SHARE CAPITAL |
6. SHARE CAPITAL Authorized The Company’s authorized share capital consists of an unlimited number of common shares without par value. At December 31, 2022 and September 30, 2023, there were 195,313,184 and 195,885,531 shares issued and outstanding, respectively. Share issuances At the Company’s 2023 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders held on May 23, 2023, Mr. Stephen Lang did not stand for re-election as director. On June 22, 2023, in accordance with the approved Deferred Share Unit Plan, the Company issued 572,347 common shares to Mr. Lang and transferred related contributed surplus of $381,238 to share capital. During the nine months ended September 30, 2022, the Company issued an aggregate of 405,000 common shares pursuant to the exercise of stock options for total proceeds of $290,290 and transferred related contributed surplus of $162,479 to share capital. Stock options The Company adopted an incentive stock option plan in 2006, as amended September 19, 2012, and reapproved by the Company’s shareholders on May 28, 2015, May 30, 2018, and May 25, 2021 (the “Stock Option Plan”). The essential elements of the Stock Option Plan provide that the aggregate number of common shares of the Company that may be issued pursuant to options granted under the Stock Option Plan and any other share-based compensation arrangements may not exceed 10% of the number of issued shares of the Company at the time of the granting of options. Options granted under the Stock Option Plan will have a maximum term of ten years. The exercise price of options granted under the Stock Option Plan shall be fixed in compliance with the applicable provisions of the Toronto Stock Exchange (“TSX”) Company Manual in force at the time of grant and, in any event, shall not be less than the closing price of the Company’s common shares on the TSX on the trading day immediately preceding the day on which the option is granted, or such other price as may be agreed to by the Company and accepted by the TSX. Options granted under the Stock Option Plan vest immediately, unless otherwise determined by the Board at the date of grant. A summary of the options granted under the Stock Option Plan as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 is presented below: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Nine Months Ended | | | Year Ended | | | September 30, 2023 | | | December 31, 2022 | | | | | Weighted | | | | | | | | Weighted | | | | | | | | Average | | Aggregate | | | | | Average | | Aggregate | | | Number of | | Exercise Price | | Intrinsic Value | | | Number of | | Exercise Price | | Intrinsic Value | | | Options | | (C$) | | (C$) | | | Options | | (C$) | | (C$) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Balance, beginning of the period | | 2,287,049 | | $ | 0.95 | | | | | | 2,947,049 | | $ | 0.97 | | | | Granted | | 240,000 | | | 0.63 | | | | | | 240,000 | | | 0.92 | | | | Exercised | | — | | | — | | | | | | (405,000) | | | 0.90 | | | | Expired | | (740,000) | | | 0.91 | | | | | | (495,000) | | | 1.08 | | | | Balance, end of the period | | 1,787,049 | | $ | 0.92 | | $ | Nil | | | 2,287,049 | | $ | 0.95 | | $ | 10,400 |
The weighted average remaining life of options outstanding at September 30, 2023 was 2.7 years. Stock options outstanding as at September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 are as follows: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | September 30, 2023 | | | December 31, 2022 | | | Exercise | | Number of | | | | | Exercise | | Number of | | | Expiry Date | | Price (C$) | | Options | | Exercisable | | | Price (C$) | | Options | | Exercisable | March 16, 2023 | | | — | | — | | — | | | $ | 1.00 | | 580,000 | | 580,000 | March 16, 2023 | | | — | | — | | — | | | $ | 0.50 | | 130,000 | | 130,000 | June 9, 2023 | | | — | | — | | — | | | $ | 1.00 | | 30,000 | | 30,000 | March 21, 2024 | | $ | 0.61 | | 374,817 | | 374,817 | | | $ | 0.61 | | 374,817 | | 374,817 | February 1, 2025 | | $ | 1.35 | | 250,000 | | 250,000 | | | $ | 1.35 | | 250,000 | | 250,000 | August 8, 2025 | | $ | 0.85 | | 187,232 | | 187,232 | | | $ | 0.85 | | 187,232 | | 187,232 | May 27, 2026 | | $ | 0.92 | | 255,000 | | 255,000 | | | $ | 0.92 | | 255,000 | | 255,000 | May 25, 2027 | | $ | 1.31 | | 240,000 | | 240,000 | | | $ | 1.31 | | 240,000 | | 160,000 | May 24, 2028 | | $ | 0.92 | | 240,000 | | 160,000 | | | $ | 0.92 | | 240,000 | | 80,000 | May 23, 2029 | | $ | 0.63 | | 240,000 | | 80,000 | | | | — | | — | | — | | | | | | 1,787,049 | | 1,547,049 | | | | | | 2,287,049 | | 2,047,049 |
