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BPLI Holdings Inc. — M&A Activity 2021
Mar 3, 2021
42978_rns_2021-03-03_668bcf0e-96d6-478a-820e-c1893bf722d8.pdf
M&A Activity
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The Instructions accompanying this Letter of Transmittal should be read carefully before this Letter of Transmittal is completed.
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
FOR COMMON SHARES OF BPLI HOLDINGS INC.
This Letter of Transmittal is for use by registered holders of common shares (the "Common Shares") of BPLI Holdings Inc. ("BPLI"). This Letter of Transmittal, properly completed and duly executed, together with all other required documents, must accompany certificates for Common Shares deposited in connection with the proposed arrangement (the "Arrangement") involving BPLI, 12491125 Canada Inc., (the "Purchaser"), Name 3 Capital Inc. and Rizbollo Holdings Limited, that is being submitted for approval at the annual and special meeting of shareholders of BPLI to be held on Tuesday, March 30, 2021 or any adjournment or postponement thereof (the "Meeting") as described in a management information circular dated February 25, 2021 (the "Circular").
Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Letter of Transmittal have the meanings set out in the Circular. Shareholders are strongly urged to read the Circular accompanying this Letter of Transmittal, delivered in connection with the Meeting, and to consult their own tax advisors prior to submitting a Letter of Transmittal. Non-Registered Shareholders should contact their Intermediary (i.e., broker, trust company, bank or other registered holder) which holds the certificates representing Common Shares on their behalf to arrange for exchange.
This Letter of Transmittal is not to be used by beneficial holders of Common Shares (Non-Registered Shareholders). A Non-Registered Shareholder does not have Common Shares registered in his, her or its name; rather, such Common Shares are registered in the name of a nominee (such as a broker, trust company, bank or other registered holder). Non-Registered Shareholders should contact their Intermediary (i.e., broker, trust company, bank or other registered holder) which holds the certificates representing Common Shares on their behalf for instructions and assistance in delivering the certificates representing your Common Shares.
In accordance with the Arrangement, the Purchaser, BPLI and Computershare Trust Company of Canada. (the "Depositary"), as applicable, shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from any consideration otherwise payable or otherwise deliverable to any Shareholders such amounts as the Purchaser, BPLI or the Depositary, as applicable, are required, or reasonably believe after considering the advice of counsel to be required, to deduct and withhold from such consideration under any provision of any Laws.
Shareholders who do not deliver this Letter of Transmittal, share certificates for their Common Shares (as applicable), and all other required documents to the Depositary on or before the sixth anniversary of the Effective Date will not be paid any Cash Consideration for such Common Shares and such certificates (as applicable) shall cease to represent a claim by or interest of any former holder of Common Shares of any kind or nature against or in BPLI, the Purchaser or any of their respective successors, and all cash to which such former holder was entitled shall be deemed to have been surrendered to the Purchaser.
TO: BPLI HOLDINGS INC.
AND TO: 12491125 CANADA INC.
AND TO: COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY OF CANADA at its offices set out herein.
In connection with the Arrangement, being considered for approval at the Meeting, the undersigned delivers to you the enclosed certificate(s) for Common Shares. The following are the details of the enclosed certificate(s):
| Certificate Number(s) | Name in Which Registered | Number of Common Shares Representedby Certificate |
|---|---|---|
| _______________________________________ | |
|---|---|
LOST CERTIFICATES: If your certificates have been lost, misplaced, or destroyed, you can replace them by following the directions under Instruction 6.
The undersigned transmits herewith the certificate(s) described above for cancellation upon the Arrangement becoming effective. The undersigned acknowledges receipt of the Circular and represents and warrants that: (i) the undersigned is, and will immediately prior to the Effective Time be, the registered holder of the Common Shares represented by the enclosed certificate(s) (the "Deposited Shares"); (ii) the undersigned is the legal owner of the above-listed Common Shares and has, and will have immediately prior to the Effective Time, good title to the Deposited Shares free and clear of any mortgage, hypothec, lien, pledge, assignment for security, security interest, lease or other charge or encumbrance; (iii) the Deposited Shares have not been sold, assigned or transferred, nor has any agreement been entered into to sell, assign or transfer any such Deposited Shares to any other person; (iv) the surrender of the Deposited Shares complies with Laws; (v) all information inserted by the undersigned into this Letter of Transmittal is accurate; (vi) the undersigned is not a Dissenting Holder and has not filed a written objection to the Arrangement Resolution in accordance with the Dissent Rights; (vii) unless the undersigned shall have revoked this Letter of Transmittal by notice in writing to the Depositary at any time up to two Business Days prior to the Effective Date, the undersigned will not transfer or permit to be transferred any of such Deposited Shares except pursuant to the Arrangement; and (viii) the undersigned has good and sufficient authority to deposit, sell and transfer the Deposited Shares and at the Effective Time, the Purchaser will acquire good title to the Deposited Shares (as the same are modified pursuant to the Plan of Arrangement) free from all liens, charges, encumbrances, claims and equities and in accordance with the following: IN CONNECTION WITH THE ARRANGEMENT AND FOR VALUE RECEIVED at the Effective Time all of the right, title and interest of the undersigned in and to the Deposited Shares and in and to any and all dividends, distributions, payments, securities, rights, warrants, assets or other interests (collectively, "distributions") which may be declared, paid, accrued, issued, distributed, made or transferred on or in respect of the Deposited Shares or any of them as and from the Effective Date, as well as the right of the undersigned to receive any and all distributions shall have been assigned to the Purchaser. If, notwithstanding such assignment, any distributions are received by or made payable to or to the order of the undersigned, then (i) in the case of any such cash distribution that does not exceed the Cash Consideration per Common Share, the Cash Consideration payable per Common Share pursuant to the Arrangement will be reduced by the amount of any such dividend or distribution received in respect of that Common Share, and (ii) in the case of any such cash distribution in an amount that exceeds the Cash Consideration per Common Share in respect of which the distribution is made, or in the case of any other distribution, the undersigned shall promptly pay or deliver the whole of any such distribution to the Depositary for the account of the Purchaser, together with appropriate documentation of transfer.
The undersigned irrevocably constitutes and appoints any one officer or director of the Purchaser, and any other person designated by the Purchaser in writing, the true and lawful agent, attorney and attorney-in-fact of the undersigned with respect to the Deposited Shares purchased in connection with the Arrangement with full power of substitution (such power of attorney, being coupled with an interest, being irrevocable) to, in the name of and on behalf of the undersigned, (a) register or record the transfer of such Deposited Shares on the registers of BPLI; and (b) execute and negotiate any cheques or other instruments representing any such distribution payable to or to the order of the undersigned.
The undersigned revokes any and all other authority, whether as agent, attorney-in-fact, attorney, proxy or otherwise, previously conferred or agreed to be conferred by the undersigned at any time with respect to the Deposited Shares or any distributions other than as set out in this Letter of Transmittal and in any proxy granted for use at the Meeting. Other than in connection with the Meeting, no subsequent authority, whether as agent, attorney-in-fact, attorney, proxy or otherwise, will be granted with respect to the Deposited Shares or any distributions by or on behalf of the undersigned, unless the Deposited Shares are not transferred to and acquired by the Purchaser in connection with the Arrangement.
