real and personal property that are material to the respective businesses of the Company and its subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, claims and defects and imperfections of title except those that (i) do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries or (ii) could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(t)                 Cybersecurity. (i)(x) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, there has been no security breach of or relating to any of the Company’s or its subsidiaries’ information technology and computer systems, networks, hardware, software or technology (collectively, “IT Systems), resulting in the unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification of the data of their respective customers, employees, suppliers, vendors and any third-party data maintained by or on behalf of them (collectively, “Customer Personal Data”) and (y) the Company and its subsidiaries have not been notified of, and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in, any security breach to their IT Systems resulting in access, misappropriation or modification of Customer Personal Data; except, as has not, in the case of this clause (i), resulted in any material liability for the Company and its subsidiaries; (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries are presently in compliance in all material respects with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and to the protection of such IT Systems from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification; and (iii) the Company and its subsidiaries have implemented backup and disaster recovery technology consistent in all material respects with industry standards and practices.

 

(u)               Intellectual Property. (i) The Company and its subsidiaries own or have the right to use all material patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, domain names and other source indicators, copyrights and copyrightable works, know-how, trade secrets, systems, procedures, proprietary or confidential information and all other worldwide intellectual property, industrial property and proprietary rights (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) used in or necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses; (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries’ conduct of their respective businesses does not infringe, misappropriate or otherwise violate any Intellectual Property of any person in any material respect; (iii) the Company and its subsidiaries have not received any written notice of any claim of infringement, misappropriation or violation of the Intellectual Property; and (iv) to the knowledge of the Company, the Intellectual Property of the Company and its subsidiaries is not being infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated by any person in any material respect.

 

(v)               Investment Company Act. The Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, will not be an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Investment Company Act”).

 

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(w)             Taxes. The Company and its subsidiaries have paid all material federal, provincial, state, local and foreign taxes and filed all material tax returns required to be paid or filed through the date hereof, except with respect to taxes that are being contested in good faith and for which adequate reserves have been established; and except as otherwise disclosed in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, there is no material tax deficiency that has been, or could reasonably be expected to be, asserted against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets, except any deficiency that is being contested in good faith and for which adequate reserves have been established.

 

(x)               Licenses and Permits. The Company and its subsidiaries possess all licenses, sub-licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations issued by, and have made all declarations and filings with, the appropriate federal, provincial, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authorities that are necessary for the ownership or lease of their respective properties or the conduct of their respective businesses as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, except where the failure to possess or make the same would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and except as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received notice of any revocation or modification of any such license, sub-license, certificate, permit or authorization or has any reason to believe that any such license, sub-license, certificate, permit or authorization will not be renewed in the ordinary course, except where such notice or failure to renew would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(y)               No Labor Disputes. No labor disturbance by or dispute with employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is threatened and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by, or dispute with, the employees of any of the Company’s or any of the Company’s subsidiaries’ principal suppliers, contractors or customers, except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of cancellation or termination with respect to any collective bargaining agreement to which it is a party, except in the normal course of the collective bargaining process.

 

(z)               Certain Environmental Matters. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus: (i) The Company and its subsidiaries (x) are in compliance with all, and have not violated any, applicable federal, provincial, state, local and foreign laws (including common law), rules, regulations, requirements, decisions, judgments, decrees, orders and other legally enforceable requirements relating to pollution or the protection of human health or safety, the environment, natural resources, hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (collectively, “Environmental Laws”); (y) have received and are in compliance with all, and have not violated any, permits, licenses, certificates or other authorizations or approvals required of them under any Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses; and (z) have not received notice of any actual or potential liability or obligation under or relating to, or any actual or potential violation of, any Environmental Laws, including for the investigation or remediation of any disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in any such notice, and (ii) there are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws of or relating to the Company or its subsidiaries, except in the case of each of (i) and (ii) above, for any such matter as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (iii) except as described in each of the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, (x) there is no proceeding that is pending, or that is known by the Company or its subsidiaries to be contemplated, against the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any Environmental Laws in which a governmental entity is also a party, other than such proceeding regarding which it is reasonably believed no monetary sanctions of $100,000 or more will be imposed, (y) the Company and its subsidiaries are not aware of any facts or issues regarding compliance with Environmental Laws, or liabilities or other obligations under Environmental Laws or concerning hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the capital expenditures, earnings or competitive position of the Company and its subsidiaries, and (z) none of the Company or its subsidiaries anticipates capital expenditures relating to any Environmental Laws that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(aa)            Compliance with ERISA. (i) Each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), for which the Company or any member of its “Controlled Group” (defined as any entity, whether or not incorporated, that is under common control with the Company within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(14) of ERISA or any entity that would be regarded as a single employer with the Company under Section 414(b),(c),(m) or (o) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”)) would have any liability (each, a “Plan”) has been maintained in compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Code; (ii) no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred with respect to any Plan, excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption; (iii) for each Plan that is subject to the funding rules of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, no Plan has failed (whether or not waived), or is reasonably expected to fail, to satisfy the minimum funding standards (within the meaning of Section 302 of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code) applicable to such Plan; (iv) no Plan is, or is reasonably expected to be, in “at risk status” (within the meaning of Section 303(i) of ERISA), and, except as disclosed in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, no Plan that is a “multiemployer plan” within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA is in “endangered status” or “critical status” (within the meaning of Sections 304 and 305 of ERISA); (v) the fair market value of the assets of each Plan exceeds the present value of all benefits accrued under such Plan (determined based on those assumptions used to fund such Plan); (vi) no “reportable event” (within the meaning of Section 4043(c) of ERISA and the regulations promulgated thereunder) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur; (vii) each Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified, and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification; (viii) neither the Company nor any member of the Controlled Group has incurred, nor reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA (other than contributions to the Plan or premiums to the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation, in the ordinary course and without default) in respect of a Plan (including a “multiemployer plan” within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA); and (ix) none of the following events has occurred or is reasonably likely to occur: (A) a material increase in the aggregate amount of contributions required to be made to all Plans by the Company or its Controlled Group affiliates in the current fiscal year of the Company and its Controlled Group affiliates compared to the amount of such contributions made in the Company’s and its Controlled Group affiliates’ most recently completed fiscal year; or (B) a material increase in the Company and its subsidiaries’ “accumulated post-retirement benefit obligations” (within the meaning of Accounting Standards Codification Topic 715-60) compared to the amount of such obligations in the Company and its subsidiaries’ most recently completed fiscal year except in each case with respect to the events or conditions set forth in (i) through (ix) hereof, as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(bb)           Canadian Plans. With respect to the Canadian Plans, (i) the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of such plans and all applicable laws including any applicable Canadian pension legislation and regulations, (ii) to the extent required by law or the terms of such plan, each has been funded in accordance with the plan terms and all applicable Canadian legislation and, to the extent applicable, generally accepted actuarial principles and practices in Canada and (iii) each has been administered in accordance with its terms and there are no outstanding defaults or violations by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any obligation required to be performed by it in connection with any such plan, except, in the case of each of the immediately preceding sub-clauses (i), (ii) and (iii), as disclosed in each of the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus or as would not have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. For the purposes of the foregoing, “Canadian Plans” means all employee benefit, fringe benefit, supplemental unemployment benefit, bonus, incentive, profit sharing, termination, change of control, pension, retirement, savings, stock option, stock purchase, stock appreciation, medical, dental, disability, life insurance and similar plans, programmes or arrangements that are subject to laws of any province or territory of Canada (or federal laws of Canada applicable therein), including, where applicable, regulation in respect thereof, that relate to the current or former employees, officers or directors of the Company and its subsidiaries and which are maintained, sponsored or funded by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or under which the Company or any of its subsidiaries has any liability, other than benefit plans established pursuant to statute or any multi-employer pension plan within the meaning of any applicable Canadian pension legislation (a “Canadian Multi-Employer Pension Plan”). With respect to the Canadian Multi-Employer Pension Plans, the Company and its Subsidiaries have made all required contributions to such plans in accordance with the applicable collective agreements.

 

(cc)            Disclosure Controls. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain an effective system of “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) that has been designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules, including controls and procedures designed to ensure that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

 

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The Company and its subsidiaries have carried out evaluations of the effectiveness of their disclosure controls and procedures as required by Rule 13a-15 of the Exchange Act.

 

(dd)           Accounting Controls. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act) and as permitted under National Instrument 52-109 – Certification of Disclosure in Issuers’ Annual and Interim Filings of the Canadian Securities Administrators that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act and Canadian Securities Laws and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, their respective principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; and (v) interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information is prepared in accordance with the Commission's rules and guidelines applicable thereto. Except as disclosed in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, there are no material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in the Company’s internal controls.

 

(ee)            Canadian Reporting Issuer. The Company is a “reporting issuer” (within the meaning of Canadian Securities Laws) in each of the provinces of Canada, is not on the list of defaulting reporting issuers or noted in default on the list of reporting issuers maintained by any Canadian Securities Commission in such jurisdictions and is not in default of any material requirement of Canadian Securities Laws in any such jurisdiction.

 

(ff)              Insurance. The Company and its subsidiaries have insurance covering their respective properties, operations, personnel and businesses, including business interruption insurance, which insurance is in amounts and insures against such losses and risks as is generally maintained by companies engaged in the same or a similar business to protect the Company and its subsidiaries and their respective businesses; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has (i) received notice from any insurer or agent of such insurer that capital improvements or other expenditures are required or necessary to be made in order to continue such insurance or (ii) any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage at reasonable cost from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business.

 

(gg)           No Unlawful Payments. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor any of their officers or directors nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any agent, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made or taken an act in furtherance of an offer, promise or authorization of any direct or indirect unlawful payment or benefit to any foreign or domestic government official or employee, including of any government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or any applicable law or regulation implementing the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, or committed an offence under the Bribery Act 2010 of the United Kingdom, the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act (Canada) or any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption laws of all jurisdictions where the Company or any of its subsidiaries conducts business; or (iv) made, offered, agreed, requested or taken an act in furtherance of any unlawful bribe or other unlawful benefit, including, without limitation, any rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful or improper payment or benefit. The Company and its subsidiaries have instituted, maintain and enforce, and will continue to maintain and enforce, policies and procedures designed to promote and ensure compliance with all applicable anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws.

 

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(hh)           Compliance with Anti-Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (Canada) and the applicable money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions where the Company or any of its subsidiaries conducts business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

 

(ii)              No Conflicts with Sanctions Laws. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor any of their officers or directors nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any agent, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently the subject or the target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. government (including, without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury or the U.S. Department of State and including, without limitation, the designation as a “specially designated national” or “blocked person”), the Government of Canada, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”), or other relevant sanctions authority in any jurisdiction where the Company or any of its subsidiaries conducts business (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor is the Company, any of its subsidiaries organized, resident or operating in a country or territory that is the subject or target of Sanctions (which, as of the Closing Date, are Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria and the Crimea region of Ukraine (each, a “Sanctioned Country”); and the Company will not directly or, to its knowledge, indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Securities hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity (i) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business with any person that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject or target of Sanctions, (ii) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business in any Sanctioned Country or (iii) in any other manner that, to the Company’s knowledge, will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, initial purchaser, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions. For the past three years, the Company and its subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in and are not now knowingly engaged in any dealings or transactions with any person that at the time of the dealing or transaction, is or was the subject or the target of Sanctions, or with any Sanctioned Country.

 

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(jj)              Senior Indebtedness. The Securities shall constitute senior (unsubordinated) indebtedness of the Company.

 

(kk)           No Restrictions on Subsidiaries. Except for any restrictions under any applicable corporate, limited partnership, limited liability company, other similar organizational law, or under any agreement between (or among) the Company (and/or any one or more of its subsidiaries) and any one or more of its subsidiaries, no subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, under any agreement or other instrument to which it is a party or is subject, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s share capital or similar ownership interest, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s properties or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company, except as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus and that will be permitted by the Indenture.

 

(ll)              No Stabilization. The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities.

 

(mm)          Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) included or incorporated by reference in any of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.

 

(nn)           Statistical and Market Data. Nothing has come to the attention of the Company that has caused the Company to believe that the statistical and market-related data included or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus is not based on or derived from sources that are reliable and accurate in all material respects.

 

(oo)           Sarbanes-Oxley Act. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.

 

(pp)           Status under the Securities Act. The Company is not an ineligible issuer and is a well-known seasoned issuer, in each case as defined under the Securities Act, in each case at the times specified in the Securities Act in connection with the offering of the Securities.

 

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(qq)           No Withholding Tax. Except, in each case, as otherwise disclosed in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, and subject to the limitations and qualifications stated in the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, all payments to be made by the Company on or by virtue of the execution, delivery or performance of the Transaction Documents and all interest, principal, premium, if any, additional amounts, if any, and other payments under the Transaction Documents, under the current laws and regulations of Canada and any political subdivision thereof having the power to tax (each, a “Canadian Taxing Jurisdiction”), will not be subject to withholding taxes under the current laws and regulations of the Canadian Taxing Jurisdiction and are otherwise payable free and clear of any other withholding tax in the Canadian Taxing Jurisdiction and without the necessity of obtaining any governmental authorization in the Canadian Taxing Jurisdiction.

 

(rr)              Stamp Taxes. There are no stamp or other issuance or transfer taxes or duties or other similar fees or charges (“Stamp Taxes”) required to be paid by or on behalf of the Underwriters in Canada or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof on the execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents or the offer or sale of the Securities in the manner contemplated by the Transaction Documents.

