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LFNT Resources Corp. — Proxy Solicitation & Information Statement 2026
Jan 9, 2026
48447_rns_2026-01-09_b669c9a5-9573-4f4d-9db8-3de90cbb9edc.pdf
Proxy Solicitation & Information Statement
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LFNT RESOURCES CORP.
NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL AND SPECIAL MEETING
AND
INFORMATION CIRCULAR
To be held on February 13, 2026
Dated: December 30, 2025
LENT RESOURCES
NOTICE AND ACCESS NOTIFICATION TO SHAREHOLDERS
AND
NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL AND SPECIAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
TO BE HELD ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2026
You are receiving this notification because LFNT Resources Corp. (the "Company") has opted to use the "Notice and Access" model for the delivery of its management information circular (the "Information Circular") to the holders (the "Shareholders") of Shares in the capital of the Company in respect of its annual general and special meeting of Shareholders to be held on Friday, February 13, 2026 (the "Meeting").
Under the "Notice and Access" instead of receiving paper copies of the Information Circular, Shareholders are receiving this notice with information on how to access the Information Circular electronically. Shareholders will also be receiving a proxy or voting instruction form, as applicable, together with this notification to use to vote at the Meeting.
The use of this alternative means of delivery is more environmentally friendly and more economical. It reduces the Company's paper use and it also reduces the Company's printing and mailing costs.
MEETING DATE AND LOCATION
WHEN: Friday, February 13, 2026
10:00 A.M Pacific Time
WHERE: VIA ZOOM
Join the Meeting by using the following link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86908529000?pwd=eehcUJOG98EQny4rDz3m8qkvExN7ga.1
Meeting ID: 869 0852 9000 | Passcode: 557557
To assist with the attendance, Shareholders are asked to log into the Meeting with their First and Last Names.
SHAREHOLDERS WILL BE ASKED TO CONSIDER AND VOTE ON THE FOLLOWING MATTERS AT THE MEETING:
- FINANCIAL STATEMENTS: to receive and consider the consolidated audited financial statements of the Company for the year ended October 31, 2024, together with the auditor's report thereon. See the section entitled "Particulars of Matters to be Acted Upon – Financial Statements" in the Information Circular.
- FIX THE NUMBER OF DIRECTORS: to set the number of directors of the Company at Five (5). See the section entitled "Particulars of Matters to be Acted Upon – Fixing the Number of Directors" in the Information Circular.
- ELECTION OF DIRECTORS: to elect directors of the Company for the ensuing year. See the section entitled "Particulars of Matters to be Acted Upon - Election of Directors" in the Information Circular.
- APPOINTMENT OF AUDITORS: to appoint Adam Sung Kim Ltd., Chartered Professional Accountant, as auditor of the Company for the ensuing year and to authorize the directors to fix their remuneration. See the section entitled "Particulars of Matters to be Acted Upon – Appointment of Auditors" in the Information Circular.
- APPROVAL OF OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN to consider and, if thought fit, to pass an ordinary resolution approving the adoption of the Company's Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan. See the section entitled "Particulars of Matters to be Acted Upon – Approval of the 2022 Omnibus Share Incentive Plan" in the Information Circular.
- OTHER BUSINESS: to transact such further or other business as may properly come before the Meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof.
SHAREHOLDERS ARE REMINDED TO REVIEW THE INFORMATION CIRCULAR PRIOR TO VOTING.
WEBSITES WHERE THE INFORMATION CIRCULAR IS POSTED:
The Information Circular can be viewed online under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) or on the Company's website at (www.lfnt.ca).
The Financial Statement Request Card will be mailed to Shareholders together with the proxy or voting instruction form, as applicable, and this notification to use to vote at the Meeting.
HOW TO OBTAIN PAPER COPIES OF THE INFORMATION CIRCULAR
Shareholders may request paper copies of the Information Circular and other meeting materials, including the audited consolidated financial statements of the Company for the year ended October 31, 2024 and the report of the auditors thereon and related Management's Discussion and Analysis, by first class mail, courier or the equivalent at no cost to the shareholder. Requests must be made by email to [email protected] or by calling toll-free at 1-888-787-0888. Requests may be made up to one year from the date the Information Circular was filed on SEDAR+.
For Shareholders who wish to receive paper copies of the Information Circular in advance of the voting deadline, requests must be received no later than February 3, 2026. The Information Circular will be sent to such Shareholders within three business days of their request if such requests are made before the Meeting. Following the Meeting, the Information Circular will be sent to such Shareholders within ten days of their request.
Requests must be made by email to [email protected] or by calling toll-free at 1-888-787-0888.
VOTING
YOU CANNOT VOTE BY RETURNING THIS NOTICE. To vote your securities, you must vote using the method set out in the enclosed voting instruction form or proxy.
Registered Holders are asked to return their proxies using the following methods by the proxy deposit date noted on the proxy, which is by 10:00 A.M. Pacific Time on February 11, 2026:
ONLINE: Go to www.eproxy.ca and follow the instructions.
EMAIL: Send to [email protected]
FACSIMILE: Fax to Endeavor Trust Corporation. at 604-559-8908.
MAIL: Complete the form of proxy or any other proper form of proxy, sign it and mail it to: Endeavor Trust Corporation Suite 702, 777 Hornby Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1S4
Beneficial Holders are asked to return their voting instructions using the following methods at least one business day in advance of the proxy deposit date noted on your voting instruction form:
INTERNET: Go to proxyvote.com and follow the instructions.
MAIL: Complete the voting instruction form, sign it and mail it in the envelope provided.
Shareholders with questions about notice and access can call toll free at 1-888-787-0888.
We value your opinion and participation in the Meeting as a Shareholder of LFNT Resources Corp.
DATED at Vancouver, British Columbia, this 30th day of December, 2025.
By Order of the Board of Directors
"Shayne Taker"
Chief Executive Officer and Director
LFNT RESOURCES CORP.
789 West Pender Street, Suite 480,
Vancouver, British Columbia, V6C 1H2, Canada
MANAGEMENT INFORMATION CIRCULAR
The information contained in this management information circular (this "information Circular") is as of December 30, 2025, unless otherwise noted.
This Information Circular is furnished in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the management of LFNT Resources Corp. for use at the annual general and special meeting (the "Meeting") of holders of Shares of the Company ("Shareholders") that is to be held virtually on at the time and place and for the purposes set forth in the accompanying notice of the Meeting.
In this Information Circular, references to the "Company", "we", "our" and "LFNT" refer to LFNT Resources Corp. "Shares" means Shares in the capital of the Company. "Beneficial Shareholders" means holders of Shares who do not hold their Shares in their own name and "Intermediaries", as defined herein, refers to brokers, investment firms, clearing houses and similar entities that hold securities on behalf of Beneficial Shareholders.
The Company is relying on the "notice-and-access" delivery procedures outlined in this Information Circular to distribute copies of proxy-related materials in connection with the Meeting. See "Notice and Access" below for further information.
All dollar amounts presented in this Information Circular are in Canadian dollar amounts, unless otherwise stated.
SECTION 1 – GENERAL PROXY AND VOTING INFORMATION
SOLICITATION OF PROXIES
The solicitation of proxies will primarily be made by sending proxy materials to Shareholders by mail, and in relation to the delivery of this Information Circular, by filing it under the Company's profile on the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval Plus ("SEDAR+") at www.sedarplus.com pursuant to Notice and Access (as defined hereunder). The solicitation of proxies by management of the Company will be conducted by mail and may be supplemented by telephone or other personal contact and such solicitation will be made without special compensation granted to the directors, officers and employees of the Company. The Company does not reimburse shareholders, nominees or agents for costs incurred in obtaining, from their principals, authorization to execute forms of proxy, except that the Company has requested brokers and nominees who hold stock in their respective names to furnish this Information Circular and proxy materials to their customers, and the Company will reimburse such brokers and nominees for their related out of pocket expenses. No solicitation will be made by specifically engaged employees or soliciting agents. The cost of solicitation will be borne by the Company.
No person has been authorized to give any information or to make any representation other than as contained in this Information Circular in connection with the solicitation of proxies. If given or made, such information or representations must not be relied upon as having been authorized by the Company. The delivery of this Information Circular shall not create, under any circumstances, any implication that there has been no change in the information set forth herein since the date of this Information Circular. This
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Information Circular does not constitute the solicitation of a proxy by anyone in any jurisdiction in which such solicitation is not authorized, or in which the person making such solicitation is not qualified to do so, or to anyone to whom it is unlawful to make such an offer of solicitation.
NOTICE AND ACCESS
The Company has chosen to deliver the Meeting proxy materials, including the Notice and Access Notification to Shareholders (the "Notification"), the Notice of Annual general and special meeting of Shareholders and the Information Circular and a form of Proxy (the "Proxy") (together, the "Proxy Materials") using Notice-and-Access provisions, which govern the delivery of proxy-related materials to Shareholders utilizing the internet. Notice-and-Access provisions are found in section 9.1.1 of National Instrument 51-102 – Continuous Disclosure Obligations ("NI 51-102"), for delivery to Registered Shareholders, and in section 2.7.1 of National Instrument 54-101 – Communication with Beneficial Owners of Securities of a Reporting Issuer ("NI 54-101"), for delivery to beneficial Shareholders (together, the "Notice-and-Access Provisions"). Notice-and-Access Provisions allow the Company to deliver Proxy Materials to Shareholders by posting them on a non-SEDAR+ website (usually the reporting issuer's website or the website of their transfer agent), provided that the conditions of NI 51-102 and NI 54-101 are met, rather than by printing and mailing all of the Proxy Materials, in particular the Information Circular.
Notice-and-Access Provisions can be used to send proxy materials for both annual and special meetings of the Shareholders. The Shareholders may still choose to receive a paper copy of the Information Circular and are entitled to request a paper copy of the Information Circular be mailed to them at the Company's expense.
Use of Notice-and-Access Provisions reduces paper waste and the Company's printing and mailing costs. Under Notice-and-Access Provisions the Company must mail a Notification and a form of proxy or voting instruction form, as applicable (together, the "Notice Package") to each Shareholder, including Registered and Beneficial Shareholders, indicating that the Proxy Materials have been posted online and explaining how a Shareholder can access them; and how they may obtain a paper copy of the Information Circular, from the Company. The Information Circular has been posted in full, together with the Notification, the Notice of Annual general and special meeting and the Proxy, on the Company's website at www.lfnt.ca and under the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca.
HOW TO OBTAIN A PAPER COPY OF THE CIRCULAR
Any Shareholder may request a paper copy of the Information Circular be mailed to them, at no cost, by contacting the Company's transfer agent Endeavour Trust Corporation by email to [email protected] or by calling toll-free at 1-888-787-0888.
To allow adequate time for a Shareholder to receive and review a paper copy of the Information Circular and then to submit their vote by 10:00 A.M. Pacific Time on February 11, 2026 (the "Proxy Deadline"), a Shareholder requesting a paper copy of the Information Circular as described above, should ensure such request is received no later than February 3, 2026.
Under Notice-and-Access Provisions, Proxy Materials must be available for viewing for up to one year from the date of posting and a paper copy of the Information Circular can be requested at any time during this period. To obtain a paper copy of the Information Circular after the Meeting date, please contact the Company.
Pursuant to Notice-and-Access Provisions, the Company has set the record date for the Meeting to be at least 40 days prior to the Meeting in order to ensure there is sufficient time for the Proxy Materials to be posted on the applicable website and for them to be delivered to Shareholders. The form of notice-and-access notification in the Company's notice package must (i) provide basic information about the Meeting and the matters to be voted on; (ii) explain how a Shareholder can obtain a paper copy of the Information Circular and any related financial statements and management discussion and analysis; (iii) explain the Notice-and-Access Provisions process; all of which are included in the Notification. The Notice Package, which is being mailed to Shareholders by the Company, in each case includes the applicable voting document: the Proxy for Registered Shareholders; or a VIF in the case of Non-Registered (Beneficial) Shareholders.
Also, pursuant to Notice-and-Access Provisions, since the Company has not previously utilized Notice-and-Access Provisions for delivery of its annual meeting proxy materials, the Company ensured there are a minimum of 25 days between the date the company SEDAR+ files Notice of Meeting and Record Dates and the stipulated record date of the meeting.
The Company will not use a procedure known as 'stratification' in relation to its use of Notice-and-Access Provisions. Stratification occurs when a reporting issuer using Notice-and-Access Provisions also provides a paper copy of its management information circular to some of its shareholders with the Notice Package. All Shareholders will receive only the Notice Package, which must be mailed to them pursuant to Notice-and-Access Provisions, and which will not include a paper copy of the Information Circular. All Proxy Materials, which have the information a Shareholder requires to vote in respect of all resolutions to be voted on at the Meeting, will be posted online. Shareholders will not receive a paper copy of the Information Circular from the Company, or from any intermediary, unless a Shareholder specifically requests one.
All Shareholders may call 1-888-787-0888 in order to obtain additional information relating to Notice-and-Access Provisions or to request a paper copy of the Information Circular, up to and including the date of the Meeting, including any adjournment of the Meeting.
WHO CAN VOTE
If you are a registered Shareholder of the Company as at December 30, 2025, you are entitled to notice of and to attend at the Meeting and cast a vote for each share registered in your name on all resolutions put before the Meeting. If the Shares are registered in the name of a corporation, a duly authorized officer of that corporation may attend on its behalf but documentation indicating such officer's authority should be presented at the Meeting. If you are a registered Shareholder but do not wish to, or cannot, attend the Meeting you can appoint someone who will attend the Meeting and act as your proxyholder to vote in accordance with your instructions (see "Voting by Proxy" below). If your Shares are registered in the name of a "nominee" (usually a bank, trust company, securities dealer, financial institution or other intermediary ("Intermediary" or "Intermediaries," as appropriate)) you should refer to the section entitled "Non-Registered Shareholders" set out below.
It is important that your Shares be represented at the Meeting regardless of the number of Shares you hold. If you will not be attending the Meeting, we invite you to complete, date, sign and return your form of proxy as soon as possible so that your Shares will be represented.
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VOTING BY PROXY
If you do not come to the Meeting, you can still make your votes count by appointing someone who will be there to act as your proxyholder. You can either tell that person how you want to vote or you can let him or her decide for you. You can do this by completing a form of proxy.
In order to be valid, you must return the completed form of proxy to the Company's transfer agent, Endeavor Trust Corporation (the "Transfer Agent"), located at Suite 702, 777 Hornby Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1S4, or by fax at 604-559-8908, email at [email protected] or by online voting, not later than 48 hours, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, prior to the time fixed for the Meeting or any adjournments thereof.
WHAT IS A PROXY
A form of proxy is a document that authorizes someone to attend the Meeting and cast your votes for you. We have enclosed a form of proxy with this Information Circular. You should use it to appoint a proxyholder, although you can also use any other legal form of proxy.
APPOINTMENT OF PROXYHOLDERS
The persons named as management proxyholders to represent registered Shareholders at the Meeting are Shayne Taker, Chief Executive Officer and a Director of the Company, or Braydon Hobbs, Chief Financial Officer and a Director of the Company, or Sheri Rempel, a Director of the Company (collectively, the "Management Proxyholders").
A Shareholder wishing to appoint some other person or company (who need not be a Shareholder) other than the designated persons named in the form of proxy to represent him or her at the Meeting has the right to do so, either by inserting such other person's or company's name in the blank space provided in the form of proxy or by completing another form of proxy. Such a Shareholder should notify the nominee of his or her appointment, obtain his or her consent to act as proxy and instruct him or her on how the Shareholder's Shares are to be voted or withheld from voting. In any case, the form of proxy should be dated and executed by the Shareholder or his/her attorney authorized in writing, or if the Shareholder is a company, under its corporate seal, or by an officer or attorney thereof duly authorized.
Similar procedures should be followed by a non-registered Shareholder with respect to the completion of a voting instruction form ("VIF") provided by such Shareholder's Intermediary, although the Shareholder should read the instructions on his or her VIF and, if necessary, confirm the instructions with his or her Intermediary. If a non-registered Shareholder wishes to attend the Meeting to vote in person, the Shareholder must instruct the Intermediary to appoint him or her as a proxyholder.
A proxy will not be valid for the Meeting or any adjournment thereof unless the completed, signed and dated form of proxy is delivered to the office of the Transfer Agent by mail or by hand, not later than 48 hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays) before the commencement of the Meeting.
The Company has sent the Notice Package, to all eligible Shareholders informing them that this Information Circular is available online and explaining how this Information Circular may be accessed. The Company will not directly send the Notice Package to Beneficial Shareholders (as defined below). Instead, the Company will pay the Intermediaries for the distribution to Beneficial Shareholders whose Shares are held by or in the custody of such Intermediaries. Such Intermediaries are required to forward the Notice Package to Beneficial Shareholders unless a Beneficial Shareholder has waived the right to receive it. The solicitation
of proxies from Beneficial Shareholders will be carried out by the Intermediaries or by the Company if the names and addresses of the Beneficial Shareholders are provided by Intermediaries. The Company will pay the permitted fees and costs of Intermediaries incurred in connection with the distribution of the Notice Package.
Instructing Your Proxy
You may indicate on your form of proxy how you wish your proxyholder to vote your Shares or withhold them from voting. To do this, simply mark the appropriate boxes on the form of proxy. If you do this, your proxyholder must vote your Shares or withhold them from voting in accordance with the instructions you have given.
If you do not give any instructions as to how to vote on a particular issue to be decided at the Meeting, your proxyholder can vote your Shares as he or she thinks fit. If you have appointed the persons designated in the form of proxy as your proxyholder they will, unless you give contrary instructions, vote your Shares IN FAVOUR of each of the items of business being considered at the Meeting.
For more information about these matters, see Section 3 – Particulars of Matters to be Acted Upon. The enclosed form of proxy gives the persons named on it the authority to use their discretion in voting on amendments or variations to matters identified in the Notice of Meeting. At the time of printing this Information Circular, management of the Company is not aware of any other matter to be presented for action at the Meeting. If, however, other matters do properly come before the Meeting, the persons named on the enclosed form of proxy will vote on them in accordance with their best judgment, pursuant to the discretionary authority conferred by the form of proxy with respect to such matters.
Revocation of Proxies
If you want to revoke your proxy after you have delivered it, you can do so at any time before it is used. You may do this by: (a) attending the Meeting via teleconference and voting in person; (b) signing a proxy bearing a later date; (c) signing a written statement which indicates, clearly, that you want to revoke your proxy and delivering this signed written statement to the Company at 789 West Pender Street, Suite 408, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6C 1H2, Canada; or (d) in any other manner permitted by law.
Your proxy will only be revoked if a revocation is received by 5:00 p.m. (Vancouver time) on the last business day before the day of the Meeting, or any adjournment thereof, or delivered to the person presiding at the Meeting before it (or any adjournment) commences. If you revoke your proxy and do not replace it with another that is deposited with us before the deadline, you can still vote your shares but to do so you must attend the Meeting via teleconference. Only registered Shareholders may revoke a proxy. If your Shares are not registered in your own name and you wish to change your vote, you must arrange for your nominee to revoke your proxy on your behalf (see below under "Non-Registered Shareholders").
REGISTERED SHAREHOLDERS
Registered Shareholders may wish to vote by proxy whether or not they are able to attend the Meeting via teleconference. Registered Shareholders electing to submit a proxy may do so by completing the form of proxy and returning it to the Company's Transfer Agent, no later than 10:00 A.M. (Pacific Time) on February 11, 2026, or at least 48 hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays recognized in the Province of British Columbia) before the time and date of any adjournment or postponement of the Meeting.
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NON-REGISTERED SHAREHOLDERS
The following information is of significant importance to Shareholders of the Company who do not hold Shares in their own name. These Shareholders are called Beneficial Shareholders. Beneficial Shareholders should note that the only proxies that can be recognized and acted upon at the Meeting are those deposited by registered Shareholders (those whose names appear on the records of the Company as the registered holders of Shares).
If Shares are listed in an account statement provided to a Shareholder by a broker, then in almost all cases those Shares will not be registered in the Shareholder’s name on the records of the Company. Such Shares will more likely be registered under the name of the Shareholder’s broker or an agent of that broker. In the United States the vast majority of such Shares are registered under the name of Cede & Co. as nominee for The Depository Trust Company (which acts as depositary for many United States brokerage firms and custodian banks), and in Canada, under the name of CDS & Co. (the registration name for The Canadian Depository for Securities Limited, which acts as nominee for many Canadian brokerage firms).
Intermediaries are required to seek voting instructions from beneficial Shareholders in advance of Shareholders’ meetings. Every Intermediary has its own mailing procedures and provides its own return instructions to clients.
IF YOU ARE A BENEFICIAL SHAREHOLDER
You should carefully follow the instructions of your broker or Intermediary in order to ensure that your Shares are voted at the Meeting.
The form of proxy supplied to you by your broker will be similar to the proxy provided to registered Shareholders by the Company. However, its purpose is limited to instructing the Intermediary on how to vote on your behalf. Many brokers delegate responsibility for obtaining instructions from clients to an investor communication service (“ICS”) in Canada/the United States. The ICS will typically mail a voting instruction form in lieu of a proxy provided by the Company. The voting instruction form will name the same persons as the Company’s Proxy to represent you at the Meeting. You have the right to appoint a person (who need not be a Beneficial Shareholder of the Company), other than the persons designated in the voting instruction form, to represent you at the Meeting. To exercise this right, you should insert the name of the desired representative in the blank space provided in the voting instruction form. The completed voting instruction form must then be returned to the ICS by mail or facsimile or given to the ICS by phone or over the internet, in accordance with the ICS’ instructions. The ICS then tabulates the results of all instructions received and provides appropriate instructions respecting the voting of Shares to be represented at the Meeting. If you receive a voting instruction form from an ICS, you cannot use it to vote Shares directly at the Meeting - the voting instruction form must be completed and returned to the ICS, in accordance with its instructions, well in advance of the Meeting in order to have the Shares voted.
