Metro Inc. - s. 104(2)(c)
Clause 104(2)(c) -- Issuer bid -- relief from issuer bid requirements in sections 94 to 94.8 and 97 to 98.7 of the Act -- Issuer proposes to purchase, at a discounted purchase price, up to 1,225,000 of its common shares from two of its shareholders -- due to discounted purchase price, proposed purchases cannot be made through TSX trading system -- but for the fact that the proposed purchases cannot be made through the TSX trading system, the Issuer could otherwise acquire the subject shares in reliance upon the issuer bid exemption available under section 101.2 of the Securities Act and in accordance with the TSX rules governing normal course issuer bid purchases -- no adverse economic impact on or prejudice to issuer or public shareholders -- proposed purchases exempt from issuer bid requirements in sections 94 to 94.8 and 97 to 98.7 of the Act, subject to conditions, including that the issuer not purchase, in the aggregate, more than one-third of the maximum number of shares to be purchased under its normal course issuer bid by way of off-exchange block purchases.
Applicable Legislative Provisions
Securities Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. S.5, as am., ss. 94 to 94.8, 97 to 98.7, 104(2)(c).
IN THE MATTER OF
THE SECURITIES ACT,
R.S.O. 1990, c. S.5, AS AMENDED
(the “Act”)
AND
IN THE MATTER OF
METRO INC.
ORDER
(Clause 104(2)(c))
UPON the application (the Application) of Metro inc. (the Issuer) to the Ontario Securities Commission (the Commission) for an order pursuant to clause 104(2)(c) of the Act exempting the Issuer from the requirements of sections 94 to 94.8 and 97 to 98.7 of the Act (the Issuer Bid Requirements) in respect of the proposed purchases by the Issuer of up to 260,000 (collectively, the Subject Shares) of its common shares (the Common Shares) in one or more trades from Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (or one of its affiliates) (the Selling Shareholder);
AND UPON considering the Application and the recommendation of staff of the Commission;
AND UPON the Issuer (and the Selling Shareholder in respect of paragraphs 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 22 and 23, as they relate to the Selling Shareholder) having represented to the Commission that:
1. The Issuer is a corporation governed by the Business Corporations Act (Québec).
2. The head office and registered office of the Issuer are at 11011 Maurice-Duplessis Boulevard, Montréal, Quebec, H1C 1V6.
3. The Issuer is a reporting issuer in each of the provinces of Canada and the Common Shares of the Issuer are listed for trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange (the TSX) under the symbol "MRU". The Issuer is not in default of any requirement of the securities legislation in the jurisdictions in which it is a reporting issuer.
4. The authorized common share capital of the Issuer consists of an unlimited number of Common Shares, of which approximately 91,648,145 Common Shares were issued and outstanding as of November 1, 2013.
5. The corporate headquarters of the Selling Shareholder are located in the Province of Ontario.
6. The Selling Shareholder has advised the Issuer that it does not directly or indirectly beneficially own more than 5% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares.
7. The Selling Shareholder has advised the Issuer that it is the beneficial owner of at least 260,000 Common Shares and that the Subject Shares were not acquired in anticipation of resale to the Issuer pursuant to private agreements under an issuer bid exemption order issued by a securities regulatory authority (Off-Exchange Block Purchases).
8. The Selling Shareholder is at arm's length to the Issuer and is not an "insider" of the Issuer or "associate" of an "insider" of the Issuer, or an "associate" or "affiliate" of the Issuer, as such terms are defined in the Act. The Selling Shareholder is an "accredited investor" within the meaning of National Instrument 45-106Prospectus and Registration Exemptions.
9. Pursuant to a "Notice of Intention to Make a Normal Course Issuer Bid" filed with the TSX as of September 8, 2010 (as amended on November 12, 2010) which was renewed on September 6, 2013 (the Notice), the Issuer is permitted to make normal course issuer bid (the Normal Course Issuer Bid) purchases for up to 7,000,000 Common Shares. In accordance with the Notice, the Normal Course Issuer Bid is conducted through the facilities of the TSX or such other means as may be permitted by the TSX or a securities regulatory authority, in accordance with sections 628 to 629.3 of Part VI of the TSX Company Manual (the TSX NCIB Rules), including, private agreements under an issuer bid exemption order issued by a securities regulatory authority at a purchase price which is at a discount to the prevailing market price for the Common Shares.
10. The Issuer and the Selling Shareholder intend to enter into one or more agreements of purchase and sale (each, an Agreement) pursuant to which the Issuer will agree to acquire the Subject Shares from the Selling Shareholder by one or more purchases each occurring on or before September 9, 2014 (each such purchase, a Proposed Purchase) for a purchase price (the Purchase Price) that will be negotiated at arm's length between the Issuer and the Selling Shareholder. The Purchase Price will be at a discount to the prevailing market price of the Common Shares on the TSX and below the bid-ask price for the Common Shares at the time of each Proposed Purchase.
11. The purchase of the Subject Shares by the Issuer pursuant to each Agreement will constitute an "issuer bid" for purposes of the Act to which the Issuer Bid Requirements would apply.
12. The Subject Shares acquired under each Proposed Purchase will constitute a "block" as that term is defined in section 628 of the TSX NCIB Rules.
