Exhibit
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Description
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Amended and Restated Shareholder Rights Plan Agreement
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ALGONQUIN POWER & UTILITIES CORP.
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(registrant)
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Date: June 2, 2022
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By: /s/ Arthur Kacprzak
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Name: Arthur Kacprzak
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Title: Chief Financial Officer
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ARTICLE 1
DEFINITIONS
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1.1
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Definitions
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2
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1.2
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Currency
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12
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1.3
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Acting Jointly or in Concert
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12
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1.4
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Control
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12
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1.5
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Holder of Rights
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13 |
1.6
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References to this Agreement
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13
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ARTICLE 2
THE RIGHTS
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2.1
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Issue of Rights; Legend on Common Share Certificates
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13
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2.2
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Initial Exercise Price; Exercise of Rights; Detachment of Rights
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14
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2.3
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Adjustments to Exercise Price; Number of Rights
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16
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2.4
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Date on Which Exercise is Effective
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19
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2.5
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Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating of Rights Certificates
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19
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2.6
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Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange
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19
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2.7
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Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Rights Certificates
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20
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2.8
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Persons Deemed Owners
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20
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2.9
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Delivery and Cancellation of Certificates
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20
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2.10
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Agreement of Rights Holders
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21
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ARTICLE 3
ADJUSTMENTS TO THE RIGHTS IN THE EVENT OF CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS
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3.1
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Flip-in Event
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21
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ARTICLE 4
THE RIGHTS AGENT
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4.1
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General
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22
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4.2
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Merger, Amalgamation or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent
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23
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4.3
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Duties of Rights Agent
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24
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4.4
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Change of Rights Agent
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25
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ARTICLE 5
MISCELLANEOUS
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5.1
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Redemption and Termination
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26
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5.2
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Expiration
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27
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5.3
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Issuance of New Rights Certificates
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28 |
5.4
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Supplements and Amendments
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28 |
5.5
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Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares
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29 |
5.6
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Rights of Action
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30
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5.7
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Holder of Rights Not Deemed a Shareholder
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30
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5.8
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Notice of Proposed Actions
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30
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5.9
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Notices
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30
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5.10
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Costs of Enforcement
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31
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5.11
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Successors
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31
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5.12
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Benefits of this Agreement
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31
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5.13
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Descriptive Headings
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32
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5.14
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Governing Law
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32
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5.15
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Language
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32
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5.16
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Counterparts
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32
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5.17
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Severability
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32
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5.18
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Effective Date
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32
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5.19
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Shareholder Review
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32
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5.20
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Regulatory Approvals
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33
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5.21
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Declaration as to Non-Canadian and Non-U.S. Holders
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33
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5.22
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Determinations and Actions by the Board
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33
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1.1 |
Definitions
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(a) |
"Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who is
the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares of the Corporation; provided, however, that the term "Acquiring Person" shall not include:
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(i) |
the Corporation or any Subsidiary of the Corporation;
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(ii) |
any Person who becomes the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares of the Corporation as a result of any one or a combination of:
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(A) |
an acquisition or redemption by the Corporation of Common Shares which, by reducing the number of Common Shares outstanding, increases the proportionate
number of Common Shares Beneficially Owned by such Person to 20% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding;
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(B) |
Common Share acquisitions made pursuant to a Permitted Bid or a Competing Permitted Bid ("Permitted Bid Acquisitions");
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(C) |
Common Share acquisitions (1) in respect of which the Board has waived the application of Section 3.1 pursuant to subsections 5.1(b), 5.1(c) or
5.1(d); or (2) which were made pursuant to a dividend reinvestment plan of the Corporation; or (3) pursuant to the receipt or exercise of rights issued by the Corporation to all the holders of the Common Shares (other than holders
resident in a jurisdiction where such distribution is restricted or impracticable as a result of applicable law) to subscribe for or purchase Common Shares or Convertible Securities, provided that such rights are acquired directly from
the Corporation and not from any other Person and provided that the Person does not thereby acquire a greater percentage of Common Shares or Convertible Securities so offered than the Person's percentage of Common Shares or Convertible
Securities beneficially owned immediately prior to such acquisition; or (4) pursuant to a distribution by the Corporation or an affiliate of the Corporation of Common Shares or Convertible Securities made pursuant to a prospectus,
provided that the Person does not thereby acquire a greater percentage of Common Shares or Convertible Securities so offered than the Person's percentage of Common Shares or Convertible Securities beneficially owned immediately prior to
such acquisition; or (5) pursuant to a distribution by the Corporation of Common Shares or Convertible Securities by way of a private placement or a securities exchange take-over bid circular or upon the exercise by an individual employee
of options to purchase Common Shares granted under a stock option plan of the Corporation or rights to purchase or acquire securities granted under a share purchase or incentive plan of the Corporation, provided that (i) all necessary
stock exchange approvals for such private placement, stock option plan or share purchase or incentive plan have been obtained and such private placement, stock option plan or share purchase or incentive plan complies with the terms and
conditions of such approvals and (ii) such Person does not become the Beneficial Owner of more than 25% of the Common Shares outstanding immediately prior to the distribution, and in making this determination, the Common Shares to be
issued to such Person in the distribution shall be deemed to be held by such Person but shall not be included in the aggregate number of outstanding Common Shares immediately prior to the distribution; or (6) pursuant to an
amalgamation, plan of arrangement, merger or other statutory procedure which has been approved by the Board and the holders of Common Shares at a meeting duly called by the Board and held for such purpose ("Exempt
Acquisitions'');
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(D) |
the acquisition of Common Shares upon the exercise of Convertible Securities received by such Person pursuant to a Permitted Bid Acquisition,
Exempt Acquisition or a Pro Rata Acquisition (as defined below) ("Convertible Security Acquisitions"); or
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(E) |
acquisitions as a result of a stock dividend, stock split or other event pursuant to which such Person receives or acquires Common Shares or
Convertible Securities on the same pro rata basis as all other holders of Common Shares of the same class, provided that the Person does not thereby acquire a greater percentage of Common Shares or
Convertible Securities so offered than the Person's percentage of Common Shares or Convertible Securities beneficially owned immediately prior to such acquisition ("Pro Rata
Acquisitions");
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(iii) |
for a period of 10 days after the Disqualification Date, any Person who becomes the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the outstanding Common
Shares as a result of such Person becoming disqualified from relying on clause 1.1(d)(B) of the definition of Beneficial Owner solely because such Person makes or announces an intention to make a Take-over Bid, either alone, through such
Person's Affiliates or Associates or by acting jointly or in concert with any other Person. For the purposes of this definition, "Disqualification Date" means the first date of public announcement that any Person is making or intends to make a Take-over Bid, either alone, through such Person's Affiliates or Associates or by acting jointly or in concert with any other Person;
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(iv) |
an underwriter or member of a banking or selling group that becomes the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the Common Shares in connection with a
distribution of securities by way of prospectus or private placement; or
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(v) |
a Person (a "Grandfathered Person") who is the
Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares of the Corporation as at the Record Time; provided, however, that this exception shall not be, and shall cease to be, applicable to a Grandfathered Person in the event that
such Grandfathered Person shall, after the Record Time (A) cease to Beneficially Own 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares or (B) become the Beneficial Owner (other than pursuant to any one or a combination of (1) Common Share
acquisitions or redemptions by the Corporation or (2) Permitted Bid Acquisitions or (3) Exempt Acquisitions or (4) Convertible Security Acquisition or (5) Pro Rata Acquisitions) of additional Common Shares constituting more than 1% of the
number of Common Shares outstanding as at the Record Time whether or not such Person has disposed of any Common Shares or otherwise has had its ownership diluted after the Record Time.
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(b) |
"Affiliate", used to indicate a relationship with
a specified Person, shall mean a Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, such specified Person.
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(c) |
"Associate" of a specified individual shall mean
any individual to whom such specified individual is married or with whom such specified individual is living in a conjugal relationship, outside marriage, or any relative of such specified individual or said spouse who has the same home
as such specified individual.
