On October 19, 2017, the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) announced that it had adopted two sets of amendments to the TSX Company Manual after a lengthy consultative process — see our earlier posts of June 4, 2016 and May 5, 2017.  In short, the amendments relate to disclosure requirements for security-based compensation arrangements such as stock option plans and to website disclosure of certain corporate documents.  This post will deal with each in turn.

Security-Based Compensation Arrangements

The amended disclosure requirements for security-based compensation arrangements will be effective for financial years ending on or after October 31, 2017.  In other words, these changes are effective almost immediately.  Technically, the new requirements are set out in amendments to section 613(d) and in new section 613(p) of the TSX Company Manual.

Under section 613(d), as amended, for a shareholders’ meeting at which approval is sought for a security-based compensation arrangement such as a stock option plan or other similar plan, and also on an annual basis, the management information circular must set out, as applicable, (i) the maximum number of securities issuable under the plan as a fixed number together with the percentage which the fixed number represents of the number of issued and outstanding shares, or the fixed percentage of the number of issued and outstanding shares; (ii) the number of outstanding securities awarded under the plan, together with the percentage this number represents of the number of issued and outstanding shares; and (iii) the total number of securities that remain available for grant under the plan together with the percentage that this number represents of the number of issued and outstanding shares.Continue Reading Amendments to Toronto Stock Exchange Company Manual – Start Calculating Your Incentive Plan’s “Annual Burn Rate”

In late May 2016, the TSX proposed amendments to the TSX Company Manual (Initial Proposal), most notably in Part IV, which contains the requirements for maintaining a listing. In our earlier post, we provided an overview of the Initial Proposal, which was to introduce a requirement for certain corporate documents to be disclosed, and publicly accessible, on a listed issuer’s website. In the Initial Proposal, the TSX pointed out that while many relevant corporate documents are already publicly available (typically on SEDAR), they are often difficult to find and categorize.

At the conclusion of the initial comment period, the TSX identified concerns from market participants regarding the potential increased regulatory burden and the general uncertainty surrounding the types of documents that fall within the scope of the Initial Proposal. As a result, the proposed amendments were revised (Revised Proposal) and the TSX has issued a further request for comments, to be completed by May 8, 2017. While the rationale of providing participants with easy centralized access to key information remains unchanged, the Revised Proposal attempts to remedy the potential regulatory burden and clarity issues of the Initial Proposal.

The Initial Proposal created ambiguity by providing for broad categories of documents, with short non-exhaustive lists as guidance, that an issuer would be required to post online. For example, an issuer was required to post “constating documents including articles, trust indentures, partnership agreements, by-laws and other similar documents” and “corporate policies that may impact meetings of security holders and voting, including advance notice and majority voting policies.” The Revised Proposal attempts to address the ambiguity by providing specific lists (for example, “articles of incorporation, amalgamation, continuation…”) and in some cases, a catch-all for documents of a similar nature.Continue Reading Website Disclosure by TSX Issuers – Revised Proposal