Origin Merchant Partners is pleased to announce that Powerline Plus Ltd. and PLP Redimix, Ltd. (collectively “Powerline”) have been acquired by MYR Group Inc. (“MYR Group”). Origin Merchant Partners acted as exclusive financial advisor to Powerline with respect to this transaction.
Powerline is a leading full-service electrical distribution construction company, headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. Founded in 1990, Powerline has grown in both size and stature, rapidly moving to the forefront of its industry. With a scope of operations that encompasses engineering and design, civil, electrical and distributed generation and other services, Powerline provides innovative, reliable, and cost-effective solutions, tailored to customer budgets, timelines, and environmental pressures.
MYR Group (NASDAQ: MYRG) is a holding company of leading specialty contractors serving the electric utility infrastructure, commercial and industrial construction markets throughout the United States and Canada, with the experience and expertise to complete electrical installations of any type and size.
Origin Senior Leads: Darren Williams.
Origin Merchant Partners is pleased to announce that Braeburn Systems LLC (“Braeburn”) has been recapitalized by a strategic investor.
Braeburn, founded in 2001, is a designer and manufacturer of high-tech digital electronics, available to contractors via its global network of HVACR distributors.
Origin Senior Lead: Bob Wujtowicz
Origin Merchant Partners is pleased to announce that CHS Inc. (“CHS”) has divested CHS Larsen Cooperative, a collection of certain Wisconsin-based agricultural service assets, to Country Visions Cooperative (“CVC”). Origin Merchant Partners acted as exclusive financial advisor to CHS with respect to the divestiture.
CHS is a St. Paul, Minnesota based global agribusiness, owned by farmers, ranchers and cooperatives across the United States, and generating more than US$38 billion in revenue in FY2021. The company is committed to creating connections to empower agriculture and helping its owners and customers grow their businesses.
Country Visions Cooperative is a leading agriculture based cooperative, which owns and operates convenience stores and country stores across Eastern Wisconsin. CVC also offers a range of agronomy, grain, energy, and feed products and services to a variety of commercial customers and businesses. The company is committed to the growth of its community and its members.
Origin Senior Leads: Andrew Muirhead, Shaun Quennell.
Origin Merchant Securities Inc. is pleased to announce that Clik2Pay has successfully completed its Series A Financing. The investment round includes a lead investment by Celina Capital Corporation, as well as several of the company’s existing investors and additional private individuals. With this financing, Clik2Pay has raised over $7 million of seed and early stage capital to fund the completion of its pilot projects and commercial launch of its product. The Origin Merchant Principals Fund was a seed round investor and Origin Merchant Securities Inc. acted as the exclusive financial advisor to Clik2Pay with respect to the Series A financing.
Clik2Pay is Canada’s first real-time payments service delivering low cost, real-time payment solutions to businesses of all sizes. Clik2pay’s innovative service lets customers easily pay from their bank account by text, e-mail or QR code. The company provides a long-awaited alternative to expensive options like credit card and cheque, and legacy systems such as the existing bill pay network and pre-authorized debits.
Celina Capital Corporation was established in 2017 to make direct investments in entrepreneurial companies and diverse real estate assets. The firm invests its proprietary, long-term capital in growth-driven management teams that need an experienced financial partner to support their strategic objectives.
Origin Senior Leads: Mark Ernst, Jim Osler
Origin Merchant Partners is pleased to announce that Barrick Gold Corporation (“Barrick”) has sold royalties owned by its subsidiary, Barrick TZ Limited, to Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd (“Osisko”) ”) for total cash consideration of US$11,750,000.
Origin Merchant Partners acted as the exclusive financial advisor to Barrick with respect to this transaction.
Barrick (ABX: TSX, GOLD: NYSE) is one of the largest gold mining companies in the world, with corporate offices located in Toronto, Ontario. The company has gold and copper mining operations and projects in 13 countries around the globe.
Osisko (OR: TSX & NYSE) is an intermediate precious metal royalty company focused on the Americas. The company holds a North American focused portfolio of over 160 royalties, streams and precious metal offtakes.
Origin Senior Leads: Charles Pennock, Jim Meloche, Gordon Bogden.
Origin Merchant Partners is pleased to announce that CBC Computer Systems and its industry leading Decor Fusion Point-of-Sale software (together referred to as “Decor Fusion”) has been acquired by Epicor Software Corporation (“Epicor”). Origin Merchant Partners acted as exclusive financial advisor to Decor Fusion with respect to this transaction.
Decor Fusion provides industry-leading Decor Fusion Point-of-Sale software for Paint and Decorating retailers. Since 1991, the company has served more than 1,350 retailers with its Decor Fusion software, delivering a comprehensive solution to make it easier and more efficient for independent Paint and Decorating retailers to run and manage their operations.
