Non-Registered Shareholders (Beneficial Owners)

 

In this Circular and the enclosed form of proxy and Notice, all references to shareholders are to Registered Shareholders of Common Shares. Only Registered Shareholders of Common Shares, or the person they appoint as their proxy, are permitted to vote at the Meeting.  However, in many cases, Common Shares beneficially owned by a holder (a “Non-Registered Shareholder” or “Beneficial Owner”) are registered either:

 

 

Common Shares held by your broker or its nominee can only be voted upon your instructions. Beneficial Owners should ensure that instructions respecting the voting of their Common Shares are communicated to the appropriate person.

 

There are two kinds of Beneficial Owners, those who object to their name being made known to the Company, referred to as objecting beneficial owners (“OBOs”), and those who do not object to the Company knowing who they are, referred to as non-objecting beneficial owners (“NOBOs”). In accordance with the requirements of National Instrument 54-101 Communication with Beneficial Owners of Securities of a Reporting Issuer (“NI 54-101”), the Company has opted this year to distribute copies of the Notice, Circular, the form of proxy and our annual report for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 (including financial statements) (collectively, the “Meeting Materials”) to all NOBOs directly through the Transfer Agent.  Whereas, the Meeting Materials will continue to be distributed to OBOs through clearing agencies and Intermediaries, who often use a service company (such as Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (“Broadridge”)) to forward meeting materials to Non-Registered Shareholders. The Company is not relying on the notice-and-access delivery procedures of NI 54-101 or the corresponding rules of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) to distribute copies of the Meeting Materials. 

 

The Meeting Materials are being sent to both Registered and Non-Registered Shareholders of the Common Shares. If you are a Non-Registered Shareholder, and the Company or its agent has sent these Meeting Materials directly to you, your name and address and information about your holdings of Common Shares, have been obtained in accordance with applicable securities regulatory requirements from the Intermediary holding on your behalf.

 

By choosing to send the Meeting Materials to NOBOs directly, the Company (and not the Intermediary holding on your behalf) has assumed responsibility for (i) delivering these Meeting Materials to you, and (ii) executing your proper voting instructions.  Please return your voting instructions as specified in the request for voting instructions.

 

Objecting Beneficial Owners

 

Intermediaries are required to forward Meeting Materials to OBOs unless an OBO has waived the right to receive them. Generally, OBOs who have not waived the right to receive Meeting Materials will usually receive a voting instruction form (“VIF”) from their applicable Intermediary in lieu of the form of proxy from the Company. The VIF will name the same persons as the proxy to represent the shareholder at the Meeting. A shareholder has the right to appoint a person (who need not be a shareholder of Ur-Energy) other than persons designated in the VIF, to represent the shareholder at the Meeting. To exercise this right, the shareholder should insert the name of the desired representative in the blank space provided in the VIF. You are asked to complete and return the VIF to your applicable Intermediary by mail or facsimile. Alternatively, you may be able to call the toll free telephone number or access the Internet website listed on your VIF to vote your Common Shares. If you receive a VIF from your Intermediary, it cannot be used as a proxy to vote Common Shares directly at the Meeting as the VIF must be returned to your Intermediary well in advance of the Meeting in order to have the Common Shares voted or to appoint an alternative representative to attend at the Meeting in person to vote such Common Shares.

 

Non-Objecting Beneficial Owners

 

NOBOs can expect to receive the Meeting Materials with a VIF from the Transfer Agent. These VIFs are to be completed and returned to the Transfer Agent by mail or by following the instructions contained on the VIF for telephone or Internet voting. The Transfer Agent will tabulate the results of the VIFs received from NOBOs and will provide appropriate instructions at the Meeting with respect to the shares represented by the VIFs received. If you receive a VIF from the Transfer Agent, it cannot be used as a proxy to vote Common Shares directly at the Meeting as the VIF must be returned to the Transfer Agent well in advance of the Meeting in order to have the Common Shares voted or to appoint an alternative representative to attend at the Meeting in person to vote such Common Shares.

 

The purpose of these procedures is to permit Non-Registered Shareholders to direct the voting of the shares they beneficially own. Should a Non-Registered Shareholder who receives either a proxy or a VIF wish to attend and vote at the Meeting in person (or have another person attend and vote on behalf of the Non-Registered Shareholder), the Non-Registered Shareholder should strike out the names of the persons named in the proxy and insert the Non-Registered Shareholder’s (or such other person’s) name in the blank space provided or, in the case of a VIF, follow the corresponding instructions on the form.

 

In any event, Non-Registered Shareholders should carefully follow the instructions of their Intermediaries and Broadridge or other service company, or the Transfer Agent, as the case may be.

 

Broker Non-Votes

 

A “broker non-vote” occurs when an Intermediary holding shares for a Beneficial Owner votes on one proposal, but does not vote on another proposal because the Intermediary does not have discretionary voting power and has not received instructions to do so from the Beneficial Owner. The nominee that holds your shares may generally vote on “routine” matters but cannot vote on “non-routine” matters. Each of the proposals at the Meeting, other than Proposal No. 2, are “non-routine” matters and therefore an Intermediary holding shares for a Beneficial Owner will not have the authority to vote on those matters in the absence of instructions from the Beneficial Owner. Broker non-votes are not counted in the tabulation of votes cast on a particular proposal and therefore will not have an effect on the approval of that proposal.

 

REVOCATION OF PROXIES

 

A shareholder who has given a proxy has the power to revoke it as to any matter on which a vote shall not already have been cast pursuant to the authority conferred by such proxy and may do so (i) by delivering another properly executed proxy bearing a later date and depositing it as aforesaid, including within the prescribed time limits noted above; (ii) by depositing an instrument in writing revoking the proxy executed by the shareholder or by the shareholder’s attorney authorized in writing (A) at our head office with the Corporate Secretary at 10758 West Centennial Road, Suite 200, Littleton, Colorado 80127 at any time up to and including the last business day preceding the day of the Meeting, or any adjournment thereof, at which the proxy is to be used, or (B) with the Chair of the Meeting, prior to its commencement, on the day of the Meeting, or at any adjournment thereof; (iii) by attending the Meeting in person and so requesting; or (iv) in any other manner permitted by law.

 

A Non-Registered Shareholder may revoke a VIF or a waiver of the right to receive Meeting Materials and to vote given to an Intermediary at any time by written notice to the Intermediary, except that an Intermediary is not required to act on a revocation of a VIF or a waiver of the right to receive Meeting Materials and to vote that is not received by the Intermediary at least seven (7) days prior to the Meeting.

 

VOTING AND DISCRETION OF PROXIES

 

On any ballot that may be called for, the shares represented by proxies in favor of the persons named by management of the Company will be voted for or against, or voted for or withheld from voting on, or the preferred frequency of say-on-pay votes (or abstention thereon), on the matters identified in the proxy, in each case in accordance with the

instructions of the shareholder. In the absence of any instructions on the proxy, it is the intention of the persons named by management in the accompanying form of proxy to vote

 

 

The accompanying form of proxy confers discretionary authority upon the persons named therein with respect to amendments or variations of the matters identified in the Notice or any other matters that may properly come before the Meeting. As at the date of this Circular, management of the Company knows of no such amendments, variations or other matters that may properly come before the Meeting other than the matters referred to in the Notice.

 

COMMON SHARES ENTITLED TO VOTE

 

As at March 30, 2020, the authorized capital of the Company consisted of an unlimited number of Common Shares, of which 160,478,059 Common Shares were issued and outstanding, and an unlimited number of Class A Preference Shares, issuable in series, of which none has been issued. A holder of record of Common Shares as at the close of business on March 30, 2020 (the “Record Date”) is entitled to one vote for each Common Share held by the shareholder. The directors nominated for election pursuant to Proposal No. 1 will be elected by plurality vote, meaning that the seven nominees who receive the most votes, whether in person or by proxy, will be elected; however, the Company has adopted a majority voting policy pursuant to which any director who fails to receive a majority of the votes cast will be required to tender his resignation. See “Statement of Corporate Governance – Majority Voting Policy.” With respect to Proposal Nos. 2, 3, 4,  5 and 6, the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast at the Meeting, whether in person or by proxy, is required for approval of such matter.

 

In accordance with the Canada Business Corporations Act, the Company will prepare a list of holders of Common Shares on the Record Date. Each holder of Common Shares named in the list at the close of business on the Record Date will be entitled to vote the Common Shares shown opposite his or her name on the list at the Meeting.

 

QUORUM

 

The presence, in person or by proxy, of two shareholders holding not less than 10% of the Common Shares entitled to vote as of the Record Date constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business at the Meeting. In the event there is not a quorum present to approve any proposals at the time of the Meeting, the Meeting shall be adjourned to a date no less than seven days later than the scheduled Meeting date in order to permit further solicitation of proxies. The scrutineer will treat Common Shares represented by a properly signed and returned proxy as present at the Meeting for purposes of determining a quorum, without regard to whether the proxy is marked as casting a vote or abstaining.

 

RIGHTS OF DISSENT

 

Pursuant to the Canada Business Corporations Act, there are no rights of dissent in respect of the resolutions to be voted on by the shareholders at this Meeting. 

 

SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF

CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

 

Security Ownership of Management

 

As of March 30, 2020, our Record Date, we had 160,478,059 Common Shares issued and outstanding, and 4,670,128 stock options which may be exercised currently or within the sixty (60) days following March 30, 2020.    

 

	Number of	Percentage of Issued and
	Common Shares of	Outstanding Common Shares of
Name of Holder	Ur-Energy	Ur-Energy
Directors and Named Executive Officers (1)(2)
W. William Boberg (3)	1,110,468	*
John W. Cash	581,981	*
Rob Chang	167,705	*
James M. Franklin(4)	920,960	*
Penne A. Goplerud	698,409	*
Steven M. Hatten	596,301	*
Gary C. Huber	686,939	*
Jeffrey T. Klenda (5)	3,620,168	2.17%
Thomas H. Parker	505,753	*
Roger L. Smith	868,371	*
Kathy E. Walker	300,239	*
All Directors and executive officers, as a group (11 persons)	10,057,294	6.03%

---

*      Less than one percent

 

 

Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners

 

As of March 30, 2020, no person owned of record, or was known to own beneficially, more than 5% of the outstanding voting shares of Common Shares.

 

PARTICULARS OF MATTERS TO BE ACTED UPON

 

Proposal No. 1:  Election of Directors

 

The articles of the Company provide that the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board of Directors” or the “Board”) shall consist of a minimum of one and a maximum of ten directors, the number of which is currently fixed at seven. Election of directors will be conducted on an individual basis, as seen on the proxy or VIF you receive and will include Jeffrey T. Klenda, James M. Franklin, W. William Boberg, Thomas H. Parker, Gary C. Huber, Kathy E. Walker and Rob Chang. As discussed in the description of the Company’s Majority Voting Policy, below, each Director must receive a majority of the votes cast (in person or by proxy) as to his or her election, or will be required to submit his or her resignation pursuant to the policy.