The undersigned covenants and agrees to execute all such documents, transfers and other assurances as may be necessary or desirable to convey the Deposited Shares and distributions effectively to the Purchaser.
Each authority conferred or agreed to be conferred by the undersigned in this Letter of Transmittal may be exercised during any subsequent legal incapacity of the undersigned and all obligations of the undersigned in this Letter of Transmittal shall be binding upon the heirs, personal representatives, successors and assigns of the undersigned.
The undersigned instructs the Purchaser and the Depositary, upon the Arrangement becoming effective, to mail the
cheques by first class mail, postage prepaid, or to hold such cheques for pick-up, or to send by wire transfer, in accordance with the instructions given below. Should the Arrangement not proceed for any reason, the deposited certificates and other relevant documents shall be returned in accordance with the instructions in the preceding sentence.
It is understood that the undersigned will not receive payment in respect of the Deposited Shares unless the Arrangement is consummated and unless the share certificate(s) representing the Deposited Shares, if applicable, owned by the undersigned is or are received by the Depositary at the office specified below, together with this Letter of Transmittal and such additional documents as the Depositary may require, and until the same are processed for payment by the Depositary. It is further understood that under no circumstances will interest accrue or be paid by the Purchaser, BPLI or the Depositary on any payment in respect of the Deposited Shares, regardless of any delay in making such payment. The undersigned further acknowledges that the payment of all amounts payable in respect of the Deposited Shares will completely discharge any obligations of the Purchaser, BPLI and the Depositary with respect to the matters contemplated by this Letter of Transmittal.
By reason of the use by the undersigned of an English language form of Letter of Transmittal, the undersigned shall be deemed to have required that any contract evidenced by the Arrangement as accepted through this Letter of Transmittal, as well as all documents related thereto, be drawn exclusively in the English language. En raison de l'usage d'une lettre d'envoi en langue anglaise par le soussigné, le soussigné et les destinataires sont présumés d'avoir requis que tout contrat attesté par l'arrangement et son acceptation par cette lettre d'envoi, de même que tous les documents qui s'y rapportent, soient rédigés exclusivement en langue anglaise.
| BOX AENTITLEMENT DELIVERY | BOX BISSUE PAYMENT IN THE NAME OF*: |
|---|---|
| All cash entitlement payments will be issued and mailed to yourexisting registration unless otherwise stated. If you would like yourcash issued to a different name or address, please complete BOX B andrefer to INSTRUCTIONS 2 & 3 | ‰CHECK BOX IF SAME AS EXISTING REGISTRATION (DEFAULT) |
| (NAME) | |
| ‰ MAIL CHEQUE TO ADDRESS ON RECORD (DEFAULT) | (STREET NUMBER & NAME) |
| ‰ MAIL CHEQUE TO A DIFFERENT ADDRESS (MUST COMPLETEBOX B) | (CITY AND PROVINCE/STATE) |
| ‰ HOLD CHEQUE FOR PICKUP AT COMPUTERSHARE OFFICE(CHECK LOCATION) | (COUNTRY AND POSTAL/ZIP CODE) |
| {TORONTO{ MONTREAL{ VANCOUVER{CALGARY | (TELEPHONE NUMBER (BUSINESS HOURS) |
| SEE INSTRUCTION 10 FOR OFFICE ADDRESSES | (SOCIAL INSURANCE/SECURITY NUMBER) |
| ‰ DELIVER FUNDS VIA WIRE* (COMPLETE BOX E) | * IF THIS NAME OR ADDRESS IS DIFFERENT FROM YOUR REGISTRATION, PLEASE PROVIDESUPPORTING TRANSFER REQUIREMENTS (SEE INSTRUCTIONS 2 & 3) |
BOX C CURRENCY ELECTION
ALL CASH PAYMENTS WILL BE ISSUED IN CANADIAN DOLLARS UNLESS OTHERWISE ELECTED BELOW (Provided that if the address of record is outside Canada, failure to make an election will result in any cash payment under the arrangement being paid in United Stated dollars.)
Issue my cash entitlement payment(s) in United States Dollars
Issue my cash entitlement payment(s) in Canadian Dollars (CAD)
Cash amounts will be denominated in Canadian dollars. However, a registered shareholder can instead elect to receive payment in U.S. dollars by checking the appropriate box in this Letter, in which case such shareholder will have acknowledged and agreed that the exchange rate for one Canadian dollar expressed in U.S. dollars will be based on the prevailing market rate(s) available to the Depositary on the date of the currency conversion. All risks associated with the currency conversion from Canadian dollars to U.S. dollars including risks relating to change in rates, the timing of exchange or the selection of a rate for exchange, and all costs incurred with the currency conversion are for the registered shareholder's sole account and will be at such shareholder's sole risk and expense, and neither BPLI, the Purchaser nor Computershare Trust Company of Canada or their affiliates are responsible for any such matters.
By electing to receive payment in another currency, the undersigned acknowledges that (a) the exchange rate used will be the rate established by the Depositary, in its capacity as foreign exchange service provider to BPLI, on the date the funds are converted; (b) the risk of any fluctuation in such rate will be borne by the undersigned; and (c) the Depositary may earn commercially reasonable spread between its exchange rate and the rate used by any counterparty from which it purchases the elected currency.