Epicor equips hard-working businesses with enterprise solutions that keep the world turning. For nearly 50 years, Epicor customers in the manufacturing, distribution, LBM, retail, and automotive industries have trusted Epicor to help them do business better. Epicor’s innovative solution sets are carefully curated to fit customer needs and built to respond flexibly to their fast-changing reality.
Origin Senior Leads: Mario Di Pietro, Tedi Gjoleka
Origin Merchant Partners is pleased to announce the successful sale of CGI Automated Manufacturing, Inc. (“CGI”) to CORE Industrial Partners. Origin Merchant Partners acted as the exclusive financial advisor to CGI Autmoated Manufacturing, Inc.
CGI is a leading provider of complex sheet metal production parts, assemblies and weldments for a variety of end markets, including electrical transmission and distribution, medical, food, lighting and industrials.
CORE Industrial Partners is a Chicago-based private equity firm with more than $700 million of capital commitments investing in North American lower middle-market manufacturing, industrial technology and services businesses.
Origin Senior Lead: Nick Newlin
Origin Merchant Partners is pleased to announce that CareRx Corporation (“CareRx”) has closed its previously announced acquisition of the Long-Term Care Pharmacy Division of Medical Pharmacies Group Limited (“MPGL”). Origin Merchant Partners acted as the financial advisor to CareRx on this transaction.
CareRx (TSX:CRRX) is one of Canada’s leading and most trusted providers of comprehensive Specialty Pharmacy services and solutions to seniors, operating a large national network of pharmacy fulfilment centres that deliver high-volume solutions for the cost-effective supply of chronic medication and other specialty clinical pharmacy services. With services that address the growing demand within the Canadian healthcare system, CareRx’s unparalleled national care delivery platform provides significant potential for future expansion and growth.
MPGL is one of Canada’s leading continuing care pharmacies, providing services and support to complex continuing care residents and clients across Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia. MPGL also provides specialty pharmacy services and support to physician and specialist clinics, hospitals and other care institutions.
Origin Senior Leads: Tedi Gjoleka, Jim Osler, Jim Meloche, Cathy Steiner
Origin Merchant Partners is pleased to announce that Zen-Noh Grain Corporation (“ZGC”) has divested certain U.S. grain handling facilities to Viserion Grain, LLC (“Viserion”). This divestiture is in connection with ZGC’s acquisition of multiple grain facilities from Bunge, a transaction announced in spring of 2020. Origin Merchant Partners acted as exclusive financial advisor to ZGC with respect to the divestiture.
ZGC is the U.S. subsidiary of the National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations of Japan, Zen-Noh. ZGC trades and exports corn, soybeans, sorghum, wheat, and bi-products from its state-of-the-art export elevator located at mile 164 on the Mississippi River in Convent, Louisiana to Japan and other global markets. ZGC also has grain origination interests in Canada and Brazil, and a forage processing business in Pasco, WA.
Viserion is a newly formed subsidiary of Viserion International Holdco, LLC (“Viserion International”), a global agricultural merchant based in Boulder, Colorado backed by Pinnacle Asset Management, L.P. (“Pinnacle”), and is expected to manage a portfolio of strategic grain storage and handling facilities.
Origin Senior Leads: Andrew Muirhead, Christopher Solda
Origin Merchant Partners is pleased to announce that CareRx Corporation (“CareRx”) has acquired Rexall Pharmacy Group’s long-term care pharmacy business in Ontario and Northern Alberta. CareRx adds approximately 4,000 senior care residents to its network through this acquisition, for a total of approximately 56,000 residents in over 950 seniors and other congregate care communities. Origin Merchant Partners acted as the financial advisor to CareRx on this transaction.
CareRx (TSX:CRRX) is one of Canada’s leading and most trusted providers of comprehensive Specialty Pharmacy services and solutions to seniors, operating a large national network of pharmacy fulfilment centres that deliver high-volume solutions for the cost-effective supply of chronic medication and other specialty clinical pharmacy services. With services that address the growing demand within the Canadian healthcare system, CareRx’s unparalleled national care delivery platform provides significant potential for future expansion and growth.
Rexall Pharmacy Group is a chain of retail pharmacies in Canada that operates Rexall and Rexall Pharma Plus in Central and Western Canada. Rexall is owned by McKesson Canada Corporation, which is a subsidiary of McKesson Corporation, a U.S.-based public company.
Origin Senior Leads: Tedi Gjoleka, Jim Osler, Jim Meloche, Cathy Steiner
Origin Merchant Partners is pleased to announce that Kitchen Partners Limited (“Kitchen Partners”) has entered into a strategic partnership with Homestyle Selections LP (“Homestyle Selections”). Origin Merchant Partners acted as exclusive financial advisor to Kitchen Partners with respect to this transaction.