Although as a beneficial Shareholder you may not be recognized directly at the Meeting for the purposes of voting Shares registered in the name of your broker, you, or a person designated by you, may attend at the Meeting as proxy holder for your broker and vote your Shares in that capacity. If you wish to attend at the Meeting and indirectly vote your Shares as proxy holder for your broker, or have a person designated by you do so, you should enter your own name, or the name of the person you wish to designate, in the blank space on the voting instruction form provided to you and return the same to your broker in accordance with the instructions provided by such broker (or agent), well in advance of the Meeting.
Alternatively, you can request in writing that your broker send you a legal proxy which would enable you,
or a person designated by you, to attend at the Meeting and vote your Shares.
This Information Circular and related material is being sent to both registered and non-registered owners of the securities of the Company. If you are a non-registered owner, and the Company or its agent has sent these materials directly to you, your name and address and information about your holdings of securities have been obtained in accordance with applicable securities regulatory requirements from the Intermediary holding on your behalf.
By choosing to send these materials to you indirectly, the intermediary holding on your behalf has assumed responsibility for (i) delivering these materials to you, and (ii) executing your proper voting instructions. Please return your voting instructions as specified in the request for voting instructions.
RECORD DATE AND QUORUM
The Company has set the close of business on December 30, 2025, as the record date (the "Record Date") for the Meeting. Only the Shareholders of record as at the Record Date are entitled to receive notice of and to vote at the Meeting, unless after that date a Shareholder of record transfers his or her Shares and the transferee, upon producing properly endorsed certificates evidencing such shares or otherwise establishing that he or she owns such shares, requests at least ten (10) days prior to the Meeting that the transferee's name be included in the list of Shareholders entitled to vote, in which case such transferee is entitled to vote such shares at the Meeting.
Under the Articles of the Company, subject to the special rights and restrictions attached to the shares of any class or series of shares, the quorum for the transaction of business at the Meeting is one Shareholder present in person (or, being a corporation, partnership, trust, or other non-individual legal entity represented in accordance with the provisions of the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia), as amended (the "BCBCA"), or by proxy holding not less than one voting share of the Company entitled to be voted at the Meeting.
SECTION 2 – VOTING SECURITIES AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF VOTING SECURITIES
VOTING OF SHARES
The Company is authorized to issue an unlimited number of Shares without par value of which 23,350,333 Shares were issued and outstanding as of the Record Date. The holders of the Company's Shares of record at the Record Date are entitled to vote such shares at the Meeting on the basis of one vote for each Common Share held. There are no classes of restricted securities.
The issued and outstanding Shares are listed for trading on the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE") under the symbol LFNT.
PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SHARES
To the knowledge of the directors and executive officers of the Company, as at the Record Date, the are no Shareholders who beneficially own, directly or indirectly, or exercise control or direction over Shares carrying more than 10% of the voting rights attached to all outstanding Shares of the Company.
SECTION 3 – PARTICULARS OF MATTERS TO BE ACTED UPON
To the knowledge of the Company’s directors, only the matters to be placed before the Meeting are those referred to in the notice of meeting accompanying this Information Circular. However, should any other matters properly come before the Meeting, the Shares represented by the proxy solicited hereby will be voted on such matters in accordance with the best judgment of the persons voting the Shares represented by the proxy.
Additional detail regarding each of the matters to be acted upon at the Meeting is set forth below.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The board of directors of the Company (the “Board” or the “Board of Directors”) has approved the audited financial statements of the Company for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2024, together with the auditor’s report (the “Financial Statements”) thereon. The Financial Statements will be presented to the Shareholders at the Meeting.
Copies of the Financial Statements will be available at the Meeting and may also be obtained by a Shareholder upon request without charge from the Company at 750 West Pender Street, Suite 401, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6C 2T7, Canada. These documents are also available under the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca).
Management will review the Company’s financial results at the Meeting and Shareholders and proxyholders will be given an opportunity to discuss these results with management. No approval or other action needs to be taken at the Meeting in respect of these documents.
FIXING THE NUMBER OF DIRECTORS
Directors of the Company are elected for a term of one year. The term of office of each of the nominees proposed for election as a director will expire at the Meeting, and each of them, if elected, will serve until the close of the next annual general and special meeting, unless he resigns or otherwise vacates office before that time. Under the Company’s Articles and pursuant to the BCBCA, the number of directors may be set by ordinary resolution but shall not be fewer than three. The Company currently has Five (5) directors, all of whom are being put forward by management of the Company for re-election at the Meeting. Therefore, it is proposed that the number of directors to be elected to hold office until the next annual general and special meeting of Shareholders or until their successors are elected or be appointed be set at Five (5) directors.
The Company’s management recommends that the Shareholders vote IN FAVOUR of the resolution setting the number of directors at Five (5). Unless you give other instructions, the Management Proxyholders intend to vote FOR the resolution setting the number of directors at Five (5).
ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
The term of office of all current directors of the Company expires at the time of the Meeting but they are eligible for re-election or re-appointment. Unless the director’s office is earlier vacated in accordance with the provisions of the BCBCA or the Articles of the Company, each director elected will hold office until the next annual general and special meeting of the Company, or until his or her successor is duly elected or appointed, unless his or her office is earlier vacated.
It is proposed that the below-stated nominees be elected at the Meeting as directors of the Company for the ensuing year. The persons designated in the enclosed form of proxy, unless instructed otherwise, intend to vote FOR the election to the Board of the nominees listed below. Management does not contemplate that any of the nominees will be unable to serve as a director but, if that should occur for any reason prior to the Meeting, the persons designated in the enclosed form of proxy reserve the right to vote for other nominees in their discretion.
Pursuant to the Advance Notice Provisions contained in the Articles of the Company, any additional director nominations for the Meeting must have been received by the Company in accordance with the provisions. As no such nominations were received by the Company, management's nominees for election as directors set forth below shall be the only nominees eligible to stand for election at the Meeting.
The following table sets out the names of management's nominees for election as directors; all offices in the Company each nominee now holds; each nominee's principal occupation, business or employment; the period of time during which each nominee has been a director of the Company; and the number of Shares of the Company beneficially owned by each nominee, directly or indirectly, or over which each nominee exercised control or direction, as at the Record Date.
| Name, Municipality of Residence and Position Held | Principal Occupation for the Past Five (5) Years | Director of the Company Since | Shares Beneficially Owned or Controlled, Directly or Indirectly^{(1)} |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shayne Taker | |||
| New Westminster, BC, Canada | |||
| CEO & Director | Principal and owner of 1238723 BC Ltd., a business development and strategic communications services firm. | July 6, 2022 | 1,422,940^{(3)} |
| Braydon Hobbs^{(2)} | |||
| North Vancouver, BC, Canada | |||
| CFO & Corporate Secretary, Director | Professional accountant and principal of 1278197 BC Ltd., a firm providing Chief Financial Officer and financial consulting services; Chief Financial Officer and director of Quri-Mayu Developments Ltd. since September 2019; Chief Financial Officer and director of Mucho Cobre Resources Ltd. since June 2020; Chief Financial Officer of Gold Mountain Mining Corp., February 2019 to March 2023. | October 4, 2022 | Nil |
| Lucas Russell | |||
| Victoria, BC, Canada | |||
| Director | Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Goverly.ai., since January 2022; Chief Executive Officer of Valdor Technology International Inc., November 2021 to January 2025; President and Chief Executive Officer of Anonymous Intelligence Company Inc., February 2022 to February 2024. | September 23, 2024 | 897,533 |
| Kirby Renton | |||
| Saskatoon, SK, Canada | |||
| Director Nominee | Chief Operating Officer and director of UraniumX Discovery Corp., since July 2025; President and Chief Executive Officer of Apex Exploration Corp., since June 2025; Vice-President of Konect.ai, January 2023 to February 2024. | Not applicable | Nil |
| Name, Municipality of Residence and Position Held | Principal Occupation for the Past Five (5) Years | Director of the Company Since | Shares Beneficially Owned or Controlled, Directly or Indirectly(1) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laurie Thomas | |||
| Saskatoon, SK, Canada | |||
| Director Nominee | Principal and owner of Laurie Thomas Consulting Services, a firm providing strategic advisory services; Chief Executive Officer of Riverboat Energy Corp., September 2024 to October 2025. | Not applicable | Nil |
(1) This information, not being within the knowledge of the Company, has been furnished by the respective nominees. Information provided as at the Record Date.
(2) Member of Audit Committee.
(3) Mr. Taker beneficially controls 1,422,940 Shares through 1238723 BC LTD, a BC corporation owned by Mr. Taker.
Biographies of Director Nominees
Kirby Renton
Mr. Renton is the Chief Operating Officer and a Director of UraniumX Discovery Corp., with over 20 years of experience in business development, acquisitions, land services, and operational leadership. His career spans the energy, midstream, and technology sectors, where he has held senior executive and director roles with organizations including Novacor Exploration, Foundation Auto Group, Border Surplus Management, Renton Land Services, and Predator Midstream. Mr. Renton brings a demonstrated track record of driving growth, executing complex transactions, building high-performing teams, and delivering value across both public and private companies.
Laurie Thomas
Ms. Thomas is a senior executive and board advisor with more than 20 years of experience in strategic, commercial, and governance leadership across the energy and natural resources sectors. She has extensive expertise in capital markets, investor relations, financial reporting and disclosure, audit and consulting, risk management, and mining finance. Ms. Thomas currently serves on the advisory board of Kincora Copper and has held senior leadership roles with several recognized Canadian resource companies, including Cameco Corporation and UEX Corporation, where she served as Vice President of Corporate Communications. She has also held senior positions with Standard Uranium Ltd. and MAS Gold, and previously served as Controller at the Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute in Humboldt, Saskatchewan. Ms. Thomas holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) degree from the University of Saskatchewan, earned her Certified Management Accountant (CMA) designation in 2008, is a graduate of the CIRI/Ivey Investor Relations Certification Program (CPIR), and was awarded a Fellowship from the Canadian Investor Relations Institute in 2022.
The Company's management recommends that the Shareholders vote IN FAVOUR of the resolution of the election of the proposed nominees as directors of the Company for the ensuing year. Unless you give instructions otherwise, the Management Proxyholders intend to vote FOR the nominees named in this Information Circular.
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APPOINTMENT OF AUDITORS
Adam Sung Kim Ltd., Chartered Professional Accountant, is the independent registered certified auditor of the Company and was appointed on October 10, 2022.
At the Meeting, Shareholders will be asked to approve the appointment of Adam Sung Kim Ltd., Chartered Professional Accountant, located at Unit #168 - 4300 North Fraser Way, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5J 5J8, Canada as the auditor of the Company to hold office until the next Annual general and special meeting of the Shareholders, or until a successor is appointed, at a remuneration to be fixed by the Board of Directors. See Section 5 – Audit Committee – External Auditor Service Fees.
The Company's management recommends that Shareholders vote in favour of the appointment of Adam Sung Kim Ltd., Chartered Professional Accountant, as the Company's auditor for the ensuing year and grant the Board of Directors the authority to determine the remuneration to be paid to the auditor. Unless you give instructions otherwise, the Management Proxyholders intend to vote FOR the appointment of Adam Sung Kim Ltd., Chartered Professional Accountant, to act as the Company's auditor until the close of its next annual general and special meeting and also intend to vote FOR the proposed resolution to authorize the Board of Directors to fix the remuneration to be paid to the auditor.
APPROVAL OF THE 2022 OMNIBUS SHARE INCENTIVE PLAN
At the Meeting, shareholders will be asked to consider and, if thought advisable, pass an ordinary resolution approving the Omnibus Share Incentive Plan (the "Omnibus Plan") in the form attached hereto as Schedule "B".
Background and Purpose
On June 23, 2022, the board of directors of the Company (the "Board") adopted the Omnibus Plan, subject to shareholder approval. The Omnibus Plan is intended to provide the Company with a flexible compensation framework pursuant to which equity-based incentive awards may be granted to directors, executive officers, employees and consultants, in order to attract, retain and motivate qualified individuals and to align their interests with those of the Company's shareholders.
The Omnibus Plan permits the grant of equity-based awards in the form of stock options ("Options"), restricted share units ("RSUs") and performance share units ("PSUs"), and deferred share units ("DSUs") (together with Options and Share Units, "Awards"). Provided that the Omnibus Plan is approved by shareholders at the Meeting, all future Awards will be granted pursuant to the Omnibus Plan, subject to applicable securities laws and exchange policies.
Shares Subject to the Omnibus Plan
The Omnibus Plan is a rolling (evergreen) plan. Subject to adjustment in accordance with the Omnibus Plan and applicable Exchange requirements, the maximum number of common shares of the Company (the "Shares") reserved for issuance under the Omnibus Plan, together with all other share compensation arrangements of the Company, shall not exceed 10% of the Company's issued and outstanding Shares at any time, calculated on a non-diluted basis.
If any Award granted under the Omnibus Plan expires, is cancelled, forfeited, surrendered or settled in cash, the Shares reserved in respect thereof will again be available for issuance under the Omnibus Plan.
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Participation Limits
The Omnibus Plan contains the following participation limits, which are consistent with Exchange policies:
- the aggregate number of Shares reserved for issuance to Insiders, at any time shall not exceed 10% of the issued and outstanding Shares;
- the aggregate number of Shares issuable to Insiders within any 12-month period shall not exceed 10% of the issued and outstanding Shares, unless disinterested shareholder approval is obtained;
- the aggregate number of Shares issuable to any one person within any 12-month period shall not exceed 5% of the issued and outstanding Shares, unless disinterested shareholder approval is obtained;
- the aggregate number of Shares issuable to any one Consultant within any 12-month period shall not exceed 2% of the issued and outstanding Shares; and
- the aggregate number of Options granted to persons providing Investor Relations Activities shall not exceed 1% of the issued and outstanding Shares within any 12-month period.
Any grant of Awards that would exceed the foregoing Insider participation limits will require the approval of disinterested shareholders in accordance with applicable Exchange policies.
Administration of the Omnibus Plan
The Omnibus Plan is administered by the Board, or a committee thereof, which has full authority, subject to the terms of the Omnibus Plan, applicable securities laws and Exchange policies, to interpret and administer the Omnibus Plan. The Board has discretion to determine eligible participants, grant Awards, establish vesting conditions, set exercise prices and other terms, and determine whether Awards are settled in Shares or cash, where permitted. All determinations of the Board shall be final, binding and conclusive.
Eligibility
Pursuant to the Omnibus Plan, only Eligible Persons may be granted Awards, whereby 'Eligible Persons' means: (a) in respect of a grant of Options, any director, executive officer, employee or consultant of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (b) in respect of a grant of RSUs or PSUs, any director, executive officer, employee or consultant of the Company or any of its subsidiaries other than persons retained to provide Investor Relations Activities, and (c) in respect of a grant of DSUs, any non-employee director other than persons retained to provide Investor Relations Activities (as defined under the policies of the CSE).
Types of Awards
Options
An Option entitles a holder thereof to purchase a prescribed number of unissued Shares at an exercise price set at the time of the grant. The Board shall establish the exercise price at the time each Option is granted, which exercise price must in all cases be the greater of the closing market price of the Shares on (i) the trading day prior to the date of grant and (ii) the date of grant, unless otherwise permitted by applicable securities laws or the policies of a stock exchange on which the Shares are listed. Each Option expires on its respective expiry date, provided such expiry date does not exceed 10 years. The Board will have the authority to determine the vesting terms applicable to grants of Options. Once an Option becomes vested, it shall remain vested and shall be exercisable until expiration or termination of the Option, unless otherwise
specified by the Board or as otherwise set forth in any written employment agreement, Award Agreement or other written agreement between the Company or a subsidiary of the Company and the participant. The Board may provide at the time of granting an Option that the exercise of that Option is subject to restrictions, in addition to those specified in the Omnibus Share Incentive Plan, such as vesting conditions relating to the attainment of specified performance goals. Unless otherwise specified by the Board at the time of granting an Option and set forth in the particular Award agreement, an exercise notice must be accompanied by payment of the exercise price.
RSUs
An RSU is a unit equivalent in value to a Share credited by means of a bookkeeping entry in the books of the Company which entitles the holder to receive one Share (or the value thereof) for each RSU after a specified vesting period. The Board may, from time to time, subject to the provisions of the Omnibus Share Incentive Plan and such other terms and conditions as the Board may prescribe, grant RSUs to any participant in respect of a bonus or similar payment in respect of services rendered by the applicable participant in a taxation year (the "RSU Service Year").
The number of RSUs (including fractional RSUs) granted at any particular time under the Omnibus Share Incentive Plan will be calculated by dividing (a) the amount of any bonus or similar payment that is to be paid in RSUs, as determined by the Board, by (b) the greater of (i) the market price of a Common Share on the date of grant and (ii) such amount as determined by the Board in its sole discretion. The Board shall have the authority to determine any vesting terms applicable to the grant of RSUs, provided that the terms comply with Section 409A of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, to the extent applicable.
Upon settlement, holders will redeem each vested RSU for the following at the election of the Company Board: (a) one fully paid and non-assessable Common Share in respect of each vested RSU, (b) a cash payment or (c) a combination of Shares and cash. Any such cash payments made by the Company shall be calculated by multiplying the number of RSUs to be redeemed for cash by the market price per Common Share as at the settlement date. Subject to the provisions of the Omnibus Share Incentive Plan and except as otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, no settlement date for any RSU shall occur, and no Common Share shall be issued or cash payment shall be made in respect of any RSU any later than the final business day of the third calendar year following the applicable RSU Service Year.
PSUs
A PSU is a unit equivalent in value to a Common Share credited by means of a bookkeeping entry in the books of the Company, which entitles the holder to receive one Common Share (or the value thereof) for each PSU after specific performance-based vesting criteria determined by the Board, in its sole discretion, have been satisfied. The performance goals to be achieved during any performance period, the length of any performance period, the amount of any PSUs granted, the effect of termination of a participant's service and the amount of any payment or transfer to be made pursuant to any PSU will be determined by the Board and by the other terms and conditions of any PSU, all as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.
The Board may, from time to time, subject to the provisions of the Omnibus Share Incentive Plan and such other terms and conditions as the Board may prescribe, grant PSUs to any participant in respect of a bonus or similar payment in respect of services rendered by the applicable participant in a taxation year (the "PSU Service Year").
The Board shall have the authority to determine any vesting terms applicable to the grant of PSUs. Upon settlement, holders will redeem each vested PSU for the following at the election of the Company Board:
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(a) one fully paid and non-assessable Common Share in respect of each vested PSU, (b) a cash payment, or (c) a combination of Shares and cash. Any such cash payments made by the Company to a participant shall be calculated by multiplying the number of PSUs to be redeemed for cash by the market price per Common Share as at the settlement date. Subject to the provisions of the Omnibus Share Incentive Plan and except as otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, no settlement date for any PSU shall occur, and no Common Share shall be issued or cash payment shall be made in respect of any PSU any later than the final business day of the third calendar year following the applicable PSU Service Year.
DSUs
A DSU is a unit equivalent in value to a Common Share credited by means of a bookkeeping entry in the books of the Company which entitles the holder to receive one Common Share or, at the election of the holder and subject to the approval of the Board, the cash value thereof, for each DSU on a future date.
DSUs vest in accordance with the terms of their respective Award Agreement. Subject to the vesting and other conditions and provisions in the Omnibus Share Incentive Plan and in any Award Agreement, each DSU awarded to a recipient entitles them to receive on settlement a cash payment equal to the market price of a Common Share, or, at the discretion of the Company Board, one Common Share or any combination of cash and Shares at the Company's sole discretion. For greater certainty, no recipient has any right to demand to be paid in, or receive, Shares in respect of any DSU, and, notwithstanding any discretion exercised by the Company to settle any DSU, or portion thereof, in the form of Shares, the Company reserves the right to change the form of payment at any time until the payment is actually made.
Amendment and Termination
The Board may, in its sole discretion, from time to time, amend, suspend or terminate the Omnibus Share Incentive Plan at any time without the approval of the Company's shareholders, provided that no such amendment, suspension or termination may be made without obtaining any required approval of any regulatory authority or stock exchange or materially prejudice the rights of any holder under any Award.
Notwithstanding those provisions, the Board shall be required to obtain shareholder approval, including, if required by the applicable exchange, disinterested shareholder approval, to make the following amendments: (a) any amendment to the maximum percentage or number of Shares that may be reserved for issuance pursuant to the exercise or settlement of Awards granted under the Omnibus Share Incentive Plan, including an increase to the fixed maximum percentage of Shares or a change from a fixed maximum percentage of Shares to a fixed maximum number of Shares or vice versa; (b) any amendment which reduces the exercise price of any Award, as applicable, after such Award has been granted or any cancellation of an Award and the replacement of such Award with an Award with a lower exercise price or other entitlements; (c) any amendment which extends the expiry date of any Award, or the Restriction Period (as defined under the Omnibus Share Incentive Plan) of any RSUs or PSUs beyond the original expiry date or Restriction Period (as defined under the Omnibus Share Incentive Plan); (d) any amendment which would permit Awards granted under the Omnibus Share Incentive Plan to be transferable or assignable; (e) any amendment to the definition of an "Eligible Participant" under the Omnibus Share Incentive Plan; (f) any amendment to the participation limits; or (g) any amendment to these provisions.
The Board may, by resolution, but subject to applicable regulatory approvals, decide that any of the provisions in the Omnibus Share Incentive Plan concerning the effect of termination of the participant's employment or engagement shall not apply for any reason acceptable to the Company Board.
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Furthermore, the Board may, subject to regulatory approval, discontinue the Omnibus Share Incentive Plan at any time without the consent of the participants provided that such discontinuance shall not materially and adversely affect any Awards previously granted to a participant under the Omnibus Share Incentive Plan.