| BOX DRESIDENCY DECLARATION |
|---|
| ALL BPLI SHAREHOLDERS ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE A RESIDENCY DECLARATION. FAILURE TO COMPLETE ARESIDENCY DECLARATION MAY RESULT IN A DELAY IN YOUR PAYMENT. |
| The undersigned represents that: |
| ‰ The beneficial owner of the BPLI common shares deposited herewith is a U.S. Shareholder. |
| ‰ The beneficial owner of the BPLI common shares deposited herewith is NOT a U.S. Shareholder. |
| The undersigned further represents that: |
| ‰ The beneficial owner of the BPLI common shares deposited herewith is NOT a Non-Resident Shareholder. |
| ‰ The beneficial owner of the BPLI common shares deposited herewith is a Non-Resident Shareholder. |
| A "U.S. Shareholder" is any BPLI shareholder who is either (i) providing an address in Box "A" that is located within the United States or anyterritory or possession thereof, or (ii) a "U.S. person" for United States federal income tax purposes as defined in Instruction 7 below. If you area U.S person or acting on behalf of a U.S. person, then in order to avoid backup withholding of U.S federal income tax you must provide acomplete IRS Form W-9 (enclosed) below or otherwise provide certification that the U.S. person is exempt from backup withholding, asprovided in the instructions (see Instruction 7). If you are not a U.S. Shareholder as defined in (ii) above, but you provide an address that islocated within the United States, you must complete an appropriate Form W-8. |
| A "Non-Resident Shareholder" is any BPLI shareholder who is a non-resident of Canada within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada). |
| BOX EWIRE PAYMENT* | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| *PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE IS A $100 BANKING FEE ON WIRE PAYMENTS. ALTERNATIVELY, CHEQUE PAYMENTSARE ISSUED AT NO ADDITIONAL COST | |||
| *IF WIRE DETAILS ARE INCORRECT OR INCOMPLETE, COMPUTERSHARE WILL ATTEMPT TO CONTACT YOU ANDCORRECT THE ISSUE. HOWEVER, IF WE CANNOT CORRECT THE ISSUE PROMPTLY, A CHEQUE WILL BEAUTOMATICALLY ISSUED AND MAILED TO THE ADDRESS ON RECORD. NO FEES WILL BE CHARGED | |||
| Please provide email address and phone number in the event that we need to contact you for corrective measures: | |||
| EMAIL ADDRESS: ____________________________________________________ PHONE NUMBER: __________________________ | |||
| **Beneficiary Name(s) that appears on the account at your financial institution – this MUST be the same name and address that your shares are registered to | |||
| **Beneficiary Address (Note: PO Boxes will not be accepted) | **City | **Province/State**Postal Code/Zip Code | |
| **Beneficiary Bank/Financial Institution | |||
| **Bank Address | **City | **Province/State**Postal Code/Zip Code | |
| PLEASE ONLY COMPLETE THE APPLICABLE BOXES BELOW, AS PROVIDED BY YOUR FINANCIAL INSTITUTION. YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO COMPLETE ALL BOXES | |||
| **Bank Account No. | Bank No. & Transit No. (Canadian Banks)(3 digits & 5 digits) | ABA/Routing No. (US Banks)(9 digits) | |
| SWIFT or BIC Code(11 characters – if you only have eight, put 'XXX' for the last three) | IBAN Number | Sort Code (GBP) | |
| Additional Notes and special routing instructions: | |||
| ** Mandatory fields |
BOX F LOST CERTIFICATES
If your lost certificate(s) forms part of an estate or trust, or are valued at more than CAD $200,000.00, please contact the Depositary for additional instructions. Any person who, knowingly and with intent to defraud any insurance company or other person, files a statement of claim containing any materially false information or conceals for the purpose of misleading, information concerning any fact material thereto, commits a fraudulent insurance act, which is a crime.
Premium Calculation:
Lost Shares X CAD $0.0069 = Premium Payable $ _____________________ NOTE: Payment NOT required if premium is less than $5.00
The option to replace your certificate by completing this Box F will expire on December 31, 2021 After this date, shareholders must contact the Depositary for
alternative replacement options. I enclose my certified cheque, bank draft or money order payable to Computershare Trust Company of Canada.
STATEMENT OF LOST CERTIFICATES:
The undersigned (solitarily, jointly and severally, if more than one) represents and agrees to the following: (i) the undersigned is (and, if applicable, the registered owner of the Original(s), at the time of their death, was) the lawful and unconditional owner of the Original(s) and is entitled to the full and exclusive possession thereof; (ii) the missing certificate(s) representing the Original(s) have been lost, stolen or destroyed, and have not been endorsed, cashed, negotiated, transferred, assigned, pledged, hypothecated, encumbered in any way, or otherwise disposed of; (iii) a diligent search for the certificate(s) has been made and they have not been found; and (iv) the undersigned makes this Statement for the purpose of transferring or exchanging the Original(s) (including, if applicable, without probate or letters of administration or certification of estate trustee(s) or similar documentation having been granted by any court), and hereby agrees to surrender the certificate(s) representing the Original(s) for cancellation should the undersigned, at any time, find the certificate(s).
The undersigned hereby agrees, for myself and my heirs, assigns and personal representatives, in consideration of the transfer or exchange of the Original(s), to completely indemnify, protect and hold harmless BPLI Holdings Inc., 12491125 Canada Inc., Computershare Trust Company of Canada, Aviva Insurance Company of Canada, each of their lawful successors and assigns, and any other party to the transaction (the "Obligees"), from and against all losses, costs and damages, including court costs and attorneys' fees that they may be subject to or liable for in respect of the cancellation and/or replacement of the Original(s) and/or the certificate(s) representing the Original(s) and/ or the transfer or exchange of the Originals represented thereby, upon the transfer, exchange or issue of the Originals and/or a cheque for any cash payment. The rights accruing to the Obligees under the preceding sentence shall not be limited by the negligence, inadvertence, accident, oversight or breach of any duty or obligations on the part of the Obligees or their respective officers, employees and agents or their failure to inquire into, contest, or litigate any claim, whenever such negligence, inadvertence, accident, oversight, breach or failure may occur or have occurred. I acknowledge that a fee of CAD $0.25 per lost common share is payable by the undersigned. Surety protection for the Obligees is provided under Blanket Lost Original Instruments/Waiver of Probate or Administration Bond No. 35900-16 issued by Aviva Insurance Company of Canada.
SHAREHOLDER SIGNATURE(S)
Signature guaranteed by (if required under Instruction 3)
Authorized Signature
Name of Guarantor (please print or type)
Address of Guarantor (please print or type)
Dated: , 2021
Signature of Shareholder or authorized representative (see Instructions 2 and 4)
Address
Name of Shareholder (please print or type)
Telephone No
Name of authorized representative, if applicable (please print or type)
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Use of Letter of Transmittal
In order for Registered Shareholders to receive the Cash Consideration for their Common Shares, such holders must deposit the certificate(s) representing their Common Shares with the Depositary. This Letter of Transmittal, properly completed and duly executed, together with all other documents and instruments referred to in this Letter of Transmittal or reasonably requested by the Depositary, must accompany all certificates for Common Shares deposited for payment pursuant to the Arrangement. The method used to deliver this Letter of Transmittal and any accompanying certificates representing Common Shares is at the option and risk of the holder, and delivery will be deemed effective only when such documents are actually received. The Purchaser recommends that the necessary documentation be hand delivered to the Depositary at its office(s) specified on the last page of this Letter of Transmittal, and a receipt obtained; otherwise the use of registered mail with return receipt requested, properly insured, is recommended. A shareholder whose Common Shares are registered in the name of a broker, investment dealer, bank, trust company or other nominee should contact that nominee for assistance in depositing those Common Shares.
2. Signatures
This Letter of Transmittal must be filled in and signed by the holder of Common Shares described above or by such holder's duly authorized representative (in accordance with Instruction 4).
- a. If this Letter of Transmittal is signed by the registered owner(s) of the accompanying certificate(s), such signature(s) on this Letter of Transmittal must correspond with the names(s) as registered or as written on the face of such certificate(s) without any change whatsoever, and the certificate(s) need not be endorsed. If such deposited certificate(s) are owned of record by two or more joint owners, all such owners must sign the Letter of Transmittal.
- b. If this Letter of Transmittal is signed by a person other than the registered owner(s) of the accompanying certificate(s):
- i. such deposited certificate(s) must be endorsed or be accompanied by an appropriate share transfer power of attorney duly and properly completed by the registered owner(s); and
- ii. the signature(s) on such endorsement or share transfer power of attorney must correspond exactly to the name(s) of the registered owner(s) as registered or as appearing on the certificate(s) and must be guaranteed as noted in Instruction 3 below.
3. Guarantee of Signatures
If this Letter of Transmittal is signed by a person other than the registered owner(s) of the Deposited Shares, or if Deposited Shares are to be returned to a person other than such registered owner(s), or if the payment is to be issued in the name of a person other than the registered owner of the Deposited Shares, such signature must be guaranteed by an Eligible Institution (as defined below), or in some other manner satisfactory to the Depositary (except that no guarantee is required if the signature is that of an Eligible Institution).