Kitchen Partners is a leading Canadian supplier of high quality custom food solutions in the hot and cold stirred food category, producing over 9 million kilograms annually of soups and sauces, dips and dressings, marinades, appetizers, gravies, fillings, entrées and sides, for some of Canada’s largest restaurant chains and food retailers.
Homestyle Selections is a Canadian headquartered platform of food processing companies that supports your local grocery and food service establishments across Canada and the US, and includes Freshstone Brands and Tiffany Gate.
Origin Senior Leads: Jim Osler, Lindsay Weiss.
Origin Merchant Partners is pleased to announce that Walter Global Asset Management (“Walter GAM”) has acquired a majority interest in Bonnefield Financial Inc. (“Bonnefield”)
Bonnefield is a leading Canadian farmland investor and is the foremost provider of land-lease financing for farmers in Canada. The firm’s investors are individuals and institutional investors who are committed to the long term future of Canadian agriculture.
Walter GAM is a globally diversified private equity firm with a best-in-class business platform. The firm builds customized, long-term partnerships with a select group of portfolio companies that operate within the asset management industry and share the goal of sustained and profitable growth.
Origin Merchant Partners acted as exclusive financial advisor to Bonnefield with respect to this transaction.
Origin Senior Leads: Andrew Muirhead, Rob Penteliuk
Origin Merchant Partners is pleased to announce that Dapasoft Inc. (“Dapasoft”) , including Dapasoft and its wholly owned subsidiary, iSecurity, has been acquired by Calian Group Ltd (“Calian”). Origin Merchant Partners acted as exclusive financial advisor to Dapasoft with respect to this transaction.
Dapasoft is trusted by North American healthcare providers, payors, and application developers to power their solutions, integrating a wide variety of EHR, EMR, and other clinical and analytics systems. Dapasoft’s wholly owned subsidiary, iSecurity delivers world-class enterprise solutions that manage cybersecurity risk while addressing unique regulatory requirements and critical infrastructure.
Calian (TSX: CGY) Calian employs over 4,400 people in its delivery of diverse products and solutions for private sector, government and defence customers in North American and global markets. The Company’s diverse capabilities are delivered through: Advanced Technologies, Health, Learning, and IT and Cyber Solutions.
Origin Senior Leads: Cathy Steiner, Lindsay Adam Weiss, Shaun Quennell
Origin Merchant Partners is pleased to announce that ASL Distribution Services Limited (“ASL”) has been acquired by Fastfrate Group (“Fastfrate”). Origin Merchant Partners acted as exclusive financial advisor to ASL with respect to this transaction.
ASL is an asset and non-asset based full-service third-party logistics (3PL) provider. Established in 1959, ASL provides companies with seamless customized logistical solutions, utilizing its own fleet of trucks and partner carriers. ASL also performs “Final Mile” home & office deliveries, delivering e-commerce fulfillment orders direct to consumers, and freight management services through its brokerage division.
Fastfrate is a Canadian owned and operated transportation services business, with diversified offerings to support every aspect of their customers’ supply chain. The company has over fifty years of service, and owns facilities, adjacent to CP rail yards, in major centers from Vancouver, BC to Halifax, NS.
Origin Senior Leads: Jim Osler, Robert Fedrock
Origin Merchant Partners is pleased to announce that Mogo Inc. (Mogo) has executed a definitive agreement to acquire 19.9% ownership of the outstanding common shares of Coinsquare Ltd. (Coinsquare), with the option and warrants to increase its interest to 43% at valuations for Coinsquare ranging from $250-350 million. Origin Merchant Partners is the exclusive financial advisor to Coinsquare’s Independent Committee on this transaction.
Coinsquare Since 2014, Coinsquare has provided digital asset traders a proprietary trading platform engineered to deliver a robust, secure, and intelligent interface for trading Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin and other digital assets. Coinsquare’s products and services also include Coinsquare Wealth for qualified individuals and institutions.
Mogo (NASDAQ:MOGO) (TSX:MOGO) empowers its more than one million members with simple digital solutions to help them manage their financial health. Through the Mogo app, consumers can access a digital spending account with Mogo Visa* Platinum Prepaid Card featuring automatic carbon offsetting, easily buy and sell bitcoin, and get free monthly credit score monitoring, ID fraud protection, and personal loans.
Origin Senior Lead: Jim Osler
Origin Merchant Partners is pleased to announce Automotive Finco Corp. (“Auto Finco”) has reported that under the terms of its substantial issuer bid, it expects to take up and purchase for cancellation approximately 3.3 million common shares representing approximately 14.3% of its issued and outstanding common shares. Origin Merchant Partners provided a Liquidity Opinion to the Board of Directors with respect to this transaction.