 

Nominees:  Each of the seven persons named above is a nominee for election as a Director at the Annual and Special Meeting for a term of one year or until his or her successor is elected and qualified. Unless authority is withheld, the proxies will be voted for the election of such nominees. Each of the nominees is currently serving as a Director of the Company. All the nominees were elected to the Board of Directors at the last annual meeting of shareholders. Management does not anticipate that any of the nominees for election as directors will be unable to serve as a director, but if that should occur for any reason prior to the Meeting, the persons named in the accompanying form of proxy reserve the right to vote for another nominee in their discretion or for the election of only the remaining nominees.

 

The Board of Directors has delegated to the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee the responsibility for reviewing and recommending nominees for director. The Board determines which candidates to nominate or appoint, as appropriate, after considering the recommendation of the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee. 

 

Qualifications:    In evaluating a director candidate, the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee considers the candidate’s independence, character, corporate governance skills and abilities, business experience, industry-specific experience including technical expertise, training and education, commitment to performing the duties of a director, and other skills, abilities, or attributes that fill specific needs of the Board or its committees. Each nominee brings a strong and unique background and set of skills to the Board, giving the Board, as a whole, competence and experience in a wide variety of areas, including natural resources exploration and development, mining operations, executive management, board service, corporate governance, finance, financial markets, government, employment, and international business. These varied and substantial backgrounds, skills and qualifications, as described in more detail below, and the contributions of each to the development and current operations of the Company as described below under the heading “Board Composition – Including Tenure and Outlook on Set Retirement Age,” led the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee and the Board of Directors to the conclusion that each of the nominees should serve as a Director.

 

Recommendation of Ur-Energy’s Board of Directors

 

The Board of Directors recommends that the shareholders vote FOR the election of all of the named nominees for director and, unless a shareholder gives instructions on the proxy card to the contrary, the proxies named thereon intend to so vote.

 

 

Mr. Klenda graduated from the University of Colorado in 1980 and began his career as a stockbroker specializing in venture capital offerings. Prior to founding Ur-Energy in 2004, he worked as a Certified Financial Planner and was a member of the International Board of Standards and Practices. In 1986, he started Klenda Financial Services, an independent financial services company providing investment advisory services to high-end individuals and corporate clients as well as providing venture capital to corporations seeking entry to the U.S. securities markets. In the same

year, Mr. Klenda formed Independent Brokers of America, Inc., a national marketing organization. He also served as President of Security First Financial, a company he founded to provide consultation to individuals and corporations seeking investment management and early stage funding. Over the last 35 years, Mr. Klenda has acted as an officer and/or director for numerous publicly-traded companies, having taken his first company public at 28 years of age. Mr. Klenda has served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company since 2006. He served as Executive Director from January 2006 to May 2015. Thereafter, he served as Acting Chief Executive Officer until being named President and Chief Executive Officer by our Board of Directors in December 2016.

 

The Board of Directors has concluded that Mr. Klenda is well qualified and should serve as a director on the basis of his numerous contributions to the Company since its inception, his nearly 40 years of experience in the financial markets and in service to numerous publicly-traded companies as an officer and director.

 

 

Dr. Franklin has over 50 years’ experience as a geologist. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. Since 1998, he has been an Adjunct Professor at Queen’s University, since 2001, at Laurentian University and since 2006 at the University of Ottawa. He is a past President of the Geological Association of Canada and of the Society of Economic Geologists. He retired in 1998 as Chief Geoscientist of the Geological Survey of Canada, Earth Sciences Sector. Since that time, he has been a consulting geologist and is currently a director of Aura Resources Inc. (since October 2003), Anconia Resources Corp. (since June 2012), and Nuinsco Resources Ltd (since June 2018). Dr. Franklin’s lifetime achievements have been honored by several professional organizations: among his honors, Dr. Franklin has been awarded GAC’s Logan and Duncan R. Derry medals, CIM’s Selwyn Blaylock, A.O. Dufresne, Distinguished Lecturer and Julian Boldy Memorial awards and the Society of Economic Geologists Thayer Lindsley and Distinguished Lecturer awards. He has also received the R.A.F. Penrose Gold Medal from SEG for his many contributions to a broad cross section of geosciences. In 2017 he was made a Fellow of Lakehead University, honoring his contributions to education and economic development in northern Ontario. Dr. Franklin was inducted into the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame in 2019 for his many contributions to the mining industry.

 

The Board of Directors has concluded that Dr. Franklin is well qualified and should serve as a director on the basis of his contributions as a director to the Company since its inception and his more than 50 years of experience in geosciences and mineral resource work in industry, governmental service and academia.

 

 

Mr. Boberg has served as a director of the Company since January 2006. Mr. Boberg served as the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer (2006 to 2011). Prior to that time, Mr. Boberg was the Company’s senior U.S. geologist and Vice President U.S. Operations (2004 to 2006). Before his initial involvement with the Company, he was a consulting geologist having over 40 years’ experience investigating, assessing and developing a wide variety of mineral resources in diverse geologic environments in western North America, South America and Africa. Mr. Boberg worked for Gulf Minerals, Hecla Mining, Anaconda, Continental Oil Minerals Department, Wold Nuclear, Kennecott, Western Mining, Canyon Resources and Africa Mineral Resource Specialists. Mr. Boberg has over 20 years of experience exploring for uranium in the continental U.S. He discovered the Moore Ranch Uranium Deposit and the Ruby Ranch Uranium Deposit as well as several smaller deposits in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Geology from Montana State University and his Master’s Degree in Geology from the University of Colorado. He is a registered Wyoming Professional Geologist and fellow of the Society of Economic Geologists. He is a member of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration Inc., American Institute of Professional Geologists (for which he is a Certified Professional Geologist), the Denver Regional Exploration Society and the American Association of Petroleum Geologists. Mr. Boberg is also a director for Aura Resources Inc. (since June 2008).

 

The Board of Directors has concluded that Mr. Boberg is well qualified and should serve as a director on the basis of his contributions to the Company since 2004 (since 2006 as a director and, from 2006 until 2011, as the President and CEO), as well as his more than 40 years of experience in mineral resources exploration and development.

 

 

Mr. Parker has worked extensively in senior management positions in the mining industry for the past 53 years. Mr. Parker is a mining engineer graduate from South Dakota School of Mines, with a Master’s Degree in Mineral Engineering Management from Penn State. Mr. Parker was President and CEO, and a director of U.S. Silver Corporation until his retirement in 2012.  Prior to that, Mr. Parker was President and CEO of Gold Crest Mines, Inc., before which  he was the President and CEO of High Plains Uranium, Inc., a junior uranium mining company acquired by Energy Metals in January 2007. Mr. Parker also served for 10 years as Executive Vice President of Anderson and Schwab, a management consulting firm. Prior to Anderson and Schwab, Mr. Parker held many executive management positions including with Costain Minerals Corporation, ARCO, Kerr McGee Coal Corporation and Conoco. He also has worked in the potash, limestone, talc, coal and molybdenum industries and has extensive experience working in Niger, France and Venezuela.

 

The Board of Directors has concluded that Mr. Parker is well qualified and should serve as a director on the basis of his contributions to the Company as a director since 2007 and, most recently, as our Lead Director since 2014, as well as his more than 50 years of experience in the mining industry and in executive management positions.

 

Gary C. Huber, 68, PhD, P.Geo

Director, Chair of Compensation Committee & Chair of Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee

 

Dr. Huber is a mining executive with over 40 years of natural resources experience. Previously, Dr. Huber served as a director for Ur‑Energy during 2007. Dr. Huber returned to serve as a director for Ur-Energy in 2015. In the interim, Dr. Huber served as President and CEO of Neutron Energy, Inc. (2007-2012), a privately-held uranium company which was conducting project feasibility analyses as well as permitting of two uranium mines and a mill complex. Dr. Huber is the founder, in 2006, and managing member of Rangeland E&P, LLC, a private company established for oil and gas exploration. Dr. Huber recently served as an independent director of Gold Resource Corporation, a precious metal mining company. He was chairman of its audit committee and a member of the compensation committee. He also has  served as an independent director of Capital Gold Corp., a gold mining company with operations in Mexico, and served on its audit and corporate governance committees. Dr. Huber was one of the founders of Canyon Resources Corporation in 1979, and served in various capacities there until 2006, including as director, chief financial officer, vice president of finance, treasurer and secretary. He also served as the president and chief executive officer of CR Minerals Corporation, an industrial minerals subsidiary of Canyon Resources, from 1987 to 1998. Dr. Huber holds a PhD in geology from Colorado School of Mines and received a Bachelor of Science in Geology from Fort Lewis College. He is a fellow of the Society of Economic Geologists, where he previously served as the Chairman of its Audit and Investment Committees; a member of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration, where he previously served as the Chairman of the Audit Committee. Dr. Huber served as a director and treasurer of The Society of Independent Professional Earth Scientists, a not-for-profit professional group. He also has served as President of the Society of Independent Earth Scientists Foundation, which awards scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students majoring in the earth sciences fields. Dr. Huber formerly was a director of the Denver Gold Group, a not-for-profit industry association for publicly-traded precious metal companies. Dr. Huber is a Utah registered Professional Geologist. 

 

The Board of Directors has concluded that Dr. Huber is well qualified and should serve as a director of the Company on the basis of his contributions to the Company as a director (in 2007, and since his return to the Board in 2015), and because of his extensive mining industry experience including in areas of natural resources development and mining operations, and executive management and finance, developed by serving as an executive officer and director of publicly-traded natural resource companies.

 

 

Ms. Walker is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Elm Street Resources Inc., an energy marketing company based in Paintsville, Kentucky. Ms. Walker is also the Director of the eKentucky Advanced Manufacturing Institute, Inc., a workforce development training facility in Eastern Kentucky. She brings more than 30 years’ experience in various energy and financial related business endeavors to our Board. Ms. Walker holds an MBA from Xavier University. Prior to starting Elm Street Resources, she served as Secretary and Controller of Agip Coal, USA, a

subsidiary of the Italian National Energy Agency ENI. She is currently a member of the National Coal Council; a member of the Kentucky Coal Association; a member of the Kentucky Judicial Campaign Conduct Committee; and  the Chair of the Morehead State University Board of Regents. Ms. Walker was a founder and board member of First Security Bank, Lexington, Kentucky and of Great Nations Bank, Norman, Oklahoma.