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(d) |
A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner",
and to have "Beneficial Ownership" of, and to "Beneficially Own":
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(i) |
any securities as to which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates is the owner at law or in equity;
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(ii) |
any securities as to which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates has the right to become the owner at law or in equity (A) upon the
exercise of any Convertible Securities, or (B) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether or not in writing, in either case where such right is exercisable immediately or within a period of 60 days and whether or not
on condition or the happening of any contingency (other than (1) customary agreements with and between underwriters and banking group or selling group members with respect to a distribution to the public or pursuant to a private placement
of securities, or (2) pursuant to a pledge of securities in the ordinary course of business); and
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(iii) |
any securities which are Beneficially Owned within the meaning of clauses 1.1(d)(i) or (ii) above by any other Person with which such Person is acting
jointly or in concert;
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(A) |
where (1) the holder of such security has agreed to deposit or tender such security pursuant to a Permitted Lock-up Agreement to a Take-over Bid made by such
Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates or any other Person referred to in clause 1.1(d)(iii), or (2) such security has been deposited or tendered pursuant to a Take-over Bid made by such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates or any other Person referred to in clause 1.1(d)(iii), in each case until the earliest time at which any such tendered security is accepted unconditionally for payment or exchange or is taken up and paid for;
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(B) |
where such Person, any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates or any other Person referred to in clause 1.1(d)(iii), holds such security
provided that (1) the ordinary business of any such Person (the "Investment Manager") includes the management of investment funds for others and
such security is held by the Investment Manager in the ordinary course of such business in the performance of such Investment Manager's duties for the account of any other Person, including the acquisition or holding of securities for
non-discretionary accounts held on behalf of a client by a broker or dealer registered under applicable securities laws, or (2) such Person (the "Trust Company") is licensed to carry on the business of a trust company under applicable laws and, as such, acts as trustee or administrator or in a similar capacity in relation to the estates of deceased or incompetent Persons
or in relation to other accounts and holds such security in the ordinary course of such duties for the estates of deceased or incompetent Persons or for such other accounts, or (3) such Person (the "Plan Trustee") is the administrator or trustee of one or more pension funds or plans (each a "Plan") registered under applicable laws and holds such security for the purposes of its activity as such, or (4) such Person is a Plan or is a Person established by statute (the "Statutory Body") for purposes that include, and the ordinary business or activity of such Person includes the management of investment funds for employee benefit plans, pension plans,
insurance plans (other than plans administered by insurance companies) or various public bodies, or (5) such Person is a Crown agent or agency or (6) such Person (the "Manager") is the manager or trustee of a mutual fund ("Mutual Fund") that is registered or qualified to issue its securities to
investors under the securities laws of any province of Canada or the laws of the United States of America or is a Mutual Fund; provided in any of the above cases, that the Investment Manager, the Trust Company, the Plan Trustee, the Plan,
the Statutory Body, the Crown agent or agency, the Manager or the Mutual Fund, as the case may be, is not then making a Take-over Bid or has not announced a current intention to make a Take-over Bid, other than an Offer to Acquire Common
Shares or other securities pursuant to a distribution by the Corporation or by means of ordinary market transactions (including pre-arranged trades entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person) executed through the
facilities of a stock exchange, securities quotation system or organized over-the-counter market, alone, through its Affiliates or Associates or by acting jointly or in concert with any other Person;
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(C) |
because such Person is a client of or has an account with the same Investment Manager as another Person on whose account the Investment Manager holds such
security, or where such Person is a client of or has an account with the same Trust Company as another Person on whose account the Trust Company holds such security, or where such Person is a Plan and has a Plan Trustee who is also a Plan
Trustee for another Plan on whose account the Plan Trustee holds such security;
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(D) |
where such Person is (1) a client of an Investment Manager and such security is owned at law or in equity by the Investment Manager, or (2) an account of a
Trust Company and such security is owned at law or in equity by the Trust Company, or (3) a Plan and such security is owned at law or in equity by the Plan Trustee; or
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(E) |
where such Person is the registered holder of such security as a result of carrying on the business of or acting as a nominee of a securities depositary.
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A = |
the number of votes for the election of all directors generally attaching to the Common Shares Beneficially Owned by such Person; and
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B = |
the number of votes for the election of all directors generally attaching to all outstanding Common Shares.
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(e) |
"Business Day" shall mean any day other than a
Saturday, Sunday or a day that is treated as a holiday in Toronto, Canada.
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(f) |
"Canadian-U.S. Exchange Rate" shall mean on any
date the inverse of the U.S. Canadian Exchange Rate.
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(g) |
"CBCA" shall mean the Canada Business Corporations
Act, R.S.C. 1985, c.44, as amended, and the regulations thereunder, and any comparable or successor laws or regulations thereto.
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(h) |
"Canadian Dollar Equivalent" of any amount which
is expressed in United States dollars shall mean on any day the Canadian dollar equivalent of such amount determined by reference to the Canadian-U.S. Exchange Rate on such date.
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(i) |
"close of business" on any given date shall mean
the time on such date (or, if such date is not a Business Day, the time on the next succeeding Business Day) at which the office of the transfer agent for the Common Shares in the City of Toronto (or, after the Separation Time, the
offices of the Rights Agent in the City of Toronto) becomes closed to the public.
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(j) |
"Common Shares" and "Common Shares of the Corporation" means the common shares of the Corporation, as constituted as of the Record Time and any other security of the Corporation
into which such shares may be subdivided, reclassified or changed from time to time.
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(k) |
"Competing Permitted Bid" shall mean a Take-over
Bid that:
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(i) |
is made after a Permitted Bid or another Competing Permitted Bid has been made and prior to the termination or expiry of the Permitted Bid or another
Competing Permitted Bid;
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(ii) |
satisfies all components of the definition of a Permitted Bid other than the requirements set out in subparagraph 1.1(bb)(ii)(A) of the definition of a
Permitted Bid; and
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(iii) |
contains, and the take-up and payment for securities tendered or deposited is subject to, an irrevocable and unqualified condition that no securities will be
taken up or paid for pursuant to the Take-over Bid prior to the close of business on the last day of the minimum initial deposit period that such Take-over Bid must remain open for deposits of securities thereunder pursuant to NI 62-104
after the date of the Take-over Bid constituting the Competing Permitted Bid.
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(l) |
"Convertible Securities" shall mean, at any time,
any securities issued by the Corporation from time to time (other than the Rights) carrying any exercise, conversion or exchange right pursuant to which the holder thereof may acquire Common Shares or other securities which are
convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Shares.
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(m) |
"Convertible Security Acquisitions" shall have the
meaning set forth in the definition of "Acquiring Person" herein.
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(n) |
"Co-Rights Agents" shall have the meaning set
forth in subsection 4.1(a).
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(o) |
"Exempt Acquisition" shall have the meaning set
forth in the definition of "Acquiring Person" herein.
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(p) |
"Exercise Price" shall mean, as of any date, the
price at which a holder may purchase the securities issuable upon exercise of one whole Right in accordance with the terms hereof and, subject to adjustment thereof in accordance with the terms hereof, the Exercise Price shall be:
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(i) |
until the Separation Time, an amount equal to three times the Market Price, from time to time, per Common Share; and
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(ii) |
from and after the Separation Time, an amount equal to three times the Market Price, as at the Separation Time, per Common Share.
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(q) |
"Expansion Factor" shall have the meaning set
forth in subsection 2.3(a).
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(r) |
"Expiration Time" shall mean the earlier of:
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(i) |
the Termination Time; and
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(ii) |
the termination of the annual meeting of the shareholders of the Corporation in the year 2025;
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(s) |
"Fiduciary" shall mean a trust company registered
under the trust company legislation of Canada or any province thereof, a trust company organized under the laws of any state of the United States, a portfolio manager registered under the securities legislation of one or more provinces of
Canada or an investment adviser registered under the United States Investment Advisers Act of 1940 or any other securities legislation of the United States or any state of the United States.
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(t) |
"Flip-in Event" shall mean a transaction or other
event, in or pursuant to which any Person shall become an Acquiring Person; provided, however, that a Flip-in Event shall be deemed to occur at the close of business on the tenth day (or such later day as the Board may determine) after
the Stock Acquisition Date.
