Burcon NutraScience Corporation: Exhibit 99.5

EX-99.5 8 exhibit99-5.htm EXHIBIT 99.5 Burcon NutraScience Corporation: Exhibit 99.5 - Filed by newsfilecorp.com

Exhibit 99.5 - Additional Information

Part I

Item 3

D. Risk factors

Our inability to provide audited financial statements for Merit Functional Foods Corporation in accordance with Rule 3-09 may result in enforcement actions by the SEC or may, among other matters, cause us to be unable to complete a public offering in the United States

We have been unable to provide certain financial statements of Merit Functional Foods Corporation (“Merit”) that are required by Rule 3-09 to be included in our company’s annual report. Under Rule 3-09, we are required to present or generate financial statements of Merit as of and for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019 audited in accordance with U.S. generally accepted auditing standards. We are unable to comply with this requirement, because the audit of Merit’s financial statements was completed in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards and do not meet the requirements for filing with the Form 20-F annual report.

We believe that the information presented by separate financial statements of Merit would not provide to our company’s investors additional material information not already included in our company’s own consolidated financial statements included in this annual report. As a result, we do not believe that the omission of those financial statements will have a material impact on a reader’s understanding of our financial condition or results of operations. Nevertheless, we requested a waiver from the SEC from the requirement to file the consolidated financial statements of Merit described above, and the SEC has not granted our waiver request.

As a result, we are currently not fully compliant with our reporting requirements with the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”). The SEC may impose penalties or otherwise take action against our company. In addition, the SEC may not declare effective any registration statement that we file that requires the financial statements under Rule 3-09 to be included. If, as a result, we are unable to complete a registered offering, our ability to access the public capital markets in the United States would be impaired. Furthermore, the Rule 144 safe harbor for certain sales of our common shares in the United States is currently unavailable and Nasdaq may not consider us to be in compliance with ongoing listing standards and our common shares may be delisted from Nasdaq.

Item 4

D. Property, plants and equipment

The semi-works production facility in Winnipeg, Manitoba of Burcon NutraScience Corporation ("Burcon" or the "Company") has an annual production capacity of 15 tonnes.

Item 7

A. Major Shareholders

Major shareholders do not have different voting rights from other holders of Common Shares.

Item 10

B. Articles of Continuation

Incorporation

Burcon continued into the Province of British Columbia, Canada on September 25, 2020 and is subject to the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) (the "BCA"). Our British Columbia incorporation number is C1267387. The following is a summary of certain provision of the Company's articles as well as certain provisions of the BCA and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the provisions of the Company's articles and the BCA.

Objects and Purposes of Our Company

Our articles do not contain a description of our objects and purposes and do not place any limitations on the business that we may carry on.

Voting on Proposals. Arrangements, Contracts or Compensation by Directors

Our articles provide that a director who holds a disclosable interest (as that term is used in the BCA) in a contract or transaction into which the Company has entered or proposes to enter is not entitled to vote on any directors' resolution to approve that contract or transaction, unless all the directors have a disclosable interest in that contract or transaction, in which case any or all of those directors may vote on such resolution. A director who holds a disclosable interest in a contract or transaction into which the Company has entered or proposes to enter and who is present at the meeting of the board at which the contract or transaction is considered for approval may be counted in the quorum at the meeting whether or not the director votes on any or all of the resolutions considered at the meeting.

Borrowing Powers of Directors

Our articles provide that we, if authorized by our directors, may:

borrow money in the manner and amount, on the security, from the sources and on the terms and conditions that they consider appropriate;

issue bonds, debentures and other debt obligations either outright or as security for any liability or obligation of our company or any other person and at such discounts or premiums and on such other terms as they consider appropriate;

guarantee the repayment of money by any other person or the performance of any obligation of any other person; and

mortgage, charge, whether by way of specific or floating charge, grant a security interest in, or give other security on, the whole or any part of the present and future assets and undertaking of our company.

Quorum

The quorum necessary for the transaction of the business at a meeting of the directors may be set by the directors and, if not so set, is deemed to be set at a majority of the number of directors then in office.

Qualifications of Directors

Under our articles, a director is not required to hold a share in the capital of the Company as qualification for his or her office but must be qualified as required by the BCA to become, act or continue to act as a director. Our articles contain no provisions regarding retirement or non-retirement of directors under an age limit requirement.

Share Rights

The holders of our common shares are entitled to

Dividends as and when declared by the board of directors from time to time. The board may set a date as the record date for the purpose of determining shareholders entitled to receive payment of a dividend. The record date must not precede the date on which the dividend is to be paid by more than two months. If no record date is set, the record date is 5 p.m. on the date on which the board passes the resolution declaring the dividend. Any dividend unclaimed after a period of six years from the date on which the same has been declared to be payable shall be forfeited and shall revert to the Company. The Company shall not be liable to any person in respect of any dividend which is forfeited to the Company or delivered to any public official pursuant to any applicable abandoned property, escheat or similar law.