An "Eligible Institution" means a Canadian Schedule I chartered bank, a major trust company in Canada, a commercial bank or trust company in the United States, a member of the Securities Transfer Association Medallion Program (STAMP), a member of the Stock Exchange Medallion Program (SEMP) or a member of the New York Stock Exchange Inc. Medallion Signature Program (MSP). Members of these programs are usually members of a recognized stock exchange in Canada and the United States, members of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada, members of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority or banks and trust companies in the United States.
4. Signed by a Representative
If this Letter of Transmittal is signed by a person in a representative capacity, such as (a) an executor, administrator, trustee or guardian, or (b) on behalf of a corporation, partnership, or association, then in each case such signature must be guaranteed by an Eligible Institution, or in some other manner satisfactory to the Depositary (except that no guarantee is required if the signature is that of an Eligible Institution). Either the Purchaser or the Depositary, at its discretion, may require additional evidence of authority or additional documentation.
5. Miscellaneous
- a. If the space on this Letter of Transmittal is insufficient to list all certificates for Deposited Shares, additional certificate numbers and number of Deposited Shares may be included on a separate signed list affixed to this Letter of Transmittal.
- b. If Deposited Shares are registered in different forms (e.g. "John Doe" and "J. Doe") a separate Letter of Transmittal should be signed for each different registration.
- c. No alternative, conditional or contingent deposits will be accepted.
- d. The Arrangement and any agreement in connection with the Arrangement will be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the Province of Nova Scotia and the laws of Canada applicable therein.
- e. Additional copies of the Circular and this Letter of Transmittal may be obtained from the Depositary at any of its respective offices at the addresses listed below.
6. Lost Certificates
Option #1: If a share certificate has been lost, stolen or destroyed, this Letter of Transmittal should be completed as fully as possible and forwarded together with a letter describing the loss to the Depositary. The Depositary will respond with the replacement requirements.
Option #2: Alternatively, shareholders who have lost, stolen, or destroyed their certificate(s) may participate in the Depositary's blanket bond program with Aviva Insurance Company of Canada by completing BOX F above, and submitting the applicable certified cheque or money order made payable to Computershare Trust Company of Canada.
7. Substitute Form W-9 — U.S. Shareholders
In order to avoid "backup withholding" of United States income tax on payments made on the Common Shares, a Shareholder that is a U.S. holder (as defined below) must generally provide the person's correct taxpayer identification number ("TIN") on the Substitute Form W-9 above and certify, under penalties of perjury, that such number is correct, that such Shareholder is not subject to backup withholding, and that such Shareholder is a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident alien). If the correct TIN is not provided or if any other information is not correctly provided, payments made with respect to the Common Shares may be subject to backup withholding of 24%. For the purposes of this Letter of Transmittal, a "U.S. holder" or "U.S. person" means: a beneficial owner of Common Shares that, for United States federal income tax purposes, is (a) a citizen or resident of the United States, (b) a corporation, or other entity classified as a corporation for United States federal income tax purposes, that is created or organized in or under the laws of the United States or any state in the United States, including the District of Columbia, (c) an estate if the income of such estate is subject to United States federal income tax regardless of the source of such income, (d) a trust if (i) such trust has validly elected to be treated as a U.S. person for United States federal income tax purposes or (ii) a United States court is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of such trust and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of such trust, or (e) a partnership, limited liability company or other entity classified as a partnership for United States tax purposes that is created or organized in or under the laws of the United States or any state in the United States, including the District of Columbia.
Backup withholding is not an additional United States income tax. Rather, the United States federal income tax liability of persons subject to backup withholding will be reduced by the amount of tax withheld. If backup withholding results in an overpayment of taxes, a refund may be obtained provided that the required information is furnished to the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS").
Certain persons (including, among others, corporations, certain "not-for-profit" organizations, and certain non-U.S. persons) are not subject to backup withholding. A Shareholder that is a U.S. holder should consult his or her tax advisor as to the shareholder's qualification for an exemption from backup withholding and the procedure for obtaining such exemption.
The TIN for an individual United States citizen or resident is the individual's social security number.
If you are asked to complete Form W-9 but do not have a TIN, apply for a TIN and write "Applied For" in the space for the TIN, sign and date the form, and give it to the requester. For interest and dividend payments, and certain payments made with respect to readily tradable instruments, generally you will have 60 days to get a TIN and give it to the requester before you are subject to backup withholding on payments. The 60-day rule does not apply to other types of payments. You will be subject to backup withholding on all such payments until you provide your TIN to the requester.
Note: Entering "Applied For" means that you have already applied for a TIN or that you intend to apply for one soon. Non-U.S. holders receiving payments in the U.S. should return a completed Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, a copy of which is available from the Depositary upon request.
8. Cancellation of Rights after Six Years
Any certificate formerly representing Common Shares not duly surrendered to the Depositary on or before the sixth anniversary of the Effective Date shall cease to represent a claim by or interest of any former holder of Common Shares of any kind or nature against or in BPLI, the Purchaser or any of their respective successors. On such date, all cash to which such former holder was entitled shall be deemed to have been surrendered to the Purchaser and shall be paid over by the Depositary to the Purchaser or as directed by the Purchaser.
9. Privacy Notice
The Depositary is committed to protecting personal information. In the course of providing services, the Depositary receives non-public personal information about shareholders from transactions the Depositary performs, forms a shareholder may send to the Depositary or other communications the Depositary may have with a shareholder and its representatives. This information could include a shareholder's name, address, social insurance number, securities holdings and other financial information. The Depositary uses this to administer a shareholder's account, to better serve client needs and for other lawful purposes relating to its services. The Depositary may transfer personal information to other companies in or outside of Canada that provide data processing and storage or other support in order to facilitate the services it provides. Where it shares personal information with other companies to provide services, the Depositary ensures it has adequate safeguards to protect shareholder personal information. The Depositary also ensures the protection of rights of data subjects under the General Data Protection Regulation, where applicable. The Depositary has prepared a Privacy Code to tell shareholders more about its information practices, how your privacy is protected and how to contact its Chief Privacy Officer. It is available at the Depositary's website, www.computershare.com, or by writing to the Depositary at 100 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M5J 2Y1. The Depositary will use the information a Shareholder provides in this Letter of Transmittal in order to process a shareholder's request and will consider a Shareholder's submission of this Letter of Transmittal as its consent to the above.