Auto Finco (TSX-V: AFCC) is a finance company focused exclusively on the auto retail sector. Through its investment in Automotive Finance LP, Auto Finco has exposure to a business providing long term, debt- based acquisition financing to auto dealerships across the globe, with an initial focus on Canada. In addition to its interest in Automotive Finance LP, Auto Finco may also pursue other direct investments and financing opportunities across the auto retail sector.
Origin Senior Leads: Charles Pennock, Jim Osler
Origin Merchant Partners is pleased to announce that Dealnet Capital Corp. (“Dealnet”) has been acquired by Simply Group Capital Corp (“Simply Group”) in a transaction valued at $243 million. Origin Merchant Partners acted as exclusive financial advisor to Dealnet with respect to this transaction.
Dealnet is a specialty finance company servicing the $20 billion Canadian home improvement finance market through both dealer-based and direct homeowner-based originations of secured finance assets.
Simply Group provides industry leading, high-efficiency, home comfort equipment and financing solutions to customers, to modernize their residential, commercial and industrial properties.
Origin Senior Leads: Jim Osler, Lindsay Adam Weiss, Shaun Quennell
Origin Merchant Partners is pleased to announce that LifeSpeak Inc. (“Lifespeak”) has raised $42 million in an equity investment from a syndicate including Round13 Growth Fund, Roynat Capital, and Kensington Capital Partners. Origin Merchant Partners was the exclusive financial advisor to LifeSpeak with respect to this transaction.
LifeSpeak is a leading digital mental health and wellness education platform, providing employees, health plan members and their families with remote access to leading experts in mental health, physical wellness, financial health, family relationships and professional skills development, through a proprietary collection of content and tools. A North American leader in well-tech, LifeSpeak has a well-established 16 year track record of effectiveness, engagement and client retention.
Round13 Growth Fund (“Round13”) invests in Canadian based growth opportunities including those in technology and healthcare, as well as more traditional industries where there is an opportunity for technology enablement. Round13 helps to bridge the late-stage growth funding gap in Canada between traditional venture capital and public market investors.
Roynat Inc.(“Roynat”) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Scotiabank, one of North America’s premier financial institutions and Canada’s international bank. Roynat provides alternative financing solutions to Canadian mid-market businesses.
Kensington Capital Partners (“Kensington”) is a leading Canadian alternative investment firm with $ 1.5 billion in assets under management. Kensington’s portfolio of innovative investments includes diversified funds focused on private equity, venture capital, infrastructure assets and hedge funds.
Origin Senior Leads: Mario Di Pietro, Cathy Steiner, Christopher Solda
Origin Merchant Partners is pleased to announce that Village Farms International, Inc. (“Village Farms”) has announced it has entered into a definitive purchase and sale agreement with Emerald Health Therapeutics, Inc. (“Emerald”) to acquire the remaining common shares of Pure Sunfarms Corp. (“Pure Sunfarms”) from Emerald for $79.9 million. Upon completion of the transaction, Village Farms will own 100% of the common shares of Pure Sunfarms. Origin Merchant Partners acted as the exclusive financial advisor to Village Farms on this transaction.
Village Farms (TSX:VFF, NASDAQ: VFF) is one of the largest and longest-operating greenhouse growers in North America, and is leveraging its decades of experience as a large-scale, low-cost intensive agriculture and vertically integrated produce supplier to pursue high-value, high-growth plant-based Consumer Packaged Goods opportunities in cannabis and CBD in North America and selected markets internationally.
Pure Sunfarms is one of the single largest cannabis operations in the world, the lowest-cost greenhouse producer, one of the best-selling brands, and has generated profitability for six consecutive quarters.
Origin Senior Leads: Jim Osler, Jim Meloche
Origin Merchant Partners is pleased to announce that Birch Hill Equity Partners has made an investment in Yorkville Education Company (“Yorkville”). Origin Merchant Partners acted as exclusive financial advisor to Yorkville with respect to this transaction.
Yorkville Education Company, is the parent company of Yorkville University and Toronto Film School. Yorkville University is a private for-profit university established in 2003 in New Brunswick, providing a variety of career-focused degree programs to students across Canada. Toronto Film School is a for-profit post-secondary institution based in Toronto, Ontario. The school offers creative diploma programs in the areas of film, entertainment, fashion, design, and video games.
Birch Hill Equity Partners is a Toronto-based mid-market private equity firm with a 25-year history of driving growth in their portfolio companies and delivering returns to investors
Origin Senior Leads: Jim Osler, Jim Meloche