 

(ss)             Enforcement of Foreign Judgments. Any final judgment for a fixed or determined sum of money rendered by any U.S. federal or New York state court located in the State of New York having jurisdiction under its own laws in respect of any suit, action or proceeding against the Company based upon any of the Transaction Documents would be enforceable against the Company by the courts of a province or territory of Canada and any court competent to hear an appeal therefrom (each a “Canadian Court”), without reconsideration or reexamination of the merits, provided that: (i) the action to enforce the judgment must be commenced within any applicable limitation period, (ii) a Canadian Court will have the discretion to stay or decline to hear the enforcement action if there is another subsisting judgment in any jurisdiction relating to the same cause of action as the judgment, (iii) the Canadian Court will render judgment only in Canadian dollars and (iv) an action on the judgment may be affected by bankruptcy, insolvency or other laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally; and further subject to the following defenses: (A) if the judgment was obtained by fraud or in a manner contrary to the principles of natural justice, (B) if the judgment is for a claim which would be characterized as based on a foreign revenue, expropriatory, penal or other public law, (C) if the judgment is contrary to public policy or to an order made by the Attorney General of Canada under the Foreign Extraterritorial Measures Act (Canada) or by the Competition Tribunal under the Competition Act (Canada) in respect of certain judgments referred to in these statutes; or if the judgment has been satisfied or is void under New York law.

 

(tt)              Valid Choice of Law. The choice of laws of the State of New York as the governing law of the Transaction Documents is a valid choice of law under the laws of each province and territory of Canada and will be honored by Canadian Courts.

 

(uu)           Exchange Controls. No exchange control authorization or any other authorization, approval, consent or license of any governmental or regulatory authority or court in Canada is required for the payment of any amounts payable under the Transaction Documents and, except, in each case, as otherwise disclosed in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, may be paid in Canadian dollars that may be converted into another currency and freely transferred out of Canada, without the necessity of obtaining any governmental authorization in Canada or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein.

 

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(vv)           Indemnification and Contribution. The indemnification and contribution provisions set forth in Section 7 hereof do not contravene applicable Canadian law.

 

(ww)       No Requirement to Qualify to do Business. It is not necessary under the laws of Canada that any holder of the Securities, or the Underwriters should be licensed, qualified or entitled to carry on business in Canada (i) to enable any of them to enforce their respective rights under the Transaction Document or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or any other document to be delivered in connection herewith or therewith or (ii) solely by reason of the execution, delivery or performance of any such document.

 

(xx)           No Requirement to File or Record. This Agreement and the other Transaction Documents are in proper legal form under the laws of Canada for the enforcement thereof in Canada against the Company, and to ensure the legality, enforcement or admissibility into evidence of this Agreement and any other Transaction Document in Canada it is not necessary for this Agreement or any such Transaction Document, as the case may be, to be filed or recorded with any court or other authority in Canada or that any tax or fee be paid in Canada on or in respect of this Agreement or such Transaction Document, as the case may be, or any other document, other than court costs (including, without limitation, filing fees). This Agreement and the other Transaction Documents are in proper legal form under the laws of the State of New York for the enforcement thereof in the State of New York against the Company, and it is not necessary in order to ensure the legality, validity, enforcement or admissibility into evidence of this Agreement and any other Transaction Document in the State of New York that this Agreement or any such Transaction Document, as the case may be, be filed or recorded with any court or other authority in the State of New York or that any tax or fee be paid in the State of New York on or in respect of this Agreement or such Transaction Document, as the case may be, or any other document, other than court costs, including (without limitation) filing fees.

 

(yy)           No Canadian Domicile. None of the holders of the Securities, the Underwriters or the Trustee who are not otherwise resident in Canada and who do not carry on business in Canada will be deemed resident, domiciled, carrying on business or subject to taxation in Canada on an overall world-wide income basis solely by virtue of the execution, delivery, performance or enforcement of the Transaction Documents or the issuance or sale of the Securities or by virtue of the ownership or transfer of Securities or the receipt of payments pursuant to any of the Transaction Documents.

 

4.       Further Agreements of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with each Underwriter that:

 

(a)               Required Filings. The Company will file the final Prospectus with the Commission within the time periods specified by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act, will file any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (including the Pricing Term Sheet referred to in Annex B hereto) to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act; and the Company will file within the applicable time periods specified by the Exchange Act all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and for so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the offering or sale of the Securities; and the Company will furnish copies of the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (to the extent not previously delivered) to the Underwriters in New York City prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement in such quantities as the Representatives may reasonably request. The Company will pay the registration fees for this offering within the time period required by Rule 456(b)(1)(i) under the Securities Act (without giving effect to the proviso therein) and in any event prior to the Closing Date.

 

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(b)               Delivery of Copies. The Company will deliver, without charge, (i) to the Representatives, two signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto, in each case including all exhibits and consents filed therewith and documents incorporated by reference therein; and (ii) to each Underwriter (A) a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto, in each case including all exhibits and consents filed therewith and (B) during the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below), as many copies of the Prospectus (including all amendments and supplements thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein) and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as the Representatives may reasonably request. As used herein, the term “Prospectus Delivery Period” means such period of time after the first date of the public offering of the Securities as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus relating to the Securities is required by law to be delivered (or required to be delivered but for Rule 172 under the Securities Act) in connection with sales of the Securities by any Underwriter or dealer.

 

(c)               Amendments or Supplements; Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. Before making, preparing, using, authorizing, approving, referring to or filing any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and before filing any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters a copy of the proposed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, amendment or supplement for review and will not make, prepare, use, authorize, approve, refer to or file any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representatives reasonably object.

 

(d)               Notice to the Representatives. The Company will advise the Representatives promptly, and confirm such advice in writing, (i) when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective; (ii) when any supplement to the Prospectus or any amendment to the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus has been filed; (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or the receipt of any comments from the Commission relating to the Registration Statement or any other request by the Commission for any additional information; (iv) of the issuance by the Commission or any other governmental or regulatory authority of any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Time of Sale Information or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act; (v) of the occurrence of any event within the Prospectus Delivery Period as a result of which the Prospectus, any of the Time of Sale Information or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus, the Time of Sale Information or any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading; (vi) of the receipt by the Company of any notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act; and (vii) of the receipt by the Company of any notice with respect to any suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offer and sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and the Company will use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any of the Time of Sale Information, Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or suspending any such qualification of the Securities and, if any such order is issued, will obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.

 

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(e)               Time of Sale Information. If at any time prior to the Closing Date (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which any of the Time of Sale Information as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Information to comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission (to the extent required) and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate, such amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Information (or any document to be filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference therein) as may be necessary so that the statements in any of the Time of Sale Information as so amended or supplemented (including such documents to be incorporated by reference therein) will not, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, be misleading or so that any of the Time of Sale Information will comply with law.

 

(f)                Ongoing Compliance. If during the Prospectus Delivery Period (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission (to the extent required) and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate, such amendments or supplements to the Prospectus (or any document to be filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference therein) as may be necessary so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented including such documents to be incorporated by reference therein will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus will comply with law.

 

(g)               Blue Sky Compliance. The Company will qualify the Securities for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives shall reasonably request and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for distribution of the Securities; provided that the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file any general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not otherwise so subject.

 

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(h)               Clear Market. During the period from the date hereof through and including the Closing Date, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of any debt securities issued or guaranteed by the Company and that have a tenor of more than one year; provided that this covenant shall not prevent the Company from consummating any intercompany financing transactions with or among its subsidiaries.

 

(i)                 Earning Statement. The Company will make generally available to its security holders and the Representatives as soon as practicable an earning statement that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Commission promulgated thereunder covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the “effective date” (as defined in Rule 158) of the Registration Statement, provided that (i) such delivery requirements to the Company’s security holders shall be deemed met by the Company’s compliance with its reporting requirements pursuant to the Exchange Act if such compliance satisfies the conditions of Rule 158 thereof and (ii) such delivery requirements to the Representatives shall be deemed met by the Company if the related reports are available on the Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval System.

 

(j)                 Use of Proceeds. The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus under the heading “Use of Proceeds”.

 

(k)               DTC. The Company will assist the Underwriters in arranging for the Securities to be eligible for clearance and settlement through DTC.

 

(l)                 No Stabilization. The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities.

 

(m)             Record Retention. The Company will, pursuant to reasonable procedures developed in good faith, retain copies of each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 433 under the Securities Act.

 

(n)               Tax Gross-Up. The Company agrees with each of the Underwriters to make all payments under this Agreement without withholding or deduction for or on account of any present or future taxes, duties or governmental charges whatsoever imposed by any taxing jurisdiction, unless the Company is compelled by law to deduct or withhold such taxes, duties or charges. In that event, the Company shall pay such additional amounts as may be necessary in order that the net amounts received by the Underwriters after such withholding or deduction will equal the amounts that would have been received if no withholding or deduction had been made, except that no such additional amounts shall be paid to the extent that such taxes, duties or charges (i) would not have been imposed (or would have been imposed at a reduced rate) but for any past, present or future connection of an Underwriter with the taxing jurisdiction other than the mere entering into of this Agreement or receipt of payments hereunder, (ii) would not have been imposed (or would have been imposed at a reduced rate) but for the failure of an Underwriter to comply with any reasonable certification, identification or other reporting requirements concerning the nationality, residence, identity or connection with the taxing jurisdiction of such Underwriter, if such compliance is timely requested by the Company or (iii) are imposed in respect of services of an Underwriter, other than those performed outside of Canada in the ordinary course of the business carried on by such Underwriter that included the performance of such services for a fee. The Company further agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriters against any Stamp Taxes, including any interest and penalties, on the creation, issue and sale of the Securities, and on the execution, delivery, performance and enforcement of the Transaction Documents.

 

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5.       Certain Agreements of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter hereby represents and agrees that it has not and will not use, authorize use of, refer to, or participate in the planning for use of, any “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act (which term includes use of any written information furnished to the Commission by the Company and not incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and any press release issued by the Company) other than (i) a free writing prospectus that, solely as a result of use by such Underwriter, would not trigger an obligation to file such free writing prospectus with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433, (ii) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Annex A or prepared pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 4(c) above (including any electronic road show), or (iii) any free writing prospectus prepared by such Underwriter and approved by the Company in advance in writing (each such free writing prospectus referred to in clauses (i) or (iii), an “Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Underwriters may use the Pricing Term Sheet referred to in Annex B hereto without the consent of the Company.

 

6.       Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligation of each Underwriter to purchase Securities on the Closing Date as provided herein is subject to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

 

(a)               Registration Compliance; No Stop Order. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose, pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission; the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission under the Securities Act (in the case of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act) and in accordance with Section 4(a) hereof; and all requests by the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representatives.

 

(b)               Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Company contained herein shall be true and correct on the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date; and the statements of the Company and its officers made in any certificates delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall be true and correct on and as of the Closing Date.

 

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(c)               No Downgrade. Subsequent to the earlier of (A) the Time of Sale and (B) the execution and delivery of this Agreement, (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded the Securities or any other debt securities or preferred shares issued or guaranteed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization”, as such term is defined under Section 3(a)(62) under the Exchange Act and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, or has changed its outlook with respect to, its rating of the Securities or of any other debt securities or preferred shares issued or guaranteed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading).

 

(d)               No Material Adverse Change. No event or condition of a type described in Section 3(g) hereof shall have occurred or shall exist, which event or condition is not described in each of the Time of Sale Information (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the Prospectus (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) the effect of which in the judgment of the Representatives makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

 

(e)               Officer’s Certificate. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date a certificate of an executive officer of the Company who has specific knowledge of the Company’s financial matters and is satisfactory to the Representatives (i) confirming that such officer has carefully reviewed the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus and, to the knowledge of such officer, the representations set forth in Sections 3(a) and 3(c) hereof are true and correct, (ii) confirming that the other representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct and that the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date and (iii) to the effect set forth in paragraphs (a), (c) and (d) above.

 

(f)                Comfort Letters. On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and Grant Thornton LLP shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus; provided that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off” date no more than three business days prior to the Closing Date.

 

(g)               Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Company. Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, its written opinion and 10b-5 statement, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect set forth in Annex C hereto.

 

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(h)               Opinion of Local Counsel. Bennett Jones LLP, Canadian counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, its written opinion, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect set forth in Annex D hereto.

 

(i)                 Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Underwriters. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date an opinion and 10b-5 statement, addressed to the Underwriters, of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, with respect to such matters as the Representatives may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such documents and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.

 

(j)                 No Legal Impediment to Issuance. No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, provincial, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities.

 

(k)               Good Standing. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the Company in writing or any standard form of telecommunication, from the appropriate governmental authority of such jurisdiction.

 

(l)                 DTC. The Securities shall be eligible for clearance and settlement through DTC.

 

(m)             Indenture and Securities. The Indenture shall have been duly executed and delivered by a duly authorized officer of the Company and the Trustee, and the Securities shall have been duly executed and delivered by a duly authorized officer of the Company and duly authenticated by the Trustee.

 

(n)               Additional Documents. On or prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such further certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.

 

All opinions, letters, certificates and evidence mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.

 

7.       Indemnification and Contribution.

 

(a)                Indemnification of the Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, reasonable legal fees and other reasonable expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, not misleading, or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Time of Sale Information, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein.