10. Payment Entitlement Pickup Locations
Entitlements may be picked up at applicable Depositary office locations with counter services. Pick-up instructions must be selected in Box A. Below are the applicable Depositary office locations:
| Montreal | Toronto | Calgary | Vancouver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1500 Boulevard RobertBourassa, 7th Floor | 100 University Ave8th Floor, North Tower | Home Oil Tower800, 324 – 8th Avenue SW | 510 Burrard Street,2nd Floor, |
| Montréal, QC H3A 3S8 | Toronto ON M5J 2Y1 | Calgary AB T2P 2Z2 | Vancouver, BC V6C 3A8 |
Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification
a Go to www.irs.gov/FormW9 for instructions and the latest information.
| 1 Name (as shown on your income tax return). Name is required on this line; do not leave this line blank. | |
|---|---|
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -- |
| 2 Business name/disregarded entity name, if different from above | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| See Specific Instructions on page 3. | 3 Check appropriate box for federal tax classification of the person whose name is entered on line 1. Check only one of thefollowing seven boxes.C CorporationS CorporationPartnershipIndividual/sole proprietor orsingle-member LLC | Trust/estate | 4 Exemptions (codes apply only tocertain entities, not individuals; seeinstructions on page 3):Exempt payee code (if any) |
| Limited liability company. Enter the tax classification (C=C corporation, S=S corporation, P=Partnership) a | |||
| Print or type. | Note: Check the appropriate box in the line above for the tax classification of the single-member owner. Do not checkLLC if the LLC is classified as a single-member LLC that is disregarded from the owner unless the owner of the LLC isanother LLC that is not disregarded from the owner for U.S. federal tax purposes. Otherwise, a single-member LLC thatis disregarded from the owner should check the appropriate box for the tax classification of its owner. | Exemption from FATCA reportingcode (if any) | |
| Other (see instructions) a | (Applies to accounts maintained outside the U.S.) | ||
| 5 Address (number, street, and apt. or suite no.) See instructions. | Requester's name and address (optional) | ||
| 6 City, state, and ZIP code | |||
| 7 List account number(s) here (optional) | |||
| Part I | Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) |
| Enter your TIN in the appropriate box. The TIN provided must match the name given on line 1 to avoid | Social security number |
|---|---|
| backup withholding. For individuals, this is generally your social security number (SSN). However, for aresident alien, sole proprietor, or disregarded entity, see the instructions for Part I, later. For otherentities, it is your employer identification number (EIN). If you do not have a number, see How to get a | –– |
| TIN, later. | or |
| Note: If the account is in more than one name, see the instructions for line 1. Also see What Name and | Employer identification number |
| Number To Give the Requester for guidelines on whose number to enter. | – |
| Part IICertification |
Under penalties of perjury, I certify that:
-
- The number shown on this form is my correct taxpayer identification number (or I am waiting for a number to be issued to me); and
-
- I am not subject to backup withholding because: (a) I am exempt from backup withholding, or (b) I have not been notified by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that I am subject to backup withholding as a result of a failure to report all interest or dividends, or (c) the IRS has notified me that I am no longer subject to backup withholding; and
-
- I am a U.S. citizen or other U.S. person (defined below); and
-
- The FATCA code(s) entered on this form (if any) indicating that I am exempt from FATCA reporting is correct.
Certification instructions. You must cross out item 2 above if you have been notified by the IRS that you are currently subject to backup withholding because you have failed to report all interest and dividends on your tax return. For real estate transactions, item 2 does not apply. For mortgage interest paid, acquisition or abandonment of secured property, cancellation of debt, contributions to an individual retirement arrangement (IRA), and generally, payments other than interest and dividends, you are not required to sign the certification, but you must provide your correct TIN. See the instructions for Part II, later.
| SignHere | Signature ofU.S. person a | Date a | |
|---|---|---|---|
| -------------- | ------------------------------- | -- | -------- |
General Instructions
Section references are to the Internal Revenue Code unless otherwise noted.
Future developments. For the latest information about developments related to Form W-9 and its instructions, such as legislation enacted after they were published, go to www.irs.gov/FormW9.
Purpose of Form
An individual or entity (Form W-9 requester) who is required to file an information return with the IRS must obtain your correct taxpayer identification number (TIN) which may be your social security number (SSN), individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN), adoption taxpayer identification number (ATIN), or employer identification number (EIN), to report on an information return the amount paid to you, or other amount reportable on an information return. Examples of information returns include, but are not limited to, the following.
• Form 1099-INT (interest earned or paid)
• Form 1099-DIV (dividends, including those from stocks or mutual funds)
• Form 1099-MISC (various types of income, prizes, awards, or gross proceeds)
• Form 1099-B (stock or mutual fund sales and certain other transactions by brokers)
- Form 1099-S (proceeds from real estate transactions)
- Form 1099-K (merchant card and third party network transactions)
- Form 1098 (home mortgage interest), 1098-E (student loan interest), 1098-T (tuition)
- Form 1099-C (canceled debt)
- Form 1099-A (acquisition or abandonment of secured property)
Use Form W-9 only if you are a U.S. person (including a resident alien), to provide your correct TIN.
If you do not return Form W-9 to the requester with a TIN, you might be subject to backup withholding. See What is backup withholding, later.
By signing the filled-out form, you:
-
Certify that the TIN you are giving is correct (or you are waiting for a number to be issued),
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Certify that you are not subject to backup withholding, or
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Claim exemption from backup withholding if you are a U.S. exempt payee. If applicable, you are also certifying that as a U.S. person, your allocable share of any partnership income from a U.S. trade or business is not subject to the withholding tax on foreign partners' share of effectively connected income, and
-
Certify that FATCA code(s) entered on this form (if any) indicating that you are exempt from the FATCA reporting, is correct. See What is FATCA reporting, later, for further information.
Note: If you are a U.S. person and a requester gives you a form other than Form W-9 to request your TIN, you must use the requester's form if it is substantially similar to this Form W-9.
Definition of a U.S. person. For federal tax purposes, you are considered a U.S. person if you are:
• An individual who is a U.S. citizen or U.S. resident alien;
• A partnership, corporation, company, or association created or organized in the United States or under the laws of the United States;
• An estate (other than a foreign estate); or
• A domestic trust (as defined in Regulations section 301.7701-7).
Special rules for partnerships. Partnerships that conduct a trade or business in the United States are generally required to pay a withholding tax under section 1446 on any foreign partners' share of effectively connected taxable income from such business. Further, in certain cases where a Form W-9 has not been received, the rules under section 1446 require a partnership to presume that a partner is a foreign person, and pay the section 1446 withholding tax. Therefore, if you are a U.S. person that is a partner in a partnership conducting a trade or business in the United States, provide Form W-9 to the partnership to establish your U.S. status and avoid section 1446 withholding on your share of partnership income.
In the cases below, the following person must give Form W-9 to the partnership for purposes of establishing its U.S. status and avoiding withholding on its allocable share of net income from the partnership conducting a trade or business in the United States.
• In the case of a disregarded entity with a U.S. owner, the U.S. owner of the disregarded entity and not the entity;
• In the case of a grantor trust with a U.S. grantor or other U.S. owner, generally, the U.S. grantor or other U.S. owner of the grantor trust and not the trust; and
• In the case of a U.S. trust (other than a grantor trust), the U.S. trust (other than a grantor trust) and not the beneficiaries of the trust.
Foreign person. If you are a foreign person or the U.S. branch of a foreign bank that has elected to be treated as a U.S. person, do not use Form W-9. Instead, use the appropriate Form W-8 or Form 8233 (see Pub. 515, Withholding of Tax on Nonresident Aliens and Foreign Entities).
