Court File and Parties
COURT FILE NO.: CV-21-00661458-00CL DATE: 2021-06-22
SUPERIOR COURT OF JUSTICE - ONTARIO
RE: ONTARIO SECURITIES COMMISSION Applicant
AND:
BRIDGING FINANCE INC., BRIDGING INCOME FUND LP, BRIDGING MID-MARKET DEBT FUND LP, SB FUND GP INC., BRIDGING FINANCE GP INC., BRIDGING INCOME RSP FUND, BRIDGING MID-MARKET DEBT RSP FUND, BRIDGING PRIVATE DEBT INSTITUTIONAL LP, BRIDGING REAL ESTATE LENDING FUND LP, BRIDGING SMA 1 LP, BRIDGING INFRASTRUCTURE FUND LP, BRIDGING MJ GP INC., BRIDGING INDIGENOUS IMPACT FUND, BRIDGING FERN ALTERNATIVE CREDIT FUND, BRIDGING SMA 2 LP, BRIDGING SMA 2 GP INC., and BRIDGING PRIVATE DEBT INSTITUTIONAL RSP FUND Respondents
BEFORE: Chief Justice G.B. Morawetz
COUNSEL: John Finnigan, Grant Moffat and Adam Driedger, for the Receiver Carlo Rossi and Adam Gotfried, for the Ontario Securities Commission Lawrence Thacker, for Natasha Sharpe David Bish, for The Coco Group, 2693600 Ontario Inc., Rocky Coco and Jenny Coco Marc Wasserman and Justine Erickson, for BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. Kyla Mahar, for RC Morris Capital Management Ltd. and RCM NGB Holdings Limited Alex MacFarlane, James MacLellan and Charlotte Chien, for Zurich Insurance Company Ltd Natasha MacParland, for Willoughby Asset Management Inc. Steven Weisz and Shaun Parsons, for the University of Minnesota Foundation Steve Graff, for Investors in various Bridging Funds Melissa MacKewn, for David Sharpe Fraser Dickson, for a former employee of Bridging Finance Inc. Caitlin Fell, Sharon Kour, Pat Corney and Andy Kent, for the Ad-Hoc Group of Retail Investors David Ullmann, for the Respondents, Thomas Canning (Maidstone) Limited, William Thomas, Robert Thomas, and 2190330 Ontario Ltd.
HEARD: June 16, 2021
AMENDED ENDORSEMENT
Overview
1This endorsement addresses the motion brought by PricewaterhouseCoopers Inc. ("PwC"), receiver of each of the Respondents (the "Receiver") for an order requesting, among other things, approval of the Key Employee Retention Plan ("KERP") and the KERP Charge; approving the formation, composition, and mandate of the Limited Partner Advisory Committees; tolling the applicable limitation periods in respect of any Misrepresentation Rights until the Tolling Termination Date; approving the Receiver's recommended course of action in connection with partial repayment of amounts owing under a credit facility made available by certain of the Respondents as described in Confidential Appendix "B" to the Third Report of the Receiver, dated June 9, 2021 (the "Third Report"); sealing Confidential Appendix "A" and Confidential Appendix "B" to the Third Report until further Order of the Court; and approval of the Third Report.
2This endorsement also addresses the motion brought by a group of retail investors in the Bridging Funds (the "Ad Hoc Group of Retail Investors") for an order appointing Weisz, Fell, Kour LLP ("WFK") as representative counsel ("Representative Counsel") for all retail investors holding units of the Bridging Funds, excluding investment advisors and institutional investors (the "Retail Investors").
3Capitalized terms not expressly defined herein are as defined in the Third Report.
4The factual background is set out in the Third Report.
5The Receiver is in the process of developing and implementing a strategy to maximize value for all stakeholders. This strategy will include a review of the consolidated portfolio of loans held by all of the Bridging Funds. There will also have to be a reconciliation of inter-fund accounts and review of inter-fund cash allocations.
6The objective of all stakeholders should be aligned with respect to the development and implementation of a strategy to maximize the value of the loan portfolio.