 

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(b)               Indemnification of the Company. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors and officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (including, without limitation, reasonable legal fees and other reasonable expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred) that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Time of Sale Information, it being understood and agreed that the only such information consists of the following paragraphs in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus: “Underwriting—Commissions and Discounts”, “Underwriting—Price Stabilization and Short Positions”, “Underwriting—Other Relationships” and “Underwriting—Settlement.”

 

(c)                Notice and Procedures. If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or (b) above, such person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing; provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under paragraph (a) or (b) above except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided, further, that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under paragraph (a) or (b) above. If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person (who shall not, without the consent of the Indemnified Person, be counsel to the Indemnifying Person) to represent the Indemnified Person and any others entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Section 7 that the Indemnifying Person may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such proceeding and shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred. In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such fees and expenses shall be paid or reimbursed as they are incurred. Any such separate firm for any Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and any control persons of such Underwriter shall be designated in writing by J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, MUFG Securities Americas Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC and any such separate firm for the Company, its directors and officers who signed the Registration Statement and any control persons of the Company shall be designated in writing by the Company. The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified Person shall have requested that an Indemnifying Person reimburse the Indemnified Person for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this paragraph, the Indemnifying Person shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by the Indemnifying Person of such request and (ii) the Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed the Indemnified Person in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.

 

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(d)               Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in paragraph (a) or (b) above is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds (before deducting expenses) received by the Company from the sale of the Securities and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters in connection therewith, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate offering price of the Securities. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

 

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(e)                Limitation on Liability. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any reasonable legal or other expenses incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Securities exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to their respective purchase obligations hereunder and not joint.

 

(f)                 Non-Exclusive Remedies. The remedies provided for in this Section 7 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies that may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.

 

8.       Effectiveness of Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective as of the date first written above.

 

9.       Termination. This Agreement may be terminated in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and on or prior to the Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on any of the Toronto Stock Exchange, New York Stock Exchange or the over-the-counter market; (ii) trading of any securities issued or guaranteed by the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by U.S. or Canadian federal or New York State authorities; or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis, either within or outside the United States, that, in the judgment of the Representatives, is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

 

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10.       Defaulting Underwriter.

 

(a)                If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter defaults on its obligation to purchase the Securities that it has agreed to purchase hereunder, the non-defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Securities by other persons satisfactory to the Company on the terms contained in this Agreement. If, within 36 hours after any such default by any Underwriter, the non-defaulting Underwriters do not arrange for the purchase of such Securities, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase such Securities on such terms. If other persons become obligated or agree to purchase the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter, either the non-defaulting Underwriters or the Company may postpone the Closing Date for up to five full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement, and the Company agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus that effects any such changes. As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context otherwise requires, any person not listed in Schedule 1 hereto that, pursuant to this Section 10, purchases Securities that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.

 

(b)               If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Securities that remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all the Securities, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the principal amount of Securities that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder plus such Underwriter's pro rata share (based on the principal amount of Securities that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Securities of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made.

 

(c)                If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Securities that remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all the Securities, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10 shall be without liability on the part of the Company, except that the Company will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in Section 11 hereof and except that the provisions of Section 7 hereof shall not terminate and shall remain in effect.

 

27

 

 

(d)               Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of any liability it may have to the Company or any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages caused by its default.

 

11.       Payment of Expenses.

 

(a)               Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company agrees to pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder, including without limitation, (i) the costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale, preparation and delivery of the Securities and any stamp, transfer or similar taxes payable in that connection; (ii) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus (including all exhibits, amendments and supplements thereto) and the distribution thereof; (iii) the costs of reproducing and distributing each of the Transaction Documents; (iv) the fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel and independent accountants; (v) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the registration or qualification and determination of eligibility for investment of the Securities under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including the related reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters in an amount not to exceed $10,000); (vi) any fees charged by rating agencies for rating the Securities; (vii) the fees and expenses of the Trustee and any paying agent (including related reasonable fees and expenses of any counsel to such parties); (viii) all expenses and application fees incurred in connection with any filing with, and clearance of the offering by, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, and the approval of the Securities for book-entry transfer by DTC; and (ix) all expenses incurred by the Company in connection with any “road show” presentation to potential investors.

 

(b)               If (i) this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 9, (ii) the Company for any reason fails to tender the Securities for delivery to the Underwriters or (iii) the Underwriters decline to purchase the Securities for any reason permitted under this Agreement, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including the fees and expenses of their counsel) reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the offering contemplated hereby.

 

12.       Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and directors and any controlling persons referred to herein, and the affiliates of each Underwriter referred to in Section 7 hereof. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any other person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor merely by reason of such purchase.

 

13.       Survival. The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, representations, warranties and agreements of the Company and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement or any certificate delivered pursuant hereto shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Securities and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters.

 

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14.       Certain Defined Terms. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) except where otherwise expressly provided, the term “affiliate” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; (b) the term “business day” means any day other than a day on which banks are permitted or required to be closed in New York City; and (c) the term “subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

 

15.       Compliance with USA Patriot Act. In accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Underwriters are required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies their respective clients, including the Company, which information may include the name and address of their respective clients, as well as other information that will allow the Underwriters to properly identify their respective clients.

 

16.       Miscellaneous.

 

(a)               Authority of the Representatives. Any action by the Underwriters hereunder may be taken by J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, MUFG Securities Americas Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC on behalf of the Underwriters, and any such action taken by J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, MUFG Securities Americas Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC shall be binding upon the Underwriters.

 

(b)                Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted and confirmed by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be given to the Representatives c/o BofA Securities, Inc., 50 Rockefeller Plaza, NY1-050-12-01, New York, New York 10020 (fax: 212-901-7881); Attn: High Grade Debt Capital Markets Transaction Management/Legal; c/o J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10179 (fax: 212-834-6081); Attn: Investment Grade Syndicate Desk; c/o MUFG Securities Americas Inc., 1221 Avenue of the Americas, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10020 (fax: (646) 434-3455); Attn: Capital Markets Group; and c/o Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, 550 South Tryon Street, 5th Floor, Charlotte, NC 28202 (fax: (704) 410-0326); Attn: Transaction Management. Notices to the Company shall be given to it at 3 Waterway Square Place, Suite 110, The Woodlands, Texas 77380 (fax: 832-442-2290); Attention: General Counsel.

 

(c)               Governing Law. This Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, but without regard to its conflict of laws provisions.

 

(d)               Submission to Jurisdiction. The Company hereby submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the U.S. federal and New York state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. The Company waives any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such suit or proceeding in such courts. The Company agrees that final judgment in any such suit, action or proceeding brought in such court shall be conclusive and binding upon the Company and may be enforced in any court to the jurisdiction of which the Company is subject by a suit upon such judgment. The Company irrevocably appoints Corporation Service Company, located at 80 State Street, Albany, New York 12207-2543, as its authorized agent in the state of New York upon which process may be served in any such suit or proceeding, and agrees that service of process upon such authorized agent, and written notice of such service to the Company by the person serving the same to the address provided in this Section 16, shall be deemed in every respect effective service of process upon the Company in any such suit or proceeding. The Company hereby represents and warrants that such authorized agent has accepted such appointment and has agreed to act as such authorized agent for service of process. The Company further agrees to take any and all action as may be necessary to maintain such designation and appointment of such authorized agent in full force and effect for a period of seven years from the date of this Agreement.

 

29

 

 

(e)               Waiver of Immunity. To the extent that the Company has or hereafter may acquire any immunity (sovereign or otherwise) from jurisdiction of any court of (i) Canada, or any political subdivision thereof, (ii) the United States or the State of New York, (iii) any jurisdiction in which it owns or leases property or assets or from any legal process (whether through service of notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution, execution, set-off or otherwise) with respect to themselves or their respective property and assets or this Agreement, the Company hereby irrevocably waives such immunity in respect of its obligations under this Agreement to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.

 

(f)                Waiver of Jury Trial. Each of the parties hereto hereby waives any right to trial by jury in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement.

 

(g)               Judgment Currency. The Company agrees to indemnify each Underwriter, its directors, officers, affiliates and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, against any loss incurred by such Underwriter as a result of any judgment or order being given or made for any amount due hereunder and such judgment or order being expressed and paid in a currency (the “judgment currency”) other than U.S. dollars and as a result of any variation as between (i) the rate of exchange at which the U.S. dollar amount is converted into the judgment currency for the purpose of such judgment or order, and (ii) the rate of exchange at which such indemnified person is able to purchase U.S. dollars with the amount of the judgment currency actually received by the indemnified person. The foregoing indemnity shall constitute a separate and independent obligation of the Company and shall continue in full force and effect notwithstanding any such judgment or order as aforesaid. The term “rate of exchange” shall include any premiums and costs of exchange payable in connection with the purchase of, or conversion into, the relevant currency.

 

(h)               Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication), each of which shall be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

30

 

 

 

(i)                 Amendments or Waivers. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto.

 

(j)                 Headings. The headings herein are included for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement

 

(k)               Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes. In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

 

For purposes of this Section 16(k):

 

BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k).

 

Covered Entity” means any of the following:

 

(i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, C.F.R. § 252.82(b);

 

(ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or

 

(iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).

 

Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.

 

U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

31

 

 

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please indicate your acceptance of this Agreement by signing in the space provided below.

 

  Very truly yours,
   
  WASTE CONNECTIONS, INC.
   
  By:    /s/ Worthing F. Jackman
  Name: Worthing F. Jackman
  Title: President and Chief Executive Officer

 

 

 

 

Accepted: As of the date first written above

 

BOFA SECURITIES, INC.

 

For itself and on behalf of the

several Underwriters listed

in Schedule 1 hereto.

 

By:    /s/ Kevin Wehler  
Name: Kevin Wehler  
Title: Managing Director  

 

 

 

 

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC

 

For itself and on behalf of the

several Underwriters listed

in Schedule 1 hereto.

 

By:    /s/ Som Bhattacharyya  
Name: Som Bhattacharyya  
Title: Executive Director  

 

 

 

 

MUFG SECURITIES AMERICAS INC.

 

For itself and on behalf of the

several Underwriters listed

in Schedule 1 hereto.

 

By:    /s/ Brian Cogliandro  
Name: Brian Cogliandro  
Title: Managing Director  

 

 

 

 

WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC

 

For itself and on behalf of the

several Underwriters listed

in Schedule 1 hereto.

 

By:    /s/ Brianna R. Beveridge  
Name: Brianna R. Beveridge  
Title: Director  

 

 

 

 

Schedule 1

 

Underwriter   Principal Amount  
BofA Securities, Inc.   $ 135,000,000  
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC     135,000,000  
MUFG Securities Americas Inc.     84,231,000  
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC     84,231,000  
CIBC World Markets Corp.     41,539,000  
PNC Capital Markets LLC     34,615,000  
BBVA Securities Inc.     13,846,000  
Fifth Third Securities, Inc.     13,846,000  
SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc.     13,846,000  
TD Securities (USA) LLC     13,846,000  
U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc.     13,846,000  
Citizens Capital Markets, Inc.     8,077,000  
Scotia Capital (USA) Inc.     8,077,000  
Total   $ 600,000,000  

 

 

 

 

Schedule 2

 

[To be inserted]

 

 

 

 

Annex A

 

Time of Sale Information

 

●    Pricing Term Sheet, dated January 21, 2020, substantially in the form of Annex B.

 

 

 

 

Annex B

 

Free Writing Prospectus

Filed Pursuant to Rule 433

Registration Statement No. 333-225219

Dated January 21, 2020

 

WASTE CONNECTIONS, INC.

 

Pricing Term Sheet

 

Issuer:   Waste Connections, Inc.
Title of Securities   2.600% Senior Notes due 2030
Principal Amount:   $600,000,000
Maturity Date:   February 1, 2030
Coupon:   2.600%
Public Offering Price:   99.991% of face amount
Yield to Maturity:   2.601%
Benchmark Treasury:   1.750% due November 15, 2029
Benchmark Treasury Price and Yield:   99-26 and 1.771%
Spread to Benchmark Treasury:   +83 bps
Interest Payment Dates:   February 1 and August 1, commencing August 1, 2020
     

Optional Redemption:

   
     
Make-Whole Call:  

Redeemable at any time prior to November 1, 2029 (the “Par Call Date”) at a redemption price equal to the greater of (i) 100% of the principal amount of the Notes redeemed and (ii) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest (exclusive of interest accrued to the redemption date) on the Notes redeemed (assuming that such Notes matured on the Par Call Date), discounted to the redemption date on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at a discount rate of 15 basis points, in each case, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date.

     
Par Call:  

Redeemable at any time on or after the Par Call Date in an amount equal to the principal amount of the Notes redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date.

 

 

 

 

Trade Date:  

January 21, 2020.

     
Settlement:  

T+2; January 23, 2020

     
CUSIP:  

94106BAA9

     
ISIN:  

US94106BAA98

     
Ratings (Moody’s/S&P/Fitch)*:  

Baa2 (Stable) / BBB+ (Stable) / BBB+ (Stable)

     
Joint Book-Running Managers:  

BofA Securities, Inc.

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

MUFG Securities Americas Inc.

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

CIBC World Markets Corp.

PNC Capital Markets LLC

     
Co-Managers:  

U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc.

BBVA Securities Inc.

TD Securities (USA) LLC

Fifth Third Securities, Inc.

SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc.

Scotia Capital (USA) Inc.

Citizens Capital Markets, Inc.

 

*Note: A securities rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities and may be revised or withdrawn at any time.

