CANADIAN SOLAR INC.
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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 14, 2008
Registration No. 333-      
 
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
 
FORM F-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
 
 
 
 
Canadian Solar Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Not Applicable
(Translation of Registrant’s name into English)
 
         
Canada
  3674   Not Applicable
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (Primary Standard Industrial
Classification Code Number)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)
 
No. 199 Lushan Road
Suzhou New District
Suzhou, Jiangsu 215129
People’s Republic of China
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)
 
 
 
 
CT Corporation System
111 Eighth Avenue
New York, New York 10011
(212) 664-1666
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
 
 
 
 
Copies to:
 
David T. Zhang, Esq.
Eugene Y. Lee, Esq.
Latham & Watkins LLP
41st Floor, One Exchange Square
8 Connaught Place, Central
Hong Kong
(852) 2912-2500
 
 
 
 
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement.
 
If only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. o
 
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box. þ
 
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. o
 
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. o
 
If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.C. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. þ
 
If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.C. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. o
 
 
 
 
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
 
                         
            Proposed
    Proposed Maximum
    Amount of
Title of Each Class of
    Amount to Be
    Maximum Offering
    Aggregate
    Registration
Securities to Be Registered(1)     Registered(2)     Price per Unit(2)     Offering Price(2)     Fee(2)
Common shares, with no par value
                       
Debt securities
                       
                         
 
 
(1) Includes (i) securities initially offered and sold outside the United States that may be resold from time to time in the United States either as part of their distribution or within 40 days after the later of the effective date of this registration statement and the date the securities are first bona fide offered to the public and (ii) securities that may be purchased by underwriters pursuant to over-allotment options. These securities are not being registered for the purposes of sales outside of the United States.
 
(2) An indeterminate aggregate number of securities is being registered as may from time to time be sold at indeterminate prices. In accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r), the Registrant is deferring payment of all of the registration fee.
 


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PROSPECTUS
 
(CSI LOGO)
 
Common Shares
Debt Securities
 
We may offer and sell the securities in any combination from time to time in one or more offerings, at prices and on terms described in one or more supplements to this prospectus. The debt securities may be convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our common shares or our other securities. Our common shares are listed on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol “CSIQ.” In addition, this prospectus may be used to offer securities for the account of persons other than us.
 
This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities that may be offered. Each time we or any selling security holder sell securities, we will provide a supplement to this prospectus that contains specific information about the offering and the terms of the securities. The supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided in connection with a specific offering. You should carefully read this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectuses, as well as any documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, before you invest in any of our securities.
 
Investing in our securities involves risks. See the “Risk Factors” section contained in the applicable prospectus supplement, any related free writing prospectus and in the documents we incorporate by reference in this prospectus to read about factors you should consider before investing in our securities.
 
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or completeness of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
 
We or any selling security holder may sell the securities described in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement to or through one or more underwriters, dealers and agents, or directly to purchasers, or through a combination of these methods, on a continuous or delayed basis. See “Plan of Distribution.” If any underwriters, dealers or agents are involved in the sale of any of the securities, their names, and any applicable purchase price, fee, commission or discount arrangements between or among them, will be set forth, or will be calculable from the information set forth, in the applicable prospectus supplement.
 
The date of this prospectus is July 14, 2008.


 

 
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 EX-4.2 FORM OF INDENTURE
 EX-5.1 OPINION OF LATHAM & WATKINS LLP REGARDING THE VALIDITY OF THE DEBT SECURITIES
 EX-5.2 OPINION OF WEIRFOULDS LLP REGARDING THE VALIDITY OF THE COMMON SHARES
 EX-12.1 STATEMENT REGARDING THE COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
 EX-21.1 LIST OF SUBSIDIARIES
 EX-23.1 CONSENT OF DELOITTE TOUCHE TOHMATSU, INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
 EX-23.4 CONSENT OF CHEN & CO. LAW FIRM
 EX-25.1 FORM T-1 STATEMENT


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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
 
You should read this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with the additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information About Us” and “Incorporation of Documents by Reference.”
 
In this prospectus, unless otherwise indicated or unless the context otherwise requires,
 
  •  “we,” “us,” “our,” and “our company” refer to Canadian Solar Inc. and its subsidiaries;
 
  •  “China” or “PRC” refers to the People’s Republic of China, excluding Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau;
 
  •  “RMB” or “Renminbi” refers to the legal currency of China, “US$” or “U.S. dollars” refers to the legal currency of the United States, “C$” and “Canadian $” are to the legal currency of Canada; and “Euro” refers to the legal currency of the European Union; and
 
  •  “shares” or “common shares” refers to our common shares, with no par value.
 
This prospectus is part of an “automatic shelf” registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, as a “well-known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended or the Securities Act, using a “shelf” registration process. By using a shelf registration statement, we or any selling security holder may sell any combination of our common shares, and debt securities from time to time and in one or more offerings. Each time we or any selling security holder sell securities, we may provide a supplement to this prospectus that contains specific information about the securities being offered and the specific terms of that offering. The supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. If there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, you should rely on the prospectus supplement. Before purchasing any securities, you should carefully read both this prospectus and any supplement, together with the additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information About Us” and “Incorporation of Documents by Reference.”
 
You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, in any applicable prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be delivered to you. We have not authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We will not make an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus, the applicable supplement to this prospectus or in any related free writing prospectus is accurate as of its respective date, and that any information incorporated by reference is accurate only as of the date of the document incorporated by reference, unless we indicate otherwise. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.


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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT US
 
We file reports and other information with the SEC. Information filed with the SEC by us can be inspected and copied at the Public Reference Room maintained by the SEC at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You may also obtain copies of this information by mail from the Public Reference Section of the SEC at prescribed rates. Further information on the operation of the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. can be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330.
 
The SEC also maintains a web site that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information about issuers, such as us, who file electronically with the SEC. The address of that site is http://www.sec.gov.
 
Our web site address is http://www.csisolar.com. The information on our web site, however, is not, and should not be deemed to be, a part of this prospectus.
 
This prospectus and any prospectus supplement are part of a registration statement that we filed with the SEC and do not contain all of the information in the registration statement. The full registration statement may be obtained from the SEC or us, as indicated below. Forms of the indenture and other documents establishing the terms of the offered securities are filed as exhibits to the registration statement. Statements in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement about these documents are summaries and each statement is qualified in all respects by reference to the document to which it refers. You should refer to the actual documents for a more complete description of the relevant matters. You may inspect a copy of the registration statement at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C., as well as through the SEC’s website.
 
INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
 
The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” the information we file with them. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. Each document incorporated by reference is current only as of the date of such document, and the incorporation by reference of such documents shall not create any implication that there has been no change in our affairs since the date thereof or that the information contained therein is current as of any time subsequent to its date. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be a part of this prospectus and should be read with the same care. When we update the information contained in documents that have been incorporated by reference by making future filings with the SEC, the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus is considered to be automatically updated and superseded. In other words, in the case of a conflict or inconsistency between information contained in this prospectus and information incorporated by reference into this prospectus, you should rely on the information contained in the document that was filed later.
 
We incorporate by reference the documents listed below:
 
  •  Our annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007 filed with the SEC on June 3, 2008.
 
  •  Our reports of foreign private issuer on Form 6-K filed with the SEC on June 6, 2008 and July 7, 2008.
 
  •  All future annual reports on Form 20-F, and any report on Form 6-K that we indicate is incorporated by reference into this prospectus, until we sell all of the securities offered by this prospectus.
 
Our annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007 filed on June 3, 2008, contains a description of our business and audited consolidated financial statements with a report by our independent auditors. These financial statements are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, or U.S. GAAP.
 
Copies of all documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus, other than exhibits to those documents unless such exhibits are specially incorporated by reference in this prospectus, will be provided at no cost to each


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person, including any beneficial owner, who receives a copy of this prospectus on the written or oral request of that person made to:
 
Canadian Solar Inc.
No. 199 Lushan Road
Suzhou New District
Suzhou, Jiangsu 215129
People’s Republic of China
Telephone: (86-512) 6690-8088
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
 
You should rely only on the information that we incorporate by reference or provide in this prospectus and any supplement. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. We are not making any offer of these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer is not permitted. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of those documents.


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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
 
This prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and the information incorporated herein and therein by reference may contain “forward-looking” statements intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements, which are not statements of historical fact, may contain estimates, assumptions, projections and/or expectations regarding future events, which may or may not occur. Words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “should,” “will,” “would,” or similar expressions, which refer to future events and trends, identify forward-looking statements. We do not guarantee that the transactions and events described in this prospectus or in any prospectus supplement will happen as described or that they will happen at all. You should read this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement completely and with the understanding that actual future results may be materially different from what we expect. The forward-looking statements made in this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement relate only to events as of the date on which the statements are made. We undertake no obligation, beyond that required by law, to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which the statement is made, even though our situation will change in the future.
 
Whether actual results will conform with our expectations and predictions is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, and reflect future business decisions that are subject to change. Some of the assumptions, future results and levels of performance expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements we make inevitably will not materialize, and unanticipated events may occur which will affect our results. The “Risk Factors” section of this prospectus directs you to a description of the principal contingencies and uncertainties to which we believe we are subject.
 
This prospectus also contains or incorporates by reference data related to the solar power market in several countries, including China. This market data, including market data from Solarbuzz, an independent solar energy research firm, includes projections that are based on a number of assumptions. The solar power market may not grow at the rates projected by the market data, or at all. The failure of the market to grow at the projected rates may materially and adversely affect our business and the market price of our securities. In addition, the rapidly changing nature of the solar power market and related regulatory regimes subjects any projections or estimates relating to the growth prospects or future condition of our market to significant uncertainties. If any one or more of the assumptions underlying the market data proves to be incorrect, actual results may differ from the projections based on these assumptions. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.


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OUR COMPANY
 
We design, develop, manufacture and sell solar cell and module products that convert sunlight into electricity for a variety of uses. We are incorporated in Canada and conduct all of our manufacturing operations in China. Our products include a range of standard solar modules built to general specifications for use in a wide range of residential, commercial and industrial solar power generation systems. In addition, we recently commenced commercial production of e-Modules, a cost-effective medium power solar module product using 100% upgraded metallurgical grade silicon, or UMgSi. We also design and produce specialty solar modules and products manufactured based on our customers’ requirements. Specialty solar modules and products consist of customized modules that our customers incorporate into their own products, such as solar-powered bus stop lighting, and complete specialty products, such as solar-powered car battery chargers. We sell our products under our “CSI” brand name and to OEM customers under their own brand names. We also implement solar power development projects, primarily in conjunction with government organizations to provide solar power generation in rural areas of China.
 
We currently sell our products to customers located in various markets worldwide, including Germany, Spain, Italy, the United States, South Korea, the Czech Republic, China and Canada. We sell our standard solar modules to distributors, system integrators and through OEM channels. We sell our e-Modules to distributors and system integrators. We sell our specialty solar modules and products directly to various manufacturers who integrate our specialty solar modules and products into their own products and sell and market them as part of their own product portfolio.
 
We have historically manufactured our module products from solar cells purchased from third-party manufacturers. In 2007, we began to pursue a new business model that combines internal manufacturing capacity supplemented by direct material purchases and outsourced toll manufacturing relationships which we believe provides us with several competitive benefits. We believe that this approach allows us to benefit from the increased margin available to vertically integrated solar manufacturers while reducing the capital expenditures required relative to a fully vertically integrated business model and produce better returns on our invested capital. We also believe that this approach provides us with greater flexibility to respond to short-term demand patterns and longer-term to take advantage of the availability of low-cost outsourced manufacturing capacity. Additionally, it has enabled us to improve production yields, control our inventory more efficiently and improve cash management, which we believe has resulted in increased confidence in our forecasts for future revenue growth.
 
We believe that we have contractually secured 95% of our silicon and solar cell requirements to support solar module production of 230 to 260MW in 2008. For silicon material supplies, we have entered into a five-year supply agreement with Luoyang Zhong Gui High Tech Co. Ltd., or Luoyang Poly, for high purity silicon from 2006 to 2010. For silicon wafers, we have entered into a fixed price and volume agreement with LDK Solar Co., Ltd., or LDK, from 2008 to 2010 for specified quantities of solar wafers, including 50MW for delivery in 2008. We also have standby toll manufacturing arrangements with LDK and other ingot and wafer manufacturers to convert our virgin polysilicon and reclaimed silicon feedstock into wafers. In January 2007, we entered into a supply agreement with Deutsche Solar AG, or Deutsche Solar, for a supply of multi-crystalline silicon wafers through 2018. In November 2007, we entered into various agreements with China Sunergy Co., Ltd., or China Sunergy, for a supply of 25MW of solar cells for delivery in 2008, and an agreement with Gintech Energy Corporation, or Gintech, for a supply of 17MW of solar cells for delivery in 2008, with an option, subject to availability, for an extra 5MW. We have other silicon wafer and solar cell supply agreements in place, including a multi-year solar wafer supply contract with Jiangsu Shunda Group Corporation which should provide us with wafer supplies through 2015, a solar cell supply contract with Neo Solar Power and a UMgSi materials supply contract with Timminco Limited, through its subsidiary Becancour Silicon Inc., or BSI. We believe these contracts have diversified our silicon wafer and cell supply sources and also provide an option of securing additional wafer and cell supplies from multiple sources, helping us to meet demand for our solar products.
 
