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DATA Communications Management

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FY2020 Annual Report · DATA Communications Management
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2020 ANNUAL REPORT

DATA Communications Management Corp.  |   9195 Torbram Road   |   Brampton, Ontario L6S 6H2

 
 
 
 
 
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DATA Communications Management Corp.

Letter to shareholders

Dear Fellow Shareholders,

I am pleased to provide a review of your company’s 2020 performance and an outlook for 2021. During the past year, 
we stayed focused on our five operating initiatives which we established in 2018:

1. Focus on Core Customers
Improve Gross Margins
2.
3.
Lower SG&A
4. Pay down debt
5.

Invest in our future

Focus on Core Customers:

During 2020 total revenue with our top 100 customers grew by 3% versus 2019. Your company provides services and 
products  to  70  of  the  100  largest  corporations  and  government  entities  in  Canada.  By  better  understanding  these 
clients’ needs, we were able to build deeper relationships with these organizations and provide them with additional 
products and services beyond our traditional lines of business. 

Improve Gross Margins:

The improvement of more than 3 full points of gross margin in 2020 versus 2019 was directly related to the following:

• Improved plant and purchasing efficiencies
• Lowering our “cost to serve” with non-core clients
• Growth in both resales products and cannabis related products and services

We experienced strong growth in our technology resales business, which accounted for 5% of our total revenue.  This 
business  complements  our  more  traditional  product  offerings  with  automated  identification  technology  solutions 
serving health care, transportation, and warehousing and distribution applications.  

The  cannabis  sector  continues  to  grow  and  accounted  for  approximately  5%  of  our  total  revenue  in  2020.  We  see 
tremendous opportunity to expand this offering both here in Canada and in the United States. 

Lower SG&A:

This was a disappointment in 2020. We failed to deliver on our internal objectives of lowering our SG&A to less than 
20% of our revenue. A great part of the issue was our lower year over year revenue,  a result of reduced performance 
from  our  retail  and  not-for-profit  vertical  markets,  and  lower  levels  of  transactional  client  work,  which  were  all 
exacerbated by the impact of the pandemic on total revenues.

But that is an excuse; despite reducing our SG&A by over $8 million in 2020, we still didn’t tackle our organizational 
structure and only started to reap the savings benefits from our ERP implementation in mid 2019.

We are addressing these issues with pace in 2021; we declared a $8.5 million savings target this year and we are 
focused on achieving this metric.

Pay Down Debt:

At the beginning of 2020 our total senior debt balance was $77.1 million.

At  the  end  of  March,  it  had  reached  $79.3  million. At  year  end  it  was  $46.1  million. As  of  February  28,  2021,  it  is 
approximately $41.3 million.

Your management focused on paying down our senior debt and our suppliers’ need for payment. We used the CEWS 
monies  to  keep  our  employees  on  the  job,  and  we  changed  the  way  we  accounted  for  finished  goods  billing  with 
many of our top clients, which allowed us to free up over $12 million of cash – this went directly towards paying down 
debt and reducing payables to our suppliers. We are targeting an additional $5 million in working capital improvement 
in 2021 from further converting away from our legacy bill as released, or BAR billing practice, and these funds will be 
used to further reduce our debt. 

Invest in our Future:

Our capital spending is focused on two areas:
• Capital to maintain equipment
• Capital to accelerate our digital platform and its capabilities

There  is  no  doubt  our  clients  are  looking  for  suppliers  and  partners  to  help  in  the  digital  transformation  of  their 
organizations. Our digital platform, embedded into 500+ organizations with over 70 third party application integrations, 
is the future of our business and our relationships with clients. 

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Expect to see an accelerated focus on this ‘hidden asset’ we have inside DCM. 

COVID:

I would be remiss not to address COVID and its impact on our company. 

Early into the pandemic, DCM was acknowledged as an ‘Essential Services Provider’ and was permitted to operate 
under strict COVID protocols. 

I  want  to  thank  all  of  our  employees  who  quickly  ensured  our  workplaces  were  safe,  our  critical  action  response 
protocols were in place, and continued with diligence to follow and adhere to safety guidelines each day. 

Secondly,  I  want  to  thank  our  employees’  families  and  partners.  You  played  an  important  part  in  keeping  our 
employees  healthy,  our  company  open,  and  more  importantly  keeping  our  country  moving  ahead.  Without  DCM 
providing much needed products and services to our customers, it is not an exaggeration to say they would have had 
a difficult time operating their businesses. 

Thank you.

Outlook for 2021:

We will continue to focus on our five operating imperatives in 2021. 

We  have  recently  won  several  contract  renewals  with  our  largest  clients.  Our  retail  and  not-for-profit  clients  are 
starting to show signs of growth for the balance of the year. 

We are advancing on plans to further consolidate our footprint and drive costs out of the business by improving our 
‘cost to serve’ model and flattening the organization, giving our leaders more autonomy and responsibility.

To lead us through these changes, Richard Kellam has joined us effective March 8, 2021 as President and CEO.

Richard  has  had  an  extensive  international  career  with  major  packaged  goods  businesses  in  numerous  senior 
leadership and operating roles. Richard has a deep understanding of the digital transformation we have started and 
what is required for us to meet the needs of our client base over the next period of DCM’s evolution. 

I welcome Richard’s leadership and I know our company is in good hands with his plan for our business. 

As this will be my last shareholder letter, I want to thank you for the privilege of being your President and CEO. I will 
continue to provide transition support to Richard in my new role as Vice Chair of the Board. 

For  a  full  description  of  our  financial  results  for  fiscal  2020,  please  refer  to  our  audited  consolidated  financial 
statements for year ended December 31, 2020 and related management’s discussion and analysis, copies of which 
are available at www.sedar.com

Yours truly,

(Signed) "Gregory J. Cochrane"

Gregory J. Cochrane

Vice Chair of the Board

DATA Communications Management Corp.

March 2021

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DATA Communications Management Corp.

Management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations

The  following  management’s  discussion  and  analysis  (“MD&A”)  is  intended  to  assist  readers  in  understanding  the 

business environment, strategies, performance and risk factors of DATA Communications Management Corp. (TSX: 

DCM) and its subsidiaries (referred to herein as “DCM” or the “Company”) for the years ended December 31, 2020 

and  2019.    This  MD&A  should  be  read  in  conjunction  with  the  audited  consolidated  financial  statements  and 

accompanying  notes  of  DCM  for  the  years  ended  December  31,  2020  and  2019.   Additional  information  about  the 

Company,  including  its  most  recently  filed  audited  consolidated  financial  statements, Annual  Information  Form  and 

Management Information Circular may also be obtained on SEDAR (www.sedar.com).  Unless otherwise indicated, all 

amounts are expressed in Canadian dollars.

The  Company's  Board  of  Directors,  on  the  recommendation  of  its Audit  Committee,  approved  the  contents  of  this 

MD&A on March 22, 2021 This MD&A reflects information as of March 22, 2021.

Basis of presentation

DCM prepares its consolidated financial statements in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards 

as  issued  by  the  International  Accounting  Standards  Board  (“IFRS").  The  accounting  policies  applied  in  these 

consolidated financial statements are based on IFRS effective for the year ending December 31, 2020, as issued and 

outstanding as of March 22, 2021 the date the Board of Directors ("Board") approved these financial statements.

Forward-looking statements

Certain  statements  in  this  MD&A  constitute  “forward-looking”  statements  that  involve  known  and  unknown  risks, 

uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, objectives or achievements of DCM, 

or  industry  results,  to  be  materially  different  from  any  future  results,  performance,  objectives  or  achievements 

expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.  When used in this MD&A, words such as “may”, “would”, 

“could”, “will”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “believe”, “intend”, “plan”, and other similar expressions are intended 

to  identify  forward-looking  statements.    These  statements  reflect  DCM’s  current  views  regarding  future  events  and 

operating performance, are based on information currently available to DCM, and speak only as of the date of this 

MD&A.  These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions and should not 

be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether or 

not  such  performance  or  results  will  be  achieved.    Many  factors  could  cause  the  actual  results,  performance, 

objectives  or  achievements  of  DCM  to  be  materially  different  from  any  future  results,  performance,  objectives  or 

achievements  that  may  be  expressed  or  implied  by  such  forward-looking  statements.  The  principal  factors, 

assumptions  and  risks  that  DCM  made  or  took  into  account  in  the  preparation  of  these  forward-looking  statements 

include: risks relating to the continuing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact of which could be material on 

DCM’s business, liquidity and results of operations; DCM's enterprise resource planning ("ERP") system interrupted 

operational  transactions  during  and  following  the  implementation,  which  has,  and  may  continue  to,  materially  and 

adversely  affect  DCM's  financial  liquidity  and  operations  and  results  of  operations;  there  is  no  assurance  that 

management’s  initiatives  for  dealing  with  these  events  and  conditions  will  be  successful  and  there  are  risks  in  the 

expected timing of resolution thereof and the possible effects of these issues if they are not resolved; DCM’s ability to 

continue as a going concern is dependent upon its ability to comply with its financial covenants for at least the next 

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twelve months which is contingent on management's ability to meet forecast revenue, profitability and cash collection 

targets;  risks  relating  to  DCM’s  ability  to  access  sufficient  capital,  including,  without  limitation,  under  its  existing 

revolving credit facility, on favourable terms to fund its liquidity and business plans from internal and external sources; 

the  risk  that  DCM  will  not  be  successful  in  negotiating  amendments  to  the  terms  of  its  existing  credit  facilities 

including, without limitation, the financial covenants of DCM under these facilities; the limited growth in the traditional 

printing  industry  and  the  potential  for  further  declines  in  sales  of  DCM’s  printed  business  documents  relative  to 

historical sales levels for those products; the risk that changes in the mix of products and services sold by DCM will 

adversely affect DCM’s financial results; the risk that DCM may not be successful in reducing the size of its legacy 

print  business,  realizing  the  benefits  expected  from  restructuring  and  business  reorganization  initiatives,  reducing 

costs, reducing and repaying its long term debt, and growing its digital and marketing communications businesses; 

the  risk  that  DCM  may  not  be  successful  in  managing  its  organic  growth;  DCM’s  ability  to  invest  in,  develop  and 

successfully  market  new  digital  and  other  products  and  services;  competition  from  competitors  supplying  similar 

products  and  services,  some  of  whom  have  greater  economic  resources  than  DCM  and  are  well-established 

suppliers; DCM’s ability to grow its sales or even maintain historical levels of its sales of printed business documents; 

the  impact  of  economic  conditions  on  DCM’s  businesses;  risks  associated  with  acquisitions  and/or  investments  in 

joint  ventures  by  DCM;  the  failure  to  realize  the  expected  benefits  from  the  acquisitions  it  has  made  and  risks 

associated  with  the  integration  and  growth  of  such  businesses;  increases  in  the  costs  of  paper  and  other  raw 

materials used by DCM; and DCM’s ability to maintain relationships with its customers and suppliers.

Additional  factors  are  discussed  elsewhere  in  this  MD&A  under  the  headings  "Liquidity  and  capital  resources"  and 

“Risks  and  Uncertainties”  and  in  DCM’s  publicly  available  disclosure  documents,  as  filed  by  DCM  on  SEDAR 

(www.sedar.com).  Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying 

the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in this MD&A 

as  intended,  planned,  anticipated,  believed,  estimated  or  expected.    Unless  required  by  applicable  securities  law, 

DCM does not intend and does not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

Non-IFRS measures

This  MD&A  includes  certain  non-IFRS  measures  as  supplementary  information.    Except  as  otherwise  noted,  when 

used in this MD&A, EBITDA means earnings before interest and finance costs, taxes, depreciation and amortization 

and  Adjusted  EBITDA  means  EBITDA  adjusted  for  restructuring  expenses,  and  one-time  business  reorganization 

costs.  Adjusted net income (loss) means net income (loss) adjusted for restructuring expenses, one-time business 

reorganization costs, and the tax effects of those items.  Adjusted net income (loss) per share (basic and diluted) is 

calculated by dividing Adjusted net income (loss) for the period by the weighted average number of common shares 

of  DCM  (basic  and  diluted)  outstanding  during  the  period.    In  addition  to  net  income  (loss),  DCM  uses  non-IFRS 

measures including Adjusted net income (loss), Adjusted net income (loss) per share, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA 

to  provide  investors  with  supplemental  measures  of  DCM’s  operating  performance  and  thus  highlight  trends  in  its 

core  business  that  may  not  otherwise  be  apparent  when  relying  solely  on  IFRS  financial  measures.    DCM  also 

believes  that  securities  analysts,  investors,  rating  agencies  and  other  interested  parties  frequently  use  non-IFRS 

measures  in  the  evaluation  of  issuers.    DCM’s  management  also  uses  non-IFRS  measures  in  order  to  facilitate 

operating performance comparisons from period to period, prepare annual operating budgets and assess its ability to 

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DATA Communications Management Corp.

meet future debt service, capital expenditure and working capital requirements.  Adjusted net income (loss), Adjusted 

net income (loss) per share, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are not earnings measures recognized by IFRS and do 

not  have  any  standardized  meanings  prescribed  by  IFRS.    Therefore,  Adjusted  net  income  (loss),  Adjusted  net 

income (loss) per share, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented 

by other issuers.

Investors are cautioned that Adjusted net income (loss), Adjusted net income (loss) per share, EBITDA and Adjusted 

EBITDA  should  not  be  construed  as  alternatives  to  net  income  (loss)  determined  in  accordance  with  IFRS  as  an 

indicator  of  DCM’s  performance.    For  a  reconciliation  of  net  income  (loss)  to  EBITDA  and  a  reconciliation  of  net 

income  (loss)  to  Adjusted  EBITDA,  see  Table  3  below.    For  a  reconciliation  of  net  income  (loss)  to  Adjusted  net 

income (loss) and a presentation of Adjusted net income (loss) per share, see Table 4 below.

Business of DCM

OVERVIEW

DCM  is  a  communication  solutions  partner  that  adds  value  for  major  companies  across  North America  by  creating 

more meaningful connections with their customers.  DCM pairs customer insights and thought leadership with cutting-

edge products, modular enabling technology and services to power its clients’ go-to market strategies.  DCM helps its 

clients  manage  how  their  brands  come  to  life,  determine  which  channels  are  right  for  them,  manage  multimedia 

campaigns, deploy location-specific and 1:1 marketing, execute custom loyalty programs, and fulfill their commercial 

printing needs all in one place.

DCM's  extensive  experience  has  positioned  it  as  an  expert  at  providing  communication  solutions  across  many 

verticals, including the financial, retail, healthcare, consumer health, energy, and not-for-profit sectors.  As a result of 

its locations throughout Canada and in the United States (Chicago, Illinois), it is able to meet its clients’ varying needs 

with scale, speed, and efficiency - no matter how large or complex the ask.  DCM is able to deliver advanced data 

security, regulatory compliance, and bilingual communications, both in print and/or digital formats.

Customer  agreements  and  terms  typically  include  provisions  consistent  with  industry  practice,  which  allow  DCM  to 

pass along increases in the cost of paper and other raw materials used to manufacture products.

DCM’s revenue is subject to mailing patterns of certain customers. Typically, higher revenues and profit are generated 

in  the  first  quarter  relative  to  the  other  three  quarters,  however  this  can  vary  from  time  to  time  by  changes  in 

customers' purchasing decisions throughout the year.  As a result, DCM’s revenue and financial performance for any 

single quarter may not be indicative of revenue and financial performance which may be expected for the full year. 

DCM  has  approximately  1,100  employees  in  Canada  and  the  United  States  and  had  revenues  of $259.3  million  in 

2020. Website: www.datacm.com.

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RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

SENIOR MANAGEMENT CHANGES 

Effective February 23, 2021, DCM announced the departure of Michael J. Coté, President of DCM. 

Effective March 8, 2021, DCM's Board of Directors announced the appointment of Richard Kellam as President and 

CEO  of  the  Company,  effective  immediately.  Richard  Kellam  is  replacing  Gregory  J.  Cochrane  who  has  been 

appointed Vice Chairman of DCM.

Effective  March  9,  2021,  DCM  announced  the  departure  of  the  Chief  Innovation  Officer,  Chief  Brand  Officer,  Chief 

Operations Officer and Senior Vice President, Finance. The positions will not be replaced. 

The Company has incurred a total of $3.9 million in restructuring expenses in the first quarter of 2021, through the 

date hereof, relating to the recently announced departure of certain executives, along with other ongoing restructuring 

initiatives. 

Effective March 11, 2021, DCM announced an internal candidate for the role of Vice President, Operations. 

“As we accelerate our company’s evolution into a leading marketing and business solutions provider, it’s important we 

create  the  right  organizational  structure  to  empower  our  teams,  drive  change,  and  create  opportunities  for  growth 

within our strong internal talent pool,” added Kellam. “While I’ve been with DCM for only a short period, I’ve had the 

opportunity to meet many talented people, across all functions and levels. In my experience, flat organizations have 

proven to be more agile, efficient and ultimately successful.”

COVID-19 GLOBAL PANDEMIC 

Management  of  DCM  has  been  closely  monitoring  developments  related  to  COVID-19,  including  the  current  and 

potential  impact  on  global  and  local  economies  in  the  jurisdictions  where  it  operates.    While  safeguarding  the  well-

being  of  individuals  is  the  Company’s  principal  concern,  it  remains  focused  on  continuity  plans  and  preparedness 

measures  at  each  of  its  locations.    Several  measures  designed  to  ensure  continued  operation  were  implemented, 

including  temporary  layoffs  of  up  to  182  employees,  shift  reductions,  reductions  in  non-essential  spending  and 

deferral of other expenses and payments where practical and application for certain government programs and the 

Company continues to evaluate and assess further actions. 

To  date,  DCM  has  not  experienced  any  material  disruptions  in  its  supply  chain  due  to  COVID-19.  Nor  has  DCM 

experienced  any  material  credit  collection  delinquencies  related  to  COVID-19,  although  certain  customers  have 

stretched their payment terms.

GOVERNMENT GRANTS

DCM  qualified  for  approximately  $10.7  million  in  2020  under  the  CEWS.  Of  the  total  CEWS  grant  received,  $1.6 

million of that amount was attributable to the first quarter of 2020, $4.5 million was attributable to the second quarter 

of 2020, $2.8 million was attributable to the third quarter of 2020 and $1.8 million was attributable to the fourth quarter 

of 2020. 

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DATA Communications Management Corp.

REVENUE RECOGNITION POLICY

DCM recognizes revenue when control of the products or services it provides to its customers has been transferred. 

The  following  is  a  description  of  principal  activities  from  which  DCM  generates  its  revenue,  along  with  the 

corresponding revenue recognition accounting policies.

PRODUCT SALES

DCM  manufactures  customized  products  based  on  specifications  pre-approved  by  its  customers. At  its  customers’ 

request, DCM will also purchase product from third-party vendors and resell that to its customers. DCM recognizes 

revenue upon the completion of production or when product is purchased from a third-party vendor and inducted into 

its  warehouses.  Given  manufactured  products  are  customized  or  purchased  specifically  at  the  customer’s  request, 

product returns are insignificant.

In  some  instances,  DCM's  customers  obtain  the  product  directly  from  DCM  following  completion  of  production.  In 

other  instances,  DCM’s  contracts  involve  the  provision  of  warehousing  and  shipment  services,  in  addition  to 

manufacturing or purchasing of third-party products. Based on DCM’s contractual arrangements with its customers, 

DCM  has  identified  three  key  distinct  performance  obligations:  product  sales,  warehousing  services  and  shipment 

services. DCM stores customized or purchased product at the request of the customer; the product is identifiable as 

the  customer’s  product;  the  product  is  ready  for  transfer  to  the  customer  upon  the  customer’s  request;  and  DCM 

cannot re-direct the product nor use the product to fulfill another customer’s product order under the contract. DCM 

recognizes  product  revenues  when  control  has  transferred  over  the  product  upon  product  manufacture  by  DCM  or 

upon  receipt  of  third-party  product  into  DCM's  warehouses.  For  bundled  pricing  arrangements,  DCM  allocates  the 

transaction  price  to  each  performance  obligation  based  on  their  relative  stand  alone  selling  prices.  Management 

applied significant judgment in determining the stand-alone selling prices in allocating revenue between the various 

performance obligations.

WAREHOUSING SERVICES

DCM provides custodial services to store customer product in its warehouse over a specified agreed upon period of 

time.  Warehousing  services  represent  a  distinct  performance  obligation  and  accordingly,  revenues  are  recognized 

over the period that warehousing services are provided to the customer.

FREIGHT SERVICES

DCM  provides  services  to  ship  customer  product  from  its  warehouse  to  a  location  specified  by  the  customer.  This 

represents  a  distinct  performance  obligation  and  revenue  is  recognized  when  performance  of  the  shipping  service 

has occurred.

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MARKETING SERVICES

DCM  generates  revenue  from  providing  marketing  solutions  to  its  customers  which  include  business  and  brand 

strategy,  consumer  insights,  strategic  marketing  and  design  services.  Typically,  these  services  are  contracted  with 

fixed-fees  and  are  provided  over  a  period  of  time  equal  to  one  year  or  less.  Revenue  is  measured  based  on  the 

consideration DCM expects to be entitled to in exchange for providing services. Most of DCM’s marketing contracts 

include  a  single  performance  obligation  because  the  promise  to  transfer  the  individual  services  are  not  separately 

identifiable from other promises in the contract and therefore are not distinct. DCM transfers control of the services it 

provides  to  its  customers  over  time  and  therefore  recognizes  revenue  progressively  as  the  services  are  performed 

based on the percentage of completion method. Under this method, the stage of completion is measured using costs 

incurred  to  date  as  a  percentage  of  total  estimated  costs  for  each  contract  and  the  percentage  of  completion  is 

applied to the total estimated revenue.

COST OF REVENUES AND OTHER EXPENSES

DCM’s  cost  of  revenues  primarily  consists  of  raw  materials,  manufacturing  salaries  and  benefits,  occupancy  costs, 

depreciation of owned equipment, and depreciation of the right-of-use asset ("ROU Asset") for property leases and 

equipment leases.  DCM’s raw material costs consist primarily of paper, carbon and ink.  Manufacturing salaries and 

benefits costs primarily consist of employee salaries and health benefits at DCM’s printing and warehousing facilities.  

Occupancy costs consist primarily of depreciation of the ROU Asset for property leases, and costs related to utilities, 

insurance and building maintenance. DCM’s expenses consist of selling, depreciation and amortization, and general 

and  administration  expenses.    Selling  expenses  consist  primarily  of  employee  salaries,  health  benefits  and 

commissions, and include related costs for travel, corporate communications, trade shows, and marketing programs.  

Depreciation  and  amortization  represent  the  allocation  to  income  of  the  cost  of  property,  plant  and  equipment,  the 

ROU Asset,  and  intangible  assets  over  their  estimated  useful  lives.    General  and  administration  expenses  consist 

primarily  of  employee  salaries,  health  benefits,  and  other  personnel  related  expenses  for  executive,  financial  and 

administrative personnel, as well as depreciation of the ROU Asset for property leases, telecommunications, pension 

plan expenses and professional service fees.

