Compensation Related Costs, Share Based Payments

3 Months Ended

May 31, 2012

Compensation Related Costs, Share Based Payments

Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Text Block]

10.          STOCK OPTIONS

The Company has a stock option program under which stock options to purchase securities from the Company can be granted to directors and employees of the Company on terms and conditions acceptable to the regulatory authorities of Canada, notably the Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX"), the Ontario Securities Commission and the British Columbia Securities Commission.

Under the stock option program, stock options for up to 10% of the number of issued and outstanding common shares may be granted from time to time, provided that stock options in favor of any one individual may not exceed 5% of the issued and outstanding common shares.  No stock option granted under the stock option program is transferable by the optionee other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and each stock option is exercisable during the lifetime of the optionee only by such optionee.  Generally, no option can be for a term of more than 10 years from the date of the grant.

The exercise price of all stock options, granted under the stock option program, must be at least equal to the fair market value (subject to regulated discounts) of such common shares on the date of grant.  Options vest at the discretion of the board of directors.

The Company had no stock options outstanding as of May 31, 2012 and August 31, 2011.

11.          EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN (“ESOP”)

The Company sponsors an ESOP that covers all U.S. employees who are employed by the Company on August 31 of each year and who have at least one thousand hours with the Company in the twelve months preceding that date.  The ESOP formerly held common shares of the Company and granted to participants in the plan certain ownership rights in, but not possession of, or voting control of, any common stock of the Company held by the Trustee of the Plan.  Shares of common stock were allocated annually to participants in the ESOP pursuant to a prescribed formula. The Company records compensation expense based on the market price of the Company's shares when they were allocated.  Any dividends on allocated ESOP shares are recorded as a reduction of retained earnings.  Beginning in Fiscal 2010, the ESOP began its investment in diversified mutual funds. During Fiscal 2011 and 2012, all of the Company’s shares held by the ESOP were sold, with the majority repurchased by the Company and cancelled under the 10b5-1 share repurchase plans. Effective June 30, 2012, the ESOP has been terminated, subject to the approval of the Internal Revenue Service.  No further contributions shall be made to the ESOP.  Upon receipt of approval from the Internal Revenue Service, the remaining assets shall be distributed to the participants pursuant to the terms of the Plan.

ESOP compensation expense was $141,518 and $146,677 for the fiscal years ended August 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively, and is included in wages and employee benefits.  The ESOP shares are as follows:

	May 31, 2012	August 31, 2011
Shares owned by ESOP	Nil	224,939