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(u) |
"Independent Shareholders" shall mean holders of
outstanding Common Shares of the Corporation excluding (i) any Acquiring Person, and (ii) any Offeror (other than a Person who, by virtue of clause 1.1(d)(B), is not deemed to Beneficially Own the Common Shares held by such Person), and
(iii) any Affiliate or Associate of any Acquiring Person or Offeror, and (iv) any Person acting jointly or in concert with any Acquiring Person or Offeror, and (v) a Person who is a trustee of any employee benefit plan, Common Share
purchase plan, deferred profit sharing plan or any similar plan or trust for the benefit of employees of the Corporation or a Subsidiary of the Corporation, unless the beneficiaries of the plan or trust direct the manner in which the
Common Shares are to be voted or direct whether the Common Shares are to be tendered to a Take-over Bid.
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(v) |
"Market Price" per security of any securities on
any date of determination shall mean the average of the daily Closing Price Per Security of such securities (determined as described below) on each of the 20 consecutive Trading Days through and including the Trading Day immediately
preceding such date; provided, however, that if an event of a type analogous to any of the events described in Section 2.3 hereof shall have caused the price used to determine the Closing Price Per Security on any Trading Day not to be
fully comparable with the price used to determine the Closing Price Per Security on such date of determination or, if the date of determination is not a Trading Day, on the immediately preceding Trading Day, each such price so used shall
be appropriately adjusted in a manner analogous to the applicable adjustment provided for in Section 2.3 hereof in order to make it fully comparable with the price per security used to determine the Closing Price Per Security on such date
of determination or, if the date of determination is not a Trading Day, on the immediately preceding Trading Day. The "Closing Price Per Security"
of any securities on any date shall be:
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(i) |
the closing board lot sale price or, if such price is not available, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, for such securities as reported by the
securities exchange or national securities quotation system on which such securities are listed or admitted for trading on which the largest number of such securities were traded during the most recently completed calendar year;
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(ii) |
if, for any reason, none of such prices is available on such date or the securities are not listed or admitted to trading on a securities exchange or on a
national securities quotation system, the last sale price, or in case no sale takes place on such date, the average of the high bid and low asked prices for such securities in the over-the-counter market, as quoted by any reporting system
then in use (as selected by the Board); or
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(iii) |
if the securities are not listed or admitted to trading as contemplated in clause 1.1(v)(i) or (ii), the average of the closing bid and asked prices as
furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the securities; provided, however, that if on any such date the Closing Price Per Security cannot be determined in accordance with the foregoing, the Closing Price Per Security of
such securities on such date shall mean the fair value per security of such securities on such date as determined in good faith by an internationally recognized investment dealer or investment banker with respect to the fair value per
security of such securities.
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(w) |
"NI 62-104" shall mean National Instrument 62-104 – Take-Over Bids and Issuer Bids, and any comparable or successor laws, instruments or rules thereto.
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(x) |
"1933 Securities Act" shall
mean the Securities Act of 1933 of the United States, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, and any comparable or successor
laws or regulations thereto.
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(y) |
"1934 Exchange Act" shall mean
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 of the United States, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, and any comparable or successor
laws or regulations thereto.
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(z) |
"Offer to Acquire" shall include:
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(i) |
an offer to purchase, or a solicitation of an offer to sell, Common Shares; and
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(ii) |
an acceptance of an offer to sell Common Shares, whether or not such offer to sell has been solicited;
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(aa) |
"Offeror's Securities" shall mean Common Shares
Beneficially Owned by an Offeror, any Affiliate or Associate of such Offeror and any Person acting jointly or in concert with such Offeror and "Offeror" means a Person who has announced, and has not withdrawn, an intention to make or who has made, and has not withdrawn, a Take-over Bid.
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(bb) |
"Permitted Bid" shall mean a Take-over Bid made by
a Person by means of a Take-over Bid circular which also complies with the following additional provisions:
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(i) |
the Take-over Bid is made to all holders of record of Common Shares, other than the Offeror;
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(ii) |
the Take-over Bid shall contain, and the provisions for the take-up and payment for securities tendered or deposited thereunder shall be subject to,
irrevocable and unqualified provisions that no securities shall be taken up or paid for pursuant to the Take-over Bid:
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(A) |
prior to the close of business on a date that is no earlier than the earlier of (i) the date 105 days following the date of the Take-over Bid and (ii) the
last day of the initial deposit period that the Offeror must allow securities to be deposited under the Take-over Bid pursuant to NI 62-104; and
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(B) |
only if at such date more than 50% of the Common Shares held by Independent Shareholders shall have been deposited or tendered pursuant to the Take-over Bid
and not withdrawn;
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(iii) |
the Take-over Bid shall contain irrevocable and unqualified provisions that securities may be deposited pursuant to the Take-over Bid at any time during the
period of time described in subparagraph 1.1(bb)(ii)(A) and all securities deposited pursuant to the Take-over Bid may be withdrawn, unless restricted by law, until taken up and paid for; and
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(iv) |
the Take-over Bid shall contain an irrevocable and unqualified provision that in the event that the deposit condition set forth in subparagraph
1.1(bb)(ii)(B) is satisfied and such Common Shares are taken up by the Offeror, the Offeror will make a public announcement of that fact and the Take-over Bid will remain open for deposits and tenders of securities for not less than ten
days from the date of such public announcement;
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(cc) |
"Permitted Bid Acquisitions" shall have the
meaning set forth in the definition of "Acquiring Person" herein.
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(dd) |
"Permitted Lock-up Agreement" shall mean an
agreement (the "Lock-up Agreement") between an Offeror, any of its Affiliates or Associates or any other Person acting jointly or in concert with
the Offeror and one or more holders of Common Shares and/or Convertible Securities who is not an Affiliate or Associate of the Offeror (each such holder herein referred to as a "Locked-up
Person") (the terms of which are publicly disclosed and a copy of which is made available to the public (including the Corporation) not later than the date of the Lock-up Bid (as defined below), or if
the Lock-up Bid has been made prior to the date of the Lock-up Agreement not later than the first Business Day following the date of the Lock-up Agreement) pursuant to which each Locked-up Person agrees to deposit or tender the Common
Shares or Convertible Securities held by such holder to the Offeror’s Take-over Bid or any Take-over Bid made by any of the Offeror’s Affiliates or Associates (the "Lock-up Bid"), provided that:
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(i) |
the Lock-up Agreement permits the Locked-up Person to withdraw its securities from the Lock-up Agreement in order to deposit or tender the securities to
another Take-over Bid or to support another transaction that in either case will provide a greater price or value to the Locked-up Person than the Lock-up Bid; or
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(ii) |
the Lock-up Agreement permits the Locked-up Person to withdraw its securities from the Lock-up Agreement in order to deposit or tender the
securities to another Take-over Bid or to support another transaction that contains an offer price or value for each Common Share that exceeds by as much as or more than a specified amount (the "Specified Amount") the offer price or value for each Common Share contained in or proposed to be contained in the Lock-up Bid and that does not by its terms provide for a Specified
Amount that is greater than 7% of the offer price or value contained in or proposed to be contained in the Lock-up Bid;
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(iii) |
no "break-up" fees, "top-up" fees, penalties, expenses or other amounts that exceed in aggregate the greater of:
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(A) |
2.5% of the price or value of the consideration payable under the Lock-up Bid to a Locked-up Person; and
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(B) |
50% of the amount by which the price or value of the consideration received by a Locked-up Person under another Take-over Bid or transaction exceeds the
price or value of the consideration that the Locked-up Person would have received under the Lock-up Bid,
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(ee) |
"Person" shall mean any individual, firm,
partnership, association, trust, trustee, personal representative, body corporate, corporation, unincorporated organization, syndicate or other entity.
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(ff) |
"Pro Rata Acquisition" shall have the meaning set
forth in the definition of "Acquiring Person" herein.
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(gg) |
"Record Time" shall have the meaning set forth in
subsection 2.1(a) herein.
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(hh) |
"Redemption Price" shall have the meaning set
forth in subsection 5.1(a) herein.
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(ii) |
"Right" shall mean a right to purchase a Common
Share upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement;
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(jj) |
"Rights Certificate" shall mean, after the
Separation Time, the certificate representing the Rights substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto.