 

The issuer has filed a registration statement (including a base prospectus) and a prospectus supplement, dated January 21, 2020 (the “Preliminary Prospectus Supplement”), with the SEC for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the base prospectus in that registration statement and the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement and other documents the issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the issuer and this offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC Web site at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, the issuer, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send you the prospectus if you request it by calling BofA Securities, Inc. toll-free at 1-800-294-1322, J.P. Morgan collect at 1-212-834-4533, MUFG Securities Americas Inc. toll-free at 1-877-649-6848 or Wells Fargo Securities, LLC toll-free at 1-800-645-3751.

 

This Pricing Term Sheet is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement. The information in this Pricing Term Sheet supplements the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement and supersedes the information in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement to the extent inconsistent with the information in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement.

 

 

 

 

Annex C

Form of Opinion and 10b-5 of Latham & Watkins LLP

 

 

 

 

Annex D

 

Form of Opinion of Bennett Jones LLP

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 4.2

 

Execution Version

 

WASTE CONNECTIONS, INC.

 

as Issuer,

 

to

 

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

 

as Trustee

 

 

 

THIRD SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE,

 

Dated as of January 23, 2020,

 

to Indenture dated as of November 16, 2018

 

 

 

$600,000,000

 

2.600% Senior Notes due 2030

 

 

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

  Page

 

ARTICLE One SECURITY FORMS 1
SECTION 1.1.   Forms of Notes 1
SECTION 1.2.   Price 2
SECTION 1.3.   Denominations 2
SECTION 1.4.   Payment; Interest 2
ARTICLE Two AMENDMENTS TO BASE INDENTURE PROVISIONS 2
SECTION 2.1.   Generally 2
SECTION 2.2.   Additional Definitions 2
SECTION 2.3.   Replaced Definitions 7
SECTION 2.4.   Issuable in Series 7
SECTION 2.5.   Book-Entry Provisions for Global Securities 8
SECTION 2.6.   CUSIP Numbers 8
SECTION 2.7.   Selection of Securities to be Redeemed 8
SECTION 2.8.   Notice of Redemption 9
SECTION 2.9.   Optional Redemption 9
SECTION 2.10.  Limitation on Liens 10
SECTION 2.11.  Limitations on Sale and Leaseback Transactions 12
SECTION 2.12.  Withholding Taxes and Other Taxes 13
SECTION 2.13.  When the Company May Merge, Amalgamate, Etc. 16
SECTION 2.14.  Covenant Defeasance 17
SECTION 2.15.  Change of Control Triggering Event 17
SECTION 2.16.  Consent to Jurisdiction and Service 19
ARTICLE Three MISCELLANEOUS 20
SECTION 3.1.    Construction 20
SECTION 3.2.    Conflicts 20
SECTION 3.3.    Successors and Assigns 20
SECTION 3.4.    Severability 20
SECTION 3.5.    Benefits of the Indenture 20
SECTION 3.6.    Governing Law 20
SECTION 3.7.    Defined Terms 21
SECTION 3.8.    Counterparts 21
SECTION 3.9.    Concerning the Trustee 21

 

i

 

 

THIRD SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, dated as of January 23, 2020 (the “Third Supplemental Indenture”), between WASTE CONNECTIONS, INC., a corporation existing under the laws of Ontario, Canada (the “Company”), and U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a U.S. national banking association, as trustee under the Base Indenture referred to below (the “Trustee”).

 

WHEREAS, the Company entered into an Indenture with the Trustee, dated as of November 16, 2018 (the “Base Indenture” and, as amended and supplemented by this Third Supplemental Indenture, the “Indenture”), providing for the issuance of senior debt securities, unlimited as to principal amount, to bear such rates of interest, to mature at such time or times, to be issued in one or more series and to have such other provisions as authorized by or pursuant to the authority granted in one or more resolutions of the Board of Directors; and

 

WHEREAS, the Company proposes to issue $600,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 2.600% Senior Notes due 2030 (the “Notes,” and all references to Securities in the Base Indenture shall be deemed to refer also to the Notes unless the context otherwise provides); and

 

WHEREAS, Section 9.1 of the Base Indenture provides that the Company and the Trustee may enter into a supplemental indenture, to among other things, establish the form or terms of Notes as permitted by the Base Indenture without the consent of any Securityholder; and

 

WHEREAS, the entry into this Third Supplemental Indenture by the parties hereto is in all respects authorized by the provisions of the Base Indenture; and

 

WHEREAS, all things necessary have been done to make this Third Supplemental Indenture, when executed and delivered by the Company, the legal, valid and binding agreement of the Company, in accordance with its terms; and

 

WHEREAS, all things necessary have been done to make the Notes, when executed and delivered by the Company and authenticated by the Trustee as provided for in the Indenture, the legal, valid and binding agreements of the Company, in accordance with their terms; and

 

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS THIRD SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE WITNESSETH, the parties hereto mutually covenant and agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE One

SECURITY FORMS

 

SECTION 1.1.  Forms of Notes. The Notes and any Additional Notes shall be in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification or designation and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of the Indenture, or as may be required to comply with any law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any exchange on which the Notes may be listed, or to conform to usage. The terms and provisions set forth in the Notes shall constitute, and are hereby made a part of the Indenture and, to the extent applicable, the Company and the Trustee, by their execution and delivery of the Base Indenture and this Third Supplemental Indenture, expressly agree to such terms and provisions and to be bound thereby.

 

 

 

 

SECTION 1.2.  Price. The Notes (excluding any Additional Notes) shall be issued at 99.991% of the aggregate principal amount of $600,000,000.

 

SECTION 1.3.  Denominations. The Notes shall be issued in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

 

SECTION 1.4.  Payment; Interest. The principal amount of each Note shall be payable on February 1, 2030. Each Note shall bear interest from and including the date of issuance, or the most recent Interest Payment Date (as defined below), at the fixed rate of 2.600% per annum. The dates on which interest on the Notes shall be payable shall be February 1 and August 1 of each year, commencing August 1, 2020 (the “Interest Payment Dates”). The regular record date for interest payable on the Notes on any Interest Payment Date shall be January 15 and July 15, as the case may be, immediately preceding such Interest Payment Date.

 

ARTICLE Two

AMENDMENTS TO BASE INDENTURE PROVISIONS

 

SECTION 2.1.  Generally. The Base Indenture is hereby amended or amended and restated, in each case solely with respect to the Notes, as indicated in the following sections.

 

SECTION 2.2.  Additional Definitions. Section 1.1 of the Base Indenture is hereby amended by adding the following definitions in correct alphabetical order:

 

Additional Notes” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1.

 

Agent Members” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.14.7(a).

 

Applicable Procedures” means, with respect to any transfer or transaction involving a Global Security or beneficial interest therein, the rules and procedures of the Depositary for such Security to the extent applicable to such transaction and as in effect at the time of such transfer or transaction.

 

Attributable Debt” means the present value of the rental payments during the remaining term of the lease included in the Sale and Leaseback Transaction. To determine that present value, the Company uses a discount rate equal to the lease rate of the Sale and Leaseback Transaction or, if the lease rate is not known to the Company, the weighted average interest rate of all series of securities outstanding at the time under the indenture compounded semi-annually. For these purposes, rental payments do not include any amounts required to be paid for taxes, maintenance, repairs, insurance, assessments, utilities, operating and labor costs and other items that do not constitute payments for property rights. In the case of any lease that the lessee may terminate by paying a penalty, if the net amount (including payment of the penalty) would be reduced if the lessee terminated the lease on the first date that it could be terminated, then this lower net amount will be used.

 

2

 

 

Change of Control” means the occurrence of any of the following after the date of issuance of the Notes:

 

(a)               the direct or indirect sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole to any “person” or “group” (as those terms are used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) other than to the Company or one of its Subsidiaries;

 

(b)               the consummation of any transaction (including any merger, amalgamation or consolidation) the result of which is that any “person” or “group” (as those terms are used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act, it being agreed that an employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries for whom shares are held under an employee stock ownership, employee retirement, employee savings or similar plan and whose shares are voted in accordance with the instructions of such employee shall not be a member of a “group” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) solely because such employee’s shares are held by a trustee under said plan) becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of Voting Stock representing more than 50% of the voting power of the Company’s outstanding Voting Stock;

 

(c)               the Company consolidates with, or merges or amalgamates with or into, any person, or any person consolidates with, amalgamates with, or merges with or into, the Company, in any such event pursuant to a transaction in which any of the Company’s outstanding Voting Stock or Voting Stock of such other person is converted into or exchanged for cash, securities or other property, other than any such transaction where the Company’s Voting Stock outstanding immediately prior to such transaction constitutes, or is converted into or exchanged for, Voting Stock representing more than 50% of the voting power of the Voting Stock of the surviving or resulting person immediately after giving effect to such transaction;

 

(d)               during any period of twelve (12) consecutive calendar months, individuals who were members of the Board of Directors on the first day of such period cease to constitute a majority of the Board of Directors unless such new directors were approved by a majority of the directors who were directors on the first day of such period; or

 

(e)               the adoption of a plan relating to the Company’s liquidation or dissolution.

 

Change of Control Offer” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12.1(a).

 

Change of Control Payment” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12.1(a).

 

Change of Control Payment Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12.1(b)(iv).

 

Change of Control Repurchase Notice” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12.1(c)(i).

 

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Change of Control Triggering Event” means the Notes cease to be rated Investment Grade by at least two of the three Rating Agencies on any date during the Trigger Period. If a Rating Agency is not providing a rating for the Notes at the commencement of any Trigger Period, the Notes will be deemed to have ceased to be rated Investment Grade by such Rating Agency during that Trigger Period. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Change of Control Triggering Event will be deemed to have occurred in connection with any particular Change of Control unless and until such Change of Control has actually been consummated.

 

Code” means the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

Comparable Treasury Issue” means the U.S. Treasury security selected by an Independent Investment Banker as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term of the Notes to be redeemed (assuming that the Notes matured on the Par Call Date) that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term of the Notes (assuming that the Notes matured on the Par Call Date).

 

Comparable Treasury Price” means, with respect to any redemption date: (1) the average of the Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such redemption date, after excluding the highest and lowest Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations; or (2) if the Independent Investment Banker obtains fewer than four such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all such quotations.

 

Consolidated Tangible Assets” means the total amount of assets of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries less the value of all intangible assets, calculated based on the Company’s most recent balance sheet filed with the SEC.

 

Credit Agreement” means that certain Amended and Restated Revolving Credit and Term Loan Agreement, dated March 21, 2018 (as amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time), among the Company, Bank of America, N.A., acting through its Canada Branch, as global agent, the swing line lender and letter of credit issuer, Bank of America, N.A., as the U.S. Agent and a letter of credit issuer, the lenders and any other financial institutions from time to time party thereto.

 

Excluded Holder” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.8(b).

 

Fitch” means Fitch Ratings Inc. and any successor to its rating agency business.

 

GAAP” means accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other statements by such other entity as have been approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession, which are in effect as of the date of determination. Without limiting the foregoing, leases shall continue to be classified and accounted for on a basis consistent with that reflected in the Company’s audited financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2018 for all purposes of the Indenture notwithstanding any change in GAAP relating thereto unless the Company otherwise agrees to a change with the lenders under the Credit Agreement in accordance with the terms thereof.

 

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Indebtedness” means (a) all obligations for borrowed money or on which interest charges are customarily paid, all as shown on the balance sheet of the indebted party, (b) all items that would be included as liabilities on a balance sheet in accordance with GAAP as of the date at which Indebtedness is to be determined, and (c) all indebtedness secured by a security interest in property owned or being purchased by the indebted party and all guarantees of Indebtedness.

 

Independent Investment Banker” means BofA Securities, Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, MUFG Securities Americas Inc. or Wells Fargo Securities, LLC as selected by the Company, and their respective successors, or if each of such firms is unwilling or unable to select the Comparable Treasury Issue, an independent investment banking institution of national standing appointed by the Company.

 

Investment Grade” means a rating of BBB– or better by Fitch (or its equivalent under any successor rating category of Fitch), Baa3 or better by Moody’s (or its equivalent under any successor rating category of Moody’s) and a rating of BBB– or better by S&P (or its equivalent under any successor rating category of S&P), and the equivalent investment grade credit rating from any replacement rating agency or rating agencies selected by the Company under the circumstances permitting the Company to select a replacement agency.

 

Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and any successor to its rating agency business.

 

Par Call Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.7(a).

 

Primary Treasury Dealer” means a primary U.S. Government securities dealer in New York City.

 

Principal Property” means any (i) waste processing, waste disposal or resource recovery plant or similar facility, together with fixtures thereon and the land underlying such facility (including any improvements thereon) and (ii) the Company’s corporate headquarters, together with fixtures thereon and the land underlying such building or buildings (including any improvements thereon), in each case, located within the United States or Canada and owned by or leased to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary except (a) any such land, land improvements or fixtures (x) owned or leased jointly or in common with one or more persons other than the Company and any Restricted Subsidiaries in which the Company’s and its Restricted Subsidiaries’ interest does not exceed 50%, or (y) which the Board of Directors determines is not material in importance to the Company’s total business or (b) any portion of such land, land improvements or fixtures that the Board of Directors determines in good faith not to be of material importance to the use or operation thereof.

 

Rating Agency” means each of Fitch, Moody’s and S&P; provided, that if any of Fitch, Moody’s or S&P ceases to rate the Notes or fails to make a rating of the Notes publicly available for reasons outside the Company’s control, the Company may appoint another “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” within the meaning of Section 3(a)(62) under the Exchange Act as a replacement for such Rating Agency and the Company shall give notice of such appointment to the Trustee.