We have expanded our in-house manufacturing capacity for both solar cells and solar modules. As of March 31, 2008, we had 400MW of combined annual module manufacturing capacity and 100MW of annual cell manufacturing capacity. Currently, we intend to use all of our solar cells in the manufacturing of our own solar module products.


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We recently announced our new capacity expansion plan which we intend to complete during Q1 2009, which includes:
 
  •  Increasing our annual internal module capacity to 800MW.
 
  •  Expansion of our annual solar cell manufacturing capacity to 400MW.
 
  •  Construction of a solar ingot and wafer plant in Luoyang, China, which will give us an annual solar ingot and wafer capacity of 150 to 200MW.
 
We recently commenced commercial production of e-Modules, a cost-effective medium power solar module product using 100% UMgSi, in March 2008. We converted one of our solar cell lines and dedicated it to upgraded metallurgical grade cells in early April 2008 and ramped up to full production shortly thereafter. Delivery of e-Modules to some of our European and U.S. customers began in early May. We have announced sales contracts for 24.5MW of e-Modules for shipment in 2008 and believe that we are on track to achieve our prior estimate of shipping 30 to 40MW of e-Modules in 2008. We believe our e-Module product gives us access to more price-sensitive markets such as the United States and South Korea where traditional silicon modules may not be as cost-competitive. We will continue to receive shipments of UMgSi through 2011 and expect to increase production of our UMgSi modules in the future.
 
We believe that the substantial industry and international experience of our management team has helped us foster strategic relationships with suppliers throughout the solar power industry value chain. We also take advantage of our flexible and low cost manufacturing capability in China to lower our manufacturing and operating costs. We believe we have a proven track record of low cost and rapid expansion of solar cell and solar module manufacturing capacity.
 
We have grown rapidly since March 2002, when we sold our first solar module products. Our net revenues increased from US$9.7 million in 2004 to US$302.8 million in 2007, and from US$17.5 million for the three month period ended March 31, 2007 to US$171.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2008. We sold 2.2MW, 4.1MW, 14.9MW and 83.5MW of our solar module products in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007, respectively, and 3.9MW and 41.8MW for the three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2008, respectively.


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RISK FACTORS
 
Please see the factors set forth under the heading “Risk Factors” in our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 20-F, which is incorporated in this prospectus by reference, and, if applicable, in any accompanying prospectus supplement, before investing in any securities that may be offered pursuant to this prospectus.


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USE OF PROCEEDS
 
We intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. We will not receive proceeds from sales of securities by persons other than us except as may otherwise be stated in any applicable prospectus supplement.


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ENFORCEABILITY OF CIVIL LIABILITIES
 
We were incorporated as an Ontario corporation in October 2001 and were continued as a Canadian corporation under the Canadian federal corporate statute, the Canada Business Corporations Act, or CBCA, in June 2006.
 
We are a corporation organized under the federal laws of Canada. Most of our directors and officers and some of the experts named in this prospectus reside principally outside the United States. Because these persons are located outside the United States, it may not be possible for you to effect service of process within the United States upon those persons. Furthermore, it may not be possible for you to enforce against us or them, in the United States, judgments obtained in U.S. courts, because all or a substantial portion of our assets and the assets of those persons are located outside the United States. We have been advised by WeirFoulds LLP, our Canadian counsel, that there are defenses that can be raised to the enforceability, in original actions in Canadian courts, of liabilities based upon the U.S. federal securities laws and to the enforceability in Canadian courts of judgments of U.S. courts obtained in actions based upon the civil liability provisions of U.S. federal securities laws, such that the enforcement in Canada of such liabilities and judgments is not certain. Therefore, it may not be possible to enforce those actions against us, our directors and officers or the experts named in this prospectus.
 
Our constituent documents do not contain provisions requiring that disputes, including those arising under the securities laws of the United States, between us, our officers, directors and shareholders, be arbitrated.
 
Substantially all of our current operations are conducted in China, and substantially all of our assets are located in China. A majority of our directors and officers are nationals or residents of jurisdictions other than the United States and a substantial portion of their assets are located outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult for a shareholder to effect service of process within the United States upon us or such persons, or to enforce against us or them judgments obtained in U.S. courts, including judgments predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States.
 
Chen & Co. Law Firm, our counsel as to PRC law, has advised us that there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of the PRC would:
 
  •  recognize or enforce judgments of U.S. courts obtained against us or our directors or officers predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States; or
 
  •  entertain original actions brought in each respective jurisdiction against us or our directors or officers predicated upon the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States.
 
Chen & Co. Law Firm has advised us further that the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments are provided for under the PRC Civil Procedures Law. PRC courts may recognize and enforce foreign judgments in accordance with the requirements of the PRC Civil Procedures Law based either on treaties between the PRC and the country where the judgment is made or on reciprocity between jurisdictions. China does not have any treaties or other arrangements that provide for the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments with the United States or Canada. As a result, it is generally difficult to recognize and enforce in China a judgment rendered by a court in either of these two jurisdictions.


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RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
 
The following table sets forth our ratio of earnings to fixed changes on a historical basis for the period indicated. The ratios are calculated by dividing earnings by fixed charges. For this purpose, earnings consist of pre-tax income from continuing operations before adjustment for minority interests, plus fixed charges. Fixed charges represent interest, amortization of debt discount and expense, and the estimated interest portion of rental charges.
 
                                         
    Year Ended December 31,
    2003   2004   2005   2006   2007
 
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges
    149X       166X       17X       (1)     (2)
 
 
(1) Earnings for 2006 were insufficient to cover fixed charges by approximately $9.0 million.
 
(2) Earnings for 2007 were insufficient to cover fixed charges by approximately $0.4 million.


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DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES
 
We may issue from time to time, in one or more offerings, the following securities:
 
  •  common shares; and
 
  •  debt securities.
 
We will set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement a description of the debt securities and the common shares that may be offered under this prospectus. The terms of the offering of securities, the initial offering price and the net proceeds to us will be contained in the prospectus supplement, and other offering material, relating to such offer. The supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should carefully read this prospectus and any supplement before you invest in any of our securities.


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DESCRIPTION OF COMMON SHARES
 
We may issue our common shares either alone or underlying other securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our common shares.
 
Holders of our common shares are entitled to certain rights and subject to certain conditions as set forth in our articles and bylaws and the CBCA. See “Description of Share Capital.”