Vote, as follows. On a vote by show of hands (or its functional equivalent), every person present who is a shareholder or proxy holder and entitled to vote on the matter has one vote; and on a poll, every shareholder entitled to vote on the matter has one vote in respect of each share entitled to be voted on the matter and held by that shareholder and may exercise that vote either in person or by proxy. Directors do not stand for re-election at staggered intervals. Each director elected at an annual shareholder meeting holds office until the conclusion of the next annual meeting of shareholders of the Company or until his or her successor is elected or appointed, unless his or her office is earlier vacated in accordance with our articles or with the provisions of the BCA.

Participate ratably in any distribution of property or assets upon the liquidation, winding-up or other dissolution of the Company. Our common shares carry no pre-emptive rights, conversion or exchange rights, redemption, retraction, repurchase, sinking fund or purchase fund provisions. There are no provisions requiring the holders of our common shares to contribute additional capital and there are no restrictions on the issuance of additional securities by the Company. There are no restrictions on the repurchase or redemption of the common shares by the Company except to the extent that any such repurchase or redemption would render the Company insolvent pursuant to the BCA.

Procedures to Change the Rights of Shareholders

Our articles state that subject to the special rights or restrictions attached to the shares of any class or series of shares and the BCA, the Company may by ordinary resolution of its shareholders: (a) create one or more classes or series of shares or, if none of the shares of a class or series of shares are allotted or issued, eliminate that class or series of shares; (b) increase, reduce or eliminate the maximum number of shares that the Company is authorized to issue out of any class or series of shares or establish a maximum number of shares that the Company is authorized to issue out of any class or series of shares for which no maximum is established; (c) subdivide or consolidate all or any of its unissued, or fully paid issued shares; (d) if the Company is authorized to issue shares of a class of shares with par value: (i) decrease the par value of those shares, or (ii) if none of the shares of that class of shares are allotted or issued, increase the par value of those shares); (e) change all or any of its unissued or fully paid issued shares with par value into shares without par value or all or any of its unissued shares without par value into shares with par value; (f) alter the identifying name of any of its shares; or (g) otherwise alter its shares or authorized share structure when required or permitted to do so by the BCA.

A right or special right attached to issued shares must not be prejudiced or interfered with under the BCA, the notice of articles or the articles unless the holders of shares of the class or series of shares to which the right or special right is attached consent by a special separate resolution of the holders of such class or series of shares.

Under the general provisions of the BCA, the Articles may be amended by the affirmative vote of the holders of two-thirds (2/3) of the votes cast by the shareholders at a special meeting

Shareholder Meetings

Each director holds office until our next annual general meeting or until his office is earlier vacated in accordance with our articles or with the provisions of the BCA. A director appointed or elected to fill a vacancy on our board also holds office until our next annual general meeting.

Our articles and the BCA provide that our annual meetings of shareholders must be held at least once in each calendar year and not more than 15 months after the last annual general meeting at such time and place as our board may determine. Our directors may, at any time, call a meeting of our shareholders.

Under the BCA, the holders of not less than five percent of our issued common shares that carry the right to vote at a meeting may requisition our directors to call a meeting of shareholders for the purposes of transacting any business that may be transacted at a general meeting.

Under our articles, a quorum for the transaction of business at a meeting of shareholders is present if shareholders who, in the aggregate, hold at least 5% of the issued shares entitled to be voted at the meeting are present in person or represented by proxy, irrespective of the number of persons actually present at the meeting.

Our articles state that in addition to those persons who are entitled to vote at a meeting of shareholders, the only other persons entitled to be present at the meeting are the directors, the officers, any lawyer for the Company, the auditor of the Company, any persons invited to be present at the meeting by the board or by the chair of the meeting and any other persons who, although not entitled to vote, are entitled or required under the BCA or these Articles to be present at the meeting; but if any of those persons does attend the meeting, that person is not to be counted in the quorum and is not entitled to vote at the meeting unless that person is a shareholder or proxy holder entitled to vote at the meeting.

Our articles require that advance notice be given to the Company in circumstances where nominations of persons for election as a director are made by shareholders. Among other things, our articles fix a deadline by which shareholders must submit a notice of director nominations to the Company prior to any annual or special meeting of shareholders where directors are to be elected and set forth the information that a shareholder must include in the notice for it to be valid. Our articles provide that in the case of an annual meeting of shareholders, notice must be given to the Company no less than 30 nor more than 50 days prior to the date of the annual meeting, provided, however, that in the event that the annual meeting is to be held on a date that is less than 50 days after the date on which the first public announcement of the date of the annual meeting was made, notice may be given no later than the close of business on the 10th day following such public announcement. In the case of a special meeting of shareholders (which is not also an annual meeting), notice must be given to the Company no later than the close of business on the 15th day following the day on which the first public announcement of the date of the special meeting was made.