 

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Reference Treasury Dealer” means: (1) each of BofA Securities, Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, a Primary Treasury Dealer selected by MUFG Securities Americas Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC and their respective successors; provided, however, that if any of the foregoing shall cease to be a Primary Treasury Dealer (a), the Company will substitute for such firm another Primary Treasury Dealer; and (2) up to four additional Primary Treasury Dealers selected by the Independent Investment Banker after consultation with the Company.

 

Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any redemption date, the average, as determined by the Independent Investment Banker, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the Independent Investment Banker at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the third business day preceding such redemption date.

 

Relevant Taxing Jurisdiction” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.8(a).

 

Restricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Company (other than any Subsidiary of which the Company owns less than all of the outstanding Voting Stock) (a) principally engaged in, or whose principal assets consist of property used by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in, the storage, collection, transfer, interim processing, disposal or recycling of waste within the United States or Canada or (b) which the Company designates as a Restricted Subsidiary in an Officer’s Certificate delivered to the Trustee.

 

Sale and Leaseback Transaction” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.7.

 

Security Instrument” means any security agreement, chattel mortgage, assignment, financing or similar statement or notice, continuation statement, other agreement or instrument, or amendment or supplement to any thereof, providing for, evidencing or perfecting any Security Interest or lien.

 

Security Interest” means any interest in any real or personal property or fixture which secures payment or performance of an obligation and shall include any mortgage, lien, encumbrance, charge or other security interest of any kind, whether arising under a Security Instrument or as a matter of law, judicial process or otherwise.

 

S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC, a division of S&P Global Inc., and any successor to its rating agency business.

 

Taxes” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.8(a).

 

Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any redemption date: (1) the yield, under the heading that represents the average for the immediately preceding week, appearing in the most recently published statistical release designated “H.15” or any successor publication that is published weekly by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and that establishes yields on actively traded U.S. Treasury securities adjusted to constant maturity under the caption “Treasury Constant Maturities,” for the maturity corresponding to the Comparable Treasury Issue (if no maturity is within three months before or after the Par Call Date, yields for the two published maturities most closely corresponding to the Comparable Treasury Issue will be determined and the Treasury Rate will be interpolated or extrapolated from such yields on a straight line basis, rounding to the nearest month); or (2) if such release (or any successor release) is not published during the week preceding the calculation date or does not contain such yields, the rate per annum equal to the semiannual equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue, calculated using a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such redemption date. The Treasury Rate will be calculated on the third business day preceding the redemption date.

 

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Trigger Period” means the period commencing on the earlier of (1) the first public announcement by the Company of any Change of Control (or pending Change of Control) and (2) such Change of Control, and ending 60 days following the consummation of such Change of Control (which Trigger Period will be extended following consummation of a Change of Control for so long as any of the Rating Agencies has publicly announced that it is considering a possible ratings change).

 

Voting Stock” of any person as of any date means the capital stock or share capital of such person that is at the time entitled to vote generally in the election of the board of directors of such person.

 

SECTION 2.3.  Replaced Definitions. Section 1.1 of the Base Indenture is hereby amended by replacing in whole the following definitions in lieu of the corresponding existing definitions, so that in the event of a conflict with the definitions of terms in the Base Indenture, the following definitions shall control:

 

Additional Amounts” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.8(a)(iii).

 

Depositary” means, with respect to the Notes, The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), its nominees and successors, or another person designated as Depositary by the Company, which must be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act.

 

SECTION 2.4.  Issuable in Series. Section 2.1 of the Base Indenture shall be amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

 

“The aggregate principal amount of Securities that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited. The Securities may be issued in one or more Series. Additional Notes of the same class and Series (the “Additional Notes”) may be issued in one or more tranches from time to time, without notice to or the consent of the existing holders of the Notes. All Securities of a Series shall be identical except as may be set forth or determined in the manner provided in a Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officer’s Certificate detailing the adoption of the terms thereof pursuant to authority granted under a Board Resolution. In the case of Securities of a Series to be issued from time to time, the Board Resolution, Officer’s Certificate or supplemental indenture detailing the adoption of the terms thereof pursuant to authority granted under a Board Resolution may provide for the method by which specified terms (such as interest rate, maturity date, record date or date from which interest shall accrue) are to be determined. Securities may differ between Series in respect of any matters, provided that all Series of Securities, including the Notes and Additional Notes, shall be equally and ratably entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.”

 

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SECTION 2.5.  Book-Entry Provisions for Global Securities. A new Section 2.14.7 shall be added after 2.14.6 in the Base Indenture, which shall read as follows:

 

“Section 2.14.7 Book-Entry Provisions for Global Securities

 

(a)               Members of, or participants in, the Depositary (“Agent Members”) shall have no rights under this Indenture with respect to any Global Security held on their behalf by the Depositary, or the Trustee as its custodian, or under such Global Security, and the Depositary may be treated by the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee as the absolute owner of such Global Security for all purposes whatsoever. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by the Depositary or shall impair, as between the Depositary and its Agent Members, the operation of customary practices governing the exercise of the rights of a Holder of any Security.

 

(b)               The Depositary or its nominee, as registered owner of a Global Security, shall be the Holder of such Global Security for all purposes under this Indenture and the Securities, and owners of beneficial interests in a Global Security shall hold such interests pursuant to the Applicable Procedures. Accordingly, any such owner’s beneficial interest in a Global Security will be shown only on, and the transfer of such interest shall be effected only through, records maintained by the Depositary or its nominee or its Agent Members.”

 

SECTION 2.6.  CUSIP Numbers. Section 2.15 of the Base Indenture is amended by adding the following sentence at the end of the current provision:

 

“If Additional Notes are not fungible with the Notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes, they shall be issued under a separate CUSIP number from that under which the Notes are issued.”

 

SECTION 2.7.  Selection of Securities to be Redeemed. Section 3.2 of the Base Indenture shall be amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

 

“If less than all the Notes are to be redeemed, the Trustee shall select the Notes to be redeemed in any, by lot or in any other manner that the Trustee deems fair and appropriate, including by lot or other method, unless otherwise required by law or applicable stock exchange requirements (as certified by the Company to the Trustee), subject, in the case of Global Securities, to the applicable rules and procedures of the Depositary. The Trustee shall make the selection from the Notes outstanding not previously called for redemption. The Trustee may select for redemption portions of the principal of the Notes that have denominations greater than a principal amount of $2,000. Securities of the Series and portions of them it selects shall be in amounts of $1,000 or whole multiples of $1,000 or, with respect to Securities of any Series issuable in other denominations pursuant to Section 2.2.10, the minimum principal denomination for each Series and the authorized integral multiples thereof. Provisions of this Indenture that apply to Securities of a Series called for redemption also apply to portions of Securities of that Series called for redemption.”

 

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SECTION 2.8.  Notice of Redemption. The first paragraph of Section 3.3 of the Base Indenture shall be amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

 

“At least 15 days but not more than 60 days before a redemption date, the Company shall mail a notice of redemption by first-class mail (or by electronic transmission or otherwise in accordance with the Applicable Procedures) to each Holder whose Securities are to be redeemed, with a copy to the Trustee.”

 

SECTION 2.9.  Optional Redemption. A new Section 3.7 shall be added after Section 3.6 of the Base Indenture, which shall read as follows:

 

“Section 3.7 Optional Redemption.

 

(a)               The Company may redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, at any time prior to November 1, 2029 (the “Par Call Date”) at a redemption price equal to the greater of (i) 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed and (ii) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest (exclusive of interest accrued to the redemption date) on the Notes to be redeemed (assuming that such Notes matured on the Par Call Date), discounted to the redemption date on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the applicable Treasury Rate, plus 15 basis points, plus, in the case of each of clauses (i) and (ii), accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date.

 

(b)               If the redemption date is after a record date and on or prior to a corresponding interest payment date, the interest will be paid on the full amount of accrued and unpaid interest on the redemption date to the Holder of record on the record date.

 

(c)               On or after the Par Call Date, the Notes will be redeemable, in whole or in part, at the Company’s option and at any time or from time to time, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date.

 

(d)               The Company is entitled to redeem the Notes, at its option, at any time as a whole but not in part, upon not less than 15 nor more than 60 days’ prior notice, with a copy to the Trustee, to the registered address of each Holder (such notice to be provided not more than 90 days before the next date on which the Company would be obligated to pay Additional Amounts), at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date (subject to the right of Holders of Notes of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on an interest payment that is on or prior to the redemption date), in the event the Company becomes, or will become, obligated to pay, on the next date on which any amount may be payable with respect to the Notes, any Additional Amounts as a result of (i) a change in, or amendment to, the laws or regulations of any Relevant Taxing Jurisdiction or (ii) a change in any official position or the introduction of an official position regarding the application or interpretation thereof (including a holding by a court of competent jurisdiction), which is publicly announced and becomes effective on or after the issue date of the Notes and such Additional Amounts cannot (as certified in an Officer’s Certificate to the Trustee) be avoided by the use of reasonable measures available to the Company. Notice of the Company’s intent to redeem the Notes pursuant to this Section 3.7(d) shall not be effective until such time as it delivers to the Trustee an (1) Officer’s Certificate stating that the Company is entitled to effect such redemption and setting forth a statement of facts showing that the conditions precedent to such right of redemption have occurred and (2) opinion of independent legal counsel stating that the Company is or will become obligated to pay Additional Amounts because of an amendment to or change in law or regulation or position as set forth in this Section 3.7(d).

 

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SECTION 2.10.  Limitation on Liens. A new Section 4.6 shall be added after Section 4.5 in the Base Indenture, which shall read as follows:

 

“Section 4.6 Limitation on Liens.

 

(a)               The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist, directly or indirectly, any Indebtedness secured by a Security Interest upon any Principal Property of the Company or of a Restricted Subsidiary, whether owned as of the date of this Indenture or hereafter acquired, without making effective provision (and the Company hereby covenants that in any such case it shall make or cause to be made effective provision) whereby the Notes then outstanding and any other Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary then entitled thereto shall be secured by such Security Interest equally and ratably with (or prior to) any and all other Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary thereby secured for so long as any such other Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary shall be so secured; provided, that nothing in this Section 4.6 shall prevent, restrict or apply to Indebtedness secured by:

 

(i)              any Security Interest upon property or assets existing at the time of the acquisition thereof, which Security Interest secures obligations assumed by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(ii)              any conditional sales agreement or other title retention agreement with respect to any property or assets acquired by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(iii)            any Security Interest existing on the property or assets or shares of stock of an entity at the time such entity is merged or amalgamated with or into or consolidated with the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary or at the time of a sale, lease or other disposition of the property or assets of such entity as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary or at the time such entity becomes a Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(iv)             any Security Interest existing on the property, assets or shares of stock of any successor entity that becomes the Company in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.1 of the Base Indenture;

 

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(v)               any Security Interest upon property or assets (x) existing at the time of, or created within 360 days after, the acquisition of such property or assets, or (y) securing Indebtedness incurred to finance all or part of the purchase price of such property or assets or the cost of constructing, improving, developing or expanding such property or assets that was incurred before, at the time of, or created within 360 days after, the later to occur of the completion of such construction, improvement, development or expansion or the commencement of commercial operation or use of the property or assets;

 

(vi)             any Security Interest that secures any Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary owing to the Company or another Restricted Subsidiary or by the Company to a Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(vii)            mechanics’, materialmen’s and other like liens (including those relating to construction, repair and storage) arising in the ordinary course of business;

 

(viii)           any Security Interest arising by reason of deposits or security given to governmental agencies required in order to do business with the government;

 

(ix)             Security Interests for taxes, assessments or governmental charges not yet delinquent or Security Interests for taxes, assessments or governmental charges already delinquent but the validity of which is being contested in good faith;

 

(x)               Security Interests (including judgment liens) arising in connection with legal proceedings so long as such proceedings are being contested in good faith and, in the case of judgment liens, execution thereon is stayed;

 

(xi)              landlords’ liens on fixtures located on property leased by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business;

 

(xii)             any Security Interest in favor of any governmental authority in connection with the financing of the cost of construction or acquisition of property;

 

(xiii)            any Security Interest incurred in connection with pollution control, sewage or solid waste disposal, industrial revenue or similar financings;

 

(xiv)            any Security Interest created by any program providing for the financing, sale or other disposition of trade or other receivables qualified as current assets in accordance with GAAP entered into by the Company or by any Restricted Subsidiary, provided that such program is on terms comparable for similar transactions, or any document executed by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in connection therewith, and provided that such Security Interest is limited to the trade or other receivables in respect of which such program is created or exists and the proceeds thereof; or

 

(xv)            any extension, renewal or refunding (or successive extensions, renewals or refundings) in whole or in part of any Indebtedness secured by any Security Interest referred to in the foregoing clauses (i) through (xiv), inclusive, provided that the Security Interest securing such Indebtedness shall be limited to the property or assets which, immediately prior to such extension, renewal or refunding, secured such Indebtedness and additions to such property or assets, and the principal amount of such refinancing Indebtedness secured by such Security Interest does not exceed (x) the principal amount of such Indebtedness being refinanced plus (y) the aggregate amount of fees, underwriting discounts, accrued and unpaid interest, premiums and other costs and expenses incurred in connection with such above-referenced refinancings.