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(kk) |
"Securities Act" shall mean
the Securities Act (Ontario), R.S.O. 1990, c. S-5, and the rules and regulations thereunder, each as may be amended from time to time, and any
comparable or successor laws, rules or regulations thereto.
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(ll) |
"Separation Time" shall mean the close of business
on the tenth Business Day after the earlier of:
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(i) |
the Stock Acquisition Date;
|
(ii) |
the date of the commencement of, or first public announcement of the intent of any Person (other than the Corporation or any Subsidiary of the Corporation)
to commence, a Take-over Bid (other than a Take-over Bid which is a Permitted Bid or a Competing Permitted Bid so long as such Take-over Bid continues to satisfy the requirements of a Permitted Bid or Competing Permitted Bid); provided
that, if any Take-over Bid referred to in this clause (ii) expires, is cancelled, terminated or otherwise withdrawn prior to the Separation Time, such Take-over Bid shall be deemed, for purposes of this subsection 1.1(ll), never to have
been made; and
|
(iii) |
the date upon which a Permitted Bid or Competing Permitted Bid ceases to be a Permitted Bid or a Competing Permitted Bid, as applicable;
|
(mm) |
"Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date
of public announcement (which for the purposes of this definition, shall include, without limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 5.2 of NI 62-104, Section 4.5 of National Instrument 62-103 – The Early Warning System and Related Take-Over Bid and Insider Reporting Issues, Section 102.1 of the Securities Act or Section 13(d) under the 1934 Exchange Act) by the Corporation or an Acquiring Person that a Person has become an Acquiring Person.
|
(nn) |
"Subsidiary" of any specified Person shall mean
any trust, corporation, partnership or other entity controlled by such specified Person.
|
(oo) |
"Take-over Bid" shall mean an Offer to Acquire
Common Shares or securities convertible into Common Shares, where the Common Shares subject to the Offer to Acquire, together with the Common Shares into which the securities subject to the Offer to Acquire are convertible, and the
Offeror's Securities, constitute in the aggregate 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares at the date of the Offer to Acquire.
|
(pp) |
"Termination Time" shall mean the time at which
the right to exercise Rights shall terminate pursuant to Section 5.1 or 5.19 hereof.
|
(qq) |
"Trading Day", when used with respect to any
securities, shall mean a day on which the securities exchange or national securities quotation system on which such securities are listed or admitted to trading on which the largest number of such securities were traded during the most
recently completed calendar year is open for the transaction of business or, if the securities are not listed or admitted to trading on any securities exchange, a Business Day.
|
(rr) |
"U.S. Canadian Exchange Rate" shall mean on any
date:
|
(i) |
if on such date the Bank of Canada sets an average noon spot rate of exchange with a conversion of one United States dollar into Canadian dollars, such rate;
|
(ii) |
in any other case, the rate for such date for the conversion of one United States dollar into Canadian dollars which is calculated in the manner which shall
be determined by the Board from time to time acting in good faith.
|
(ss) |
"U.S. Dollar Equivalent" of any amount which is
expressed in Canadian dollars shall mean on any day the United States dollar equivalent of such amount determined by reference to the U.S.-Canadian Exchange Rate on such date.
|
1.2 |
Currency
|
1.3 |
Acting Jointly or in Concert
|
1.4 |
Control
|
(a) |
in the case of a body corporate, securities entitled to vote in the election of directors of such body corporate carrying more than 50% of the votes for the
election of directors are held, directly or indirectly, by or for the benefit of the other Person or Persons acting jointly or in concert and the votes carried by such securities are entitled, if exercised, to elect a majority of the board
of directors of such body corporate; or
|
(b) |
in the case of a Person which is not a body corporate, more than 50% of the voting interests of such entity are held, directly or indirectly, by or for the
benefit of the other Person or Persons;
|
1.5 |
Holder of Rights
|
1.6 |
References to this Agreement
|
2.1 |
Issue of Rights; Legend on Common Share Certificates
|
(a) |
One Right has been issued, effective as of the close of business on June 9, 2010 (the "Record
Time"), in respect of each Common Share outstanding as of the Record Time and one Right has been and shall be issued in respect of each Common Share issued after the Record Time and prior to the
earlier of the Separation Time and the Expiration Time.
|
(b) |
Certificates for the Common Shares, including without limitation Common Shares issued upon the conversion of Convertible Securities, issued after the Record
Time but prior to the earlier of the Separation Time and the Expiration Time shall evidence one Right for each Common Share represented thereby and, commencing as soon as reasonably practicable after the Record Time, shall have impressed
on, printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to them, prior to the date hereof the legend set forth in the Original Agreement which legend shall be deemed to be amended for all purposes to read the same as the legend set forth below, and
after the date hereof the following legend:
|
2.2 |
Initial Exercise Price; Exercise of Rights; Detachment of Rights
|
(a) |
Subject to adjustment as herein set forth, each Right will entitle the holder thereof, after the Separation Time, to purchase, for the Exercise Price, or its
U.S. Dollar Equivalent as at the Business Day immediately preceding the day of exercise of the Right, one Common Share. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, any Rights held by the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries
shall be void.
|
(b) |
Until the Separation Time,
|
(i) |
no Right may be exercised; and
|
(ii) |
each Right will be evidenced by the certificate for the associated Common Share and will be transferable only together with, and will be transferred by a
transfer of, such associated Common Share.
|
(c) |
After the Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time, the Rights (i) may be exercised, and (ii) will be transferable independent of Common Shares.
Promptly following the Separation Time, the Corporation will prepare (or will arrange to have prepared) and the Rights Agent will mail to each holder of record of Common Shares as of the Separation Time, and in respect of each Convertible
Security converted into Common Shares after the Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time promptly after such conversion, to the holder so converting (other than an Acquiring Person and, in respect of any Rights Beneficially Owned by
such Acquiring Person which are not held of record by such Acquiring Person, the holder of record of such Rights) at such holder's address as shown by the records of the Corporation (the Corporation hereby agreeing to furnish copies of such
records to the Rights Agent for this purpose), (x) a Rights Certificate with registration particulars appropriately completed, representing the number of Rights held by such holder at the Separation Time and having such marks of
identification or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Corporation may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, 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 stock exchange or securities quotation system on which the Rights may from time to time be listed or traded, or to conform to usage, and (y) a
disclosure statement describing the Rights.
|
(d) |
Rights may be exercised in whole or in part on any Business Day (or on any other day which, in the city at which an Election to Exercise (as
hereinafter defined) is duly submitted to the Rights Agent in accordance with this Agreement, is not a Saturday, Sunday or a day that is treated as a holiday in such city) after the Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time by
submitting to the Rights Agent (at its office in the City of Toronto, Canada or at any other office of the Rights Agent in the cities designated from time to time for that purpose by the Corporation), the Rights Certificate evidencing
such Rights together with an Election to Exercise (an "Election to Exercise") substantially in the form attached to the Rights Certificate duly
completed, accompanied by payment by certified cheque, banker's draft or money order, payable to the order of the Rights Agent, of a sum equal to the Exercise Price multiplied by the number of Rights being exercised and a sum sufficient
to cover any transfer tax or charge which may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the transfer or delivery of Rights Certificates or the issuance or delivery of certificates for Common Shares in a name other than that of the
holder of the Rights being exercised.
|
(e) |
Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate, with a duly completed Election to Exercise (which does not indicate that the holder so exercising is an Acquiring
Person) accompanied by payment as set forth in subsection 2.2(d) above, the Rights Agent will thereupon promptly:
|
(i) |
requisition from the transfer agent or any co-transfer agent of the Common Shares certificates for the number of Common Shares to be purchased (the
Corporation hereby irrevocably authorizing its transfer agent to comply with all such requisitions);
|
(ii) |
when appropriate, requisition from the Corporation the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuing fractional Common Shares and, after receipt, deliver such
cash to or to the order of the registered holder of the Rights Certificate;
|
(iii) |
after receipt of the Common Share certificates, deliver the same to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such
name or names as may be designated by such holder; and
|
(iv) |
tender to the Corporation all payments received on exercise of the Rights.
|
(f) |
In case the holder of any Rights shall exercise less than all the Rights evidenced by such holder's Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate evidencing
the Rights remaining unexercised will be issued by the Rights Agent to such holder or to such holder's duly authorized assigns.