13. Because the Purchase Price will be at a discount to the prevailing market price and below the bid-ask price for the Common Shares at the time of each Proposed Purchase, each Proposed Purchase cannot be made through the TSX trading system and, therefore, will not occur "through the facilities" of the TSX. As a result, the Issuer will be unable to acquire the Subject Shares from the Selling Shareholder in reliance upon the exemption from the Issuer Bid Requirements that is available pursuant to section 101.2(1) of the Act.
14. But for the fact that the Purchase Price will be at a discount to the prevailing market price and below the bid-ask price for the Common Shares at the time of each Proposed Purchase, the Issuer could otherwise acquire the Subject Shares as a "block purchase" (a Block Purchase) in accordance with the block purchase exception in section 629(l)7 of the TSX NCIB Rules and the exemption from the Issuer Bid Requirements that is available pursuant to section 101.2(1) of the Act.
15. The sale of any of the Subject Shares to the Issuer will not be a "distribution" (as defined in the Act).
16. The Notice contemplates that purchases under the Normal Course Issuer Bid may be made by such other means as may be permitted by the TSX or a securities regulatory authority.
17. For each Proposed Purchase, the Issuer will be able to acquire the Subject Shares from the Selling Shareholder without the Issuer being subject to the dealer registration requirements of the Act.
18. The Issuer is of the view that it will be able to purchase the Subject Shares at a lower price than the price at which it would be able to purchase the Common Shares under the Normal Course Issuer Bid through the facilities of the TSX and the Issuer is of the view that this is an appropriate use of the Issuer's funds on hand.
19. The purchase of the Subject Shares will not adversely affect the Issuer or the rights of any of the Issuer's securityholders and it will not materially affect the control of the Issuer. To the knowledge of the Issuer, the Proposed Purchases will not prejudice the ability of other shareholders of the Issuer to otherwise sell Common Shares in the open market at the prevailing market price. The Proposed Purchases will be carried out with a minimum of cost to the Issuer.
20. To the best of the Issuer's knowledge, as of November 1, 2013, the "public float" for the Common Shares represented more than 69% of all issued and outstanding Common Shares for purposes of the TSX NCIB Rules.
21. The market for the Common Shares is a "liquid market" within the meaning of section 1.2 of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions.
22. Other than the Purchase Price, no additional fee or other consideration will be paid in connection with the Proposed Purchases.
23. At the time that each Agreement is entered into by the Issuer and the Selling Shareholder and at the time of each Proposed Purchase, neither the Issuer, nor the Selling Shareholder will be aware of any "material change" or "material fact" (each as defined in the Act) in respect of the Issuer that has not been generally disclosed.
24. A similar order has been applied for by the Issuer in connection with the proposed acquisition by the Issuer of up to 965,000 Common Shares from Bank of Montreal (or one of its affiliates).
25. A similar order has been applied for by the Issuer with the Autorité des marchés financiers in connection with the proposed acquisition by the Issuer of up to 115,000 Common Shares from National Bank of Canada (or one of its affiliates).
26. The Issuer will not purchase, pursuant to private agreements under an issuer bid exemption order by a securities regulatory authority, in aggregate, more than one-third of the maximum number of Common Shares that the Issuer can purchase under its Normal Course Issuer Bid.
AND UPON the Commission being satisfied to do so would not be prejudicial to the public interest;
IT IS ORDERED pursuant to clause 104(2)(c) of the Act that the Issuer be exempt from the Issuer Bid Requirements in connection with each Proposed Purchase, provided that:
a) the Proposed Purchases will be taken into account by the Issuer when calculating the maximum annual aggregate limit that is imposed upon the Issuer's Normal Course Issuer Bid in accordance with the TSX NCIB Rules;
b) the Issuer will refrain from conducting a Block Purchase in accordance with the TSX NCIB Rules during the calendar week that it completes each Proposed Purchase and may not make any further purchases under the Normal Course Issuer Bid for the remainder of that calendar day on which it completes each Proposed Purchase;
c) the Purchase Price of each Proposed Purchase is not higher than the last "independent trade" (as that term is used in paragraph 629(l)1 of the TSX NCIB Rules) of a board lot of Common Shares immediately prior to the execution of each Proposed Purchase;
d) the Issuer will otherwise acquire any additional Common Shares pursuant to the Normal Course Issuer Bid and in accordance with the Notice and the TSX NCIB Rules, as applicable;
e) immediately following each Proposed Purchase of the Subject Shares from the Selling Shareholder, the Issuer will report the purchase of the Subject Shares to the TSX;
f) at the time that each Agreement is entered into by the Issuer and the Selling Shareholder and at the time of each Proposed Purchase, neither the Issuer, nor the Selling Shareholder will be aware of any "material change" or "material fact" (each as defined in the Act) in respect of the Issuer that has not been generally disclosed;
g) the Issuer will issue a press release disclosing (i) its intention to make the Proposed Purchases and (ii) that information regarding each Proposed Purchase, including the number of Common Shares purchased and the aggregate purchase price, will be available on the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) following the completion of each such purchase;
h) the Issuer will report information regarding each Proposed Purchase, including the number of Common Shares purchased and the aggregate purchase price, on SEDAR before 5:00 p.m. (Toronto time) on the business day following such purchase; and
i) the Issuer does not purchase, pursuant to Off-Exchange Block Purchases, in the aggregate, more than one-third of the maximum number of Common Shares the Issuer can purchase under the Normal Course Issuer Bid.
DATED at Toronto this 29th day of November 2013.