DCM has incurred restructuring expenses in each of the last five fiscal years, which primarily consisted of severance 

costs associated with headcount reductions and costs related to the closure of certain facilities.

Selected Consolidated Financial Information
The following tables set out summary consolidated financial information and supplemental information for the periods 

indicated.  The summary annual financial information for each of Fiscal 2020, Fiscal 2019 and Fiscal 2018 has been 

derived  from  consolidated  financial  statements,  prepared  in  accordance  with  IFRS.    The  unaudited  financial 

information  presented  has  been  prepared  on  a  basis  consistent  with  our  audited  consolidated  financial  statements.  

Due to the adoption of new IFRS standards at January 1, 2019,  these periods do not reflect consistent accounting 

policies, particularly in relation to leases, and therefore are not directly comparable.  In the opinion of management, 

such unaudited financial data reflects all adjustments, consisting of normal and non-recurring adjustments, necessary 

for a fair presentation of the results for those periods.

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TABLE 1

The following table sets out selected historical consolidated financial information for the periods noted.

For the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018
(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except share and per 
share amounts, unaudited)

January 1 to 
December 31, 
2020

January 1 to 
December 31, 
2019

January 1 to 
December 31, 
2018

Revenues

Cost of revenues

Gross profit

Selling, general and administrative expenses
Restructuring expenses

Acquisition costs

Income (loss) before finance costs, other income, and 
income taxes

Finance costs 

Interest expense, net

Debt modification losses

Amortization of transaction costs

Other Income

Government grant income

$ 

259,314  $ 

282,876  $ 

186,372 
72,942 

58,884 

2,821 
— 

61,705 

11,237 

6,076 

703 

553 
7,332 

213,611   

69,265   

67,090   
7,489   
—   

74,579   

(5,314)  

8,916   

3,858   

465   
13,239   

322,769 

244,571 

78,198 

66,216 
2,654 

348 

69,218 

8,980 

4,985 

— 

623 
5,608 

10,708 

—   

— 

Income (loss) before income taxes

14,613 

(18,553)  

3,372 

Income tax expense (recovery)

Current
Deferred

Net income (loss) for the year

Basic earnings (loss) per share

Diluted earnings (loss) per share
Weighted average number of common shares 
outstanding, basic
Weighted average number of common shares 
outstanding, diluted

As at December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, unaudited)

Current assets

Current liabilities

Total assets

Total non-current liabilities

Shareholders’ equity (deficit)

$ 

$ 

$ 

(491)   
3,598 
3,107 

11,506  $ 

(105)  
(4,461)  
(4,566)  
(13,987) $ 

0.27  $ 
0.27  $ 

(0.65) $ 

(0.65) $ 

1,407 
(284) 
1,123 
2,249 

0.11 

0.11 

43,146,866

21,757,467

20,998,703

43,316,630

21,757,467

21,055,460

As at December 
31, 2020

As at December 
31, 2019

As at December 
31, 2018

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

75,903  $ 

101,642  $ 

60,949 

73,554   

163,921 

93,013 

214,372   

141,859   

85,455 

64,716 

142,231 

70,003 

9,959  $ 

(1,041)  

7,512 

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TABLE 2

The following table sets out selected historical consolidated financial information for the periods noted.  

See “Non-IFRS Measures” section above for more details.

For the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentage 
amounts, unaudited)

Revenues

Gross profit

January 1 to 
December 31, 
2020

January 1 to 
December 31, 
2019

January 1 to 
December 31, 
2018

$ 

259,314 

$ 

282,876 

$ 

322,769 

$ 

72,942 

$ 

69,265 

$ 

78,198 

Gross profit, as a percentage of revenues

 28.1 %

 24.5 %

 24.2 %

Selling, general and administrative expenses 

$ 

58,884 

$ 

67,090 

$ 

66,216 

   As a percentage of revenues

 22.7 %

 23.7 %

 20.5 %

Adjusted EBITDA (see Table 3)
   As a percentage of revenues

Net income (loss) for the year

Adjusted net income (loss) (see Table 4)

   As a percentage of revenues

$ 

41,476 

$ 

20,056 

$ 

22,218 

 16.0 %

 7.1 %

 6.9 %

$ 

$ 

11,506 

13,973 

 5.4 %

$ 

$ 

(13,987)  $ 

2,249 

(7,421)  $ 
 (2.6) %

5,584 

 1.7 %

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DATA Communications Management Corp.

TABLE 3 

The following table provides reconciliations of net income (loss) to EBITDA and of net income (loss) to 

Adjusted EBITDA for the periods noted.  See “Non-IFRS Measures” section above for more details.

EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA reconciliation

For the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, unaudited)

January 1 to 
December 31, 
2020

January 1 to 
December 31, 
2019

January 1 to 
December 31, 
2018

Net income (loss) for the year

$ 

11,506  $ 

(13,987) $ 

2,249 

Interest expense, net

Debt modification losses
Amortization of transaction costs
Current income tax (recovery) expense
Deferred income tax expense (recovery)
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment
Amortization of intangible assets
Depreciation of the ROU Asset
EBITDA 

Restructuring expenses
One-time business reorganization costs (1)
Acquisition costs

6,076 
703 
553 
(491)   

3,598 
3,541 
4,279 
8,399 

8,916   

3,858   
465   
(105)  
(4,461)  
3,959   
3,962   
8,940   

4,985 

— 
623 
1,407 
(284) 
4,678 
4,173 
— 

$ 

38,164  $ 

11,547  $ 

17,831 

2,821 
491 

— 

7,489   

1,020   

—   

2,654 

1,385 

348 

Adjusted EBITDA 

$ 

41,476  $ 

20,056  $ 

22,218 

(1) One-time business reorganization costs include non-recurring headcount reduction expenses for employees that did not qualify 

as restructuring costs. This also includes one-time expenses for the JV that was dissolved on July 12, 2019.

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TABLE  4 

The  following  table  provides  reconciliations  of  net  income  (loss)  to Adjusted  net  income  (loss)  and  a 

presentation of Adjusted net income per share for the periods noted.  See “Non-IFRS Measures” section 

above for more details.

Adjusted net income (loss) reconciliation

For the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018
(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except share and per 
share amounts, unaudited)

January 1 to 
December 31, 
2020

January 1 to 
December 31, 
2019

January 1 to 
December 31, 
2018

Net income (loss) for the year

$ 

11,506  $ 

(13,987) $ 

2,249 

Restructuring expenses
One-time business reorganization costs (1)
Acquisition costs

Tax effect of the above adjustments

Adjusted net income (loss) for the year

Adjusted net income (loss) per share, basic 

Adjusted net income (loss) per share, diluted

Weighted average number of common shares 
outstanding, basic

Weighted average number of common shares 
outstanding, diluted

2,821 
491 

— 

(845)   
13,973  $ 

7,489   

1,020   

—   

(1,943)  
(7,421) $ 

0.32  $ 

0.32  $ 

(0.34) $ 

(0.34) $ 

2,654 

1,385 

348 

(1,052) 
5,584 

0.27 

0.27 

$ 

$ 

$ 

43,146,866  

21,582,483   

20,998,703 

43,316,630  

21,582,483   

21,055,460 

Number of common shares outstanding, basic

43,867,030

43,047,030  

21,523,515 

Number of common shares outstanding, diluted

44,036,795  

43,047,030   

21,580,272 

(1) One-time business reorganization costs include non-recurring headcount reduction expenses for employees that did not qualify 

as restructuring costs. This also includes one-time expenses for the JV that was dissolved on July 12, 2019.

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DATA Communications Management Corp.

Results of operations

REVENUES

For  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020,  DCM  recorded  revenues  of $259.3  million,  a  decrease  of  $23.6  million  or 

8.3% compared with the same period in 2019.  The decrease in revenues was primarily attributable to lower demand 

resulting from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the second, third and fourth quarters of 2020. The decline in 

revenues  was  partially  offset  by  strong  performance  in  our  financial  services,  public  sector  and  healthcare  vertical 

markets,  growth  of  cannabis  label  business,  one-time  COVID-19  related  wins  in  the  second  and  third  quarters  of 

2020, and a new digital workflow management contract. As the COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, DCM expects some 

level of rebound in revenues to pre-COVID levels. Given the dynamics of the current environment, the work may flow 

differently throughout the year than it did in 2020.  

COST OF REVENUES AND GROSS PROFIT

For  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020,  DCM  recorded  cost  of  revenues  of  $186.4  million,  a  decrease  of  $27.2 

million or 12.8% from $213.6 million for the same period in 2019. 

Gross profit for the year ended December 31, 2020 was $72.9 million,  an increase of $3.7 million or 5.3% from $69.3 

million for the same period in 2019. Gross profit as a percentage of revenues increased to 28.1% for the year ended 

December 31, 2020, compared to 24.5% for the same period in 2019. Gross profit as a percentage of revenues for 

the  year  ended  December  31,  2020  was  positively  impacted  by  (i)  realizing  the  full  benefits  from  the  cost  saving 

initiatives implemented particularly in the second and third quarters of 2019, resulting in a reduction in salaries and 

wages, (ii) additional cost saving initiatives implemented throughout 2020, and other temporary lay-offs, reduction in 

casual labour and other cost saving measures in reaction to the impact of COVID-19 on the business, (iii) improved 

management  of  purchasing  inventory  and  other  direct  costs,  (iv)  and  continued  discipline  to  improve  pricing  with 

customers.  

SELLING, GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES

Selling, general and administrative (“SG&A”) expenses for the year ended December 31, 2020 was $58.9 million, or 

22.7% of total revenues, a decrease of $8.2 million or 12.2%, from $67.1 million, or 23.7% of total revenues, for the 

same period in 2019.  

SG&A expenses for the year ended December 31, 2020 benefited from a reduction in both general and administrative 

expenses  of  $1.7  million  and  selling,  commissions  and  expenses  by  $6.5  million.  The  decrease  in  selling, 

commissions  and  expenses  was  primarily  attributable  to  lower  sales  commission  costs  commensurate  with  the 

decrease in revenues due to the impact of COVID-19, reduction in salaries and wages realized from the full benefits 

from the cost saving initiatives implemented in the second and third quarters of 2019, additional cost saving initiatives 

implemented  during  2020,  and  other  temporary  lay-offs  and  reduction  in  casual  labour  in  reaction  to  the  impact  of 

COVID-19  on  the  business.  The  decrease  in  general  and  administrative  expenses  was  primarily  attributable  to  a 

reduction  in  salaries  and  wages  realized  from  the  full  benefits  from  the  cost  saving  initiatives  implemented  in  the 

second and third quarters of 2019, additional cost saving initiatives implemented during 2020, and temporary lay-offs, 

reduction  in  casual  labour,  lower  compensation  and  lower  discretionary  spending  in  response  to  the  impact  of 

COVID-19. The reduction was offset by an increase in professional services relating to the remediation of the ERP 

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system, increased salaries and wages for employees that have resumed normal responsibilities following the launch 

of  the  ERP  system  and  who  no  longer  have  their  salaries  and  wages  capitalized  and  an  increase  in  amortization 

costs  related  to  the  ERP  intangible  asset  which  commenced  in  June  2019.  The  costs  relating  to  the  remediation 

efforts of the ERP system are non-recurring, and DCM expects a reduction in associated spend throughout 2021.   

RESTRUCTURING EXPENSES

Cost reductions and enhancement of operating efficiencies have been an area of focus for DCM in order to improve 

margins and better align costs with the declining revenues experienced by the Company in its traditional business, a 

trend being faced by the traditional printing industry for several years now.

For  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020,  DCM  incurred  restructuring  expenses  of  $2.8  million  compared  to  $7.5 

million in the same period in 2019. Restructuring costs for the year ended December 31, 2020 related to headcount 

reductions  from  the  billings  and  credit/collections  departments  to  integrate  the  groups  into  one  team  to  achieve 

greater synergies across the cash management process, headcount reductions to direct labour to mitigate the impact 

of COVID-19, and other various headcount reductions to indirect labour as cost savings initiatives to improve gross 

margin. Restructuring costs for the year ended December 31, 2019  related to headcount reductions from the closure 

of its Brossard, Quebec facility which was announced in March 2019, the sale of our loose-leaf binders and index tab 

business in May 2019, process improvements in manufacturing to improve efficiencies and gross margins leading to 

lower  labour  requirements,  and  process  improvements  in  its  SG&A  functions  to  reduce  labour  costs  and  enhance 

productivity. 

DCM  will  continue  to  evaluate  its  operating  costs  for  further  efficiencies  as  part  of  its  commitment  to  improving  its 

gross margins and lowering its selling, general and administration expenses.

OTHER INCOME

Other income includes government grant income received from the CEWS (see note 27 of the consolidated financial 

statements). DCM has to date qualified for approximately $10.7 million under the CEWS in 2020. Of the total grant 

received, $1.6 million was attributable to the first quarter of 2020, $4.5 million for the second quarter of 2020, $2.8 

million for the third quarter of 2020 and $1.8 million for the fourth quarter of 2020.

ADJUSTED EBITDA

For  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020, Adjusted  EBITDA  was $41.5  million  or  16.0%  of  revenues,  after  adjusting 

EBITDA  for  the  $2.8  million  in  restructuring  charges  and  $0.5  million  of  one-time  business  reorganization  costs,  

compared to $20.1 million or 7.1% of revenues for the same period in 2019. 

The increase in Adjusted EBITDA for the year ended December 31, 2020 over the prior year comparative period was 

primarily  attributed  to  (i)  improved  gross  margins  and  reductions  in  SG&A  realized  from  the  full  benefits  of  cost 

savings initiatives implemented in the second and third quarter of 2019 (ii) improved gross margins from continued 

discipline  to  improve  pricing  with  customers,  (iii)  and  more  normalized  level  of  operations  and  margins  following 

remediation of the ERP system challenges experienced in June 2019. The improvements in EBITDA were offset by a 

reduction in revenue due to lower demand resulting from the impact of COVID-19. Temporary lay-offs and reductions 

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. . M D & A . .

DATA Communications Management Corp.

in compensation and discretionary spending in response to the impact of COVID-19 on the business, and receipt of 

the CEWS grant income mitigated the impact on our financial performance. 

FINANCE COSTS

Finance costs include interest on debt outstanding under DCM’s credit facilities, interest accretion expense related to 

certain debt obligations discounts / premiums, interest on pension obligations, debt modification losses, amortization 

of debt transaction costs and interest expense on lease liabilities under IFRS 16. For the year ended December 31, 

2020,  DCM  incurred  $7.3  million  of  finance  costs  compared  to  $13.2  million  for  the  same  period  in  2019.    Interest 

expense  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020  decreased  due  to  the  reduction  in  the  prime  rates  during  the  first 

quarter of 2020 and prime rate margins during the second quarter of 2020, and reduction in levels drawn under the 

Bank Credit Facility during the third and fourth quarters of 2020, thereby reducing the interest expense on the Credit 

Facility. In the fourth quarter of 2019 and first quarter of 2020, DCM recorded debt premiums on the Credit Facility 

and Crown Facility, which resulted in recognition of accretion income, netted against interest expense, during 2020. 

This  decrease  was  offset  by  an  increase  in  interest  expense  on  the  (i)  Crown  Facility  as  an  additional  $7.0  million 

loan obtained from Crown in the third quarter of 2019 alongside an increase in the interest rate for the Crown Facility 

by 200 basis points per annum effective December 19, 2019, and (ii) Perennial acquisition VTB, now bearing a 10% 

interest rate per annum effective in the second quarter of 2020, which was previously non-interest bearing. 

INCOME TAXES

DCM reported income before income taxes of $14.6 million and a net income tax expense of $3.1 million for the year 

ended December 31, 2020 compared to a loss before income taxes of $18.6 million and a net income tax recovery of 

$4.6  million  for  the  same  period  in  2019.  The  change  from  a  net  income  tax  recovery  position  to  an  income  tax 

expense  was  due  to  an  increase  in  DCM's  estimated  taxable  income  from  a  previously  reported  loss  for  the  year 

ended December 31, 2020.  The deferred income tax recovery for the year ended December 31, 2020 was adjusted 

for any changes in estimates of future reversals of temporary differences. 

NET INCOME (LOSS) 

Net income for the year ended December 31, 2020 was $11.5 million compared to a net loss of $14.0 million for the 

same period in 2019.  

The  increase  in  comparable  profitability  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020  was  primarily  attributed  to  (i) 

improved gross margins and reductions in SG&A realized from the full benefits of cost savings initiatives implemented 

in the second and third quarter of 2019, (ii) improved gross margins from continued discipline to improve pricing with 

customers, (iii) more normalized level of operations and margins following remediation of the ERP system challenges 

experienced  in  June  2019,  (iv)  reduction  in  restructuring  initiatives,  and  (v)  reduction  in  interest  expense.  The 

improvements in net income were offset by (i) one-time debt modification losses of $0.7 million, and (ii) a reduction in 

revenue  due  to  lower  demand  resulting  from  the  impact  of  COVID-19,  which  was  mitigated  by  temporary  lay-offs, 

reductions in compensation and discretionary spending and receipt of the CEWS grant income. 

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ADJUSTED NET INCOME (LOSS) 

Adjusted net income for the year ended December 31, 2020 was $14.0 million compared to adjusted net loss of $7.4 

million for the same period in 2019.

The  increase  in  comparable  profitability  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020  to  (i)  improved  gross  margins  and 

reductions  in  SG&A  realized  from  the  full  benefits  of  cost  savings  initiatives  implemented  in  the  second  and  third 

quarter  of  2019,  (ii)  improved  gross  margins  from  continued  discipline  to  improve  pricing  with  customers,  (iii)  more 

normalized level of operations and margins following remediation of the ERP system challenges experienced in June 

2019,  and  (iv)  reduction  in  interest  expense. The  improvements  in  adjusted  net  income  were  offset  by  (i)  one-time 

debt modification losses of $0.7 million, and (ii) a reduction in revenue due to lower demand resulting from the impact 

of COVID-19, which was mitigated by temporary lay-offs, reductions in compensation and discretionary spending and 

receipt of the CEWS grant income.

Liquidity and capital resources

CREDIT AGREEMENTS

BANK  FACILITIES

DCM  has  established  a  revolving  credit  facility  (as  amended,  the  “Bank  Credit  Facility”)  with  a  Canadian  chartered 

bank (the “Bank”). Under the terms of the Bank Credit Agreement, the maximum principal amount available under the 

Bank  Credit  Facility  is  $35.0  million  (see Amendments  to  Credit  Facilities)  and  the  Bank  Credit  Facility  matures  on 

January 31, 2023.  Advances under the Bank Credit Facility may not, at any time, exceed the lesser of $35,000 and a 

fixed percentage of DCM’s aggregate accounts receivable and inventory (less certain amounts).  Advances under the 

amended  Bank  Credit  Facility  are  subject  to  floating  interest  rates  based  upon  the  Canadian  prime  rate  plus  an 

applicable  margin  of  1.35%.    For  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020,  DCM  capitalized  transaction  costs  of  $0.2 

million related to the Bank Credit Facility. The unamortized balance of the transaction costs are being amortized over 

the remaining term of the Bank Credit Facility.  As at December 31, 2020, the unamortized transaction costs related to 

the Bank Credit Facility was $0.5 million. As at December 31, 2020, there were outstanding borrowings of $5.7 million 

under  the  revolving  facilities  portion  of  the  Bank  Credit  Facility  and  letters  of  credit  granted  of  $0.6  million.  As  at 

December 31, 2020, all of DCM’s indebtedness outstanding under the Bank Credit Facility was subject to a floating 

interest  rate  of  3.80%  per  annum. As  at  December  31,  2020,  DCM  had  access  to  $13.1  million  of  available  credit 

under  the  Bank  Credit  Facility.  The  cash  and  cash  equivalents  balance  of  $0.6  million  shown  on  the  consolidated 

statement of financial position as at December 31, 2020 represents outstanding deposits which when cashed would 

be  a  deposit  on  the  Bank  Credit  Facility.   As  at December  31,  2020,  the  carrying  value  of  the  debt  instrument  was 

$5.5  million.  The  carrying  value  includes  the  outstanding  borrowings  of  $5.7  million,  unamortized  premium  of  $0.3 

million less the unamortized transaction cost of $0.5 million.

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DATA Communications Management Corp.

FPD FACILITIES

DCM established an amortizing term loan facility (the “FPD IV Credit Facility”) with Fiera Private Debt Fund IV L.P.

("FPD  IV")  (formerly,  Integrated  Private  Debt  Fund  IV  LP)  a  fund  managed  by  Fiera  Private  Debt  Fund  GP  Inc. 

("FPD")  (formerly,  Integrated  Asset  Management  Corp.)  pursuant  to  separate  amended  and  restated  credit 

agreements  between  DCM  and  the  Bank  (as  amended,  the  “Bank  Credit Agreement”)  and  FPD  (as  amended,  the 

“FPD  IV  Credit  Agreement”),  respectively.    Upon  closing  of  the  Thistle  acquisition  in  2017,  DCM  became  a  co-

borrower with Thistle under an existing credit agreement (the “FPD III Credit Agreement”) between Thistle and Fiera 

Private Debt Fund III L.P. ("FPD III") (formerly, Integrated Private Debt Fund III LP), another fund managed by FPD, 

pursuant to which FPD III has advanced to Thistle a term loan facility (the “FPD III Credit Facility”).  On November 10, 

2017, DCM established a $28,000 secured, non-revolving senior credit facility (the "FPD V Credit Facility") with Fiera 

Private Debt V L.P. ("FPD V") (formerly, Integrated Private Debt Fund V LP), a fund managed by FPD (the "FPD V 

Credit  Agreement"  and,  together  with  the  FPD  III  Credit  Agreement  and  the  FPD  IV  Credit  Agreement,  the  “FPD 

Credit  Agreements”)  to  fund  the  acquisition  of  BOLDER  Graphics  and  to  repay  a  portion  of  DCM's  outstanding 

principal under the Bank Credit Facility.  The FPD III Credit Facility and the FPD V Credit Facility are subject to the 

same covenants stipulated under the FPD IV Credit Agreement and are reported on a consolidated basis. 

Under the terms of the FPD Credit Agreements, the maximum aggregate principal amount which may be outstanding 

under the FPD III Credit Facility, FPD IV Credit Facility, the FPD V Credit Facility, the Bank Credit Facility and Crown 

Facility (as defined below), calculated on a consolidated basis (“Total Funded Debt”), cannot exceed $93.0 million.  