7However, the alignment of interests may very well be different when it comes to the reconciliation of inter-fund accounts and the review of inter-fund cash allocations. The Third Report indicates that investors participated through the purchase of units of the Bridging Funds. The Bridging Funds marketed to investors include five limited partnership fund offerings, three RSP fund offerings and two investment trust fund offerings.
8It is premature to comment on how the assets realized from the loan portfolio will be divided among the funds, but it is conceivable that there will be disputes between the various funds with respect to asset allocation.
9It is against this background that the motions have to be considered.
10Certain relief sought by the Receiver was not opposed.
Key Employee Retention Plan (KERP)
11The Receiver is of the view that in order to incentivize certain eligible employees to remain as employees of Bridging Finance Inc. ("BFI") during the course of these proceedings, a KERP should be approved, together with a related charge on the property of the Respondents in the maximum amount of $366,000 (the "KERP Charge") as security for payments under the KERP, which will ranks subordinate to the Receiver's Charge, the Receiver's Borrowing Charge and each Intercompany Charge, but in priority to all other security interests.
12As set out in Confidential Appendix "A" to the Third Report, the Receiver has allocated among Eligible Employees approximately $266,000 of the requested KERP Payments. The remaining $100,000 may be allocated among Eligible Employees or additional key Employees provided they meet certain criteria set out in the Bridging KERP.
13Courts have frequently recognized the utility and importance of KERPs in restructuring proceedings and have approved KERPs in numerous debtor-in-possession proceedings under both the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act (the "CCAA") and receivership proceedings pursuant to the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (the "BIA") and the Courts of Justice Act (the "CJA").
14The CCAA, the BIA and the CJA, as well as the Securities Act are silent with respect to the approval of KERPs and the granting of a charge to secure a KERP. Counsel to the Receiver submits that as such, the approval of a KERP and a KERP Charge are matters within the discretion of the court, grounded in the court's inherent and/or statutory jurisdiction to make any orders it sees fit. (See, for example: Aralez Pharmaceuticals Inc., (Re), 2018 ONSC 6980; Cinram International Inc., (Re), 2012 ONSC 3767 and Grant Forest Products Inc., (Re), [2009] O.J. No. 3344.)
15The factual and legal basis for the granting of the KERP is set out in the Receiver's factum at paragraphs 5 – 14.
16The Receiver recommends that the court exercise its discretion to approve the Bridging KERP and grant the KERP Charge.
17I accept this recommendation. The KERP and the KERP Charge are approved.
Tolling Order
18The Receiver also seeks an order tolling the statutory limitation periods applicable to any "Misrepresentation Rights", as defined at paragraph 16 of the factum, until the stay of proceedings imposed against the Respondents and the Property pursuant to the Appointment Orders is terminated.
19The factual and legal basis for granting such relief is set out at paragraphs 16 – 22 of the factum.
20The Receiver recommends that the proposed Tolling Order be granted.
21I accept this recommendation. The Tolling Order is granted.
22The Receiver also recommends that its proposed course of action, as described in Confidential Appendix "B" to the Third Report in connection with a partial repayment of amounts owing under a Credit Facility made available to a borrower by certain of the Respondents should be approved. Having reviewed Confidential Appendix "B" to the Third Report, I am satisfied that the Receiver's recommended course of action should be approved.
Sealing Order
23The considerations involved in the granting of a sealing order must take into account the recent Supreme Court decision in Sherman Estate v. Donovan, 2021 SCC 25 at paras. 37 – 38, where Kasirer J. wrote that:
37Court proceedings are presumptively open to the public (MacIntyre, at p. 189; A.B. v. Bragg Communications Inc., 2012 SCC 46, [2012] 2 S.C.R. 567, at para. 11).
38The test for discretionary limits on presumptive court openness has been expressed as a two-step inquiry involving the necessity and proportionality of the proposed order (Sierra Club, at para. 53). Upon examination, however, this test rests upon three core prerequisites that a person seeking such a limit must show. Recasting the test around these three prerequisites, without altering its essence, helps to clarify the burden on an applicant seeking an exception to the open court principle. In order to succeed, the person asking a court to exercise discretion in a way that limits the open court presumption must establish that:
(1) court openness poses a serious risk to an important public interest;
(2) the order sought is necessary to prevent this serious risk to the identified interest because reasonably alternative measures will not prevent this risk; and
(3) as a matter of proportionality, the benefits of the order outweigh its negative effects.