 

The Board of Directors has concluded that Ms. Walker is well qualified and should serve as a director of the Company on the basis of her contributions to the Company as a director since 2017, and because of her extensive energy-related business experience including in areas of sales and marketing, executive management and finance, developed by serving as an executive officer and director of various entities.

 

 

Rob Chang has over 23 years of experience in the financial services industry. Mr. Chang served as the Chief Financial Officer of Riot Blockchain (2018-2019). Previously, he served as the Managing Director and Head of Metals & Mining at Cantor Fitzgerald, where he provided research coverage in precious metals, base metals, lithium, and uranium. He is well familiar with the uranium mining industry and is considered a subject matter expert by several media outlets. He was recognized by Bloomberg as the "Best Precious Metals Analyst" in Q1 2016. Mr. Chang has been frequently quoted by and a regular guest of several media outlets including Bloomberg, Reuters, CNBC, and the Wall Street Journal. Mr. Chang previously served as a Director of Research and Portfolio Manager at Middlefield Capital, a Canadian investment firm which managed $3 billion in assets. He was also on a five-person multi-strategy hedge fund team where he specialized in equity and derivative investments. Mr. Chang completed his MBA at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management. Mr. Chang also serves as a director on the boards of Fission Uranium Corp. (since April 2018) and Shine Minerals Corp. (since November 2018).

 

The Board of Directors has concluded that Mr. Chang is well qualified and should serve as a director of the Company on the basis of his contributions to the Board since 2018, and his extensive knowledge of the financial markets and financial services industry, as well as his knowledge of the uranium mining industry.

 

Proposal No. 2:    Re-Appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants, as our Independent Auditors and Approval for the Directors to Fix the Remuneration of the Auditors

 

Appointment of Auditor

 

The Audit Committee selected and has recommended the independent accounting firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP with respect to the audit of our financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2020. At the Meeting, it is proposed to re-appoint PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants, as auditors of the Company, to serve until the next annual meeting of shareholders with their remuneration to be fixed by the Board of Directors.

 

In light of ongoing travel and gathering conditions related to COVID-10/coronavirus, we currently expect that our Audit Partner from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP will participate in our Meeting by telephone. 

 

Independent Accountant Fees and Services

 

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and its affiliates have been the auditors of Ur-Energy since December 2004. The fees accrued for audit and audit-related services performed by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in relation to our financial years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, paid and shown below in C$, were as follows:

 

 

Audit Committee’s Pre-Approval Practice

 

All services reflected in the preceding table for 2019 and 2018 were pre-approved in accordance with the policy of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors

 

It is proposed to approve an ordinary resolution to re-appoint the firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants, as auditors of the Company to hold office until the close of the next annual meeting of shareholders or until PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP is removed from office or resigns, and to authorize the Board of Directors of the Company to fix the remuneration of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as auditors of the Company.

 

Recommendation of Ur-Energy’s Board of Directors

 

The Board of Directors recommends that the shareholders vote FOR the re-appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants, and to authorize the Board of Directors of the Company to fix the remuneration of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as auditors and, unless a shareholder gives instructions on the proxy card to the contrary, the proxies named thereon intend to so vote.

 

The approval of Proposal No. 2 requires the approval of a majority of the votes cast by shareholders present in person or represented by proxy at the Meeting.

 

Proposal No. 3:  Approval, on an Advisory Basis, of the Compensation of the Company’s Named Executive Officers 

 

Advisory Vote on Named Executive Officer Compensation

 

In accordance with SEC rules, our shareholders will be asked at the Meeting to approve the compensation of our Named Executive Officers as disclosed in this Circular, including the disclosures under “Compensation Discussion and Analysis,” and the compensation tables and related narrative disclosure. This vote is not intended to address any specific item of compensation, but rather the overall compensation of our Named Executive Officers and the policies and practices described in this Circular.

 

We conducted a similar advisory vote in 2019 and approximately 93% of the votes cast at that meeting voted in favor of the compensation of our Named Executive Officers. This vote is advisory, which means that its outcome is not binding on the Company, the Board of Directors or the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors.

 

If the say-when-on-pay advisory vote concludes that we will continue with an annual say-on-pay advisory vote, the next advisory vote will occur at our annual meeting in 2021.

 

The Compensation Committee and the Board of Directors believe that our compensation policies and procedures are effective in achieving our goals. As described under “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” our compensation program is designed to motivate executive officers and employees to achieve pre-determined objectives without taking excessive risks; provide competitive compensation and benefit programs to attract and retain highly-qualified executives and employees; encourage an ownership mentality; and, fundamentally, to support the achievement of results. We believe that the Company’s compensation program, with its balance of (i) short-term incentives (including cash bonus awards and performance conditions for such awards), (ii) long-term incentives (including equity awards of stock options and restricted share units which vest over varied periods of two to three years), and (iii) share ownership guidelines for executive officers, reward sustained performance that is aligned with long-term shareholder interests. Shareholders are encouraged to read the “Compensation Discussion and Analysis,” and the compensation tables and related narrative disclosure. Shareholders will be asked to approve the following ordinary resolution (the “Advisory Vote on Named Executive Officer Compensation Resolution”) at the Meeting:

 

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Company’s shareholders approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of the Named Executive Officers, as disclosed in the Company’s Management Proxy Circular for this annual and special meeting of shareholders, including the “Compensation Discussion and Analysis,” and the compensation tables and related narrative disclosure, pursuant to the compensation disclosure rules of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. 

 

Recommendation of Ur-Energy’s Board of Directors

 

The Board of Directors recommends that shareholders vote FOR approval of the Advisory Vote on Named Executive Officer Compensation Resolution.

 

The approval of the advisory vote on Proposal No. 3 requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast at the meeting. Although the advisory vote is non-binding, the Board will review the results of the vote and will take them into account in determinations concerning executive compensation.

 

Proposal No. 4: Vote, on  an Advisory Basis, for the Frequency of “Say-On-Pay” Votes (“Say-When-on-Pay”)

 

Advisory Vote on Frequency of Votes on Named Executive Officer Compensation

 

Under the applicable SEC rules relating to Named Executive Officer compensation, shareholders shall provide an advisory, non-binding, vote on whether future advisory votes on Named Executive Officer compensation should occur every year, every two years or every three years. Alternatively, shareholders may abstain from voting. The Dodd-Frank Act requires the Company to hold the advisory vote on the frequency of the say-on-pay vote at least once every six years. The next vote on the frequency of the say-on-pay will be held at our 2026 annual meeting of shareholders.

 

For the past six years, since our first “say-when-on-pay” vote, we have conducted a say-on-pay vote each year. Our Board of Directors believes that continuing with an annual vote is the optimal frequency for the say-on-pay vote in order to keep our shareholders apprised of our compensation program and any changes thereunder.

 

This advisory vote on the frequency of the say-on-pay vote is not binding on the Company’s Board of Directors.  However, the Board of Directors will consider the result of the vote when determining the frequency of future say-on-pay votes. The choice among the four choices included in the resolution which receives the highest number of votes will be deemed the choice of the shareholders.

 

After careful consideration of the frequency alternatives, the Board believes that conducting an advisory vote on Named Executive Officer compensation on an annual basis is appropriate for the Company and its shareholders at this time.  However, shareholders may vote for their preferred voting frequency by choosing the option of one year, two years, three years (or may abstain from voting) in response to the following resolution:

 

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the shareholders determine that, on an advisory basis, the preferred frequency of an advisory vote on the compensation of the Company’s Named Executive Officers as set forth in the Company’s Management Proxy Circular should be every year, every two years or every three years.

 

The Board of Directors recommends that shareholders vote ANNUALLY for advisory votes on the frequency of future votes on Named Executive Officer compensation.

 

Proposal No. 5:  Approval of the Renewal of the Ur-Energy Inc. Amended and Restated Stock Option Plan 2005

 

At the Meeting, shareholders will be asked to consider, and, if thought advisable, to pass, with or without variation, a resolution substantially in the form set out below, to ratify, confirm and approve the renewal of the Ur-Energy Inc. Amended and Restated Stock Option Plan 2005, as amended (the “Option Plan”) and approve and authorize for a period of three years all unallocated options issued pursuant to the Option Plan. The Board of Directors wishes to renew the Option Plan, which was previously ratified, confirmed and approved at meetings of shareholders of the Company in May 2017, April 2014, April 2011, and May 2008. The rules of the Toronto Stock Exchange (“TSX”)

provide that the stock option plan of an issuer must be approved by its securityholders every three years after its institution if such plan does not have a fixed maximum number of securities issuable thereunder, which is the case of the Option Plan of the Company, which provides that the maximum number of Common Shares available for issuance hereunder is equal to 10% of the number of Common Shares outstanding at the time of grant.

 

The Option Plan is described in greater detail in the “Equity Incentive Plans” section below under the heading “Stock Options and RSUs,” and the full text of the Option Plan is attached to this Circular as Schedule A.  A shareholder may obtain a copy of the Option Plan from the Secretary of the Company upon request at 10758 West Centennial Road, Suite 200, Littleton, Colorado 80127, telephone 720-981-4588.

 

At the Meeting, shareholders will also be asked to consider and, if deemed advisable, to approve, with or without variation, the unallocated options, rights or other entitlements with respect to treasury issuances under the Option Plan and the grant of options until May 6, 2023, which is the date that is three years from the date of the Meeting.

 

The Board of Directors is of the view that it is in the best interests of the Company to approve and renew the Option Plan, which will continue to enable the Board of Directors to grant options to directors, officers, employees and consultants of the Company and its subsidiaries as a means of attracting and retaining highly-qualified directors, officers, employees and consultants who will be motivated towards the success of the Company and to encourage share ownership in the Company by directors, officers, employees and consultants who work in behalf of the Company.

 

If, at the Meeting, the shareholders of the Company do not approve all unallocated options with respect to treasury issuances available under the Option Plan, all currently outstanding options will be unaffected, however the Company will not issue any further options under the Option Plan and any outstanding options that are thereafter cancelled or expire will not be available for re-grant until such time as shareholder approval is obtained. 

 

Accordingly, shareholders will be asked to approve the following resolution (the “Option Plan Resolution”) at the Meeting:

 

BE IT RESOLVED THAT:

 

 

 

 

Recommendation of Ur-Energy’s Board of Directors

 

After careful consideration, the Board of Directors has determined that the Option Plan continues to be in the best interests of the Company’s shareholders. The Board of Directors approved the Option Plan and recommends approval of the resolution by the Company’s shareholders. The Board of Directors unanimously recommends that the shareholders vote FOR the Option Plan Resolution.