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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
 
We may issue series of debt securities, which may include debt securities convertible into common shares. When we offer to sell a particular series of debt securities, we will describe the specific terms of that series in a supplement to this prospectus. The following description of debt securities will apply to the debt securities offered by this prospectus unless we provide otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement. The applicable prospectus supplement for a particular series of debt securities may specify different or additional terms.
 
The debt securities offered hereby may be secured or unsecured, and may be either senior debt securities, senior subordinated debt securities or subordinated debt securities. The debt securities offered hereby will be issued under an indenture between us and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee. The indenture will be qualified under, subject to, and governed by, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended. We have summarized selected portions of the indenture below. The summary is not complete. The form of the indenture has been incorporated by reference as an exhibit to this registration statement and you should read the indenture for provisions that may be important to you.
 
General
 
The terms of each series of debt securities will be established by or pursuant to a resolution of our board of directors and detailed or determined in the manner provided in a board of directors’ resolution, an officers’ certificate or by a supplemental indenture. The particular terms of each series of debt securities will be described in a prospectus supplement relating to the series, including any pricing supplement.
 
We can issue an unlimited amount of debt securities under an indenture that may be in one or more series with the same or various maturities, at par, at a premium or at a discount. We will set forth in a prospectus supplement, including any pricing supplement, relating to any series of debt securities being offered the initial offering price, the aggregate principal amount and the terms of the debt securities, including the following:
 
  •  the title of the debt securities;
 
  •  the price or prices (expressed as a percentage of the aggregate principal amount) at which we will sell the debt securities;
 
  •  any limit on the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities;
 
  •  the date or dates on which we will pay the principal on the debt securities;
 
  •  the rate or rates (which may be fixed or variable) per annum or the method used to determine the rate or rates (including any commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index) at which the debt securities will bear interest and the right, if any, to extend the maturity of the debt securities, the date or dates from which interest will accrue, the date or dates on which interest will commence and be payable and any regular record date for the interest payable on any interest payment date;
 
  •  the place or places where the principal of, premium, and interest on the debt securities will be payable;
 
  •  the terms and conditions upon which we may redeem the debt securities;
 
  •  any obligation we have to redeem or purchase the debt securities pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of a holder of debt securities;
 
  •  the dates on which and the price or prices at which we will repurchase the debt securities at the option of the holders of debt securities and other detailed terms and provisions of these repurchase obligations;
 
  •  the denominations in which the debt securities will be issued, if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof;
 
  •  whether the debt securities will be issued in the form of certificated debt securities or global debt securities;
 
  •  the portion of principal amount of the debt securities payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity date, if other than the principal amount;


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  •  the currency of denomination of the debt securities;
 
  •  the designation of the currency, currencies or currency units in which payment of principal of, premium and interest on the debt securities will be made;
 
  •  if payments of principal of, premium or interest on the debt securities will be made in one or more currencies or currency units other than that or those in which the debt securities are denominated, the manner in which the exchange rate with respect to these payments will be determined;
 
  •  the manner in which the amounts of payment of principal of, premium or interest on the debt securities will be determined, if these amounts may be determined by reference to an index based on a currency or currencies other than that in which the debt securities are denominated or designated to be payable or by reference to a commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index;
 
  •  any provisions relating to any security provided for the debt securities;
 
  •  any addition to or change in the events of default described in the indenture with respect to the debt securities and any change in the acceleration provisions described in the indenture with respect to the debt securities;
 
  •  any addition to or change in the covenants described in the indenture with respect to the debt securities;
 
  •  whether the debt securities will be senior or subordinated and any applicable subordination provisions;
 
  •  any other terms of the debt securities, which may modify or delete any provision of the indenture as it applies to that series; and
 
  •  any depositaries, interest rate calculation agents, exchange rate calculation agents or other agents with respect to the debt securities.
 
We may issue debt securities that are exchangeable and/or convertible into our common shares. The terms, if any, on which the debt securities may be exchanged for and/or converted will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. Such terms may include provisions for conversion, either mandatory, at the option of the holder or at our option, in which case the number of common shares or other securities to be received by the holders of debt securities would be calculated as of a time and in the manner stated in the prospectus supplement. Neither the trustee nor the conversion agent shall have any duty to verify calculations respecting conversions. All such calculations shall be performed by us and our agents. Neither the trustee nor the conversion agent shall have any liability for not verifying our calculations and shall be entitled to rely upon them.
 
We may issue debt securities that provide for an amount less than their stated principal amount to be due and payable upon declaration of acceleration of their maturity pursuant to the terms of the indenture. We will provide you with information on the U.S. federal income tax considerations, Canadian federal income tax considerations and other special considerations applicable to any of these debt securities in the applicable prospectus supplement. If we denominate the purchase price of any of the debt securities in a foreign currency or currencies or a foreign currency unit or units, or if the principal of and any premium and interest on any series of debt securities is payable in a foreign currency or currencies or a foreign currency unit or units, we will provide you with information on the restrictions, elections, specific terms and other information with respect to that issue of debt securities and such foreign currency or currencies or foreign currency unit or units in the applicable prospectus supplement.


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Global Securities
 
The debt securities of a series may be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more global securities that will be deposited with, or on behalf of, a depositary (the “depositary”) identified in the prospectus supplement. Global securities will be issued in registered form and in either temporary or definitive form. Unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for the individual debt securities, a global security may not be transferred except as a whole by the depositary for such global security to a nominee of such depositary or by a nominee of such depositary to such depositary or another nominee of such depositary or by such depositary or any such nominee to a successor of such depositary or a nominee of such successor. The specific terms of the depositary arrangement with respect to any debt securities of a series and the rights of and limitations upon owners of beneficial interests in a global security will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
 
Governing Law
 
The indenture and the debt securities will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of New York.


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DESCRIPTION OF SHARE CAPITAL
 
We are a Canadian corporation, and our affairs are governed by our articles of continuance, as amended from time to time (the “articles”), bylaws as effective from time to time, and the CBCA.
 
As of the date of this prospectus, our authorized share capital consists of an unlimited number of common shares and an unlimited number of preferred shares issuable in series. As of the date of this registration statement, 32,129,138 common shares were issued and outstanding.
 
The following summary description of our share capital does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to our articles and our amended bylaws. If you would like more information on our common shares, you should review our articles and bylaws and the CBCA.
 
Common Shares
 
General
 
All of our common shares are fully paid and non-assessable. Our common shares are issued in registered form and may or may not be certificated although every shareholder is entitled at their option to a share certificate that complies with the CBCA. There are no limitations on the rights of shareholders who are not residents of Canada to hold and vote common shares.
 