Change of Control
In the event of a Change of Control (as defined in the Omnibus Plan), outstanding Options and Share Units may vest in accordance with the terms of the Omnibus Plan, while DSUs will continue to be settled only upon termination of service, unless otherwise required by applicable law.
Shareholder Approval of the Omnibus Plan
Accordingly, at the Meeting, shareholders will be asked to consider and if thought fit, approve an ordinary resolution ratifying the adoption of the Omnibus Plan. In order to be effective, an ordinary resolution requires approval by a majority of the votes cast by shareholders for such resolution. The text of the proposed resolution is set forth below. Unless otherwise directed, the persons named in the enclosed proxy intend to vote IN FAVOUR of this resolution.
RESOLVED THAT:
(a) the Omnibus Plan adopted by the board of directors of the Company on June 23, 2022, in the form attached as “B” to the Management Information Circular of the Company dated December 30, 2025, is hereby confirmed, ratified and approved, and the Company has the ability to grant Awards under the Omnibus Plan until February 13, 2029, which is the date that is three years from the date of the meeting of the holders (the “Shareholders”) of Shares of the Company (“Shares”) at which Shareholder approval of the Omnibus Plan is being sought.
(b) The Options and Awards (as defined in the Omnibus Plan) previously issued and outstanding, together with the Options and Awards to be issued under the Omnibus Plan, and all unallocated Options and Awards remaining available for grant under the Omnibus Plan, be and are hereby approved;
(c) The board of directors (the “Board”) of the Company is hereby authorized to make such amendments to the Omnibus Plan from time to time, as may be required by the applicable regulatory authorities, or as may be considered appropriate by the Board, in its sole discretion, provided always that such amendments be subject to the approval of the regulatory authorities, if applicable, and in certain cases, in accordance with the terms of the Omnibus Plan, the approval of the Shareholders.
(d) Any one director or officer of the Company is hereby authorized and directed, acting for, in the name of and on behalf of the Company, to execute or cause to be executed, under the seal of the Company or otherwise and to deliver or to cause to be delivered, all such other deeds, documents, instruments and assurances and to do or cause to be done all such other acts as, in the opinion of such director or officer of the Company, may be necessary or desirable to carry out the terms of the foregoing resolutions.
OTHER BUSINESS
The Company will consider and transact such other business as may properly come before the Meeting or any adjournment or adjournments thereof. Management of the Company knows of no other matters to come before the Meeting other than those referred to in the Notice of Meeting. Should any other matters
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properly come before the Meeting the Shares represented by the proxies solicited hereby will be voted on such matter in accordance with the best judgement of the persons voting by proxy.
SECTION 4 – EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
The following information regarding executive compensation is presented in accordance with National Instrument Form 51-102F6V – Statement of Executive Compensation – Venture Issuers. The objective of this disclosure is to communicate the compensation the Company paid, made payable, awarded, granted, gave or otherwise provided to each named executive officer and director for the fiscal period ended October 31, 2024 and the decision-making process relating to compensation.
Information contained in this Statement of Executive Compensation is as of October 31, 2024 unless otherwise indicated and all dollar amounts referenced herein are in Canadian Dollars, unless stated otherwise.
GENERAL
For the purpose of this Statement of Executive Compensation:
"Company" means LFNT Resources Corp.;
"compensation securities" includes stock options, convertible securities, exchangeable securities and similar instruments including stock appreciation rights, deferred share units and restricted stock units granted or issued by the company or one of its subsidiaries for services provided or to be provided, directly or indirectly, to the company or any of its subsidiaries;
"NEO" or "named executive officer" means each of the following individuals:
(a) each individual who, in respect of the Company, during any part of the most recently completed financial year, served as chief executive officer ("CEO"), including an individual performing functions similar to a CEO;
(b) each individual who, in respect of the Company, during any part of the most recently completed financial year, served as chief financial officer ("CFO"), including an individual performing functions similar to a CFO;
(c) in respect of the Company and its subsidiaries, the most highly compensated executive officer other than the individuals identified in paragraphs (a) and (b) at the end of the most recently completed financial year whose total compensation was more than $150,000 for that financial year; and
(d) each individual who would be a named executive officer under paragraph (c) but for the fact that the individual was not an executive officer of the Company, and was not acting in a similar capacity, at the end of that financial year.
Based on foregoing definition, during the last completed financial year of the Company, the Company had two (2) NEOs, namely, Shayne Taker, CEO, and Braydon Hobbs, CFO & Corporate Secretary.
Information contained in this Statement of Executive Compensation is as of October 31, 2024 unless otherwise indicated and all dollar amounts referenced herein are in Canadian Dollars, unless stated otherwise.
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DIRECTOR AND NEO COMPENSATION
Director and NEO compensation, excluding options and compensation securities
The following table sets forth all compensation (excluding compensation securities) paid, payable, awarded, granted, given, or otherwise provided, directly or indirectly, by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, to each NEO and director of the Company, in any capacity, including, for greater certainty, all plan and non-plan compensation, direct and indirect pay, remuneration, economic or financial Award, reward, benefit, gift or perquisite paid, payable, awarded, granted, given or otherwise provided to the NEO or a director of the Company for services provided and for services to be provided, directly or indirectly, to the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
| Table of compensation excluding compensation securities | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name and position | Year | Salary, consulting fee, retainer or commission ($) | Bonus ($) | Committee or meeting fees ($) | Value of perquisites ($)^{(10)} | Value of all other compensation ($) | Total compensation ($) |
| Shayne Taker^{(1)}CEO & Director | 2024 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| 2023 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | |
| Braydon Hobbs^{(2)}CFO & Corporate Secretary, Director | 2024 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| 2023 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | |
| Ronald Woo^{(3)}Director | 2024 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| 2023 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | |
| Sheri Rempel^{(4)}Director | 2024 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | 42,000^{(6)} | 42,000 |
| 2023 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | 39,725^{(6)} | 39,725 | |
| Howard Jones^{(5)}Former Director | 2024 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| 2023 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
(1) Shayne Taker was appointed as a director on July 6, 2022 and CEO of the Company on October 31, 2022.
(2) Braydon Hobbs was appointed as a director on October 5, 2022 and CFO and corporate Secretary of the Company on October 31, 2022.
(3) Ronald Woo was appointed as a director on July 25, 2022.
(4) Sheri Rempel was appointed as a director on September 25, 2022.
(5) Howard Jones was appointed as a director on June 23, 2022 and resigned on September 15, 2023.
(6) The incurred cost is for management and consulting fees due to ARO Consulting Inc., a company controlled by Ms. Rempel.
STOCK OPTIONS AND OTHER COMPENSATION SECURITIES
During the financial years ended October 31, 2024 and 2023, there were no compensation securities granted or issued to each NEO and director for services provided or to be provided, directly or indirectly, to the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
The Company has no Options issued and outstanding as at October 31, 2024.
Exercise of Compensation Securities by Directors and NEOs
There were no compensation securities issued during the fiscal year 2024, and therefore, no compensation securities were available for exercise by a director.
Awards Granted
As of the date of this Information Circular, the Company has not granted any Options to purchase Shares or awarded any RSUs, PSUs and DSUs under the Omnibus Share Incentive Plan. See “Stock Options and Other Compensation Securities” above for more information.
Omnibus Share Incentive Plan
Refer to the “Approval of the 2022 Omnibus Share Incentive Plan” on page 12.
Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans
The following table sets out information with respect to all compensation plans under which equity securities are authorized for issuance as of October 31, 2024:
| Equity Compensation Plan Information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Plan Category | Number of securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants and rights^{(1)} (a) | Weighted-average exercise price of outstanding options, warrants and rights (b) | Number of securities remaining available for future issuance under equity compensation plans (excluding securities reflected in column (a))^{(2)} (c) |
| Equity compensation plans approved by Securityholders | Nil | N/A | Nil |
| Equity compensation plans not approved by securityholders | Nil | N/A | 2,335,033 |
| Total | Nil | N/A | 2,335,033 |
(1) Represents the number of Shares available for issuance under the Omnibus Plan, which reserves a number of Shares for issuance, pursuant to the exercise of Options, Share Units and DSUs, that is equal to 10% of the issued and outstanding Shares from time to time.
(2) The Omnibus Share Incentive Plan is subject to shareholder approval at the Meeting and is therefore reflected as not yet approved.
Employment, consulting and management agreements
The Company does not have any employment, consulting or management agreements or arrangements with any of the Company’s current NEOs or directors, other than disclosed in “Section 7 – Other Information - Interest of Informed Persons in Material Transactions.”
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Termination and Change of Control Benefits
The Company does not have any plan or arrangement to pay or otherwise compensate any Named Executive Officer if his employment is terminated as a result of resignation, retirement, change of control, etc. or if his responsibilities change following a change of control.
Oversight and description of director and named executive officer compensation
Compensation Discussion and Analysis
The Board will be responsible for setting the overall compensation strategy of the Company and administering the Company's executive compensation program with input from the CEO of the Company in respect of all executive officers other than the CEO. As part of its mandate, the Board will approve the remuneration of the Company's executive officers, including any NEOs of the Company. The Board will also be responsible for reviewing the Company's compensation policies and guidelines generally.
The objective of the Company's executive compensation program will be to motivate, reward, and retain management talent that is needed to achieve the Company's business objectives. The compensation program is designed to ensure that compensation is competitive with other companies of similar size and is commensurate with the experience, performance, and contribution of the individuals involved and the overall performance of the Company. In evaluating performance, consideration is given to the Company's long-term interests and quantitative financial objectives, as well to the qualitative aspects of the individual's performance and achievements. Compensation for directors of the Company, if any, will also be determined by the Board on an annual basis.
Compensation Objectives and Principles
The compensation program for the senior management of the Company will be designed to ensure that the level and form of compensation achieves certain objectives, including:
- attracting and retaining qualified executives;
- motivating the short and long-term performance of these executives; and
- better aligning their interests with those of the Company's shareholders.
In compensating its senior management, the Company may employ a combination of base salary, bonus compensation and equity participation through the Omnibus Share Incentive Plan. The Company will not provide any retirement benefits for its directors or officers.
Elements of Compensation
The executive compensation program is comprised of three principal components: (i) base salaries; (ii) bonuses, and (iii) an equity incentive compensation plan which will be designed to provide a combination of cash and equity-based compensation to effectively retain and motivate the executive officers to achieve the Company's goals and objectives. Each component of the executive compensation program is described below.
Base Salary
Executive officers may be paid a base salary to compensate them for providing the leadership and specific skills needed to fulfill their responsibilities. The payment of base salaries is an important component of the
intended compensation program and serves to attract and retain qualified individuals. The base salaries for the executive officers will be reviewed annually by the Board and will be determined by considering the contributions made by the executive officers, how their compensation levels related to compensation packages that would be achievable by such officers from other opportunities, and publicly available salary data. Salaries of the executive officers will not be determined based on benchmarks or a specific formula. Furthermore, no peer group will be used to determine compensation.
Bonus Incentive Compensation
The Board may from time to time approve bonus payments to reward executive officers for their contribution to the achievement of annual corporate goals and objectives. Bonuses will also serve as a retention incentive for executive officers so that they remain in the employ of the Company Board. The payment of bonuses is consistent with the intended overall objective of the Company to reward performance.
Equity Participation
Equity participation will be accomplished through the Plan. Options, RSUs, DSUs, and PSUs may be granted or awarded to executives and employees considering a number of factors, including the amount and term of Awards previously granted, base salary and bonuses and competitive factors. The amounts and terms of Options, RSUs, DSUs, and PSUs granted or awarded are determined by the Company Board.
Compensation Process
The Company does not anticipate having a compensation committee or a formal compensation policy. The Company will rely solely on the directors to determine the compensation of any NEOs. In determining compensation, the directors will consider industry standards and the Company's financial situation, but the Company will not have any formal objectives or criteria. The performance of each executive officer will be informally monitored by the directors, having in mind the business strengths of the individual and the purpose of originally appointing the individual as an officer.
In establishing compensation for executive officers, the Board as a whole seeks to accomplish the following goals:
- to recruit and subsequently retain highly qualified executive officers by competitive offering overall compensation;
- to motivate executives to achieve important corporate and personal performance objectives and reward them when such objectives are met; and
- to align the interests of executive officers with the long-term interests of shareholders through participation in the Company's Omnibus Share Incentive Plan.
When considering the appropriate executive compensation to be paid to our officers, the Board will have regard to a number of factors including: (i) recruiting and retaining executives critical to the success of the Company and the enhancement of shareholder value; (ii) providing fair and competitive compensation; (iii) balancing the interests of management and the Company's shareholders; (iv) rewarding performance, both on an individual basis and with respect to operations generally; and (v) available financial resources.
Equity Incentive Based Awards
Long-term incentives in the form of Options, RSUs, PSUs, and DSUs are intended to align the interests of
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our directors and executive officers with those of the Company's shareholders and to provide a long-term incentive to reward those individuals for their contribution to the generation of shareholder value, while reducing the burden of cash compensation that would otherwise be payable by the Company.
The Omnibus Plan is administered by the Board. In determining the number of equity incentive Awards to be granted to the NEOs, the Board will have regard to several considerations including previous grants of equity incentive Awards and the overall number of outstanding equity incentive Awards relative to the number of outstanding Shares, as well as the degree of effort, time, responsibility, ability, experience and level of commitment of the executive officer. For a detailed discussion of the Plan, please see "Stock Options and Other Compensation Securities".
Equity Incentive and Other Compensation Securities
As of the date of this Information Circular, there has been no grant or exercise of compensation securities of the Company issued to NEOs and directors of the Company.
Pension disclosure
The Company does not have any pension, defined benefit, defined contribution or deferred compensation plans in place.
SECTION 5 – AUDIT COMMITTEE
Audit Committee Charter
The Company's Audit Committee is governed by an Audit Committee Charter, a copy of which is attached hereto as Schedule "A".
Composition of the Audit Committee
The members of the Company's Audit Committee are:
| Sheri Rempel (Chair) | Independent(1) | Financially literate(2) |
|---|---|---|
| Ronald Woo | Independent(1) | Financially literate(2) |
| Braydon Hobbs | Not Independent(1) | Financially literate(2) |
Notes:
(1) A member of an audit committee is independent if the member has no direct or indirect material relationship with the Company, which could, in the view of the Board, reasonably interfere with the exercise of a member's independent judgment. Mr. Hobbs is not independent, as Mr. Hobbs is the Chief Financial Officer of the Company.
(2) An individual is financially literate if he has the ability to read and understand a set of financial statements that present a breadth of complexity of accounting issues that are generally comparable to the breadth and complexity of the issues that can reasonably be expected to be raised by the Company's financial statements.
Relevant Education and Experience
Each member of the Company's present Audit Committee has adequate education and experience that is relevant to his performance as an Audit Committee member and, in particular, the requisite education and experience that have provided the member with:
23
(a) an understanding of the accounting principles used by the Company to prepare its financial statements and the ability to assess the general application of those principles in connection with estimates, accruals and reserves;
(b) experience preparing, auditing, analyzing or evaluating financial statements that present a breadth and level of complexity of accounting issues that are generally comparable to the breadth and complexity of issues that can reasonably be expected to be raised by the Company's financial statements or experience actively supervising individuals engaged in such activities; and
(c) an understanding of internal controls and procedures for financial reporting.
Audit Committee Oversight
At no time since the commencement of the Company's most recently completed financial year was a recommendation of the Audit Committee to nominate or compensate an external auditor not adopted by the Board.
Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures
The Audit Committee is authorized by the Board to review the performance of the Company's external auditors and approve in advance provision of services other than auditing and to consider the independence of the external auditors, including a review of the range of services provided in the context of all consulting services bought by the Company. The Audit Committee is authorized to approve in writing any non-audit services or additional work which the Chair of the Audit Committee (the "Chair") deems is necessary, and the Chair will notify the other members of the Audit Committee of such non-audit or additional work and the reasons for such non-audit work for the Audit Committee's consideration, and if thought fit, approval in writing.
External Auditor Service Fees
The following table sets out the aggregate fees billed by the Company's external auditor during the financial years ended October 31, 2024 and October 31, 2023:
| Auditor | Financial Year End | Audit Fees | Audit Related Fees^{(1)} | Tax Fees^{(2)} | All other Fees^{(3)} |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adam Sung Kim Ltd, Chartered Professional Accountant | October 31, 2024 | $10,500^{(4)} | Nil | $1,500 | Nil |
| October 31, 2023 | $10,500 | Nil | $1,500 | Nil |
Notes:
(1) Fees charged for assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the performance of an audit, and not included under Audit Fees.
(2) Fees charged for tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning services.
(3) Fees for services other than disclosed in any other column.
(4) Fees for the audit respecting the period ended October 31, 2024.
Exemption
The Company has relied upon the exemption provided by section 6.1 of NI 52-110, which states that the Company, as an IPO Venture Issuer, is not required to comply with Part 3 (Composition of the Audit Committee) and Part 5 (Reporting Obligations).
24
SECTION 6 – CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
GENERAL
National Instrument 58-101 - Disclosure of Corporate Governance Practices ("NI 58-101") provides guidelines on corporate governance disclosure for venture issuers as set out in Form 58-101F2 and requires full and complete annual disclosure of a listed company's systems of corporate governance with reference to National Policy 58-201 – Corporate Governance Guidelines (the "Guidelines"). Where a company's corporate governance system differs from the Guidelines, each difference and the reason for the difference is required to be disclosed. The Company's approach to corporate governance is provided below.
Corporate governance relates to the activities of the Board, the members of which are elected by and are accountable to the shareholders and takes into account the role of the individual members of management who are appointed by the Board and who are charged with the day-to-day management of the Company. The Board is committed to sound corporate governance practices that are both in the interest of its shareholders and contribute to effective and efficient decision making. National Policy 58-201 - Corporate Governance Guidelines establishes corporate governance guidelines that apply to all public companies. The Company has reviewed its own corporate governance practices in light of these guidelines. In certain cases, the Company's practices comply with the guidelines; however, the Board considers that some of the guidelines are not suitable for the Company at its current stage of development and therefore these guidelines have not been adopted. NI 58-101 mandates disclosure of corporate governance practices for Venture Issuers in Form 58-101F2, which disclosure is set out below.
Board of Directors
As of the date of this Information Circular, the Board consists of Five (5) members, namely: Shayne Taker, Braydon Hobbs, Ronald Woo, Lucas Russell and Sheri Rempel.
Ronald Woo, Lucas Russell and Sheri Rempel are considered "independent" in that they are independent and free from any interest and any business or other relationship which could, or could reasonably be perceived to, materially interfere with the director's ability to act with the best interests of the Company, other than the interests and relationships arising from being shareholders of the Company. Shayne Taker and Braydon Hobbs, are each considered not to be "independent" as they are also officers of the Company.
Board Mandate
The Board facilitates independent supervision of management through meetings of the Board and through frequent informal discussions among independent members of the Board and management. In addition, the Board will have access to the Company's external auditors, legal counsel and to any of the Company's officers.
The Board has a stewardship responsibility to supervise the management of and oversee the conduct of the business of the relevant company, provide leadership and direction to management, evaluate management, set policies appropriate for the business of the Company and approve corporate strategies and goals.
The day-to-day management of the business and affairs of the Company will be delegated by the Board to the senior officers of the Company. The Board will give direction and guidance through the CEO to management and will keep management informed of its evaluation of the senior officers in achieving and complying with goals and policies established by the Company Board.
25
26
Other Reporting Issuer Experience
Certain directors of the Company are currently also directors of other reporting issuers, as described in the table below:
| Name of Director | Name of Reporting Issuer or Equivalent | Exchange or Market |
|---|---|---|
| Shayne Taker | Omega Pacific Resources Inc. | Canadian Securities Exchange |
| Braydon Hobbs | Mucho Cobre Resources Ltd. | |
| Quri-Mayu Developments Ltd. | Reporting Issuer | |
| TSX Venture Exchange | ||
| Kirby Renton | UraniumX Discovery Corp. | Canadian Securities Exchange |
Orientation and Continuing Education
It is the intention that the Board will consider and determine an orientation process for new members of the Board and continuing education and development for incumbent members of the Company Board, including specific education for members of each committee, if necessary. In addition, the Board will oversee the arrangement for its members to annually participate in a continuing education event addressing current developments and best practices in corporate governance, if deemed to be appropriate and beneficial.
Ethical Business Conduct
The Board may choose to adopt a written code of business conduct and ethics, which will apply to all employees, officers, directors and advisors of the Company and its affiliates. The purpose of such code of business conduct and ethics will be to create a culture in the Company and its affiliates that values high ethical standards, honesty and compliance with laws, rules and regulations. Such code of business conduct and ethics will contain prohibitions on discrimination and harassment as well as provisions that require the directors, officers and other employees of the Company and its affiliates to avoid situations where their personal interest's conflict, or appear to conflict, with the interests of the Company and/or its affiliates.
Nomination of Directors
The Board as a whole will be responsible for annually identifying and recommending to the Board an annual slate of nominees for membership on the Company Board. In recommending the annual slate of nominees, the Board will identify and screen individuals to determine potential candidates, taking into account the number of directors required to carry out the Company Board's duties effectively and to maintain a diversity of views and experience.
Compensation
The Board conducts reviews with regard to directors' and officers' compensation at least once a year. For information regarding the steps taken to determine compensation for the directors and the executive officers, see "Executive Compensation" herein.
Other Board Committees
The Board has no other committees other than the Audit Committee.
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Assessments
The Board will monitor the adequacy of information given to directors, communication between the Board and management and the strategic direction and process of the Board and the Audit Committee. During the year-end audit, both the Board and the Audit Committee will review the information contained within the financial statements, express any opinions which they may have and make self-assessments regarding whether the information is accurate and representative of clear communications between the Board and management of the Company.