Limitations on Ownership of Securities

There is no limitation imposed by Canadian law or by the Company's articles on the right of a non-Canadian resident to hold or vote shares, other than discussed below.

Competition Act

Limitations on the ability to acquire and hold shares may be imposed by the Competition Act (Canada). This legislation permits the Commissioner of Competition (Commissioner), to review any acquisition or establishment, directly or indirectly, including through the acquisition of shares, of control over or of a significant interest in us. This legislation grants the Commissioner jurisdiction, for up to one year after the acquisition has been substantially completed, to challenge this type of acquisition by seeking a remedial order, including an order to prohibit the acquisition or require divestitures, from the Canadian Competition Tribunal, which may be granted where the Competition Tribunal finds that the acquisition substantially prevents or lessens, or is likely to substantially prevent or lessen, competition.

This legislation also requires any person or persons who intend to acquire more than 20% of the Company's voting shares or, if such person or persons already own more than 20% of the Company's voting shares prior to the acquisition, more than 50% of the Company's voting shares, to file a notification with the Canadian Competition Bureau if certain financial thresholds are exceeded. Where a notification is required, unless an exemption is available, the legislation prohibits completion of the acquisition until the expiration of the applicable statutory waiting period, unless the Commissioner either waives or terminates such waiting period or issues an advance ruling certificate. The Commissioner's review of a notifiable transaction for substantive competition law considerations may take longer than the statutory waiting period.

Investment Canada Act

The Investment Canada Act requires each "non Canadian" (as defined in the Investment Canada Act) who acquires "control" of an existing "Canadian business", to file a notification in prescribed form with the responsible federal government department(s) not later than 30 days after closing, provided the acquisition of control is not a reviewable transaction under the Investment Canada Act. Subject to certain exemptions, a transaction that is reviewable under the Investment Canada Act may not be implemented until an application for review has been filed and the responsible Minister of the federal cabinet has determined that the investment is likely to be of "net benefit to Canada" taking into account certain factors set out in the Investment Canada Act. Under the Investment Canada Act, an investment in shares by a non-Canadian that is ultimately controlled in a country that has a free trade agreement with Canada, including a United States investor, would be reviewable only if it were an investment to acquire control of us pursuant to the Investment Canada Act and the Company's enterprise value (as determined pursuant to the Investment Canada Act and its regulations) was equal to or greater than the amount specified, which is currently C$1.711 billion. For other investors who are not state-owned enterprises and who are ultimately controlled by World Trade Organization members, the threshold is currently C$1.141 billion for 2022.

The Company is not aware of any governmental laws, decrees, regulations or other legislation in Canada that restrict the export or import of capital, including the availability of cash and cash equivalents for use by the Company's affiliated companies, or that affect the remittance of dividends, interest or other payments to non-resident holders of the Company's securities. Any remittances of dividends to residents of the United States and to other non-resident holders are, however, subject to withholding tax.

Change in Control

There are no provisions in our articles or in the BCA that would have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of our company, and that would operate only with respect to a merger, acquisition or corporate restructuring involving our Company or our subsidiaries.

Ownership Threshold

Our articles or the BCA do not contain any provisions governing the ownership threshold above which shareholder ownership must be disclosed. Securities legislation in Canada, however, requires that we disclose in our information circular for our annual general meeting, holders who beneficially own more than 10% of our issued and outstanding shares. Most state corporation statutes do not contain provisions governing the threshold above which shareholder ownership must be disclosed. We expect that the United States federal securities laws will require us to disclose holders who own 5% or more of our issued and outstanding shares of the Company.

E. Taxation

CERTAIN CANADIAN FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS FOR U.S. HOLDERS

The following is a general summary of the principal Canadian federal income tax considerations generally applicable under Income Tax Act (Canada) (the “Tax Act”) to a beneficial owner of Common Shares, each of whom, at all relevant times, for the purposes of the Tax Act, holds such Common Shares as capital property, deals at arm’s length with the Company, is not affiliated with the Company and, for purposes of the Tax Act, is not, is not deemed to be, a resident of Canada and has not and will not use or hold or be deemed to use or hold the Common Shares in the course of carrying on business in Canada (a “Non-Resident Holder”). Special rules, which are not discussed below, may apply to a non-resident of Canada that is an insurer which carries on business in Canada and elsewhere or that is an “authorized foreign bank” as defined in the Tax Act.