|
(g) |
The Corporation covenants and agrees that it will:
|
(i) |
take all such action as may be necessary and within its power to ensure that all Common Shares delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of
delivery of the certificates for such Common Shares (subject to payment of the Exercise Price), be duly and validly authorized, executed, issued and delivered and fully paid and non-assessable;
|
(ii) |
take all such action as may be necessary and within its power to comply with any applicable requirements of the CBCA, the Securities Act, the
securities acts or comparable legislation of each of the other provinces of Canada, the 1933 Securities Act and the 1934 Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations thereunder or any other applicable law, rule or regulation, in connection with the issuance and delivery of
the Rights Certificates and the issuance of any Common Shares upon exercise of Rights;
|
(iii) |
use reasonable efforts to cause all Common Shares issued upon exercise of Rights to be listed on the principal exchanges or traded in the over-the-counter
markets on which the Common Shares were traded immediately prior to the Stock Acquisition Date;
|
(iv) |
cause to be reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued Common Shares the number of Common Shares that, as provided in this Agreement,
will from time to time be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights; and
|
(v) |
pay when due and payable any and all Canadian and United States federal, provincial, and state transfer taxes (for greater certainty not including any income
taxes or capital gains of the holder or exercising holder or any liability of the Corporation to withhold tax) and charges which may be payable in respect of the original issuance or delivery of the Rights Certificates or certificates for
Common Shares, provided that the Corporation shall not be required to pay any transfer tax or charge which may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the transfer or delivery of Rights Certificates or the issuance or delivery of
certificates for Common Shares in a name other than that of the holder of the Rights being transferred or exercised.
|
2.3 |
Adjustments to Exercise Price; Number of Rights
|
(a) |
In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the date of this Agreement and prior to the Expiration Time:
|
(i) |
declare or pay a dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares (or other securities or securities exchangeable for or convertible into or giving a
right to acquire Common Shares or other securities of the Corporation) other than pursuant to any optional stock dividend program, dividend reinvestment plan or a dividend payable on Common Shares in lieu of a regular periodic cash
dividend;
|
(ii) |
subdivide or change the then outstanding Common Shares into a greater number of Common Shares;
|
(iii) |
combine or change the then outstanding Common Shares into a smaller number of Common Shares; or
|
(iv) |
issue any Common Shares (or other capital stock or securities exchangeable for or convertible into or giving a right to acquire Common Shares or other
capital stock) in respect of, in lieu of or in exchange for existing Common Shares in a reclassification, amalgamation, merger, statutory arrangement or consolidation,
|
(b) |
In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Record Time and prior to the Expiration Time fix a record date for the making of a distribution to
all holders of Common Shares of rights or warrants entitling them (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record date) to subscribe for or purchase Common Shares (or securities convertible into or exchangeable for or
carrying a right to purchase or subscribe for Common Shares) at a price per Common Share (or, if a security convertible into or exchangeable for or carrying a right to purchase or subscribe for Common Shares, having a conversion, exchange
or exercise price (including the price required to be paid to purchase such convertible or exchangeable security or right per share)) less than 90% of the Market Price per Common Share on such record date, the Exercise Price shall be
adjusted in the manner set forth below. The Exercise Price in effect after such record date shall equal the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such record date multiplied by a fraction, of which the numerator shall be the number
of Common Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of Common Shares which the aggregate offer price of the total number of Common Shares so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion, exchange or exercise price of
the convertible or exchangeable securities or rights so to be offered (including the price required to be paid to purchase such convertible or exchangeable securities or rights)) would purchase at such Market Price and of which the
denominator shall be the number of Common Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of additional Common Shares to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible or exchangeable securities or rights so
to be offered are initially convertible, exchangeable or exercisable). In case such subscription price is satisfied in whole or in part by consideration in a form other than cash the value of such consideration shall be as determined in
good faith by the Board whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent and the holders of Rights.
|
(c) |
In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Record Time and prior to the Expiration Time fix a record date for the making of a distribution to
all holders of Common Shares of evidences of indebtedness or assets (other than a regular periodic cash dividend or a dividend paid in Common Shares) or rights or warrants entitling them to subscribe for or purchase Common Shares (or
Convertible Securities in respect of Common Shares) at a price per Common Share (or, in the case of a Convertible Security in respect of Common Shares having a conversion or exercise price per share (including the price required to be paid
to purchase such Convertible Security) less than 90% of the Market Price per Common Share on such record date (excluding those referred to in subsection 2.3(b)), the Exercise Price shall be adjusted in the manner set forth below. The
Exercise Price in effect after such record date shall equal the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such record date less the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Board) of the portion of the assets, evidences of
indebtedness, rights or warrants so to be distributed applicable to each of the securities purchasable upon exercise of one Right (such determination to be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent shall be binding on the Rights
Agent and the holders of the Rights). Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed.
|
(d) |
Each adjustment made pursuant to this Section 2.3 shall be made as of:
|
(i) |
the payment or effective date for the applicable dividend, subdivision, change, combination or issuance, in the case of an adjustment made pursuant to
paragraph (a) above; and
|
(ii) |
the record date for the applicable dividend or distribution, in the case of an adjustment made pursuant to paragraph (b) or (c) above,
|
(e) |
In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Record Time and prior to the Expiration Time issue any securities (other than Common Shares), or
rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase any such securities, or securities convertible into or exchangeable for any such securities, in a transaction referred to in clause (a)(i) or (a)(iv) above, or if the Corporation shall take
any other action (other than the issue of Common Shares) which might have a negative effect on the holders of Rights, if the Board acting in good faith determines that the adjustments contemplated by paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) above are
not applicable or will not appropriately protect the interests of the holders of Rights, the Corporation may determine what other adjustments to the Exercise Price, number of Rights and/or securities purchasable upon exercise of Rights
would be appropriate and, if the adjustments contemplated by paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) above are applicable, notwithstanding such paragraphs, the adjustments so determined by the Corporation, rather than adjustments contemplated by
paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) above, shall be made. The Corporation and the Rights Agent shall amend this Agreement in accordance with subsections 5.4(b) and 5.4(c), as the case may be, to provide for such adjustments.
|
(f) |
Each adjustment to the Exercise Price made pursuant to this Section 2.3 shall be calculated to the nearest cent. Whenever an adjustment to the Exercise Price
is made pursuant to this Section 2.3, the Corporation shall:
|
(i) |
promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment; and
|
(ii) |
promptly file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common Shares a copy of such certificate and mail a brief summary thereof to each
holder of Rights who requests a copy.
|
(g) |
Subject to Section 5.3, irrespective of any adjustment or change in the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates
theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express the securities so purchasable which were expressed in the initial Rights Certificates issued hereunder.
|
2.4 |
Date on Which Exercise is Effective
|
2.5 |
Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating of Rights Certificates
|
(a) |
The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Corporation by any one of a director, the Chief Executive Officer or the Chief Financial Officer
of the Corporation. The signature of any of these officers on the Rights Certificates may be manual or facsimile. Rights Certificates bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of individuals who were at any time the proper officers of the
Corporation shall bind the Corporation, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such offices prior to the countersignature and delivery of such Rights Certificates. Promptly after the Corporation learns of
the Separation Time, the Corporation will notify the Rights Agent of such Separation Time and will deliver Rights Certificates executed by the Corporation to the Rights Agent for countersignature and disclosure statements describing the
Rights, and the Rights Agent shall countersign (manually or by facsimile signature in a manner satisfactory to the Corporation) and mail such Rights Certificates to the holders of the Rights pursuant to subsection 2.2(c) hereof. No Rights
Certificate shall be valid for any purpose until countersigned by the Rights Agent as aforesaid.
|
(b) |
Each Rights Certificate shall be dated the date of countersignature thereof.
|
2.6 |
Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange
|
(a) |
After the Separation Time, the Corporation will cause to be kept a register (the "Rights
Register") in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Rights Agent will provide for the registration and transfer of Rights. The Rights Agent is hereby appointed "Rights Registrar" for the purpose of maintaining the Rights Register for the Corporation and registering Rights and transfers of Rights as herein provided. In
the event that the Rights Agent shall cease to be the Rights Registrar, the Rights Agent will have the right to examine the Rights Register at all reasonable times.
