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Generating
Companion Policy to MI 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions
Part 5 Formal Valuations
Section 5.1

General

(1) The Instrument requires formal valuations in a number of circumstances. We are of the view that a conclusory statement of opinion as to the value or range of values of the subject matter of a valuation does not by itself fulfil this requirement.

(2) The disclosure standards for formal valuations in By-laws 29.14 to 29.23 of the Investment Dealers Association of Canada and Appendix A to Standard No. 110 of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Business Valuators each generally represent a reasonable approach to meeting the applicable legal requirements. Specific disclosure standards, however, cannot be construed as a substitute for the professional judgment and responsibility of the valuator and, on occasion, additional disclosure may be necessary.

(3) An issuer that is required to obtain a formal valuation, or the offeree issuer in the case of an insider bid, should work in cooperation with the valuator to ensure that the requirements of the Instrument are satisfied. At the valuator’s request, the issuer should promptly furnish the valuator with access to the issuer’s management and advisers, and to all material information in the issuer’s possession relevant to the formal valuation. The valuator is expected to use that access to perform a comprehensive review and analysis of information on which the formal valuation is based. The valuator should form its own independent views of the reasonableness of this information, including any forecasts, projections or other measurements of the expected future performance of the enterprise, and of any of the assumptions on which it is based, and adjust the information accordingly.

(4) The disclosure in the valuation of the scope of review should include a description of any limitation on the scope of the review and the implications of the limitation on the valuator’s conclusion. Scope limitations should not be imposed by the issuer, an interested party or the valuator, but should be limited to those beyond their control that arise solely as a result of unusual circumstances. In addition, it is inappropriate for any interested party to exercise or attempt to exercise any influence over a valuator.

(5) Subsection 2.3(2) of the Instrument provides that in the context of an insider bid, an independent committee of the offeree issuer shall, and the offeror shall enable the independent committee to, determine who the valuator will be and supervise the preparation of the formal valuation. Although the subsection also requires the independent committee to use its best efforts to ensure that the valuation is completed and provided to the offeror in a timely manner, we are aware that an independent committee could attempt to use the subsection to delay or impede an insider bid viewed by the committee as unfriendly. In a situation where an offeror is of the view that an independent committee is not acting in a timely manner in having the formal valuation prepared, the offeror may seek relief under section 9.1 of the Instrument from the requirement that the offeror obtain a valuation.

(6) Similarly, in circumstances where an independent committee is of the view that a bid that has been announced will not actually be made or that the bid is not being made in good faith, the independent committee may apply for relief from the requirements of subsection 2.3(2) of the Instrument.

(7) Requirements in securities legislation relating to forward-looking information do not apply to a formal valuation for which financial forecasts and projections are relied on and disclosed.