The Common Shares will generally be considered capital property to a Non-Resident Holder unless either (i) the Non-Resident Holder holds the Common Shares in the course of carrying on a business of buying and selling securities or (ii) the Non-Resident Holder has acquired the Common Shares in a transaction or transactions considered to be an adventure or concern in the nature of trade.

The term “U.S. Holder,” for the purposes of this section, means a Non-Resident Holder who, for purposes of the Canada-United States Tax Convention (1980) as amended, (the “Convention”), is at all relevant times a resident of the United States and is a “qualifying person” within the meaning of the Convention. In some circumstances, fiscally transparent entities (including limited liability companies) will be entitled to benefits under the Convention. U.S. Holders are urged to consult with their own tax advisors to determine their entitlement to benefits under the Convention based on their particular circumstances.

This summary is based on the current provisions of the Tax Act, the regulations thereunder (the “Regulations”), the current provisions of the Convention, counsel’s understanding of the current published administrative policies and assessing practices of the Canada Revenue Agency (the “CRA”) publicly available prior to the date hereof. This summary also takes into account all specific proposals to amend the Tax Act and Regulations publicly announced by or on behalf of the Minister of Finance (Canada) prior to the date hereof (collectively, the “Proposed Tax Amendments”). No assurances can be given that the Proposed Tax Amendments will be enacted or will be enacted as proposed. Other than the Proposed Tax Amendments, this summary does not take into account or anticipate any changes in law or the administration policies or assessing practice of CRA, whether by judicial, legislative, governmental or administrative decision or action, nor does it take into account provincial, territorial or foreign income tax legislation or considerations, which may differ significantly from those discussed herein.

This summary is of a general nature only and is not intended to be, nor should it be construed to be, legal or tax advice to any particular Non-Resident Holder and no representations with respect to the income tax consequences to any particular Non-Resident Holder are made. This summary is not exhaustive of all Canadian federal income tax considerations. Accordingly, Non-Resident Holders should consult their own tax advisors with respect to their own particular circumstances. The discussion below is qualified accordingly.

Currency Conversion

Subject to certain exceptions that are not discussed herein, for purposes of the Tax Act, all amounts relating to the acquisition, holding or disposition of Common Shares, including dividends, adjusted cost base and proceeds of dispositions must be determined in Canadian dollars using the daily exchange rate of the Bank of Canada on the particular date the particular amount arose or such other rate of exchange as acceptable to the Minister of National Revenue (Canada).

Disposition of Common Shares

A Non-Resident Holder will not be subject to tax under the Tax Act in respect of any capital gain realized by such Non-Resident Holder on a disposition of the Common Shares, nor will capital losses arising from the disposition be recognized under the Tax Act, unless the Common Shares constitute “taxable Canadian property” (as defined in the Tax Act) of the Non-Resident Holder at the time of disposition and the Non-Resident Holder is not entitled to relief under an applicable income tax treaty or convention. As long as the shares are then listed on a “designated stock exchange” (as defined in the Tax Act) (which currently includes the TSX and NASDAQ) at the time of disposition, the Common Shares generally will not constitute taxable Canadian property of a Non-Resident Holder, unless at any time during the 60-month period immediately preceding the disposition the following two conditions are met concurrently: (i) the Non-Resident Holder, persons with whom the Non-Resident Holder did not deal at arm’s length, partnerships in which the Non-Resident Holder or persons with whom the Non-Resident Holder did not deal at arm’s length holds a membership interest directly or indirectly through one or more partnerships, or the Non-Resident Holder together with all such persons, owned or was considered to own 25% or more of the issued shares of any class or series of shares of the capital stock of the Company; and (ii) more than 50% of the fair market value of the Common Shares was derived directly or indirectly from one or any combination of real or immovable property situated in Canada, “Canadian resource properties” (as defined in the Tax Act), “timber resource properties” (as defined in the Tax Act) or a options in respect of, or interests in, or civil law rights in, such properties, whether or not it exists. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Common Share may otherwise be deemed to be taxable Canadian property to a Non-Resident Holder for purposes of the Tax Act.

If the Common Shares are taxable Canadian property to a Non-Resident Holder, any capital gain realized on the disposition or deemed disposition of such shares, may not be subject to Canadian federal income tax pursuant to the terms of an applicable income tax treaty or convention between Canada and the country of residence of a Non-Resident Holder, including the Convention. Non-Resident Holders who may hold Common Shares as “taxable Canadian property” should consult their own tax advisors.

A Non-Resident Holder whose shares are taxable Canadian property should consult their own advisors.