The  principal  amount  of  the  amended  FPD  III  Credit  Facility  amortizes  in  blended  equal  monthly  repayments  of 

principal and interest of $0.1 million over a nine year term ending October 15, 2022.  The principal amount of the FPD 

IV Credit Facility amortizes in blended equal monthly repayments of principal and interest of $0.4 million over a seven 

year  term  ending  March  10,  2023.    The  principal  amount  of  the  FPD  V  Credit  Facility  amortizes  in  blended  equal 

monthly repayments of principal and interest  of  $0.1 million  over a sixty six month term ending May 15, 2023. The 

FPD  III  Credit  Facility,  FPD  IV  Credit  Facility  and  FPD  IV  Credit  Facility  were  amended  on  July  25,  2019  to  defer 

principal payments for the months of August through December 2019 (see Amendments to Credit Facilities).  As at 

December 31, 2020, all of DCM’s indebtedness outstanding under the FPD III Credit Facility was subject to a fixed 

interest rate equal to 6.10% per annum and all of DCM’s indebtedness outstanding under the amended FPD IV Credit 

Facility  and  under  the  FPD  V  Credit  Facility  were  subject  to  a  fixed  interest  rate  equal  to  6.95%  per  annum, 

respectively. 

As at December 31, 2020, the unamortized transaction costs and outstanding borrowings related to the FPD III Credit 

Facility  were  $13  thousand  and  $2.8  million,  respectively. As  at  December  31,  2020,  the  unamortized  transaction 

costs  and  outstanding  borrowings  related  to  the  FPD  IV  Credit  Facility  were  $0.2  million  and  $13.7  million, 

respectively. As at December 31, 2020, the unamortized transaction costs and outstanding borrowings related to the 

FPD  V  Credit  Facility  were  $0.1  million  and  $3.1  million,  respectively.  The  unamortized  balance  of  the  transaction 

costs  for  FPD  III  Credit  Facility,  FPD  IV  Credit  Facility  and  the  FPD  V  Credit  Facility  are  being  amortized  over  the 

remaining term of each respective facility. For the year ended December 31, 2020, DCM capitalized transaction costs 

of $16 thousand. 

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. . M D & A . .

CROWN FACILITY

On May 8, 2018, DCM established a $12.0 million non-revolving term loan facility ("Crown Tranche One Loan") with 

Crown Capital Partner Funding, LP (previously Crown Capital Fund IV, LP) (the "Crown Facility"), a fund managed by 

Crown Capital LP Partner Funding Inc. (previously Crown Capital Fund IV Management Inc.) ("Crown"). On August 

16,  2019,  DCM  entered  into  a  third  amendment  to  its  Crown  Facility  whereby  Crown  advanced  a  second  non 

revolving  term  loan  in  the  principal  amount  of  $7.0  million  ("Crown  Tranche  Two  Loan"),  for  total  advances  in  the 

principal amount of $19.0 million that are repayable on maturity on May 7, 2023. These loans bore interest at 10% per 

annum  which  increased  to  12%  per  annum  on  January  1,  2020  under  the  Crown  Fourth  Amendment.  Interest  is 

payable quarterly. In connection with this third amendment, DCM recognized a loss on modification of debt of $0.4 

million  which  is  included  in  finance  costs  in  the  consolidated  statement  of  operations.  In  connection  with  the  fifth 

amendment  interest  on  outstanding  borrowings  under  the  Crown  Credit Agreement  of  $1.9  million  for  the  first  ten 

months  of  2020  was  deferred  and  capitalized  to  DCM’s  outstanding  principal  obligations  under  the  Crown  Credit 

Agreement  increasing  the  total  advances  to  $20.9  million.  DCM's  obligations  under  the  Crown  Facility  are 

subordinated to its other senior credit facilities and secured by a conventional security on all of the assets of DCM 

and its subsidiaries.

A  total  of  960,000  warrants  were  issued  to  Crown  in  connection  with  the  Crown  Tranche  One  Loan.  Each  warrant 

entitles  the  holder  to  acquire  one  DCM  common  share  at  an  exercise  price  of  $1.75  for  a  period  of  five  years, 

commencing on May 8, 2018. The Crown Tranche One Loan of $12.0 million was apportioned to $11.5 million to the 

debt instrument and $0.5 million to the warrant option based on their relative fair values The fair value of the warrant 

option  was  then  bifurcated  and  recorded  separately  within  equity  while  the  fair  value  of  the  debt  host  is  being 

accreted  from  $11.5  million  to  $12.0  million    over  the  term  of  the  loan. A  total  of  550,000  warrants  were  issued  to 

Crown  in  connection  with  the  Crown  Tranche  Two  Loan.  Each  warrant  entitles  the  holder  to  acquire  one  DCM 

common share at an exercise price of $1.08 for a period of 3.7 years, commencing on August 16, 2019. The Crown 

Tranche Two Loan was apportioned to $6.9 million to the debt instrument and $0.1 million to the warrant option based 

on  the  relative  fair  values. The  fair  value  of  the  warrant  option  was  then  bifurcated  and  recorded  separately  within 

equity while the fair value of the debt host is being accreted from $6.9 million to $7.0 million over the term of the loan.

As  at  December  31,  2020,  the  carrying  value  of  the  Crown  debt  instrument  was  $21.0  million.  This  carrying  value 

includes the loan principal balance of $20.9 million, unamortized premiums/discounts of $0.6 million less unamortized 

transaction costs of $0.6 million. For the year ended December 31, 2020, DCM capitalized transaction costs of $0.1 

million related to the Crown Facility.  The unamortized transaction costs of $0.6 million is being amortized over the 

remaining term of this facility. 

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AMENDMENTS TO CREDIT FACILITIES

On March 5, 2019, DCM entered into a second amendment to its' A&R Bank Credit Facility. Significant terms of the 

amendment made to the credit facility include an extension of the maturity date to January 31, 2023, from its original 

maturity date of March 31, 2020; a reduction in the prime rate margin on advances by 15 basis points from 0.75% per 

annum to 0.60% per annum; the elimination of an early termination fee in the event the credit facility is terminated or 

repaid prior to maturity; and amendments related to the calculation of certain financial covenants as a result of the 

adoption of IFRS 16 effective for reporting periods on or after January 1, 2019. The amendments related to IFRS 16 

include clarification that the calculation of DCM's fixed charge coverage ratio under the A&R Bank Credit Facility will 

be  completed  on  a  basis  that  substantially  has  the  same  effect  as  the  results  prior  to  the  adoption  of  IFRS  16 

whereby lease payments will also be deducted from EBITDA, in addition to all other adjustments previously allowed 

per the Bank Credit Agreement. As a result, definitions of certain terms related to IFRS 16 were added to the A&R 

Bank Credit Facility. DCM’s financial covenant ratio with the Bank remained unchanged. 

On  June  21,  2019,  DCM  received  an  amendment  regarding  the  FPD A&R  Credit  Facilities  for  the  requirement  to 

maintain a Total Funded Debt to EBITDA Ratio of no greater than 3:0 to 1:0, which was amended to no greater than 

3.25 to 1:0 for the quarters ended June 30, 2019, September 30, 2019, and December 31, 2019, respectively. 

On June 24, 2019, DCM received an amendment regarding the A&R Bank Credit Facility for the requirement to meet 

the fixed charge coverage ratio of 1.1 to 1.0, which was amended to 0.90 to 1.0 for May and June 2019, and 1.0 to 

1.0 for July and August 2019. 

On July 25, 2019, FPD III, FPD IV and FPD V agreed to amend the credit agreements between DCM and FPD III, 

FPD IV and FPD V for the FPD A&R Credit Facilities (“Amended FPD A&R Credit Facilities”). For each of the FPD 

A&R Credit Facilities, principal payments for the months of August 2019 through December 2019 were deferred and 

are to be paid out as bullet payments on each FPD A&R Credit Facility's respective maturity date. During this period, 

the interest rate on each of the FPD III, FPD IV and FPD V A&R Credit Facilities was increased to 7.25% per annum. 

The  increase  in  the  interest  rates  is  treated  as  a  payment  in  kind  ("PIK")  with  the  interest  premium  calculated  and 

accrued on a monthly basis for each of the three credit facilities.  The PIK was repaid in cash on January 15, 2020 

when the regularly scheduled principal and interest payments on each credit facility resumed. 

As a condition to those amendments, DCM agreed to defer any payments on its vendor take-back promissory notes 

effective as of the date of the Amended FPD A&R Credit Facilities. In addition, the waiver obtained on October 26, 

2018 to reduce the requirement to maintain a debt service coverage ratio from 2.0 to 1.85 times for the purposes of 

determining  its  Excess  Cash  Flow,  and  permit  payments  on  its  vendor  take-back  promissory  notes,  was  revoked. 

Resumption of payments on vendor take-back promissory notes will require prior approval by FPD. 

On July 31, 2019, DCM entered into a third amendment to increase the revolving commitment on its Bank A&R Credit 

Facility from an aggregate outstanding principal amount of up to $35.0 million to up to $42.0 million between July 31 

and  December  31,  2019.  In  addition,  the  amendment  includes  the  Bank's  consent  to  the  amendments  to  the  FPD 

A&R Credit Facilities on July 25, 2019. 

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On  November  14,  2019,  DCM  entered  into  a  fourth  amendment  to  its  Bank  Credit  Facility  (the  “Bank  Fourth 

Amendment”).  This  amendment  increased  the  maximum  principal  amount  of  the  Bank  Credit  Facility  from  $35.0 

million to $45.0 million until December 31, 2019. 

On December 19, 2019, DCM entered into a fifth amendment to its Bank Credit Facility (the “Bank Fifth Amendment”). 

This amendment increased the maximum principal amount of the Bank Credit Facility to a maximum of $50.0 million, 

subject to successful completion of a rights offering and receipt of net proceeds from that rights offering of at least 

$3.0 million after giving effect to any repayment of the related party promissory notes. The maximum principal amount 

available under the Bank Credit Facility will decrease by $1.5 million each month commencing April 2020 until it has 

been reduced to $35.0 million in January 2021. The Bank Fifth Amendment suspended the requirement for DCM to 

comply  with  its  Fixed  Charge  Coverage  Ratio  (the  “FCCR”)  until  July  31,  2020.  DCM  was  required  to  maintain  a 

FCCR of not less than 1.0 to 1.0 for the twelve month period ended July 31, 2020, a FCCR of not less than 1.05 to 

1.0 for the twelve month period ended August 31, 2020 and a FCCR of not less than 1.1 to 1.0 for each twelve month 

period  ending  thereafter,  commencing  with  the  month  ending  September  30,  2020.  The  Bank  Fifth  Amendment 

introduced  a  new  covenant  requiring  DCM  to  collect  an  agreed  minimum  percentage  of  its  outstanding  accounts 

receivable each month and a covenant requiring DCM to attain revenue in a minimum amount equal to not less than 

90% of its forecasted revenue on a quarterly and on a cumulative basis commencing with the fourth quarter of 2019 

and  ending  with  the  quarter  ending  June  30,  2020.  The  Bank  Fifth  Amendment  also  increased  the  interest  rate 

payable  by  DCM  on  its  prime  rate  loans  by  100  basis  points  per  annum,  at  least  until  such  time  as  DCM 

demonstrates  its  achievement  of  at  least  a  FCCR  of  greater  than  1.1  to  1.0.    In  connection  with  this  amendment, 

DCM recognized a loss on modification of debt of $2.8 million, which is included in finance costs in the consolidated 

statement of operations. 

On December 19, 2019 DCM entered into a waiver and amendment agreement (the “FPD Amendment”) with respect 

to  the  FPD  Credit Agreements.  The  FPD Amendment  suspends  DCM’s  obligation  to  comply  with  its  Total  Funded 

Debt to EBITDA Ratio covenant for the quarter ending December 31, 2019 and establishes a new Total Funded Debt 

to EBITDA Ratio covenant of no more than 4.5 to 1.0 that will apply for the second quarter of 2020, after which the 

original covenant of no greater than 3.0 to 1.0 will apply. In addition, during this period EBITDA for the purposes of 

such covenant will be calculated on an annualized basis starting with actual EBITDA achieved for the quarter ending 

December  31,  2019.  The  FPD Amendment  also  revised  DCM’s  Debt  Service  Coverage  Ratio  (“DSCR”)  covenant, 

such that DCM’s minimum DSCR will be 0.75 to 1.0 for the quarters ending December 31, 2019 and March 31, 2020 

and 1.00 to 1.0 for the quarter ending June 30, 2020. Thereafter, the original DSCR covenant of at least 1.50 to 1.0 

will apply. The FPD Amendment also confirms that the monthly principal payments of the loans under the FPD Credit 

Agreements will recommence at the originally scheduled rate in January 2020. The FPD Amendment also increased 

DCM’s  maximum  Total  Funded  Debt  to  $93.0  million.    The  FPD Amendment  also  added  a  new  financial  covenant 

requiring DCM to maintain a minimum monthly EBITDA of $1.0 million during for the first seven months of 2020.

On  December  19,  2019  DCM  entered  into  a  fourth  amending  agreement  (the  “Crown  Fourth  Amendment”)  in 

connection  with  the  Crown  Credit Agreement.  Under  the  Crown  Fourth Amendment,  the  calculation  of  DCM’s  Net 

Debt  to  EBITDA  Ratio  covenant  was  modified  such  that  EBITDA  is  calculated  on  an  annualized  basis  for  the  first 

three quarters of 2020, commencing with EBITDA for the quarter ending March 31, 2020. The Net Debt to EBITDA 

Ratio covenant was further modified such that DCM is required to maintain a maximum Net Debt to EBITDA Ratio of 

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5.0 to 1.0 for the quarters ending March 31, 2020 and June 30, 2020, a maximum of 4.5 to 1.0 for the quarters ending 

September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2020 and a maximum of 3.0 to 1.0 for each quarter thereafter. The FCCR 

covenant under the Crown Credit Agreement was also modified such that DCM must maintain an FCCR of at least 

1.1 to 1.0 for the quarter ending September 30, 2020, at least 1.15 to 1.0 for the quarter ending December 31, 2020 

and at least 1.25 to 1.0 for each quarter thereafter.  The FCCR will not apply for the quarters ending December 31, 

2019,  March  31,  2020  and  June  30,  2020.  The  Crown  Fourth  Amendment  also  added  a  new  financial  covenant 

requiring DCM to have EBITDA of not less than $4.0 million for the quarter ending March 31, 2020 and cumulative 

EBITDA  of  not  less  than  $8  million  for  the  six-month  period  ending  June  30,  2020. The  Crown  Fourth Amendment 

increased the interest rate on the Crown Credit Agreement from 10% per annum to 12% per annum on January 1, 

2020,  with  the  incremental  200  basis  points  per  annum  being  accrued  and  payable  at  the  earlier  of  maturity  of  the 

Crown Credit Agreement or, pursuant to its prepayment terms, prepayment in full. In connection with this amendment, 

DCM recognized a loss on modification of debt of $1.0 million, which is included in finance costs in the consolidated 

statement of operations.

In  connection  with  the  Crown  Fourth  Amendment  on  December  19,  2019,  the  Company  agreed  to  amend  the 

exercise price of (A) the 960,000 common share purchase warrants of the Company issued to Crown in May 2018 

from  $1.75  to  $0.26,  and  (B)  the  550,000  common  share  purchase  warrants  of  the  Company  issued  to  Crown  in 

August 2019 from $1.08 to $0.26. In accordance with the rules of the Toronto Stock Exchange, these amendments 

became  effective  on  January  8,  2020.  The  increased  value  of  the  warrants  arising  from  the  debt  modification  was 

$0.1 million which was recorded as a transaction cost and applied against the carrying value of the debt.

On  February  21,  2020,  DCM  entered  into  a  sixth  amendment  to  its  Bank  Credit  Facility  (the  “Bank  Sixth 

Amendment”). Advances under the Bank Credit Facility may not, at any time, exceed the lesser of $50 million and a 

fixed  percentage  of  DCM’s  aggregate  accounts  receivables  and  inventory  (less  certain  reserve  amounts).    This 

amendment permits DCM:  (i) for the period from January 1, 2020 to April 30, 2020, to add up to $6.0 million on an 

unmargined  basis  (the  “Unmargined  Amount”)  when  calculating  that  borrowing  base,  and  (ii)  for  the  period  from 

January  15,  2020  to  May  14,  2020,  to  remove  from  the  calculation  of  that  borrowing  base,  up  to  $2.8  million  of 

reserves  (the  “Excluded  Pension  Reserve  Amount”)  on  account  of  DCM’s  deficit  in  respect  of  its  defined  benefit 

pension  plan.  The  Unmargined  Amount  of  the  borrowing  base  will  reduce  at  the  rate  of  $1.0  million  per  month 

commencing on May 1, 2020 until the Unmargined Amount is fully removed from the borrowing base.  DCM will be 

required to reinstate the Excluded Pension Reserve Amount in the calculation of its borrowing base by adding $1.0 

million  and  $2.0  million  of  that  amount  respectively  in  each  of  May  and  June,  2020,  and  by  including  all  of  the 

Excluded  Pension  Reserve Amount  in  July  2020  and  thereafter.    In  addition  to  the  financial  covenants  in  the  Bank 

Credit Agreement, the Bank Sixth Amendment added a new financial covenant that requires DCM to meet a Minimum 

Cash  Flow  Requirement  (as  defined  in  the  Bank  Sixth  Amendment).    In  the  event  that  DCM’s  borrowing  base 

exceeds  total  borrowings  under  the  Bank  Credit  Facility  by  less  than  $1.5  million,  tested  on  a  bi-weekly  basis,  the 

Minimum  Cash  Flow  Requirement  requires  DCM  to  demonstrate,  in  that  circumstance,  that  net  cash  flows  for  the 

Company  for  the  preceding  four  weeks  do  not  vary  negatively  from  its  forecasted  cash  flows  by  more  than  $3.0 

million. 

The Bank Sixth Amendment also restricts DCM from making payments and distributions to non-arm’s length parties 

without the Bank’s consent, subject to certain exceptions, and increases the interest rate on DCM’s borrowings under 

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the Bank Credit Facility by 0.50% for the period from January 1, 2020 to September 30, 2020. In addition, a total of 

500,000 warrants have been issued  in connection with the Bank Sixth Amendment. Each warrant entitles the holder 

to acquire one DCM common share at an exercise price of $0.185 for a period of 24 months, commencing on June 

18, 2020 . In connection with this amendment, DCM recognized a loss on modification of debt of $0.4 million  which is 

included in finance costs in the consolidated statement of operations.   

On February 21, 2020, DCM entered into an agreement with each of FPD III, FPD IV and FPD V to defer the payment 

of  regularly  scheduled  principal  payments  owing  to  each  of  them  under  the  applicable  FPD  Loan  Agreement 

commencing  February  1,  2020  with  scheduled  principal  payments  resuming  June  15,  2020.  The  deferred  principal 

payments will be added to the amounts due at maturity of the respective FPD Loan Agreements.  

On  February  21,  2020,  DCM  entered  into  a  fifth  amendment  (the  “Crown  Fifth  Amendment”)  to  the  Crown  Credit 

Agreement.  Under the Crown Fifth Amendment, for the period from January 1, 2020 to October 1, 2020, the interest 

on outstanding borrowings under the Crown Credit Agreement of $1.9 million was deferred and capitalized to DCM’s 

outstanding  principal  obligations  under  the  Crown  Credit  Agreement.  In  connection  with  this  amendment,  DCM 

recognized a loss on modification of $0.5 million, which is included in finance costs in the consolidated statement of 

operations.    

On  March  30,  2020,  in  anticipation  of  potential  COVID-19  impacts  on  its  business,  DCM  entered  into  a  seventh 

amendment to its Bank Credit Facility (the “Bank Seventh Amendment”). This amendment permits DCM to amend the 

definition of borrowing base by adding into the margining calculations 75% of BAR Products, without duplication, for 

the period from April 1, 2020 to June 30, 2020.  BAR Products means Bill-as-Released finished goods products that 

are produced and held for future delivery based on specified contracts and billing procedures with DCM's customers.  

During the aforementioned period, finished goods consisting of BAR Products shall be removed from the definition of 

"Eligible Inventory" when calculating DCM's borrowing base.  The Bank Fifth Amendment covenant requiring DCM to 

collect  an  agreed  minimum  percentage  of  its  outstanding  accounts  receivable  each  month  has  been  waived  in 

respect of the months March, April, May, June, August, and September 2020, respectively.  In addition, the covenant 

requiring  DCM  to  attain  revenue  in  a  minimum  amount  equal  to  not  less  than  90%  of  its  forecasted  revenue  on  a 

quarterly and on a cumulative basis commencing with the fourth quarter of 2019 and ending with the quarter ending 

June 30, 2020 was waived starting in the fourth quarter of 2019.  

On  March  30,  2020,  DCM  also  entered  into  an  agreement  with  each  of  FPD  III,  FPD  IV  and  FPD  V,  to  waive  the 

financial covenant to maintain a minimum monthly EBITDA of $1.0 million in respect of the months of March 2020, 

April 2020, May 2020 and June 2020 respectively.  In addition, FPD also waived the Total Funded Debt to EBITDA 

Ratio covenant for the quarter ending June 30, 2020.  

On March 30, 2020, DCM also entered into a sixth amendment (the “Crown Sixth Amendment”) to the Crown Credit 

Agreement.  This amendment waives the Net Debt to EBITDA Ratio covenant requirements for the quarters ending 

March 31, 2020 and June 30, 2020, respectively and also removes the new financial covenant requiring DCM to have 

EBITDA of not less than $4.0 million  for the quarter ending March 31, 2020 and cumulative EBITDA of not less than 

$8.0 million for the six-month period ending June 30, 2020.  

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On June 23, 2020, in connection with the anticipated continued negative impact of COVID-19 on its second and third 

quarter results in particular, DCM entered into an additional waiver and amendment agreement with each of FPD III, 

FPD IV and FPD V, with respect to the FPD Credit Agreements.  FPD has agreed to waive the financial covenant to 

maintain  a  minimum  monthly  EBITDA  of  $1.0  million  for  the  month  of  July  2020.  In  addition,  FPD  also  agreed  to 

amend the Total Funded Debt to EBITDA Ratio covenant for the quarter ending September 30, 2020 from no greater 

than 3.0 to 1.0 to no greater than 3.75 to 1.0, and for the quarter ending December 31, 2020, from no greater than 3.0 

to 1.0 to no greater than 3.25 to 1.0. 

On  November  2,  2020,  DCM  entered  into  an  eighth  amendment  to  its  Bank  Credit  Facility  (the  “Bank  Eighth 

Amendment”) under which the Bank reduced its interest rate on DCM's borrowings under the Bank Credit Facility by 

25  basis  points  effective  September  24,  2020.  At  the  Company's  request  the  Bank  also  agreed  to  accelerate 

reduction  of  the  maximum  principal  amount  available  under  the  Bank  Credit  Facility  to $35.0  million. As  part  of  the 

Bank Sixth Amendment, the interest rate on DCM's borrowings under the Bank Credit Facility was increased by 0.5% 

between January 1 to September 30, 2020. Effective October 1, 2020, the interest rate was reduced by an additional 

0.5%  for  a  total  floating  interest  rate  of  3.8%  at  such  time.  In  connection  with  this  amendment,  DCM  recognized  a 

gain on modification of $0.2 million, which is included in finance costs in the consolidated statement of operations.    