Dividends
 
Holders of our common shares are entitled to receive, from funds legally available therefor, dividends when and as declared by the board of directors. The CBCA restricts the directors’ ability to declare, and our ability to pay, dividends by requiring that certain solvency tests be satisfied at the time of such declaration and payment. See the section entitled “— Directors — Sources of Dividends.”
 
Voting Rights
 
Each common share is entitled to one vote on all matters upon which the common shares are entitled to vote.
 
Liquidation
 
With respect to a distribution of assets in the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding-up, whether voluntary or involuntary, or any other distribution of our assets for the purposes of winding up our affairs, assets available for distribution among the holders of common shares shall be distributed among the holders of the common shares on a pro rata basis.
 
Variations of Rights of Shares
 
All or any of the rights attached to our common shares, or any other class of shares duly authorized may, subject to the provisions of the CBCA, be varied either with the unanimous written consent of the holders of the issued shares of that class or by a special resolution passed at a meeting of the holders of the shares of that class.
 
Preferred Shares
 
Our board of directors has the authority, without shareholder approval, to issue an unlimited number of preferred shares in one or more series. Our board of directors may establish the number of shares to be included in each such series and may set the designations, preferences, powers and other rights of the shares of a series of preferred shares. While the issuance of preferred shares provides us with flexibility in connection with possible acquisitions or other corporate purposes, it could, among other things, have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change of control transaction and could adversely affect the market price of our common shares and debt securities in this prospectus. We have no current plan to issue any preferred shares.


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Transfer Agent and Registrar
 
BNY Mellon Shareowner Services is the transfer agent and registrar for our common shares. BNY Mellon Shareowner Services’ address is 480 Washington Boulevard, 29th Floor, Jersey City, NJ 07310.
 
Shareholders’ Rights
 
The CBCA and our articles and bylaws govern us and our relations with our shareholders. The following is a summary of certain rights of holders of our common shares under the CBCA. This summary is not intended to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the CBCA and to our articles and bylaws.
 
Stated Objects or Purposes
 
Our articles do not contain any stated objects or purposes and do not place any limitations on the business that we may carry on.
 
Shareholder Meetings
 
We must hold an annual meeting of our shareholders at least once every year at a time and place determined by our board of directors, provided that the meeting must not be held later than 15 months after the preceding annual meeting or later than six months after the end of our preceding financial year. A meeting of our shareholders may be held at a place within Canada determined by our directors or, if determined by our directors, in New York, New York, United States of America, Los Angeles, California, United States of America, London, England, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of The People’s Republic of China or Shanghai, The People’s Republic of China.
 
Voting at any meeting of shareholders is by show of hands unless a poll or ballot is demanded. A poll or ballot may be demanded by the chairman of our board of directors or by any shareholder present in person or by proxy.
 
A special resolution is a resolution passed by not less than two-thirds of the votes cast by the shareholders entitled to vote on the resolution at a meeting at which a quorum is present. An ordinary resolution is a resolution passed by not less than a simple majority of the votes cast by the shareholders entitled to vote on the resolution at a meeting at which a quorum is present.
 
Notice of Meeting of Shareholders
 
Our bylaws provide that written notice stating the place, day and time of a shareholder meeting and the purpose for which the meeting is called, shall be delivered not less than 21 days nor more than 60 days before the date of the meeting.
 
Quorum
 
Under the CBCA, unless a corporation’s bylaws provide otherwise, a quorum is present at a meeting of the shareholders, irrespective of the number of shareholders actually present at the meeting, if the holders of a majority of the shares entitled to vote at the meeting are present in person or represented by proxy. Our bylaws provide that a quorum shall be at least two shareholders entitled to vote at the meeting represented in person or by proxy and holding at least one-third of our total issued and outstanding common shares.
 
Record Date for Notice of Meeting of Shareholders
 
Our directors may fix in advance a date as the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to receive notice of a meeting of shareholders, but such record date shall not precede by more than 60 days or by less than 21 days the date on which the meeting is to be held. If no record date is fixed, the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to receive notice of a meeting of shareholders shall be at the close of business on the day immediately preceding the day on which the notice is given or, if no notice is given, the day on which the meeting is held. If a record date is fixed, notice thereof shall be given, not less than seven days before the date so


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fixed by newspaper advertisement in the manner provided by the CBCA and by written notice to each stock exchange in Canada on which our shares are listed for trading.
 
Ability to Requisition Special Meetings of the Shareholders
 
The CBCA provides that the holders of not less than five percent of the issued shares of a corporation that carry the right to vote at a meeting sought to be held may give notice to the directors requiring them to call a meeting.
 
Shareholder Proposals
 
A shareholder entitled to vote at a meeting of shareholders who has held common shares with a fair market value of at least C$2,000 for at least six months may submit to us notice of a proposal and discuss at the meeting any matter in respect of which the shareholder would have been entitled to submit a proposal. A proposal may include nominations for the election of directors if the proposal is signed by one or more holders of shares representing in the aggregate not less than five percent of the shares entitled to vote at the meeting to which the proposal is to be presented. This requirement does not preclude nominations being made at a meeting of shareholders. The proposal must be submitted to us at least 90 days before the anniversary date of the notice of meeting that was sent to shareholders in connection with the last annual meeting.
 
Vote Required for Extraordinary Transactions
 
Under the CBCA, certain extraordinary corporate actions are required to be approved by special resolution. Such extraordinary corporate actions include:
 
  •  amendments to articles;
 
  •  arrangements;
 
  •  amalgamations other than amalgamations involving a holding body corporate, one or more wholly owned subsidiaries and/or one or more sister corporations;
 
  •  continuances under the laws of another jurisdiction;
 
  •  voluntary dissolutions; and
 
  •  sales, leases or exchanges of all or substantially all the property of a corporation other than in the ordinary course of business.
 
Related Party Transactions
 
The CBCA does not prohibit related party transactions.
 
Dissent Rights
 
The CBCA provides that our shareholders are entitled to exercise dissent rights and demand payment of the fair value of their shares in certain circumstances. For this purpose, there is no distinction between listed and unlisted shares. Dissent rights exist when we resolve to:
 
  •  amalgamate with a corporation other than a holding body corporate, one or more wholly owned subsidiaries and/or one or more sister corporations;
 
  •  amend the our articles of incorporation to add, change or remove any provisions restricting the issue, transfer or ownership of shares;
 
  •  amend the ours articles to add, change or remove any restriction upon the business or businesses that the we may carry on;
 
  •  continue under the laws of another jurisdiction;


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  •  sell, lease or exchange of all or substantially all our property other than in the ordinary course of business; or
 
  •  carry out a going-private or squeeze-out transaction.
 