Dividends on Common Shares

Under the Tax Act, dividends on Common Shares paid or credited to a Non-Resident Holder will be subject to Canadian withholding tax at the rate of 25% of the gross amount of the dividends. This withholding tax may be reduced pursuant to the terms of an applicable income tax treaty or convention between Canada and the country of residence of a Non-Resident Holder. Under the Convention, a U.S. Holder will generally be subject to Canadian withholding tax at a rate of 15% of the gross amount of such dividends (or 5% in the case of a U.S. Holder that is a company beneficially owning at least 10% of the Company’s voting shares).

CERTAIN UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

The following is a general summary of certain material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to a U.S. Holder (as defined below) arising from and relating to the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of Common Shares. This summary is for general information purposes only and does not purport to be a complete analysis or listing of all potential U.S. federal income tax considerations that may apply to a U.S. Holder arising from and relating to the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of Common Shares. In addition, this summary does not take into account the individual facts and circumstances of any particular U.S. Holder that may affect the U.S. federal income tax consequences to such U.S. Holder, including without limitation specific tax consequences to a U.S. Holder under an applicable income tax treaty. Accordingly, this summary is not intended to be, and should not be construed as, legal or U.S. federal income tax advice with respect to any U.S. Holder. This summary does not address the U.S. federal net investment income, U.S. federal alternative minimum, U.S. federal estate and gift, U.S. state and local, and non-U.S. tax consequences to U.S. Holders of the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of Common Shares. In addition, except as specifically set forth below, this summary does not discuss applicable tax reporting requirements. Each prospective U.S. Holder should consult its own tax advisor regarding the U.S. federal, U.S. federal net investment income, U.S. federal alternative minimum, U.S. federal estate and gift, U.S. state and local, and non-U.S. tax consequences relating to the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of Common Shares. No legal opinion from U.S. legal counsel or ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") has been requested, or will be obtained, regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of Common Shares. This summary is not binding on the IRS, and the IRS is not precluded from taking a position that is different from, and contrary to, the positions taken in this summary. In addition, because the authorities on which this summary is based are subject to various interpretations, the IRS and the U.S. courts could disagree with one or more of the conclusions described in this summary.

Scope of this Summary

Authorities

This summary is based on the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), Treasury Regulations (whether final, temporary, or proposed), published rulings of the IRS, published administrative positions of the IRS, and U.S. court decisions that are applicable and, in each case, as in effect and available, as of the date of this document. Any of the authorities on which this summary is based could be changed in a material and adverse manner at any time, and any such change could be applied on a retroactive or prospective basis which could affect the U.S. federal income tax considerations described in this summary. This summary does not discuss the potential effects, whether adverse or beneficial, of any proposed legislation that, if enacted, could be applied on a retroactive, current or prospective basis.

U.S. Holders

For purposes of this summary, the term "U.S. Holder" means a beneficial owner of Common Shares that is for U.S. federal income tax purposes:

an individual who is a citizen or resident of the U.S.;
a corporation (or other entity taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) organized under the laws of the U.S., any state thereof or the District of Columbia;
an estate whose income is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or
a trust that (1) is subject to the primary supervision of a court within the U.S. and the control of one or more U.S. persons for all substantial decisions or (2) has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury Regulations to be treated as a U.S. person.

U.S. Holders Subject to Special U.S. Federal Income Tax Rules Not Addressed

This summary does not address the U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to U.S. Holders that are subject to special provisions under the Code, including, but not limited to, the following U.S. Holders that: (a) are tax-exempt organizations, qualified retirement plans, individual retirement accounts, or other tax-deferred accounts; (b) are financial institutions, underwriters, insurance companies, real estate investment trusts, or regulated investment companies; (c) are broker-dealers, dealers, or traders in securities or currencies that elect to apply a mark-to-market accounting method; (d) have a "functional currency" other than the USD; (e) own Common Shares as part of a straddle, hedging transaction, conversion transaction, constructive sale, or other integrated transaction; (f) acquired Common Shares in connection with the exercise of employee stock options or otherwise as compensation for services; (g) hold Common Shares other than as a capital asset within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code (generally, property held for investment purposes); (h) are subject to taxing jurisdictions other than, or in addition to, the United States; (i) are partnerships and other pass-through entities (and investors in such partnerships and entities); (j) are S corporations (and shareholders or investors in such S corporations); (k) own, have owned or will own (directly, indirectly, or by attribution) 10% or more of the total combined voting power or value of the outstanding shares of the Company; (l) U.S. expatriates or former long-term residents of the U.S., or (m) are subject to special tax accounting rules with respect to Common Shares. U.S. Holders that are subject to special provisions under the Code, including, but not limited to, U.S. Holders described immediately above, should consult their own tax advisor regarding the U.S. federal, U.S. federal net investment income, U.S. federal alternative minimum, U.S. federal estate and gift, U.S. state and local, and non-U.S. tax consequences relating to the acquisition, ownership and disposition of Common Shares.