Only where all three of these prerequisites have been met can a discretionary limit on openness – for example, a sealing order, a publication ban, an order excluding the public from a hearing, or redaction order – properly be ordered. This test applies to all discretionary limits on court openness, subject only to valid legislative enactments (Toronto Star Newspaper Ltd. v. Ontario, 2005, SCC 41, [2005] 2 S.C.R. 188, at paras. 7 and 22).
24Having reviewed the Confidential Appendices, I am satisfied that the three prerequisites have been satisfied. There is a public interest in ensuring the integrity of the Sales Process and any arbitration. There is no reasonable alternative measure to preserve the integrity of the Sales Process and any arbitration. Finally, as a matter of proportionality, I am satisfied that the benefits of the order outweigh its negative effects. As such, the Sealing Order should be granted, pending further order of the court.
25Confidential Appendix "A" contains the Bridging KERP, which contains confidential and personal information with respect to the compensation of each Eligible Employee.
26Confidential Appendix "B" contains the Receiver's recommended course of action in connection with the proposed transaction. The terms of the proposed transactions are confidential and the Receiver submits the disclosure of such confidential commercially sensitive information at this time would undermine its efforts to maximize value for stakeholders.
27I am satisfied that no stakeholders will be materially prejudiced by sealing the Confidential Appendices and that the salutary effects of granting the Sealing Order outweigh any deleterious effects. As such, I am satisfied that the sealing order should be granted, pending further order of the court.
28In its Notice of Motion, the Receiver requested approval of payments to RC Morris. The request for such approval was deferred.
29The Receiver also requested approval of its activities as set out in the draft order. There was no opposition to this request which is granted.
Limited Partner Advisory Committees
30The balance of this endorsement addresses the Receiver's request for approval of limited partner advisory committees and the motion of the Ad Hoc Group of Retail Investors.
31The Receiver seeks court approval of the following two Limited Partner Advisory Committees:
(a) a limited partner advisory committee comprised of Unitholders representing Unitholders in the Bridging Funds generally (the "LPAC"); and
(b) a limited partner advisory committee comprised of Unitholders representing Unitholders in the Bridging Indigenous Impact Fund (the "BIIF LPAC").
(the LPAC and the BIIF LPAC are referred to as the "Committees").
32The Receiver states that the primary functions of the Committees, will be to, among other things:
(a) provide the Receiver with a confidential forum to obtain input and feedback on behalf of Unitholders in the Bridging Funds regarding actions or decisions of the Receiver, as considered appropriate by the Receiver; and
(b) provide such other input and assistance to the Receiver regarding matters involving Bridging as the Receiver may reasonably request from time to time.
33The Receiver contends that the Committees will provide an efficient and cost-effective means for Unitholders to provide direct input to the Receiver but will not have any decision-making authority with respect to any of the Respondents or the Property. The proposed Committee Members represent a diverse cross-section of both retail and institutional Unitholders and each Committee Member will be bound by a confidentiality agreement satisfactory to the Receiver.
34Mr. Graff states that he represents 15 different investors in various Bridging Funds with over $400MM of claims, and he does not oppose the relief requested by the Receiver. He points out that his clients have received regular and effective communications from the Receiver.
35The appointment of the Committees is challenged by the Ad Hoc Group of Retail Investors. The Ad Hoc Group of Retail Investors are of the view that it is more appropriate to appoint WFK as Representative Counsel for all Retail Investors holding units of the Bridging Funds, excluding investment advisors and institutional investors.
36In its factum, counsel points out that the Retail Investors are concerned about recovery of their investments and the protection of their rights and are most concerned about fairness. There are over 25,000 Retail Investors who will bear the brunt of any shortfall. Counsel submits that this receivership was not commenced with the Retail Investors in mind and makes reference to an OSC publicly made statement that, "as a regulatory body, we do not normally recover money for investors."