|
(b) |
After the Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time, upon surrender for registration of transfer or exchange of any Rights Certificate, and subject to
the provisions of subsection 2.6(d) below, the Corporation shall execute, and the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver, in the name of the holder or the designated transferee or transferees, as required pursuant to the holder's
instructions, one or more new Rights Certificates evidencing the same aggregate number of Rights as did the Rights Certificates so surrendered.
|
(c) |
All Rights issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Rights Certificates shall be the valid obligations of the Corporation, and such Rights
shall be entitled to the same benefits under this Agreement as the Rights surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.
|
(d) |
Every Rights Certificate surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange shall be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer
in form satisfactory to the Corporation or the Rights Agent, as the case may be, duly executed by the holder thereof or such holder's attorney duly authorized in writing. As a condition to the issuance of any new Rights Certificate under
this Section 2.6, the Corporation may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto.
|
2.7 |
Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Rights Certificates
|
(a) |
If any mutilated Rights Certificate is surrendered to the Rights Agent prior to the Expiration Time, the Corporation shall execute and the Rights Agent shall
countersign and deliver in exchange therefor a new Rights Certificate evidencing the same number of Rights as did the Rights Certificate so surrendered.
|
(b) |
If there shall be delivered to the Corporation and the Rights Agent prior to the Expiration Time (i) evidence of ownership of any Rights Certificate, (ii)
evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Rights Certificate and (iii) such security or indemnity as may be required by each of them in their sole discretion to save each of them and any of their agents
harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Corporation or the Rights Agent that such Rights Certificate has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, the Corporation shall execute and upon its request the Rights Agent shall countersign
and deliver, in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate evidencing the same number of Rights as did the Rights Certificate so destroyed, lost or stolen.
|
(c) |
As a condition to the issuance of any new Rights Certificate under this Section 2.7, the Corporation may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any
tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Rights Agent) connected therewith.
|
(d) |
Every new Rights Certificate issued pursuant to this Section 2.7 in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Rights Certificate shall evidence an original
additional contractual obligation of the Corporation, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Rights Certificate shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Agreement equally and
proportionately with any and all other Rights, duly issued hereunder.
|
2.8 |
Persons Deemed Owners
|
2.9 |
Delivery and Cancellation of Certificates
|
2.10 |
Agreement of Rights Holders
|
(a) |
to be bound by and subject to the provisions of this Agreement, as amended from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof, in respect of all Rights
held;
|
(b) |
that, prior to the Separation Time, each Right will be transferable only together with, and will be transferred by a transfer of, the associated Common
Share;
|
(c) |
that, after the Separation Time, the Rights Certificates will be transferable only on the Rights Register as provided herein;
|
(d) |
that, prior to due presentment of a Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Separation Time, the associated Common Share certificate) for registration of
transfer, the Corporation, the Rights Agent and any agent of the Corporation or the Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person in whose name the Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Separation Time, the associated Common Share certificate)
is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on such Rights Certificate or the associated Common Share certificate made by anyone other than the
Corporation or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Corporation nor the Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary;
|
(e) |
that such holder of Rights has waived his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon exercise of a Right (except as provided
herein);
|
(f) |
that, subject to the provisions of Section 5.4, without the approval of any holder of Rights or Common Shares and upon the sole authority of the Board acting
in good faith this Agreement may be supplemented or amended from time to time as provided herein; and
|
(g) |
that, notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Corporation nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a
Right or any other Person as a result of its inability to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of competent jurisdiction
or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such
obligation.
|
3.1 |
Flip-in Event
|
(a) |
Subject to subsections 3.1(b) and Section 5.1, in the event that prior to the Expiration Time a Flip-in Event shall occur, the Corporation shall take such
action as shall be necessary to ensure and provide that, within 10 Business Days thereafter or such longer period as may be required to satisfy the requirements of the applicable securities acts or comparable legislation, except as provided
below, each Right shall thereafter constitute the right to purchase from the Corporation, upon exercise thereof in accordance with the terms hereof, that number of Common Shares of the Corporation having an aggregate Market Price on the
date of consummation or occurrence of such Flip-in Event equal to twice the Exercise Price for an amount in cash equal to the Exercise Price (such right to be appropriately adjusted in a manner analogous to the applicable adjustment
provided for in Section 2.3 in the event that after such date of consummation or occurrence an event of a type analogous to any of the events described in Section 2.3 shall have occurred with respect to such Common Shares).
|
(b) |
Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other provisions of this Agreement, upon the occurrence of any Flip-in Event, any Rights that are or were Beneficially
Owned on or after the earlier of the Separation Time or the Stock Acquisition Date by:
|
(i) |
an Acquiring Person (or any Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or any Person acting jointly or in concert with an Acquiring Person or any
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person); or
|
(ii) |
a transferee, direct or indirect, of an Acquiring Person (or any Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or any Person acting jointly or in concert
with an Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person) in a transfer made after the date hereof, whether or not for consideration, that the Board acting in good faith has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or
scheme of an Acquiring Person (or any Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or any Person acting jointly or in connection with an Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person) that has the purpose or effect
of avoiding clause (i) of this subsection 3.1(b):
|
(c) |
Any Rights Certificate that represents Rights Beneficially Owned by a Person described in either clause (i) or (ii) of subsection 3.1(b) or transferred to
any nominee of any such Person, and any Rights Certificate issued upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other Rights Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall contain the following legend:
|
4.1 |
General
|
(a) |
The Corporation hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Corporation and the holders of Rights in accordance with the terms and
conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Corporation may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents (the "Co-Rights Agents") as it may deem necessary or desirable, subject to the consent of the Rights Agent, acting reasonably. In the event the Corporation appoints one or more Co-Rights Agents, the respective duties of the Rights Agent
and Co-Rights Agents shall be as the Corporation may determine with the approval of the Rights Agent and Co-Rights Agent. The Corporation agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder
and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements reasonably incurred in the execution and administration of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its
duties hereunder (including the reasonable fees and disbursements of any expert retained by the Rights Agent with the approval of the Corporation, such approval not to be unreasonably withheld). The Corporation also agrees to fully
indemnify the Rights Agent, its directors, officers, employees and agents for, and to hold them harmless against, any and all, direct or indirect loss, liability, cost, claim, action, damage, counsel fee, payment or expense, incurred
without negligence, bad faith or wilful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent or its directors, officers, employees and agents for anything done, suffered or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance, execution
and administration of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder, including the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of liability, which right to indemnification will survive the termination of
this Agreement or the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent. In no event will the Rights Agent be liable for special, indirect, consequential or punitive loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost
profits), even if the Rights Agent has been advised of the possibility of such damages. Any liability of the Rights Agent will be limited in the aggregate to an amount equal to the annual fee paid by the Corporation pursuant to this
Agreement.
|
(b) |
The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with its
administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any certificate for Common Shares, Rights Certificate, certificate for other securities of the Corporation, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit,
letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper person or persons.
|
(c) |
The Corporation shall inform the Rights Agent, in a reasonably timely manner, of events which may materially affect the administration of this Agreement by
the Rights Agent. At any time, upon request, the Corporation shall provide to the Rights Agent an incumbency certificate with respect to the current directors and officers of the Corporation.
|
4.2 |
Merger, Amalgamation or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent
|
(a) |
Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be merged or amalgamated or with which it may be consolidated, or any
corporation resulting from any merger, amalgamation or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent is a party or any corporation succeeding to the shareholder, shareholder or stockholder services business of the
Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, will be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto, provided that such
corporation would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 4.4 hereof. In case, at the time such successor Rights Agent succeeds to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Rights
Certificates have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of the predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of
the Rights Certificates have not been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in the name of the predecessor Rights Agent or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases
such Rights Certificates will have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
|
(b) |
In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent is changed and at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered,
the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may
countersign such Rights Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
|
4.3 |
Duties of Rights Agent
|
(a) |
The Rights Agent may retain and consult with legal counsel (who may be legal counsel for the Corporation), and the opinion of such counsel will be full and
complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion; the Rights Agent may also, with the approval of the Corporation (such approval not to be
unreasonably withheld) and at the expense of the Corporation, consult with such other experts as the Rights Agent shall consider necessary or appropriate to properly carry out the duties and obligations imposed under this Agreement and the
Rights Agent shall be entitled to act and rely in good faith on the advice of any such expert.