 

The approval of Proposal No. 5 requires the majority of the votes cast by shareholders present in person or represented by proxy at the Meeting.

 

The Option Plan, as approved by the Board of Directors, is summarized in more detail under the heading “Stock Options and RSUs” below. A copy of the Option Plan is attached to this Circular as Schedule A. Alternatively, a shareholder may obtain a copy of the Option Plan from the Secretary of the Company upon request at 10758 West Centennial Road, Suite 200, Littleton, Colorado, 80127, telephone 720-981-4588 (ext. 250).

 

The Option Plan is a plan which includes directors and employees, including executive officers, of Ur-Energy as possible eligible participants. As of March 30, 2020, there are approximately 14 employees and six non-executive directors who would be eligible to participate in the Option Plan. As at March 30, 2020, the closing price of our Common Shares on the NYSE American was $0.37 and on the TSX was C$0.53.

 

Recommendation of Ur-Energy’s Board of Directors

 

The TSX rules provide that all eligible insiders in order to participate in the Option Plan may not vote on the approval of the renewal of the Option Plan.  Accordingly, the Stock Option Plan Resolution must be passed by a majority of votes cast by shareholders present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting.

 

 

MANAGEMENT

 

Identification of Executive Officers

 

 

Mr. Klenda graduated from the University of Colorado in 1980 and began his career as a stockbroker specializing in venture capital offerings. Prior to founding Ur-Energy in 2004, he worked as a Certified Financial Planner and was a member of the International Board of Standards and Practices. In 1986, he started Klenda Financial Services, an independent financial services company providing investment advisory services to high-end individuals and corporate clients as well as providing venture capital to corporations seeking entry to the U.S. securities markets. In the same year, Mr. Klenda formed Independent Brokers of America, Inc., a national marketing organization.  He also served as President of Security First Financial, a company he founded to provide consultation to individuals and corporations seeking investment management and early stage funding. Over the last 35 years, Mr. Klenda has acted as an officer and/or director for numerous publicly-traded companies, having taken his first company public at 28 years of age. Mr. Klenda has served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company since 2006. He served as Executive Director from January 2006 to May 2015. Thereafter, he served as Acting Chief Executive Officer until being named President and Chief Executive Officer by our Board of Directors in December 2016.    

 

 

Mr. Smith has 35 years of mining and manufacturing experience including finance, accounting, IT, ERP and systems implementations, mergers, acquisitions, audit, tax and public and private reporting in international environments. Mr. Smith served as Ur-Energy’s Chief Financial Officer and Vice President Finance, IT and Administration until May 2011, when he assumed the title and responsibilities of Chief Administrative Officer as well as Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Smith joined Ur-Energy in May 2007, after having served as Vice President, Finance for Luzenac America, Inc., a subsidiary of Rio Tinto PLC and Director of Financial Planning and Analysis for Rio Tinto Minerals, a division of Rio Tinto PLC, from September 2000 to May 2007. Mr. Smith has also held such positions as Vice President Finance, Corporate Controller, Accounting Manager, and Internal Auditor with companies such as Vista Gold Corporation, Westmont Gold Inc. and Homestake Mining Corporation. He has a Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from Western State Colorado University, Gunnison, Colorado.

 

 

Mr. Hatten has served as Ur-Energy’s Vice President Operations since 2011. Prior to that, Mr. Hatten was Ur-Energy’s Engineering Manager from 2007 to 2010 and Director of Engineering and Operations 2010 to 2011. He has over 25 years of experience with a strong background in in situ recovery uranium design and operations. He previously worked as a Project Engineer for Power Resources, Inc., the Manager Wellfield Operations for Rio Algom Mining Corp. and Operations Manager at Cameco’s Smith Ranch – Highland Facility. Mr. Hatten has a Bachelor of Science in petroleum Engineering from Texas Tech University.

 

 

Mr. Cash has been our Vice President Regulatory Affairs since March 2014. Previously, he was named Vice President Regulatory Affairs, Exploration & Geology in 2011 and served in that capacity until March 2014. Prior to 2011, Mr. Cash was our Environment, Health, Safety and Regulatory Affairs Manager from 2007 to 2010 and Director of Regulatory Affairs 2010 to 2011. He previously worked for Crow Butte Resources, Inc. a subsidiary of Cameco, from 2002 to 2007, including as Senior Environmental/Safety Superintendent, Safety Director/Wellfield Supervisor and Operations Superintendent. Prior to that time, Mr. Cash also worked in uranium exploration. He is a Fellow of the World Nuclear University Summer Institute, 2005. Mr. Cash has a M.Sc. Geology and Geophysics from the University of Missouri-Rolla.

 

 

Ms. Goplerud has 25 years of diverse legal experience in complex litigation, business matters and natural resources transactions. She was named General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of the Company in 2011, having joined Ur‑Energy as its Associate General Counsel in 2007. While in private practice, she represented clients in commercial litigation, arbitration and mediation involving mining, oil and gas, commercial and corporate disputes, securities and environmental law. She also has counseled business clients and represented clients in the negotiation of business transactions. Prior to joining Ur-Energy, much of Ms. Goplerud’s practice focused on natural resources work in the U.S. and abroad. Ms. Goplerud obtained her JD from the University of Iowa College of Law.

 

 

COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

 

Our Compensation Committee is composed of independent directors and is responsible for matters of compensation as they relate to our employees and, more specifically, our executive officers including the Chief Executive Officer. The Compensation Committee discussed the following Compensation Discussion and Analysis (“CD&A”) with management, and thereafter recommended it to the Board, which approved, this CD&A.

 

Compensation Program and Philosophy

 

We believe that the caliber and commitment of our executive officers are critical to our continued success and performance, and the overall commitment of all of our employees. The Compensation Committee reviews and makes recommendations to the Board with respect to the overall approach to compensation for all of our employees, and specifically with respect to our executive officers, including the Chief Executive Officer, Jeffrey Klenda, and the remuneration of directors.

 

Our named executive officers (“Named Executive Officers” or “NEOs”) for 2019 were:

 

We maintain a compensation program in which both performance and compensation are routinely evaluated. Further, we maintain a program in which (a) pay for performance is supported by a significant percentage of executive pay being at risk (50% of CEO compensation; 45% of other executive officers); (b) motivating executive officers to create shareholder value by using total shareholder return as a part of the Company’s “Total Company” objectives; (c) performance by all employees on personal objectives and corporate objectives is evaluated, with executive officers’ short-term incentive bonus awards being more closely aligned to performance on corporate objectives (60%) based upon the greater opportunity, and responsibility, to shape corporate performance (hourly and non-managerial staff bonuses are more heavily weighted to their personal objectives), and 80% of an executive’s long-term incentive is based upon stock options; (d) certain defined thresholds must be reached as a minimum level of performance, typically 50% of the target (or, a score of 2 on our 1-4 scale), before eligibility for payout on any objective and, by contrast, short-term incentive bonuses are effectively capped, as the maximum level of performance for each objective is typically set at 150% of the target (or, a score of 4 on our 1-4 scale); (e) reasonable salaries and overall compensation packages are based upon regularly updated compensation surveys and ongoing review of peer comparators’ practices; (f) compliance with executive stock ownership guidelines is routinely monitored; (g) we have no multi-year contracts with executive employees, and our employment agreements with executive officers protect specialized and proprietary information, and contacts with personnel obtained while employed with the Company; (h) we do not permit repricing of stock options; (i) we do not permit payment of dividends on unvested or redeemed equity awards of all types; (j) executives are not permitted to hedge their beneficially-held Company’s shares; and (k) we have adopted a clawback policy, all as set forth in greater detail below.

 

Our compensation program is designed to effectively link compensation to performance as demonstrated by the completion by our executive officers of corporate and personal objectives that are designed to drive creation of shareholder value. The Compensation Committee believes that it is important to maintain a clear link between the achievement of these objectives and compensation payout. Our first six years in operations at our Lost Creek uranium recovery project have permitted us an opportunity to thoughtfully review the metrics and priorities most appropriately used to establish and maintain that connection. In doing so, the following considerations have been taken into account:

 

 

The objectives of the compensation program are to:

 

The compensation program process generally begins in the fourth quarter each year as we look ahead and establish department objectives and corporate objectives. Our executives and all staff then prepare their personal objectives in conjunction with the establishment of the budget and our key performance indicators. As a part of this look ahead, the Compensation Committee recommends, and the Board considers and approves the annual grant of stock options and restricted share units (“RSUs”) to those eligible for consideration. 

 

In the first quarter of each year we review our performance during the past year, initially with a determination of performance on corporate objectives, which is reviewed with the Compensation Committee and the Board of Directors. Performance of all staff is reviewed, with employee performance assessments conducted by supervisors and managers. Executive officers are evaluated by the Chief Executive Officer and the Compensation Committee; the Chief Executive Officer is evaluated by the Compensation Committee and the Board of Directors. Based upon these

performance assessments, bonuses are determined and awarded, in the discretion of the Compensation Committee and Board. See further discussion under the heading “Short Term Incentive Plan” below. During the performance assessment process, and throughout each year, various aspects of succession planning are considered. 

 

Thereafter, typically during second or third quarter, cost-of-living adjustments are calculated. Contemporaneously, salary surveys are completed, with staff salaries adjusted to the findings of the survey, as necessary, and/or for merit increases. Throughout the year, employee development opportunities are implemented. As necessary and appropriate, a mid-year review of departmental and/or individual objectives is undertaken, with adjustments made as required to address and accommodate changed circumstances.

 

Compensation Structure

 

Our compensation program consists of base salary, short- and long-term incentives, and other perquisites. The components of total direct compensation relate to performance as follows:

 

Fixed Compensation		Variable Compensation
Current Incentive		Short-term Incentives		Long-term Incentives
Based on skills, experience and market rates		Tied to Past Annual Performance		Tied to Future Long-term Share Price Performance
Base Salary		Cash Bonus		Stock Options		Restricted Share Units

 

Employment Agreements with Named Executive Officers

 

We have employment agreements with each of our current executive officers. Traditionally, we have not maintained multi-year agreements. The agreements contain standard employment provisions, as well as salary, entitlement to a cash bonus to be determined in the discretion of the Board, and statements of eligibility for Company benefits (health and wellness benefits, paid time off, 401(k) plan), and equity compensation plans (stock option and RSU plans). The agreements also provide for post-termination obligations of the executives (one-year non-solicitation provisions applicable to all Named Executive Officers; and one-year non-competition provisions in the agreements of Messrs. Hatten and Cash). Post-termination obligations of the Company with respect to the NEOs, including in an event of change of control, are discussed and summarized below under the heading “Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change of Control.” The Compensation Committee reviews the employment agreements of and compensation program for the executive officers on a periodic basis.