SECTION 7 – OTHER INFORMATION
INDEBTEDNESS OF DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
As of the date of this Information Circular, there was no indebtedness outstanding for any current or former director, executive officer, employee, or director nominee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries which is owing to the Company or any of its subsidiaries or to another entity which is the subject of a guarantee, support agreement, letter of credit or other similar arrangement or understanding provided by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, entered into in connection with a purchase of securities or otherwise.
No individual who is, or at any time during the most recently completed financial year was, a director or executive officer of the Company, no proposed nominee for election as a director of the Company and no associate of such persons:
(i) is or at any time since the beginning of the most recently completed financial year has been, indebted to the Company or any of its subsidiaries; or
(ii) whose indebtedness to another entity is, or at any time since the beginning of the most recently completed financial year has been, the subject of a guarantee, support agreement, letter of credit or other similar arrangement or understanding provided by the Company or any of its subsidiaries,
in relation to a securities purchase program or other program.
Furthermore, none of such persons were indebted to a third party during such period where their indebtedness was the subject of a guarantee, support agreement, letter of credit or other similar arrangement or understanding provided by the Company or its subsidiaries.
INTEREST OF CERTAIN PERSONS OR COMPANIES IN MATTERS TO BE ACTED UPON
Management of the Company is not aware of any material interest, direct or indirect, by way of beneficial ownership of securities or otherwise, in any matter to be acted upon at the Meeting other than the election of directors or the appointment of auditor, of any person who has been a director or executive officer of the Company at any time since the beginning of the Company's last financial year, of any proposed nominee for election as a director of the Company, or of any associate or affiliate of such persons, except as hereinafter disclosed.
INTEREST OF INFORMED PERSONS IN MATERIAL TRANSACTIONS
Applicable securities legislation defines "informed person" to mean any of the following: (a) a director or executive officer of a reporting issuer; (b) a director or officer of a person or company that is itself an
informed person or subsidiary of a reporting issuer; (c) any person or company who beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, voting securities of a reporting issuer or who exercises control or direction over voting securities of a reporting issuer or a combination of both carrying more than 10% of the voting rights attached to all outstanding voting securities of the reporting issuer other than voting securities held by the person or company as underwriter in the course of a distribution; and (d) a reporting issuer that has purchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired any of its securities, for so long as it holds any of its securities.
None of the informed persons of the Company, nor any proposed nominee for election as a director of the Company, nor any associate or affiliate of the foregoing persons, has any material interest, direct or indirect, in any transactions since the commencement of the Company's last completed financial year, or in any proposed transaction which, in either case, has or will materially affect the Company or any of its subsidiaries, except as disclosed below:
MANAGEMENT CONTRACTS
Management functions of the Company are not, to any substantial degree, performed other than by directors or NEOs of the Company. Except as disclosed below, during the financial year ended October 31, 2024, there were no other agreements or arrangements that provided for compensation to NEOs or directors of the Company, or that provided for payments to a NEO or director at, following or in connection with any termination (whether voluntary, involuntary or constructive), resignation, retirement, severance, a change of control in the Company or a change in the NEO or director's responsibilities.
PENALTIES AND SANCTIONS
As at the date of this Information Circular unless disclosed below, to the knowledge of the Company, no proposed nominee for election as a director of the Company (nor any of his or her personal holding companies) has been subject to:
(a) any penalties or sanctions imposed by a court relating to securities legislation or by a securities regulatory authority or has entered into a settlement agreement with a securities regulatory authority; or
(b) any other penalties or sanctions imposed by a court or regulatory body that would likely be considered important to a reasonable Shareholder in deciding whether to vote for a proposed director.
CORPORATE CEASE TRADE ORDERS AND BANKRUPTCIES
Except as summarized below, to the knowledge of the Company, no proposed nominee for election as a director of the Company is, or has been, within ten (10) years before the date of this Information Circular:
- a director, chief executive officer or chief financial officer of any company (including the Company and any personal holding company of the proposed director) that:
(a) was subject to a cease trade order (including any management cease trade order which applied to directors or executive officers of a company, whether or not the person is named in the order) or an order similar to a cease trade order or an order that denied the relevant company access to any exemption under securities legislation, that was in effect for a period of more than 30 consecutive days (an "Order"); that was issued while
28
the proposed director was acting in the capacity as director, chief executive officer or chief financial officer; or
(b) was subject to an Order that was issued after the proposed director ceased to be a director, chief executive officer or chief financial officer and which resulted from an event that occurred while that person was acting in the capacity as director, chief executive officer or chief financial officer; or
-
a director or executive officer of any company (including the Company) and any personal holding company of the proposed director) that, while that person was acting in that capacity, or within a year of that person ceasing to act in that capacity, became bankrupt, made a proposal under any legislation relating to bankruptcy or insolvency or was subject to or instituted any proceedings, arrangement or compromise with creditors or had a receiver, receiver manager or trustee appointed to hold its assets; or
-
become bankrupt, made a proposal under any legislation relating to bankruptcy or insolvency, or become subject to or instituted any proceedings, arrangement or compromise with creditors, or had a receiver, receiver manager or trustee appointed to hold the assets of the proposed director.
Sheri Rempel was the Chief Financial Officer of Victory Square Technologies Inc., a reporting issuer listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange, during periods in which the issuer was subject to cease trade orders arising from delays in filing required continuous disclosure documents. A cease trade order was issued by the British Columbia Securities Commission and the Ontario Securities Commission on August 6, 2019 due to the failure to file the company's annual audited financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2018 and interim financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for the period ended March 31, 2019 within the prescribed timelines. The required filings were subsequently completed, and the cease trade order was revoked on August 22, 2019, with trading resuming on August 26, 2019. Victory Square Technologies Inc. was also subject to a management cease trade order issued by the British Columbia Securities Commission and the Ontario Securities Commission on May 2, 2022 due to delays in filing its annual audited financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2021 and related interim filings. The required filings were completed in early June 2022, and the management cease trade order was revoked on June 7, 2022.
Sheri Rempel was the Chief Financial Officer and a director of Lanebury Growth Capital Ltd., a reporting issuer listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange, during a period in which the issuer was subject to a management cease trade order issued by the British Columbia Securities Commission on October 30, 2019. The management cease trade order resulted from delays in filing the company's audited annual financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2019, followed by delays in filing its interim financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for the three-month period ended September 30, 2019. The required annual and interim filings were completed in December 2019, and the management cease trade order was revoked on December 27, 2019.
Sheri Rempel was an officer and/or director of XR Immersive Tech Inc., a reporting issuer listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange, during periods in which the issuer was subject to regulatory cease trade orders arising from delays in filing required financial statements. A failure-to-file cease trade order was issued on May 2, 2023 as a result of delays in filing the issuer's audited annual financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2022 and its interim financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for the three-month period ended March 31, 2023,
29
and was revoked on July 19, 2023 following the completion of the required filings. The issuer was subsequently subject to both a management cease trade order and a general cease trade order issued on May 1, 2025 due to delays in filing its audited annual financial statements and management’s discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2024 and related interim financial statements and management’s discussion and analysis. Although the issuer has completed the outstanding financial filings, the cease trade orders have not yet been revoked and trading in the issuer’s securities remains halted.
Sheri Rempel was an officer and/or director of GameOn Entertainment Technologies Inc., a reporting issuer listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange, during periods in which the issuer was subject to multiple failure-to-file cease trade orders arising from delays in filing required financial statements. A failure-to-file cease trade order was issued on May 2, 2023 and was revoked on July 4, 2023 following the completion of the required filings. Additional failure-to-file cease trade orders were issued on April 30, 2024 and revoked on July 13, 2024, and again on December 2, 2024 due to further delays in filing required financial statements. The failure-to-file cease trade order issued on December 2, 2024 remains in effect.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Financial information concerning the Company is provided in its comparative annual financial statements and management’s discussion and analysis for the most recently completed financial year ended October 31, 2024, which, as well as additional information relating to the Company may be obtained without charge upon request to the Company at 789 West Pender Street, Suite 480, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6C 1H2, Canada - telephone (604) 428-7050. You may also access additional information relating to the Company in the public disclosure documents available under the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca).
BOARD APPROVAL
The contents of this Information Circular have been approved, and the delivery of it to each Shareholder entitled thereto and to the appropriate regulatory agencies has been authorized, by the Board.
Dated at Vancouver, British Columbia, this 30th day of December.
BY ORDER OF THE BOARD,
Signed: "Shayne Taker"
Shayne Taker
Chief Executive Officer and Director
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SCHEDULE "A"
LFNT Resources Corp.
(the "Company")
Audit Committee Charter
This Charter establishes the composition, the authority, roles and responsibilities and the general objectives of the Company's audit committee, or its Board of Directors in lieu thereof (the "Audit Committee"). The roles and responsibilities described in this Charter must at all times be exercised in compliance with the legislation and regulations governing the Company and any subsidiaries.
Composition
- Number of Members. The Audit Committee must be comprised of a minimum of three directors of the Company, a majority of whom will be independent. Independence of the board members will be as defined by applicable legislation.
- The members of the Committee will be appointed by the board of directors of the Company ("Board") annually at the first meeting of the Board following the annual meeting of the shareholders, to serve until the next annual meeting of shareholders or until their successors are duly appointed.
- Chair. If there is more than one member of the Audit Committee, members will appoint a chair of the Audit Committee (the "Chair") to serve for a term of one (1) year on an annual basis. The Chair may serve as the chair of the Audit Committee for any number of consecutive terms.
- Financially Literacy. All members of the audit committee will be financially literate as defined by applicable legislation. If upon appointment a member of the Audit Committee is not financially literate as required, the person will be provided with a period of three months to acquire the required level of financial literacy.
Meetings
- Quorum. The quorum required to constitute a meeting of the Audit Committee is set at a majority of members.
- Agenda. The Chair will set the agenda for each meeting, after consulting with management and the external auditor. Agenda materials such as draft financial statements must be circulated to all Audit Committee members for members to have a reasonable amount of time to review the materials prior to the meeting.
- Notice to Auditors. The Company's auditors (the "Auditors") will be provided with notice as necessary of any Audit Committee meeting, will be invited to attend each such meeting and will receive an opportunity to be heard at those meetings on matters related to the Auditor's duties.
- Minutes. Minutes of the Audit Committee meetings will be accurately recorded, with such minutes recording the decisions reached by the committee.
Roles and Responsibilities
The roles and responsibilities of the Audit Committee include the following: External Auditor
The Audit Committee will:
A. Selection of the external auditor. Select, evaluate and recommend to the Board, for shareholder approval, the Auditor to examine the Company's accounts, controls and financial statements.
B. Scope of Work. Evaluate, prior to the annual audit by the Auditors, the scope and general extent of the Auditor's review, including the Auditor's engagement letter.
C. Compensation. Recommend to the Board the compensation to be paid to the external auditors.
D. Replacement of Auditor. If necessary, recommend the replacement of the Auditor to the Board of Directors. E. Approve Non-Audit Related Services. Pre-approve all non-audit services to be provided by the Auditor to the Company or its subsidiaries.
F. Direct Responsibility for Overseeing Work of Auditors. Must directly oversee the work of the Auditor. The Auditor must report directly to the Audit Committee.
G. Resolution of Disputes. Assist with resolving any disputes between the Company's management and the Auditors regarding financial reporting.
Consolidated Financial Statements and Financial Information
The Audit Committee will:
H. Review Audited Financial Statements. Review the audited consolidated financial statements of the Company, discuss those statements with management and with the Auditor, and recommend their approval to the Board.
I. Review of Interim Financial Statements. Review and discuss with management the quarterly consolidated financial statements, and if appropriate, recommend their approval by the Board.
J. MD&A, Annual and Interim Earnings Press Releases, Audit Committee Reports. Review the Company's management discussion and analysis, interim and annual press releases, and audit committee reports before the Company publicly discloses this information.
K. Auditor Reports and Recommendations. Review and consider any significant reports and recommendations issued by the Auditor, together with management's response, and the extent to which recommendations made by the Auditor have been implemented.
Risk Management, Internal Controls and Information Systems
The Audit Committee will:
L. Internal Control. Review with the Auditors and with management, the general policies and procedures used by the Company with respect to internal accounting and financial controls. Remain informed, through communications with the Auditor, of any weaknesses in internal control that could cause errors or deficiencies in financial reporting or deviations from the accounting policies of the Company or from applicable laws or regulations.
M. Financial Management. Periodically review the team in place to carry out financial reporting functions, circumstances surrounding the departure of any officers in charge of financial reporting, and the appointment of individuals in these functions.
N. Accounting Policies and Practices. Review management plans regarding any changes in accounting practices or policies and the financial impact thereof.
O. Litigation. Review with the Auditors and legal counsel any litigation, claim or contingency, including tax assessments, that could have a material effect upon the financial position of the Company and the manner in which these matters are being disclosed in the consolidated financial statements.
A-2 | Page
P. Other. Discuss with management and the Auditors correspondence with regulators, employee complaints, or published reports that raise material issues regarding the Company's financial statements or disclosure.
Complaints
Q. Accounting, Auditing and Internal Control Complaints. The Audit Committee must establish a procedure for the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received by the Company regarding accounting, internal controls or auditing matters.
R. Employee Complaints. The Audit Committee must establish a procedure for the confidential transmittal on condition of anonymity by the Company's employees of concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters.
Authority
-
Auditor. The Auditor, and any internal auditors hired by the company, will report directly to the Audit Committee.
-
To Retain Independent Advisors. The Audit Committee may, at the Company's expense and without the approval of management, retain the services of independent legal counsels and any other advisors it deems necessary to carry out its duties and set and pay the monetary compensation of these individuals.
Reporting
The Audit Committee will report to the Board on:
-
the Auditor's independence;
-
the performance of the Auditor and any recommendations of the Audit Committee in relation thereto;
-
the reappointment and termination of the Auditor;
-
the adequacy of the Company's internal controls and disclosure controls;
-
the Audit Committee's review of the annual and interim consolidated financial statements;
-
the Audit Committee's review of the annual and interim management discussion and analysis;
-
the Company's compliance with legal and regulatory matters to the extent they affect the financial statements of the Company; and
-
all other material matters dealt with by the Audit Committee.
A-3 | Page
SCHEDUEL "B"
LFNT CAPITAL CORP.
OMNIBUS SHARE INCENTIVE PLAN
JUNE 23, 2022
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE 1 INTERPRETATION
4
1.1 Definitions 4
1.2 Interpretation 10
ARTICLE 2 PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN; GRANTING OF AWARDS
10
2.1. Purpose of the Plan 10
2.2. Implementation and Administration of the Plan 11
2.3. Participation in this Plan 11
2.4. Shares Subject to the Plan 12
2.5. Participation Limits 13
2.6. Granting of Awards 13
ARTICLE 3 OPTIONS
14
3.1. Nature of Options 14
3.2. Option Awards 14
3.3. Option Price 14
3.4. Option Term 14
3.5. Exercise of Options 14
3.6. Method of Exercise and Payment of Purchase Price 15
3.7. Option Agreements 15
ARTICLE 4 RESTRICTED AND PERFORMANCE SHARE UNITS
16
4.1 Nature of Share Units 16
4.2 Share Unit Awards 16
4.3 Share Unit Agreements 17
4.4 Vesting of Share Units 17
4.5 Redemption / Settlement of Share Units 18
4.6 Determination of Amounts 19
4.7 Award of Dividend Equivalents 20
ARTICLE 5 DEFERRED SHARE UNITS
20
5.1 Nature of DSUs 20
5.2 DSU Awards 21
5.3 DSU Agreements 21
5.4 Redemption / Settlement of DSUs 21
5.5 Determination of Amounts 23
5.6 Award of Dividend Equivalents 24
ARTICLE 6 GENERAL CONDITIONS
24
6.1 General Conditions Applicable to Awards 24
6.2 General Conditions Applicable to Options 26
6.3 General Conditions Applicable to Share Units...27
ARTICLE 7 ADJUSTMENTS AND AMENDMENTS...28
7.1 Adjustment to Shares Subject to Outstanding Awards...28
7.2 Change of Control...28
7.3 Amendment or Discontinuance of the Plan...29
ARTICLE 8 MISCELLANEOUS...31
8.1 Use of an Administrative Agent...31
8.2 Tax Withholding...31
8.3 Securities Law Compliance...31
8.4 Reorganization of the Corporation...33
8.5 Quotation of Shares...33
8.6 Governing Laws...33
8.7 Severability...33
8.8 Code Section 409A...33
8.9 Effective Date of the Plan...34
EXHIBIT "A"...A-1
EXHIBIT "B"...B-1
EXHIBIT "C"...C-1
EXHIBIT "D"...D-1
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LFNT CAPITAL CORP.
OMNIBUS SHARE INCENTIVE PLAN
LFNT Capital Corp. (the "Corporation") hereby establishes an omnibus share incentive plan for certain qualified directors, executive officers, employees and consultants of the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries (as defined herein).