 

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Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 4.6(a), the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries may create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness secured by a Security Interest without so securing the Notes if, at the time such Security Interest becomes a Security Interest upon any Principal Property of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary and after giving effect thereto, the aggregate outstanding principal amount of all Indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries secured by Security Interests and permitted by this sentence (including the Attributable Debt in respect of Sale and Leaseback Transactions, but excluding Attributable Debt in respect of any Sale and Leaseback Transactions the proceeds of which have been applied in accordance with Section 4.7(b)) does not exceed 15% of Consolidated Tangible Assets.

 

(b)               In the event that the Company shall hereafter secure the Notes equally and ratably with or prior to any other obligation or Indebtedness pursuant to the provisions of this Section 4.6, the Trustee is hereby authorized to enter into an indenture or agreement supplemental hereto and to take such action, if any, as it may deem advisable to enable it to enforce effectively the rights of the Holders of the Notes so secured, equally and ratably with or prior to such other obligations or Indebtedness.”

 

SECTION 2.11.  Limitations on Sale and Leaseback Transactions. A new Section 4.7 shall be added after the newly added Section 4.6 of the Base Indenture, which shall read as follows:

 

“Section 4.7 Limitations on Sale and Leaseback Transactions.

 

The Company will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, enter into any arrangement with any person providing for the leasing to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of any Principal Property owned or hereafter acquired by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary (except for temporary leases for a term of not more than three years and except for leases between the Company and a Restricted Subsidiary or between Restricted Subsidiaries), which Principal Property has been or is to be sold or transferred by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary to such person (herein referred to as a “Sale and Leaseback Transaction”) unless:

 

(a)               the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary would be permitted pursuant to Section 4.6 to incur Indebtedness secured by a Security Interest on the Principal Property to be leased, in an aggregate principal amount equal to the Attributable Debt associated with such Sale and Leaseback Transaction, without equally and ratably securing the Notes;

 

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(b)               within 180 days after the effective date of the Sale and Leaseback Transaction, the Company applies an amount equal to the fair value (as determined by the Board of Directors) of such Principal Property to be leased to the redemption or retirement of the Notes and/or any other Securities issued under the Indenture or to the payment or other retirement of other Indebtedness of the Company that ranks senior to or pari passu with the Notes or of Indebtedness incurred by any Restricted Subsidiary (other than, in either case, Indebtedness owned by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary); or

 

(c)               within 180 days after entering into the Sale and Leaseback Transaction, the Company enters into a bona fide commitment or commitments to expend for the acquisition or capital improvement of a Principal Property an amount at least equal to the fair value (as determined by the Board of Directors) of such Principal Property to be leased.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may, and may permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, effect any Sale and Leaseback Transaction that is not allowable under clauses (a) through (c) of this Section 4.7 if, at the time of such Sale and Leaseback Transaction, the Attributable Debt associated with such Sale and Leaseback Transaction, together with the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Indebtedness secured by Security Interests upon Principal Property pursuant to the last sentence of Section 4.6(a), does not exceed 15% of Consolidated Tangible Assets. The calculation of such aggregate principal amount of outstanding Indebtedness secured by Security Interests upon Principal Property shall exclude (i) the aggregate amount of fees, underwriting discounts, accrued and unpaid interest, premiums and other costs and expenses incurred in connection with any refinancing and (ii) any Attributable Debt in connection with which the Company has purchased property, retired or defeased Indebtedness as described in Section 4.7(b).”

 

SECTION 2.12.  Withholding Taxes and Other Taxes. A new Section 4.8 shall be added after the newly added Section 4.7 of the Base Indenture, which shall read as follows:

 

“Section 4.8 Withholding Taxes and Other Taxes.

 

(a)               All payments made by or on behalf of the Company under or with respect to the Notes will be made without withholding or deduction for, or on account of, any present or future tax, duty, assessment or other governmental charge (including penalties, interest and other liabilities related thereto) (“Taxes”) imposed or levied by or on behalf of (1) the government of Canada or any province or territory of Canada, (2) any other jurisdiction in which the Company is organized or otherwise is resident for tax purposes or (3) any jurisdiction from or through which payment is made, in each case including any political subdivision or any authority or agency therein or thereof having power to tax (each, a “Relevant Taxing Jurisdiction”), unless required by law or the interpretation or administration thereof. If the Company is obligated to withhold or deduct any amount on account of Taxes imposed by a Relevant Taxing Jurisdiction from any payment made under or with respect to the Notes, the Company shall:

 

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(i)                 make such withholding or deduction;

 

(ii)                remit the full amount deducted or withheld to the relevant government authority in accordance with the applicable law;

 

(iii)               subject to the limitations in Section 4.8(b), pay such additional amounts (“Additional Amounts”) as additional interest as may be necessary so that the net amounts received by each Holder, after such withholding or deduction (including any such withholding or deduction on such Additional Amounts) will not be less than the amount such Holder would have received if such Taxes had not been withheld or deducted;

 

(iv)               furnish to the Trustee for the benefit of the Holders and beneficial owners of Notes, within 60 days after the date of the payment or remittance of any Taxes is due pursuant to applicable law, certified copies of an official receipt of the relevant government authority for all amounts deducted or withheld pursuant to applicable law, or if such receipts are not reasonably obtainable, other documentation evidencing the remittance by the Company of those Taxes; and

 

(v)                 at least 15 days prior to each date on which any Additional Amounts are payable, deliver to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate setting forth the calculation of the Additional Amounts to be paid and such other information as the Trustee may request to enable the Trustee to pay such Additional Amounts to Holders of Notes on the payment date.

 

(b)               Notwithstanding the foregoing Section 4.8(a), no Additional Amounts will be paid with respect to or in respect of a payment made to or in respect of any Holder or beneficial owner of the Notes (an “Excluded Holder”):

 

(i)                 with which the Company does not deal at arm’s length (within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada)) at the time of making such payment;

 

(ii)                for or on account of Canadian withholding Taxes imposed on a payment under or with respect to a Note that is deemed under subsection 214(16) of the Income Tax Act (Canada)(or any similar successor provision or equivalent provision of any provincial or territorial law) to be a dividend;

 

(iii)               for or on account of any Taxes that are imposed or withheld as a result of the presentation of any Note for payment (where presentation is required) by or on behalf of a Holder or beneficial owner who would have been able to avoid such Taxes by presenting the relevant Note to another Paying Agent;

 

(iv)              which is subject to such Taxes by reason of the Holder or the beneficial owner of the Note (or a fiduciary, settlor, beneficiary, partner of, member or shareholder of, or possessor of a power over, the relevant Holder or beneficial owner, if the relevant Holder or beneficial owner is an estate, trust, nominee, partnership, limited liability company or corporation) being a resident, domiciliary or national of, incorporated in, or engaged in business or maintaining a permanent establishment or other physical presence in or otherwise having some present or former connection with the Relevant Taxing Jurisdiction otherwise than solely by the mere acquisition, holding or disposition of the Notes or the receipt of payments or enforcement of rights thereunder;

 

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(v)               for or on account of any Taxes imposed or deducted or withheld by reason of the failure of the Holder or beneficial owner of the Note to complete, execute and deliver to the Company, any reasonable form or document concerning such Holder’s or beneficial owner’s nationality, citizenship, residence, identity or connection with the Relevant Taxing Jurisdiction, provided (1) such form or document is required by law (including any applicable tax treaty) or by reason of the interpretation or administration of such law in order to enable the Company to make payments on the Note without deduction or withholding for Taxes, or with deduction or withholding of a lesser amount, and (2) the Company has provided a timely written request to the Holder for such form or document;

 

(vi)              for or on account of any Taxes imposed or withheld as a result of the presentation of any Note for payment (where presentation is required) more than 30 days after the relevant payment is first made available for payment to the Holder or beneficial owner (except to the extent that the Holder or beneficial owner would have been entitled to Additional Amounts had the Note been presented on the last day of such 30-day period);

 

(vii)             for or on account of any estate, inheritance, gift, sales, transfer, excise, personal property or similar Tax;

 

(viii)           for or on account of any Tax that is payable otherwise than by withholding from payments under or with respect to the Notes (other than taxes payable pursuant to Regulation 803 of the Income Tax Act (Canada), or any similar successor provision or equivalent provision of any provincial or territorial law);

 

(ix)             if the Holder is a fiduciary, partnership or person other than the sole beneficial owner of that payment, to the extent that such payment would be required to be included in income under the laws of the Relevant Taxing Jurisdiction for tax purposes, of a beneficiary or settlor with respect to the fiduciary, a member of that partnership or a beneficial owner who would not have been entitled to such Additional Amounts had that beneficiary, settlor, member or beneficial owner been the Holder of the Note;

 

(x)               for or on account of any Tax imposed pursuant to Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code (including any amended or successor version), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof, any fiscal or regulatory legislation, rules or practices adopted pursuant to an intergovernmental agreement, treaty or convention between a non-U.S. jurisdiction and the United States with respect to the foregoing or any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code;

 

(xi)             any Taxes imposed by the United States or any political subdivision thereof; or

 

(xii)            any combination of the exceptions listed in clauses (i) through (xi) immediately above.

 

(c)               Any reference in this Indenture to the payment of principal, premium, if any, interest, purchase price, redemption price or any other amount payable under or with respect to any Note will be deemed to include the payment of Additional Amounts to the extent that, in such context, Additional Amounts are, were or would be payable in respect thereof. The Company’s obligation to make payments of Additional Amounts will survive any termination of this Indenture or the defeasance of any rights hereunder.

 

15

 

 

(d)               Without duplication of the foregoing, the Company shall indemnify and hold harmless each Holder and beneficial owner of Notes (other than an Excluded Holder), and upon written request therefor, shall reimburse each such Holder and beneficial owner (without duplication), for the full amount of (x) any Taxes imposed by a Relevant Taxing Jurisdiction and paid by such Holder or beneficial owner as a result of payments made under or with respect to the Notes and (y) any Taxes levied or imposed and paid by such Holder or beneficial owner with respect to any reimbursement under (x) above, but excluding any such Taxes on or computed by reference to such Holder’s or beneficial owner’s net income, revenue, profits or capital.

 

(e)               Without duplication of the foregoing, the Company shall pay any present or future stamp, issue, registration, court or documentary taxes or any other excise, property or similar Taxes that arise in any Relevant Taxing Jurisdiction from the execution, delivery, issuance, registration or enforcement of the Notes, this Indenture or any other document or instrument in relation thereto, and the Company shall indemnify the Holders and beneficial owners of the Notes for any such amounts (including penalties, interest and other liabilities related thereto) paid by such Holders and beneficial owners.

 

(f)                Each Holder or beneficial owner of the Notes shall cooperate with the Company and the Trustee to provide any information or documentation reasonably requested by the Company or the Trustee in connection with the foregoing and to assist the Company or the Trustee in determining the applicable withholding tax rate and the amount of Additional Amounts or indemnity payments payable in respect thereof (though the foregoing shall impose no obligation on the Trustee other than pursuant to applicable laws or regulations).”

 

SECTION 2.13.  When the Company May Merge, Amalgamate, Etc.. The first paragraph of Section 5.1 of the Base Indenture shall be amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

 

“The Company shall not, in a single transaction or through a series of related transactions, consolidate with or merge or amalgamate with or into, or convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all of its properties and assets to, any person (a “successor person”) if such transaction or series of transactions, in the aggregate, would result in a conveyance, transfer or lease of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis to any successor person, unless:

 

(a)       the Company is the surviving corporation or the successor person (if other than the Company) is a corporation organized and validly existing under the laws of Canada or any province or territory thereof or any U.S. domestic jurisdiction and assumes by supplemental indenture the Company’s obligations under the Notes and the Indenture; and

 

16

 

 

(b)       immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no default or event of default shall have occurred and be continuing.”

 

SECTION 2.14.  Covenant Defeasance. The first paragraph of Section 8.4 of the Base Indenture shall be amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

 

“The Company may omit to comply with respect to the Notes with any term, provision or condition set forth under Sections 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7 and 5.1 as well as Article XII (and the failure to comply with any such covenants shall not constitute a Default or Event of Default with respect to the Notes under Section 6.1), provided that the following conditions shall have been satisfied:”

 

SECTION 2.15.  Change of Control Triggering Event. A new Article XII shall be added after Article XI of the Base Indenture, which shall read as follows:

 

“ARTICLE XII

 

REPURCHASE OF NOTES AT THE OPTION OF THE HOLDERS

 

Section 12.1 Repurchase at Option of Holders Upon a Change of Control Triggering Event 

(a)               Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Triggering Event with respect to the Notes, unless the Company has exercised its right to redeem the Notes pursuant to Article III of the Indenture, each Holder of Notes shall have the right to require the Company to purchase all or a portion of such Holder’s Notes pursuant to the offer described below (the “Change of Control Offer”), at a purchase price equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the date of purchase (the “Change of Control Payment”), subject to the rights of Holders on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date; provided that (i) any such portion to be repurchased must be an integral multiple of $1,000 and (ii) the principal amount of any Note remaining after such repurchase must equal $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.