Nonresident alien who becomes a resident alien. Generally, only a nonresident alien individual may use the terms of a tax treaty to reduce or eliminate U.S. tax on certain types of income. However, most tax treaties contain a provision known as a "saving clause." Exceptions specified in the saving clause may permit an exemption from tax to continue for certain types of income even after the payee has otherwise become a U.S. resident alien for tax purposes.
If you are a U.S. resident alien who is relying on an exception contained in the saving clause of a tax treaty to claim an exemption from U.S. tax on certain types of income, you must attach a statement to Form W-9 that specifies the following five items.
-
The treaty country. Generally, this must be the same treaty under which you claimed exemption from tax as a nonresident alien.
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The treaty article addressing the income.
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The article number (or location) in the tax treaty that contains the saving clause and its exceptions.
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The type and amount of income that qualifies for the exemption from tax.
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Sufficient facts to justify the exemption from tax under the terms of the treaty article.
Example. Article 20 of the U.S.-China income tax treaty allows an exemption from tax for scholarship income received by a Chinese student temporarily present in the United States. Under U.S. law, this student will become a resident alien for tax purposes if his or her stay in the United States exceeds 5 calendar years. However, paragraph 2 of the first Protocol to the U.S.-China treaty (dated April 30, 1984) allows the provisions of Article 20 to continue to apply even after the Chinese student becomes a resident alien of the United States. A Chinese student who qualifies for this exception (under paragraph 2 of the first protocol) and is relying on this exception to claim an exemption from tax on his or her scholarship or fellowship income would attach to Form W-9 a statement that includes the information described above to support that exemption.
If you are a nonresident alien or a foreign entity, give the requester the appropriate completed Form W-8 or Form 8233.
Backup Withholding
What is backup withholding? Persons making certain payments to you must under certain conditions withhold and pay to the IRS 24% of such payments. This is called "backup withholding." Payments that may be subject to backup withholding include interest, tax-exempt interest, dividends, broker and barter exchange transactions, rents, royalties, nonemployee pay, payments made in settlement of payment card and third party network transactions, and certain payments from fishing boat operators. Real estate transactions are not subject to backup withholding.
You will not be subject to backup withholding on payments you receive if you give the requester your correct TIN, make the proper certifications, and report all your taxable interest and dividends on your tax return.
Payments you receive will be subject to backup withholding if:
-
You do not furnish your TIN to the requester,
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You do not certify your TIN when required (see the instructions for Part II for details),
-
The IRS tells the requester that you furnished an incorrect TIN,
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The IRS tells you that you are subject to backup withholding because you did not report all your interest and dividends on your tax return (for reportable interest and dividends only), or
-
You do not certify to the requester that you are not subject to backup withholding under 4 above (for reportable interest and dividend accounts opened after 1983 only).
Certain payees and payments are exempt from backup withholding. See Exempt payee code, later, and the separate Instructions for the Requester of Form W-9 for more information.
Also see Special rules for partnerships, earlier.
What is FATCA Reporting?
The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) requires a participating foreign financial institution to report all United States account holders that are specified United States persons. Certain payees are exempt from FATCA reporting. See Exemption from FATCA reporting code, later, and the Instructions for the Requester of Form W-9 for more information.
Updating Your Information
You must provide updated information to any person to whom you claimed to be an exempt payee if you are no longer an exempt payee and anticipate receiving reportable payments in the future from this person. For example, you may need to provide updated information if you are a C corporation that elects to be an S corporation, or if you no longer are tax exempt. In addition, you must furnish a new Form W-9 if the name or TIN changes for the account; for example, if the grantor of a grantor trust dies.
Penalties
Failure to furnish TIN. If you fail to furnish your correct TIN to a requester, you are subject to a penalty of $50 for each such failure unless your failure is due to reasonable cause and not to willful neglect.
Civil penalty for false information with respect to withholding. If you make a false statement with no reasonable basis that results in no backup withholding, you are subject to a $500 penalty.
Criminal penalty for falsifying information. Willfully falsifying certifications or affirmations may subject you to criminal penalties including fines and/or imprisonment.
Misuse of TINs. If the requester discloses or uses TINs in violation of federal law, the requester may be subject to civil and criminal penalties.
Specific Instructions
Line 1
You must enter one of the following on this line; do not leave this line blank. The name should match the name on your tax return.
If this Form W-9 is for a joint account (other than an account maintained by a foreign financial institution (FFI)), list first, and then circle, the name of the person or entity whose number you entered in Part I of Form W-9. If you are providing Form W-9 to an FFI to document a joint account, each holder of the account that is a U.S. person must provide a Form W-9.
a. Individual. Generally, enter the name shown on your tax return. If you have changed your last name without informing the Social Security Administration (SSA) of the name change, enter your first name, the last name as shown on your social security card, and your new last name.
Note: ITIN applicant: Enter your individual name as it was entered on your Form W-7 application, line 1a. This should also be the same as the name you entered on the Form 1040/1040A/1040EZ you filed with your application.
b. Sole proprietor or single-member LLC. Enter your individual name as shown on your 1040/1040A/1040EZ on line 1. You may enter your business, trade, or "doing business as" (DBA) name on line 2.
c. Partnership, LLC that is not a single-member LLC, C corporation, or S corporation. Enter the entity's name as shown on the entity's tax return on line 1 and any business, trade, or DBA name on line 2.
d. Other entities. Enter your name as shown on required U.S. federal tax documents on line 1. This name should match the name shown on the charter or other legal document creating the entity. You may enter any business, trade, or DBA name on line 2.
e. Disregarded entity. For U.S. federal tax purposes, an entity that is disregarded as an entity separate from its owner is treated as a "disregarded entity." See Regulations section 301.7701-2(c)(2)(iii). Enter the owner's name on line 1. The name of the entity entered on line 1 should never be a disregarded entity. The name on line 1 should be the name shown on the income tax return on which the income should be reported. For example, if a foreign LLC that is treated as a disregarded entity for U.S. federal tax purposes has a single owner that is a U.S. person, the U.S. owner's name is required to be provided on line 1. If the direct owner of the entity is also a disregarded entity, enter the first owner that is not disregarded for federal tax purposes. Enter the disregarded entity's name on line 2, "Business name/disregarded entity name." If the owner of the disregarded entity is a foreign person, the owner must complete an appropriate Form W-8 instead of a Form W-9. This is the case even if the foreign person has a U.S. TIN.
Line 2
If you have a business name, trade name, DBA name, or disregarded entity name, you may enter it on line 2.
Line 3
Check the appropriate box on line 3 for the U.S. federal tax classification of the person whose name is entered on line 1. Check only one box on line 3.
| IF the entity/person on line 1 isa(n) | THEN check the box for |
|---|---|
| • Corporation | Corporation |
| • Individual• Sole proprietorship, or• Single-member limited liabilitycompany (LLC) owned by anindividual and disregarded for U.S.federal tax purposes. | Individual/sole proprietor or singlemember LLC |
| • LLC treated as a partnership forU.S. federal tax purposes,• LLC that has filed Form 8832 or2553 to be taxed as a corporation,or• LLC that is disregarded as anentity separate from its owner butthe owner is another LLC that isnot disregarded for U.S. federal taxpurposes. | Limited liability company and enterthe appropriate tax classification.(P= Partnership; C= C corporation;or S= S corporation) |
| • Partnership | Partnership |
| • Trust/estate | Trust/estate |
Line 4, Exemptions
If you are exempt from backup withholding and/or FATCA reporting, enter in the appropriate space on line 4 any code(s) that may apply to you.