|
(b) |
Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the Rights Agent deems it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be proved or
established by the Corporation prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a
certificate signed by a person believed by the Rights Agent to be a director, the Chief Executive Officer or the Chief Financial Officer of the Corporation and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate will be full authorization
to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
|
(c) |
The Rights Agent will be liable hereunder only for its own negligence, bad faith or wilful misconduct.
|
(d) |
The Rights Agent will not be liable for or by reason of any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the certificates for
Common Shares or the Rights Certificates (except its countersignature thereof) or be required to verify the same, but all such statements and recitals are and will be deemed to have been made by the Corporation only.
|
(e) |
The Rights Agent will not be under any responsibility in respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the due
authorization, execution and delivery hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or execution of any Common Share certificate or Rights Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor will it be responsible for any
breach by the Corporation of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Rights Certificate; nor will it be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights (including the Rights becoming void pursuant to
subsection 3.1(b) hereof) or any adjustment required under the provisions of Section 2.3 hereof or responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such
adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights after receipt of the certificate contemplated by Section 2.3 describing any such adjustment); nor will it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to
the authorization of any Common Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Rights or as to whether any Common Shares will, when issued, be duly and validly authorized, executed, issued and delivered and fully paid and
non-assessable.
|
(f) |
The Corporation agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such further
and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
|
(g) |
The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from any person believed by
the Rights Agent to be a director, the Chief Executive Officer or the Chief Financial Officer of the Corporation, and to apply to such persons for advice or instructions in connection with its duties and it shall not be liable for any
action taken or suffered by it in good faith in reliance upon instructions of any such person; it is understood that instructions to the Rights Agent shall, except where circumstances make it impracticable or the Rights Agent otherwise
agrees, be given in writing and, where not in writing, such instructions shall be confirmed in writing as soon as reasonably possible after the giving of such instructions.
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(h) |
The Rights Agent and any shareholder or stockholder, director, officer or employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in Common Shares, Rights or
other securities of the Corporation, or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the Corporation may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Corporation, or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were
not Rights Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting in any other capacity for the Corporation or for any other legal entity.
|
(i) |
The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through its
attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent will not be answerable or accountable for any act, omission, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Corporation resulting from any such act, omission,
default, neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in the selection and continued employment thereof
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4.4 |
Change of Rights Agent
|
5.1 |
Redemption and Termination
|
(a) |
The Board acting in good faith may, with the prior consent of holders of Common Shares or of the holders of Rights given in accordance with
subsection 5.1(f) or 5.1(g), as the case may be, at any time prior to the occurrence of a Flip-in Event as to which the application of Section 3.1 has not been waived pursuant to the provisions of this Section 5.1, elect to redeem all but
not less than all of the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $0.000001 per Right appropriately adjusted in a manner analogous to the applicable adjustment provided for in Section 2.3 in the event that an event of the type
analogous to any of the events described in Section 2.3 shall have occurred (such redemption price being herein referred to as the "Redemption Price").
|
(b) |
The Board acting in good faith may, with the prior consent of the holders of Common Shares given in accordance with subsection 5.1(f),
determine, at any time prior to the occurrence of a Flip-in Event as to which the application of Section 3.1 has not been waived pursuant to this Section 5.1, if such Flip-in Event would occur by reason of an acquisition of Common Shares
otherwise than pursuant to a Take-over Bid made by means of a Take-over Bid circular to all holders of record of Common Shares and otherwise than in the circumstances set forth in subsection 5.1(d), to waive the application of Section 3.1
to such Flip-in Event In the event that the Board proposes such a waiver, the Board shall extend the Separation Time to a date subsequent to and not more than 10 Business Days following the meeting of shareholders called to approve such
waiver.
|
(c) |
The Board acting in good faith may, prior to the occurrence of a Flip-in Event as to which the application of Section 3.1 has not been waived under this
clause, determine, upon prior written notice to the Rights Agent, to waive the application of Section 3.1 to that Flip-in Event provided that the Flip-in Event would occur by reason of a Take-over Bid made by means of a Take-over Bid
circular sent to all holders of record of Common Shares; further, provided that if the Board waives the application of Section 3.1 to such a Flip-in Event, the Board shall be deemed to have waived the application of Section 3.1 to any other
Flip-in Event occurring by reason of any Take¬over Bid made by means of a Take-over Bid circular to all holders of record of Common Shares which is made prior to the expiry of any Take-over Bid in respect of which a waiver is, or is deemed
to have been, granted under this subsection 5.1(c).
|
(d) |
The Board acting in good faith may, in respect of any Flip-in Event, waive the application of Section 3.1 to that Flip-in Event, provided that both of the
following conditions are satisfied:
|
(i) |
the Board has determined that the Acquiring Person became an Acquiring Person by inadvertence and without any intent or knowledge that it would become an
Acquiring Person; and
|
(ii) |
such Acquiring Person has reduced its Beneficial Ownership of Common Shares such that at the time of waiver pursuant to this subsection 5.1(d) it is no
longer an Acquiring Person.
|
(e) |
Where, pursuant to a Permitted Bid, a Competing Permitted Bid or a Take-over Bid in respect of which the Board has waived, or is deemed to have waived,
pursuant to subsection 5.1(c), the application of Section 3.1, a Person acquires outstanding Common Shares, then the Board shall immediately upon the consummation of such acquisition without further formality and without any approval under
subsection 5.4(b) or 5.4(c) be deemed to have elected to redeem the Rights at the Redemption Price.
|
(f) |
If a redemption of Rights pursuant to subsection 5.1(a) or a waiver of a Flip-in Event pursuant to subsection 5.1(b) is proposed at any time prior to the
Separation Time, such redemption or waiver shall be submitted for approval to the holders of Common Shares. Such approval shall be deemed to have been given if the redemption or waiver is approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of
the votes cast by Independent Shareholders represented in person or by proxy at a meeting of such holders duly held in accordance with applicable laws and the Corporation's by-laws.
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(g) |
If a redemption of Rights pursuant to subsection 5.1(a) is proposed at any time after the Separation Time, such redemption shall be submitted for approval to
the holders of Rights. Such approval shall be deemed to have been given if the redemption is approved by holders of Rights by a majority of the votes cast by the holders of Rights represented in person or by proxy at and entitled to vote at
a meeting of such holders. For the purposes hereof, each outstanding Right (other than Rights which are Beneficially Owned by any Person referred to in clauses (i) to (v) inclusive of the definition of Independent Shareholders) shall be
entitled to one vote, and the procedures for the calling, holding and conduct of the meeting shall be those, as nearly as may be, which are provided in the Corporation's by-laws and the CBCA with respect to meetings of shareholders of the
Corporation.
|
(h) |
Where a Take-over Bid that is not a Permitted Bid is withdrawn or otherwise terminated after the Separation Time has occurred and prior to the occurrence of
a Flip-in Event, the Board may elect to redeem all the outstanding Rights at the Redemption Price. Upon such redemption, all of the provisions of this Agreement shall continue to apply as if the Separation Time had not occurred and it shall
be deemed not to have occurred and the Corporation shall be deemed to have issued replacement Rights to the holders of its then outstanding Common Shares, subject to and in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
|
(i) |
If the Board elects or is deemed to have elected to redeem the Rights, and, in circumstances where subsection 5.1(a) is applicable, such redemption is
approved by the holders of Common Shares or the holders of Rights in accordance with subsection 5.1(f) or (g), as the case may be, the right to exercise the Rights will thereupon, without further action and without notice, terminate and the
only right thereafter of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.