If an entity or arrangement that is classified as a partnership (or other "pass-through" entity) for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds Common Shares, the U.S. federal income tax consequences to such entity and the partners (or other owners) of such entity generally will depend on the activities of the entity and the status of such partners (or owners). This summary does not address the tax consequences to any such owner. Partners (or other owners) of entities or arrangements that are classified as partnerships or as "pass-through" entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes should consult their own tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences arising from and relating to the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of Common Shares.

Ownership and Disposition of Common Shares

The following discussion is subject to the rules described below under the heading "Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules".

Taxation of Distributions

A U.S. Holder that receives a distribution, including a constructive distribution, with respect to a share will be required to include the amount of such distribution in gross income as a dividend (without reduction for any foreign income tax withheld from such distribution) to the extent of the current or accumulated "earnings and profits" of the Company, as computed for U.S. federal income tax purposes. A dividend generally will be taxed to a U.S. Holder at ordinary income tax rates if the Company is a PFIC for the tax year of such distribution or the preceding tax year. To the extent that a distribution exceeds the current and accumulated "earnings and profits" of the Company, such distribution will be treated first as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of a U.S. Holder's tax basis in the Common Shares and thereafter as gain from the sale or exchange of such Common Shares (see "Sale or Other Taxable Disposition of Common Shares" below). However, the Company may not maintain the calculations of its earnings and profits in accordance with U.S. federal income tax principles, and each U.S. Holder may have to assume that any distribution by the Company with respect to the Common Shares will constitute ordinary dividend income. Dividends received on Common Shares by corporate U.S. Holders generally will not be eligible for the "dividends received deduction". Subject to applicable limitations and provided the Common Shares are readily tradable on a United States securities market, dividends paid by the Company to non-corporate U.S. Holders, including individuals, generally will be eligible for the preferential tax rates applicable to long-term capital gains for dividends, provided certain holding period and other conditions are satisfied, including that the Company not be classified as a PFIC (as defined below) in the tax year of distribution or in the preceding tax year. The dividend rules are complex, and each U.S. Holder should consult its own tax advisor regarding the application of such rules.

Sale or Other Taxable Disposition of Common Shares

A U.S. Holder will generally recognize gain or loss on the sale or other taxable disposition of Common Shares in an amount equal to the difference, if any, between (a) the amount of cash plus the fair market value of any property received and (b) such U.S. Holder's tax basis in such Common Shares sold or otherwise disposed of. Any such gain or loss generally will be capital gain or loss, which will be long-term capital gain or loss if, at the time of the sale or other disposition, such Common Shares are held for more than one year.

Preferential tax rates apply to long-term capital gains of a U.S. Holder that is an individual, estate, or trust. There are currently no preferential tax rates for long-term capital gains of a U.S. Holder that is a corporation. Deductions for capital losses are subject to significant limitations under the Code.

Passive Foreign Investment Company ("PFIC") Rules

If the Company were to constitute a PFIC for any year during a U.S. Holder's holding period, then certain potentially adverse rules would affect the U.S. federal income tax consequences to a U.S. Holder resulting from the acquisition, ownership and disposition of Common Shares. The Company believes that it was not a PFIC for the tax year ended March 31, 2022 and based on current business plans and financial expectations, the Company does not anticipate that it will be a PFIC for its current tax year. No opinion of legal counsel or ruling from the IRS concerning the status of the Company as a PFIC has been obtained or is currently planned to be requested. However, PFIC classification is fundamentally factual in nature, generally cannot be determined until the close of the tax year in question and is determined annually. Additionally, the analysis depends, in part, on the application of complex U.S. federal income tax rules, which are subject to differing interpretations. Consequently, there can be no assurance that the Company has never been and will not become a PFIC for any tax year during which U.S. Holders hold Common Shares.

In addition, in any year in which the Company is classified as a PFIC, a U.S. Holder will be required to file an annual report with the IRS containing such information as Treasury Regulations and/or other IRS guidance may require. A failure to satisfy such reporting requirements may result in an extension of the time period during which the IRS can assess a tax. U.S. Holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the requirements of filing such information returns under these rules, including the requirement to file an IRS Form 8621 annually.

