Posted in Capital Markets, Contested Situations, Corporate Governance, Directors & Officers, Election of Directors, Proxy Voting, Securities, Shareholder Meeting
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Proxy Season Preview 2022: ESG – Growing Importance, Developments and Perspectives from Stakeholders
On January 13, 2022, Fasken and Laurel Hill Advisory Group (“Laurel Hill”) hosted a webinar on environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) considerations, with a focus on the climate change aspects of ESG that will be relevant to public companies. The webinar’s panelists were Cheryl Gasparet of ATS Automation Tooling Systems Inc. (“ATS”), Bill Zawada of Laurel Hill, Tanneke Heersche and Kai Alderson of Fasken and was moderated by Gordon Raman of Fasken.
For a further discussion of these items, please see the Fasken Proxy Season Preview 2022 webinar to watch the webinar and the Timely Disclosure: Proxy Season Review 2022 for a write-up on recent developments in corporate governance.
Proxy Season Preview 2022
On January 13, 2022, TMX Group Ltd. (Toronto Stock Exchange (“TSX”) and TSX Venture Exchange (“TSXV”)), Laurel Hill Advisory Group (“Laurel Hill”) and Fasken hosted a conversation on disclosure and regulatory considerations for issuers leading into the 2022 proxy season. The panel discussed six discrete areas of recent developments that will be relevant for public companies:
- diversity disclosure;
- an update on proxy voting guidelines;
- an update from TSX and TSXV;
- continuous disclosure updates;
- corporate law amendments; and
- capital raising.
For a further discussion of these items, please see the Fasken Proxy Season Preview 2022 webinar.
2020 Annual Meetings – Notice from Corporations Canada
On March 26, 2020, Corporations Canada issued a notice (Notice) entitled “Annual meetings of federal corporations during the COVID-19 outbreak”. The Notice acknowledges that hosting in-person annual meetings during the COVID-19 outbreak would contradict public health advice to practice physical distancing and self-isolation to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and outlines options for federal corporations to consider in order to remain compliant with the Canada Business Corporations Act (CBCA).
Continue Reading 2020 Annual Meetings – Notice from Corporations Canada
The Toronto Stock Exchange and TSX Venture Exchange Provide Temporary Blanket Relief in Response to COVID-19
On March 23, 2020, the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) issued Staff Notice 2020-0002 granting temporary blanket relief from certain provisions of the TSX Company Manual (Manual) and the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV) issued a “Notice to Issuers” with similar temporary blanket relief, both in response to the
Bringing Your Annual Meeting into the Digital Age – Two Years Later
In January 2018, we posted this article on Timely Disclosure, “Bringing Your Annual Meeting into the Digital Age”. Virtual annual meetings have become highly relevant in light of the Coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic. Shareholders may well be reluctant to attend annual meetings; numerous public companies are examining measures they can take so that
The Results Are In: CSA Review of Gender Diversity and Term Limit Disclosure
On October 2, 2019, securities regulatory authorities in Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Québec and Saskatchewan published CSA Multilateral Staff Notice 58-311 Report on Fifth Staff Review of Disclosure Regarding Women on Boards and in Executive Officer Positions. The notice summarizes a review of the disclosure made by 641 reporting issuers[1]
Bill C-86 – New record-keeping obligations for all CBCA private companies
As of June 13, 2019, the Canada Business Corporations Act (the “CBCA”) requires that each federal private corporation (a “Corporation”) implements and maintains a register (the “Register”) listing all individuals with significant control over the Corporation (the “Individuals with Significant Control”). The register must be kept at the corporation’s registered office or another place in
Something old, something new: Proposed amendments to the CBCA in the 2019 budget implementation bill
On April 8, 2019, the federal government introduced Bill C-97 to implement measures from its spring budget. The bill proposes amendments to many federal statutes, including several important amendments to the Canada Business Corporations Act (CBCA) relevant to both private and public companies. Our summary of the proposed changes is set out below, some of which deal with familiar issues, while others would introduce new requirements for companies.
Power and Influence: New CBCA Registration Requirements for Private Companies
As of June 13, 2019, private corporations incorporated under the Canada Business Corporations Act (CBCA) must maintain a register regarding individuals who have “significant control” over the corporation through direct or indirect influence. This requirement was one of several new initiatives included in Bill C-86, the Budget Implementation Act, 2018, No. 2 which received Royal Assent on December 13, 2018.
Continue Reading Power and Influence: New CBCA Registration Requirements for Private Companies