 

(b)               Within 30 days following the date upon which the Change of Control Triggering Event occurred with respect to the Notes, or at the Company’s option, prior to any Change of Control but after the public announcement of the pending Change of Control, the Company shall send, by first-class mail (or by electronic transmission or otherwise in accordance with the Applicable Procedures), a notice to each Holder of Notes, with a copy to the Trustee, which notice shall govern the terms of the Change of Control Offer. Such notice shall state:

 

(i)               the events causing the Change of Control;

 

(ii)              the date of the Change of Control;

 

(iii)            the amount of the Change of Control Payment;

 

(iv)             the purchase date, which must be no earlier than 30 days nor later than 60 days from the date such notice is sent, other than as may be required by law (the “Change of Control Payment Date”);

 

17

 

 

 

(v)               if the notice is sent prior to any Change of Control, that the Change of Control Offer is conditioned on the Change of Control being consummated on or prior to the Change of Control Payment Date;

 

(vi)             the name and address of the Paying Agent;

 

(vii)            that the Holder must complete the Change of Control Repurchase Notice (as defined below) to participate in the Change of Control Offer; and

 

(viii)           any other procedures that Holders must follow to require the Company to repurchase the Notes.

 

(c)               Repurchases of Notes under this Section 12.1 shall be made, at the option of the Holder thereof, upon:

 

(i)               delivery to the Trustee (or other Paying Agent appointed by the Company) by a Holder of a duly completed notice (the “Change of Control Repurchase Notice”) in the form set forth on the reverse of the Note at any time prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Change of Control Payment Date; or

 

(ii)              delivery or book-entry transfer of the Notes to the Trustee (or other Paying Agent appointed by the Company) at any time after delivery of the Change of Control Repurchase Notice (together with all necessary endorsements) at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee (or other Paying Agent appointed by the Company), such delivery being a condition to receipt by the Holder of the Change of Control Payment therefor; provided that such Change of Control Payment shall be so paid pursuant to this Section 12.1 only if the Note so delivered to the Trustee (or other Paying Agent appointed by the Company) shall conform in all respects to the description thereof in the related Change of Control Repurchase Notice.

 

The Change of Control Repurchase Notice shall state:

 

(i)               if certificated, the certificate numbers of Notes to be delivered for repurchase;

 

(ii)             the portion of the principal amount of Notes to be repurchased (which portion to be repurchased must be an integral multiple of $1,000);

 

(iii)            that the Notes are to be repurchased by the Company pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Notes and the Indenture; and

 

(iv)            if such Change of Control Repurchase Notice is delivered prior to the occurrence of a Change of Control pursuant to a definitive agreement giving rise to a Change of Control, that the Holder acknowledges that the Company’s offer is conditioned on the consummation of such Change of Control; provided, however, that if the Notes are not in certificated form, the Change of Control Repurchase Notice must comply with appropriate procedures of the Depositary.

 

18

 

 

(d)               On the Change of Control Payment Date, the Company shall, to the extent lawful:

 

(i)               accept or cause a third party to accept for payment all Notes or portions thereof properly tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer;

 

(ii)              deposit or cause a third party to deposit with the Paying Agent an amount equal to the Change of Control Payment in respect of all Notes or portions thereof properly tendered; and

 

(iii)             deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee the Notes properly accepted together with an Officer’s Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Notes being repurchased.

 

(e)               The Company shall not be required to make a Change of Control Offer with respect to the Notes if a third party makes such an offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements for such an offer made by the Company and such third party purchases all the Notes properly tendered and not withdrawn under its offer.

 

(f)                The Trustee shall not have any obligation to monitor the occurrence or dates of any Change of Control Triggering Event and may rely conclusively on an Officer’s Certificate from the Company related to such Change of Control Triggering Event. The Trustee shall not have any obligation to notify the Holders of the occurrence or dates of any Change of Control Triggering Event.

 

Section 12.2 Compliance with Tender Offer Rules

 

The Company shall comply in all material respects with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the Notes as a result of a Change of Control Triggering Event. To the extent that the provisions of any such securities laws or regulations conflict with the Change of Control Offer provisions of the Notes, the Company shall comply with those securities laws and regulations and shall not be deemed to have breached its obligations under the Change of Control Offer provisions of the Notes by virtue of any such conflict.”

 

SECTION 2.16.  Consent to Jurisdiction and Service. A new Section 10.19 shall be added after Section 10.18 of the Base Indenture, which shall read as follows:

 

“Section 10.19   Consent to Jurisdiction and Service

 

The Company hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the federal and state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York and the County and State of New York, United States of America in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to the Notes, the Indenture or the transactions contemplated thereby. The Company waives any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such suit or proceeding in such courts. The Company agrees that final judgment in any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court shall be conclusive and binding upon the Company and may be enforced in any court to the jurisdiction of which the Company is subject by a suit upon such judgment. The Company irrevocably appoints Corporation Service Company, located at 80 State Street, Albany, New York 12207-2543, as its authorized agent in the State of New York upon which process may be served in any such suit or proceeding, and agrees that service of process upon such authorized agent, and written notice of such service to the Company by the person serving the same to the address provided in this Section 10.19, shall be deemed in every respect effective service of process upon the Company in any such suit or proceeding. The Company hereby represents and warrants that such authorized agent has accepted such appointment and has agreed to act as such authorized agent for service of process. The Company further agrees to take any and all action as may be necessary to maintain such designation and appointment of such authorized agent in full force and effect for a period of seven years from the date of this Indenture.”

 

19

 

 

ARTICLE Three
 
MISCELLANEOUS

 

SECTION 3.1.  Construction. Unless otherwise supplemented or amended by this Third Supplemental Indenture, the Base Indenture is incorporated by reference in full into this Third Supplemental Indenture, and all parties to this Third Supplemental Indenture agree to be bound by the terms and provisions of the Base Indenture as supplemented and amended by this Third Supplemental Indenture. The Base Indenture and this Third Supplemental Indenture shall be read, taken and construed as one and the same instrument. All provisions included in this Third Supplemental Indenture supersede any similar provisions included in the Base Indenture unless not permitted by law.

 

SECTION 3.2.  Conflicts. If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with another provision hereof which is required to be included in this Third Supplemental Indenture by any of the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act, such required provision shall control.

 

SECTION 3.3.  Successors and Assigns. All covenants and agreements in this Third Supplemental Indenture by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

 

SECTION 3.4.  Severability. In case any provision in this Third Supplemental Indenture or in the Notes shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions herein and therein shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

 

SECTION 3.5.  Benefits of the Indenture. Nothing in this Third Supplemental Indenture, expressed or implied, shall give to any person, other than the parties hereto and their successors hereunder, and the Holders of the Notes any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Third Supplemental Indenture.

 

SECTION 3.6.   Governing Law. This Third Supplemental Indenture and each Note shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the State of New York and this Third Supplemental Indenture and each such Note shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

20

 

 

SECTION 3.7.  Defined Terms. All terms used in this Third Supplemental Indenture not otherwise defined herein that are defined in the Base Indenture shall have the meanings set forth therein.

 

SECTION 3.8.  Counterparts. This Third Supplemental Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original; but such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page hereto by facsimile or electronic transmission shall be as effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Third Supplemental Indenture.

 

SECTION 3.9.  Concerning the Trustee. The recitals contained herein and in the Notes, except the Trustee’s certificates of authentication, shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Third Supplemental Indenture or the Notes. The Trustee shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Company of Notes or the proceeds thereof.

 

[Signature pages follow]

 

21

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Third Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed all as of the day and year first above written.

 

  WASTE CONNECTIONS, INC.
     
  By:   /s/ Mary Anne Whitney
    Name: Mary Anne Whitney
    Title: Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

  

 

 

  U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee
     
  By:   /s/ Paula Oswald
    Name: Paula Oswald
    Title: Vice President

 

  

 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

[FORM OF FACE OF SECURITY]

 

[THIS SECURITY IS A GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF A DEPOSITARY OR A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY. THIS SECURITY IS EXCHANGEABLE FOR SECURITIES REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A PERSON OTHER THAN THE DEPOSITARY OR ITS NOMINEE ONLY IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE, AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY, WHICH SHALL BE CEDE & CO., BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.

 

UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“DTC”), TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE, OR PAYMENT AND ANY SUCH CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE, OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.]1

 

WASTE CONNECTIONS, INC.

 

2.600% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2030

 

CUSIP NO. 94106BAA9

 

ISIN NO. US94106BAA98

 

     
No.                            $                              
     

Waste Connections, Inc., a corporation existing under the laws of Ontario, Canada (herein called the “Company,” which term includes any successor person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to [________________]2 or its registered assigns, the principal sum of ____________________ ($___________________) United States dollars[, or such greater or lesser amount as may from time to time be endorsed on the Schedule of Increases and Decreases of Interests in the Global Note attached hereto (but in no event may such amount exceed the aggregate principal amount of Notes authenticated pursuant to Section 2.3 of the Indenture referred to below and then outstanding pursuant the terms of the Indenture)]3, on February 1, 2030, at the office or agency of the Company referred to below, and to pay interest thereon from [____________________]4 or from the most recent interest payment date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually on February 1 and August 1 in each year, commencing August 1, 2020 at the rate of 2.600% per annum, in United States dollars, until the principal hereof is paid or duly provided for. Interest shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months.

 

 

 

1 These paragraphs should be included only if the Note is issued in global form.

2 Cede & Co., if issued in global form.

3 Use if Global Security

4 January 23, 2020 for the initial Notes.

 

A-1

 

 

The Company will duly and punctually pay the principal of and interest, if any, on the Notes in whose name the Notes are registered at the close of business on the January 15 and July 15 immediately preceding the related interest payment dates. On or before 11:00 a.m. New York City time, on the applicable interest payment date, the Company shall deposit with the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay the principal of and interest, if any, on the Notes. If the Company defaults in a payment of interest on the Notes, it shall pay the defaulted interest, plus, to the extent permitted by law, any interest payable on the defaulted interest, to the Holders of the Notes on a subsequent special record date. The Company shall fix the record date and payment date. At least 10 days before the special record date, the Company shall send by first-class mail (or by electronic transmission or otherwise in accordance with the Applicable Procedures) to the Trustee and to each Holder of the Notes a notice that states the special record date, the payment date and the amount of interest to be paid. The Company may pay defaulted interest in any other lawful manner.

 

Payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on, this Security, and exchange or transfer of this Security, will be made at the office or agency of the Company in The City of New York maintained for such purpose, or at such other office or agency as may be maintained for such purpose (which initially will be the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or its affiliate located at 633 West Fifth Street, Los Angeles, CA 90071), in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts; provided, however, that payment of interest may be made at the option of the Company by check mailed to the address of the person entitled thereto as such address shall appear on the Security register.

 

Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Security set forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as if set forth at this place.

 

For purposes of the disclosure required by the Interest Act (Canada), whenever any interest is calculated on the basis of a period of time other than a calendar year, the annual rate of interest to which each rate of interest determined pursuant to such calculation is equivalent for the purposes of the Interest Act (Canada) is such rate as so determined multiplied by the actual number of days in the calendar year in which the same is to be ascertained and divided by the number of days used in the basis of such determination.

 

A-2

 

 

Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been duly executed by the Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof or by the authenticating agent appointed as provided in the Indenture by manual signature of an authorized signer, this Security shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture, or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed by the manual or facsimile signature of one of its authorized officers.

 

  WASTE CONNECTIONS, INC., as Issuer    
     
  By:          
    Name:
    Title:

 

A-3

 

 

TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

 

This is one of the 2.600% Senior Notes due 2030 referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

  U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee
     
  By:    
    Authorized Signatory
     
Dated:    

 

A-4

 

 

[FORM OF REVERSE SIDE OF SECURITY]

 

WASTE CONNECTIONS, INC.

 

2.600% Senior Notes due 2030

 

This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of Securities of the Company designated as its 2.600% Senior Notes due 2030 (herein called the “Securities”), initially in aggregate principal amount to $600,000,000, issued under and subject to the terms of an indenture (herein called the “Indenture”) dated as of November 16, 2018, between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (herein called the “Trustee,” which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture), as supplemented by a Third Supplemental Indenture, dated as of January 23, 2020, between the Company and the Trustee to which the Indenture reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties, obligations and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities, and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered.

 

This Security is subject to optional redemption and a special tax redemption, and may be the subject of an offer to purchase, as further described in the Indenture. The Company shall not be required to make mandatory redemption or sinking fund payments with respect to the Securities. In the event of redemption of this Security in accordance with the Indenture in part only, a new Security or Securities in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion hereof shall be issued in the name of the Holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof.

 

Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Triggering Event with respect to the Securities, unless the Company has exercised its right to redeem the Securities pursuant to Article III of the Indenture, each Holder of the Securities shall have the right to require the Company to purchase all or a portion (such that (i) any such portion to be repurchased must be an integral multiple of $1,000 and (ii) the principal amount of any Note remaining after such repurchase must equal $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof) of such Holder’s Security pursuant to Article XII of the Indenture.

 

If an Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, the principal amount of all the Securities may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.

 

The Indenture contains provisions for defeasance at any time of (a) the entire Indebtedness on the Securities and (b) certain covenants and Events of Default, in each case upon compliance with certain conditions set forth therein.

 

The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions (including certain amendments permitted without the consent of any Holders and certain amendments which require the consent of all of the Holders) as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders under the Indenture and the Securities at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities at the time Outstanding that are affected. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities (100% of the Holders in certain circumstances) at the time Outstanding that are affected, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture and the Securities and certain past Defaults and Events of Default under the Indenture and the Securities and their consequences. Any such consent, amendment or waiver by or on behalf of the Holder of this Security, once effective, shall be conclusive and binding upon every Holder affected by such amendment or waiver, with certain exceptions, and upon all future Holders of this Security and of any Security issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange herefor or in lieu hereof whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Security.