In addition, a court order in connection with an arrangement proposed by us may permit shareholders to dissent if the arrangement is adopted.
 
However, a shareholder is not entitled to dissent if an amendment to the articles of incorporation is effected by a court order approving a reorganization or by a court order made in connection with an action for an oppression remedy.
 
Action by Written Consent
 
Under the CBCA, shareholders can take action by written resolution and without a meeting only if all shareholders sign the written resolution.
 
Directors
 
Number of Directors and Election
 
Under the CBCA the number of directors of a corporation must be specified in the corporation’s articles. The articles may provide for a minimum and maximum number of directors.
 
Our articles provide that the number of directors will not be less than three or more than ten. Our board of directors currently consists of six directors.
 
Our articles provide that our board of directors shall fix and may change the number of directors within the minimum and maximum number of directors provided for in our articles. In addition, our board of directors may appoint one or more additional directors, who shall hold office for a term expiring not later than the close of the next annual meeting of shareholders, but the total number of directors so appointed may not exceed one-third of the number of directors elected at the previous annual meeting of shareholders.
 
Shareholders of a corporation governed by the CBCA elect directors by ordinary resolution at each annual meeting of shareholders at which such an election is required.
 
Director Qualifications
 
Under the CBCA, at least 25% of the directors must be Canadian residents. A director must not be:
 
  •  under eighteen years of age;
 
  •  adjudicated as mentally unsound;
 
  •  a person that is not an individual; or
 
  •  a person who has the status of a bankrupt.
 
Removal of Directors; Staggered Term
 
Under the CBCA, a corporation’s shareholders may remove at a special meeting any director before the expiration of his or her term of office and may elect any qualified person in such director’s stead for the remainder of such term by ordinary resolution.
 
Under the CBCA, directors may be elected for a term expiring not later than the third annual meeting of shareholders following the election. If no term is specified, a director’s term expires at the next annual meeting of shareholders. A director may be nominated for re-election to the board of directors at the end of the director’s term.
 
Vacancies on the Board of Directors
 
Under the CBCA, vacancies that exist on the board of directors, except a vacancy resulting from an increase in the number or the minimum or maximum number of directors or a failure to elect the number or minimum number


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of directors provided for in the articles, may be filled by the board if the remaining directors constitute a quorum. In the absence of a quorum, the remaining directors shall call a meeting of shareholders to fill the vacancy.
 
Limitation of Personal Liability of Directors and Officers
 
Under the CBCA, in exercising their powers and discharging their duties, directors and officers must act honestly and in good faith with a view to the best interests of the corporation and exercise the care, diligence and skill that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in comparable circumstances. No provision in the corporation’s articles, bylaws, resolutions or contracts can relieve a director or officer from the duty to act in accordance with the CBCA or relieve a director from liability for a breach thereof. However, a director will not be liable for breaching his or her duty to act in accordance with the CBCA if the director relied in good faith on:
 
  •  financial statements represented to him by an officer or in a written report of the auditor to fairly reflect the financial condition of the corporation; or
 
  •  a report of a person whose profession lends credibility to a statement made by such person.
 
Indemnification of Directors and Officers
 
Under the CBCA and pursuant to our bylaws, we may indemnify any present or former director or officer or an individual who acts or acted at our request as a director or officer, or an individual acting in a similar capacity, of another entity, against all costs, charges and expenses, including an amount paid to settle an action or satisfy a judgment, reasonably incurred by such individual in respect of any civil, criminal, administrative, investigative or other proceeding in which the individual is involved because of that association with the corporation or other entity. In order to qualify for indemnification such director or officer must:
 
  •  have acted honestly and in good faith with a view to the best interests of the corporation, or, as the case may be, to the best interests of the other entity for which the individual acted as a director or officer or in a similar capacity at the corporation’s request; and
 
  •  in the case of a criminal or administrative action or proceeding enforced by a monetary penalty, have had reasonable grounds for believing that his or her conduct was lawful.
 
Indemnification will be provided to an eligible director or officer who meets both these tests and was substantially successful on the merits in his or her defense of the action.
 
A director or officer is entitled to indemnification from us as a matter of right if he or she is not judged by the court or other competent authority to have committed any fault or omitted to do anything that the individual ought to have done and fulfilled the conditions set forth above.
 
Sources of Dividends
 
Dividends may be declared at the discretion of the board of directors. Under the CBCA, the directors may not declare, and we may not pay, dividends if there are reasonable grounds for believing that (i) we are, or would after such payment be unable to pay our liabilities as they become due or (ii) the realizable value of our assets would thereby be less than the aggregate of our liabilities and of our stated capital of all classes of shares.
 
Amendments to the Bylaws
 
The directors may by resolution make, amend or repeal any bylaw unless the articles or bylaws provide otherwise. Our articles and bylaws do not restrict the power of our directors to make, amend or repeal bylaws. When the directors make, amend or repeal a bylaw, they are required under the CBCA to submit the change to the shareholders at the next meeting of shareholders. Shareholders may confirm, reject or amend the bylaw, amendment or repeal by ordinary resolution.


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Interested Directors Transactions
 
Under the CBCA, if a director or officer of a corporation has any interest in a material contract or material transaction, whether made or proposed, with the corporation if such director or officer is a party to the contract or transaction or is a director or an officer, or an individual acting in a similar capacity, of a party to the contract or transaction or has a material interest in a party to the contract or transaction, the director generally may not vote on any resolution to approve the contract or transaction, but the contract is not invalid by reason only of the relationship if such interest is disclosed in accordance with the requirements set out in the CBCA, the contract or transaction is approved by the other directors or by the shareholders and the contract or transaction was fair and reasonable to the corporation at the time it was approved.
 
Where a director or officer has an interest in a material contract or transaction or a proposed material contract or transaction that, in the ordinary course of the corporation’s business, would not require approval by the directors or shareholders, the interested director or officer shall disclose in writing to the corporation or request to have entered in the minutes of meetings of directors, the nature and the extent of the interest forthwith after the director or officer becomes aware of the contract or transaction or proposed contract or transaction.
 
Committees
 
Under the CBCA, directors of a corporation may appoint from their number a committee of directors and delegate to such committee certain powers of the directors.
 