37Counsel submits that the receivership proceeding lacks meaningful input from the Retail Investors. Counsel also submits that it is not clear from the materials filed by the Receiver as to what role the Committees will perform, since the Receiver has not described what matters it proposes to consult with the Committees. Further, counsel raises concerns that the Committees will be dominated by investment advisors and institutional or professional investors, and this presents the appearance of conflicts.
38The gist of the submissions put forward by counsel is that the Retail Investors require representation by counsel whose sole focus and loyalty is to them. The appointment of Representative Counsel will also generally improve the efficiency of the receivership; communication with Retail Investors will be streamlined and a multiplicity of legal retainers avoided.
39I have concluded that the relief requested by the Receiver for the appointment of the LPACs should be granted – albeit with certain time limitations.
40As noted above, the Receiver is currently involved in the development and implementation of a strategy to maximize value for all stakeholders. A strategic review of the portfolio is in process and the Receiver is not in a position to confirm valuations for certain funds.
41It seems to me that the Committees will be in a position to provide the Receiver with meaningful input and feedback on behalf of Unitholders regarding actions or decisions of the Receiver. At this time the focus is on maximizing realizations for the benefit of Unitholders and the Committees may very well be in a position to provide meaningful assistance to the Receiver.
42I also note that although the OSC may have made a statement to the effect that "as a regulatory body, we do not normally recover money for investors", it is necessary to take into account that the Receiver was appointed pursuant to the provisions of section 129 of the Securities Act in a particular section 129(2) which provides:
129 [2] No order shall be made under subsection (1) unless the court is satisfied that,
(a) the appointment of a receiver, receiver and manager, trustee or liquidator of all or any part of the property of the person or company is in the best interests of the creditors of the person or company or of persons or companies any of whose property is in the possession or under the control of the person or company or the security holders of our subscribers to the person or company; or
(b) it is appropriate for the due administration of Ontario securities law.
(Emphasis added)
43I am also satisfied that the Receiver will take into account the best interests of all Unitholders.
44Counsel to the Ad Hoc Group of Retail Investors also questioned the proposed mandate of the Committees. At this point in time, the focus of the Committees is to provide input to the Receiver in connection with a strategic review of the portfolio in an effort to maximize value for all stakeholders. This review take some time but should not be extended for an unlimited time. For this reason, it seems to me that the appointment of the Committees should be time-limited to 60 days, subject to extension by court order. It is my expectation that at the end of 60 days, the Receiver should be in a position to report to the court on the portfolio review and also to provide information with respect to the reconciliation of inter-fund accounts.
45Accordingly, I am satisfied that it is appropriate to approve the Committees as requested by the Receiver, on the terms set out in the proposed order, with the proviso that the appointment of the Committees is time-limited to 60 days, subject to extension by court order.
Representative Counsel
46With respect to the appointment of Representative Counsel, I am satisfied that the court has jurisdiction to appoint representative counsel under section 101 of the CJA, together with Rules 10.01 and 12.07 of the Rules of Civil Procedure.
47The issue is whether the appointment of Representative Counsel should be entertained at this time, or whether it is more appropriate to defer consideration of this issue until such time as the Receiver is in a position to report to the court on the portfolio review and also to provide information with respect to the reconciliation of interfund accounts. I have concluded that it is appropriate to defer consideration of this issue for the following reasons.
48First, the focus at the present time should be on the portfolio review and developing a strategy to maximize value for all stakeholders.
49Second, when the Receiver reports on this issue and provides information with respect to the reconciliation of interfund accounts, it may become clearer as to the role that Representative Counsel can play. It could very well be that the entitlement or potential entitlement of Unitholders in the various funds will differ, which could in turn require the appointment of different Representative Counsel for different funds. In my view, the potential role of Representative Counsel should focus on allocation issues as opposed to realization issues.
50The relief requested by the Ad Hoc Group of Retina Investors is dismissed, with leave to reassess the requested relief in 60 days.
51The appointment of Representative Counsel can be revisited at the time that the Receiver makes its report in 60 days.
Disposition
52An order shall issue to reflect the foregoing.
Chief Justice G.B. Morawetz
Date: June 22, 2021