ARTICLE 1 INTERPRETATION
1.1 Definitions
Where used herein or in any amendments hereto or in any communication required or permitted to be given hereunder, the following terms shall have the following meanings, respectively, unless the context otherwise requires:
"Account" means a notional account maintained for each Participant on the books of the Corporation which will be credited with Share Units or DSUs, as applicable, in accordance with the terms of this Plan;
"Affiliate" has the meaning ascribed thereto in the Securities Act (British Columbia), as amended, supplemented or replaced from time to time;
"Award" means any of an Option, Share Unit or DSU granted pursuant to, or otherwise governed by, this Plan;
"Award Agreement" means an agreement evidencing the grant to a Participant of an Award, including an Option Agreement, a Share Unit Agreement, a DSU Agreement, an Employment Agreement or a Consulting Agreement;
"Blackout Period" means a period during which the Corporation prohibits Participants from trading securities of the Corporation which is formally imposed by the Corporation pursuant to its internal trading policies (which, for greater certainty, does not include a period during which a Participant or the Corporation is subject to a cease trade order (or similar order under securities laws) in respect of the Corporation's securities);
"Blackout Period Expiry Date" means the date on which a Blackout Period expires;
"Board" means the board of directors of the Corporation as constituted from time to time;
"Business Day" means a day, other than a Saturday, Sunday or statutory holiday, when Canadian chartered banks are generally open for business in Vancouver, British Columbia for the transaction of banking business;
"Canadian Participant" means a Participant who is a resident of Canada and/or who is granted an Awardin respect of, or by virtue of, employment services rendered in Canada, provided that, for greater certainty, a Participant may be both a Canadian Participant and a U.S. Taxpayer;
"Cause" has the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 6.2(1) hereof;
"Change of Control" means, unless the Board determines otherwise, the happening, in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, of any of the following events:
(a) any transaction (other than a transaction described in paragraph (b) below) pursuant to which any Person or group of Persons acting jointly or in concert acquires the direct or indirect beneficial ownership of securities of the Corporation representing 50% or more of the aggregate voting power of all of the Corporation's then issued and outstanding securities entitled to vote in the election of directors of the Corporation, other than any such acquisition that occurs upon the exercise or settlement of options or other securities granted by the Corporation under any of the Corporation's equity incentive plans;
(b) there is consummated an arrangement, amalgamation, merger, consolidation or similar transaction involving (directly or indirectly) the Corporation and, immediately after the consummation of such arrangement, amalgamation, merger, consolidation or similar transaction, the shareholders of the Corporation immediately prior thereto do not beneficially own, directly or indirectly, either (i) outstanding voting securities representing more than 50% of the combined outstanding voting power of the surviving or resulting entity in such amalgamation, merger, consolidation or similar transaction or (ii) more than 50% of the combined outstanding voting power of the parent of the surviving or resulting entity in such arrangement, amalgamation, merger, consolidation or similar transaction, in each case in substantially the same proportions as their beneficial ownership of the outstanding voting securities of the Corporation immediately prior to such transaction;
(c) the sale, lease, exchange, license or other disposition of assets, rights or properties of the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries which have an aggregate book value greater than 50% of the book value of the assets, rights and properties of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis to any other Person, other than a disposition to a wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Corporation in the course of a reorganization of the assets of the Corporation and its wholly-owned Subsidiaries;
(d) the passing of a resolution by the Board or shareholders of the Corporation to substantially liquidate the assets of the Corporation or wind up the Corporation's business or significantly rearrange its affairs or the commencement of proceedings for such a liquidation, winding up or re-arrangement (except where such re-arrangement is part of a bona fide reorganization of the Corporation in circumstances where the business of the Corporation is continued and the shareholdings remain substantially the same following the rearrangement); or
(e) individuals who, immediately prior to a particular time, are members of the Board (the "Incumbent Board") cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Board immediately following such time; provided, however, that if the appointment or election (or nomination for election) of any new Board member was approved or recommended by a majority vote of the members of the Incumbent Board then still in office, such new member will, for purposes of this Plan, be considered as a member of the Incumbent Board;
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"Code" means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder;
"Code Section 409A" means Section 409A of the Code and applicable regulations and guidance issued thereunder;
"Consultant" means an individual (other than an employee, executive officer or director of the Corporation or a Subsidiary) or company that: (a) is engaged to provide on an ongoing bona fide basis, consulting,
technical, management or other services to the Corporation or to a Subsidiary, other than services provided in relation to a distribution; (b) provides the services under a written contract between the Corporation or the Subsidiary and the individual or company, as the case may be; (c) in the reasonable opinion of the Corporation, spends or will spend a significant amount of time and attention on the affairs and business of the Corporation or a Subsidiary; and (d) has a relationship with the Corporation or a Subsidiary that enables the individual to be knowledgeable about the business and affairs of the Corporation;
"Consulting Agreement" means any written consulting agreement between the Corporation or a Subsidiary and a Participant who is a Consultant;
"CSE" means the Canadian Securities Exchange;
"Designated Broker" means a broker who is independent of, and deals at arm's length with, the Corporation and its Subsidiaries and is designated by the Corporation;
"Dividend Equivalent" means additional Share Units or DSUs credited to a Participant's Account as a dividend equivalent pursuant to Section 4.7 or Section 5.6, respectively;
"DSU" means a deferred share unit, which is a right awarded to a Participant to receive a payment as provided in Article 5 hereof and subject to the terms and conditions of this Plan;
"DSU Agreement" means a written agreement between the Corporation and a Participant evidencing the grant of DSUs and the terms and conditions thereof, a form of which is attached hereto as Exhibit "D";
"DSU Redemption Date" means, with respect to a particular DSU, the date on which such DSU is redeemed in accordance with the provisions of this Plan;
"Eligible Participant" means: (a) in respect of a grant of Options, any director, executive officer, employee or Consultant of the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries, (b) in respect of a grant of Share Units, any director, executive officer, employee or Consultant of the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries other than Persons retained to provide Investor Relations Activities, and (c) in respect of a grant of DSUs, any Non-Employee Director other than Persons retained to provide Investor Relations Activities;
"Employment Agreement" means, with respect to any Participant, any written employment agreement between the Corporation or a Subsidiary and such Participant;
"Exchange" means the CSE or, if the Shares are not listed and posted for trading on the CSE at a particular date, such other stock exchange or trading platform upon which the Shares are listed and posted for trading
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and which has been designated by the Board;
"Exercise Notice" means a notice in writing signed by a Participant and stating the Participant's intention to exercise a particular Option, if applicable;
"Insider" has the meaning ascribed thereto in the Securities Act (British Columbia), as amended, supplemented or replaced from time to time;
"Investor Relations Activities" has the meaning ascribed thereto in section 3.2 of Policy 1 – Interpretation and General Provisions of the CSE;
"ITA" means the Income Tax Act (Canada), as amended from time to time;
"ITA Regulations" means the regulations promulgated under the ITA, as amended from time to time;
"Market Value of a Share" means, with respect to any particular date as of which the Market Value of a Share is required to be determined, (a) if the Shares are then listed on the CSE, the closing price of the Shares on the CSE on the last Trading Day prior to such particular date; (b) if the Shares are not then listed on the CSE, the closing price of the Shares on any other stock exchange on which the Shares are then listed (and, if more than one, then using the stock exchange on which a majority of trading in the Shares occurs) on the last Trading Day prior to such particular date; or (c) if the Shares are not then listed on any stock exchange, the value as is determined solely by the Board, acting reasonably and in good faith, and such determination shall be conclusive and binding on all Persons;
"Non-Employee Director" means a member of the Board who is not otherwise an employee or executive officer of the Corporation or a Subsidiary;
"Option" means an option granted by the Corporation to a Participant entitling such Participant to acquire a designated number of Shares from treasury at the Option Price;
"Option Agreement" means a written agreement between the Corporation and a Participant evidencing the grant of Options and the terms and conditions thereof, a form of which is attached hereto as Exhibit "A";
"Option Price" has the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 3.2 hereof;
"Option Term" has the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 3.4 hereof;
"Outstanding Issue" means the number of Shares that are issued and outstanding as at a specified time, on a non-diluted basis;
"Participant" means any Eligible Participant that is granted one or more Awards under the Plan;
"Performance Criteria" means specified criteria, other than the mere continuation of employment or the mere passage of time, the satisfaction of which is a condition for the grant, exercisability, vesting or full enjoyment of an Option or Share Unit;
"Performance Period" means the period determined by the Board at the time any Option or Share Unit is
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granted or at any time thereafter during which any Performance Criteria and any other vesting conditions specified by the Board with respect to such Option or Share Unit are to be measured;
"Person" means an individual, corporation, company, cooperative, partnership, trust, unincorporated association, entity with juridical personality or governmental authority or body, and pronouns which refer to a Person shall have a similarly extended meaning;
"Plan" means this Omnibus Share Incentive Plan, including the exhibits hereto, as amended or amended and restated from time to time;
"Redemption Date" has the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 4.5(1) hereof;
"Restriction Period" means, with respect to a particular grant of Share Units, the period between the date of grant of such Share Units and the latest Vesting Date in respect of any portion of such Share Units;
"SEC" means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission;
"Separation from Service" has the meaning ascribed to it under Code Section 409A;
"Share Compensation Arrangement" means any stock option, stock option plan, employee stock purchase plan, long-term incentive plan or other compensation or incentive mechanism involving the issuance or potential issuance of Shares from treasury, including a share purchase from treasury by a full-time employee, officer, director, Insider or Consultant which is financially assisted by the Corporation or a Subsidiary by way of a loan, guarantee or otherwise;
"Share Unit" means a restricted share unit or performance share unit, as applicable, awarded to a Participant to receive a payment as provided in Article 4 hereof and subject to the terms and conditions of this Plan;
"Share Unit Agreement" means a written agreement between the Corporation and a Participant evidencing the grant of Share Units and the terms and conditions thereof, a form of which is attached hereto as Exhibit "C";
"Share Unit Outside Expiry Date" has the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 4.5(4) hereof;
"Shares" means the common shares in the capital of the Corporation;
"Subsidiary" means a corporation, company or partnership that is controlled, directly or indirectly, by the Corporation;
"Termination Date" means (a) in the event of a Participant's resignation, the date on which such Participant ceases to be a director, executive officer, employee or Consultant of the Corporation or one of its Subsidiaries, (b) in the event of the termination of a Participant's employment, or position as director or executive officer of the Corporation or a Subsidiary, or Consultant, the effective date of the termination as specified in the notice of termination provided to the Participant by the Corporation or the Subsidiary, as the case may be, and (c) in the event of a Participant's death, the date of death, provided that, in all cases, in applying the provisions of this Plan to DSUs granted to a Canadian Participant, the "Termination Date" shall be the latest date on which the Participant is neither a director, executive officer or employee of the Corporation or of any affiliate of the Corporation (where "affiliate" has the meaning ascribed thereto by the
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Canada Revenue Agency for the purposes of paragraph 6801(d) of the ITA Regulations);
"Termination of Service" means that a Participant has ceased to be an Eligible Participant;
"Trading Day" means any day on which the CSE or other applicable stock exchange is open for trading;
"U.S." or "United States" means the United States of America, its territories and possessions, any state of the United States and the District of Columbia;
"U.S. Securities Act" means the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended;
"U.S. Share Unit Outside Expiry Date" has the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 4.1 hereof;
"U.S. Taxpayer" means a Participant who is a U.S. citizen, a U.S. permanent resident or other person who is subject to taxation on their income or in respect of Awards under the Code, provided that, for greater certainty, a Participant may be both a Canadian Participant and a U.S. Taxpayer; and
"Vesting Date" has the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 4.4 hereof.
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1.2 Interpretation
(1) Whenever the Board is to exercise discretion or authority in the administration of the terms and conditions of this Plan, the term "discretion" or "authority" means the sole and absolute discretion or authority, as the case may be, of the Board.
(2) The provision of a table of contents, the division of this Plan into Articles, Sections and other subdivisions and the insertion of headings are for convenient reference only and do not affect the interpretation of this Plan.
(3) In this Plan, words importing the singular shall include the plural and vice versa and words importing any gender include any other gender.
(4) The words "including", "includes" and "include" and any derivatives of such words mean "including (or includes or include) without limitation".
(5) In this Plan, the expressions "Article", "Section" and other subdivision followed by a number mean and refer to the specified Article, Section or other subdivision of this Plan, respectively.
(6) Unless otherwise specified in the Participant's Award Agreement, all references to dollar amounts are to Canadian currency, and where any amount is required to be converted to or from a currency other than Canadian currency, such conversion shall be based on the exchange rate quoted by the Bank of Canada on the particular date.
(7) For purposes of this Plan, the legal representatives of a Participant shall only include the legal representative of the Participant's estate or will.
(8) If any action may be taken within, or any right or obligation is to expire at the end of, a period of days under this Plan, then the first day of the period is not counted, but the day of its expiry is counted.
ARTICLE 2
PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN; GRANTING OF AWARDS
2.1. Purpose of the Plan
The purpose of the Plan is to permit the Corporation to grant Awards to Eligible Participants, subject to certain conditions as hereinafter set forth, for the following purposes:
(a) to increase the interest in the Corporation's welfare of those Eligible Participants, who share responsibility for the management, growth and protection of the business of the Corporation or a Subsidiary;
(b) to provide an incentive to such Eligible Participants to continue their services for the Corporation or a Subsidiary and to encourage such Eligible Participants whose skills, performance and loyalty to the objectives and interests of the Corporation or a Subsidiary
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are necessary or essential to its success, image, reputation or activities;
(c) to reward Participants for their performance of services while working for the Corporation or a Subsidiary; and
(d) to provide a means through which the Corporation or a Subsidiary may attract and retain able Persons to enter its employment or service.
2.2. Implementation and Administration of the Plan
(1) The Plan shall be administered and interpreted by the Board or, if the Board by resolution so decides, by a committee appointed by the Board. If such committee is appointed for this purpose, all references to the "Board" herein will be deemed references to such committee. Nothing contained herein shall prevent the Board from adopting other or additional Share Compensation Arrangements or other compensation arrangements, subject to any required approval.
(2) Subject to Article 7 and any applicable rules of an Exchange, the Board may, from time to time, as it may deem expedient, adopt, amend and rescind rules and regulations or vary the terms of this Plan and/or any Award hereunder for carrying out the provisions and purposes of the Plan and/or to address tax or other requirements of any applicable jurisdiction.
(3) Subject to the provisions of this Plan, the Board is authorized, in its sole discretion, to make such determinations under, and such interpretations of, and take such steps and actions in connection with, the proper administration and operation of the Plan as it may deem necessary or advisable. The interpretation, administration, construction and application of the Plan and any provisions hereof made by the Board shall be final and binding on the Corporation, its Subsidiaries and all Eligible Participants.
(4) No member of the Board or any Person acting pursuant to authority delegated by the Board hereunder shall be liable for any action or determination taken or made in good faith in the administration, interpretation, construction or application of the Plan or any Award granted hereunder. Members of the Board, or any Person acting at the direction or on behalf of the Board, shall, to the extent permitted by law, be fully indemnified and protected by the Corporation with respect to any such action or determination.
(5) The Plan shall not in any way fetter, limit, obligate, restrict or constrain the Board with regard to the allotment or issuance of any Shares or any other securities in the capital of the Corporation. For greater clarity, the Corporation shall not by virtue of this Plan be in any way restricted from declaring and paying stock dividends, repurchasing Shares or varying or amending its share capital or corporate structure.
2.3. Participation in this Plan
(1) The Corporation makes no representation or warranty as to the future market value of the Shares or with respect to any income tax matters affecting any Participant resulting from the grant, vesting, exercise or settlement of an Award or any transactions in the Shares or otherwise in respect of participation under the Plan. Neither the Corporation nor any of its directors, officers, employees,
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shareholders or agents shall be liable for anything done or omitted to be done by such Person or any other Person with respect to the price, time, quantity or other conditions and circumstances of the issuance of Shares hereunder, or in any other manner related to the Plan. For greater certainty, no amount will be paid to, or in respect of, a Participant (or any Person with whom the Participant does not deal at arm's length within the meaning of the ITA) under the Plan or pursuant to any other arrangement, and no additional Awards will be granted to such Participant (or any Person with whom the Participant does not deal at arm's length within the meaning of the Plan) to compensate for a downward fluctuation in the price of the Shares or any shares of the Corporation or of a related (within the meaning of the ITA) corporation, nor will any other form of benefit be conferred upon, or in respect of, a Participant for such purpose. The Corporation and its Subsidiaries do not assume and shall not have responsibility for the income or other tax consequences resulting to any Participant and each Participant is advised to consult with his or her own tax advisors.
(2) Participants (and their legal representatives) shall have no legal or equitable right, claim or interest in any specific property or asset of the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries. No asset of the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries shall be held in any way as collateral security for the fulfillment of the obligations of the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries under this Plan. Unless otherwise determined by the Board, this Plan shall be unfunded. To the extent any Participant or his or her estate holds any rights by virtue of a grant of Awards under this Plan, such rights (unless otherwise determined by the Board) shall be no greater than the rights of an unsecured creditor of the Corporation.
(3) Unless otherwise determined by the Board, the Corporation shall not offer financial assistance to any Participant in regards to the exercise of any Award granted under this Plan.
2.4. Shares Subject to the Plan
(1) Subject to adjustment pursuant to Article 7 hereof, and as may be approved by the Exchange and the shareholders of the Corporation from time to time:
(a) the securities that may be acquired by Participants pursuant to Awards under this Plan shall consist of authorized but unissued Shares, provided that in the case of Share Units and DSUs, the Corporation (or applicable Subsidiary) may, at its sole discretion, elect to settle such Share Units or DSUs in Shares acquired in the open market by a Designated Broker for the benefit of a Participant; and
(b) the maximum number of Shares reserved for issuance, in the aggregate, pursuant to the exercise of Options or the settlement of Share Units and DSUs granted under this Plan shall be equal to 10% of the Outstanding Issue from time to time, less the number of Shares reserved for issuance pursuant to any other Share Compensation Arrangement of the Corporation.
(2) For the purposes of calculating the number of Shares reserved for issuance under this Plan:
(a) each Option shall be counted as reserving one Share under the Plan, and
(b) notwithstanding that the settlement of any Share Unit or DSU in Shares shall be at the sole discretion of the Corporation as provided herein, each Share Unit and each DSU shall, in
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each case, be counted as reserving one Share under the Plan.
(3) No Award may be granted if such grant would have the effect of causing the total number of Shares reserved for issuance under this Plan to exceed the maximum number of Shares reserved for issuance under this Plan as set out above.
(4) If (a) an outstanding Award (or portion thereof) expires or is forfeited, surrendered, cancelled or otherwise terminated for any reason without having been exercised, or (b) an outstanding Award (or portion thereof) is settled in cash, then in each such case the Shares reserved for issuance in respect of such Award (or portion thereof) will again be available for issuance under the Plan.
2.5. Participation Limits
(1) In no event shall this Plan, together with all other previously established and outstanding Share Compensation Arrangements of the Corporation, permit at any time:
(a) the aggregate number of Shares reserved for issuance under Awards granted to Insiders (asa group) at any point in time exceeding 10% of the Outstanding Issue; or
(b) the grant to Insiders (as a group), within any 12 month period, of an aggregate number of Awards exceeding 10% of the Outstanding Issue, calculated at the date an Award is granted to any Insider,
unless the Corporation has obtained the requisite disinterested shareholder approval.
(2) The aggregate number of Awards granted to any one Person (and companies wholly-owned by that Person) in any 12 month period shall not exceed 5% of the Outstanding Issue, calculated on the date an Award is granted to the Person, unless the Corporation has obtained the requisite disinterested shareholder approval.
(3) The aggregate number of Awards granted to any one Consultant in any 12 month period shall not exceed 2% of the Outstanding Issue, calculated at the date an Award is granted to the Consultant.
(4) The aggregate number of Options granted to all Persons retained to provide Investor Relations Activities shall not exceed 1% of the Outstanding Issue in any 12 month period, calculated at the date an Option is granted to any such Person.
2.6. Granting of Awards
Any Award granted under or otherwise governed by the Plan shall be subject to the requirement that, if at any time counsel to the Corporation shall determine that the listing, registration or qualification of the Shares subject to such Award, if applicable, upon any stock exchange or under any law or regulation of any jurisdiction, or the consent or approval of any stock exchange or any governmental or regulatory body, is necessary as a condition of, or in connection with, the grant, exercise or settlement of such Award or the issuance or purchase of Shares thereunder, as applicable, such Award may not be granted, exercised or settled, as applicable, in whole or in part unless such listing, registration, qualification, consent or approval shall have been effected or obtained on conditions acceptable to the Board. Nothing herein shall be deemed to require the Corporation to apply for or to obtain such listing, registration, qualification, consent or
approval.
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ARTICLE 3
OPTIONS
3.1. Nature of Options
An Option is an option granted by the Corporation to a Participant entitling such Participant to acquire a designated number of Shares from treasury at the Option Price, but subject to the provisions thereof. For greater certainty, the Corporation is obligated to issue and deliver the designated number of Shares on the exercise of an Option and shall have no independent discretion to settle an Option in cash or other property other than Shares issued from treasury. For the avoidance of doubt, no Dividend Equivalents shall be granted in connection with an Option.
3.2. Option Awards
Subject to the provisions set forth in this Plan and any shareholder or regulatory approval which may be required, the Board shall, from time to time by resolution, in its sole discretion, (a) designate the Eligible Participants who may receive Options under the Plan, (b) fix the number of Options, if any, to be granted to each Eligible Participant and the date or dates on which such Options shall be granted (which shall not be prior to the date of the resolution of the Board), (c) subject to Section 3.3, determine the price per Share to be payable upon the exercise of each such Option (the "OptionPrice"), (d) determine the relevant vesting provisions (including Performance Criteria, if applicable) and (e) determine the Option Term, the whole subject to the terms and conditions prescribed in this Plan or in any Option Agreement, and any applicable rules of the Exchange.
3.3. Option Price
The Option Price in respect of any Option shall be determined and approved by the Board when such Option is granted, but shall not be less than the Market Value of a Share as of the date of the grant, less any discount permitted by the Exchange. A minimum exercise price cannot be established unless the Options are allocated to particular Participants.
3.4. Option Term
The Board shall determine, at the time of granting the particular Option, the period during which the Option is exercisable, which shall not be more than ten (10) years from the date of grant of the Option ("Option Term"). Unless otherwise determined by the Board, all unexercised Options shall be cancelled, without any compensation, at the expiry of such Options. Notwithstanding the expiration provisions thereof, if the date on which an Option Term expires falls within a Blackout Period, the expiration date of the Option will be the date that is ten (10) Business Days after the Blackout Period Expiry Date. Notwithstanding anything else herein contained, the ten (10) Business Day period referred to in this Section 3.4 may not be further extended by the Board.
3.5. Exercise of Options
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Prior to its expiration or earlier termination in accordance with the Plan, each Option shall be exercisable at such time or times and/or pursuant to the achievement of such Performance Criteria and/or other vesting conditions as the Board, at the time of granting the particular Option, may determine in its sole discretion.
For greater certainty, any exercise of Options by a Participant shall be made in compliance with the Corporation's insider trading policy.
3.6. Method of Exercise and Payment of Purchase Price
(1) Subject to the provisions of the Plan, an Option granted under the Plan shall be exercisable (from time to time as provided in Section 3.5 hereof) by the Participant (or by the legal representative of the Participant) by delivering a fully completed Exercise Notice, a form of which is attached hereto as Exhibit "B", to the Corporation at its registered office to the attention of the Chief Financial Officer of the Corporation (or the individual that the Chief Financial Officer of the Corporation may from time to time designate) or by giving notice in such other manner as the Corporation may from time to time designate, which notice shall specify the number of Shares in respect of which the Option is being exercised and shall be accompanied by payment, in full, of (a) the Option Price multiplied by the number of Shares specified in such Exercise Notice, and (b) such amount in respect of withholding taxes and other applicable source deductions as the Corporation may require under Section 8.2. Such payment shall be in the form of cash, certified cheque, bank draft or any other form of payment deemed acceptable by the Board.
(2) Upon exercise of an Option, the Corporation shall, as soon as practicable after such exercise and receipt of all payments required to be made by the Participant to the Corporation in connection with such exercise, but no later than ten (10) Business Days following such exercise and payment, forthwith cause the transfer agent and registrar of the Shares either to:
(a) deliver to the Participant (or to the legal representative of the Participant) a certificate in the name of the Participant representing in the aggregate such number of Shares as the Participant (or the legal representative of the Participant) shall have then paid for and as are specified in such Exercise Notice; or
(b) in the case of Shares issued in uncertificated form, cause the issuance of the aggregate number of Shares as the Participant (or the legal representative of the Participant) shall have then paid for and as are specified in such Exercise Notice, which Shares shall be evidenced by a book position on the register of the shareholders of the Corporation to be maintained by the transfer agent and registrar of the Shares.
(3) No fractional Shares will be issued upon the exercise of Options granted under the Plan and, accordingly, if a Participant would become entitled to a fractional Share upon the exercise of an Option, or from an adjustment pursuant to Section 7.1, such Participant will only have the right to acquire the next lowest whole number of Shares, and no payment or other adjustment will be made with respect to the fractional interest so disregarded.
3.7. Option Agreements
Options shall be evidenced by an Option Agreement, in such form not inconsistent with the Plan as the Board may from time to time determine with reference to the form attached as Exhibit "A". The Option Agreement
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shall contain such terms that may be considered necessary in order that the Option will comply with any provisions respecting options in the income tax laws (including, in respect of Canadian Participants, such terms and conditions so as to ensure that the Option shall be continuously governed by section 7 of the ITA) or other laws in force in any country or jurisdiction of which the Participant may from time to time be a resident or citizen or provide services in or the rules of any regulatory body having jurisdiction over the Corporation.
ARTICLE 4
RESTRICTED AND PERFORMANCE SHARE UNITS
4.1 Nature of Share Units
A Share Unit is an Award that is a bonus for services rendered in the year of grant, that, upon settlement, entitles the recipient Participant to receive a cash payment equal to the Market Value of a Share or, at the sole discretion of the Board, a Share, and subject to such restrictions and conditions on vesting as the Board may determine at the time of grant, unless such Share Unit expires prior to being settled. Restrictions and conditions on vesting may, without limitation, be based on the passage of time during continued employment or other service relationship (sometimes referred to as a "Restricted Share Unit" or "RSU"), the achievement of specified Performance Criteria (sometimes referred to as a "Performance Share Unit" or "PSU"), or both.
Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Share Unit Agreement, it is intended that Share Units awarded to U.S. Taxpayers will be exempt from Code Section 409A under U.S. Treasury Regulation section 1.409A-1(b)(4), and accordingly such Share Units will be settled/redeemed by March 15th of the year following the year in which such Share Units are not, or are no longer, subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture (as such term is interpreted under Code Section 409A). For greater certainty, upon the satisfaction or waiver or deemed satisfaction of all Performance Criteria and other vesting conditions, the Share Units of U.S. Taxpayers will no longer be subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture, and will be settled/redeemed by March 15th of the following year (the "U.S. Share Unit Outside Expiry Date"). It is intended that, in respect of Share Units granted to Canadian Participants as a bonus for services rendered in the year of grant, neither the Plan nor any Share Units granted hereunder will constitute a "salary deferral arrangement" as defined in subsection 248(1) of the ITA, by reason of the exemption in paragraph (k) thereof. All Share Units granted hereunder shall be in addition to, and not in substitution for or in lieu of, ordinary salary and wages received or receivable by any Canadian Participant in respect of his or her services to the Corporation or a Subsidiary, as applicable.
4.2 Share Unit Awards
(1) Subject to the provisions herein and any shareholder or regulatory approval which may be required, the Board shall, from time to time by resolution, in its sole discretion, (a) designate the Eligible Participants who may receive Share Units under the Plan, (b) fix the number of Share Units, if any, to be granted to each Eligible Participant and the date or dates on which such Share Units shall be granted, (c) determine the relevant conditions, vesting provisions (including the applicable Performance Period and Performance Criteria, if any) and the Restriction Period of such Share Units, and (d) determine any other terms and conditions applicable to the granted Share Units, which need not be identical and which, without limitation, may include non-competition provisions, subject to the terms and conditions prescribed in this Plan and in any Share Unit Agreement.
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(2) All Share Units granted herein shall vest in accordance with the terms of the Share Unit Agreement entered into in respect of such Share Units.
(3) Subject to the vesting and other conditions and provisions in this Plan and in the applicable Share Unit Agreement, each Share Unit awarded to a Participant shall entitle the Participant to receive, on settlement, a cash payment equal to the Market Value of a Share, or, at the discretion of the Board, one Share or any combination of cash and Shares as the Board in its sole discretion may determine, in each case less any applicable withholding taxes. For greater certainty, no Participant shall have any right to demand to be paid in, or receive, Shares in respect of any Share Unit, and, notwithstanding any discretion exercised by the Board to settle any Share Unit, or a portion thereof, in the form of Shares, the Board reserves the right to change such form of payment at any time until payment is actually made.
4.3 Share Unit Agreements
(1) The grant of a Share Unit by the Board shall be evidenced by a Share Unit Agreement in such form not inconsistent with the Plan as the Board may from time to time determine with reference to the form attached as Exhibit "C". Such Share Unit Agreement shall be subject to all applicable terms and conditions of this Plan and may be subject to any other terms and conditions (including without limitation any recoupment, reimbursement or claw-back compensation policy as may be adopted by the Board from time to time) which are not inconsistent with this Plan and which the Board deems appropriate for inclusion in a Share Unit Agreement. The provisions of the various Share Unit Agreements issued under this Plan need not be identical.
(2) The Share Unit Agreement shall contain such terms that the Corporation considers necessary in order that the Share Units granted to U.S. Taxpayers will comply with Code Section 409A and any provisions respecting restricted share units in the income tax laws (including, in respect of Canadian Participants, such terms and conditions so as to ensure that the Share Units shall not constitute a "salary deferral arrangement" as defined in subsection 248(1) of the ITA, by reason of the exemption in paragraph (k) thereof) or other laws in force in any country or jurisdiction of which the Participant may from time to time be a resident or citizen or provide services in or the rules of any regulatory body having jurisdiction over the Corporation.
4.4 Vesting of Share Units
The Board shall have sole discretion to (a) determine if any vesting conditions with respect to a Share Unit, including any Performance Criteria or other vesting conditions contained in the applicable Share Unit Agreement, have been met, (b) waive the vesting conditions applicable to Share Units (or deem them to be satisfied), and (c) extend the Restriction Period with respect to any grant of Share Units, provided that (i) any such extension shall not result in the Restriction Period for such Share Units extending beyond the Share Unit Outside Expiry Date, and (ii) with respect to any grant of Share Units to a U.S. Taxpayer, such extension constitutes a substantial risk of forfeiture and such Share Units will continue to be exempt from (or otherwise comply with) Code Section 409A. The Corporation shall communicate to a Participant, as soon as reasonably practicable, the date on which all such applicable vesting conditions in respect of a grant of Share Units to the Participant have been satisfied, waived or deemed satisfied and such Share Units havevested (the "Vesting Date"). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the date on which any Share Units would otherwise vest falls within a Blackout Period or within nine Business Days after a Blackout Period Expiry Date, the Vesting Date of such
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Share Units will be deemed to be the date that is the earlier of (i) ten Business Days after the Blackout Period Expiry Date (which ten Business Day period may not be further extended by the Board) and (ii) the Share Unit Outside Expiry Date in respect of such Share Units, provided that in no event will the redemption and settlement of any Share Units of a Participant who is a U.S. Taxpayer be delayed beyond March 15th of the calendar year immediately following the year in which such Share Units are not, or are no longer, subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture (as such term is interpreted under Code Section 409A).
4.5 Redemption / Settlement of Share Units
(1) Subject to the provisions of this Section 4.5 and Section 4.6, a Participant's vested Share Units shall be redeemed in consideration for a cash payment on the date (the "Redemption Date") that is the earliest of (a) the 15th day following the applicable Vesting Date for such vested Share Units (or, if such day is not a Business Day, on the immediately following Business Day), (b) the Share Unit Outside Expiry Date, and (c) in the case of a Participant who is a U.S. Taxpayer, the U.S. Share Unit Outside Expiry Date.
(2) Subject to the provisions of this Section 4.5 and Section 4.6, during the period between the Vesting Date and the Redemption Date in respect of a Participant's vested Share Units, the Corporation (or any Subsidiary that is party to an Employment Agreement or Consulting Agreement with the Participant whose vested Share Units are to be redeemed) shall, at its sole discretion, be entitled to elect to settle all or any portion of the cash payment obligation otherwise arising in respect of the Participant's vested Share Units either (a) by the issuance of Shares to the Participant (or the legal representative of the Participant, if applicable) on the Redemption Date, or (b) by paying all or a portion of such cash payment obligation to the Designated Broker, who shall use the funds received to purchase Shares in the open market, which Shares shall be registered in the name of the Designated Broker in a separate account for the Participant's benefit.
(3) Settlement of a Participant's vested Share Units shall take place on the Redemption Date as follows:
(a) where the Corporation (or applicable Subsidiary) has elected to settle all or a portion of the Participant's vested Share Units in Shares issued from treasury:
(i) in the case of Shares issued in certificated form, by delivery to the Participant (or to the legal representative of the Participant, if applicable) of a certificate in the name of the Participant (or the legal representative of the Participant, if applicable) representing the aggregate number of Shares that the Participant is entitled to receive, subject to satisfaction of any applicable withholding tax and other applicable source deductions in accordance with Section 8.2; or
(ii) in the case of Shares issued in uncertificated form, by the issuance to the Participant (or to the legal representative of the Participant, if applicable) of the aggregate number of Shares that the Participant is entitled to receive, subject to satisfaction of any applicable withholding tax and other applicable source deductions under Section 8.2, which Shares shall be evidenced by a book position on the register of the shareholders of the Corporation to be maintained by the transfer agent and registrar of the Shares;
(b) where the Corporation or a Subsidiary has elected to settle all or a portion of the
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Participant's vested Share Units in Shares purchased in the open market, by delivery by the Corporation or Subsidiary of which the Participant is a director, executive officer, employee or Consultant to the Designated Broker of readily available funds in an amount equal to the Market Value of a Share as of the Redemption Date multiplied by the number of vested Share Units to be settled in Shares purchased in the open market, less the amount of any applicable withholding tax and other applicable source deductions under Section 8.2, along with directions instructing the Designated Broker to use such funds to purchase Shares in the open market for the benefit of the Participant and to be evidenced by a confirmation from the Designated Broker of such purchase;
(c) any cash payment to which the Participant is entitled (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, any amount payable in respect of the Participant's Share Units that the Corporation or a Subsidiary has elected to settle in Shares) shall, subject to satisfaction of any applicable withholding tax and other applicable source deductions under Section 8.2, be paid to the Participant (or to the legal representative of the Participant, if applicable) by the Corporation or Subsidiary of which the Participant is a director, executive officer, employee or Consultant, in cash, by cheque or by such other payment method as the Corporation and Participant may agree; and
(d) where the Corporation or a Subsidiary has elected to settle a portion, but not all, of the Participant's vested Share Units in Shares, the Participant shall be deemed to have instructed the Corporation or Subsidiary, as applicable, to withhold from the cash portion of the payment to which the Participant is otherwise entitled such amount as may be required in accordance with Section 8.2 and to remit such withheld amount to the applicable taxation authorities on account of any withholding tax obligations, and the Corporation or Subsidiary, as applicable, shall deliver any remaining cash payable, after making any such remittance, to the Participant (or to the legal representative of the Participant, if applicable) as soon as reasonably practicable. In the event that the cash portion payable to settle a Participant's Share Units in the foregoing circumstances is not sufficient to satisfy the withholding obligations of the Corporation or a Subsidiary pursuant to Section 8.2, the Corporation or Subsidiary, as applicable, shall be entitled to satisfy any remaining withholding obligation by any other mechanism as may be required or determined by the Corporation or Subsidiary as appropriate.
(4) Notwithstanding any other provision in this Article 4, no payment, whether in cash or in Shares, shall be made in respect of the settlement of any Share Units later than December 15th of the third (3rd) calendar year following the end of the calendar year in respect of which such Share Unit is granted (the "Share Unit Outside Expiry Date").
4.6 Determination of Amounts
(1) The cash payment obligation arising in respect of the redemption and settlement of a vested Share Unit pursuant to Section 4.5 shall be equal to the Market Value of a Share as of the applicable Redemption Date. For the avoidance of doubt, the aggregate cash amount to be paid to a Participant (or the legal representative of the Participant, if applicable) in respect of a particular redemption of the Participant's vested Share Units shall, subject to any adjustments in accordance with Section 7.1 and any withholding required pursuant to Section 8.2, be equal to the Market Value of a Share as of the Redemption Date for such vested Share Units multiplied by the number of vested Share Units in
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the Participant's Account at the commencement of the Redemption Date (after deducting any such vested Share Units in the Participant's Account in respect of which the Corporation (or applicable Subsidiary) makes an election under Section 4.5(2) to settle such vested Share Units in Shares).
(2) If the Corporation (or applicable Subsidiary) elects in accordance with Section 4.5(2) to settle all or a portion of the cash payment obligation arising in respect of the redemption of a Participant's vested Share Units by the issuance of Shares, the Corporation shall, subject to any adjustments in accordance with Section 7.1 and any withholding required pursuant to Section 8.2, issue to the Participant (or the legal representative of the Participant, if applicable), for each vested Share Unit which the Corporation (or applicable Subsidiary) elects to settle in Shares, one Share. Where, as a result of any adjustment in accordance with Section 7.1 and/or any withholding required pursuant to Section 8.2, the aggregate number of Shares to be received by a Participant upon an election by the Corporation (or applicable Subsidiary) to settle all or a portion of the Participant's vested Share Units in Shares includes a fractional Share, the aggregate number of Shares to be received by the Participant shall be rounded down to the nearest whole number of Shares.
4.7 Award of Dividend Equivalents
(1) Dividend Equivalents may, as determined by the Board in its sole discretion, be awarded as a bonus for services rendered in the year in respect of unvested Share Units in a Participant's Account on the same basis as cash dividends declared and paid on Shares as if the Participant was a shareholder of record of Shares on the relevant record date. Dividend Equivalents, if any, will be credited to the Participant's Account in additional Share Units, the number of which shall be equal to a fraction where the numerator is the product of (a) the number of Share Units in such Participant's Account on the date that dividends are paid multiplied by (b) the dividend paid per Share and the denominator of which is the Market Value of a Share calculated as of the date that dividends are paid. Any additional Share Units credited to a Participant's Account as a Dividend Equivalent shall be subject to the same terms and conditions (including vesting, Restriction Periods and expiry) as the Share Units in respect of which such additional Share Units are credited.
(2) In the event that the Participant's applicable Share Units do not vest, all Dividend Equivalents, if any, associated with such Share Units will be forfeited by the Participant.
ARTICLE 5 DEFERRED SHARE UNITS
5.1 Nature of DSUs
A DSU is an Award for services rendered, or for future services to be rendered, and that, upon settlement, entitles the recipient Participant to receive cash or acquire Shares, as determined by the Corporation in its sole discretion, unless such DSU expires prior to being settled.
For greater certainty, the aggregate of all amounts each of which may be received in respect of a DSU shall depend, at all times, on the fair market value of shares in the capital of the Corporation or any corporation related (within the meaning of the ITA) thereto within the period that commences one year prior to the Participant's Termination Date and ends at the time the amount is received.
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5.2 DSU Awards
(1) Subject to the provisions of this Plan, any shareholder or regulatory approval which may be required, and the requirements of paragraph 6801(d) of the ITA Regulations and Code Section 409A, the Board shall, from time to time by resolution, in its sole discretion, (a) designate the Eligible Participants who may receive DSUs under the Plan, (b) fix the number of DSUs, if any, to be granted to any Eligible Participant and the date or dates on which such DSUs shall be granted, and (c) determine the relevant conditions and vesting provisions for such DSUs, subject to the terms and conditions prescribed in this Plan and in any DSU Agreement, as applicable.
(2) All DSUs granted herein shall vest in accordance with the terms of the DSU Agreement entered into in respect of such DSUs. Notwithstanding any express or implied term of this Plan to the contrary, the Board does not have the right to alter the vesting conditions of DSUs, which conditions will immediately vest upon termination of employment.
(3) Subject to the vesting and other conditions and provisions in this Plan and in any DSU Agreement, each DSU awarded to a Participant shall entitle the Participant to receive on settlement a cash payment equal to the Market Value of a Share, or, at the discretion of the Board, one Share or any combination of cash and Shares as the Corporation in its sole discretion may determine. For greater certainty, no Participant shall have any right to demand to be paid in, or receive, Shares in respect of any DSU, and, notwithstanding any discretion exercised by the Corporation to settle any DSU, or portion thereof, in the form of Shares, the Corporation reserves the right to change such form of payment at any time until payment is actually made.
5.3 DSU Agreements
(1) The grant of a DSU by the Board shall be evidenced by a DSU Agreement in such form not inconsistent with the Plan as the Board may from time to time determine with reference to the form attached as Exhibit "D". Such DSU Agreement shall be subject to all applicable terms and conditions of this Plan and may be subject to any other terms and conditions (including without limitation any recoupment, reimbursement or claw-back compensation policy as may be adopted by the Board from time to time) which are not inconsistent with this Plan and which the Board deems appropriate for inclusion in a DSU Agreement. The provisions of the various DSU Agreements issued under this Plan need not be identical.
(2) Each DSU Agreement shall contain such terms that the Corporation considers necessary in order that the DSUs granted thereunder to U.S. Taxpayers will comply with Code Section 409A and any provisions respecting deferred share units in the income tax laws (including, in respect of Canadian Participants, such terms and conditions so as to ensure that the DSUs shall not constitute a "salary deferral arrangement" as defined in subsection 248(1) of the ITA by reason of the exemption in paragraph 6801(d) of the ITA Regulations) or other laws in force in any country or jurisdiction of which the Participant may from time to time be a resident or citizen or provide services in or the rules of any regulatory body having jurisdiction over the Corporation.
5.4 Redemption / Settlement of DSUs
(1) Except as otherwise provided in this Section 5.4 or Section 8.8 of this Plan, (i) DSUs of a Participant who is a U.S. Taxpayer shall be redeemed and settled by the Corporation as soon as reasonably
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practicable following the Participant's Separation from Service, and (ii) DSUs of a Participant who is a Canadian Participant (or who is neither a U.S. Taxpayer nor a Canadian Participant) shall be redeemed and settled by the Corporation as soon as reasonably practicable following the Participant's Termination Date, but in any event not later than, and any payment (whether in cash or in Shares) in respect of the settlement of such DSUs shall be made no later than, December 15th of the first (1st) calendar year commencing immediately after the Participant's Termination Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a payment in settlement of DSUs of a Participant who is both a U.S. Taxpayer and a Canadian Participant:
(a) is required as a result of his or her Separation from Service in accordance with clause (i) above, but such payment would result in such DSUs failing to satisfy the requirements of paragraph 6801(d) of the ITA Regulations, and the Board determines that it is not practical to make such payment in some other manner or at some other time that complies with both Code Section 409A and paragraph 6801(d) of the ITA Regulations, then such payment will be made to a trustee to be held in trust for the benefit of the Participant in a manner that causes the payment to be included in the Participant's income under the Code but does not contravene the requirements of paragraph 6801(d) of the ITA Regulations, and the amount shall thereafter be paid out of the trust at such time and in such manner as complies with the requirements of paragraph 6801(d) of the ITA Regulations; or
(b) is required pursuant to clause (ii) above, but such payment would result in such DSUs failing to satisfy the requirements of Code Section 409A because the Participant has not experienced a Separation from Service, and if the Board determines that it is not practical to make such payment in some other manner or at some other time that satisfies the requirements of both Code Section 409A and paragraph 6801(d) of the ITA Regulations, then the Participant shall forfeit such DSUs without compensation therefor.
(2) The Corporation will have, at its sole discretion, the ability to elect to settle all or any portion of the cash payment obligation otherwise arising in respect of the redemption and settlement of a Participant's DSUs either (a) by the issuance of Shares to the Participant (or the legal representative of the Participant, if applicable) on the DSU Redemption Date, or (b) by paying all or a portion of such cash payment obligation to the Designated Broker, who shall use the funds received to purchase Shares in the open market, which Shares shall be registered in the name of the Designated Broker in a separate account for the Participant's benefit.
(3) For greater certainty, the Corporation shall not pay any cash or issue or deliver any Shares to a Participant in satisfaction of the redemption of a Participant's DSUs prior to the Corporation being satisfied, in its sole discretion, that all applicable withholding taxes and other applicable source deductions under Section 8.2 will be timely withheld or received and remitted to the appropriate taxation authorities in respect of any particular Participant and any particular DSUs.
(4) The redemption and settlement of a Participant's DSUs shall occur on the applicable DSU Redemption Date as follows:
(a) where the Corporation has elected to settle all or a portion of the Participant's DSUs in Shares issued from treasury:
(i) in the case of Shares issued in certificated form, by delivery to the Participant (or to
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the legal representative of the Participant, if applicable) of a certificate in the name of the Participant (or the legal representative of the Participant, if applicable) representing the aggregate number of Shares that the Participant is entitled to receive, subject to satisfaction of any applicable withholding tax and other applicable source deductions in accordance with Section 8.2; or
(ii) in the case of Shares issued in uncertificated form, by the issuance to the Participant (or to the legal representative of the Participant, if applicable) of the aggregate number of Shares that the Participant is entitled to receive, subject to satisfaction of any applicable withholding tax and other applicable source deductions under Section 8.2, which Shares shall be evidenced by a book position on the register of the shareholders of the Corporation to be maintained by the transfer agent and registrar of the Shares;
(b) where the Corporation has elected to settle all or a portion of the Participant's DSUs in Shares purchased in the open market, by delivery by the Corporation to the Designated Broker of readily available funds in an amount equal to the Market Value of a Share as of the applicable DSU Redemption Date multiplied by the number of DSUs to be settled in Shares purchased in the open market, less the amount of any applicable withholding tax and other applicable source deductions under Section 8.2, along with directions instructing the Designated Broker to use such funds to purchase Shares in the open market for the benefit of the Participant and to be evidenced by a confirmation from the Designated Broker of such purchase;
(c) any cash payment to which the Participant is entitled (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, any amount payable in respect of the Participant's DSUs that the Corporation has elected to settle in Shares) shall, subject to satisfaction of any applicable withholding tax and other applicable source deductions under Section 8.2, be paid to the Participant (or to the legal representative of the Participant, if applicable) by the Corporation in cash, by cheque or by such other payment method as the Corporation and Participant may agree; and
(d) where the Corporation has elected to settle a portion, but not all, of the Participant's DSUs in Shares, the Participant shall be deemed to have instructed the Corporation to withhold from the cash portion of the payment to which the Participant is otherwise entitled such amount as may be required in accordance with Section 8.2 and to remit such withheld amount to the applicable taxation authorities on account of any withholding obligations of the Corporation, and the Corporation shall deliver any remaining cash payable, after making any such remittance, to the Participant (or to the legal representative of the Participant, if applicable) as soon as reasonably practicable. In the event that the cash portion elected by the Corporation to settle the Participant's DSUs is not sufficient to satisfy the withholding obligations of the Corporation pursuant to Section 8.2, any remaining amounts shall be satisfied by the Corporation by any other mechanism as may be required or determined by the Corporation as appropriate.
5.5 Determination of Amounts
(1) The cash payment obligation by the Corporation in respect of the redemption and settlement of a DSU pursuant to Section 5.4 shall be equal to the Market Value of a Share as of the applicable DSU
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Redemption Date. For the avoidance of doubt, the aggregate cash amount to be paid to a Participant (or the legal representative of the Participant, if applicable) in respect of a particular redemption of the Participant's DSUs shall, subject to any adjustment in accordance with Section 7.1 and any withholding required pursuant to Section 8.2, be equal to the Market Value of a Share as of the DSU Redemption Date for such DSUs multiplied by the number of DSUs being redeemed (after deducting any such DSUs in respect of which the Corporation makes an election under Section 5.4(2) to settle such DSUs in Shares).
