20:16:17 EDT Mon 29 Apr 2024
Enter Symbol
or Name
USA
CA



Vior Inc (2)
Symbol VIO
Shares Issued 104,060,144
Close 2024-03-20 C$ 0.135
Market Cap C$ 14,048,119
Recent Sedar Documents

Vior arranges $20-million private placement

2024-03-20 16:45 ET - News Release

Mr. Mark Fedosiewich reports

VIOR ANNOUNCES $20 MILLION PRIVATE PLACEMENT

Vior Inc. has entered into an agreement with Eight Capital to act as lead agent and sole bookrunner in connection with a best efforts private placement offering by the company of securities for aggregate gross proceeds of up to $20-million. Pursuant to the offering, Vior may issue any combination of: (i) units of the company (the hard units) and/or subscription receipts; and (ii) flow-through units of the company. It is expected that approximately $13-million will be raised from FT units and $7-million from hard units and subscription receipts.

Each hard unit and subscription receipt will have an issue price of 12.5 cents and each FT unit will have an issue price of 22.25 cents. Each hard unit will comprise one common share of the company and one-half of one common share purchase warrant of the company. Each warrant will entitle the holder thereof to purchase one share at an exercise price of 21 cents for a period of 24 months following the closing date of the offering.

Each FT unit will consist of (i) one share, each of which will qualify as a flow-through share within the meaning of Subsection 66(15) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) and Section 359.1 of the Taxation Act (Quebec), and (ii) one-half of one warrant, each of which will qualify as a flow-through share within the meaning of Subsection 66(15) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) and Section 359.1 of the Taxation Act (Quebec).

Each subscription receipt will be automatically exchanged, without any action on the part of the holder thereof, for one hard unit upon satisfaction of the escrow release conditions (as defined below). The only subscriber of subscription receipts will be Osisko Mining Inc. insofar as the company must obtain, following the closing date, approvals of the TSX Venture Exchange and the shareholders of the company to authorize the creation of Osisko Mining as a new control person (as defined in the corporate finance policy of the exchange) of the company resulting from Osisko Mining's participation in the offering.

The company has granted the agents an option to offer for sale up to an additional 15 per cent of the hard units and subscription receipts, in any combination, at their respective issue price. The overallotment option will be exercisable, in whole or in part, up to 48 hours prior to the closing date.

The net proceeds from the sale of hard units and subscription receipts (assuming the satisfaction of the escrow release conditions) will be used by the company for exploration on its Belleterre gold project and for working capital and general corporate purposes.

The gross proceeds from the sale of FT units will be used by the company to incur expenses described in paragraph (f) of the definition of Canadian exploration expense (CEE) in Subsection 66.1(6) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) and paragraph (c) of the definition of CEE in Section 395 of the Taxation Act (Quebec) (the QTA), and will be renounced in favour of the relevant purchaser for both federal and Quebec tax purposes no later than Dec. 31, 2024, pursuant to the terms of the subscription agreement to be entered into between the company and such purchaser of FT units. Such expenses will also qualify as flow-through mining expenditures as defined in Subsection 127(9) of the tax act for the purposes of the federal tax credit described in paragraph (a.2) of the definition of investment tax credit in Subsection 127(9) of the tax act.

For purchasers of FT units resident in the province of Quebec, 10 per cent of the amount of the CEE will be eligible for inclusion in the deductible exploration base relating to certain Quebec exploration expenses and 10 per cent of the amount of the CEE will be eligible for inclusion in the deductible exploration base relating to certain Quebec surface mining exploration expenses (as such terms are defined in sections 726.4.10 and 726.4.17.2 of the QTA, respectively, for the purposes of the deductions described in sections 726.4.9 and 726.4.17.1 of the QTA), giving rise to an additional 20 per cent deduction for Quebec tax purposes.

In the event that the escrow release conditions are not satisfied on or before June 30, 2024, then the escrowed funds together with accrued interest earned thereon (if any) will be returned to the holder of the subscription receipts and the subscription receipts will be cancelled.

The offering is scheduled to close on or about March 28, 2024, and is subject to certain conditions, including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary regulatory and other approvals, including the approval of the exchange. The offered securities will be subject to a hold period of four months and one day from the closing date.

Shortly following the closing date, the company intends to complete a consolidation of its common shares on the basis of one postconsolidation share of the company for every three preconsolidation common shares of the company.