Exempt payee code.
• Generally, individuals (including sole proprietors) are not exempt from backup withholding.
• Except as provided below, corporations are exempt from backup withholding for certain payments, including interest and dividends.
• Corporations are not exempt from backup withholding for payments made in settlement of payment card or third party network transactions.
• Corporations are not exempt from backup withholding with respect to attorneys' fees or gross proceeds paid to attorneys, and corporations that provide medical or health care services are not exempt with respect to payments reportable on Form 1099-MISC.
The following codes identify payees that are exempt from backup withholding. Enter the appropriate code in the space in line 4.
1—An organization exempt from tax under section 501(a), any IRA, or a custodial account under section 403(b)(7) if the account satisfies the requirements of section 401(f)(2)
2—The United States or any of its agencies or instrumentalities
3—A state, the District of Columbia, a U.S. commonwealth or possession, or any of their political subdivisions or instrumentalities
4—A foreign government or any of its political subdivisions, agencies, or instrumentalities
5—A corporation
6—A dealer in securities or commodities required to register in the United States, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. commonwealth or possession
7—A futures commission merchant registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission
8—A real estate investment trust
9—An entity registered at all times during the tax year under the Investment Company Act of 1940
10—A common trust fund operated by a bank under section 584(a)
11—A financial institution
12—A middleman known in the investment community as a nominee or custodian
13—A trust exempt from tax under section 664 or described in section 4947
The following chart shows types of payments that may be exempt from backup withholding. The chart applies to the exempt payees listed above, 1 through 13.
| IF the payment is for | THEN the payment is exemptfor |
|---|---|
| Interest and dividend payments | All exempt payees exceptfor 7 |
| Broker transactions | Exempt payees 1 through 4 and 6through 11 and all C corporations.S corporations must not enter anexempt payee code because theyare exempt only for sales ofnoncovered securities acquiredprior to 2012. |
| Barter exchange transactions andpatronage dividends | Exempt payees 1 through 4 |
| Payments over $600 required to bereported and direct sales over$5,0001 | Generally, exempt payees1 through 52 |
| Payments made in settlement ofpayment card or third party networktransactions | Exempt payees 1 through 4 |
1 See Form 1099-MISC, Miscellaneous Income, and its instructions.
2 However, the following payments made to a corporation and reportable on Form 1099-MISC are not exempt from backup withholding: medical and health care payments, attorneys' fees, gross proceeds paid to an attorney reportable under section 6045(f), and payments for services paid by a federal executive agency.
Exemption from FATCA reporting code. The following codes identify payees that are exempt from reporting under FATCA. These codes apply to persons submitting this form for accounts maintained outside of the United States by certain foreign financial institutions. Therefore, if you are only submitting this form for an account you hold in the United States, you may leave this field blank. Consult with the person requesting this form if you are uncertain if the financial institution is subject to these requirements. A requester may indicate that a code is not required by providing you with a Form W-9 with "Not Applicable" (or any similar indication) written or printed on the line for a FATCA exemption code.
A—An organization exempt from tax under section 501(a) or any individual retirement plan as defined in section 7701(a)(37)
B—The United States or any of its agencies or instrumentalities
C—A state, the District of Columbia, a U.S. commonwealth or possession, or any of their political subdivisions or instrumentalities
D—A corporation the stock of which is regularly traded on one or more established securities markets, as described in Regulations section 1.1472-1(c)(1)(i)
E—A corporation that is a member of the same expanded affiliated group as a corporation described in Regulations section 1.1472-1(c)(1)(i)
F—A dealer in securities, commodities, or derivative financial instruments (including notional principal contracts, futures, forwards, and options) that is registered as such under the laws of the United States or any state
G—A real estate investment trust
H—A regulated investment company as defined in section 851 or an entity registered at all times during the tax year under the Investment Company Act of 1940
I—A common trust fund as defined in section 584(a)
J—A bank as defined in section 581
K—A broker
L—A trust exempt from tax under section 664 or described in section 4947(a)(1)
Note: You may wish to consult with the financial institution requesting this form to determine whether the FATCA code and/or exempt payee code should be completed.
Line 5
Enter your address (number, street, and apartment or suite number). This is where the requester of this Form W-9 will mail your information returns. If this address differs from the one the requester already has on file, write NEW at the top. If a new address is provided, there is still a chance the old address will be used until the payor changes your address in their records.
Line 6
Enter your city, state, and ZIP code.
Part I. Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN)
Enter your TIN in the appropriate box. If you are a resident alien and you do not have and are not eligible to get an SSN, your TIN is your IRS individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN). Enter it in the social security number box. If you do not have an ITIN, see How to get a TIN below.
If you are a sole proprietor and you have an EIN, you may enter either your SSN or EIN.
If you are a single-member LLC that is disregarded as an entity separate from its owner, enter the owner's SSN (or EIN, if the owner has one). Do not enter the disregarded entity's EIN. If the LLC is classified as a corporation or partnership, enter the entity's EIN.
Note: See What Name and Number To Give the Requester, later, for further clarification of name and TIN combinations.
How to get a TIN. If you do not have a TIN, apply for one immediately. To apply for an SSN, get Form SS-5, Application for a Social Security Card, from your local SSA office or get this form online at www.SSA.gov. You may also get this form by calling 1-800-772-1213. Use Form W-7, Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, to apply for an ITIN, or Form SS-4, Application for Employer Identification Number, to apply for an EIN. You can apply for an EIN online by accessing the IRS website at www.irs.gov/Businesses and clicking on Employer Identification Number (EIN) under Starting a Business. Go to www.irs.gov/Forms to view, download, or print Form W-7 and/or Form SS-4. Or, you can go to www.irs.gov/OrderForms to place an order and have Form W-7 and/or SS-4 mailed to you within 10 business days.
If you are asked to complete Form W-9 but do not have a TIN, apply for a TIN and write "Applied For" in the space for the TIN, sign and date the form, and give it to the requester. For interest and dividend payments, and certain payments made with respect to readily tradable instruments, generally you will have 60 days to get a TIN and give it to the requester before you are subject to backup withholding on payments. The 60-day rule does not apply to other types of payments. You will be subject to backup withholding on all such payments until you provide your TIN to the requester.
Note: Entering "Applied For" means that you have already applied for a TIN or that you intend to apply for one soon.
Caution: A disregarded U.S. entity that has a foreign owner must use the appropriate Form W-8.
Part II. Certification
To establish to the withholding agent that you are a U.S. person, or resident alien, sign Form W-9. You may be requested to sign by the withholding agent even if item 1, 4, or 5 below indicates otherwise.
For a joint account, only the person whose TIN is shown in Part I should sign (when required). In the case of a disregarded entity, the person identified on line 1 must sign. Exempt payees, see Exempt payee code, earlier.
Signature requirements. Complete the certification as indicated in items 1 through 5 below.
1. Interest, dividend, and barter exchange accounts opened before 1984 and broker accounts considered active during 1983. You must give your correct TIN, but you do not have to sign the certification.