(2) If the Corporation elects in accordance with Section 5.4(2) to settle all or a portion of the cash payment obligation arising in respect of the redemption of a Participant's DSUs by the issuance of Shares, the Corporation shall, subject to any adjustments in accordance with Section 7.1 and any withholding required pursuant to Section 8.2, issue to the Participant, for each DSU which the Corporation elects to settle in Shares, one Share. Where, as a result of any adjustment in accordance with Section 7.1 and/or any withholding required pursuant to Section 8.2, the aggregate number of Shares to be received by a Participant upon an election by the Corporation to settle all or a portion of the Participant's DSUs includes a fractional Share, the aggregate number of Shares to be received by the Participant shall be rounded down to the nearest whole number of Shares.
5.6 Award of Dividend Equivalents
(1) Dividend Equivalents may, as determined by the Board in its sole discretion, be awarded in respect of DSUs in a Participant's Account on the same basis as cash dividends declared and paid on Shares as if the Participant was a shareholder of record of Shares on the relevant record date. Dividend Equivalents, if any, will be credited to the Participant's Account in additional DSUs, the number of which shall be equal to a fraction where the numerator is the product of (a) the number of DSUs in such Participant's Account on the date that dividends are paid multiplied by (b) the dividend paid per Share and the denominator of which is the Market Value of a Share calculated as of the date that dividends are paid. Any additional DSUs credited to a Participant's Account as a Dividend Equivalent shall be subject to the same terms and conditions (including vesting conditions) as the DSUs in respect of which such additional DSUs are credited.
(2) In the event that the Participant's applicable DSUs do not vest, all Dividend Equivalents, if any, associated with such DSUs will be forfeited by the Participant.
ARTICLE 6
GENERAL CONDITIONS
6.1 General Conditions Applicable to Awards
Each Award shall be subject to the following conditions:
(1) Vesting Period. Each Award granted hereunder shall vest in accordance with the terms of this Plan and the Award Agreement entered into in respect of such Award. Subject to Article 5.2(2), the Board has the right, in its sole discretion, to waive any vesting conditions or accelerate the vesting of any Award, or to deem any Performance Criteria or other vesting conditions to be satisfied, notwithstanding the vesting schedule set forth for such Award; provided, however, that no acceleration of the vesting provision of Options granted to Persons retained to provide Investor Relations Activities is allowed
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without the prior acceptance of the Exchange.
(2) Employment. Notwithstanding any express or implied term of this Plan to the contrary, the granting of an Award pursuant to the Plan shall in no way be construed as a guarantee by the Corporation or a Subsidiary to the Participant of employment or another service relationship with the Corporation or a Subsidiary. The granting of an Award to a Participant shall not impose upon the Corporation or a Subsidiary any obligation to retain the Participant in its employ or service in any capacity. Nothing contained in this Plan or in any Award granted under this Plan shall interfere in any way with the rights of the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with the employment, retention or termination of any such Participant. The loss of existing or potential profit in Shares underlying Awards granted under this Plan shall not constitute an element of damages in the event of termination of a Participant's employment or service in any office or otherwise.
(3) Grant of Awards. Eligibility to participate in this Plan does not confer upon any Eligible Participant any right to be granted Awards pursuant to this Plan. Granting Awards to any Eligible Participant does not confer upon any Eligible Participant the right to receive nor preclude such Eligible Participant from receiving any additional Awards at any time. The extent to which any Eligible Participant is entitled to be granted Awards pursuant to this Plan will be determined in the sole discretion of the Board. Participation in the Plan shall be entirely voluntary and any decision not to participate shall not affect an Eligible Participant's relationship or employment with the Corporation or any Subsidiary.
(4) Rights as a Shareholder. Neither the Participant nor such Participant's personal representatives or legatees shall have any rights whatsoever as a shareholder in respect of any Shares covered by such Participant's Awards by reason of the grant of such Award until such Award has been duly exercised, as applicable, and settled and Shares have been issued in respect thereof. Without in any way limiting the generality of the foregoing and except as provided under this Plan, no adjustment shall be made for dividends or other rights for which the record date is prior to the date such Shares have been issued.
(5) Conformity to Plan. In the event that an Award is granted or an Award Agreement is executed which does not conform in all particulars with the provisions of the Plan, or purports to grant Awards on terms different from those set out in the Plan, the Award or the grant of such Award shall not be in any way void or invalidated, but the Award so granted will be adjusted to become, in all respects, in conformity with the Plan.
(6) Non-Transferability. Except as set forth herein, each Award granted under the Plan is personal to the Participant and shall not be assignable or transferable by the Participant, whether voluntarily or by operation of law, except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution. Awards may be exercised only by:
(a) the Participant to whom the Awards were granted;
(b) upon the Participant's death, by the legal representative of the Participant's estate; or
(c) upon the Participant's incapacity, the legal representative having authority to deal with the property of the Participant;
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provided that any such legal representative shall first deliver evidence satisfactory to the Corporation of entitlement to exercise any Award. A Person exercising an Award may subscribe for Shares only in the Person's own name or in the Person's capacity as a legal representative.
(7) Participant's Entitlement. Except as otherwise provided in this Plan (including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, pursuant to Section 6.2), or unless the Board permits otherwise, upon any Subsidiary of the Corporation ceasing to be a Subsidiary of the Corporation, Awards previously granted under this Plan that, at the time of such change, are held by a Person who is a director, executive officer, employee or Consultant of such Subsidiary of the Corporation and not of the Corporation itself, whether or not then exercisable, shall automatically terminate on the date of such change.
6.2 General Conditions Applicable to Options
Except as otherwise provided in any Employment Agreement or Consulting Agreement or in any Award Agreement, each Option shall be subject to the following conditions:
(1) Termination for Cause. Upon a Participant ceasing to be an Eligible Participant for Cause, any vested or unvested Option granted to such Participant shall terminate automatically and become void immediately. For the purposes of the Plan, the determination by the Corporation that the Participant was discharged for Cause shall be binding on the Participant. "Cause" shall include, among other things, gross misconduct, theft, fraud, breach of confidentiality or breach of the Corporation's codes of conduct and any other reason determined by the Corporation to be cause for termination.
(2) Termination not for Cause. Upon a Participant ceasing to be an Eligible Participant as a result of his or her employment or service relationship with the Corporation or a Subsidiary being terminated without Cause (including, for the avoidance of doubt, as a result of any Subsidiary of the Corporation ceasing to be a Subsidiary of the Corporation, as contemplated by Section 6.1(7)), (a) each unvested Option granted to such Participant shall terminate and become void immediately upon such termination, and (b) each vested Option held by such Participant shall cease to be exercisable on the earlier of (i) ninety (90) days after the Participant's Termination Date (or such later date as the Board may, in its sole discretion, determine) and (ii) the expiry date of such Option as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement, after which such vested Option will expire.
(3) Resignation. Upon a Participant ceasing to be an Eligible Participant as a result of his or her resignation from the Corporation or a Subsidiary, (a) each unvested Option granted to such Participant shall terminate and become void immediately upon such resignation, and (b) each vested Option held by such Participant shall cease to be exercisable on the earlier of (i) ninety (90) days after the Participant's Termination Date (or such later date as the Board may, in its sole discretion, determine) and (ii) the expiry date of such Option as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement, after which such vested Option will expire.
(4) Retirement/Permanent Disability. Upon a Participant ceasing to be an Eligible Participant by reason of retirement or permanent disability, (a) each unvested Option granted to such Participant shall terminate and become void immediately, and (b) each vested Option held by such Participant shall cease to be exercisable on the earlier of (i) ninety (90) days from the date of retirement or the date on which the Participant ceases his or her employment or service relationship with the Corporation or any Subsidiary by reason of permanent disability (or such later date as the Board may, in its sole
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discretion, determine) and (ii) the expiry date of such Option as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement, after which such vested Option will expire.
(5) Death. Upon a Participant ceasing to be an Eligible Participant by reason of death, (a) each unvested Option granted to such Participant shall terminate and become void immediately, and (b) each vested Option held by such Participant at the time of death may be exercised by the legal representative of the Participant, provided that any such vested Option shall cease to be exercisable on the earlier of (i) the date that is twelve (12) months after the Participant's death or (ii) the expiry date of such Option as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement, after which such vested Option will expire.
(6) Leave of Absence. Upon a Participant electing a voluntary leave of absence of more than twelve (12) months, including maternity and paternity leaves, the Board may determine, at its sole discretion but subject to applicable laws, that such Participant's participation in the Plan shall be terminated, provided that all vested Options shall remain outstanding and in effect until the applicable exercise date, or an earlier date determined by the Board at its sole discretion.
6.3 General Conditions Applicable to Share Units
Except as otherwise provided in any Employment Agreement or Consulting Agreement or in any Award Agreement, each Share Unit shall be subject to the following conditions:
(1) Termination for Cause and Resignation. Upon a Participant ceasing to be an Eligible Participant for Cause or as a result of his or her resignation from the Corporation or a Subsidiary, the Participant's participation in the Plan shall be terminated immediately, all Share Units credited to such Participant's Account that have not vested shall be forfeited and cancelled, and the Participant's rights that relate to such Participant's unvested Share Units shall be forfeited and cancelled on the Termination Date.
(2) Death, Leave of Absence or Termination of Service. Except as otherwise determined by the Board from time to time, at its sole discretion, upon a Participant electing a voluntary leave of absence of more than twelve (12) months, including maternity and paternity leaves, or upon a Participant ceasing to be Eligible Participant as a result of (a) death, (b) retirement, (c) Termination of Service for reasons other than for Cause, (d) his or her employment or service relationship with the Corporation or a Subsidiary being terminated by reason of injury or disability or (e) becoming eligible to receive long-term disability benefits, all unvested Share Units in the Participant's Account as of such date relating to a Restriction Period in progress shall be forfeited and cancelled. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board, in its sole discretion, instead accelerates the vesting or waives vesting conditions with respect to all or some portion of outstanding unvested Share Units, the date of such action is the Vesting Date.
(3) General. For greater certainty, where (a) a Participant's employment or service relationship with the Corporation or a Subsidiary is terminated pursuant to Section 6.3(1) or Section 6.3(2) hereof or (b) a Participant elects for a voluntary leave of absence pursuant to Section 6.3(2) hereof following the satisfaction of all vesting conditions in respect of particular Share Units but before receipt of the corresponding distribution or payment in respect of such Share Units, the Participant shall remain entitled to such distribution or payment.
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ARTICLE 7
ADJUSTMENTS AND AMENDMENTS
7.1 Adjustment to Shares Subject to Outstanding Awards
At any time after the grant of an Award to a Participant and prior to the expiration of the term of such Award or the forfeiture or cancellation of such Award, in the event of (i) any subdivision of the Shares into a greater number of Shares, (ii) any consolidation of the Shares into a lesser number of Shares, (iii) any reclassification, reorganization or other change affecting the Shares, (iv) any merger, amalgamation or consolidation of the Corporation with or into another corporation, or (v) any distribution to all holders of Shares or other securities in the capital of the Corporation of cash, evidences of indebtedness or other assets of the Corporation (excluding an ordinary course dividend in cash or shares, but including for greater certainty shares or equity interests in a Subsidiary or business unit of the Corporation or one of its Subsidiaries or cash proceeds of the disposition of such a Subsidiary or business unit) or any transaction or change having a similar effect, then the Board shall in its sole discretion, subject to the required approval of any Exchange, determine the appropriate adjustments or substitutions to be made in such circumstances in order to maintain the economic rights of the Participant in respect of such Award in connection with such occurrence or change, including, without limitation:
(a) adjustments to the exercise price of such Award without any change in the total price applicable to the unexercised portion of the Award;
(b) adjustments to the number of Shares or cash payment to which the Participant is entitled upon exercise or settlement of such Award; or
(c) adjustments to the number or kind of shares reserved for issuance pursuant to the Plan.
7.2 Change of Control
(1) In the event of a potential Change of Control, the Board shall have the power, in its sole discretion, to accelerate the vesting of Options to assist the Participants to tender into a takeover bid or participate in any other transaction leading to a Change of Control. For greater certainty, in the event of a take-over bid or any other transaction leading to a Change of Control, the Board shall have the power, in its sole discretion, to (a) provide that any or all Options shall thereupon terminate, provided that any such outstanding Options that have vested shall remain exercisable until the consummation of such Change of Control, and (b) permit Participants to conditionally exercise their vested Options immediately prior to the consummation of the take-over bid and the Shares issuable under such Options to be tendered to such bid, such conditional exercise to be conditional upon the take-up by such offeror of the Shares or other securities tendered to such take-over bid in accordance with the terms of such take-over bid (or the effectiveness of such other transaction leading to a Change of Control). If, however, the potential Change of Control referred to in this Section 7.2 is not completed within the time specified therein (as the same may be extended), then notwithstanding this Section 7.2 or the definition of "Change of Control": (i) any conditional exercise of vested Options shall be deemed to be null, void and of no effect, and such
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conditionally exercised Options shall for all purposes be deemed not to have been exercised, (ii) Shares which were issued pursuant to the exercise of Options which vested pursuant to this Section 7.2 shall be returned by the Participant to the Corporation and reinstated as authorized but unissued Shares, and (iii) the original terms applicable to Options which vested pursuant to this Section 7.2 shall be reinstated. In the event of a Change of Control, the Board may exercise its discretion to accelerate the vesting of, or waive the Performance Criteria or other vesting conditions applicable to, outstanding Share Units, and the date of such action shall be the Vesting Date of such Share Units.
(2) If the Corporation completes a transaction constituting a Change of Control and within twelve (12) months following the Change of Control a Participant who was also an officer or employee of, or Consultant to, the Corporation prior to the Change of Control has their Employment Agreement or Consulting Agreement terminated, then: (a) all unvested Options granted to such Participant shall immediately vest and become exercisable, and remain open for exercise until the earlier of (i) their expiry date as set out in the applicable Award Agreement, and (ii) the date that is 90 days after such termination or dismissal; and (b) all unvested Share Units shall become vested, and the date of such Participant's Termination Date shall be deemed to be the Vesting Date.
7.3 Amendment or Discontinuance of the Plan
(1) The Board may amend the Plan or any Award at any time without the consent of the Participants, provided that such amendment shall:
(a) not adversely alter or impair the rights of any Participant, without the consent of such Participant, except as permitted by the provisions of the Plan;
(b) be in compliance with applicable law (including Code Section 409A and the provisions of the ITA, to the extent applicable), and subject to any regulatory approvals including, where required, the approval of the CSE (or any other stock exchange on which the Shares are listed); and
(c) be subject to shareholder approval to the extent such approval is required by applicable law or the requirements of the CSE (or any other stock exchange on which the Shares are listed), provided that the Board may, from time to time, in its absolute discretion and without approval of the shareholders of the Corporation, make the following amendments:
(i) other than amendments to the exercise price and the expiry date of any Award as described in Section 7.3(2)(b) and Section 7.3(2)(c), any amendment, with the consent of the Participant, to the terms of an Award previously granted to such Participant under the Plan;
(ii) any amendment necessary to comply with applicable law (including taxation laws) or the requirements of the CSE (or any other stock exchange on which the Shares are listed) or any other regulatory body to which the Corporation is subject;
(iii) any amendment of a "housekeeping" nature, including, without limitation,
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amending the wording of any provision of the Plan for the purpose of clarifying the meaning of existing provisions or to correct or supplement any provision of the Plan that is inconsistent with any other provision of the Plan, correcting grammatical or typographical errors and amending the definitions contained within the Plan; or
(iv) any amendment regarding the administration or implementation of the Plan.
(2) Notwithstanding Section 7.3(1)(c), the Board shall be required to obtain shareholder approval, including, if required by the applicable Exchange, disinterested shareholder approval, to make the following amendments:
(a) any amendment to the maximum percentage or number of Shares that may be reserved for issuance pursuant to the exercise or settlement of Awards granted under the Plan, including an increase to the fixed maximum percentage of Shares or a change from a fixed maximum percentage of Shares to a fixed maximum number of Shares or vice versa, except in the event of an adjustment pursuant to Section 7.1;
(b) any amendment which reduces the exercise price of any Award, as applicable, after such Award has been granted or any cancellation of an Award and the replacement of such Award with an Award with a lower exercise price or other entitlements, except in the event of an adjustment pursuant to Section 7.1; provided, however, that, for greater certainty, disinterested shareholder approval will be required for any amendment which reduces the exercise price of any Option if the Participant is an Insider of the Corporation at the time of the proposed amendment;
(c) any amendment which extends the expiry date of any Award, or the Restriction Period of any Share Unit beyond the original expiry date or Restriction Period, except in the event of an extension due to a Blackout Period;
(d) any amendment which would permit Awards granted under the Plan to be transferable or assignable other than for normal estate settlement purposes as allowed by Section 6.1(6);
(e) any amendment to the definition of an Eligible Participant under the Plan;
(f) any amendment to the participation limits set out in Section 2.5; or
(g) any amendment to this Section 7.3 of the Plan;
(3) The Board may, by resolution, but subject to applicable regulatory approvals, decide that any of the provisions hereof concerning the effect of termination of the Participant's employment or engagement shall not apply for any reason acceptable to the Board.
(4) The Board may, subject to regulatory approval, discontinue the Plan at any time without the consent of the Participants provided that such discontinuance shall not materially and adversely affect any Awards previously granted to a Participant under the Plan.
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ARTICLE 8
MISCELLANEOUS
8.1 Use of an Administrative Agent
The Board may in its sole discretion appoint from time to time one or more entities to act as administrative agent to administer the Awards granted under the Plan and to hold and administer the assets that may be held in respect of Awards granted under the Plan, the whole in accordance with the terms and conditions determined by the Board in its sole discretion. The Corporation and the administrative agent will maintain records showing the number of Awards granted to each Participant under the Plan.
8.2 Tax Withholding
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan, all distributions, delivery of Shares or payments to a Participant (or to the legal representative of the Participant) under this Plan shall be made net of any applicable withholdings, including in respect of applicable withholding taxes required to be withheld at source and other source deductions, as the Corporation determines. If the event giving rise to the withholding obligation involves an issuance or delivery of Shares, then the withholding obligation may be satisfied in such manner as the Corporation determines, including (a) by the sale of a portion of such Shares by the Corporation, the Corporation's transfer agent and registrar or any trustee appointed by the Corporation pursuant to Section 8.1, on behalf of and as agent for the Participant, as soon as permissible and practicable, with the proceeds of such sale being used to satisfy any withholding and remittance obligations of the Corporation (and any remaining proceeds, following such withholding and remittance, to be paid to the Participant), (b) by requiring the Participant, as a condition of receiving such Shares, to pay to the Corporation an amount in cash sufficient to satisfy such withholding, or (c) any other mechanism as may be required or determined by the Corporation as appropriate.
8.3 Securities Law Compliance
(1) The Plan (including any amendments to it), the terms of the grant of any Award under the Plan, the grant of any Award, the exercise of any Option, the delivery of any Shares upon exercise of any Option, or the Corporation's election to deliver Shares in settlement of any Share Units or DSUs, shall be subject to all applicable federal, provincial, state and foreign laws, rules and regulations, the rules and regulations of applicable Exchanges and to such approvals by any regulatory or governmental agency as may, as determined by the Corporation, be required. The Corporation shall not be obliged by any provision of the Plan or the grant of any Award or exercise of any Option hereunder to issue, sell or deliver Shares in violation of such laws, rules and regulations or any condition of such approvals.
(2) No Awards shall be granted, and no Shares shall be issued, sold or delivered hereunder, where such grant, issue, sale or delivery would require registration of the Plan or of the Shares under the securities laws of any jurisdiction or the filing of any prospectus for the qualification of same thereunder, and any purported grant of any Award or purported issue or sale of Shares hereunder in violation of this provision shall be void.
(3) Shares issued, sold or delivered to Participants under the Plan may be subject to limitations on sale or resale under applicable securities laws.
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(4) If Shares cannot be issued to a Participant upon the exercise of an Option due to legal or regulatory restrictions, the obligation of the Corporation to issue such Shares shall terminate and any funds paid to the Corporation in connection with the exercise of such Option will be returned to the applicable Participant as soon as practicable.
(5) U.S. Securities Laws
(a) With respect to Awards granted in the United States or to U.S. Persons (as defined under Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) or at such time as the Corporation ceases to be a "foreign private issuer" (as defined under Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act), unless the Shares which may be issued upon the exercise or settlement of such Awards are registered under the U.S. Securities Act and any applicable state securities laws, the Awards granted hereunder and any Shares that may be issuable upon the exercise or settlement of such Awards will be considered "restricted securities" (as such term is defined in Rule 144(a)(3) under the U.S. Securities Act) or under applicable state securities, as the case may be. Accordingly, any such Awards or Shares issued prior to an effectiveness situation statement filed with the SEC or qualification under applicable state securities laws may not be transferred, sold, assigned, pledged, hypothecated or otherwise disposed by the Participant, directly or indirectly, without registration under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, as the case may be, or unless in compliance with an available exemption therefrom. Certificate(s) representing the Awards and any Shares issued upon the exercise or settlement of such Awards prior to an effective registration statement filed with the SEC, and all certificate(s) issued in exchange therefor or in substitution thereof, will be endorsed with the following or a similar legend until such time as it is no longer required under the applicablerequirements of the U.S. Securities Act:
"THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY [for Awards add: AND ANY SECURITIES ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE OR SETTLEMENT HEREOF] HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "U.S. SECURITIES ACT"), OR UNDER ANY OTHER APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED, SOLD, ASSIGNED, PLEDGED, HYPOTHECATED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED EXCEPT (A) TO THE CORPORATION, (B) PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANY APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, OR (B) PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANY APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. HEDGING TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING SUCH SECURITIES MAY NOT BE CONDUCTED UNLESS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT. THE PRESENCE OF THIS LEGEND MAY IMPAIR THE ABILITY OF THE HOLDER HEREOF TO EFFECT GOOD DELIVERY OF THE SHARES REPRESENTED HEREBY ON A CANADIAN STOCK EXCHANGE."