Certain insiders of the company are expected to participate in the offering. Pursuant to Multilateral Instrument 61-101 -- Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions, a purchase by the purchasing insiders would be a related party transaction. The company expects to be exempt from the requirements to obtain a formal valuation or minority shareholder approval in connection with the offering in reliance on sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(a), respectively, of MI 61-101, as neither the fair market value of the securities received by such parties nor the proceeds for such securities received by the company will exceed 25 per cent of the company's market capitalization as calculated in accordance with MI 61-101. More specifically, it is anticipated that Osisko Mining will be subscribing to that number of hard units that shall result in Osisko Mining holding not more than 19.9 per cent of the then issued and outstanding common shares of the company. On March 22, 2021, the company and Osisko Mining entered into an investor rights agreement pursuant to which Osisko Mining was granted, among other things: (i) the right to nominate a representative to the board of directors of the company; (ii) the right to participate in future equity financings (as defined in the original IRA) of the company; and (iii) certain other rights as described in the original IRA. In connection with the offering, the company and Osisko Mining will enter into an amended investor rights agreement pursuant to which Osisko Mining will be granted the right to nominate an additional representative to the board of directors of the company. Moreover, it is anticipated that the aforementioned rights granted under the original IRA will be maintained under the amended IRA.

Moreover, it is anticipated that Osisko Mining will purchase that number of subscription receipts that, if and when converted into common shares of the company, would result in Osisko Mining holding greater than 20 per cent of the then issued and outstanding common shares of the company, thereby making Osisko Mining a new control person (as defined in the corporate finance policy of the exchange) of the company under applicable securities laws. Pursuant to the policies of the exchange, the creation of a new control person of the company requires shareholder approval. Consequently, following the closing of the offering, the company intends to hold a special meeting of its shareholders to approve the creation of a new control person, among other things.

The gross proceeds from the sale of the subscription receipts shall be held in escrow by an escrow agent determined by the company and Osisko Mining. The escrowed funds will be released from escrow to the company upon satisfaction of the following conditions:

  1. The receipt of the required shareholder and exchange approvals to authorize of the creation of Osisko Mining as a new control person (as defined in the corporate finance policy of the exchange) of the company resulting from Osisko Mining's participation in the offering;
  2. The receipt of the required shareholder and exchange approvals to permit the company and Osisko Mining to enter into (i) the amended IRA, and (ii) the royalty option agreement (as defined below);
  3. The delivery by the company and Osisko Mining of signed copies, in escrow, of the amended IRA and the royalty option agreement, with the release of such documents being automatic and subject only to the delivery of the joint direction in IV;
  4. The company and Eight Capital (on its own behalf and on behalf of the syndicate) having delivered a joint notice to the escrow agent confirming that the condition set forth in (i) to (iii) above have been met.

The company and Osisko Mining have entered into a binding term sheet pertaining to the grant by the company to Osisko Mining of an option to acquire a royalty in exchange for cash consideration of $250,000, which option shall provide Osisko Mining with an exclusive option, exercisable for a period of five years following the effective date (subject to acceleration in the case that the company publishes a milestone resource report on the Belleterre gold property), at an exercise price of $5-million in cash, to, inter alia, acquire the following exclusive royalty rights and privileges: (i) a 2-per-cent net smelter return royalty on the Belleterre gold property (subject to a 3-per-cent limit on all royalties); and (ii) a right in favour of Osisko Mining to cause the company to fully exercise all buyback rights associated with existing royalties on the Belleterre gold property and regrant or transfer such royalties to Osisko Mining. The parties are expected to enter into a definitive royalty option agreement.

About Vior Inc.

Vior is a junior mineral exploration corporation based in the province of Quebec, Canada, whose corporate strategy is to generate, explore and develop high-quality mineral projects in the proven and favourable mining jurisdiction of Quebec. Through the years, Vior's management and technical teams have demonstrated their ability to discover several gold deposits and many high-quality mineral prospects.

Vior is rapidly advancing its flagship Belleterre gold project with the strategic support of Osisko Mining. The Belleterre gold project is an exciting district-scale property that includes Quebec's past-producing high-grade Belleterre gold mine. Vior has conducted extensive exploration at the Belleterre property and is finalizing plans for a 50,000-plus-metre drill program. Vior is also actively developing its promising Skyfall project in partnership with SOQUEM Inc., as well as several other properties with multimineral potential.

We seek Safe Harbor.

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