 

Objectives to be Met Through “Pay Mix”

 

The compensation program is designed to provide motivation and incentives to our executive officers and employees with a view toward enhancing shareholder value while successfully implementing our corporate objectives. The compensation program accomplishes this by rewarding performance that is designed to create shareholder value. The portion of variable, at-risk, performance-based compensation is commensurate to the executive officer’s or employee’s position and increases as their respective level of responsibility increases. Further, the mix and structure of compensation is designed to strike an appropriate balance to achieve pre-determined objectives without motivating excessive risk taking.

 

Our share price may be heavily influenced by changes in uranium and other commodity prices, which are outside of our control. As a result, the compensation program is designed to focus on areas where the executive officers and employees have the most influence. To achieve this, a combination of operational, financial and share price criteria are utilized when selecting corporate and personal objectives and establishing an appropriate combination of pay.

 

The compensation structure and “pay mix” in place for 2019 for our CEO and other executive officers was as follows:

 

 

The characteristics of the compensation program’s mix of pay, as they relate to the executive officers, include:

 

The incentive compensation actually received by the executive officers varies based upon individual performance and the achievement of the pre-determined corporate and personal objectives and is ultimately subject to the discretion of the Compensation Committee and the Board. 

 

Components of Compensation

 

Base Salary

Base salary is the fixed portion of cash compensation earned by and paid to our executive officers and employees. We provide our executive officers and employees with base salaries to compensate them for services rendered. We seek to identify levels of base salary or wage which will aid us in attracting and retaining quality employees. Base salaries for all employees are reviewed annually by management, and the Compensation Committee reviews the base salary for each executive officer routinely or upon a promotion or other change in job responsibility, based on the individual’s level of responsibility, the importance of the position and the individual’s contribution to our overall performance. The Compensation Committee also assesses the base salaries of the executive officers relative to a group of peer companies with similar scope and operations to ensure that base salaries are positioned competitively with executive officers in similar roles at peer companies. Our overall objective remains to provide a competitive base salary designed to recruit and retain qualified, high-performing executives, while responsibly administering our budget and achieving our corporate objectives. 

 

Short-Term Incentive Plan

Total cash compensation includes base salary and any variable (at risk) short-term cash incentive compensation.  Bonus awards under our short term incentive plan (“STIP”) are calculated using a formula that is based upon performance in relation to corporate objectives, set by the Chief Executive Officer and executive management and approved by the Board, and in relation to personal objectives, also overseen by the CEO and Board. The STIP program is designed to recognize and reward both corporate and individual performance results. Weighting of corporate and personal objectives as related to the STIP program provides greater personal responsibility of each executive officer for not only the corporate objectives, but also his or her personal objectives which are tied to that year’s corporate and departmental objectives. This, too, was developed through consideration of peer group practices and other standards.

 

The following table shows the current target levels and weightings used to establish STIP awards for our NEOs:

 

STIP Targets and Weights
POSITION	STIP Target (% of Base Salary)	Corporate Objectives Weight	Personal Objectives Weight
Chairman, President and CEO:  Jeffrey T. Klenda	40%	60%	40%
Chief Financial Officer and Chief Administrative Officer: Roger L. Smith	30%	60%	40%
Corporate Secretary and General Counsel: Penne A. Goplerud	30%	60%	40%
Vice President Operations: Steven M. Hatten	30%	60%	40%
Vice President Regulatory Affairs: John W. Cash	30%	60%	40%

 

We calculate the STIP awards as follows:

 

 

 

 

Actual STIP awards are based on performance for the year and paid in the following year after our year-end results are released. The following table provides a demonstrative example of the STIP award calculation that would result for a chief executive officer with a base salary of $100,000, if his or her corporate and personal objectives results were as shown in the weighted payout column.

 

 

 

Long-Term Equity Incentives

The long-term incentive plan (“LTIP”) includes our Option Plan and the Ur-Energy Amended Restricted Share Unit Plan (the “RSU Plan”). The Option Plan and the RSU Plan form a long-term incentive plan for employees including executive officers and, in the case of the Option Plan, our consultants. Participation in the Option Plan and the RSU

Plan is determined by the Compensation Committee, considering the recommendations of the Chief Executive Officer (and, for the Chief Executive Officer, the recommendations of the Compensation Committee). The purpose of the Option Plan and the RSU Plan is to provide eligible participants with the opportunity to own Common Shares of the Company, enhance Ur-Energy’s ability to attract, retain and motivate key personnel, and align the participant’s interests with those of the Company’s shareholders. Awards made under the Option Plan and RSU Plan are similarly based upon a pre-established formula tied to base salary and the compensation structure explained above (a percentage of base salary; 4:1 ratio between stock options and RSUs). The LTIP target for our CEO is 60% of his base salary; the LTIP target for our other Named Executive Officers is 50% of his or her base salary. A more detailed discussion of the Option Plan and RSU Plan can be found below under the heading “Stock Options and RSUs.”

 

Perquisites Including Benefits

We provide employees, including our executive officers, with perquisites including personal benefits that we believe are reasonable and consistent with the overall compensation program to better enable us to attract and retain quality employees. We periodically review the levels of perquisites provided to the employees and executive officers to ensure competitiveness and value. Executive officers participate on the same terms as other employees in our healthcare and other benefit programs including a 401(k) Plan, medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, short- and long-term disability, life and supplemental life insurances; employee assistance program; and health and dependent care flexible spending accounts.

 

Compensation Risk Assessment

The charter for our Compensation Committee requires the Committee to review and consider the implications of the risks associated with our compensation policies and practices to avoid encouraging inappropriate risk taking by executive officers. The Compensation Committee has undertaken reviews of this type in conjunction with periodic reviews of the compensation program, including most recently in December 2019. The Committee has implemented and maintained multiple practices to ensure that there are not incentives to take inappropriate or excessive risks, including: combining fixed and variable compensation, granting appropriate levels of equity compensation, and mandating equity ownership requirements for executive officers and directors which are routinely reviewed. Based upon the Compensation Committee’s review, we do not believe that the Company’s executive or non-executive compensation structure is reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company.

 

2019 Review of Compensation Program

 

The Compensation Committee from time to time undertakes a comprehensive review of our compensation program which includes competitive market data, pay grades, share ownership guidelines and short-term and long-term incentives. Most recently, this review of the program and of the compensation of executive officers was completed in 2019. As we typically have done, the compensation program review included the development of our peer group, to be utilized for multiple purposes. As with other peer comparator groups before it, the peer group was used within our corporate objectives as a base from which we can compare our performance to peer companies for such things as total shareholder return. It is also used as a comparison when we evaluate our directors and officers compensation, with additional review of companies outside the peer group which have similar executive positions where the peer group does not have sufficient depth of data. Generally, we review and/or update our peer group annually. Once updated, the Compensation Committee reviews the peer group and recommends it, with any changes or additions, to the Board for approval. In 2019, we subscribed to Equilar’s compensation services, which assist us in the creation and evaluation of peer groups and in the evaluation of our directors and officers compensation.

 

The peer group approved by the Board includes six uranium producers and explorers and ten other mining companies (e.g., gold, silver) with similar revenues, total assets and market capitalization, with a focus on U.S. or North American based companies. Our most recent review continues to reflect a lack of similarly-situated uranium explorers and producers and therefore reaches out into other sectors of the mining industry to operating companies. Generally, our ranking is in the middle of the peer group in terms of revenues, total assets and market capital. Also, we have 15 of the 16 companies in our peer group in common with our peer’s peer groups. In other words, the companies in our peer group have also chosen many of the same companies to be in their peer groups. Our 2019 peer group, as approved by the Board of Directors, is as follows:

 

 

As a result of our compensation program review and establishment of the peer group, no changes to our compensation program were determined to be appropriate at that time. The weighting of personal and corporate objectives remains unchanged, with executives’ personal objectives aligned with the objectives of the department for which the executive officer is responsible; the executives’ personal objectives are also designed to help the Company achieve its overall corporate objectives.

 

We continue to use corporate objectives to broadly measure our total corporate performance. Our corporate objectives are grouped into Key Performance Areas (KPA(s)), which in turn include a number of compensable Key Performance Indicators (KPI(s)). For 2019, our corporate objectives were divided into four KPAs that reflect our core reporting segments (Total Company, Lost Creek, Pathfinder and Corporate Services) on a weighted basis. Since  commencement of operations at Lost Creek, we have maintained a more significant weighting for Lost Creek objectives (40%), for a greater emphasis on operational priorities. Each of the other categories carries a 20% weight.

 

Weightings for each KPA are established based on the reporting segment’s objectives in relation to the overall corporate strategy of the Company. Health, safety and environmental performance objectives are embedded within each KPA. As well,  in 2019 we asked every employee to adopt a personal safety objective when they prepared their personal objectives for the year. Each KPA includes a number of compensable targets or KPIs. KPIs are a combination of financial and non-financial measures that are directly aligned with the reporting segment’s strategy. Each KPI is aimed at driving annual performance within the KPA.

 

KPIs are developed by executive management and our Board of Directors to establish objectives that align with our corporate strategy as established by the Board. Annually, selected KPIs, weightings and performance levels are presented to the Compensation Committee, and subsequently to the Board of Directors, for approval. Each KPI has three performance levels (Threshold, Target and Maximum) that are used to measure results. Threshold, Target and Maximum performance-level values are based on quantifiable measures when possible, where typically the Threshold value is 80% of Target and the Maximum value is 120% of Target. When quantifiable measures are not possible, or more than one measure is used, we use a four-point scale to measure results as follows:

 

 

The target level of performance for each KPI is set at an aggressive level that represents a ‘reasonable stretch.’ For example, when using our four-point scale to measure results, a score of 3 (Fully Successful Performance) is used as the Target. Achieving the Target would result in a 100% payout of the Weighted KPI. 

 

The Threshold level of performance is the minimum level of performance that must be met before being eligible for any payout on that KPI. The Threshold performance level is typically set at 80% of Target, or a score of 2 (Partially, but not Fully, Successful Performance) when using our four-point scale. There is no payout if the Threshold is not met. Achieving the Threshold would result in a 50% payout of the Weighted KPI. The Maximum level of performance for each KPI is typically set at 120% of Target, or a score of 4 (Superior Performance). Achieving or exceeding the Maximum would result in a 150% payout of the Weighted KPI.

 

A straight-line interpolation is used to calculate payouts when the result is between the Threshold payment (50%) and Maximum payout (150%).  The KPI Weighted Payout is the result of multiplying (a) the KPI times (b) the KPI Payout.