Derivative Actions
 
Under the CBCA, a complainant (as defined below) may apply to the court for leave to bring an action in the name of and on behalf of a corporation or any of its subsidiaries, or to intervene in an existing action to which such body corporate is a party for the purpose of prosecuting, defending or discontinuing the action. A complainant includes a present or former shareholder, a present or former officer or director of the corporation or any of its affiliates, the Director appointed under the CBCA or any other person who in the discretion of the court is a proper person to make such an application. Under the CBCA, no such action may be brought and no such intervention in an action may be made unless the court is satisfied that:
 
  •  the complainant has given notice to the directors of the corporation or its subsidiary of the complainant’s intention to apply to the court for such leave not less than 14 days before bringing the application, or as otherwise directed by the court, if the directors of the corporation or its subsidiary do not bring, diligently prosecute or defend or discontinue the action;
 
  •  the complainant is acting in good faith; and
 
  •  it appears to be in the interests of the corporation or its subsidiary that the action be brought, prosecuted, defended or discontinued.
 
Under the CBCA, the court in a derivative action may make any order it thinks fit, including orders pertaining to the conduct of the action, the making of payments to former and present shareholders and payment of reasonable legal fees incurred by the complainant.
 
Oppression Remedy
 
The CBCA provides an oppression remedy that enables a court to make any intention or final order it thinks fit to rectify the matters complained of, if the court is satisfied upon application of a complainant (as defined below) that:
 
  •  any act or omission of the corporation or any of its affiliates effects a result;
 
  •  the business or affairs of the corporation or any of its affiliates are or have been conducted in a manner; or
 
  •  the powers of the directors of the corporation or any of its affiliates are or have been exercised in a manner,


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that is oppressive or unfairly prejudicial to or that unfairly disregards the interests of any security holder, creditor, director or officer of the corporation.
 
A complainant for this purpose includes a present or former shareholder, a present or former officer or director of the corporation or any of its affiliates, the Director appointed under the CBCA and any other person who in the discretion of the court is a proper person to make such an application.
 
The exercise of the court’s jurisdiction does not depend on a finding of a breach of such legal and equitable rights. Furthermore, the court may order a corporation to pay the interim costs of a complainant seeking an oppression remedy, but the complainant may be held accountable for such interim costs on final disposition of the complaint.
 
Inspection of Books and Records
 
Under the CBCA, our shareholders and creditors, their personal representatives and the Director appointed under the CBCA may examine, free of charge during our usual business hours:
 
  •  our articles, bylaws and all amendments thereto;
 
  •  the minutes and resolutions of shareholders;
 
  •  copies of all notices of directors filed under the CBCA; and
 
  •  our securities register.
 
Any of our shareholders may request a copy of the articles, bylaws and all amendments thereto free of charge.


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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
 
We or any selling security holder may sell or distribute the securities offered by this prospectus, from time to time, in one or more offerings, as follows:
 
  •  through agents;
 
  •  to dealers or underwriters for resale;
 
  •  directly to purchasers; or
 
  •  through a combination of any of these methods of sale.
 
In addition, we may issue the securities as a dividend or distribution or in a subscription rights offering to our existing security holders. In some cases, we or dealers acting for us or on our behalf may also repurchase securities and reoffer them to the public by one or more of the methods described above. This prospectus may be used in connection with any offering of our securities through any of these methods or other methods described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
 
Our securities distributed by any of these methods may be sold to the public, in one or more transactions, either:
 
  •  at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed;
 
  •  at market prices prevailing at the time of sale;
 
  •  at prices related to prevailing market prices; or
 
  •  at negotiated prices.
 
Sale through Underwriters or Dealers
 
If underwriters are used in the sale, the underwriters will acquire the securities for their own account, including through underwriting, purchase, security lending or repurchase agreements with us or any selling security holder. The underwriters may resell the securities from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions. Underwriters may sell the securities in order to facilitate transactions in any of our other securities (described in this prospectus or otherwise), including other public or private transactions and short sales. Underwriters may offer securities to the public either through underwriting syndicates represented by one or more managing underwriters or directly by one or more firms acting as underwriters. Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, the obligations of the underwriters to purchase the securities will be subject to certain conditions, and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all the offered securities if they purchase any of them. The underwriters may change from time to time any initial public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers.
 
If dealers are used in the sale of securities offered through this prospectus, we or any selling security holder will sell the securities to them as principals. They may then resell those securities to the public at varying prices determined by the dealers at the time of resale. The applicable prospectus supplement will include the names of the dealers and the terms of the transaction.
 
Direct Sales and Sales through Agents
 
We or any selling security holder may sell the securities offered through this prospectus directly. In this case, no underwriters or agents would be involved. Such securities may also be sold through agents designated from time to time. The applicable prospectus supplement will name any agent involved in the offer or sale of the offered securities and will describe any commissions payable to the agent. Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, any agent will agree to use its commonly reasonable efforts to solicit purchases for the period of its appointment.


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We or any selling security holder may sell the securities directly to institutional investors or others who may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act with respect to any sale of those securities. The terms of any such sales will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
 
Delayed Delivery Contracts
 
If the applicable prospectus supplement indicates, we or any selling security holder may authorize agents, underwriters or dealers to solicit offers from certain types of institutions to purchase securities at the public offering price under delayed delivery contracts. These contracts would provide for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future. The contracts would be subject only to those conditions described in the prospectus supplement. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the commission payable for solicitation of those contracts.
 
Market Making, Stabilization and Other Transactions
 
Unless the applicable prospectus supplement states otherwise, each series of offered securities will be a new issue and will have no established trading market. We may elect to list any series of offered securities on an exchange. Any underwriters that we or any selling security holder uses in the sale of offered securities may make a market in such securities, but may discontinue such market making at any time without notice. Therefore, we cannot assure you that the securities will have a liquid trading market.
 
Any underwriter may also engage in stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Rule 104 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Stabilizing transactions involve bids to purchase the underlying security in the open market for the purpose of pegging, fixing or maintaining the price of the securities. Syndicate covering transactions involve purchases of the securities in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover syndicate short positions.
 
Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate member when the securities originally sold by the syndicate member are purchased in a syndicate covering transaction to cover syndicate short positions. Stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids may cause the price of the securities to be higher than it would be in the absence of the transactions. The underwriters may, if they commence these transactions, discontinue them at any time.
 
Derivative Transactions and Hedging
 
We, any selling security holder and the underwriters may engage in derivative transactions involving the securities. These derivatives may consist of short sale transactions and other hedging activities. The underwriters may acquire a long or short position in the securities, hold or resell securities acquired and purchase options or futures on the securities and other derivative instruments with returns linked to or related to changes in the price of the securities. In order to facilitate these derivative transactions, we or any selling security holder may enter into security lending or repurchase agreements with the underwriters. The underwriters may effect the derivative transactions through sales of the securities to the public, including short sales, or by lending the securities in order to facilitate short sale transactions by others. The underwriters may also use the securities purchased or borrowed from us or others (or, in the case of derivatives, securities received from us in settlement of those derivatives) to directly or indirectly settle sales of the securities or close out any related open borrowings of the securities.
 