|
(j) |
Within 10 Business Days of the Board electing or having been deemed to have elected to redeem the Rights or, if subsection 5.1(a) is applicable within 10
Business Days after the holders of Common Shares or the holders of Rights have approved a redemption of Rights in accordance with subsection 5.1(f) or 5.1(g), as the case may be, the Corporation shall give notice of redemption to the
holders of the then outstanding Rights by mailing such notice to each such holder at its last address as it appears upon the register of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Separation Time, on the register of the transfer agent for the Common
Shares. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided will be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption will state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be
made. The Corporation may not redeem, acquire or purchase for value any Rights at any time in any manner other than that specifically set forth in this Section 5.1 or in connection with the purchase of Common Shares prior to the Separation
Time.
|
(k) |
The Corporation shall give prompt written notice to the Rights Agent of any waiver of the application of Section 3.1 made by the Board under this Section
5.1.
|
5.2 |
Expiration
|
5.3 |
Issuance of New Rights Certificates
|
5.4 |
Supplements and Amendments
|
(a) |
The Corporation may make amendments to this Agreement to correct any clerical or typographical error or which are required to maintain the validity of this
Agreement as a result of any change in any applicable legislation, rules or regulations thereunder. The Corporation may, prior to the date of the shareholders' meeting referred to in Section 5.18, supplement, amend, vary, rescind or delete
any of the provisions of this Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights or Common Shares where the Board acting in good faith deems such action necessary or desirable. Notwithstanding anything in this Section 5.4 to the
contrary, no such supplement or amendment shall be made to the provisions of Article 4 except with the written concurrence of the Rights Agent to such supplement or amendment.
|
(b) |
Subject to subsection 5.4(a), the Corporation may, with the prior consent of the holders of Common Shares, obtained as set forth below, at any time prior to
the Separation Time, supplement, amend, vary, rescind or delete any of the provisions of this Agreement and the Rights (whether or not such action would materially adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights generally). Such
consent shall be deemed to have been given if the action requiring such approval is authorized by the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast by Independent Shareholders present or represented at and entitled to be voted at a
meeting of the holders of Common Shares duly called and held in compliance with applicable laws and the articles and by-laws of the Corporation.
|
(c) |
The Corporation may, with the prior consent of the holders of Rights, at any time on or after the Separation Time, supplement, amend, vary, rescind or delete
any of the provisions of this Agreement and the Rights (whether or not such action would materially adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights generally), provided that no such amendment, variation or deletion shall be made to
the provisions of Article 4 except with the written concurrence of the Rights Agent thereto. Such consent shall be deemed to have been given if such amendment, variation or deletion is authorized by the affirmative votes of the holders of
Rights present or represented at and entitled to be voted at a meeting of the holders held in accordance with subsection 5.4(d) and representing 50% plus one of the votes cast in respect thereof.
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(d) |
Any approval of the holders of Rights shall be deemed to have been given if the action requiring such approval is authorized by the affirmative votes of the
holders of Rights present or represented at and entitled to be voted at a meeting of the holders of Rights and representing a majority of the votes cast in respect thereof. For the purposes hereof, each outstanding Right (other than Rights
which are void pursuant to the provisions hereof or which are Beneficially Owned by any Person referred to in clauses (i) to (v) inclusive of the definition of Independent Shareholders ) shall be entitled to one vote, and the procedures for
the calling, holding and conduct of the meeting shall be those, as nearly as may be, which are provided in the Corporation's by-laws and the CBCA with respect to meetings of shareholders of the Corporation.
|
(e) |
Any amendment made by the Corporation to this Agreement pursuant to subsection 5.4(a), other than any amendment to correct any clerical or typographical
error, shall:
|
(i) |
if made before the Separation Time, be submitted to the shareholders of the Corporation at the next meeting of shareholders and the shareholders may, by the
majority referred to in subsection 5.4(b), confirm or reject such amendment; and
|
(ii) |
if made after the Separation Time, be submitted to the holders of Rights at a meeting to be called for on a date not later than immediately following the
next meeting of shareholders of the Corporation and the holders of Rights may, by resolution passed by the majority referred to in subsection 5.4(d), confirm or reject such amendment.
|
(f) |
The Corporation shall be required to provide the Rights Agent with notice in writing of any such amendment, rescission or variation to this Agreement as
referred to in this Section 5.4 within five days of effecting such amendment, recission or variation.
|
(g) |
Any supplement or amendment to this Agreement pursuant to subsection 5.4(b) through 5.4(e) shall be subject to the receipt of any requisite approval or
consent from any governmental or regulatory authority having jurisdiction over the Corporation, including without limitation any requisite approval of stock exchanges on which the Common Shares are listed.
|
5.5 |
Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares
|
(a) |
The Corporation shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute Rights Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. After the
Separation Time there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates, with regard to which fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the Market Price of a whole Right
in lieu of such fractional Rights as of the date such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable. The Rights Agent shall have no obligation to make any payments in lieu of fractional Rights unless the Corporation shall have provided the
Rights Agent with the necessary funds to pay in full all amounts payable in accordance with subsection 2.2(e).
|
(b) |
The Corporation shall not be required to issue fractional Common Shares upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional
Common Shares. In lieu of issuing fractional Common Shares, the Corporation shall pay to the registered holder of Rights Certificates, at the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of
the Market Price of one Common Share at the date of such exercise. The Rights Agent shall have no obligation to make any payments in lieu of fractional Common Shares unless the Corporation shall have provided the Rights Agent with the
necessary funds to pay in full all amounts payable in accordance with subsection 2.2(e).
|
(c) |
The Rights Agent shall have no obligation to make any payments in lieu of issuing fractions of Rights or Common Shares pursuant to paragraph (a) or (b),
respectively, unless and until the Corporation shall have provided to the Rights Agent the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuing such fractional Rights or Common Shares, as the case may be.
|
5.6 |
Rights of Action
|
5.7 |
Holder of Rights Not Deemed a Shareholder
|
5.8 |
Notice of Proposed Actions
|
(a) |
to effect or permit (in cases where the Corporation's permission is required) any Flip-in Event; or
|
(b) |
to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation or the sale of all or substantially all of the Corporation's assets,
|
5.9 |
Notices
|
5.10 |
Costs of Enforcement
|
5.11 |
Successors
|
5.12 |
Benefits of this Agreement
|
5.13 |
Descriptive Headings
|
5.14 |
Governing Law
|
5.15 |
Language
|
5.16 |
Counterparts
|
5.17 |
Severability
|
5.18 |
Effective Date
|
5.19 |
Shareholder Review
|
5.20 |
Regulatory Approvals
|
5.21 |
Declaration as to Non-Canadian and Non-U.S. Holders
|
5.22 |
Determinations and Actions by the Board
|
ALGONQUIN POWER & UTILITIES CORP.
|
||
PER:
|
(signed) “Jennifer Tindale”
|
|
Authorized Signatory
|
||
PER:
|
(signed) “Arthur Kacprzak”
|
|
Authorized Signatory
|
TSX TRUST COMPANY
|
||
PER:
|
(signed) “Anoosheh Farzanegan”
|
|
Authorized Signatory
|
||
PER:
|
(signed) “Nicole Silvera”
|
|
Authorized Signatory
|
Certificate No.
|
Rights
|
Date:
|
|
|
ALGONQUIN POWER & UTILITIES CORP.
|
||
By:
|
|
|
Authorized Officer
|
||
Countersigned:
|
||
TSX TRUST COMPANY
|
||
By:
|
|
|
Authorized Signatory
|
FOR VALUE RECEIVED
|
|||
hereby sells, assigns and transfers to
|
|||
(Please print name and address of transferee)
|
Signature Guaranteed:
|
||
Signature
|
||
(Signature must correspond to name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any
change whatsoever.)
|
Dated:
|
Signature:
|
||||
(Signature must correspond to name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any
change whatsoever.)
|
(Name)
|
||
(Street)
|
||
(City and State or Province)
|
||
(Country, Postal Code or Zip Code)
|
||
SOCIAL INSURANCE, SOCIAL SECURITY OR
|
||
OTHER TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
|
(Name)
|
||
(Street)
|
||
(City and State or Province)
|
||
(Country, Postal Code or Zip Code)
|
||
SOCIAL INSURANCE, SOCIAL SECURITY OR
|
||
OTHER TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
|
Signature Guaranteed:
|
||
Signature
|
||
(Signature must correspond to name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any
change whatsoever.)
|
Dated:
|
|
Signature:
|
|