2. Interest, dividend, broker, and barter exchange accounts opened after 1983 and broker accounts considered inactive during 1983. You must sign the certification or backup withholding will apply. If you are subject to backup withholding and you are merely providing your correct TIN to the requester, you must cross out item 2 in the certification before signing the form.
3. Real estate transactions. You must sign the certification. You may cross out item 2 of the certification.
4. Other payments. You must give your correct TIN, but you do not have to sign the certification unless you have been notified that you have previously given an incorrect TIN. "Other payments" include payments made in the course of the requester's trade or business for rents, royalties, goods (other than bills for merchandise), medical and health care services (including payments to corporations), payments to a nonemployee for services, payments made in settlement of payment card and third party network transactions, payments to certain fishing boat crew members and fishermen, and gross proceeds paid to attorneys (including payments to corporations).
5. Mortgage interest paid by you, acquisition or abandonment of secured property, cancellation of debt, qualified tuition program payments (under section 529), ABLE accounts (under section 529A), IRA, Coverdell ESA, Archer MSA or HSA contributions or distributions, and pension distributions. You must give your correct TIN, but you do not have to sign the certification.
What Name and Number To Give the Requester
| For this type of account: | Give name and SSN of: |
|---|---|
| 1. Individual | The individual |
| 2. Two or more individuals (jointaccount) other than an accountmaintained by an FFI | The actual owner of the account or, ifcombined funds, the first individual onthe account1 |
| 3. Two or more U.S. persons(joint account maintained by an FFI) | Each holder of the account |
| 4. Custodial account of a minor(Uniform Gift to Minors Act) | The minor2 |
| 5. a. The usual revocable savings trust(grantor is also trustee) | The grantor-trustee1 |
| b. So-called trust account that is nota legal or valid trust under state law | The actual owner1 |
| 6. Sole proprietorship or disregardedentity owned by an individual | The owner3 |
| 7. Grantor trust filing under OptionalForm 1099 Filing Method 1 (seeRegulations section 1.671-4(b)(2)(i) | The grantor* |
| (A)) | |
| For this type of account: | Give name and EIN of: |
| 8. Disregarded entity not owned by anindividual | The owner |
| 9. A valid trust, estate, or pension trust | Legal entity4 |
| 10. Corporation or LLC electingcorporate status on Form 8832 orForm 2553 | The corporation |
| 11. Association, club, religious,charitable, educational, or other taxexempt organization | The organization |
| 12. Partnership or multi-member LLC13. A broker or registered nominee | The partnershipThe broker or nominee |
| For this type of account: | Give name and EIN of: |
|---|---|
| 14. Account with the Department ofAgriculture in the name of a publicentity (such as a state or localgovernment, school district, orprison) that receives agriculturalprogram payments | The public entity |
| 15. Grantor trust filing under the Form1041 Filing Method or the OptionalForm 1099 Filing Method 2 (seeRegulations section 1.671-4(b)(2)(i)(B)) | The trust |
1 List first and circle the name of the person whose number you furnish. If only one person on a joint account has an SSN, that person's number must be furnished.
2 Circle the minor's name and furnish the minor's SSN.
3 You must show your individual name and you may also enter your business or DBA name on the "Business name/disregarded entity" name line. You may use either your SSN or EIN (if you have one), but the IRS encourages you to use your SSN.
4 List first and circle the name of the trust, estate, or pension trust. (Do not furnish the TIN of the personal representative or trustee unless the legal entity itself is not designated in the account title.) Also see Special rules for partnerships, earlier.
*Note: The grantor also must provide a Form W-9 to trustee of trust.
Note: If no name is circled when more than one name is listed, the number will be considered to be that of the first name listed.
Secure Your Tax Records From Identity Theft
Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal information such as your name, SSN, or other identifying information, without your permission, to commit fraud or other crimes. An identity thief may use your SSN to get a job or may file a tax return using your SSN to receive a refund.
To reduce your risk:
• Protect your SSN,
- Ensure your employer is protecting your SSN, and
- Be careful when choosing a tax preparer.
If your tax records are affected by identity theft and you receive a notice from the IRS, respond right away to the name and phone number printed on the IRS notice or letter.
If your tax records are not currently affected by identity theft but you think you are at risk due to a lost or stolen purse or wallet, questionable credit card activity or credit report, contact the IRS Identity Theft Hotline at 1-800-908-4490 or submit Form 14039.
For more information, see Pub. 5027, Identity Theft Information for Taxpayers.
Victims of identity theft who are experiencing economic harm or a systemic problem, or are seeking help in resolving tax problems that have not been resolved through normal channels, may be eligible for Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) assistance. You can reach TAS by calling the TAS toll-free case intake line at 1-877-777-4778 or TTY/TDD 1-800-829-4059.
Protect yourself from suspicious emails or phishing schemes. Phishing is the creation and use of email and websites designed to mimic legitimate business emails and websites. The most common act is sending an email to a user falsely claiming to be an established legitimate enterprise in an attempt to scam the user into surrendering private information that will be used for identity theft.
The IRS does not initiate contacts with taxpayers via emails. Also, the IRS does not request personal detailed information through email or ask taxpayers for the PIN numbers, passwords, or similar secret access information for their credit card, bank, or other financial accounts.
If you receive an unsolicited email claiming to be from the IRS, forward this message to [email protected]. You may also report misuse of the IRS name, logo, or other IRS property to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) at 1-800-366-4484. You can forward suspicious emails to the Federal Trade Commission at [email protected] or report them at www.ftc.gov/complaint. You can contact the FTC at www.ftc.gov/idtheft or 877-IDTHEFT (877-438-4338). If you have been the victim of identity theft, see www.IdentityTheft.gov and Pub. 5027.
Visit www.irs.gov/IdentityTheft to learn more about identity theft and how to reduce your risk.
Privacy Act Notice
Section 6109 of the Internal Revenue Code requires you to provide your correct TIN to persons (including federal agencies) who are required to file information returns with the IRS to report interest, dividends, or certain other income paid to you; mortgage interest you paid; the acquisition or abandonment of secured property; the cancellation of debt; or contributions you made to an IRA, Archer MSA, or HSA. The person collecting this form uses the information on the form to file information returns with the IRS, reporting the above information. Routine uses of this information include giving it to the Department of Justice for civil and criminal litigation and to cities, states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. commonwealths and possessions for use in administering their laws. The information also may be disclosed to other countries under a treaty, to federal and state agencies to enforce civil and criminal laws, or to federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies to combat terrorism. You must provide your TIN whether or not you are required to file a tax return. Under section 3406, payers must generally withhold a percentage of taxable interest, dividend, and certain other payments to a payee who does not give a TIN to the payer. Certain penalties may also apply for providing false or fraudulent information.
The Depositary is:
COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY OF CANADA
By Hand or by Courier
100 University Avenue, 8th Floor, North Tower Toronto, Ontario M5J 2Y1
By Mail
P.O. Box 7021 31 Adelaide St E Toronto, ON M5C 3H2 Attention: Corporate Actions
Toll Free: 1-800-564-6253 E-Mail: [email protected]
4131-1675-0891 v3