2019 Performance on Objectives

 

With the Compensation Committee, management regularly monitors the corporate results as they relate to the KPIs to determine if the Company is on-track to meet its objectives, and adjusts the KPIs if there are substantive shifts in the objectives and priorities of the Company as the year progresses. After year end, a final review of the corporate results is overseen by the Compensation Committee and reported to our Board. In February 2020, the Board reviewed corporate performance based upon the selected 2019 KPI objectives. Our corporate performance was evaluated as having generally met the performance objective targets, and exceeded the targets in several categories and specific objectives. Results of performance based upon our 2019 KPIs, as approved by the Compensation Committee and Board of Directors, are set forth below. 

 

TOTAL COMPANY		KPI WEIGHT	KPI PAYOUT	KPI WEIGHTED PAYOUT
KPI Measures and Results
HSE – Have no lost time accidents and no medical aids. Emphasize safety culture. Score of 4.0		3%	150%	4.5%
Financing – Anticipate and meet financial needs without hampering operating requirements. Score of 4.0		5%	150%	7.5%
TSR – Achieve median one- and three-year return compared to peers. Score of 3.2		4%	110%	4.4%
Regulatory – Continue with trade action and defend against harmful, negative issues (market, legislation, etc.). Score of 3.8		4%	140%	5.6%
Strategic Plans – Implement 2019 plan to positively position Company. Score of 3.2		4%	110%	4.4%
		20%		26.4%

 

Total Company: Our “Total Company” corporate objectives continued to focus on safe, controlled-level production operations at Lost Creek. The Company ended the year with a cash and cash equivalents balance of $7.8 million. Excluding NRV adjustments, we recognized a gross profit of $12.2 million on sales of $32.3 million during 2019, which represents a gross profit margin of approximately 38%. The Company realized an average price per pound sold of $48.50. These accomplishments were achieved alongside another perfect safety year with no lost-time accidents (“LTAs”) and no medical aids.

 

During 2019, we continued our dedicated pursuit of a healthy uranium mining industry which is vital to U.S. national security. While our Section 232 action did not result in immediate action by the White House, the President mandated the establishment of the U.S. Nuclear Fuel Working Group (the “Working Group”). We continued our efforts to influence that work and the ultimate relief package, including through the formation of a fuel cycle-wide industry working group which provided its recommendations to the Working Group.

 

Due to the continuing depressed market conditions, we conducted no further development work in MU2 at Lost Creek in 2019.  Continued production from MU1 and the first three header houses of MU2 allowed us to capture approximately 48,000 pounds U₃O₈ at Lost Creek. We further de-risked our business utilizing purchased pounds to be delivered into our contractual obligations, and monetizing future obligations for approximately $7.5 additional revenue in 2019.  We reached agreement with the State of Wyoming and Sweetwater County to defer 18 months of principal payments on our State Bond Loan, resulting in a $7.8 million dollar savings in that period. Finally, the Company secured purchase agreements for inventory to sell into 2020 contractual obligations in order to continue to preserve our inventory which, at year-end 2019, was approximately 270,000 pounds of ready-to-sell product at the converter.

 

Even with persistently depressed uranium pricing, the percent rank of our total shareholder returns (TSR) were largely on target for both one-year (46.6%) and three-year (57.3%) results compared with our peer group, although the one-year performance slipped due to strong precious metals results for the year.  See also discussion under heading “Total Shareholder Return,” below.

 

LOST CREEK		KPI WEIGHT	KPI PAYOUT	KPI WEIGHTED PAYOUT
KPI Measures and Results
HSE – No  LTAs or medical aids. Emphasize safety culture. Score of 4.0		9%	150%	13.5%
Development – Water treatment alternatives. Score of 3.8		11%	140%	15.4%
Operations – Prepare plant for 1M lbs/year production rate. Score of 3.0		11%	100%	11.0%
Production – Complete production from initial MU1 patterns. Score of 3.5		4%	125%	5.0%
Permitting  – Complete permitting of LC East to allow timely development per current mine plan. Score of 3.0		5%	100%	5.0%
		40%		49.9%

 

Lost Creek: Our corporate objectives continued to focus on Lost Creek operations. As mentioned, Lost Creek KPIs total 40% of our corporate objectives. In 2019, this meant advancing operations on a limited production plan, readying the staff and facilities to a ramp-up scenario and continuing to improve our safety culture and results. Our overall safety record demonstrated that commitment with the milestone of another 12 months with no LTAs or medical aids. The operational refinements we have implemented continue to serve us well. Additionally, we advanced  engineering reviews of wastewater alternatives in order to further optimize future operations.

 

Permitting advanced in the effort to obtain all approvals for amendments to existing permits and authorizations for recovery from mine units at LC East. The BLM authorizations were issued early in 2019, while work continued on other final permits throughout 2019. We expect remaining authorizations to be obtained this year.  

 

Although we conducted another reduction in force in Q3 2019, we have maintained a skilled and dedicated workforce, with experience and expertise which will allow us to be best prepared for ramp-up of Lost Creek operations.

 

PATHFINDER		KPI WEIGHT	KPI PAYOUT	KPI WEIGHTED PAYOUT
KPI Measures and Results
HSE – No LTAs and no regulatory violations. Emphasize safety culture. Score of 4.0		2%	150%	3.0%
Development – Advance engineering design of plant/satellite and initial wellfield. Score of 3.0		9%	100%	9.0%
Permitting – Advance permitting of Shirley Basin (air, EPA, URP, LQD and BLM). Score of 3.5		7%	125%	8.8%
Data Development – Continue to develop means to monetize PMC data and/or Excel Project. Score of 3.4		2%	120%	2.4%
		20%		23.2%

 

Pathfinder: Performance relative to our objectives for our Pathfinder Mines assets continued to be strong in 2019. Our safety record for Pathfinder, including Shirley Basin Project, remained perfect: no incidents. Significant progress was made during the year, advancing our application for a permit and license to mine at Shirley Basin with the Wyoming State regulators.  The BLM substantially progressed its review of the Plan of Operations for Shirley Basin. Work is well underway on initial engineering evaluations, designs and studies,  with road design and completion of mine unit infrastructure completed.

 

Efforts to advance value from the Pathfinder exploration database continued, with further review and analyses of the database to identify exploration projects from which data may be sold or traded. We continue to consider all prospects to advance Excel Project, and to obtain value for our shareholders, whether further exploring the project ourselves, identifying a viable venture partner, or through a sale process.

 

CORPORATE SERVICES		KPI WEIGHT	KPI PAYOUT	KPI WEIGHTED PAYOUT
KPI Measures and Results
HSE – No LTAs.  Emphasize safety culture. Score of 4.0		4%	150%	6%
HR – Anticipate and address risk management of HR issues. Score of 3.7		4%	135%	5.4%
Risk Management – Minimize risk and maintain compliance. Score of 3.3		3%	115%	3.5%
Finance – Implement business unit recordkeeping and reporting. Score of 3.0		3%	100%	3.0%
IR- Update all materials (website, presentations and database) and maintain shareholder contact and marketing outreach. Score of 3.3		3%	115%	3.5%
IT – Assess IT requirements, develop needs-based plan, and implement. Score of 3.5		3%	125%	3.8%
		20%		25.2%

 

Corporate Services: Our corporate services group maintains a vigilant focus on safety at the corporate offices, and also in support of our operations at Lost Creek. The safety record for corporate services was, again, without incident. Risk management remained a priority for our finance, compliance and legal groups, with obligations completed in a timely and professional manner. We experienced no significant legal or compliance issue during the year. Our internal and external reporting remains of high quality, and our internal reporting continues to evolve. Business unit cash flow models and accounting reports were readied in anticipation of the ability to not only ramp-up at Lost Creek, but construct and operate at Shirley Basin. The finance department was successful in forecasting and managing our cash resources, including to guide cost-cutting measures and the financing opportunities described above.  HR advanced all aspects of preparation for ramp-up hiring as well as maintaining staffing for current needs, all while managing risks. All of these efforts relate to our ongoing efforts to successfully position the Company in these challenging market times.

 

Overall, our 2019 performance-to-objectives result was 124.7% of the targeted 100%.

 

Total Shareholder Return

 

The total shareholder return (“TSR”) of the Company compared with the returns of our peer comparator group is shown on a one-year through five-year basis in the table below. The one-year TSR for Ur-Energy was 46.6%. The longer, three-year TSR was approximately 57.3%. These results continue to be primarily driven by depressed uranium

pricing, which impacted producing uranium companies more than non-producers and significantly more than non-uranium mining companies such as gold and silver companies in our comparator group.  

 

 

 

Executive Compensation – Related Fees

The Compensation Committee did not utilize any third-party consulting services during 2019. Management and the Compensation Committee continue to utilize the Company’s subscription to Equilar Services, as well as other online data sources.

 

2020 Compensation Program and Outlook

 

We currently anticipate that the compensation program will remain largely the same in 2020 for all employees and executive officers. The average spot price per pound of U3O8, as reported by UxC, LLC and TradeTech, LLC, at or about the Record Date was $27.45.  Although spot prices have risen in the past week or so, with the announcement by Cameco of its immediate closure of Cigar Lake, the continuing market environment, is such that we will continue to maintain a reduced production level with no further development.  If additional supply destruction causes market conditions to further improve or there is relief provided through the Working Group, we stand ready to enter additional contracts and ramp-up Lost Creek.  

 

In recent months, we have implemented still further cost reductions, and secured purchase contracts for 100% of our 2020 delivery obligations. In 2020, we expect to deliver 200,000 pounds into term contracts at an average price of $42 per pound. We have contracts in place to purchase 200,000 pounds at an average cost of $26 per pound, which we intend to deliver into the term contracts. We currently have approximately 270,000 pounds of finished, ready-to-sell, product inventory at the conversion facility, although at this time we are not forecasting sales from inventories at existing spot prices.  We may, however, choose to sell additional produced product or inventory depending on market conditions. 

 

Most recently, the President’s proposed FY2021 budget included a line item of $150 million per year from 2021 to 2030 to support the creation and fulfillment of a new national uranium reserve to be supplied by domestically mined uranium; we understand that this is a part of the Working Group’s recommendations which have been submitted to the White House. While this news is encouraging, there can be no certainty of the approval and implementation of the President’s proposed budget, nor of the outcome of the Working Group’s findings and recommendations, and therefore, the outcome of this continuing process and its effects on the U.S. uranium market is uncertain.

 

We have maintained our Lost Creek assets and retained our core technical and management staff to run the best operations, and to be prepared to ramp-up when market conditions warrant. With initial development costs of approximately $14 million and no significant capital expenditures, these measures also provide us with the operational leverage for an efficient and low-cost ramp-up at Lost Creek when market conditions improve or there is relief obtained from the Working Group.