A summary of the non-vested options as of September 30, 2023 and changes during the nine months ended September 30, 2023 is as follows: | | | | | | | | | | Weighted average | | | Number of | | grant-date fair value | Non-vested options: | | options | | (C$) | Outstanding at December 31, 2022 | | 240,000 | | $ | 0.73 | Granted | | 240,000 | | | 0.42 | Vested | | (240,000) | | | 0.67 | Outstanding at September 30, 2023 | | 240,000 | | $ | 0.48 |
At September 30, 2023, there was unrecognized compensation expense of C$65,096 related to non-vested options outstanding. The cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average remaining period of approximately 1.1 years. Deferred Share Unit Incentive Plan On April 4, 2017, the Company adopted a Deferred Share Unit Plan (the “DSU Plan”). The DSU Plan was approved by the Company’s shareholders on May 24, 2017 and reapproved by the Company’s shareholders on May 27, 2020 and May 25, 2021. The maximum aggregate number of common shares that may be issued under the DSU Plan and the Stock Option Plan is 10% of the number of issued and outstanding common shares (on a non-diluted basis). During the nine months ended September 30, 2023, in accordance with the DSU Plan, the Company granted each of the members of the Board as of May 23, 2023 (other than those directors nominated for election by Paulson & Co. Inc.) 131,746 deferred share units (“DSUs”) for a total of 526,984 DSUs with a grant date fair value (defined as the weighted average of the prices at which the common shares traded on the exchange with the most volume for the five days immediately preceding the grant) of C$0.63 per DSU, representing C$83,000 per director or C$332,000 in the aggregate. On July 12, 2023, in accordance with the DSU Plan, the Company granted a new member of the Board 145,614 DSUs with a grant date fair value (defined as the weighted average of the prices at which the common shares traded on the exchange with the most volume for the five days immediately preceding the grant) of C$0.57 per DSU, representing C$83,000. Subject to adjustment in accordance with their terms, each DSU entitles the holders to receive one common share of the Company without the payment of any consideration. The DSUs vested immediately upon being granted, but the common shares underlying the DSUs are not deliverable to the grantee until the grantee is no longer serving on the Board. DSUs outstanding as at September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 are as follows: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Nine Months Ended | | | Year Ended | | | September 30, 2023 | | | December 31, 2022 | | | | | Weighted Average | | | | | Weighted | | | Number of | | Exercise Price | | | Number of | | Average Exercise | | | Units | | (C$) | | | Units | | Price (C$) | Balance, beginning of the period | | 2,602,361 | | $ | 0.89 | | | 2,151,276 | | $ | 0.88 | Issued | | 672,598 | | | 0.62 | | | 451,085 | | $ | 0.92 | Delivered | | (572,347) | | | 0.87 | | | — | | | — | Balance, end of the period | | 2,702,612 | | $ | 0.83 | | | 2,602,361 | | $ | 0.89 |
Share-based payments During the nine months ended September 30, 2023, there were 240,000 stock options granted under the Stock Option Plan and 672,598 DSUs granted under the DSU Plan. Share-based payment compensation for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 totaled $401,360 ($77,556 related to stock options and $323,804 related to DSUs). Of the total expense for the period ended September 30, 2023, $328,651 was included in consulting fees ($4,847 related to stock options and $323,804 related to DSUs), $4,847 was included in investor relations, and $67,862 was included in wages and benefits in the statement of operations and comprehensive loss. During the nine months ended September 30, 2022, there were 240,000 stock options granted under the Stock Option Plan and 451,085 DSUs granted under the DSU Plan. Share-based payment compensation for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 totaled $427,834 ($114,811 related to stock options and $313,023 related to DSUs). Of the total expense for the period ended September 30, 2022, $320,762 was included in consulting fees ($7,739 related to stock options and $313,023 related to DSUs), $7,138 was included in investor relations, and $99,934 was included in wages and benefits in the statement of operations and comprehensive loss.
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