COVENANT REQUIREMENTS

Each  of  the  Bank  Credit  Agreement,  the  FPD  Credit  Agreements  and  the  Crown  Facility  contain  customary 

representations  and  warranties,  as  well  as  restrictive  covenants  which  limit  the  discretion  of  the  Board  and 

management  with  respect  to  certain  business  matters  including  the  declaration  or  payment  of  dividends  on  the 

common shares of DCM without the consent of the Bank, FPD III, FPD IV, FPD V and Crown, as applicable.  Under 

the terms of the FPD Credit Agreements, DCM has agreed that it will not, without the prior written consent of FPD III, 

FPD IV and FPD V, change (or permit any change) in its Chief Executive Officer, President or Chief Financial Officer, 

provided that, if he or she voluntarily resigns as an officer of DCM, or if any such person has either died or is disabled 

and can therefore no longer carry on his or her duties of such office, DCM will have 60 days to replace such officer, 

such replacement officer to be satisfactory to FPD III, FPD IV and FPD V, acting reasonably.  The A&R Bank Credit 

Facility,  FPD  A&R  Credit  Facilities  and  the  Crown  Facility  limit  spending  on  capital  expenditures  by  DCM  to  an 

aggregate amount not to exceed $5.5 million, $5 million and $5 million, respectively during any fiscal year. 

Under  the  terms  of  the  Bank  Credit Agreement,  DCM's  requirement  to  maintain  a  fixed  charge  coverage  ratio  was 

waived for September to November 2019, and the first six months of 2020, however DCM was required to maintain a 

fixed charge coverage ratio of not less than 1.0 to 1.0 for the twelve month period ended July 31, 2020, not less than 

1.05 to 1.0 for the twelve month period ended August 31, 2020 and is required to maintain a fixed charge coverage 

ratio of not less than 1.1 to 1.0 for each twelve month period ending thereafter, commencing with the month ending 

September  30,  2020.  The  fixed  charge  coverage  ratio  is  calculated  on  a  consolidated  basis,  in  respect  of  any 

particular trailing 12 month period, as EBITDA for such period less cash taxes, cash distributions (including dividends 

paid)  and  non-financed  capital  expenditures  paid  in  such  period,  divided  by  the  total  amount  required  by  DCM  to 

service  its  outstanding  debt  for  such  period.  DCM  is  also  required  to  collect  an  agreed  minimum  percentage  of  its 

outstanding accounts receivables during 2020, however this requirement was waived for the months of March, April, 

May, June, August,  September, November and December absent which the Company would have been breach of 

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this covenant. Each covenant is calculated and reported on a monthly basis.  As at December 31, 2020, DCM was in 

compliance with the fixed charge coverage ratio covenant.  

Under  the  terms  of  the  FPD  Credit  Agreements,  DCM  is  required  to  maintain  (i)  a  ratio  of  Total  Funded  Debt  to 

EBITDA no greater than 3.0 to 1.0 (except for the quarters ended June 30, 2019, September 30, 2019 and December 

31,  2019,  respectively  when  the  covenant  was  revised  to  be  no  greater  than  3.25  to  1.0).    The  covenant  was 

amended on December 19, 2019 to be no greater than 4.5 to 1.0 for the second quarter of 2020, 3.75 to 1.0 for the 

third quarter of 2020, 3.25 to 1.0 for the fourth quarter of 2020 and 3.0 to 1.0 thereafter.  FPD waived the requirement 

to comply with this covenant for the quarters ended June 2019 through June 2020; (ii) a debt service coverage ratio 

of not less than 1.50 to 1.0, reducing to 0.75 to 1.0 for the quarters ended December 31, 2019 and March 31, 2020, 

respectively, increasing to 1.00 to 1.0 for the quarter ended June 30, 2020 and thereafter a ratio of 1.50 to 1.0 will 

apply.  FPD waived the requirement to comply with this covenant for the quarter ended September 30, 2019, (iii) a 

working capital current ratio of not less than 1.10 to 1.0, and (iv) total funded debt of not more than $72.0 million up 

until the quarter ended June 30, 2019, $80.0 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2019 (which FPD waived) 

and $93.0 million commencing with the quarter ended December 31, 2019.  Each covenant is calculated and reported 

on a quarterly basis.  Monthly EBITDA levels must be greater than $1.0 million during the first seven months of 2020. 

During the first quarter of 2020, the Company monthly EBITDA levels were waived for the months of March to June 

2020.  During  the  second  quarter  of  2020,  the  monthly  EBITDA  level  was  waived  for  the  month  of  July  2020.    At 

December 31, 2020, DCM was in compliance with these amendment covenants.  

In addition, the FPD Credit Agreements permit cash payments in respect to the vendor take-back promissory notes 

issued in connection with DCM's acquisitions, as well as consulting fees or distributions in cash to shareholders and/

or  related  parties,  in  an  amount  equal  to  the  Excess  Cash  Flow  (as  defined  below),  provided  that  the  debt  service 

coverage  ratio  for  the  four  most  recently  completed  quarters  is  greater  than  2.0  to  1.0,  which  was  subsequently 

amended to 1.85 to 1.00 from October 1, 2018 to September 30, 2019, and provided that there is no default or event 

of  default.  The  excess  cash  flow  is  calculated  by  taking  the  EBITDA  less  payments  for  (i)  cash  taxes,  (ii)  capital 

expenditures, (iii) principal and interest payments on the A&R Bank Credit Facility, the FPD A&R Credit Facilities and 

the Crown Facility and (iv) interest on leases for the two most recently completed quarters ("Excess Cash Flow"). The 

Excess Cash Flow is required to be calculated as at March 31 and September 30 of each calendar year ("The Excess 

Cash Flow Determination Date") which determines the quantum of payments that can be made for the following six-

month period until the next Excess Cash Flow Determination Date. As at December 31, 2020, DCM has agreed to 

defer  any  payments  on  its  vendor  take-back  promissory  notes  effective  as  of  the  date  of  the Amended  FPD A&R 

Credit Facilities. Resumption of payments on vendor take-back promissory notes will require prior approval by FPD.

Under the terms of the Crown Facility agreement, DCM is required to maintain (i) Net Debt to EBITDA of no greater 

than 4.0 to 1.0 until December 31, 2019 and 3.0 to 1.0 thereafter.  Crown waived the requirement to comply with this 

covenant  for  the  quarters  ended  September  30,  2019  and  December  31,  2019,  respectively  and  modified  this 

covenant ratio to be a maximum of 5.0 to 1:0 for the quarters ending March 31, 2020 and June 30, 2020, respectively, 

a  maximum  of  4.5  to  1.0  for  the  quarters  ended  September  30,  2020  and  December  31,  2020,  respectively,  and  a 

maximum  of  3.0  to  1.0  thereafter.  In  addition  EBITDA  for  the  first  three  quarters  of  2020  was  calculated  on  an 

annualized basis instead of a trailing twelve months basis; (ii) a fixed charge coverage ratio no less than 1.40 to 1.0, 

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for which waivers were obtained for the quarters ended March 31, 2019 through to June 30, 2020.  Crown amended 

this  covenant  ratio  to  be  at  least  1.1  to  1.0  for  the  quarter  ended  September  30,  2020,  at  least  1.15  to  1.0  for  the 

quarter ended December 31, 2020 and at least 1.25 to 1.0 for each quarter thereafter; and (iii) EBITDA of not less 

than $4.0 million for the quarter ending March 31, 2020 and cumulative EBITDA of not less than $8.0 million for the 

six-month period ending June 30, 2020 which were waived.  Each covenant is calculated and reported on a quarterly 

basis. As at December 31, 2020, DCM was in compliance with these amendment covenants. 

A failure by DCM to comply with its obligations under the Bank Credit Agreement, the FPD Credit Agreements or the 

Crown Facility, together with certain other events, including a change of control of DCM and a change in DCM's Chief 

Executive  Officer,  President  or  Chief  Financial  Officer  (unless  a  replacement  officer  acceptable  to  FPD,  acting 

reasonably, is appointed within 60 days of the effective date of such officer's resignation), could result in an event of 

default which, if not cured or waived, could permit acceleration of the indebtedness outstanding under each of those 

agreements.    DCM  anticipates  it  will  be  in  compliance  with  the  covenants  in  its  credit  facilities  for  the  next  twelve 

months  or  that  it  shall  be  able  to  receive  waivers  from  its  lenders  to  the  extent  required;  however  there  can  be  no 

assurance that DCM will be successful in achieving the results targeted in its operating plans or in complying with its 

covenants, or obtaining waivers from its lenders over the next twelve months.

In addition, under the terms of the FPD IV Credit Agreement and the FPD V Credit Agreement, DCM is required to 

deposit and hold cash in a blocked account of $0.4 million and of $0.1 million to be used for repayments of principal 

and interest of indebtedness outstanding under the FPD IV A&R Credit Facility and indebtedness outstanding under 

the  FPD  V A&R  Credit  Facility,  respectively.   As  at  December  31,  2020,  there  was  a  balance  of  $0.5  million  in  the 

blocked  account  related  to  the  FPD  IV A&R  Credit  Facility  and  FPD  V A&R  Credit  Facility  which  is  recognized  as 

restricted cash on the consolidated statement of financial position. 

INTER-CREDITOR AGREEMENT

DCM's  obligations  under  its  Credit  Facilities  are  secured  by  conventional  security  charging  all  of  the  property  and 

assets of DCM and its subsidiaries. DCM entered into an inter-creditor agreement between the Bank, FPD III, FPD IV, 

FPD V, Crown and the VTB Noteholders, respectively, which, among other things, establishes the rights and priorities 

of the respective liens of the Bank, FPD III, FPD IV, FPD V, Crown and the VTB Noteholders on the present and after 

acquired property of DCM and its subsidiaries. 

LIQUIDITY

In assessing DCM’s liquidity requirements, DCM takes into account its level of cash, together with currently projected 

cash  to  be  provided  by  operating  activities,  cash  available  from  its  unused  credit  facilities,  cash  from  investing 

activities  such  as  sales  of  redundant  assets,  access  to  the  capital  markets  and  anticipated  reductions  in  operating 

costs  projected  to  result  from  existing  restructuring  activities,  as  well  as  its  ongoing  cash  needs  for  its  existing 

operations.

Market  conditions  and  DCM's  financial  condition  and  capital  structure  could  affect  the  availability  and  terms  of  any 

replacement credit facilities or other funding sought by DCM from time to time or upon the maturity of the amended 

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Bank Credit Facility, the Amended FPD A&R Credit Facilities, the Crown Facility, as amended, or other indebtedness 

of DCM.

The Company’s liquidity position and financial results have improved over the past year, due to: (i) improving margins 

from cost containment initiatives, (ii) the support of the Federal government’s CEWS program,  (iii) better matching of 

the timing of production and invoicing by converting clients from a legacy billing practice of billing on shipment (known 

as “bill as released” or BAR) to billing on production, and (iv) improvement in aged collections, billing accuracies and 

cash flow management, all of which have contributed to a reduction in outstanding credit facility balances. In addition, 

the ability to weather the COVID storm in 2020 through new business opportunities, cost containment and cash flow 

management, has given the Company additional confidence and financial strength to sustain through the extended 

pandemic.  However,  there  continues  to  be  significant  uncertainty  as  to  the  length  and  long-term  impact  that  the 

current  COVID-19    pandemic  could  have  on  the  Company’s  financial  performance  including  the  amount  of  further 

government  financial  support  that  could  be  available  to  the  Company,  and  accordingly  its  ability  to  meet  its  future 

financial covenants, as there is no forecasted headroom in certain financial covenants over the next twelve months if 

sales do not recover from the levels experienced since the COVID pandemic began, in the event that the Company 

does not take additional actions. These factors may cast significant doubt as to the ability of the Company to meet its 

obligations as they come due and, accordingly, the appropriateness of the use of accounting principles applicable to a 

going concern. 

The continued ability to comply with financial covenants on the Company's credit facilities for at least the next twelve 

months is contingent on management’s ability to meet budgeted revenue and profitability targets and take actions to 

address  operating  and  financial  challenges  resulting  from  COVID-19.  The  estimate  of  future  cash  flows  in  the 

Company’s  2021  budget  include  a  number  of  key  assumptions  to  support  the  financial  covenant  calculations, 

specifically  related  to  revenues  and  gross  margins,  which  in  turn  impact  earnings  before  interest,  income  taxes, 

depreciation  and  amortization  (EBITDA).  The  estimates  of  forecasted  compliance  with  financial  covenants  are 

sensitive  to  those  assumptions  (for  example,  if  gross  margins  do  not  improve  and  were  to  remain  in  line  with  the 

current  year  and  revenues  do  not  increase  from  post  COVID-19  levels,  all  other  assumptions  aside,  the  Company 

may be offside with certain of its existing financial covenants in the third quarter of 2021). The ongoing impact of the 

COVID-19 pandemic is difficult to project with respect to the Company’s business and financial results. Collectively, 

these factors could materially affect the business and operating results and DCM’s ability to comply with the financial 

covenants for 2021. Failure to obtain adequate financing if required and/ or on satisfactory terms and further covenant 

waivers  as  necessary  could  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  the  Company’s  results  of  operations  and  financial 

condition.

CASH FLOW FROM OPERATIONS

During the year ended December 31, 2020, cash flows generated by operating activities were $47.6 million compared 

to cash flows used in operating activities of $0.8 million during the same period in 2019. Current period cash flow from 

operations,  before  adjusting  for  changes  in  working  capital,  generated  a  total  of  $31.7  million  compared  with  $6.3 

million for the same period last year. Current period cash flows from operations were positively impacted primarily due 

to  an  increase  in  net  income  which  stems  from  improved  gross  margins,  reduction  in  SG&A  realized  from  the  full 

benefits  of  cost  savings  initiatives  implemented  in  the  second  and  third  quarter  of  2019,  more  normalized  level  of 

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DATA Communications Management Corp.

operations  following  remediation  of  the  ERP  system  challenges,  and  temporary  cost  saving  measures  related  to 

COVID-19 in the second and third quarter of 2020, including temporary layoffs and receipt of CEWS grant income. 

Contributions  to  defined  benefit  pension  plans  stayed  consistent  compared  to  the  same  period  last  year.  However, 

payments  for  severances  related  to  DCMs  restructuring  initiatives  were  lower  by  $0.9  million  and  income  tax 

payments were lower by $1.1 million compared to the same period last year.

Changes  in  working  capital  during the  year  ended  December  31,  2020  generated    $15.9  million  in  cash  compared 

with $7.1 million of cash used in the prior year. In the prior comparable period there was a significant increase in trade 

receivables of $13.4 million given the challenges encountered with issuing accurate and timely billings as a result of 

the  ERP  transition  in  June  2019.  This  resulted  in  liquidity  constraints  in  the  prior  comparable  period  whereby  the 

Company was required to obtain additional financing in 2019 and manage payments to suppliers to maintain cash for 

working  capital  requirements.  Billing  volumes  progressively  increased  throughout  the  following  quarters  as  the 

Company  began  catching  up  on  its  backlog  of  orders,  with  continued  efforts  into  2020.  Furthermore,  DCM  initiated 

clean-up efforts in 2020 to address the inaccurate billings previously issued, thereby constraining the invoicing team 

and causing further delay in timely billings and deterioration of collection efforts. Progressively throughout 2020, DCM 

started  to  see  an  inflow  of  cash  from  its  billing  efforts  resulting  in  a  decrease  in  trade  receivables  of $21.0  million. 

Furthermore, the conversion of BAR clients to bill and hold warehousing arrangements has resulted in the receipt of 

more  than    $12  million  in  client  payments.  Collectively,  these  efforts  have  resulted  in  an  improvement  in  the  cash 

position, which has also allowed DCM to increase payments to vendors resulting in a cash outflow of $11.4 million. 

DCM has also improved its' inventory management process resulting in an improvement in cash flow of $4.1 million. 

INVESTING ACTIVITIES

For the year ended December 31, 2020, $0.8 million in cash flows were used for investing activities compared with 

$3.9  million  during  the  same  period  in  2019.  This  represents  a  reduction  of  $3.1  million  over  the  same  period  last 

year.  For the the year ended December 31, 2020, $0.6 million related to investment in digital innovation projects. For 

the  comparable  period  in  2019,  $1.0  million  of  cash  was  primarily  used  to  invest  in  IT  equipment  related  to  the 

implementation  of  the  new  ERP  system  and  costs  related  to  leasehold  improvements  to  set  up  new  production 

equipment,  including  the  Gallus/Heidelberg  hybrid  digital  label  press  at  its  Brampton,  Ontario  facility  and  the 

Heidelberg  six-colour  press  at  its  Toronto,  Ontario  facility,    $3.9  million  of  cash  was  used  to  further  invest  in  the 

development of DCM's new ERP system and $0.7 million in cash proceeds were received upon the sale of its loose-

leaf and index tab business in May 2019.

FINANCING ACTIVITIES

For the year ended December 31, 2020, cash flow used in financing activities was $45.1 million compared with $7.7 

million generated during the same period in 2019.

A total of $32.9 million was repaid in the year ended December 31, 2020 on DCM's credit facilities compared to net 

proceeds drawn of $17.6 million during the comparative period. Of this amount, $29.0 million was repaid on the Credit 

Facility  with  the  Bank  during  2020.  In  the  comparative  period,  the  draw  on  the  Credit  Facility  was  to  fund  working 

capital requirements and manage cash flow to compensate for the slow-down in the collection process as a result of 

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the ERP disruptions. In the current period, as working capital improved, DCM started to repay the additional financing 

drawn  on  the  Credit  Facility  throughout  2020. The  remaining  repayment  relates  to  $3.9  million  repaid  on  the  credit 

facilities  related  to  FPD  Credit  Facilities,  compared  to $8.5  million  in  2019. The  reduction  in  payments  on  the  FPD 

Credit Facilities relates to the deferral of principal payments from July 2019 to June 2020. 

A  total  of  $0.5  million  was  repaid  during  the  period  related  to  the  vendor  take-back  promissory  note  issued  in 

connection with the acquisition of Perennial compared with $3.9 million in the prior comparative period in connection 

with the DCM Burlington and Thistle VTBs, which were fully repaid in the first quarter of 2019, and BOLDER Graphics 

VTB and Perennial VTB, of which $0.3 million and $1 million, respectively, was repaid.

A  total  of  $1.0  million  of  proceeds  were  received  in  connection  with  the  Related  Party  Promissory  Notes  in  third 

quarter of 2019. Finance lease payments increased by $0.4 million from the prior period due to an increase in rent 

payments.

PENSION FUNDING OBLIGATIONS

DCM  maintains  a  defined  benefit  and  defined  contribution  pension  plan  (the  “DATA  Communications  Management 

Pension Plan”) for some of its employees.

During the year ended December 31, 2020, DCM engaged actuaries to complete an updated actuarial valuation of 

the  defined  benefit  provision  of  the  DATA  Communications  Management  Pension  Plan,  which  confirmed  that,  as  at 

January  1,  2020,  the  solvency  position  of  the  defined  benefit  provision  of  the  DATA  Communications  Management 

Pension Plan had improved since the previous valuation.  Based upon the January 1, 2020 actuarial report, DCM's 

annual  minimum  funding  obligation  for  the  defined  benefit  provision  of  the  DATA  Communications  Management 

Pension Plan for 2020 is $0.6 million and 2021 is $0.4 million.

As  of  December  31,  2017,  DCM  had  exceeded  its  minimum  required  funding  requirements  for  the  defined  benefit 

provision  of  the  DATA  Communications  Management  Pension  Plan  for  2017  by  $227  thousand.    During  the  year 

ended  December  31,  2018,  DCM  applied  $216  thousand  of  the  excess  funding  from  2017  to  its  2018  funding 

requirements for the defined benefit provision of the DATA Communications Management Pension Plan.  During the 

year ended December 31, 2019, DCM's required payments related to its 2019 funding requirements for the defined 

benefit  provision  of  the  DATA  Communications  Management  Pension  Plan  after  applying  the  remaining  excess 

funding from 2017 of $11 thousand was $0.5 million. The December 2019 payment of $44 thousand, related to DCM's 

funding requirement, was received by the DATA Communications Management Pension Plan during the first week of 

January 2020. During the year ended December 31, 2020, DCM's made all its required payments related to its 2020 

funding requirements for the defined benefit provision of the DATA Communications Management Pension Plan.

DCM  makes  contributions  to  the  Québec  Graphic  Communication  Pension  Plan  (the  “GCPP”),  based  on  a 

percentage of the wages of its unionized employees covered by the respective collective bargaining agreements, all 

of whom are employed at DCM facilities located in the Province of Québec. 

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DATA Communications Management Corp.

The  GCPP  is  a  negotiated  contribution  defined  benefit  multi-employer  pension  plan  which  provides  retirement 

benefits  to  unionized  employees  in  the  printing  industry.  The  GCPP  is  administered  by  a  joint  Board  of  Trustees 

composed  of  representatives  of  participating  employers  and  of  the  unions  representing  plan  members  in  collective 

bargaining.    Based  upon  the  terms  of  those  applicable  collective  agreements,  DCM’s  estimated  annual  negotiated 

contribution to the GCPP for 2021 is $0.5 million.

The GCPP’s most recent funding actuarial report (as at December 31, 2018) disclosed a small going concern surplus 

and that negotiated contributions are in excess of the current service cost of the plan. On a solvency basis (or wind 

up basis) the valuation shows a deficit and a solvency ratio of 75%.

Bill 34 was adopted by Québec in April 2015 to clarify Québec pension legislation for negotiated contribution defined 

benefit multi-employer pension plans to, among other things:

•

•

•

limit required employer contributions only to those amounts specified in the applicable collective agreements 

negotiated with the relevant unions;

eliminate the employer's obligation to fund deficiencies;

require the Board of Trustees to develop and implement a recovery plan when the negotiated contributions 

are not sufficient to fund the plan, including the reduction of accrued benefits of all members; and

  During the year ended December 31, 2020, DCM did not receive any other information on the GCPP.

Outstanding share data

At  March  22,  2021  and  December  31,  2020,  there  were  43,867,030  common  shares  of  DCM  (“Common  Shares”) 

outstanding.  At December 31, 2019, there were 43,047,030 Common Shares outstanding.

On December 31, 2019, DCM completed a rights offering (“Rights Offering”) which was conducted by way of a rights 

offering  circular  (“Circular”).    Under  the  offering,  DCM  issued  21,523,515  Common  Shares  at  a  price  of  $0.23  per 

share for gross proceeds of $5.0 million.  Among this, 11,341,310 Common Shares were issued to directors, officers 

and related parties of DCM for total gross proceeds of $2.6 million.  The gross proceeds were used to reduce DCM 

outstanding indebtedness, by repaying amounts drawn under the revolving facilities portion of its Bank Credit Facility.  