The Company generally will be a PFIC under Section 1297 of the Code if, after the application of certain "look-through" rules with respect to subsidiaries in which the Company holds at least 25% of the value of such subsidiary, for a tax year, (a) 75% or more of the gross income of the Company for such tax year is passive income (the "income test") or (b) 50% or more of the value of the Company's assets either produce passive income or are held for the production of passive income (the "asset test"), based on the quarterly average of the fair market value of such assets. "Gross income" generally includes all sales revenues less the cost of goods sold, plus income from investments and incidental or outside operations or sources, and "passive income" generally includes, for example, dividends, interest, certain rents and royalties, certain gains from the sale of stock and securities, and certain gains from commodities transactions. Active business gains arising from the sale of commodities generally are excluded from passive income if substantially all of a foreign corporation's commodities are stock in trade or inventory, depreciable property used in a trade or business or supplies regularly used or consumed in the ordinary course of its trade or business, and certain other requirements are satisfied.

If the Company were a PFIC in any tax year during which a U.S. Holder held Common Shares, such holder generally would be subject to special rules with respect to "excess distributions" made by the Company on the Common Shares and with respect to gain from the disposition of Common Shares. An "excess distribution" generally is defined as the excess of distributions with respect to the Common Shares received by a U.S Holder in any tax year over 125% of the average annual distributions such U.S. Holder has received from the Company during the shorter of the three preceding tax years, or such U.S. Holder's holding period for the Common Shares. Generally, a U.S. Holder would be required to allocate any excess distribution or gain from the disposition of the Common Shares ratably over its holding period for the Common Shares. Such amounts allocated to the year of the disposition or excess distribution would be taxed as ordinary income, and amounts allocated to prior tax years would be taxed as ordinary income at the highest tax rate in effect for each such year and an interest charge at a rate applicable to underpayments of tax would apply.

While there are U.S. federal income tax elections that sometimes can be made to mitigate these adverse tax consequences (including the "QEF Election" under Section 1295 of the Code and the "Mark-to-Market Election" under Section 1296 of the Code), such elections are available in limited circumstances and must be made in a timely manner.

U.S. Holders should be aware that, for each tax year, if any, that the Company is a PFIC, the Company can provide no assurances that it will satisfy the record-keeping requirements of a PFIC, or that it will make available to U.S. Holders the information such U.S. Holders require to make a QEF Election with respect to the Company or any subsidiary that also is classified as a PFIC.

Certain additional adverse rules may apply with respect to a U.S. Holder if the Company is a PFIC, regardless of whether the U.S. Holder makes a QEF Election. These rules include special rules that apply to the amount of foreign tax credit that a U.S. Holder may claim on a distribution from a PFIC. Subject to these special rules, foreign taxes paid with respect to any distribution in respect of stock in a PFIC are generally eligible for the foreign tax credit. U.S. Holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the potential application of the PFIC rules to the ownership and disposition of Common Shares, and the availability of certain U.S. tax elections under the PFIC rules.

Additional Considerations

Receipt of Foreign Currency

The amount of any distribution paid to a U.S. Holder in foreign currency, or payment received on the sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of Common Shares, generally will be equal to the USD value of such foreign currency based on the exchange rate applicable on the date of receipt (regardless of whether such foreign currency is converted into USD at that time). A U.S. Holder will have a basis in the foreign currency equal to its USD value on the date of receipt. Any U.S. Holder who converts or otherwise disposes of the foreign currency after the date of receipt may have a foreign currency exchange gain or loss that would be treated as ordinary income or loss, and generally will be U.S. source income or loss for foreign tax credit purposes. Different rules apply to U.S. Holders who use the accrual method with respect to foreign currency received upon the sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of the Common Shares. Each U.S. Holder should consult its own U.S. tax advisor regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of receiving, owning, and disposing of foreign currency.

Foreign Tax Credit

Subject to the PFIC rules discussed above, a U.S. Holder that pays (whether directly or through withholding) foreign income tax with respect to dividends paid on the Common Shares generally will be entitled, at the election of such U.S. Holder, to receive either a deduction or a credit for such foreign income tax. Generally, a credit will reduce a U.S. Holder's U.S. federal income tax liability on a dollar-for-dollar basis, whereas a deduction will reduce a U.S. Holder's income subject to U.S. federal income tax. This election is made on a year-by-year basis and applies to all foreign taxes paid (whether directly or through withholding) by a U.S. Holder during a year. The foreign tax credit rules are complex and involve the application of rules that depend on a U.S. Holder's particular circumstances. Each U.S. Holder should consult its own U.S. tax advisor regarding the foreign tax credit rules.