 

A-5

 

 

No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company or any other obligor on the Securities (in the event such other obligor is obligated to make payments in respect of the Securities), which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on, this Security at the times, place, and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed without the consent of the Holder of this Security.

 

As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Security is registrable in the register that the Registrar shall keep with respect to the Securities and to their transfer and exchange, upon surrender of this Security for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company at the Corporate Trust Office, and thereupon one or more new Securities, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

 

Except as indicated in the Indenture, no service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

 

A director, officer, employee or stockholder (past or present), as such, of the Company shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Company under the Securities or the Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation. By accepting a Security, each Holder waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issue of the Securities.

 

Prior to due presentment of this Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the person in whose name this Security is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Security is overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

 

The Company, the Trustee and any Agent shall treat a person as the Holder of such principal amount of outstanding Notes represented by a Global Security as shall be specified in a written statement of the Depositary or by the applicable procedures of such Depositary with respect to such Global Security, for purposes of obtaining any consents, declarations, waivers or directions required to be given by the Holders pursuant to the Indenture.

 

A-6

 

 

THIS SECURITY SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE A CONTRACT MADE UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND THIS SECURITY SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

All terms used in this Security which are defined in the Indenture and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture. 

 

A-7

 

 

CHANGE OF CONTROL REPURCHASE NOTICE

 

If you want to elect to have only part of the Security purchased by the Company pursuant to Section 12.1 of the Indenture, state the amount you elect to have purchased:

 

$                                                 

 

Date:                                          

 

Your Signature:                                                                              

 

(Sign exactly as your name appears on the face of this Security)

 

Tax Identification No:                                                                    

 

Signature Guarantee*:                                                                   

 

*Participant in a recognized Signature Guarantee Medallion Program (or other signature guarantor acceptable to the Trustee).

 

A-8

 

 

SCHEDULE OF INCREASES AND DECREASES OF INTERESTS
IN THE GLOBAL SECURITY5

 

The following increases or decreases in this Global Security have been made:

 

Date of Exchange   Amount of
decrease in
Principal Amount
of this Global
Security
  Amount of
increase in
Principal Amount
of this Global
Security
  Principal Amount
of this Global
Security following
such decrease (or
increase)
  Signature of
authorized officer
of Trustee or Note
Custodian
                 
                 
                 

 

 

 

5 This should be included only if the Security is a Global Security.

 

A-9

 

 

Exhibit 5.1

 

  811 Main Street, Suite 3700
  Houston, TX 77002
  Tel: +1.713.546.5400 Fax: +1.713.546.5401
  www.lw.com
   
  FIRM / AFFILIATE OFFICES

 

  Beijing Moscow
Boston Munich
Brussels New York
Century City Orange County
Chicago Paris
Dubai Riyadh
Düsseldorf Rome
Frankfurt San Diego
Hamburg San Francisco
Hong Kong Seoul
Houston Shanghai
London Silicon Valley
Los Angeles Singapore
Madrid Tokyo
Milan Washington, D.C.

 

January 23, 2020

 

Waste Connections, Inc.

3 Waterway Square Place, Suite 110

The Woodlands, Texas 77380

 

Re: Registration Statement No. 333-225219; $600,000,000 Aggregate Principal Amount of 2.600% Senior Notes Due 2030

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We have acted as special counsel to Waste Connections, Inc., a corporation incorporated under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) (the “Company”), in connection with the issuance of $600,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 2.600% Senior Notes due 2030 (the “Notes”), under that certain Indenture, dated as of November 16, 2018 (the “Base Indenture”), by and between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), as supplemented by that certain Third Supplemental Indenture (the “Third Supplemental Indenture”), dated as of the date hereof, by and between such parties (the Base Indenture, as supplemented by the Third Supplemental Indenture, the “Indenture”), and pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on May 25, 2018 (Registration No. 333-225219) (the “Registration Statement”), an accompanying base prospectus, dated May 25, 2018, and included in the Registration Statement at the time it originally became effective (the “Base Prospectus”), and a final prospectus supplement, dated January 21, 2020, and filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act on January 23, 2020 (together with the Base Prospectus, the “Prospectus”). This opinion is being furnished in connection with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Act, and no opinion is expressed herein as to any matter pertaining to the contents of the Registration Statement or Prospectus, other than as expressly stated herein with respect to the issuance of the Notes.

 

As such counsel, we have examined such matters of fact and questions of law as we have considered appropriate for purposes of this letter. With your consent, we have relied upon certificates and other assurances of officers of the Company and others as to factual matters without having independently verified such factual matters. We are opining herein as to the internal laws of the State of New York, and we express no opinion with respect to the applicability thereto, or the effect thereon, of the laws of any other jurisdiction or as to any matters of municipal law or the laws of any local agencies within any state. Various issues pertaining to the laws of Canada are addressed in the opinion of Bennett Jones LLP, separately provided to you. We express no opinion with respect to those matters herein, and to the extent elements of those opinions are necessary to the conclusions expressed herein, we have, with your consent, assumed such matters.

 

 

 

 

January 23, 2020

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Subject to the foregoing and the other matters set forth herein, it is our opinion that, as of the date hereof, when the Notes have been duly executed, issued, and authenticated in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and delivered against payment therefor in the circumstances contemplated by that certain underwriting agreement, dated January 21, 2020, by and among the underwriters named therein and the Company, the Notes will be legally valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.

 

Our opinion is subject to: (i) the effect of bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, preference, fraudulent transfer, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors; (ii) the effect of general principles of equity, whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law (including the possible unavailability of specific performance or injunctive relief), concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, and the discretion of the court before which a proceeding is brought; (iii) the invalidity under certain circumstances under law or court decisions of provisions providing for the indemnification of or contribution to a party with respect to a liability where such indemnification or contribution is contrary to public policy; and (iv) we express no opinion as to (a) any provision for liquidated damages, default interest, late charges, monetary penalties, make-whole premiums or other economic remedies to the extent such provisions are deemed to constitute a penalty, (b) consents to, or restrictions upon, governing law, jurisdiction, venue, arbitration, remedies, or judicial relief, (c) the waiver of rights or defenses contained in Section 4.4 of the Base Indenture; (d) any provision requiring the payment of attorneys’ fees, where such payment is contrary to law or public policy; (e) any provision permitting, upon acceleration of the Notes, collection of that portion of the stated principal amount thereof which might be determined to constitute unearned interest thereon; and (f) the severability, if invalid, of provisions to the foregoing effect.

 

With your consent, we have assumed (a) that the Indenture and the Notes (collectively, the “Documents”) have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the parties thereto, (b) that each of the Documents constitute legally valid and binding obligations of the parties thereto other than the Company, enforceable against each of them in accordance with their respective terms, and (c) that the status of the Documents as legally valid and binding obligations of the parties is not affected by any (i) breaches of, or defaults under, agreements or instruments, (ii) violations of statutes, rules, regulations or court or governmental orders, or (iii) failures to obtain required consents, approvals or authorizations from, or make required registrations, declarations or filings with, governmental authorities.

 

This opinion is for your benefit in connection with the Registration Statement and may be relied upon by you and by persons entitled to rely upon it pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Act. We consent to your filing this opinion as an exhibit to the Company’s Form 8-K dated January 23, 2020 and to the reference to our firm contained in the Prospectus under the heading “Legal Matters.” In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

 

  Very truly yours,

 

  /s/ Latham & Watkins LLP

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 5.2

 

   

 

January 23, 2020

 

Waste Connections, Inc.

3 Waterway Square Place, Suite 110

The Woodlands, Texas 77380

 

Dear Sirs/Mesdames:

 

Re: Waste Connections, Inc. – Public Offering of 2.600% Senior Notes due 2030

 

Introduction

 

We have acted as counsel in Ontario to Waste Connections, Inc., an Ontario corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the sale to the Underwriters of US$600,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company's 2.600% Senior Notes due 2030 (the "Notes") pursuant to an underwriting agreement dated January 21, 2020 among BofA Securities, Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, MUFG Securities Americas Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, as the representatives of the Underwriters, and the Company (the "Underwriting Agreement"). The Notes have been issued pursuant to a Third Supplemental Indenture dated January 23, 2020 (the "Third Supplemental Indenture") between the Company and the U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the "Trustee"), supplementing the Indenture dated November 16, 2018 (the "Base Indenture", as supplemented by the Third Supplemental Indenture, the "Indenture") between the Company and the Trustee, as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture dated November 16, 2018 between the Company and the Trustee (the "First Supplemental Indenture"), as supplemented by the Second Supplemental Indenture dated April 16, 2019 between the Company and the Trustee (the "Second Supplemental Indenture"), and a registration statement on Form S-3 under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") on May 25, 2018 (Registration No. 333-225219) (the "Registration Statement"), a base prospectus dated May 25, 2018 and included in the Registration Statement (the "Base Prospectus"), a preliminary prospectus supplement, dated January 21, 2020 and filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act (together with the Base Prospectus, the "Preliminary Prospectus"), the document that the Company has identified as an "issuer free writing prospectus" (as defined in Rules 433 and 405 under the Securities Act) and that is described in Annex A of the Underwriting Agreement (the "Specified IFWP"), and a prospectus supplement dated January 21, 2020 and filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act (together with the Base Prospectus, the "Prospectus").

 

All capitalized terms not defined in this opinion letter shall have the terms ascribed thereto in the Underwriting Agreement.

 

Scope of Review

 

For the purpose of this opinion letter, we have examined the following:

 

1. The Underwriting Agreement;

 

2. the Registration Statement;

 

 

 

 

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3. the Preliminary Prospectus;

 

4. the Prospectus;

 

5. the Specified IFWP;

 

6. the Indenture; and

 

7. the global certificates representing the Notes dated as of the date hereof (collectively, the "Global Notes").

 

In this opinion letter, the Underwriting Agreement, the Indenture and the Global Notes are referred to collectively as the "Note Documents" and individually as a "Note Document".

 

As to various questions of fact material to our opinions that we have not verified independently, we have relied upon the following documents, copies of which have been provided to you:

 

(a) a certificate of status dated January 22, 2020 in respect of the Company issued pursuant to the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) ("OBCA"), on which we have relied exclusively in giving the opinion expressed in paragraph 1 below; and

 

(b) a certificate of an officer of the Company dated January 23, 2020 on which we have relied as to various matters of fact expressed therein.

 

In addition, we have considered such questions of law, examined such other documents and conducted such investigations as we have considered necessary to enable us to express the opinions set forth herein.

 

Applicable Law

 

We are solicitors qualified to carry on the practice of law in Ontario and we express no opinions as to any laws, or any matters governed by any laws, other than the laws of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada applicable in Ontario that are in effect on the date hereof ("Ontario Law").

 

Assumptions

 

In providing the opinions expressed herein, we have assumed:

 

(a) the genuineness of all signatures;

 

(b) the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the completeness and conformity to the originals of all documents submitted to us as copies and the authenticity of the originals of such copies;

 

(c) the legal existence, power and capacity of all parties to the Note Documents other than the Company;

 

(d) the legal capacity of all individuals;

 

(e) the Base Indenture, the First Supplemental Indenture and the Second Supplemental Indenture are in full force and effect unamended except for amendments pursuant to the Third Supplemental Indenture;

 

 

 

 

 

 

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(f) the due authorization, execution and delivery of the Note Documents by all parties thereto other than the Company;

 

(g) the due execution and delivery of the Note Documents by the Company to the extent execution and delivery are matters not governed by Ontario Law;

 

(h) each of the Note Documents constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of each of the parties thereto, enforceable against each such party in accordance with its terms;

 

(i) the indices and filing systems maintained at public offices that we have searched were accurate and complete on the dates of our searches and that such search results, if dated prior to the date hereof, remain accurate and complete as of the date hereof;

 

(j) the Notes have not been distributed (as such term is defined under applicable securities laws in Canada) in Canada or to persons or companies in Canada;

 

(k) no order, ruling or decision of any court or regulatory or administrative body is in effect at any material time that restricts any trades in securities of the Company or that affects any person or company (including the Company or any of its affiliates) that engages in such a trade; and

 

(l) the Registration Statement is effective under the Securities Act and such effectiveness has not been terminated or rescinded.

 

Opinions

 

Based upon and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:

 

1. The Company is a corporation amalgamated under the laws of Ontario and has not been dissolved.

 

2. The Company has all necessary corporate power and capacity to own, lease and operate its properties and carry on its business as described in the Prospectus, and to execute and deliver the Second Supplemental Indenture and to perform its obligations under the Indenture.

 

3. The execution and delivery of the Third Supplemental Indenture by the Company and the performance of its obligations under the Indenture, and the offering, issuance and sale of the Notes, have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company.

 

4. The Company has, to the extent that execution and delivery are governed by Ontario Law, duly executed and delivered the Third Supplemental Indenture.

 

5. The: (i) offering, issuance and sale of the Notes and the execution and delivery by the Company of the Third Supplemental Indenture; and (ii) the performance by the Company of its obligations under the Indenture, do not contravene, constitute a default under, or result in a breach or violation of: (i) the articles or by-laws of the Company; or (ii) any statute or regulation in force in Ontario.

 

6. The Global Notes have been approved and adopted by the Company and comply with any applicable provisions of the OBCA.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Reliance

 

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and the use of the firm's name under the headings "Risk Factors – You may have difficulty enforcing judgements against us and certain of our directors", "Enforceability of Civil Liabilities Against Foreign Persons" and "Legal Matters" in the Prospectus. In giving the foregoing consent, we do not admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.

 

Yours truly,

 

(signed) "Bennett Jones LLP"