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Companion Policy to MI 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions
Part 2 Interpretation
Section 2.1

Equal Treatment of Security Holders

(1) Security Holder Choice – The definitions of business combination, collateral benefit and interested party, as well as other provisions in the Instrument, include the concept of identical treatment of security holders in a transaction. For the purposes of the Instrument, if security holders have an identical opportunity under a transaction, then they are considered to be treated identically. For example, if under the terms of a business combination, each security holder has the choice of receiving, for each affected security, either $10 in cash or one common share of ABC Co., we regard the security holders as having identical entitlements in amount and form, and as receiving identical treatment, even though they may not all make the same choice. This interpretation also applies where the Instrument refers to consideration that is “at least equal in value” and “in the same form”, such as in the provisions on second step business combinations.

(2) Multiple Classes of Equity Securities – The definitions of business combination and interested party, and the provisions on second step business combinations in section 8.2 of the Instrument, refer to circumstances where an issuer carrying out a business combination or related party transaction has more than one class of equity securities. The Instrument’s treatment of these transactions depends on whether the entitlements of the holders of one class under the transaction are greater than those of the holders of the other classes in relation to the voting and financial participating interests in the issuer represented by the respective securities.

For example: An issuer has outstanding subordinate voting shares carrying one vote per share, and multiple voting shares carrying ten votes per share, with the shares of the two classes otherwise carrying identical rights. Under the terms of a business combination, holders of the subordinate voting shares will receive $10 per share. For the multiple voting shareholders to be regarded as not being entitled to greater consideration than the subordinate voting shareholders under the Instrument, the multiple voting shareholders must receive no more than $10 per share. As a second example: An issuer has the same share structure as the issuer in the first example. Under the terms of a business combination, subordinate voting shareholders will receive, for each subordinate voting Share, $10 and one subordinate voting share of a successor issuer, carrying one vote per share. For the multiple voting shareholders to be regarded as not being entitled to greater consideration than the subordinate voting shareholders under the Instrument, the multiple voting shareholders must receive, for each multiple voting share, no more than $10 and one multiple voting share of the successor issuer, carrying no more than ten votes per share and otherwise carrying no greater rights than those of the subordinate voting shares of the successor issuer.

(3) Related Party Holding Securities of Other Party to Transaction – The Instrument sets out specific criteria for determining related party and interested party status. Without limiting the application of those criteria, a related party of an issuer is not considered to be treated differently from other security holders of the issuer in a transaction, or to receive a collateral benefit, solely by reason of being a security holder of another party to the transaction. For example, if ABC Co. proposes to amalgamate with XYZ Co., the fact that a director of ABC Co., who is not a control person of ABC Co., owns common shares of XYZ Co. (but less than 50 per cent) will not, in and of itself, cause the amalgamation to be considered a business combination for ABC Co. under the Instrument.

(4) Consolidation of Securities – One of the methods that may be used to effect a business combination is a consolidation of an issuer’s securities at a ratio that eliminates the entire holdings of most holders of affected securities, through the elimination of post-consolidated fractional interests. Where this or a similar method is used, the security holders whose entire holdings are not eliminated are not considered to be treated identically to the general body of security holders under the Instrument.

(5) Principle of Equal Treatment in Business Combinations – The Instrument contemplates that a related party of an issuer might not be treated identically to all other security holders in the context of a business combination in which a person other than that related party acquires the issuer. There are provisions in the Instrument, including the minority approval requirement, that are intended to address this circumstance. Despite these provisions, we are of the view that, as a general principle, security holders should be treated equally in the context of a business combination, and that differential treatment is only justified if its benefits to the general body of security holders outweigh the principle of equal treatment. While we will generally rely on an issuer’s review and approval process, in combination with the provisions of the Instrument, to achieve fairness for security holders, we may intervene if it appears that differential treatment is not reasonably justified. Giving a security holder preferential treatment in order to obtain that holder’s support of the transaction will not normally be considered justifiable.


Companion Policy to MI 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions
Part 2 Interpretation
Section 2.2

Equity Participation by a Related Party

If a related party of an issuer is provided with the opportunity to maintain or acquire an equity interest in the issuer, or in a successor to the business of the issuer, upon completion of a bid or business combination, the following provisions of the Instrument may be relevant.

If the equity interest will be derived solely through securities-based compensation for services as an employee, director or consultant, the provisions of the Instrument regarding collateral benefits may be applicable. In other cases, the acquisition of the equity interest or opportunity to maintain an equity interest may be a connected transaction. In either of these instances, votes attaching to the securities owned by the related party may be excluded from the minority vote required for a business combination, including a second step business combination following a bid. We are of the view that the employee compensation exemptions to the collateral benefit and connected transaction definitions do not generally apply to an issuance of securities in the issuer or a successor issuer upon completion of the transaction.

Without limiting the application of the definition of joint actor, we may consider a related party to be a joint actor with the offeror in a bid, or with the acquirer in a business combination, if the related party becomes a control person of the issuer or a successor issuer upon completion of the transaction or if the related party, whether alone or with joint actors, beneficially owns securities with more than 20 per cent of the voting rights. We may also consider a related party’s continuing equity interest in the issuer or a successor issuer upon completion of the transaction in making an assessment of joint actor status generally. A joint actor characterization could cause a bid to be regarded as an insider bid, or an otherwise arm’s length transaction to be a regarded as a business combination, that requires preparation of a formal valuation.