Loans of Securities
 
We or a selling shareholder may loan or pledge securities to a financial institution or other third party that in turn may sell the securities using this prospectus and an applicable prospectus supplement.
 
General Information
 
Agents, underwriters, and dealers may be entitled, under agreements entered into with us, to indemnification by us, against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. Our agents, underwriters, and dealers, or their affiliates, may be customers of, engage in transactions with or perform services for us or our affiliates, in the ordinary course of business for which they may receive customary compensation.


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VALIDITY OF THE SECURITIES
 
The validity of the debt securities offered hereby will be passed upon for us by Latham & Watkins LLP. The validity of the common shares offered hereby will be passed upon for us by WeirFoulds LLP.
 
EXPERTS
 
The financial statements and the related financial statement schedule of Canadian Solar Inc. and subsidiaries (the “Company”) incorporated in this prospectus by reference from the Company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2007, and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2007 have been audited by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu CPA Ltd., an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their reports which are incorporated herein by reference (which reports (1) express an unqualified opinion on the consolidated financial statements and related financial statement schedule and include an explanatory paragraph referring to the adoption of FASB Interpretation No. 48, “Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes,” effective January 1, 2007 and (2) express an unqualified opinion on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting).
 
The offices of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu CPA Ltd. are located at 30th Floor, Bund Center, 222 Yan An Road East, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China.


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PART II
 
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
 
ITEM 8.   INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
 
Under the CBCA, we may indemnify a present or former director or officer or a person who acts or acted at our request as a director or officer or an individual acting in a similar capacity, of another corporation or entity, and his or her heirs and legal representatives, against all costs, charges and expenses, including an amount paid to settle an action or satisfy a judgment, reasonably incurred by him or her in respect of any civil, criminal, administrative, investigative or other proceeding in which the individual is involved because of that association with the corporation or other entity, provided that the director or officer acted honestly and in good faith with a view to the best interests of the corporation or other entity and, in the case of a criminal or administrative action or proceeding that is enforced by a monetary penalty, had reasonable grounds for believing that his or her conduct was lawful. We may advance monies to such an individual for such costs, charges and expenses. Such indemnification may be made in connection with a derivative action only with court approval. A director or officer or other individual described above is entitled to indemnification from us in respect of all costs, charges and expenses reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with the defense of any civil, criminal, administrative, investigative or other proceeding to which he or she is subject because of his or her association with the corporation or other entity described above as a matter of right if he or she is not judged by the court or other competent authority to have committed any fault or omitted to do anything that the individual ought to have done and fulfilled the conditions set forth above. Our directors and officers are covered by directors’ and officers’ insurance policies.
 
Any underwriting agreement entered into in connection with an offering of securities will also provide for indemnification of us and our officers and directors in certain cases.
 
ITEM 9.   EXHIBITS
 
The exhibits to this registration statement are listed on the Index to Exhibits to this registration statement, which Index to Exhibits is hereby incorporated by reference.
 
ITEM 10.   UNDERTAKINGS
 
(A)  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:
 
(1)  To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement;
 
(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;
 
(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or any decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and
 
(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;
 
provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) of this section do not apply if the registration statement is on Form F-3 and the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated


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by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.
 
(2)  That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
 
(3)  To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
 
(4)  To file a post-effective amendment to the registration statement to include any financial statements required by Item 8.A of Form 20-F at the start of any delayed offering or throughout a continuous offering. Financial statements and information otherwise required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Act need not be furnished, provided that the Registrant includes in the prospectus, by means of a post-effective amendment, financial statements required pursuant to this paragraph (a)(4) and other information necessary to ensure that all other information in the prospectus is at least as current as the date of those financial statements. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to registration statements on Form F-3, a post-effective amendment need not be filed to include financial statements and information required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Act or Rule 3-19 of Regulation S-K if such financial statements and information are contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in this Form F-3.
 
(5)  That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:
 
(i) Each prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and
 
(ii) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of 314 securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.
 
(6)  That, for the purpose of determining liability of the Registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities:
 
The undersigned Registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned Registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned Registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:
 
(i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned Registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;
 
(ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned Registrant;


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(iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned Registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant; and
 
(iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned Registrant to the purchaser.
 
(B)  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
 
(C)  Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.


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SIGNATURES
 
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form F-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Suzhou, People’s Republic of China, on July 14, 2008.
 
CANADIAN SOLAR INC.
 
  By: 
/s/  Shawn (Xiaohua) Qu
Name: Shawn (Xiaohua) Qu
Title: Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
 
POWER OF ATTORNEY
 
Each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Mr. Shawn (Xiaohua) Qu as his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any or all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement and any and all related registration statements pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the SEC, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent, or its substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
 
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on July 14, 2008.
 
     
Signature
 
Title
 
     
/s/  Shawn (Xiaohua) Qu

Shawn (Xiaohua) Qu
  Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
(principal executive officer)
     
/s/  Arthur Chien

Arthur Chien
  Director and Chief Financial Officer
(principal financial and accounting officer)
     
/s/  Robert McDermott

Robert McDermott
  Director
     
/s/  Lars-Eric Johansson

Lars-Eric Johansson
  Director
     
/s/  Michael G. Potter

Michael G. Potter
  Director
     
/s/  Yan Zhuang

Yan Zhuang
  Director
     
/s/  Donald J. Puglisi

Donald J. Puglisi
Managing Director
Puglisi & Associates
  Authorized U.S. Representative


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INDEX TO EXHIBITS
 
         
Exhibit
   
Number
 
Description of Document
 
  1 .1*   Form of Underwriting Agreement.
  4 .1   Registrant’s Specimen Certificate for Common shares (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.11 of the Registration Statement on Form F-1 (file no. 333-138144) filed with the SEC)
  4 .2   Form of Indenture
  4 .3*   Form of Note
  5 .1   Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP regarding the validity of the debt securities
  5 .2   Opinion of WeirFoulds LLP regarding the validity of the common shares
  12 .1   Statement regarding the computation of ratio of earnings to fixed charges
  21 .1   List of Subsidiaries
  23 .1   Consent of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
  23 .2   Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)
  23 .3   Consent of WeirFoulds LLP (included in Exhibit 5.2)
  23 .4   Consent of Chen & Co. Law Firm
  24 .1   Powers of Attorney (included as part of signature page)
  25 .1   Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility and Qualification under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 of the Trustee under the Indenture
 
 
To be filed as an exhibit to a post-effective amendment to this registration statement or as an exhibit to a report filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and incorporated herein by reference.