 

We will continue to concentrate on operating safely in an environmentally-sound fashion, focusing on the health and well-being of our employees, including in the current circumstances surrounding COVID-19/coronavirus, while returning value to our shareholders.  

 

Additional Compensation Practices

 

Share Ownership Guidelines

 

All of our executive officers and directors are encouraged to have a significant long-term financial interest in our Company. To encourage alignment of the interests of the executive officers and directors with those of our shareholders, in 2009, the Board of Directors mandated that each executive officer of Ur-Energy, whether then appointed or appointed thereafter, is required to invest an amount equal to one times the executive officer’s annual base salary in shares or securities redeemable into shares on or before the later of (i) December 31, 2013, (ii) the fifth anniversary of the executive officer’s appointment, or (iii) the date of the most recent salary increase. The investment amount is calculated using the amount of the base salary of the executive officer at the later of (i) January 1, 2009, (ii) the date of executive officer’s appointment, or the date of the most recent base salary increase. The share ownership requirements are also applicable to the non-executive directors who are required to invest an amount equal to three times their annual retainer. See further discussion under the heading “Share Ownership Guidelines for Directors” below. Reviewed most recently in December 2019, all executive officers meet the Share Ownership Guidelines or are on-track to meet the Share Ownership Guidelines within the prescribed timeframes.

 

Anti-Hedging Policy; Pledging

 

We have a formal anti-hedging policy which prohibits our executive officers and directors from engaging in any hedging or similar monetization transactions with respect to the Company’s securities, including, but not limited to, through the use of financial instruments such as exchange funds, prepaid variable forwards, equity swaps, puts, calls, collars, forwards and other derivative instruments, or through the establishment of a short position in the Company’s securities.

 

The Board has not formally adopted a policy restricting the pledging of its Common Shares held by executive officers or directors as, historically, there has been little or no pledging of the Company’s shares by our executive officers or directors. Currently, only one insider has pledged Common Shares; those pledged Common Shares represent only approximately one percent of our issued and outstanding shares. Among the directors and executive officers, there have been no other pledged Common Shares of the Company. See Notes to Security Ownership Table, above.

 

Clawback Policy

 

The Company has adopted a clawback policy pursuant to which the Company would be entitled to recoup incentive compensation amounts paid to executive officer(s) in the event of a future restatement of financial results and other specified events. This policy covers all incentive cash and equity compensation, including any cash bonuses, restricted share units or stock options received by the executives. It provides that the Board may direct the Company to recoup the incentive cash and equity compensation of the executive(s) at fault if all three of the following events occur:

 

 

If all three of the preceding events occur, the Board of Directors, following review and recommendation by the Compensation Committee, will decide when and how the policy will apply. The Company may recoup the portion of incentive cash and equity compensation received by the executive(s) at fault during the year(s) subject to the restatement that is in excess of the incentive compensation that would have been received based on the restated results.

 

Tax and Accounting Considerations

 

The Compensation Committee considers tax and accounting rules and regulations when structuring our executive compensation program. Our plans and programs are designed to comply with or be exempt from the requirements of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “IRS Code”), which regulates deferred compensation and provides for potentially early taxation and a 20% additional tax on non-compliant arrangements. Equity awards are accounted for under FASB ASC Topic 718, which requires the recognition of expense for the fair value of such awards, and the Compensation Committee considers the accounting expense of such awards when authorizing stock option and RSU grants.

 

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

 

Say on Pay Advisory Vote in 2019

 

In 2019, our shareholders approved our compensation program for our Named Executive Officers by a vote in favor of 93%.

 

In each of the last four years, our advisory “say on pay” votes have been above 90%. The Compensation Committee believes the results of our advisory votes on “say on pay” continue to be indicative that the clear majority of our shareholders are satisfied with our executive compensation policies and decisions, and that our executive

compensation program effectively aligns the interests of our Named Executive Officers with the interests of our shareholders.

 

Following the recommendations of the 2018 compensation review as only partially implemented in early 2019, and with uranium market conditions as they remained in Q4 2019, only an informal review of executive compensation was made in 2019. We included survey data from the peer group established by the Company, utilizing Equilar and other, publicly-available data. The review confirms that our executive officers remain well behind even the median ranges of the comparator company data, with only certain limited exceptions. In 2018, effective in 2019, an initial correction was made to adjust the base compensation of our CEO, Mr. Klenda. Due to continuing market conditions, however, no further corrective action was taken in 2019. Executives were then provided cost of living raises, only, in November 2019. Additionally, to conserve our cash resources, when our Vice President Geology retired in 2019, he was not replaced; rather, others on staff and in the executive team assumed his responsibilities for the Company.

 

We continue to review our human resources in light of the Company’s current operations and needs. Responsive to both persistently low uranium prices, and resulting reductions in production, we have reduced our overall employee count from a combined Ur-Energy USA (Casper/Littleton) and Lost Creek total of 90 employees at year-end 2013 to a combined 30 employees at year-end 2019. This reduction has included controlled attrition as well as the reductions in force which have been implemented. Twelve employees were laid off in 2019.  

 

On our say when on pay vote, the Board is recommending that we continue with an annual advisory (non-binding) say on pay vote. Although our compensation program has changed little in recent years, and we do not currently anticipate that the program will change significantly in the near-term, we believe that an annual update for our shareholders is appropriate. Based upon the first advisory vote by our shareholders, in 2014, concerning “say when on pay,” our Board adopted an annual advisory vote for “say on pay,” until our next say when on pay vote this year. Our next say when on pay vote will be in 2026.

 

Summary Compensation Table

 

The following table sets forth the summary information concerning compensation earned during the financial years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017 by our Named Executive Officers serving at December 31, 2019.

 

Name and principal position (1)	Year	Salary ($)	Bonus (2) ($)	Stock awards (3)(4)(5) ($)	Option awards    (3)(4)(5) ($)	Non-equity incentive plan compensation ($)	Change in pension value and nonqualified deferred compensation ($)	All other compensation (6) ($)	Total ($)
Jeffrey T. Klenda	2019	426,050	Nil	62,082	109,917	Nil	Nil	Nil	598,049
President and	2018	321,436	216,284	38,171	65,108	Nil	Nil	Nil	640,999
Chief Executive Officer	2017	312,441	149,399	46,157	71,373	Nil	Nil	Nil	579,370
Roger L. Smith	2019	282,425	Nil	33,958	60,124	Nil	Nil	11,297	387,804
Chief Financial Officer and	2018	275,150	102,251	27,230	46,444	Nil	Nil	11,006	462,081
Chief Administrative Officer	2017	267,444	90,722	32,925	50,913	Nil	Nil	10,698	452,702
Penne A. Goplerud	2019	253,908	Nil	30,529	54,052	Nil	Nil	10,156	348,645
General Counsel and	2018	247,372	92,079	24,480	41,755	Nil	Nil	9,895	415,581
Corporate Secretary	2017	240,446	83,529	29,601	45,773	Nil	Nil	9,618	408,967
Steven M. Hatten	2019	222,522	Nil	26,756	47,371	Nil	Nil	8,550	305,199
Vice President Operations	2018	216,794	80,430	21,455	36,594	Nil	Nil	8,672	363,945
	2017	210,731	70,836	25,943	40,115	Nil	Nil	8,429	356,054
John W. Cash	2019	212,086	Nil	25,501	45,149	Nil	Nil	7,756	290,492
Vice President	2018	206,614	79,448	20,447	34,876	Nil	Nil	7,550	348,935
Regulatory Affairs	2017	200,826	70,381	24,724	38,231	Nil	Nil	7,347	341,509

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EQUITY INCENTIVE PLANS

 

The following table sets forth certain summary information concerning our equity compensation plans as at December 31, 2019. Directors, officers, employees, and consultants are eligible to participate in the Option Plan. Directors and employees, including executive officers, are eligible to participate in the RSU Plan. 

 

	Number of Common Shares to be Issued Upon Exercise of Outstanding Options, Warrants and Rights	Weighted Average Exercise Price of Outstanding Options, Warrants and Rights (2) (C$)	Number of Common Shares Remaining for Future Issuance (Excluding Common Shares to be Issued Upon Exercise of Outstanding Options, Warrants and Rights) (3)
Equity compensation plans approved by securityholders (1)	12,232,511	$ 0.64	3,291,262
Equity compensation plans not approved by security-holders	-	-	-

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Stock Options and RSUs

 

We adopted the Ur-Energy Inc. Amended and Restated Stock Option Plan in 2005 in order to advance our interests by providing directors, officers, employees and consultants with a financial incentive tied to the Company’s long-term financial performance and continued service to or employment with us. Subsequently, we adopted the Ur-Energy Inc. Restricted Share Unit Plan, as thereafter amended, as part of our overall stock-based compensation plan. The RSU Plan allows participants to earn Common Shares over time, rather than options that give participants the right to purchase shares at a set price.

 

A total of up to 10% of Ur-Energy’s issued and outstanding Common Shares may be reserved for issuance pursuant to the Option Plan and the RSU Plan, in the aggregate. As of March 30, 2020, we have listed and reserved 15,523,773 Common Shares in the aggregate of which 13,886,995 Common Shares were reserved under the Option Plan, and 1,636,778 Common Shares were reserved under the RSU Plan. We allocate approximately 80% of those reserved shares to the Option Plan and 20% to the RSU Plan, and award grants using a ratio of 4:1 Options to RSUs. The RSU Plan does not allocate more than five percent of the reserved Common Shares. Of those currently reserved, 11,052,694 options for Common Shares have been granted and are outstanding, as at March 30, 2020, or approximately 6.9% of our issued and outstanding Common Shares. There are 1,149,955 RSUs that have been granted and are outstanding as of March 30, 2020, or approximately 0.7% of our issued and outstanding Common Shares. The number of shares reserved is subject to adjustment if the Common Shares are subdivided, consolidated, converted or reclassified or the number of Common Shares varies as a result of a stock dividend or an increase or a reduction in our share capital. We do not permit the payment of dividends on unvested or redeemed equity awards of all types. The run rate (or, “burn rate”) on the equity plans for the past three years is as follows:

 

 

As at March 30, 2020, the closing price of our Common Shares on the NYSE American was $0.37 and on the TSX was C$0.53.

 

Option Plan

 

Under the Option Plan, options may be granted to our directors, executive officers, eligible employees and consultants. As of March 30, 2020, there are approximately 14 employees and six non-executive directors who would be eligible to participate in the Option Plan. The Option Plan was most recently approved by shareholders on May 18, 2017.

