CPE News (7.10.2024) – Taiga Motors Corporation (TSX: TAIG) and its subsidiaries have sought and obtained from the Superior Court of Québec an order providing them with creditor protection pursuant to the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA), and an order authorizing the Taiga Group to pursue, under the supervision of the Court, a formal sale and investment solicitation process (SISP).
Deloitte Restructuring Inc. has been appointed as monitor of the Taiga Group during the CCAA proceedings.
The court has authorized the Taiga Group to enter into an interim financing facility (DIP Facility) with Export Development Canada (EDC), Taiga’s most significant secured creditor. The DIP Facility consists of a non-revolving multiple draw credit facility of up to a maximum principal amount of $4.4 million (of which the Court approved an initial draw and disbursement of $1.0 million in connection with the Initial Order), which will be used to finance the Taiga Group’s working capital requirements and to implement the restructuring contemplated in the CCAA proceedings, including the pursuit of the SISP.
As at May 1, 2024, Taiga had 31,825,716 shares, representing 100% of the votes attached to all shares of the company. The 10%+ beneficial holders include Samuel Bruneau (3,348,450 shares or 10.52%), Gabriel Bernatchez (3,348,450 shares or 10.52%), and Northern Private Capital Ltd. (NPC) (3,606,310 shares or 11.33%)
In April 2021, privately held Taiga Motors Inc. completed business combination with SPAC Canaccord Genuity Growth II Corp. Concurrently the resulting issuer Taiga Motors Corporation completed a private placement for gross proceeds of approximately $100 million.
In May 2022, Northern Private Capital Ltd., through Northern Private Capital Fund I Limited Partnership and Northern Private Capital Fund I Non-Resident Limited Partnership, beneficially became the holder of 3,606,310 shares.
In May 2023, Northern Private Capital and Investissement Québec (IQ) invested for $25.15 million and $15 million respectively pursuant to a private placement of convertible debentures.
In October 2023, Taiga Motors entered into a $15 million Secured Term Loan Agreement with EDC.
photo credit: Taiga Motors
News Release
Taiga Obtains Interim DIP Facility and Interim Order for Creditor Protection under CCAA to Pursue a Restructuring and SISP Process
MONTREAL, July 10, 2024 /CNW/ – Taiga Motors Corporation (TSX: TAIG) (“Taiga” or the “Company”) today announced that Taiga and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Taiga Group”) have sought and obtained from the Superior Court of Québec (the “Court”) (i) an order (the “Initial Order”) providing them with creditor protection pursuant to the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (the “CCAA”), and (ii) an order authorizing the Taiga Group to pursue, under the supervision of the Court, a formal sale and investment solicitation process (the “SISP”), which process was initiated prior to the CCAA proceedings that were commenced today (the “CCAA Proceedings”).
As part of the Initial Order, the Court ordered, among other things, a stay of proceedings in favour of the Taiga Group for the initial period provided under the CCAA (the “Stay Period”) and the appointment of Deloitte Restructuring Inc. as monitor of the Taiga Group during the CCAA Proceedings (in such capacity, the “Monitor”), and it authorized the Taiga Group to enter into an interim financing facility (the “DIP Facility”) with Export Development Canada, the Company’s most significant secured creditor. The DIP Facility consists of a non-revolving multiple draw credit facility of up to a maximum principal amount of $4.4 million (of which the Court approved an initial draw and disbursement of $1.0 million in connection with the Initial Order), which will be used to finance the Taiga Group’s working capital requirements and to implement the restructuring contemplated in the CCAA Proceedings, including the pursuit of the SISP.
As disclosed in its various press releases and public filings leading up to this announcement, the Company has been actively reducing its cost structure and has been continuously seeking various alternatives to fund its operations. However, following a review and after careful consideration of all available alternatives and in consultation with legal and financial advisors, the directors of the Company unanimously determined that it was is in its best interests to commence the CCAA Proceedings, with a view to pursue the SISP and implement one or more transactions with respect to the Taiga Group’s business and assets.
The board of directors of the Company and management will remain responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Company under the general oversight of the Monitor.
It is anticipated that the Toronto Stock Exchange (the “TSX”) will place the Company under delisting review and there can be no assurance as to the outcome of such review or the continued qualification for listing on the TSX.
The Taiga Group will be returning before the Court shortly in order to seek the issuance by the Court of an amended and restated initial order, which, among other things, is expected to provide for an extension of the Stay Period until October 4, 2024 and a further required drawdown of funds under the DIP Facility.
About Taiga
Taiga (TSX: TAIG) is a Canadian company reinventing the powersports landscape with breakthrough electric off-road vehicles. Through a clean-sheet engineering approach, Taiga has pushed the frontiers of electric technology to achieve extreme power-to-weight ratios and thermal specifications required to outperform comparable high-performance combustion powersports vehicles. The first models released include a lineup of electric snowmobiles and personal watercraft to deliver on a rapidly growing demand from recreational and commercial customers who are seeking better ways to explore the great outdoors without compromise. For more information, visit www.taigamotors.com.
SOURCE Taiga Motors Corp.
Chloe Beaulieu, chloe.beaulieu@taigamotors.ca