(b) Any Participant that is in the United States or is a U.S. Person shall by acceptance of an Award under this Plan be deemed to represent, warrant, acknowledge and agree with the Corporation that: (A) the Participant is acquiring the Award for his or her own account, as principal, (B) unless otherwise notified by the Corporation, the Award and the Shares underlying the Award, if any, have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act and are "restricted securities" under Rule 144 under the U.S. Securities Act, (C) the certificates representing the Award and any Shares issued upon exercise or settlement thereof will bear
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the restrictive legend set forth above, and (D) the Corporation is relying on these representations and warranties to support the conclusion of the Corporation that the granting of the Award and any Shares issuable upon exercise or settlement thereof do not require registration under the U.S. Securities Act or any applicable state securities laws.
8.4 Reorganization of the Corporation
The existence of any Awards shall not affect in any way the right or power of the Corporation or its shareholders to make or authorize any adjustment, reclassification, recapitalization, reorganization or other change in the Corporation's capital structure or its business, or any amalgamation, combination, merger or consolidation involving the Corporation or to create or issue any bonds, debentures, shares or other securities of the Corporation or the rights and conditions attaching thereto or to affect the dissolution or liquidation of the Corporation or any sale or transfer of all or any part of its assets or business, or any other corporate act or proceeding, whether of a similar nature or otherwise.
8.5 Quotation of Shares
So long as the Shares are listed on one or more Exchanges, the Corporation must apply to such Exchange or Exchanges for the listing or quotation, as applicable, of the Shares underlying the Awards granted under the Plan, however, the Corporation cannot guarantee that such Shares will be listed or quoted on any Exchange.
8.6 Governing Laws
The Plan and all matters to which reference is made herein shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the Province of British Columbia and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein.
8.7 Severability
The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of the Plan shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision and any invalid or unenforceable provision shall be severed from the Plan.
8.8 Code Section 409A
It is intended that any payments under the Plan to U.S. Taxpayers shall be exempt from or comply with Code Section 409A, and all provisions of the Plan shall be construed and interpreted in a manner consistent with the requirements for avoiding taxes and penalties under Code Section 409A. Solely to the extent that Awards of a U.S. Taxpayer are determined to be subject to Code Section 409A, the following will apply with respect to the rights and benefits of U.S. Taxpayers under the Plan:
(1) Except as permitted under Code Section 409A, any deferred compensation (within the meaning of Code Section 409A) payable to or for the benefit of a U.S. Taxpayer may not be reduced by, or offset against, any amount owing by the U.S. Taxpayer to the Corporation or any of its Affiliates.
(2) If a U.S. Taxpayer becomes entitled to receive payment in respect of any Share Units or any DSUsthat are subject to Code Section 409A, as a result of his or her Separation from Service and the U.S. Taxpayer is a "specified employee" (within the meaning of Code Section 409A) at the time of his or
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her Separation from Service, and the Board makes a good faith determination that (a) all or a portion of the Share Units or DSUs constitute "deferred compensation" (within the meaning of Code Section 409A) and (b) any such deferred compensation that would otherwise be payable during the six-month period following such Separation from Service is required to be delayed pursuant to the six-month delay rule set forth in Code Section 409A in order to avoid taxes or penalties under Code Section 409A, then payment of such "deferred compensation" shall not be made to the U.S. Taxpayer before the date which is six months after the date of his or her Separation from Service (and shall be paid in a single lump sum on the first day of the seventh month following the date of such Separation from Service) or, if earlier, the U.S. Taxpayer's date of death.
(3) A U.S. Taxpayer's status as a "specified employee" (within the meaning of Code Section 409A) shall be determined by the Corporation as required by Code Section 409A on a basis consistent with Code Section 409A and such basis for determination will be consistently applied to all plans, programs, contracts, agreements, etc. maintained by the Corporation that are subject to Code Section 409A.
(4) Although the Corporation intends that Share Units will be exempt from Code Section 409A or will comply with Code Section 409A, and that DSUs will comply with Code Section 409A, the Corporation makes no assurances that the Share Units will be exempt from Code Section 409A or will comply with it. Each U.S. Taxpayer, any beneficiary or the U.S. Taxpayer's estate, as the case may be, is solely responsible and liable for the satisfaction of all taxes and penalties that may be imposed on or for the account of such U.S. Taxpayer in connection with this Plan (including any taxes and penalties under Code Section 409A), and neither the Corporation nor any Subsidiary shall have any obligation to indemnify or otherwise hold such U.S. Taxpayer or beneficiary or the U.S. Taxpayer's estate harmless from any or all of such taxes or penalties.
(5) In the event that the Board determines that any amounts payable hereunder will be taxable to a Participant under Code Section 409A prior to payment to such Participant of such amount, the Corporation may (a) adopt such amendments to the Plan and Share Units and appropriate policies and procedures, including amendments and policies with retroactive effect, that the Board determines necessary or appropriate to preserve the intended tax treatment of the benefits provided by the Plan and Share Units hereunder and/or (b) take such other actions as the Board determines necessary or appropriate to avoid or limit the imposition of an additional tax under Code Section 409A.
(6) In the event the Corporation amends, suspends or terminates the Plan or Share Units as permitted under the Plan, such amendment, suspension or termination will be undertaken in a manner that does not result in adverse tax consequences under Code Section 409A.
8.9 Effective Date of the Plan
The Plan shall become effective upon a date to be determined by the Board; provided, however, that the Share Unit and DSU components of the Plan shall be subject to disinterested shareholder approval.
EXHIBIT "A"
TO OMNIBUS SHARE INCENTIVE PLAN OF LFNT CAPITAL CORP.
FORM OF OPTION AGREEMENT
This Option Agreement is entered into between LFNT Capital Corp. (the "Corporation") and the Participant named below, pursuant to the Corporation's Omnibus Share Incentive Plan (the "Plan"), a copy of which is attached hereto, and confirms that on:
- _____ (the "Grant Date"),
- _____ (the "Participant")
- was granted _____ options ("Options") to purchase common shares of the Corporation (each, a "Share"), in accordance with the terms of the Plan, which Options will bear the following terms:
(a) Exercise Price and Expiry. Subject to the vesting conditions specified below, the Options will be exercisable by the Participant at a price of CAD$ • per Share (the "Option Price") at any time prior to expiry on • (the "Expiration Date").
(b) Vesting; Time of Exercise. Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Options shall vest and become exercisable as follows:
| Number of Options | Vested On |
|---|---|
If the aggregate number of Shares vesting in a tranche set forth above includes a fractional Share, the aggregate number of Shares will be rounded down to the nearest whole number of Shares. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Options shall expire on the Expiration Date set forth above and must be exercised, if at all, on or before the Expiration Date. Options are denominated in Canadian dollars (CAD$).
- The Options shall be exercisable only by delivery to the Corporation of a duly completed and executed notice in the form attached to this Option Agreement (the "Exercise Notice"), together with (a) payment of the Option Price for each Share covered by the Exercise Notice, and (b) payment of any withholding taxes as required in accordance with the terms of the Exercise Notice. Any such payment to the Corporation shall be made by certified cheque or wire transfer in readily available funds.
A-1
-
Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Options specified in an Exercise Notice shall be deemed to be exercised upon receipt by the Corporation of such written Exercise Notice, together with the payment of all amounts required to be paid by the Participant to the Corporation pursuant to paragraph 4 of this Option Agreement.
-
The Participant hereby represents and warrants (on the date of this Option Agreement and upon each exercise of Options) that:
(a) the Participant has not received any offering memorandum, or any other documents (other than annual financial statements, interim financial statements or any other document the content of which is prescribed by statute or regulation, other than an offering memorandum) describing the business and affairs of the Corporation that has been prepared for delivery to, and review by, a prospective purchaser in order to assist it in making an investment decision in respect of the Shares;
(b) the Participant is acquiring the Shares without the requirement for the delivery of a prospectus or offering memorandum, pursuant to an exemption under applicable securities legislation and, as a consequence, is restricted from relying upon the civil remedies otherwise available under applicable securities legislation and may not receive information that would otherwise be required to be provided to it;
(c) the Participant has such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters that it is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of an investment in the Corporation and does not desire to utilize a registrant in connection with evaluating such merits and risks;
(d) the Participant acknowledges that an investment in the Shares involves a high degree of risk, and represents that it understands the economic risks of such investment and is able to bear the economic risks of this investment;
(e) the Participant acknowledges that he or she is responsible for paying any applicable taxes and withholding taxes arising from the exercise of any Options, as provided in Section 8.2 of the Plan;
(f) this Option Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Participant, enforceable against him or her in accordance with its terms; and
(g) the execution and delivery of this Option Agreement and the performance of the obligations of the Participant hereunder will not result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon the Shares.
The Participant acknowledges that the Corporation is relying upon such representations and warranties in granting the Options and issuing any Shares upon exercise thereof.
- The Participant: (a) acknowledges and represents that the Participant fully understands and agrees to be bound by the terms and provisions of this Option Agreement and the Plan; (b) agrees and acknowledges that the Participant has received a copy of the Plan and that the terms of the Plan
form part of this Option Agreement, and (c) hereby accepts these Options subject to all of the terms and provisions hereof and of the Plan. To the extent of any inconsistency between the terms of this Option Agreement and those of the Plan, the terms of the Plan shall govern. The Participant has reviewed this Option Agreement and the Plan, and has had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing this Option Agreement.
-
This Option Agreement and the terms of the Plan incorporated herein (with the Exercise Notice, if the Option is exercised) constitutes the entire agreement of the Corporation and the Participant (collectively, the "Parties") with respect to the Options and supersedes in its entirety all prior undertakings and agreements of the Parties with respect to the subject matter thereof, and may not be modified adversely to the Participant's interest except by means of a writing signed by the Parties. This Option Agreement and the terms of the Plan incorporated herein are to be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the Province of British Columbia. Should any provision of this Option Agreement or the Plan be determined by a court of law to be illegal or unenforceable, such provision shall be enforced to the fullest extent allowed by law and the other provisions shall nevertheless remain effective and shall remain enforceable.
-
In accordance with Section 8.3(5) of the Plan, if the Options and the underlying Shares are not registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws, the Options may not be exercised in the "United States" or by "U.S. Persons" (each as defined in Rule 902 of Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) unless an exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act is available. Any Shares issued to Option holders in the United States that have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act will be deemed "restricted securities" (as defined in Rule 144(a)(3) of the U.S. Securities Act) and bear a restrictive legend to such effect.
All capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the Plan.
[THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the Corporation and the Participant have executed this Option Agreement as of ___, 20__.
LFNT CAPITAL CORP.
Per: _________
Authorized Signatory
[NAME OF PARTICIPANT]
Note to Plan Participants
This Agreement must be signed where indicated and returned to the Corporation within 30 days of receipt. Failure to acknowledge acceptance of this grant will result in the cancellation of your Options.
EXHIBIT "B"
TO OMNIBUS SHARE INCENTIVE PLAN OF LFNT CAPITAL CORP.
FORM OF OPTION EXERCISE NOTICE TO: LFNT CAPITAL CORP.
This Exercise Notice is made in reference to the Omnibus Share Incentive Plan (the "Plan") of LFNT Capital Corp. (the "Corporation").
The undersigned (the "Participant") holds options ("Options") under the Plan to purchase • common shares of the Corporation (each, a "Share") at a price per Share of CAD$ • (the "Option Price") pursuant to the terms and conditions set out in that certain option agreement between the Participant and the Corporation dated • (the "Option Agreement"). The Participant confirms the representations and warranties contained in the Option Agreement.
The Participant hereby:
| ☐ | irrevocably gives notice of the exercise of _ Options held by the Participant pursuant to the Option Agreement at the Option Price, for an aggregate exercise price of CAD$ _ (the "Aggregate Option Price"), on the terms specified in the Option Agreement and encloses herewith a certified cheque payable to the Corporation or evidence of wire transfer to the Corporation in full satisfaction of the Aggregate Option Price.
The Participant acknowledges and agrees that: (i) in addition to the Aggregate Option Price, the Corporation may require the Participant to also provide the Corporation with a certified cheque or evidence of wire transfer equal to the amount of any applicable withholding taxes associated with the exercise of such Options, before the Corporation will issue any Shares to the Participant in settlement of the Options; and (ii) the Corporation shall have the sole discretion to determine the amount of any applicable withholding taxes associated with the exercise of such Options, and shall inform the Participant of such amount as soon as reasonably practicable upon receipt of this completed Exercise Notice. |
| --- | --- |
Registration:
The Shares issued pursuant to this Exercise Notice are to be registered in the name of the undersigned and are to be delivered, as directed below:
Name: _______
Address: _______
Date: _______
Name of Participant: _______
Signature of Participant: _______
B-1
EXHIBIT "C"
TO OMNIBUS SHARE INCENTIVE PLAN OF LFNT CAPITAL CORP.
FORM OF SHARE UNIT AGREEMENT
This Share Unit Agreement is entered into between LFNT Capital Corp. (the "Corporation") and the Participant named below, pursuant to the Corporation's Omnibus Share Incentive Plan (the "Plan"), a copy of which is attached hereto, and confirms that on:
- ___________ (the "Grant Date"),
- ___________ (the "Participant")
- was granted ___________ Share Units ("Share Units"), in accordance with the terms of the Plan, which Share Units will vest as follows:
| Number of Share Units | Time Vesting Conditions | Performance Vesting Conditions |
|---|---|---|
all on the terms and subject to the conditions set out in the Plan.
-
Subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, the performance period for any performance-based Share Units granted hereunder commences on the Grant Date and ends at the close of business on ● (the "Performance Period"), while the restriction period for any time-based Share Units granted hereunder commences on the Grant Date and ends at the close of business on ● (the "Restriction Period"). Subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, Share Units will be redeemed and settled fifteen days after the applicable Vesting Date, all in accordance with the terms of the Plan.
-
By signing this Share Unit Agreement, the Participant:
(a) acknowledges that he or she has read and understands the Plan and agrees with the terms and conditions thereof, which terms and conditions shall be deemed to be incorporated into and form part of this Share Unit Agreement (subject to any specific variations contained in this Share Unit Agreement);
(b) acknowledges that, subject to the vesting and other conditions and provisions in this Share Unit Agreement, each Share Unit awarded to the Participant shall entitle the Participant to receive on settlement an aggregate cash payment equal to the Market Value of a Share or, at the election of the Corporation and in its sole discretion, one Share of the Corporation. For greater certainty, no Participant shall have any right to demand to be paid in, or receive,
C-1
Shares in respect of any Share Unit, and, notwithstanding any discretion exercised by the Corporation to settle any Share Unit, or portion thereof, in the form of Shares, the Corporation reserves the right to change such form of payment at any time until payment is actually made;
(c) acknowledges that he or she is responsible for paying any applicable taxes and withholding taxes arising from the vesting and redemption of any Share Unit, as determined by the Corporation in its sole discretion;
(d) agrees that a Share Unit does not carry any voting rights;
(e) acknowledges that the value of the Share Units granted herein is denominated in Canadian dollars (CAD$), and such value is not guaranteed; and
(f) recognizes that, at the sole discretion of the Corporation, the Plan can be administered by a designee of the Corporation by virtue of Section 2.2 of the Plan and any communication from or to the designee shall be deemed to be from or to the Corporation.
-
The Participant: (a) acknowledges and represents that the Participant fully understands and agrees to be bound by the terms and provisions of this Share Unit Agreement and the Plan; (b) agrees and acknowledges that the Participant has received a copy of the Plan and that the terms of the Plan form part of this Share Unit Agreement, and (c) hereby accepts these Share Units subject to all of the terms and provisions hereof and of the Plan. To the extent of any inconsistency between the terms of this Share Unit Agreement and those of the Plan, the terms of the Plan shall govern. The Participant has reviewed this Share Unit Agreement and the Plan, and has had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing this Share Unit Agreement.
-
This Share Unit Agreement and the terms of the Plan incorporated herein constitutes the entire agreement of the Corporation and the Participant (collectively, the "Parties") with respect to the Share Units and supersedes in its entirety all prior undertakings and agreements of the Parties with respect to the subject matter thereof, and may not be modified adversely to the Participant's interest except by means of a writing signed by the Parties. This Share Unit Agreement and the terms of the Plan incorporated herein are to be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the Province of British Columbia. Should any provision of this Share Unit Agreement or the Plan be determined by a court of law to be illegal or unenforceable, such provision shall be enforced to the fullest extent allowed by law and the other provisions shall nevertheless remain effective and shall remain enforceable.
-
In accordance with Section 8.3(5) of the Plan, unless the Shares that may be issued upon the settlement of vested Share Units granted pursuant to this Share Unit Agreement are registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), and any applicable state securities laws, such Shares may not be issued in the "United States" or to "U.S. Persons" (each as defined in Rule 902 of Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) unless an exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act is available. Any Shares issued to a Participant in the United States that have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act will be deemed "restricted securities" (as defined in Rule 144(a)(3) of the U.S. Securities Act) and bear a restrictive legend to such effect.
All capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the Plan.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF the Corporation and the Participant have executed this Share Unit Agreement as of ___, 20___.
LFNT CAPITAL CORP.
Per: _______
Authorized Signatory
[NAME OF PARTICIPANT]
Note to Plan Participants
This Agreement must be signed where indicated and returned to the Corporation within 30 days of receipt. Failure to acknowledge acceptance of this grant will result in the cancellation of your Share Units.
EXHIBIT "D"
TO OMNIBUS SHARE INCENTIVE PLAN OF LFNT CAPITAL CORP.
FORM OF DSU AGREEMENT
This DSU Agreement is entered into between LFNT Capital Corp. (the "Corporation") and the Participant named below, pursuant to the Corporation's Omnibus Share Incentive Plan (the "Plan"), a copy of which is attached hereto, and confirms that on:
- _______ (the "Grant Date"),
- _______ (the "Participant")
- was granted _______ deferred share units ("DSUs"), in accordance with the terms of the Plan.
- The DSUs subject to this DSU Agreement [are fully vested] [will become vested as follows: _____].
- Subject to the terms of the Plan, the settlement of the DSUs, in cash (or, at the election of the Corporation, in Shares or a combination of cash and Shares), shall be payable to you, net of any applicable withholding taxes in accordance with the Plan, not later than December 15th of the first (1st) calendar year commencing immediately after the Termination Date, provided that if you are a U.S. Taxpayer, the settlement will be as soon as administratively feasible following your Separation from Service. If the Participant is both a U.S. Taxpayer and a Canadian Participant, the settlement of the DSUs will be subject to the provisions of Section 5.4(1) of the Plan.
- By signing this agreement, the Participant:
(a) acknowledges that he or she has read and understands the Plan and agrees with the terms and conditions thereof, which terms and conditions shall be deemed to be incorporated into and form part of this DSU Agreement (subject to any specific variations contained in this DSU Agreement);
(b) acknowledges that he or she is responsible for paying any applicable taxes and withholding taxes arising from the vesting and redemption of any DSU, as determined by the Corporation in its sole discretion;
(c) agrees that a DSU does not carry any voting rights;
(d) acknowledges that the value of the DSUs granted herein is denominated in Canadian dollars (CAD$), and such value is not guaranteed; and
(e) recognizes that, at the sole discretion of the Corporation, the Plan can be administered by a designee of the Corporation by virtue of Section 2.2 of the Plan and any communication from or to the designee shall be deemed to be from or to the Corporation.
D-1
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The Participant: (a) acknowledges and represents that the Participant fully understands and agrees to be bound by the terms and provisions of this DSU Agreement and the Plan; (b) agrees and acknowledges that the Participant has received a copy of the Plan and that the terms of the Plan form part of this DSU Agreement, and (c) hereby accepts these DSUs subject to all of the terms and provisions hereof and of the Plan. To the extent of any inconsistency between the terms of this DSU Agreement and those of the Plan, the terms of the Plan shall govern. The Participant has reviewed this DSU Agreement and the Plan, and has had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing this DSU Agreement.
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This DSU Agreement and the terms of the Plan incorporated herein constitutes the entire agreement of the Corporation and the Participant (collectively, the "Parties") with respect to the DSUs and supersedes in its entirety all prior undertakings and agreements of the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, and may not be modified adversely to the Participant's interest except by means of a writing signed by the Parties. This DSU Agreement and the terms of the Plan incorporated herein are to be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the Province of British Columbia. Should any provision of this DSU Agreement or the Plan be determined by a court of law to be illegal or unenforceable, such provision shall be enforced to the fullest extent allowed bylaw and the other provisions shall nevertheless remain effective and shall remain enforceable.
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In accordance with Section 8.3(5) of the Plan, unless the Shares that may be issued upon the settlement of the DSUs are registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), and any applicable state securities laws, such Shares may not be issued in the "United States" or to "U.S. Persons" (each as defined in Rule 902 of Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) unless an exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act is available. Any Shares issued to a Participant in the United States that have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act will be deemed "restricted securities" (as defined in Rule 144(a)(3) of the U.S. Securities Act) and bear a restrictive legend to such effect.
All capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the Plan.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF the Corporation and the Participant have executed this DSU Agreement as of ___, 20__.
LFNT CAPITAL CORP.
Per: _________
Authorized Signatory
[NAME OF PARTICIPANT]
Note to Plan Participants
This Agreement must be signed where indicated and returned to the Corporation within 30 days of receipt. Failure to acknowledge acceptance of this grant will result in the cancellation of your DSUs.