What Canadian Companies and Their Advisers
Need To Know About U.S. Law
James advises publicly-traded companies and closely-held companies with respect to corporate and transactional matters, with a focus on mergers and acquisitions, public and private offerings, and financing transactions.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, NASDAQ and NYSE are providing temporary relief from certain continued listing standards. As of now, NYSE American has not provided similar relief from its continued listing standards as a result of COVID-19. Specifically, NASDAQ is providing relief from the continued listing bid price ($1.00) and market value of publicly...
The OTC Markets Group Inc. (the “OTC”) has announced that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it is providing relief to certain OTCQB and OTCQX issuers until June 30, 2020. Until June 30, 2020, no new compliance deficiency notices will be sent related to having a low bid price, low market capitalization, or low market value...
Issuers quoted on the OTCQB are now required to promptly disclose the issuance of any promissory notes, convertible notes, convertible debentures, or any other debt instruments that may be converted into a class of the issuer’s equity securities. In addition, OTCQB issuers are now required to promptly post copies on the OTC Disclosure & News...
SEC registration statements and certain annual reports require consents of experts (e.g., technical experts, audit firms, and investment banks that provide fairness opinions) named in the disclosure document. A recent development in Canada is that audit partners are now named in audit reports filed with audited financial statements. From an SEC perspective, the naming of...
On October 31, 2018, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) announced that it adopted rules to modernize mining property disclosure in order to harmonize SEC disclosure requirements with international standards. The SEC had proposed rules in June 2016 which received numerous comments and as a result a number of changes were made...
With the listing on May 24th of Canopy Growth Corporation (Canopy) on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), both NASDAQ and the NYSE have permitted Canadian cannabis companies to trade on their respective exchanges. Canopy, the first Canadian cannabis company to list on the NYSE, follows Cronos Group Inc. (Cronos), which was the first Canadian...
The NYSE has made a few recent announcements affecting the obligations of NYSE and NYSE American listed Canadian companies with respect to providing information to the exchange. An NYSE listed company that files its shareholder meeting materials (e.g., proxy, management information circular, proxy card, etc.) on EDGAR is no longer required to provide physical copies...
The United States Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) issued new standards for auditor’s reports that will effect Canadian issuers who are SEC registered. The initial changes go into effect for issuers with fiscal years ending after December 15, 2017. Our understanding is that some Canadian auditors for issuers who are MJDS eligible will try...
There are a couple of recent developments that we would like to remind issuers to keep in mind for their upcoming annual reports. Foreign private issuers who prepare their financial statements in accordance with the International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) will be required to file their annual audited financial statements in XBRL format in respect...
On March 1, 2017, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) published the taxonomy for the eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) for financial statements prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards, as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (IFRS). Accordingly, foreign private issuers that prepare their financial statements in accordance with IFRS...
Randal R. JonesCorporate, Seattle
Christopher L. DoerksenCorporate, Seattle
James GuttmanCorporate, Toronto
Lawrence WardAs an international business attorney, Larry h...