Under  the  terms  of  the  Rights  Offering,  each  eligible  shareholder  (“Eligible  Holder”)  on  record  as  of  December  3, 

2019  (the  “Record  Date”)  received  one  right  (“Right”)  for  each  Common  Share  held  as  of  the  Record  Date.    Every 

Right entitled the Eligible Holder to subscribe for one Common Share upon payment of the subscription price of $0.23 

per  share.   The  Rights  were  transferable  and  were  represented  by  rights  certificates.   Total  transaction  costs  were 

$0.2  million  which  were  classified  net  of  the  Common  Shares  issued  under  the  Rights  Offering.    The  value  of  the 

Common Shares were increased by a deferred income tax asset of $42.9 thousand.

On  May  12,  2020,  the  Board  approved  the  anti-dilution  adjustments  pursuant  to  the  provisions  of  DCM's  LTIP  that 

affect DCM's share-based compensation grants and DCM warrants outstanding at December 31, 2019, in connection 

with the Rights Offering completed by the Company on December 31, 2019. The option and warrant exercise prices 

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were adjusted by a factor of 1:0.917 and the number of options, RSUs, DSUs and warrants were adjusted by a factor 

of 1:1.09.

At  March  22,  2021  and  December  31,  2020,  there  were  options  outstanding  to  purchase  up  to  4,087,486  and 

1,587,486 Common Shares, respectively. At December 31, 2019, there were options outstanding to purchase up to 

1,456,409 Common Shares.  

On  March  8,  2021,  DCM’s  new  President  &  CEO,  has  been  awarded  a  total  of  2,500,000  options,  with  1,000,000 

options  having  vested  immediately  upon  his  date  of  hire,  500,000  options  vesting  on  the  first  anniversary,  500,000 

options vesting on the second anniversary of his hire date, and 500,000 vesting on the third anniversary of his hire 

date,  with  the  vesting  of  the  1,500,000  options  dependent  on  continued  employment  with  DCM  at  such  time.  The 

options have an exercise price of $0.69 and a term of 7 years.

During  the  year  ended  December  31,  2019,  the  Board  approved  awards  of  options  to  purchase  up  to  40,000 

Common  Shares  for  a  member  of  DCM's  Board.    Once  vested,  the  options  are  exercisable  for  a  period  of  seven 

years from the grant date at an exercise price of $1.41 per share, representing the fair value of the Common Shares 

on March 28, 2019.  The options vest at a rate of 1/36th per month beginning on March 28, 2019.  The fair value of 

the  options  issued  was  estimated  to  be  $22.8  thousand  using  the  Black-Scholes  option-pricing  model,  assuming  a 

risk-free  interest  of  1.45%,  a  weighted  average  life  of  seven  years,  a  dividend  yield  of  nil,  an  expected  volatility  of 

40% and a forfeiture rate of 10%. 

In  connection  with  the  anti-dilution  adjustments,  of  the  total  outstanding  options  at  as  at  December  31,  2019, 

1,456,409 options were affected by those anti-dilution adjustments and were adjusted to 1,587,486 options during the 

second quarter of 2020.

At  March  22,  2021  and  at  December  31,  2020,  there  were  warrants  outstanding  to  purchase  up  to  1,920,092 

Common  Shares.   At  December  31,  2019,  there  were  warrants  outstanding  to  purchase  up  to 1,688,571  Common 

Shares.

In  June  2020,  DCM  issued  warrants  to  purchase,  for  a  period  of  24  months,  up  to  500,000  common  shares  of  the 

Company to the Bank at an exercise price of $0.185. During the fourth quarter of 2020, the 500,000 warrants were 

exercised at a price of $0.185 for gross proceeds of $93 thousand.

In  June  2020,  DCM  issued  warrants  to  purchase,  for  a  period  of  24  months,  up  to  215,450  common  shares  of  the 

Company under the Perennial acquisition VTB at an exercise price of $0.185.

On July 31, 2019, DCM issued warrants to purchase, for a period of 3.8 years, up to 78,571 common shares of the  

Company in connection with the issuance of the Related Party Promissory Notes at an exercise price of $1.08 .  

On August 16, 2019, DCM entered into an amendment with Crown and issued warrants to purchase, for a period of 

3.7 years, up to 550,000 warrants as part of this financing, at an exercise price of  $1.08. 

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DATA Communications Management Corp.

On August 31, 2019, DCM issued warrants to purchase, for a period of 2.0 years, up to 100,000 common shares in 

connection with an agreement for advisory services, at an exercise price of $1.08 . 

In connection with the anti-dilution adjustments, of the total outstanding as at December 31, 2019, 178,571 warrants 

outstanding with an exercise price of $1.08, were adjusted to 194,642 warrants outstanding with an exercise price of 

$0.99.

Financial instruments and Risk management

DCM’s  financial  instruments  consist  of  cash,  restricted  cash,  trade  receivables,  bank  overdraft,  trade  payables  and 

accrued  liabilities,  credit  facilities,  promissory  notes  and  lease  liabilities,  as  indicated  in  DCM’s  statements  of 

consolidated financial position as at December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively. All of DCM's financial 

instruments  are  non-derivative  in  nature.    DCM  does  not  enter  into  financial  instruments  for  trading  or  speculative 

purposes.

FAIR VALUE

Non-derivative financial instruments are recognized initially at fair value plus, for instruments not at fair value through 

profit  or  loss,  any  directly  attributable  transaction  costs.  Subsequent  to  initial  recognition  non-derivative  financial 

instruments are measured as described below.

The  fair  value  for  other  non-derivative  financial  instruments  such  as  cash,  trade  receivables,  bank  overdraft,  trade 

payables  and  accrued  liabilities  approximates  their  carrying  value  because  of  the  short-term  maturity  of  these 

instruments.    The  fair  value  of  restricted  cash  approximates  its  carrying  value  because  it  is  a  deposit  held  with  a 

Canadian  chartered  bank.Credit  facilities,  promissory  notes  and  lease  liabilities  are  initially  recognized  at  the 

discounted  present  value  of  the  amounts  required  to  be  paid  to  derive  its  fair  value  and  are  then  measured  at 

amortized costs using the effective interest method, less any impairment losses. 

CREDIT RISK

Credit  risk  is  the  risk  of  an  unexpected  loss  if  a  customer  or  counterparty  to  a  financial  instrument  fails  to  meet  its 

contractual  obligations.    Financial  instruments  that  potentially  subjected  DCM  to  credit  risk  consisted  of  cash, 

restricted  cash  and  trade  receivables.  The  carrying  amount  of  assets  included  in  the  consolidated  statements  of 

financial position represents the maximum credit exposure.

DCM grants credit to customers in the normal course of business.  DCM typically does not require collateral or other 

security from customers; however, credit evaluations are performed prior to the initial granting of credit terms when 

warranted and periodically thereafter.  Normal credit terms for amounts due from customers call for payment within 0 

to 60 days.

DCM  has  trade  receivables  from  clients  engaged  in  various  industries  including  financial  institutions,  insurance, 

healthcare, lottery and gaming, retailing, not-for-profit, energy and governmental agencies that are not concentrated 

in  any  specific  geographic  area.    DCM  does  not  believe  that  any  single  industry  or  geographic  region  represents 

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significant  credit  risk.    Credit  risk  concentration  with  respect  to  trade  receivables  is  mitigated  by  DCM’s  large  client 

base.

To measure the ECLs, trade receivables, including unbilled receivables, have been grouped based on similar credit 

risk characteristics, past due status and other relevant factors. The expected default rates are calculated based on 

management’s estimate as well as historical credit losses. The historical loss rates are adjusted to reflect current and 

forward-looking information on economic factors affecting the ability of the customers to settle the trade receivable.

On that basis, the loss allowance as at December 31, 2020 was determined using default rates under the provision 

matrix for an amount of $0.7 million (2019 – $1.8 million), of which $0.3 million (2019 – $0.4 million) relates to unbilled 

receivables.  The following tables represents the provision matrix as at December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, 

respectively: 

The  following  default  rates  are  used  to  calculate  the  ECLs  on  billed  receivables  as  at  December  31,  2020  and 

December 31, 2019, respectively:

December 31, 2020 (in thousands of 
Canadian dollars, except percentage 
amounts)

Default rates

Billed receivables balance

Billed receivables ECL

December 31, 2019 (in thousands of 
Canadian dollars, except percentage 
amounts)

Default rates

Billed receivables balance

Billed receivables ECL

Total

Current 
period

Over 30 
days

Over 60 
days

Over 90 
days

$46,747

$352

0.17%

$22,933

$39

0.33%

$10,607

$35

0.35%

$5,763

$20

3.47%

$7,444

$258

Total

Current 
period

Over 30 
days

Over 60 
days

Over 90 
days

$55,504

$1,417

1.32%

$16,603

$219

1.31%

$16,736

$219

2.19%

$9,978

$219

6.24%

$12,187

$760

The  following  default  rates  are  used  to  calculate  the  ECLs  on  unbilled  receivables  as  at  December  31,  2020  and 

December 31, 2019, respectively:

December 31, 2020 (in thousands of Canadian 
dollars, except percentage amounts)
Unbilled receivables
Unbilled receivables balance

Unbilled receivables ECL

Total

19,195

$301

Less than 
30 days

Over 30 
days

Over 60 
days

Over 90 
days

0.18%
6,556

$12

0.40%
2,125

$9

0.80%
1,018

$8

2.86%
9,496

$272

December 31, 2019 (in thousands of Canadian 
dollars, except percentage amounts)

Total

Current 
period

Over 30 
days

Over 60 
days

Over 90 
days

Default rates
Unbilled receivables balance

Unbilled receivables ECL

$32,754

$390

0.16%
$11,317

$18

0.31%
$4,835

$15

0.78%
$3,464

$27

2.51%
$13,138

$330

30

. . M D & A . .

DATA Communications Management Corp.

At the end of each reporting period, management re-assesses the default rates. Default rates are applied to the billed 

and unbilled receivable balances to calculate the credit default reserve. Management assesses the adequacy of this 

reserve  quarterly,  taking  into  account  historical  experience,  current  collection  trends,  the  age  of  receivables  and, 

when  warranted  and  available,  the  financial  condition  of  specific  counterparties.  When  collection  efforts  have  been 

reasonably exhausted, specific balances are written off.  During 2019, the Company underwent a transformation of its 

operational and financial reporting systems, implementing a new cloud based ERP system company-wide (excluding 

DCM  Burlington,  Thistle  and  Perennial)  which  affected  its  ability  to  generate  accurate  and  timely  billings  to  its 

customers. As a result of these billing issues, the aging of the Company's billed receivables deteriorated following the 

ERP implementation and at December 31, 2020 the Company has $7.4 million (16%) of its billed receivables that are 

over 90 days old (2019 - $12.2 million or 22%).  

LIQUIDITY RISK

Liquidity risk is the risk that DCM may encounter difficulties in meeting obligations associated with financial liabilities 

as  they  become  due.    DCM  believes  that  the  currently  projected  cash  flow  from  operations,  cash  on  hand  and 

anticipated lower operating costs resulting from existing restructuring initiatives will be sufficient to fund its currently 

projected  operating  requirements,  including  expenditures  related  to  its  growth  strategy,  payments  associated  with 

provisions as a result of on-going productivity improvement initiatives, payment of income tax liabilities, contributions 

to its pension plans, maintenance or investment in new capital expenditures, and interest and scheduled repayments 

of borrowings under its credit facilities and scheduled repayments of promissory notes.  See “Contractual obligations” 

section below which contains additional information on the contractual undiscounted cash flows of DCM’s significant 

financial liabilities and the future commitments of the Company.

As at December 31, 2020, DCM had access to $13.1 million of available credit under the Bank Credit Facility. 

MARKET RISK

INTEREST RATE RISK

Interest rate risk refers to the risk that the value of a financial instrument or cash flows associated with the financial 

instrument  will  fluctuate  due  to  changes  in  market  interest  rates.    Interest  rate  risk  arises  from  interest  bearing 

financial assets and liabilities.  DCM’s interest rate risk arises from credit facilities issuances at floating interest rates.  

At December 31, 2020, $2.8 million of DCM’s indebtedness outstanding was subject to a fixed interest rate of 6.1% 

per annum, $16.8 million was subject to a fixed rate of interest of 6.95% per annum and $20.9 million was subject to a 

fixed interest rate of 12.0% per annum.  The Related Party Promissory Notes, in the aggregate principal amount of 

$1.0 million was subject to a fixed rate of 12.0% per annum. 

CURRENCY RISK

Currency  risk  is  the  risk  that  the  fair  value  of  future  cash  flows  arising  from  a  financial  instrument  will  fluctuate 

because  of  changes  in  foreign  currency  exchange  rates.    In  the  normal  course  of  business,  DCM  does  not  have 

significant foreign exchange transactions and, accordingly, the amounts and currency risk are not expected to have 

31

DATA Communications Management Corp.

. . M D & A . .

adverse material impact on the operations of DCM.  Management considers the currency risk to be low and does not 

hedge its currency risk and therefore sensitivity analysis is not presented.

Note  23  to  the  audited  consolidated  financial  statements  of  DCM  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020  contains 

additional information on DCM’s financial instruments.

Contractual obligations

DCM  believes  it  will  have  sufficient  resources  from  its  operating  cash  flow,  existing  cash  resources  and  borrowing 

under available credit facilities to meet its contractual obligations as they become due.  Contractual obligations have 

been  defined  as  contractual  commitments  in  existence  but  not  paid  for  as  at  December  31,  2020.    Short-term 

commitments such as month-to-month office leases, which are easily cancelled, are excluded from this definition.

DCM believes that its existing cash resources and projected cash flows from operations will be sufficient to fund its 

currently projected operating requirements and that it will continue to remain compliant with its covenants and other 

obligations under its credit facilities.

TABLE  5  The  following  table  sets  out  DCM's  significant  contractual  obligations  and  commitments  as  of 

December 31, 2020.

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, unaudited)

Pension funding contributions (1)
Lease liabilities (2)
Long-term debt (3)
Promissory notes (4)

Total

Total

Less than
a year

1 to 3 years

4 years and 
greater

3,186  $ 

$ 
$  67,572   
$  52,791   
2,483   
$ 
$  126,032  $ 

1,055  $ 

1,068  $ 

11,044   
9,444   
1,321   

20,492   
43,347   
1,162   

22,864  $ 

66,069  $ 

1,063 
36,036 
— 
— 

37,099 

(1) DCM  is  required  under  applicable  pension  legislation  to  make  monthly,  annual  and/or  one-time  cash 
contributions  to  the  DATA  Communications  Management  Pension  Plan  to  fund  current  or  future  funding 
deficiencies  which  may  emerge  in  the  defined  benefit  provision  of  the  DATA  Communications  Management 
Pension  Plan.    See  “Liquidity  and  capital  resources  –  Pension  funding  obligations”  above.    The  table  above 
includes amounts payable under the SERP.  DCM's obligations under the SERP consist of benefits payable as a 
single life annuity with a five year guarantee.  The duration of these payments is dependent on the length of each 
participant's life and, in certain cases, that of their designated beneficiary, and their age in any given year.

(2) Lease liabilities were recognized upon adoption of IFRS 16, effective January 1, 2019 and represents the present 
value of remaining lease payments discounted using DCM's weighted average incremental borrowing rate.  DCM 
makes  lease  payments  to  landlords  for  the  rental  of  facilities  and  lease  payments  to  vendors  for  the  rental  of 
equipment.

(3) Credit  facilities  at  December  31,  2020  subject  to  floating  interest  rates  consisting  of  the  Bank  Credit  Facility, 
expiring  on  January  31,  2023.    As  at  December  31,  2020,  the  outstanding  balances  totaled  $5,687  and  bore 
interest at a floating rate of 3.80% per annum.  The amounts at December 31, 2020 include estimated interest 
totaling $312 for 2021, $216 for 2022, and $54 for 2023.  The estimated interest was calculated based on the 
total borrowings outstanding during the period and the annual floating interest rate in effect as at December 31, 
2020.    Credit  facilities  at  December  31,  2020  subject  to  fixed  interest  rates  consisting  of  the  FPD  III  Credit 
Facility, expiring on October 15, 2022, the FPD IV Credit Facility, expiring on March 10, 2023, the FPD V Credit 
Facility expiring on May 15, 2023 and the Crown Facility expiring on May 7, 2023.  As at December 31, 2020, the 
outstanding balances totaled $40,458 and bore interest at a fixed rate of 6.1% per annum, of 6.95% per annum, 
of 6.95% per annum, and of 10.00% per annum, respectively.  Monthly blended principal and interest payments 
of  $96,  of  $422  and  of  $91,  respectively.    Annual  interest  payment,  including  payment  in  kind,  on  the  Crown 

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. . M D & A . .

DATA Communications Management Corp.

Facility totals $2,537 for 2021,  $2,617 for 2022, and 931 for 2023.  Credit facilities at December 31, 2019 subject 
to floating interest rates consisting of the Bank Credit Facility, expiring on January 31, 2023.

(4) Promissory  notes  related  to  loans  provided  by  key  members  of  management  and  related  to  the  acquisitions 
completed  during  prior  years.    On  July  31,  2019,  DCM  issued  the  Related  Party  Promissory  Notes  to  certain 
parties,  including  related  parties  of  DCM,  in  the  aggregate  principal  amount  of  $1,000.    The  Related  Party 
Promissory  Notes  bear  interest  at  the  rate  of  12%  per  annum  (previously  10%  per  annum,  amended  effective 
November 10, 2020), payable quarterly on the first business day of each fiscal quarter beginning September 3, 
2019,  with  principal  repayable  on  or  before  the  May  7,  2023  maturity  date.    A  non-interest  bearing  promissory 
note  related  to  the  acquisition  of  Perennial  totaling  $2,253  and  payable  in  three  installments  of $1,000  due  on 
May  8,  2019,  $1,000  due  on  May  8,  2020  and  $500  due  on  May  8,  2021.    Promissory  notes  related  to  the 
acquisitions  completed  during  2017  and  2018  included  a  non  interest  bearing  promissory  notes  related  to  the 
acquisition  of  DCM  Burlington  totaling  $4,566  and  payable  in  two  installments  of  $2,283  due  on  February  28, 
2018 and February 28, 2019, respectively, and related to the acquisition of Thistle totaling $1,913 and payable in 
monthly  installments  of  $137  ending  February  28,  2019.    Interest  bearing  promissory  notes  related  to  the 
acquisition of BOLDER Graphics totaling $1,160 and bore interest at a fixed rate of 6.0% per annum.  Monthly 
blended principal and interest payments of $58, beginning February 28, 2018 and ending September 30, 2019.  
As  a  result  of  amendments  to  its  credit  agreements,  DCM  suspended  its  payments  on  vendor  take-back 
promissory notes on June 30, 2019.  Resumption of payments on vendor take-back promissory notes will require 
prior approval from its lenders.  DCM received approval from its lenders and made a $530 payment towards the 
promissory note related to the Perennial acquisition on February 28, 2020.

Transactions with related parties

During  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020,  there  were  regular  intercompany  activities  between  DCM  and  its 

subsidiaries  during  the  normal  course  of  business.    These  transactions  and  balances  are  eliminated  in  the 

consolidated financial statements of DCM.  Related parties are defined as individuals who can influence the direction 

or management of DCM or any of its subsidiaries and therefore, the directors and officers of DCM’s subsidiaries are 

considered related parties.

On January 4, 2021, DCM entered into an agreement with Perennial Brands Inc. (“PBI”), an arms’ length third party 

and former subsidiary of DCM, pursuant to which DCM agreed to terminate an option to purchase an equity interest in 

PBI acquired by DCM in connection with the prior disposition of PBI. DCM received total gross proceeds of $1,200 as 

consideration for terminating the option..

On July 31, 2019, DCM issued Related Party Promissory Notes to certain parties, including related parties of DCM, in 

the aggregate principal amount of $1.0 million.  In addition, a total of 78,571 warrants have been issued in connection 

with the issuance of the Related Party Promissory Notes.  

During  the  year  ended  December  31,  2019,  directors,  officers  and  related  parties  of  DCM  participated  in  a  rights 

offering of Common Shares, purchasing 11,341,310 Common Shares (or 52.7% of the 21,523,515 common shares 

issued as a result of the rights offering) for consideration of $2.6 million.  

During the year ended December 31, 2019, 89,500 Common Shares were issued to the CEO of DCM pursuant to the 

exercise  of  warrants.  The  additional  share  issue  caused  an  increase  in  Common  Shares  by  $175.  The  increase 

consisted  of  cash  proceeds  of  $0.2  million  as  well  as  the  transfer  of  share  options  from  the  warrant  reserves  to 

common shares at the recognized fair value of $18 thousand.

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DATA Communications Management Corp.

. . M D & A . .

Effective July 1, 2018, Perennial entered into a new agreement with Perennial Designs International Private Limited, 

a  company  100%  owned  by  a  key  member  of  management  for  creative  design  and  development  of  technology. 

During the year ended, total consulting fees totaled $0.7 million (2019 – $0.7 million).

On March 15, 2018, DCM entered into a 5 year loan agreement with a key member of management for a total of $0.1 

million  to  finance  the  purchase  of  Common  Shares.  Interest  will  accrue  at  a  rate  of  3%  per  annum  on  the  unpaid 

balance. As  at  December  31,  2020,  the  balance  owing  was  $0.1  million  (2019  –  $0.1  million)  was  included  within 

other non-current assets in the statement of financial position.

These  transactions  are  provided  in  the  normal  course  of  operations  and  were  measured  at  the  exchange  amount, 

which represents the amount of consideration established and agreed to by the related parties.

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DATA Communications Management Corp.

Operating results for the fourth quarter of 2020 and 2019

TABLE 6

The following table sets out selected consolidated quarterly financial information for the periods noted.

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except share and per share amounts, unaudited)

Revenues
Cost of revenues
Gross profit

Selling, general and administrative expenses
Restructuring expenses

Income before finance costs, other income and income taxes

Finance costs

Interest expense, net
Debt modification losses
Amortization of transaction costs

Other Income

Government grant income

Income (loss) before income taxes

Income tax (recovery) expense

Current
Deferred

Net income (loss) for the period

Adjusted EBITDA (see Table 7)
Adjusted net income (loss) (see Table 8)

Adjusted net income (loss) per share, basic and diluted

October 1 to 
December 31, 
2020
60,589  $ 
45,581   
15,008   

October 1 to 
December 31, 
2019
71,489 
53,959 
17,530 

$ 

12,976   
748   
13,724   
1,284   

260   
78   
146   
484   

1,780   

2,580   

(754)  
409   
(345)  

16,665 
(139) 
16,526 
1,004 

2,449 
3,789 
117 
6,355 

— 

(5,351) 

(26) 
(1,312) 
(1,338) 

$ 

$ 
$ 

$ 

2,925  $ 

(4,013) 

7,387  $ 
3,497  $ 

0.08  $ 

5,524 
(3,700) 

(0.17) 

Weighted average number of common shares outstanding, basic

43,442,668   

21,757,467 

Weighted average number of common shares outstanding, diluted

44,258,933   

21,757,467 

Number of common shares outstanding, basic

Number of common shares outstanding, diluted

43,867,030   

43,047,030 

44,683,295   

43,047,030 

35

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DATA Communications Management Corp.