Companion Policy to MI 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions
Part 2 Interpretation
Section 2.3

Direct or Indirect Parties to a Transaction

(1) The Instrument makes references to direct and indirect parties to a transaction in the definition of connected transactions and in subparagraph 8.2(b)(i) regarding minority approval for a second step business combination. For the purposes of the Instrument, a person is considered to be an indirect party if, for example, a direct party to the transaction is a subsidiary entity, nominee or agent of the person. A person is not an indirect party merely because it negotiates or approves the transaction on behalf of a party, holds securities of a party or agrees to support the transaction in the capacity of a security holder of a party.

(2) For the purposes of the Instrument, we do not consider a person to be a direct or indirect party to a business combination solely because the person receives pro rata consideration in its capacity as a security holder of the issuer carrying out the business combination.


Companion Policy to MI 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions
Part 2 Interpretation
Section 2.4

Amalgamations

Under the Instrument, an amalgamation may be a business combination, related party transaction or neither, depending on the circumstances. For example, an amalgamation is a business combination for an issuer if, as a consequence of the amalgamation, holders of equity securities of the issuer become security holders of the amalgamated entity, unless an exception in one of the lettered paragraphs in the definition of business combination applies. An amalgamation is a related party transaction for an issuer rather than a business combination if, for example, a wholly-owned subsidiary entity of the issuer amalgamates with a related party of the issuer, leaving the equity securities of the issuer unaffected.


Companion Policy to MI 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions
Part 2 Interpretation
Section 2.5

Transactions Involving More than One Reporting Issuer

The characterization of a transaction or the availability of a valuation or minority approval exemption under the Instrument must be considered individually for each reporting issuer involved in the transaction. For example, an amalgamation may be a downstream transaction for one party and a business combination for the other, in which case the latter party is the only party to whom the requirements of the Instrument may apply.


Companion Policy to MI 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions
Part 2 Interpretation
Section 2.6

Previous Arm’s Length Negotiations Exemption

(1) For the purposes of the formal valuation exemptions based on previous arm’s length negotiations in paragraph (b) of subsection 2.4(1) and paragraph (b) of subsection 4.4(1) of the Instrument for insider bids and business combinations, respectively, the arm’s length relationship must be between the selling security holder and all persons or companies that negotiated with the selling security holder.

(2) We note that the previous arm’s length negotiations exemption is based on the view that those negotiations can be a substitute for a valuation. An important requirement for the exemption to be available is that the offeror or proponent of the business combination, as the case may be, engages in “reasonable inquiries” to determine whether various circumstances exist. In our view, if this requirement cannot be satisfied through receipt of representations of the parties directly involved or some other suitable method, the offeror or proponent of the transaction is not entitled to rely on this exemption.


Companion Policy to MI 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions
Part 2 Interpretation
Section 2.7

Connected Transactions

(1)Connected transactions” is a defined term in the Instrument, and reference is made to connected transactions in a number of parts of the Instrument. For example, subparagraph (a)(iii) of section 5.5 of the Instrument requires connected transactions to be aggregated, in certain circumstances, for the purpose of determining the availability of the formal valuation exemption for a related party transaction that is not larger than 25 per cent of the issuer’s market capitalization. In other circumstances, it is possible for an issuer to rely on an exemption for each of two or more connected transactions. However, we may intervene if we believe that a transaction is being carried out in stages or otherwise divided up for the purpose of avoiding the application of a provision of the Instrument.

(2) One method of acquiring all the securities of an issuer is through a plan of arrangement or similar process comprised of a series of two or more interrelated steps. The series of steps is the “transaction” for the purposes of the definition of business combination. However, a related party transaction that is carried out in conjunction with a business combination, and that is not simply one of the procedural steps in implementing the acquisition of the affected securities in the business combination, is subject to the Instrument’s requirements for related party transactions. This applies where, for example, a related party buys some of the issuer’s assets that the acquirer in the business combination does not want.

(3) An agreement, commitment or understanding that a security holder will tender to a bid or vote in favour of a transaction is not, in and of itself, a connected transaction to the bid or to the transaction for purposes of the Instrument.


Companion Policy to MI 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions
Part 2 Interpretation
Section 2.8

Time of Agreement

A number of provisions in the Instrument refer to the time a business combination or related party transaction is agreed to. This should be interpreted as the time the issuer first makes a legally binding commitment to proceed with the transaction, subject to any conditions such as security holder approval. Where the issuer does not technically negotiate the transaction with another party, such as in the case of a share consolidation, the time the transaction is agreed to should be interpreted as the time at which the issuer’s board of directors determines to proceed with the transaction, subject to any conditions.


Companion Policy to MI 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions
Part 2 Interpretation
Section 2.9

Acquire the Issuer

In some definitions and elsewhere in the Instrument, reference is made to a transaction in which a related party would “directly or indirectly acquire the issuer … through an amalgamation, arrangement or otherwise, whether alone or with joint actors”. This refers to the acquisition of all of the issuer, not merely the acquisition of a control position. For example, a related party “acquires” an issuer when it acquires all of the securities of the issuer that it does not already own, even if that related party held a control position in the issuer prior to the transaction.