 

The maximum number of Common Shares that may be reserved for issuance to any one person under the Option Plan is five percent of the number of Common Shares outstanding at the time of reservation. The options are personal and non-assignable. Option holders do not have any shareholder rights (and, specifically, shall not be entitled to dividends) with respect to options unless and until the options are exercised and stock certificates are issued in the name of the option holder. The exercise price for Common Shares subject to an option is determined by the Board of Directors at the time of grant and may not be less than the market price of the Common Shares at the time the option is granted. Market price at any date in respect of the Common Shares means the closing price of the Common Shares on the TSX (or, if the Common Shares are not then listed and posted for trading on the TSX, then on the recognized stock exchange on which such Common Shares are listed or posted or, if such Common Shares are not so listed on any recognized stock exchange, then on the over-the-counter market on which they are traded or posted as selected for such purpose by the Compensation Committee or in accordance with Section 5.5 of the Option Plan) on the immediately preceding trading day.

 

Options in a grant vest over a three-year period: one-third on the first anniversary, one-third on the second anniversary and one-third on the third anniversary of the grant; dividends, for all award types, shall not be payable on unvested options; the term of all options is five years. Additionally, in no event shall more than five percent of the shares available for issuance under the Option Plan have a stated vesting/exercisability schedule of less than one year from the date of grant. The aggregate number of Common Shares issued to insiders within any 12 month period, or issuable to insiders at any time, under the Stock Option Plan and any other security based compensation arrangement of the Company, may not exceed 10% of the total number of issued and outstanding Common Shares during such period of time.

 

Options granted under the Option Plan are subject to early termination under certain circumstances, including (i) one year after the death of the option holder, (ii) three months after the option holder’s resignation or dismissal without cause as an employee or consultant, or (iii) immediately upon the option holder’s dismissal for cause as an employee. In each case, only options vested at the time of the event which gave rise to such early termination may be exercised by the option holder during such period. The Option Plan also provides that upon a change of control all options under the Option Plan vest immediately and are immediately exercisable.

 

The Option Plan and the terms of any outstanding option may be amended at any time by the Board subject to any required regulatory or shareholder approvals, provided that where such an amendment would prejudice the rights of an option holder under any outstanding option, the consent of the option holder is required to be obtained. Amendments requiring shareholder approval are those amendments set forth in the TSX Company Manual. Amendments that do not require shareholder approval are “housekeeping” amendments such as amendments to the Option Plan to comply with regulatory requirements, amendments related to the administration of the Option Plan and to change the eligibility requirements under the Option Plan and terms and conditions on which the options may be granted. The Option Plan may be suspended, terminated or discontinued in the sole discretion of the Board of Directors.

 

Stock options are generally treated as ordinary compensation income as and when Common Shares are issued to the participant upon exercise of the award, however, in the case of Incentive Stock Options, the options are taxable at long-term capital gains tax rates when the issued Common Shares are sold so long as certain conditions are met. If the participant is an employee, the income may be subject to withholding for income and employment tax purposes. The Company is generally entitled to an income tax deduction equal to the amount of ordinary income recognized by the participant, subject to possible limitations imposed by the IRS Code. Please note that the foregoing description is based upon U.S. federal income tax laws in effect on the date of this Circular and does not purport to be complete, and does not discuss state, local or non-U.S. tax consequences.

 

RSU Plan

 

The RSU Plan was adopted by the Board of Directors on May 7, 2010 and was approved in its entirety most recently by our shareholders on May 2, 2019. Under the RSU Plan restricted share units may be granted to directors and employees, including executive officers, of Ur‑Energy as possible eligible participants. The Board of Directors has appointed the Compensation Committee to determine which persons are entitled to participate in the RSU Plan and the number of RSUs to be awarded to each participant. The RSU Plan does not limit the participation of any specific eligible participant including insiders. RSUs awarded to participants are credited to a notional account that is established on their behalf and maintained in accordance with the RSU Plan. Each RSU awarded conditionally entitles the participant to the delivery of one Common Share (or cash in lieu of such share at the Compensation Committee’s discretion) upon attainment of the RSU vesting period. Grants of RSUs vest 100% on the two-year anniversary of the date of the grant.

 

The RSU Plan permits us to either redeem RSUs for cash or issue Common Shares from treasury to satisfy all or any portion of a vested RSU award. If redeemed for cash, RSUs will be redeemed for an amount equal to fair market value which means the closing price of the Common Shares on the TSX on the business day immediately prior to the redemption date, or if the shares are not listed on the TSX, then on such other stock exchange or quotation system as may be selected by the Compensation Committee, provided that, if the Common Shares are not listed or quoted on any other stock exchange or quotation system, then the fair market value will be the value determined by the Compensation Committee in its sole discretion acting in good faith. In the event of a change of control, as defined in the RSU Plan, we are required to redeem 100% of the RSUs granted to participants. In the event of an involuntary termination of an employee, other than for cause, or a director who is not re-elected, we are required to redeem the RSUs for cash. Rights respecting RSUs shall not be transferable or assignable other than by will.

 

The Board may from time to time amend or suspend the RSU Plan and may at any time terminate the RSU Plan. No such amendment, suspension or termination shall adversely affect the rights of any eligible person with respect to outstanding and unredeemed RSUs credited to that person without that RSU holder’s consent. Amendments requiring shareholder approval are those amendments set forth in the TSX Company Manual. Amendments that do not require shareholder approval are “housekeeping” amendments such as amendments to the RSU Plan to comply with regulatory requirements, amendments related to the administration of the RSU Plan and to change the eligibility requirements under the RSU Plan and terms and conditions on which the RSUs may be granted.

 

RSUs are generally treated as ordinary compensation income as and when Common Shares are issued to the participant upon vesting or settlement of the award. If the participant is an employee, this income is subject to withholding for income and employment tax purposes. The Company is generally entitled to an income tax deduction equal to the amount of ordinary income recognized by the participant. Please note that the foregoing description is based upon U.S. federal income tax laws in effect on the date of this Circular and does not purport to be complete, and does not discuss state, local or non-U.S. tax consequences.

 

GRANTS OF PLAN-BASED AWARDS TO NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

 

The following table sets forth information concerning option-based and share-based awards granted to each of the Named Executive Officers during the year ended December 31, 2019.

 

 

Estimated future payouts under non-equity incentive plan awards

Estimated future payouts under equity incentive plan awards

Name

Grant date

Threshold ($)

Target ($)

Maximum ($)

Threshold ($)

Target ($)

Maximum ($)

All other stock awards: Number of shares of stock or units (1) (#)

All other option awards: Number of securities underlying options (2) (#)

Exercise of base price of option awards (C$/Sh)

Grant date fair value of stock and option awards (US$)

Jeffrey T. Klenda

11/5/19

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

417,044

0.79

109,917

11/5/19

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

104,261

Nil

Nil

62,082

Roger L. Smith

11/5/19

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

228,119

0.79

60,124

11/5/19

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

57,030

Nil

Nil

33,958

Penne A. Goplerud

11/5/19

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

205,081

0.79

54,052

11/5/19

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

51,271

Nil

Nil

30,529

Steven M. Hatten

11/5/19

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

179,733

0.79

47,371

11/5/19

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

44,934

Nil

Nil

26,756

John W. Cash

11/5/19

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

171,304

0.79

45,149

11/5/19

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

42,826

Nil

Nil

25,501

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Outstanding Equity Awards at December 31, 2019

 

The following table sets forth information concerning the value vested or earned in respect of incentive plan awards during the year ended December 31, 2019 by each of the Named Executive Officers.

 

	Option-based Awards						Share-based Awards
Name	Number of securities underlying unexercised options (#) exercisable	Number of securities underlying unexercised options (#) unexercisable	Equity incentive plan awards: number of securities underlying unexercised options (#)	Option exercise price (C$)	Option expiration date		Number of shares or units of stock that have not vested (#)	Market value of shares or units of stock that have not vested (US$)	Equity incentive plan awards: number of unearned shares, units or other rights that have not vested (#)	Equity incentive plan awards: Market or payout value of unearned shares, units or other rights that have not vested ($)
Jeffrey T. Klenda	70,762	0	Nil	0.86	8/17/20		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
	199,340	0	Nil	0.80	12/11/20		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
	338,118	0	Nil	0.73	12/16/21		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
	158,019	81,403	Nil	0.90	12/15/22		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
	36,642	74,394	Nil	0.93	8/20/23		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
	34,264	69,567	Nil	0.91	12/14/23		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
	0	417,044	Nil	0.79	11/5/24		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil		27,759	16,336	Nil	Nil
	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil		25,958	15,276	Nil	Nil
	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil		104,261	61,358	Nil	Nil
Roger L. Smith	62,302	0	Nil	0.86	8/17/20		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
	87,462	0	Nil	0.80	12/11/20		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
	241,184	0	Nil	0.73	12/16/21		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
	112,720	58,068	Nil	0.90	12/15/22		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
	26,138	53,068	Nil	0.93	8/20/23		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
	24,442	49,625	Nil	0.91	12/14/23		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
	0	228,119	Nil	0.79	11/5/24		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil		19,802	11,653	Nil	Nil
	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil		18,517	10,897	Nil	Nil
	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil		57,030	33,562	Nil	Nil
Penne A. Goplerud	56,012	0	Nil	0.86	8/17/20		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
	78,632	0	Nil	0.80	12/11/20		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
	216,836	0	Nil	0.73	12/16/21		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
	101,340	52,206	Nil	0.90	12/15/22		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
	23,500	47,711	Nil	0.93	8/20/23		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
	21,974	44,614	Nil	0.91	12/14/23		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
	0	205,081	Nil	0.79	11/5/24		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil		17,803	10,477	Nil	Nil
	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil		16,647	9,797	Nil	Nil
	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil		51,271	30,173	Nil	Nil
Steven M. Hatten	49,090	0	Nil	0.86	8/17/20		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
	68,916	0	Nil	0.80	12/11/20		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
	190,040	0	Nil	0.73	12/16/21		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
	88,814	45,752	Nil	0.90	12/15/22		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
	20,595	41,814	Nil	0.93	8/20/23		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
	19,258	39,099	Nil	0.91	12/14/23		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
	0	179,733	Nil	0.79	11/5/24		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil		15,603	9,182	Nil	Nil
	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil		14,590	8,586	Nil	Nil
	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil		44,934	26,444	Nil	Nil
John W. Cash	46,782	0	Nil	0.86	8/17/20		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
	65,676	0	Nil	0.80	12/11/20		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
	181,106	0	Nil	0.73	12/16/21		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
	84,642	43,604	Nil	0.90	12/15/22		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
	19,627	39,849	Nil	0.93	8/20/23		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
	18,355	37,265	Nil	0.91	12/14/23		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
	0	171,304	Nil	0.79	11/5/24		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil		14,869	8,750	Nil	Nil
	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil		13,905	8,183	Nil	Nil