. . M D & A . .

TABLE  7

The  following  table  provides  a  reconciliation  of  net  income  (loss)  to  Adjusted  EBITDA  for  the 

periods noted.  See “Non-IFRS Measures”.

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, unaudited)

Net income (loss) for the period

Interest expense, net
Debt modification losses
Amortization of transaction costs
Current income tax (recovery)
Deferred income tax expense (recovery)
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment
Amortization of intangible assets
Depreciation of the ROU Asset

EBITDA

Restructuring expenses
One-time business reorganization costs  (1)

Adjusted EBITDA

October 1 to 
December 31, 
2020

October 1 to 
December 31, 
2019

$ 

2,925  $ 

(4,013) 

260   
78   
146   
(754)  
409   
762   
1,123   
1,674   

6,623  $ 

748   
16   

7,387  $ 

2,449 
3,789 
117 
(26) 
(1,312) 
956 
1,184 
2,377 

5,521 

(139) 
142 

5,524 

$ 

$ 

(1) One-time business reorganization costs include non-recurring headcount reduction expenses for employees that did not qualify 

as restructuring costs.

TABLE 8

The following table provides a reconciliation of net income (loss) to Adjusted net income (loss) for 

the periods noted.  See “Non-IFRS Measures”.

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, unaudited)

Net income (loss) for the year

Restructuring expenses
One-time business reorganization costs (1)
Tax effect of above adjustments

Adjusted net income (loss)

October 1 to 
December 31, 
2020

October 1 to 
December 31, 
2019

$ 

2,925  $ 

(4,013) 

748   

16   

(192)  

3,497   

(139) 

142 

310 

(3,700) 

$ 

(1) One-time business reorganization costs include non-recurring headcount reduction expenses for employees that did not qualify 

as restructuring costs.

REVENUES

For the quarter ended December 31, 2020, DCM recorded revenues of $60.6 million, a decrease of $10.9 million or 

15.2% compared with the same period in 2019.  The decrease in revenues for the quarter ended December 31, 2020 

was due the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as sales had not yet normalized during the fourth quarter of 2020. 

The decline in revenues was partially offset by a new digital workflow management contract. 

COST OF REVENUES AND GROSS PROFIT

For  the  quarter  ended  December  31,  2020,  DCM  recorded  cost  of  revenues  of  $45.6  million,  a  decrease  of  $8.4 

million or 15.5% from $54.0 million for the same period in 2019.   

36

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
. . M D & A . .

DATA Communications Management Corp.

Gross profit for the quarter ended December 31, 2020 was $15.0 million, a decrease of $2.5 million or 14.4% from 

$17.5 million for the same period in 2019. Gross profit as a percentage of revenues for the quarter ended December 

31, 2020 was 24.8%, which remained consistent with the prior year in 2019 of 24.5%.  Gross profit as a percentage of 

revenues for the quarter ended December 31, 2020 was positively impacted by (i) realizing the full benefits from the 

cost  saving  initiatives  implemented  particularly  in  the  second  and  third  quarters  of  2019,  resulting  in  a  reduction  in 

salaries and wages, (ii) additional cost saving initiatives implemented throughout 2020, and other temporary lay-offs, 

reduction in casual labour and other cost saving measures in reaction to the impact of COVID-19 on the business, 

and (iii) improved management of purchasing inventory and other direct costs. However due to softness in sales, this 

resulted  in  weaker  absorption  of  fixed  overhead  costs,  especially  in  the  month  of  December    which  adversely 

impacted gross profit and left it unchanged from prior year.

SELLING, GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES

SG&A expenses for the quarter ended December 31, 2020 decreased $3.7 million or 22% to $13.0 million or 21.4% 

of total revenues, compared to $16.7 million, or 23.3% of total revenues, in the same period in 2019.  The decrease in 

SG&A  expenses  for  the  quarter  ended  December  31,  2020,  is  due  to  a  decrease  in  general  and  administrative 

expenses  of  $2.3  million  and  a  decrease    in  selling,  commissions  and  expenses  by  $1.4  million.   The  decrease  in 

selling,  commissions  and  expenses  was  primarily  attributable  to  lower  sales  commission  costs  commensurate  with 

the decrease in revenues due to the impact of COVID-19, additional cost saving initiatives implemented during 2020, 

and other temporary lay-offs and reduction in casual labour in reaction to the impact of COVID-19 on the business.  

The  decrease  in  general  and  administrative  expenses  was  attributable  to  additional  cost  saving  initiatives 

implemented  during  2020,  and  temporary  lay-offs,  reduction  in  casual  labour,  lower  compensation  and  lower 

discretionary spending in response to the impact of COVID-19. 

RESTRUCTURING EXPENSES

For  the  quarter  ended  December  31,  2020,  DCM  incurred  a  net  restructuring  expense  of $0.7  million  compared  to 

restructuring recovery of $0.1 million in the same period in 2019.  For the quarter ended December 31, 2020, DCM 

incurred  a  net  restructuring  recovery  of  $0.7  million  primarily  related  to  headcount  reductions  to  direct  labour  to 

mitigate the impact of COVID-19, and other various headcount reductions to indirect labour as cost savings initiatives 

to improve gross margin. 

ADJUSTED EBITDA

For the quarter ended December 31, 2020, Adjusted EBITDA was $7.4 million, or 12.2% of revenues, after adjusting 

EBITDA for the $0.7 million in restructuring expense, compared with an Adjusted EBITDA of $5.5 million or 7.7% of 

revenues for the same period in 2019. The increase in Adjusted EBITDA, for the quarter ended December 31, 2020 

was primarily attributable to improved gross margins from continued discipline to improve pricing with customers, and 

more normalized level of operations and margins following remediation of the ERP system challenges experienced in 

June 2019. The improvements in EBITDA were offset by a reduction in revenue due to lower demand resulting from 

the impact of COVID-19. Temporary lay-offs and reductions in compensation and discretionary spending in response 

to  the  impact  of  COVID-19  on  the  business,  and  receipt  of  the  CEWS  grant  income  mitigated  the  impact  on  our 

financial performance. 

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DATA Communications Management Corp.

. . M D & A . .

FINANCE COSTS

Finance costs include interest on debt outstanding under DCM’s credit facilities, interest accretion expense related to 

certain debt obligations discounts / premiums, interest on pension obligations, debt modification losses, amortization 

of debt transaction costs and interest expense on lease liabilities under IFRS 16. For the quarter ended December 

31, 2020, finance costs were $0.5 million compared to $6.4 million for the same period in 2019.  Interest expense for 

the quarter ended December 31, 2020 decreased from the prior year due to reduction in the prime rates during the 

first quarter of 2020 and prime rate margins during the second quarter of 2020 and reduction in levels drawn under 

the  Bank  Credit  Facility  during  the  third  and  fourth  quarters  of  2020,  thereby  reducing  the  interest  expense  on  the 

Credit Facility. The reduction in the Credit Facility resulted in acceleration of accretion income, which netted against 

the interest expense during the fourth quarter of 2020. This decrease was offset by an increase in the interest rate for 

the  Crown  Facility  by  200  basis  points  per  annum  effective  December  19,  2019,  and  modification  of  the  Perennial 

acquisition  VTB,  now  bearing  a  10%  interest  rate  per  annum  effective  in  the  second  quarter  of  2020,  which  was 

previously non-interest bearing. 

INCOME TAXES

DCM reported an income before income taxes of $2.6 million and a net income tax recovery of $0.3 million for the 

quarter  ended  December  31,  2020  compared  to  a  loss  before  income  taxes  of  $5.4  million  and  a  net  income  tax 

recovery of $1.3 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2019.  

NET INCOME (LOSS) 

Net income for the quarter ended December 31, 2020 was $2.9 million compared to net loss of $4.0 million for the 

quarter ended December 31, 2019. The increase in comparable profitability for the quarter ended December 31, 2020 

was primarily due to improved gross margins, more normalized level of operations and margins following remediation 

of the ERP system challenges experienced in June 2019, and reduction in interest expense. The improvements in net 

income were offset by a reduction in revenue due to lower demand resulting from the impact of COVID-19, which was 

mitigated  by  temporary  lay-offs,  reductions  in  compensation  and  discretionary  spending  and  receipt  of  the  CEWS 

grant income. 

ADJUSTED NET (INCOME) LOSS

Adjusted  net  income  for  the  quarter  ended  December  31,  2020  was  $3.5  million  compared  to  adjusted  net  loss  of 

$3.7 million for the same period in 2019. The increase in comparable profitability for the quarter ended December 31, 

2020  was  primarily  due  to  improved  gross  margins,  more  normalized  level  of  operations  and  margins  following 

remediation  of  the  ERP  system  challenges  experienced  in  June  2019,  and  reduction  in  interest  expense.  The 

improvements in net income were offset by a reduction in revenue due to lower demand resulting from the impact of 

COVID-19,  which  was  mitigated  by  temporary  lay-offs,  reductions  in  compensation  and  discretionary  spending  and 

receipt of the CEWS grant income.

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DATA Communications Management Corp.

Summary of eight quarter results
TABLE 9

The following table summarizes quarterly financial information for the past eight quarters.

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except per share amounts, unaudited)

Revenues
Net income (loss) 
attributable to 
shareholders

Basic earnings (loss) 
per share

Diluted earnings (loss) 
per share

2020

Q4

Q3

Q2

Q1

Q4

2019

Q3

Q2

Q1

$  60,589  $  57,374  $  63,936  $  77,415  $  71,489  $  63,215  $  69,623  $  78,549 

2,925   

2,139   

4,232   

2,210   

(4,013)  

(5,897)  

(3,754)  

(323) 

0.07   

0.05   

0.10   

0.05 

(0.18)

(0.27)

(0.17)

(0.02)

0.07   

0.05   

0.10   

0.05 

(0.18)

(0.27)

(0.17)

(0.02)

The variations in DCM’s quarterly revenues and net income (loss) over the eight quarters ended December 31, 2020 

can be attributed to several principal factors: the impact of COVID-19 in the second, third and fourth quarters of 2020, 

the  ERP  launch  impacting  the  third  quarter  of  2019,  revenue  declines  in  DCM’s  traditional  print  business  due  to 

production  volume  declines  largely  related  to  technological  change,  price  concessions  and  competitive  activity, 

seasonal variations in customer spending, refinement of DCM's pricing discipline, the impact of paper and other raw 

materials  price  increases  and  compressed  margins  on  contracts  with  certain  existing  customers,  debt  modification 

losses,  and  restructuring  expenses  and  business  reorganization  costs  related  to  DCM’s  ongoing  productivity 

improvement and cost reduction initiatives.

DCM’s net income for the fourth quarter of 2020 included reduction in revenues due to COVID-19, improved margins 

due to COVID-19 related cost saving initiatives and restructuring initiatives from the third and fourth quarter of 2019, 

receipt of CEWS of $1.8 million, and restructuring expenses of $0.7 million.  DCM’s net loss for the fourth quarter of 

2019  included  reduction  in  revenue  and  higher  costs  due  to  disruptions  caused  by  the  transition  to  the  new  ERP 

system,  restructuring  recovery  of  $0.1  million  related  to  its  cost  reduction  initiatives  and  debt  modification  losses 

totaling $3.8 million as a result of the amendments to its senior credit facilities.

DCM’s net income for the third quarter of 2020 included reduction in revenues due to COVID-19, improved margins 

due to COVID-19 related cost saving initiatives and restructuring initiatives from the third and fourth quarter of 2019, 

receipt  of  CEWS  of  $2.8  million,  restructuring  expenses  of  $1.1  million,  and  $0.1  million  of  one-time  business 

reorganization  costs  that  did  not  qualify  as  a  restructuring  expense.  DCM’s  net  loss  for  the  third  quarter  of  2019 

included higher costs due to disruptions caused by the transition to the new ERP system and restructuring expenses 

of $2.8 million related to its cost reduction initiatives. 

DCM’s  net  income  for  the  second  quarter  of  2020  included  reduction  in  revenues  due  to  COVID-19,  improved 

margins due to COVID-19 related cost saving initiatives and restructuring initiatives from the third and fourth quarter 

of 2019, receipt of CEWS of $4.5 million, restructuring expenses of $0.3 million, and $0.3 million of one-time business 

reorganization costs that did not qualify as a restructuring expense. DCM's net loss for the second quarter of 2019 

included  reduction  in  revenue  due  to  a  disruption  of  production  and  shipments  to  customers  caused  by  DCM’s 

transition to a new ERP and softness in spend from certain retailers, restructuring expenses of $3.2 million related to 

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its  cost  reduction  initiatives,  and  $0.5  million  of  one-time  business  reorganization  costs  that  did  not  qualify  as  a 

restructuring expense.

DCM's net income for the first quarter of 2020 included improved margins due to restructuring initiatives from the third 

and fourth quarter of 2019, and restructuring expenses of $0.7 million related to its cost reduction initiatives. DCM's 

net loss for the first quarter of 2019 included $1.7 million related to its cost reduction initiatives, and $0.4 million of 

one-time business reorganization costs that did not qualify as a restructuring expense.

Accounting policies

CHANGES IN ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The accounting policies used in the preparation of the consolidated financial statements are outlined in notes 2 and 3 

of the Notes to the consolidated financial statements of DCM for the year ended December 31, 2020. 

EXISTING STANDARDS ADOPTED

IAS 20 GOVERNMENT GRANTS

Grants from the government are recognized at their fair value when there is reasonable assurance that the grant will 

be  received  and  DCM  will  comply  with  all  attached  conditions.  The  Company  has  elected  to  present  government 

grants related to income as "other income" in the consolidated statement of operations. DCM has applied this policy 

to the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy. 

NEW AND AMENDED STANDARDS ADOPTED

IFRS 3 BUSINESS COMBINATIONS (AMENDMENT) 

In October 2018, the IASB issued Definition of a Business (Amendments to IFRS 3) aimed at resolving the difficulties 

that arise when an entity determines whether it has acquired a business or a group of assets. The amendments are 

effective  for  business  combinations  for  which  the  acquisition  date  is  on  or  after  the  first  annual  reporting  period 

beginning  January  1,  2020.  The  adoption  of  this  amendment  did  not  have  an  impact  on  its  consolidated  financial 

statements. 

IAS  1  PRESENTATION  OF  FINANCIAL  STATEMENTS  AND  IAS  8  ACCOUNTING  POLICIES,  CHANGES  IN 

ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES AND ERRORS (AMENDMENT) 

In October 2012, the IASB issued Definition of Material (Amendments to IAS 1 and IAS 8) to clarify the definition of 

‘material’  and  to  align  the  definition  used  in  the  Conceptual  Framework  and  the  standards  themselves.  The 

amendments  are  effective  annual  reporting  periods  beginning  on  or  after  January  1,  2020.  The  adoption  of  this 

amendment did not have an impact on its consolidated financial statements. 

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR FINANCIAL REPORTING 

Together  with  the  revised  Conceptual  Framework  published  in  March  2018,  the  IASB  also  issued  Amendments  to 

References  to  the  Conceptual  Framework  in  IFRS  Standards.  The  amendments  are  effective  for  annual  periods 

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DATA Communications Management Corp.

beginning on or after January 1, 2020. The adoption of this amendment did not have an impact on its consolidated 

financial statements.

FUTURE ACCOUNTING STANDARDS NOT YET ADOPTED

IBOR REFORM

In  recent  years,  global  regulators  have  prioritized  the  reform  and  replacement  of  benchmark  interest  rates  such  as 

LIBOR  and  other  interbank  offered  rates  (IBORs). As  a  result,  public  authorities  and  other  market  participants  are 

selecting  new  benchmark  interest  rates  in  key  currencies  with  the  objective  that  such  rates  will  be  based  on  liquid 

underlying  market  transactions.  With  this  reform,  the  IASB  have  provided  amendments  to  IFRS  9  -  Financial 

Instruments,  IFRS  7  -  Financial  Instruments:  Disclosures  and  IAS  39  -  Financial  Instruments:  Recognition  and 

Measurement. The amendments are effective for annual periods beginning on or after January 1, 2021 and are to be 

applied retrospectively. These changes may impact the fair value of liabilities and financial instruments. The amended 

standard is not expected to have an impact on the consolidated financial statements.

IAS  1  PRESENTATION  OF  FINANCIAL  STATEMENTS:  CLASSIFICATION  OF  LIABILITIES  AS  CURRENT  OR 

NON-CURRENT 

In January 2020, the IASB issued Classification of Liabilities as Current or Non-current (Amendments to IAS 1). The 

amendments aim to promote consistency in applying the requirements by helping companies determine whether debt 

and  other  liabilities  with  an  uncertain  settlement  date  should  be  classified  as  current  (due  or  potentially  due  to  be 

settled within one year) or non-current. The amendments include clarifying the classification requirements for debt a 

company  might  settle  by  converting  it  into  equity.  The  amendments  are  effective  for  annual  reporting  periods 

beginning  on  or  after  January  1,  2022,  with  earlier  application  permitted.  DCM  is  currently  evaluating  the  impact  of 

this amendment. 

IFRS 16 COVID-19-RELATED RENT CONCESSIONS 

In  May  2020,  the  IASB  issued  an  amendment  to  IFRS  16  to  provide  lessees  with  an  exemption  from  assessing 

whether a COVID-19-related rent concession is a lease modification. The mandatory effective date would be annual 

periods beginning on or after June 1, 2020, with early adoption permitted. The amended standard is not expected to 

have an impact on the consolidated financial statements.

IFRS 3 REFERENCE TO CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

In May 2020, the IASB issued an amendment to IFRS 3 to (i) clarify references to the 2018 Conceptual Framework in 

order  to  determine  what  constitutes  an  asset  or  liability  in  a  business  combination,  (ii)  add  an  exception  for  certain 

liabilities and contingent liabilities to refer to IAS 37 or IFRIC 21 and (iii) clarify that an acquirer should not recognize 

contingent assets at the acquisition date. The mandatory effective date would be annual periods beginning on or after 

January 1, 2022, with early adoption permitted. The amended standard is not expected to have a significant impact 

on the consolidated financial statements.

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IAS 37 ONEROUS CONTRACTS: COST OF FULFILLING A CONTRACT 

In  May  2020,  the  IASB  issued  an  amendment  to  IAS  37  to  clarify  which  costs  to  include  in  estimating  the  cost  of 

fulfilling a contract for the purpose of assessing whether that contract is onerous. The mandatory effective date would 

be annual periods beginning on or after January 1, 2022, with early adoption permitted. The amended standard is not 

expected to have a significant impact on the consolidated financial statements.

IFRS 9 FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS: FEES IN THE '10 PER-CENT' TEST FOR DERECOGNITION OF FINANCIAL 

LIABILITIES

In May 2020, the IASB issued Annual Improvements to IFRS Standards 2018 - 2020. This amendment clarifies which 

fees an entity includes when it applies the ‘10 per cent’ test of IFRS 9 in assessing whether to derecognise a financial 

liability.  An  entity  includes  only  fees  paid  or  received  between  the  entity  and  the  lender,    including  fees  paid  or 

received  by  either  the  entity  or  the  lender  on  the  other’s  behalf. The  mandatory  effective  date  would  be  for  annual 

periods  beginning  on  or  after  January  1,  2022  with  early  application  permitted.  The  amended  standard  is  not 

expected to have a significant impact on the consolidated financial statements.

There are no other IFRS or International Financial Reporting Interpretations Committee (‘IFRIC’) interpretations that 

are not yet effective that would be expected to have a significant impact on DCM. 

Critical accounting estimates

The  preparation  of  the  financial  statements  requires  management  to  make  judgments,  estimates  and  assumptions 

that are not readily apparent from other sources about the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities, and reporting of 

income  and  expenses.    The  estimates  and  associated  assumptions  are  based  on  historical  experience  and  other 

factors that are considered to be relevant.  Actual results may differ materially from these estimates.  The estimates 

and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis.

Revisions  to  accounting  estimates  are  recognized  during  the  period  in  which  the  estimate  is  revised  if  the  revision 

affects only that period or in the period of the revision and future periods if the revision affects both current and future 

periods.

IMPAIRMENT OF GOODWILL, INTANGIBLE AND NON-CURRENT ASSETS

Goodwill, intangible and non-current assets are tested for impairment if there is an indicator of impairment, and in the 

case  of  goodwill,  annually  at  the  end  of  each  fiscal  year  or  more  frequently  if  events  or  changes  in  circumstances 

indicate there may be impairment.  The determination of the impairment of goodwill, intangible and non-current assets 

are  impacted  by  estimates  of  the  recoverable  value  of  CGUs,  assumptions  of  future  cash  flows,  and  achieving 

forecasted  business  results. The  recoverable  amounts  of  the  CGUs  were  determined  based  on  their  estimated  fair 

value  less  cost  of  disposal  using  a  discounted  cash  flow  method.  Management  applied  considerable  judgment  in 

estimating  the  recoverable  amounts  of  the  CGUs,  which  included  the  use  of  significant  assumptions  relating  to 

revenue  growth  rates,  gross  margins  and  discount  rates.  Changing  the  assumptions  selected  by  management,  in 

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DATA Communications Management Corp.

particular the projected revenue growth rates,  gross  margins, and discount rate assumptions used in the cash  flow 

projections, could significantly affect the result of DCM's impairment analysis.

GOING CONCERN

The  assessment  of  events  or  conditions  that  may  cast  significant  doubt  on  the  Company’s  ability  to  continue  as  a 

going concern involves considerable judgment as there continues to be significant uncertainty as to the duration and 

impact that the current COVID-19 pandemic could have on the Company's financial performance, and accordingly its 

ability to achieve its forecasted business results and meet its future financial covenants over the next twelve months.

REVENUE RECOGNITION 

a)   Allocating the transaction price to separate performance obligations on bundled contracts

Certain  of  the  Company’s  contracts  with  customers  include  the  provision  of  warehousing,  shipment,  marketing 

and  other  services,  in  addition  to  manufacturing  or  purchase  of  third-party  products.  For  bundled  pricing 

arrangements,  the  Company  allocates  the  transaction  price  to  each  performance  obligation  based  on  their 

relative stand-alone selling prices. This requires significant judgment in determining the stand-alone selling prices 

in allocating revenue between the various performance obligations.

b)   Measurement of revenues and trade receivables 

When  determining  the  amount  of  revenue  to  record  from  contracts  with  customers,  IFRS  15  requires  the 

Company  to  reduce  the  transaction  price  for  any  price  concessions  expected  to  be  provided  to  customers,  as 

revenue can only be recognized to the extent that it is highly probable that a significant reversal in the amount of 

revenue will not occur when the uncertainty associated with the variable consideration is subsequently resolved.