Backup Withholding and Information Reporting

Under U.S. federal income tax law and Treasury Regulations, certain categories of U.S. Holders must file information returns with respect to their investment in, or involvement in, a foreign corporation. For example, U.S. return disclosure obligations (and related penalties) are imposed on individuals who are U.S. Holders that hold certain specified foreign financial assets in excess of certain threshold amounts. The definition of specified foreign financial assets includes not only financial accounts maintained in foreign financial institutions, but also, unless held in accounts maintained by a financial institution, any stock or security issued by a non-U.S. person, any financial instrument or contract held for investment that has an issuer or counterparty other than a U.S. person and any interest in a foreign entity. U.S. Holders may be subject to these reporting requirements unless their Common Shares are held in an account at certain financial institutions. Penalties for failure to file certain of these information returns are substantial. U.S. Holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the requirements of filing information returns, including the requirement to file an IRS Form 8938.

Payments made within the U.S. or by a U.S. payor or U.S. middleman, of dividends on, and proceeds arising from the sale or other taxable disposition of, Common Shares will generally be subject to information reporting and backup withholding tax, currently at the rate of 24%, if a U.S. Holder (a) fails to furnish such U.S. Holder's correct U.S. taxpayer identification number (generally on Form W-9), (b) furnishes an incorrect U.S. taxpayer identification number, (c) is notified by the IRS that such U.S. Holder has previously failed to properly report items subject to backup withholding tax, or (d) fails to certify, under penalty of perjury, that such U.S. Holder has furnished its correct U.S. taxpayer identification number and that the IRS has not notified such U.S. Holder that it is subject to backup withholding tax. However, certain exempt persons generally are excluded from these information reporting and backup withholding rules. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the U.S. backup withholding tax rules will be allowed as a credit against a U.S. Holder's U.S. federal income tax liability, if any, or will be refunded, if such U.S. Holder furnishes required information to the IRS in a timely manner.

The discussion of reporting requirements set forth above is not intended to constitute a complete description of all reporting requirements that may apply to a U.S. Holder. A failure to satisfy certain reporting requirements may result in an extension of the time period during which the IRS can assess a tax, and under certain circumstances, such an extension may apply to assessments of amounts unrelated to any unsatisfied reporting requirement. Each U.S. Holder should consult its own tax advisor regarding the information reporting and backup withholding rules.

THE ABOVE SUMMARY IS NOT INTENDED TO CONSTITUTE A COMPLETE ANALYSIS OF ALL TAX CONSIDERATIONS APPLICABLE TO U.S. HOLDERS WITH RESPECT TO THE ACQUISITION, OWNERSHIP, AND DISPOSITION OF COMMON SHARES. U.S. HOLDERS SHOULD CONSULT THEIR OWN TAX ADVISORS AS TO THE TAX CONSIDERATIONS APPLICABLE TO THEM IN LIGHT OF THEIR OWN PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES.

Part II

Item 15 Controls and Procedures

The following language amends and restates the “Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures” contained in Management’s Discussion and Analysis:

EVALUATION OF DISCLOSURE CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

Disclosure controls and procedures are controls and other procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in the reports we file or submit in accordance with National Instrument 51-102 - Continuous Disclosure Obligations ("NI 51-102") and under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act") is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified by NI 51-102 and the Canadian Securities Administrators and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's rules and forms. Disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to provide reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed by us in the reports we file or submit under NI 51-102 and the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated by management, including the Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

As required by National Instrument 52-109 - Certification of Disclosure in Issuers' Annual and Interim Filings ("NI 52-109") and Rule 13a-15(b) under the Exchange Act, our management, including our Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as of March 31, 2022. Based on the evaluation, our Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that, as of March 31, 2022, our disclosure controls and procedures are not effective at a reasonable assurance level due to the material weakness described in Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting and inability to file the Merit financial statements as required by Rule 3-09 of Regulation S-X.

Item 16G

Corporate Governance

NASDAQ STATEMENT OF CORPORATE GOVERNANCE DIFFERENCES

We are a foreign private issuer and our common shares are listed on the NASDAQ Capital Market ("NASDAQ"). Nasdaq Marketplace Rule 5615(a)(3) permits a foreign private issuer to follow its home country practice in lieu of most of the requirements of the 5600 Series of the NASDAQ Marketplace Rules. In order to claim such an exemption, we must disclose the significant differences between our corporate governance practices and those required to be followed by U.S. domestic issuers under NASDAQ's corporate governance requirements. Set forth below is a summary of such differences.

Shareholder Meeting Quorum Requirements

The NASDAQ minimum quorum requirement under NASDAQ Marketplace Rule 5620(c) for a shareholder meeting is 33-1/3% of the outstanding shares of common stock. We follow applicable Canadian laws with respect to quorum requirements. Our quorum requirement is set forth in our articles, which currently provide that a quorum is met if shareholders who, in the aggregate, hold at least 5% of the issued shares entitled to be voted at the meeting are present in person or represented by proxy, irrespective of the number of persons actually present at the meeting.