April 13, 2021
BY Canary Biofuels Inc.
Canary Biofuels Inc. is pleased to announce the following transactions:
•Completion of a $16.5 million non-brokered private placement equity financing;
•Closing of the acquisition of Invigor Bioenergy Corp., which owns a biodiesel facility in Alberta; and
•Entering into an agreement with Canadian Western Bank providing for a credit facility with $7 million of borrowing capacity.
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With completion of the transactions, Canary will leverage the best of Western Canadian expertise in both agriculture and energy to create an industry leading biodiesel production company. Canary will use proceeds from the financing to convert the biodiesel facility, such that phase 1 of the facility will have capacity to produce 75 million litres of second-generation biodiesel using agricultural waste feedstock. By using waste products, Canary will provide additional sources of revenue to local western Canadian agricultural producers, with the added benefit of producing a high demand energy product that will reduce carbon emissions at scale. Canary intends to have the Biodiesel Facility producing at full capacity by year end.
Canary has completed a non-brokered private placement of 16.5 million common shares at $1.00 per share for total gross proceeds of approximately $16.5 million. Due to strong demand, from a combination of strategic investors (including feedstock suppliers), global institutional investors and retail investors, the Financing was increased from its initial target of $10 million. The net proceeds of the Financing shall be used to fund the cash purchase price of the Acquisition, the Conversion, working capital and general corporate purposes.
George Wadsworth, president and CEO of Canary, stated, "We are excited to showcase how Western Canadian expertise in both the agriculture and energy sectors can help reduce carbon emissions at scale for both Alberta and North America. We will use our local expertise to produce green energy products that are seeing increasing demand from around the world, while at the same time, reducing waste and carbon emissions."
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"These transactions represent the first step in creating a platform with which we plan to grow our biodiesel production capabilities, and we are pleased to have established partnerships with CWB, key institutional investors and key strategic investors, which will help ensure we are well financed, and well supplied, to build a successful business," Wadsworth continued.
Eight Capital acted as exclusive financial advisor in respect of the financing, acquisition and credit facility.
Stikeman Elliott LLP acted as counsel to Canary in respect of the financing, acquisition and credit facility.
The USDA on April 14 announced the cancellation of its Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program. Select projects that meet certain requirements may continue under a new Advancing Markets for Producers initiative.
The Michigan Advanced Biofuels Coalition and Green Marine are partnering to accelerating adoption of sustainable biofuels to improve air quality and reduce GHG emissions in Michigan and across the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway.
The USDA reduced its outlook for 2024-’25 soybean oil use in biofuel production in its latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report, released April 10. The outlook for soybean oil pricing was revised up.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration reduced its 2025 forecasts for renewable diesel and biodiesel in its latest Short-Term Energy Outlook, released April 10. The outlook for “other biofuel” production, which includes SAF, was raised.
FutureFuel Corp. on March 26 announced the restart of its 59 MMgy biodiesel plant in Batesville, Arkansas. The company’s annual report, released April 4, indicates biodiesel production was down 24% last year when compared to 2023.