In addition in accordance with IFRS 9, DCM applies the simplified approach to determine expected lifetime credit 

losses  ("ECLs")  on  its  billed  trade  receivables  by  using  a  provision  matrix  based  on  historical  credit  loss 

experiences. The historical results are used to calculate the run rates of default which are then applied over the 

expected  life  of  the  trade  receivables,  adjusted  for  forward  looking  information  of  economic  and  other  factors 

(such  as  potential  impacts  from  the  COVID-19  pandemic)  affecting  the  ability  of  customers  to  settle  the  billed 

trade receivables.

During  2019,  the  Company  underwent  a  transformation  of  its  operational  and  financial  reporting  systems, 

implementing a new cloud based ERP system company-wide (excluding DCM Burlington, Thistle and Perennial) 

which has affected its ability to generate accurate and timely billings to its customers. As a result of these billing 

issues, the aging of the Company's billed trade receivables deteriorated following the ERP implementation and at 

December 31, 2020 the Company has $7.4 million (16%) of its billed trade receivables that are over 90 days old.

As a result considerable judgment by management is required to determine how the deterioration in aging of its 

billed trade receivables impacts both recorded revenues and gross billed trade receivables for price concessions 

that may need to be given to encourage customers to settle older amounts promptly as a result of billing issues, 

and ECL provisions required to reflect impairments of its billed trade receivable.

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Changes  in  estimates  are  reflected  in  the  period  in  which  the  circumstances  that  gave  rise  to  the  change  became 

known. 

Management’s report on internal controls over financial reporting

DISCLOSURE CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

DCM maintains a set of disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Multilateral Instrument 52-109) designed to 

provide  reasonable  assurance  that  information  required  to  be  disclosed  in  its  public  filings  or  otherwise  under 

securities legislation is recorded, processed, summarized and reported on a timely basis and that such controls and 

procedures are designed to ensure that information required to be so disclosed is accumulated and communicated to 

its  management,  including  its  certifying  officers,  as  appropriate  to  allow  timely  decisions  regarding  required 

disclosure. With the supervision and participation of DCM’s senior management team, the Chief Executive Officer of 

DCM  and  the  Chief  Financial  Officer  ("CFO")  of  DCM  have  evaluated  the  effectiveness  of  disclosure  controls  and 

procedures of DCM as of  December 31, 2020.  Based on that evaluation, those officers have concluded that, as of 

December 31, 2020, such disclosure controls and procedures were effective to provide reasonable assurance that (i) 

material information relating to DCM was made known to management and (ii) information required to be disclosed by 

DCM in its annual filings, interim filings or other reports filed or submitted by it under securities legislation is recorded, 

processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the securities legislation.

MANAGEMENT'S ANNUAL REPORT ON INTERNAL CONTROLS OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING

Multilateral  Instrument  52-109  requires  the  CEO  and  CFO  to  certify  they  are  responsible  for  establishing  and 

maintaining internal control over financial reporting (“ICFR”) for the Company and that ICFR has been designed and 

is  effective  in  providing  reasonable  assurance  regarding  the  reliability  of  financial  reporting  and  the  preparation  of 

financial statements in accordance with IFRS. The CEO and CFO are also responsible for disclosing any changes to 

the Company’s internal controls during the most recent period that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to 

materially  affect,  its  internal  controls  over  financial  reporting.  DCM’s  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  is  a 

process  designed  by,  or  under  the  supervision  of,  the  CEO  and  CFO,  or  persons  performing  similar  functions,  and 

effected  by  DCM's  Board  of  Directors,  management  and  other  personnel.  DCM’s  internal  control  over  financial 

reporting includes those policies and procedures that pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, 

accurately  and  fairly  reflect  the  transactions  and  dispositions  of  the  assets  of  the  Company;  provide  reasonable 

assurance  that  transactions  are  recorded  as  necessary  to  permit  preparation  of  financial  statements  in  accordance 

with IFRS, and that receipts and expenditures of the Company are being made only in accordance with authorizations 

of  management  and  directors;  and  provide  reasonable  assurance  regarding  prevention  or  timely  detection  of 

unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the Company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial 

statements.  Because  of  its  inherent  limitations,  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  may  not  prevent  or  detect 

misstatements. Furthermore, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness for future periods are subject to the risk 

that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the 

policies  or  procedures  may  deteriorate.  A  material  weakness  is  a  deficiency,  or  a  combination  of  deficiencies,  in 

internal  control  over  financial  reporting,  such  that  there  is  a  reasonable  possibility  that  a  material  misstatement  of 

DCM's annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. 

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The Company’s management, under the supervision of and with the participation of its CEO and CFO, assessed the 

effectiveness of DCM's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020 using the criteria set forth by 

the  Committee  of  Sponsoring  Organizations  (“COSO”)  of  the  Treadway  Commission  in  Internal  Control-Integrated 

Framework (2013).

As  previously  reported,  the  Company  launched  a  new,  cloud-based,  end  to  end  Enterprise  Resource  Planning 

(“ERP”) system to standardize and automate business processes and controls in June 2019. The project was a major 

initiative  that  utilized  third  party  consultants  and  is  expected  to  provide  scalability,  facilitate  improved  reporting  and 

oversight and enhance internal control over financial reporting. As part of the transition to the new ERP system, DCM 

encountered  various  data  migration  issues  coupled  with  numerous  data  accuracy  and  other  system  issues  post  go 

live. These issues affected DCM's production and its ability to generate accurate and timely billings to its customers 

which  resulted  in  a  deterioration  in  its  operating  results  and  a  backlog  of  production  orders.  The  recording  of 

inaccurate  invoices  also  resulted  in  errors  in  the  recognition  of  production  revenue  and  the  accuracy  of  accounts 

receivable,  contributed  to  complications  in  completing  pricing  adjustments  for  customers  and  caused  delays  in  the 

timely issuance of customer billings and the collection of cash from customers.

As  a  result  of  this  management  concluded  that  control  deficiencies  related  to  invoicing  and  production  revenue 

recognition represented a material weakness, and that the Company’s internal control over financial reporting was not 

effective as of December 31, 2019. 

REMEDIATION PLAN AND ACTIVITIES

During  2020  management  implemented  a  remediation  plan    to  ensure  that  control  deficiencies  contributing  to  the 

material weakness were remediated, such that these controls are designed, implemented, and operating effectively. 

The actions taken by DCM included: 

a.

b.

c.

continued enhancements to DCM's company-wide risk assessment processes; 

additional training of responsible staff; supplemented with third-party consultants as needed; 

implementation of additional business processes and system controls to ensure invoice accuracy, 

particularly with regards to oversight of order entry, including verification of pricing to customer trade 

agreements and purchase orders, and appropriate units of measure related to pricing and quantity; 

d.

reinforcing policies around customer purchase order review, retention and accessibility, credit and rebilling 

procedures, production revenue reconciliations, and monthly cut-off processes; 

clearly identifying and communicating individual employees their responsibilities; and

implementing new reporting tools to ensure the completeness and accuracy of customer invoicing including 

e.

f.

additional manual controls.		

Based  on  management’s  assessment,  DCM's  CEO  and  CFO  have  certified  that,  based  on  their  knowledge,  the 

Company's  internal  controls  over  financial  reporting  are  effective  and  the  financial  statements  fairly  present  in  all 

material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Company as of, and for, the year 

ended December 31, 2020. 

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CHANGES IN INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING

As at December 31, 2020, except for the actions taken to remediate the material weakness described above, there 

were  no  changes  in  the  Company’s  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  that  occurred  during  the  year  that  have 

materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, DCM's internal control over financial reporting.

Outlook

“The DCM team accomplished some important initiatives in fiscal 2020,” said Gregory J. Cochrane, President & CEO.  

“We made progress on our key strategic priorities, with continued emphasis on our key client relationships, improved 

gross  margins,  a  significant  reduction  in  our  long-term  debt,  and  further  success  in  differentiating  our  technology 

platforms  in  the  marketplace.    We  still  have  some  way  to  go  on  reducing  our  total  cost  to  serve  our  clients.  Our 

working capital initiatives helped drive down our debt levels, as we continued to convert our clients from BAR to IOE 

billing and continued to reduce our accounts receivable balances.  In addition, the CEWS grant income we received 

in the year significantly helped offset some of the financial impact on our business from the pandemic.” DCM to date 

has  qualified  for  and  received  approximately  $10.7  million  under  the  CEWS  relief  program.    DCM  continues  to 

monitor changes to the CEWS and other COVID-19 related grants and subsidies that may be available and DCM's 

ability to qualify for any such programs.

Despite  the  ongoing  COVID-19  pandemic,  and  the  uncertainty  of  the  impact  on  our  economy  and  the  Company's 

financial performance, DCM will continue to remain focused on our five operating initiatives throughout the next year. 

To date, these continuing initiatives have all contributed to an improved financial position. 

•

Improvement  in  the  collection  process  reduced  our  accounts  receivable  balance,  resulting  in  an  inflow  of 

cash  to  better  manage  our  accounts  payable  owing  to  vendors.  Combined  with  better  inventory 

management, these efforts resulted in an improvement in the cash position, with an inflow from changes in 

•

•

working capital of $15.9 million, compared to an outflow of $7.1 million in the prior year. 

Reduction in our SG&A by $8.2 million or 22.7% of total revenues compared with 23.7% of total revenues in 

the prior year. 

Reduction in our total senior debt balance to $46.1 million, compared with a balance of $77.1 million in the 

prior  year.  Specifically,  a  significant  reduction  under  the  revolving  Bank  Credit  Facility  which  was  reduced 

down to $5.7 million, compared with a balance of $34.7 million in the prior year. 

Risks and uncertainties

An  investment  in  DCM’s  securities  involves  risks.    In  addition  to  the  other  information  contained  in  this  report, 

investors  should  carefully  consider  the  risks  described  in  DCM’s  most  recent  Annual  Information  Form  and  other 

continuous  disclosure  filings  made  by  DCM  with  Canadian  securities  regulatory  authorities  before  investing  in 

securities of DCM.  The risks described in this report, the Annual Information Form and those other filings are not the 

only ones facing DCM.  Additional risks not currently known to DCM, or that DCM currently believes are immaterial, 

may also impair the business, results of operations, financial condition and liquidity of DCM.

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Financial reporting responsibility of management

The  accompanying  consolidated  financial  statements  of  DATA  Communications  Management  Corp.  (“DCM”)  have 

been  prepared  by  management  and  approved  by  the  Board  of  Directors  of  DCM.    Management  of  DCM  is 

responsible  for  the  preparation  and  presentation  of  the  consolidated  financial  statements  and  all  the  financial 

information  contained  within  this  Annual  Report  within  reasonable  limits  of  materiality.    The  consolidated  financial 

statements have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards.  In the preparation of 

the consolidated financial statements, estimates are sometimes necessary because a precise determination of certain 

assets  and  liabilities  is  dependent  on  future  events.    Management  believes  such  estimates  have  been  based  on 

available  information  and  careful  judgements  and  have  been  properly  reflected  in  the  accompanying  consolidated 

financial statements.  The financial information throughout the text of this Annual Report is consistent with that in the 

consolidated financial statements.

To assist management in discharging these responsibilities, DCM maintains a system of internal controls which are 

designed  to  provide  reasonable  assurance  that  DCM’s  consolidated  assets  are  safeguarded,  that  transactions  are 

executed in accordance with management’s authorization and that the financial records form a reliable base for the 

preparation of accurate and timely financial information.

Management  recognizes  its  responsibilities  for  conducting  DCM’s  affairs  in  compliance  with  established  financial 

standards and applicable laws, and for the maintenance of proper standards of conduct in its activities.

PricewaterhouseCoopers  LLP  are  appointed  by  the  shareholders  and  have  audited  the  consolidated  financial 

statements  of  DCM  in  accordance  with  Canadian  generally  accepted  auditing  standards.    Their  report  outlines  the 

nature of their audit and expresses their opinion on the consolidated financial statements of DCM.

The  Board  of  Directors  has  appointed  an  Audit  Committee  composed  of  four  directors  who  are  not  members  of 

management of DCM.  The Audit Committee meets periodically with management and the auditors to discuss internal 

controls  over  the  financial  reporting  process,  auditing  matters  and  financial  reporting  issues.    It  is  responsible  for 

reviewing  DCM’s  annual  and  interim  consolidated  financial  statements  and  the  report  of  the  auditors.    The  Audit 

Committee reports the results of such reviews to the Board of Directors and makes recommendations with respect to 

the  appointment  of  DCM’s  auditors.    In  addition,  the  Board  of  Directors  may  refer  to  the  Audit  Committee  other 

matters and questions relating to the financial position of DCM.

The Board of Directors are responsible for ensuring that management fulfills its responsibilities for financial reporting, 

and are responsible for approving the consolidated financial statements of DCM.

(Signed) "Richard Kellam"   

           (Signed) "James E. Lorimer"

Richard Kellam

James E. Lorimer

President and Chief Executive Officer

Chief Financial Officer

DATA Communications Management Corp.

DATA Communications Management Corp.

March 22, 2021

Brampton, Ontario

47

 
Independent auditor’s report 

To the Shareholders of Data Communications Management Corp. 

Our opinion 

In our opinion, the accompanying consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, 
the financial position of Data Communications Management Corp. and its subsidiaries (together, the 
Company) as at December 31, 2020 and 2019, and its financial performance and its cash flows for the 
years then ended in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the 
International Accounting Standards Board (IFRS). 

What we have audited 
The Company’s consolidated financial statements comprise: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the consolidated statements of financial position as at December 31, 2020 and 2019; 

the consolidated statements of operations for the years then ended; 

the consolidated statements of comprehensive income (loss) for the years then ended; 

the consolidated statements of changes in shareholders’ equity (deficit) for the years then ended; 

the consolidated statements of cash flows for the years then ended; and 

the notes to the consolidated financial statements, which include significant accounting policies and 
other explanatory information. 

Basis for opinion 

We conducted our audit in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards. Our 
responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of 
the consolidated financial statements section of our report. 

We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for 
our opinion. 

Independence 
We are independent of the Company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our 
audit of the consolidated financial statements in Canada. We have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities 
in accordance with these requirements. 

Material uncertainty related to going concern 

We draw attention to note 1 to the consolidated financial statements, which describes events or conditions 
that indicate the existence of a material uncertainty that may cast significant doubt about the Company’s 
ability to continue as a going concern. Our opinion is not modified in respect of this matter. 

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP 
PwC Centre, 354 Davis Road, Suite 600, Oakville, Ontario, Canada L6J 0C5 
T: +1 905 815 6300, F: +1 905 815 6499 

“PwC” refers to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an Ontario limited liability partnership. 

48

Key audit matters 

Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional judgment, were of most significance in our 
audit of the consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2020. These matters were 
addressed in the context of our audit of the consolidated financial statements as a whole, and in forming 
our opinion thereon, and we do not provide a separate opinion on these matters. In addition to the matter 
described in the Material uncertainty related to going concern section, we have determined the matters 
described below to be the key audit matters to be communicated in our report. 

Key audit matter

How our audit addressed the key audit matter

Goodwill impairment assessment – Thistle and 
Perennial cash generating units

Our approach to addressing the matter included 
the following procedures, among others:

Refer to note 2 – Significant accounting policies 
and note 10 – Goodwill to the consolidated 
financial statements.  

The Company had goodwill of $17.0 million as at 
December 31, 2020, which included goodwill 
balances related to the Thistle ($6.6 million) and 
Perennial ($8.7 million) cash generating units 
(CGUs). Management performs a goodwill 
impairment assessment annually at the end of 
each fiscal year or more frequently if events or 
changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying 
value of goodwill may be impaired. Impairment is 
determined by assessing if the carrying value of a 
CGU, including the allocated goodwill, exceeds its 
recoverable amount. As a result of the onset of the 
COVID-19 pandemic, management concluded that 
there were indicators of impairment in the first and 
second quarter of 2020 and performed an 
impairment assessment as at March 31, 2020, 
June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2020. The 
recoverable amounts of the CGUs were 
determined based on their estimated fair value less 
cost of disposal using a discounted cash flow 
method. Management applied considerable 
judgment in estimating the recoverable amounts of 
the Thistle and Perennial CGUs, which included 
the use of significant assumptions relating to 
revenue growth rates, gross margins and discount 
rates. Management concluded that there was no 
impairment of goodwill for the Thistle and Perennial 
CGUs as at December 31, 2020. 

  Tested how management developed the 

recoverable amount estimates of the Thistle 
and Perennial CGUs, which included the 
following: 

  Evaluated the appropriateness of 

management’s discounted cash flow 
models. 

  Tested the underlying data used in the 

discounted cash flow models. 

  Evaluated the reasonableness of 
significant assumptions used by 
management related to revenue growth 
rates and gross margins by considering (i) 
the current and past performance of the 
Thistle and Perennial CGUs; (ii) the 
consistency with external industry data; 
and (iii) whether these assumptions were 
consistent with evidence obtained in other 
areas of the audit. 

  Professionals with specialized skill and 
knowledge were used to assist in the 
evaluation of the appropriateness of 
management’s discounted cash flow 
models and the reasonableness of the 
discount rates assumptions. 

  Assessed the disclosures in the consolidated 
financial statements, including management’s 
sensitivity disclosures on significant 
assumptions related to revenue growth rates, 

49

Key audit matter

How our audit addressed the key audit matter

gross margins and discount rates. 

We considered this a key audit matter due to the 
magnitude of the matter and the considerable 
judgment by management when developing the 
recoverable amount estimates of the Thistle and 
Perennial CGUs. This led to a high degree of 
auditor judgment, subjectivity and effort in 
performing procedures and evaluating 
management’s significant assumptions. The audit 
effort involved the use of professionals with 
specialized skill and knowledge.

Revenue recognition – multiple performance 
obligations 

Our approach to addressing the matter included 
the following procedures, among others:

Refer to note 2 – Significant accounting policies 
and note 25 – Segmented information to the 
consolidated financial statements.

The Company recognized total consolidated 
revenues of $259.3 million for the year ended 
December 31, 2020. Of this amount, $236.0 million 
(91%) related to product sales, $7.7 million (3%) 
related to warehousing services, $8.4 million 
(3.2%) related to freight services and $7.2 million 
(2.8%) related to marketing and other services.

Certain of the Company’s contracts with customers 
include the provision of warehousing, freight, 
marketing and other services, in addition to 
manufacturing or purchase from third parties of 
customized products based on specifications pre-
approved by its customers. For bundled pricing 
arrangements, management allocates the 
transaction price to each performance obligation 
based on their relative stand-alone selling prices. 
Management applied significant judgment in 
determining the stand-alone selling prices in 
allocating revenue between the various 
performance obligations.

We considered this a key audit matter due to the 
significant judgment by management in 
determining the stand-alone selling prices in 
allocating revenue between the various 

  Evaluated the appropriateness of the 

accounting policies on revenue recognition. 

  Tested management's identification of 
performance obligations by examining 
customer contracts on a sample basis. 

  Tested how management determined the 

stand-alone selling prices in allocating revenue 
between the various performance obligations 
on a sample basis, which included the 
following: 

  Obtained the analysis prepared by 

management to determine the stand-alone 
selling price of each performance 
obligation and evaluated the 
appropriateness of the methods used. 

  Analyzed monthly revenues by 

performance obligation compared to the 
prior year. 

  Tested the underlying data used by 

management by examining customer 
contracts, customer orders, invoices, cash 
receipts and accounting records. 

  Evaluated the reasonableness of 

management’s assumptions related to 
estimated stand-alone selling prices by 
comparing the estimated stand-alone 
selling price analysis to non-bundled 

50

Key audit matter

How our audit addressed the key audit matter

performance obligations. This led to a high degree 
of auditor judgment and effort in performing 
procedures and evaluating audit evidence.

pricing arrangements and comparable 
market data, where applicable. 

Provisions for billed trade receivables 

Refer to note 2 – Significant accounting policies 
and note 23 – Financial instruments to the 
consolidated financial statements.

The Company’s gross billed trade receivables of 
$46.7 million are recorded net of a $0.6 million 
provision for estimated price concessions and net 
billed trade receivables are recorded after 
deducting an additional provision for expected 
credit losses (ECLs) of $0.3 million as at 
December 31, 2020. 

When determining the amount of revenue to record 
from contracts with customers, management 
reduces the transaction price for any price 
concessions expected to be provided to customers, 
as revenue can only be recognized to the extent 
that it is highly probable that a significant reversal 
in the amount of revenue will not occur when the 
uncertainty associated with the variable 
consideration is subsequently resolved.

In addition, management applies the simplified 
approach to determine lifetime ECLs on trade 
receivables by using a provision matrix based on 
historical credit loss experiences. The historical 
results are used to calculate the run rates of default 
which are then applied over the expected life of the 
trade receivables, adjusted for forward-looking 
information of economic and other factors (such as 
potential impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic) 
affecting the ability of customers to settle the billed 
trade receivables.

During 2019, the Company underwent a 
transformation of its operational and financial 
reporting systems, implementing a new cloud-
based ERP system company-wide (excluding DCM 

Our approach to addressing the matter included 
the following procedures, among others:

  Tested how management estimated the 

provisions for price concessions and ECLs on 
billed trade receivables as at December 31, 
2020, which included the following: 

  Evaluated the appropriateness of 

management’s methods. 

  Tested the underlying data used in the 

methods. 

  Evaluated the reasonableness of 

management’s assessment of price 
concessions that may need to be given to 
encourage customers to settle older billed 
trade receivables promptly as a result of 
billing issues as well as ECL provisions 
required to reflect impairments of its billed 
trade receivables on a sample basis, which 
included the following: 

o  Considered historical credit losses and 

the potential impact from the  
COVID-19 pandemic. 

o  Tested cash received from customers 

subsequent to year-end. 

o  Tested credit notes issued subsequent 

to year-end. 

o  Obtained confirmation from customers 
in respect of invoices outstanding as at 
December 31, 2020, or inspected 
supporting documents such as 
customer correspondence, shipping 
documents, production records, 
customer orders or inventory records. 

o  Analyzed the unsettled customer 

51

Key audit matter

How our audit addressed the key audit matter

balances over 90 days old and 
inquired with management regarding 
provisions made.  

  Assessed management’s disclosures in the 

consolidated financial statements. 

Burlington, Thistle and Perennial), which affected 
its ability to generate accurate and timely billings to 
its customers. As a result of these billing issues, 
the aging of the Company’s billed trade receivables 
deteriorated and as at December 31, 2020, the 
Company had $7.4 million (16%) of its billed trade 
receivables over 90 days old.

As a result, considerable judgment by 
management is required to determine how the 
deterioration in aging of the Company’s billed trade 
receivables impacts both recorded revenues and 
gross billed trade receivables for price concessions 
that may need to be given to encourage customers 
to settle older amounts promptly as a result of 
billing issues, as well as ECL provisions required to 
reflect impairments of its billed trade receivables.

We considered this a key audit matter due to the 
considerable judgment by management in 
estimating the provisions for price concessions and 
ECLs on billed trade receivables. This led to a high 
degree of auditor judgment, subjectivity and effort 
in performing procedures and evaluating audit 
evidence.

Other information 

Management is responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the Management’s 
Discussion and Analysis, including the CEO’s Letter to Shareholders and the information, other than the 
consolidated financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon, included in the annual report. 

Our opinion on the consolidated financial statements does not cover the other information and we do not 
express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. 

In connection with our audit of the consolidated financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other 
information identified above and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially 
inconsistent with the consolidated financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit, or 
otherwise appears to be materially misstated. 

If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other 
information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothing to report in this regard.

52

Responsibilities of management and those charged with governance for the 
consolidated financial statements 

Management is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of the consolidated financial 
statements in accordance with IFRS, and for such internal control as management determines is 
necessary to enable the preparation of consolidated financial statements that are free from material 
misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. 

In preparing the consolidated financial statements, management is responsible for assessing the 
Company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going 
concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless management either intends to liquidate 
the Company or to cease operations, or has no realistic alternative but to do so. 

Those charged with governance are responsible for overseeing the Company’s financial reporting 
process.  

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the consolidated financial statements 

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements as 
a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s 
report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a 
guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards 
will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and 
are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence 
the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these consolidated financial statements. 

As part of an audit in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards, we exercise 
professional judgment and maintain professional skepticism throughout the audit. We also: 

 

Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, 
whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and 
obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of 
not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, 
as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of 
internal control. 

  Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures 
that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the 
effectiveness of the Company’s internal control. 

  Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting 

estimates and related disclosures made by management. 

  Conclude on the appropriateness of management’s use of the going concern basis of accounting and, 
based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or 
conditions that may cast significant doubt on the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. If 

53

we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our auditor’s report 
to the related disclosures in the consolidated financial statements or, if such disclosures are 
inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to 
the date of our auditor’s report. However, future events or conditions may cause the Company to 
cease to continue as a going concern.  



Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the consolidated financial statements,
including the disclosures, and whether the consolidated financial statements represent the underlying
transactions and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation.

 Obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding the financial information of the entities or
business activities within the Company to express an opinion on the consolidated financial
statements. We are responsible for the direction, supervision and performance of the group audit. We
remain solely responsible for our audit opinion.

We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope 
and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control 
that we identify during our audit.  

We also provide those charged with governance with a statement that we have complied with relevant 
ethical requirements regarding independence, and to communicate with them all relationships and other 
matters that may reasonably be thought to bear on our independence, and where applicable, related 
safeguards. 

From the matters communicated with those charged with governance, we determine those matters that 
were of most significance in the audit of the consolidated financial statements of the current period and are 
therefore the key audit matters. We describe these matters in our auditor’s report unless law or regulation 
precludes public disclosure about the matter or when, in extremely rare circumstances, we determine that a 
matter should not be communicated in our report because the adverse consequences of doing so would 
reasonably be expected to outweigh the public interest benefits of such communication. 

The engagement partner on the audit resulting in this independent auditor’s report is Simon Kent.

/s/PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Chartered Professional Accountants, Licensed Public Accountants 

Oakville, Ontario 
March 22, 2021 

54

DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Consolidated statements of financial position

(in thousands of Canadian dollars)

ASSETS
CURRENT ASSETS

Cash and cash equivalents
Trade receivables (note 5)
Inventories (note 6)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets 

NON-CURRENT ASSETS
Other non-current assets
Deferred income tax assets (note 15)
Restricted cash (note 13)
Property, plant and equipment (note 7)
Right-of-use assets (note 8)
Pension assets (note 16)
Intangible assets (note 9)
Goodwill (note 10)

LIABILITIES
CURRENT LIABILITIES

Bank overdraft (note 13)
Trade payables and accrued liabilities
Current portion of credit facilities (notes 1 and 13)
Current portion of promissory notes (note 14)
Current portion of lease liabilities (note 12)
Provisions (note 11)
Income taxes payable (note 15)
Deferred revenue

NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES

Provisions (note 11)
Credit facilities (notes 1 and 13)
Promissory notes (note 14)
Lease liabilities (note 12)
Deferred income tax liabilities (note 15)
Pension obligations (note 16)
Other post-employment benefit plans (note 17)

EQUITY
SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY / (DEFICIT)

Shares (note 18)
Warrants (note 18)
Contributed surplus 
Translation reserve
Deficit

December 31, 2020 December 31, 2019

$ 

578  $ 

65,290 
8,514 
1,521 
75,903 

581 
3,163 
515 
9,783 
42,341 
203 
14,459 
16,973 

163,921  $ 

—  $ 

39,999 
6,172 
1,154 
8,032 
1,186 
1,608 
2,798 
60,949 

90 
39,567 
975 
40,321 
282 
8,271 
3,507 
153,962  $ 

256,260  $ 
850 
2,354 
192 

(249,697)   

9,959  $ 
163,921  $ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 
$ 

— 
86,451 
12,580 
2,611 
101,642 

828 
6,648 
515 
13,062 
56,381 
156 
18,167 
16,973 
214,372 

1,093 
51,743 
3,887 
492 
8,252 
3,886 
2,068 
2,133 
73,554 

192 
74,760 
2,095 
53,514 
402 
7,958 
2,938 
215,413 

256,045 
853 
2,300 
254 
(260,493) 
(1,041) 
214,372 

General Information and Going Concern (note 1); Commitments and Contingencies (note 21); Subsequent Events (note 28)

Approved by Board of Directors

(Signed) "J.R. Kingsley Ward"            Director 

    (Signed) "Gregory J. Cochrane"         Director

55

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

DATA Communications Management Corp.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except per share amounts)

REVENUES (note 25)

COST OF REVENUES

GROSS PROFIT

EXPENSES

Selling, commissions and expenses

General and administration expenses

Restructuring expenses (note 11)

For the year ended 
December 31, 2020

For the year ended 
December 31, 2019

$ 

259,314  $ 

282,876 

186,372 

72,942 

26,424 

32,460 

2,821 

61,705 

213,611 

69,265 

32,946 

34,144 

7,489 

74,579 

INCOME (LOSS) BEFORE FINANCE COSTS, OTHER INCOME, 
AND INCOME TAXES

11,237 

(5,314) 

FINANCE COSTS

Interest expense on long term debt and pensions, net

Interest expense on lease liabilities (note 12)

Debt modification losses (notes 13 and 14)

Amortization of transaction costs

OTHER INCOME

Government grant income (note 27)

INCOME (LOSS) BEFORE INCOME TAXES

INCOME TAX (RECOVERY) EXPENSE 

Current (note 15)

Deferred (note 15)

NET INCOME (LOSS) FOR THE YEAR

BASIC EARNINGS (LOSS) PER SHARE (note 19)

DILUTED EARNINGS (LOSS) PER SHARE (note 19)

2,819 

3,257 

703 

553 

7,332 

10,708 

14,613 

(491)   

3,598 

3,107 

5,307 

3,609 

3,858 

465 

13,239 

— 

(18,553) 

(105) 

(4,461) 

(4,566) 

$ 

$ 

$ 

11,506  $ 

(13,987) 

0.27  $ 

0.27  $ 

(0.65) 

(0.65) 

56

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Consolidated statements of comprehensive income (loss)

(in thousands of Canadian dollars)

For the year ended 
December 31, 2020

For the year ended 
December 31, 2019

NET INCOME (LOSS) FOR THE YEAR

$ 

11,506  $ 

(13,987) 

OTHER COMPREHENSIVE (LOSS) INCOME:

ITEMS THAT MAY BE RECLASSIFIED SUBSEQUENTLY TO 
NET INCOME (LOSS)

Foreign currency translation

ITEMS THAT WILL NOT BE RECLASSIFIED TO NET INCOME 
(LOSS)

Re-measurements of pension and other post-employment 
benefit obligations 

Taxes related to pension and other post-employment benefit 
adjustment above 

(62)   

(62)   

(949)   

239 

(710)   

12 

12 

118 

(30) 

88 

OTHER COMPREHENSIVE (LOSS) INCOME FOR THE YEAR, 
NET OF TAX

COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) FOR THE YEAR

$ 

$ 

(772)  $ 

100 

10,734  $ 

(13,887) 

57

 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

DATA Communications Management Corp.

Consolidated statements of changes in shareholders' equity (deficit)

(in thousands of Canadian 
dollars)

Balance as at December 31, 
2018

Net loss for the year

Other comprehensive income 
for the year

Total comprehensive loss for 
the year

Issuance of common shares, 
net (note 18)

Expiration of warrants (note 
18)

Share-based compensation 
expense (note 18)

Issuance and repricing of 
warrants, net (note 18)

Balance as at December 31, 
2019

BALANCE AS AT 
DECEMBER 31, 2019

Net income for the year

Other comprehensive loss for 
the year

Total comprehensive income 
for the year

Issuance of common shares 
(note 18)

Exercise of warrants (note 18)

Share-based compensation 
expense (note 18)

Issuance of warrants, net 
(note 18)

BALANCE AS AT 
DECEMBER 31, 2020

Shares

Warrants

Contributed 
surplus

Translation 
reserve

Deficit

Total equity 

$ 

251,217  $ 

806  $ 

1,841  $ 

242  $ 

(246,594)  $ 

7,512 

—   

—   

—   

—   

—   

—   

—   

—   

—   

—   

12   

(13,987)   

(13,987) 

88   

100 

12   

(13,899)   

(13,887) 

4,828   

—   

—   

—   

—   

—   

(269)   

269   

—   

190   

316   

—   

—   

—   

—   

—   

—   

—   

—   

—   

4,828 

— 

190 

316 

$ 

256,045  $ 

853  $ 

2,300  $ 

254  $ 

(260,493)  $ 

(1,041) 

$ 

256,045  $ 

853  $ 

2,300  $ 

254  $ 

(260,493)  $ 

(1,041) 

—   

—   

—   

80   

135   

—   

—   

—   

—   

—   

—   

(42)   

—   

39   

—   

—   

—   

—   

—   

54   

— 

—   

11,506   

11,506 

(62)   

(710)   

(772) 

(62)   

10,796   

10,734 

—   

—   

—   

— 

—   

—   

—   

—   

80 

93 

54 

39 

$ 

256,260  $ 

850  $ 

2,354  $ 

192  $ 

(249,697)  $ 

9,959 

58

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Consolidated statements of cash flows

(in thousands of Canadian dollars)

CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN)
OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net income (loss) for the year
Adjustments to net income (loss)

Depreciation of property, plant and equipment 
Amortization of intangible assets 
Depreciation of right-of-use-assets (note 8)
Interest expense on lease liabilities (note 12)
Share-based compensation expense
Pension expense 
Loss on disposal of property, plant, and equipment
Provisions (note 11)
Amortization of transaction costs and debt modification losses (notes 13 
and 14)
Accretion of non-current liabilities and capitalized interest expense
Other post-employment benefit plans, net
Tax credits recognized
Income tax expense (recovery)

Changes in working capital (note 20)
Contributions made to pension plans, net 
Provisions paid (note 11)
Income taxes received (paid)

INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Purchase of property, plant and equipment 
Purchase of intangible assets 
Proceeds on disposal of property, plant and equipment
Proceeds on sale of business 

FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of common shares and warrants, net (note 18)
Proceeds from credit facilities (note 13)
Repayment of credit facilities (note 13)
Repayment of other liabilities 
Proceeds from promissory notes and warrants (note 14)
Repayment of promissory notes (note 4)
Transaction costs (note 13)
Lease payments (note 12)

CHANGE IN CASH (BANK OVERDRAFT) DURING THE YEAR

(BANK OVERDRAFT) - BEGINNING OF YEAR
EFFECTS OF FOREIGN EXCHANGE ON CASH BALANCES

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS / (BANK OVERDRAFT) - END OF 
YEAR

$ 

$ 

For the year 
ended December 
31, 2020

For the year 
ended December 
31, 2019

$ 

11,506  $ 

(13,987) 

3,541 
4,279 
8,399 
3,257 
54 
487 
— 
2,821 

1,256 

(972)   
514 
— 
3,107 
38,249 
15,944 
(1,116)   
(5,623)   
181 
47,635 

(268)   
(571)   
4 
— 
(835)   

173 
— 

(32,865)   
(333)   
— 
(533)   
(227)   
(11,336)   
(45,121)   

1,679 

(1,093)  $ 

(8)   

3,959 
3,962 
8,940 
3,609 
190 
596 
72 
7,489 

4,327 
290 
(73) 
(94) 
(4,566) 
14,714 
(7,122) 
(989) 
(6,543) 
(871) 
(811) 

(1,036) 
(3,878) 
300 
675 
(3,939) 

4,798 
26,099 
(8,495) 
(400) 
1,000 
(3,905) 
(533) 
(10,904) 
7,660 

2,910 

(3,999) 
(4) 

578  $ 

(1,093) 

59

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

1  General information, basis of preparation and going concern

DATA  Communications  Management  Corp  ("DCM"  or  the  "Company")  is  a  communications  solutions  partner  that 
provides  a  suite  of  comprehensive  on  and  offline  communication  solutions  to  its  clients  including  multi  media 
campaign  management,  location-specific  marketing,1:1  marketing,  execution  of  custom  loyalty  programs,  brand 
management,  as  well  as  fulfilling  their  commercial  printing  needs.  The  Company  has  locations  throughout  Canada 
and in the United States (Chicago, Illinois). 

DCM’s revenue is subject to mailing patterns of certain customers. Typically, higher revenues and profit are generated 
in  the  first  quarter  relative  to  the  other  three  quarters,  however  this  can  vary  from  time  to  time  by  changes  in 
customers' purchasing decisions throughout the year.  As a result, DCM’s revenue and financial performance for any 
single quarter may not be indicative of revenue and financial performance which may be expected for the full year. 

These financial statements have been prepared using International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the 
International Accounting Standards Board ("IFRS") applicable to a going concern, which contemplates the realization 
of assets and settlement of liabilities in the normal course of business as they become due.

The Company’s liquidity position and financial results have improved over the past year, due to: (i) improving margins 
from  cost  containment  initiatives,  (ii)  the  support  of  the  Federal  government’s  Canada  Emergency  Wage  Subsidy 
program (note 27),  (iii) better matching of the timing of production and invoicing by converting clients from a legacy 
billing  practice  of  billing  on  shipment  (known  as  “bill  as  released”  or  BAR)  to  billing  on  production,  and  (iv) 
improvement  in  aged  collections,  billing  accuracies  and  cash  flow  management,  all  of  which  have  contributed  to  a 
reduction in outstanding credit facility balances. In addition, the ability to weather the COVID storm in 2020 through 
new  business  opportunities,  cost  containment  and  cash  flow  management,  has  given  the  Company  additional 
confidence  and  financial  strength  to  sustain  through  the  extended  pandemic.  However,  there  continues  to  be 
significant  uncertainty  as  to  the  length  and  long-term  impact  that  the  current  COVID-19  (see  COVID-19  section 
below)  pandemic  could  have  on  the  Company’s  financial  performance  including  the  amount  of  further  government 
financial  support  that  could  be  available  to  the  Company,  and  accordingly  its  ability  to  meet  its  future  financial 
covenants, as there is no forecasted headroom in certain financial covenants over the next twelve months if sales do 
not recover from the levels experienced since the COVID pandemic began, in the event that the Company does not 
take  additional  actions.  These  factors  may  cast  significant  doubt  as  to  the  ability  of  the  Company  to  meet  its 
obligations as they come due and, accordingly, the appropriateness of the use of accounting principles applicable to a 
going concern. 

The  Company's  ability  to  continue  as  a  going  concern  is  dependent  upon  its  ability  to  comply  with  its  financial 
covenants for at least the next twelve months which is contingent on management’s ability to meet forecast revenue, 
profitability and cash collection targets and take actions to address operating and financial challenges resulting from 
COVID-19, or continue to obtain financial covenant waivers from such lenders' as may otherwise be necessary.  DCM 
management  plans  to  continue  its  focus  on  finding  additional  operating  efficiencies,  reducing  selling,  general  and 
administrative expenses, continuing to convert clients away from BAR, and streamlining our invoicing and collections 
processes.  To  the  extent  practical,  management  intends  to  seek  waivers  in  advance  of  anticipated  covenant 
breaches.  

The estimate of future cash flows in the Company’s latest forecasts include a number of key assumptions to support 
the financial covenant calculations, specifically related to revenues and gross margins (which in turn impact earnings 
before  interest,  income  taxes,  depreciation  and  amortization  (EBITDA)  and  the  timing  of  cash  collections).  The 
estimates  of  forecasted  compliance  with  financial  covenants  are  sensitive  to  those  assumptions  particularly  to  the 
ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the effects and duration of which are difficult to project with respect to the 
Company’s business and financial results (note 13). 

There can be no assurances that DCM will be successful in meeting its financial covenants for at least the next twelve 
months or that future waivers will be provided by the lenders if the covenants are not met. 

60

DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

These  financial  statements  do  not  reflect  the  adjustments  to  the  carrying  values  of  assets  and  liabilities  and  the 
reported expenses and balance sheet classifications that would be necessary if the Company were unable to realize 
its assets and settle its liabilities as a going concern in the normal course of operations. Such adjustments could be 
material. 

COVID-19

On  March  11,  2020,  the  World  Health  Organization  declared  the  outbreak  of  a  strain  of  novel  coronavirus  disease, 
(“COVID-19”), a global pandemic.  Governments in affected areas in which the Company operates have imposed a 
number  of  measures  designed  to  contain  the  outbreak,  including  business  closures,  travel  restrictions,  quarantines 
and cancellations of gatherings and events.  The impacts on the global economy have been far-reaching, however, 
due to the speed with which the situation developed and the uncertainty of its magnitude, outcome and duration it is 
not possible to quantify the impact this pandemic may have on the financial results and condition of DCM in future 
periods. 

Management  of  DCM  has  been  closely  monitoring  developments  related  to  COVID-19,  including  the  current  and 
potential  impact  on  global  and  local  economies  in  the  jurisdictions  where  it  operates.    While  safeguarding  the  well-
being  of  individuals  is  the  Company’s  principal  concern,  it  remains  focused  on  continuity  plans  and  preparedness 
measures  at  each  of  its  locations.    Several  measures  designed  to  ensure  continued  operation  were  implemented, 
including  temporary  layoffs  of  up  to  182  employees,  shift  reductions,  reductions  in  non-essential  spending  and 
deferral of other expenses and payments where practical and application for certain government programs (note 27) 
and the Company continues to evaluate and assess further actions.  In addition, the Company sharpened its focus on 
working capital, reduced raw materials inventory and improved its accounts receivable balance. Despite these efforts 
it is possible that during an extended pandemic the operation of one or more of DCM’s production facilities could be 
disrupted.  In these circumstances DCM may need to limit operations or be temporarily shut down.  Although many of 
DCM customers’ products serve essential everyday needs, it is likely that the customer demand for these customer 
products could continue to deteriorate due to the slowing economy. 

Despite DCM’s business continuing to operate as an essential services provider to a number of industries, including 
the  healthcare,  financial  services  and  supply  chain  sectors,  the  Company  has  experienced  a  reduction  in  demand 
from certain clients and sectors due to the pandemic, particularly in its retail related business and from smaller and 
more  transactional  clients.  The  Company  was  able  to  offset  partially  the  impact  of  the  pandemic  through  sales  of 
personal  protective  equipment  ("PPE"),  COVID  signage  and  other  prevention  products.  While  the  Company  is 
anticipating  sales  to  start  to  recover  in  2021  as  vaccines  are  rolled  out  and  businesses  reopen,  it  is  not  currently 
possible  to  accurately  quantify  the  long-term  impact  of  the  pandemic  on  the  Company’s  operations  or  financial 
results.    These  possible  impacts  can  be  caused  by  both  the  pandemic  itself  as  well  as  by  the  extensive  public 
restrictions to continue limiting the spread of the virus and may differ in various business areas and DCM’s operating 
locations and timing of the loosening of various restrictions on businesses and the general public. During the second 
COVID  province  wide  shut  down,  the  Company  continued  to  pursue  new  business  and  renewed  several  key 
customer contracts. 

To  date,  DCM  has  not  experienced  any  material  disruptions  in  its  supply  chain  due  to  COVID-19.    Nor  has  DCM 
experienced  any  material  credit  collection  delinquencies  related  to  COVID-19,  although  certain  customers  have 
stretched their payment terms. 

The  common  shares  of  DCM  are  listed  on  the  Toronto  Stock  Exchange  (“TSX”)  under  the  symbol  “DCM”.    The 
address of the registered office of DCM is 9195 Torbram Road, Brampton, Ontario.

These  consolidated  financial  statements  were  approved  by  the  Board  of  Directors  ("Board")  of  DCM,  on March  22, 
2021. 

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DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

2  Significant accounting policies 

The  significant  accounting  policies  set  out  below  have  been  applied  consistently  to  all  periods  presented  in  these 
consolidated financial statements except for the accounting policy changes as described in note 3.

BASIS OF MEASUREMENT

The  consolidated  financial  statements  have  been  prepared  under  the  historical  cost  convention,  except  for  the 
revaluation of certain financial assets and financial liabilities to fair value, including derivative instruments.

Fair value is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction 
between  market  participants  at  the  measurement  date,  regardless  of  whether  that  price  is  directly  observable  or 
estimated  using  another  valuation  technique.    In  estimating  the  fair  value  of  an  asset  or  liability,  DCM  takes  into 
account the characteristics of the asset or liability if market participants would take those characteristics into account 
when pricing the asset or liability at the measurement date.  Fair value for measurement and/or disclosure purposes 
in  these  consolidated  financial  statements  is  determined  on  such  a  basis,  except  for  share-based  payment 
transactions that are within the scope of IFRS  2 Share based-payments, IFRS 16 Leases, and measurements  that 
have some similarities to fair value but are not fair value, such as net realizable value in IAS 2 Inventories or value in 
use in IAS 36 Impairment of assets.

In addition, for financial reporting purposes, fair value measurements are categorized into Level 1, 2 or 3 based on 
the degree to which the inputs to the fair value measurements are observable and the significance of the inputs to the 
fair value measurements in its entirety, which are described as follows:

•

•

•

Level 1 inputs are quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the entity can 
access at the measurement date;

Level 2 inputs are inputs, other than quoted prices included within Level 1; that are observable for the asset or 
liability; either directly or indirectly; and 

Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs for the asset or liability.

PRINCIPLES OF CONSOLIDATION

The  consolidated  financial  statements  include  the  accounts  of  DCM  and  its  subsidiaries.  All  intercompany 
transactions,  balances  and  unrealized  gains  and  losses  from  intercompany  transactions  are  eliminated  upon 
consolidation.

i.Subsidiaries

Subsidiaries are all entities (including structured entities) over which DCM has control.  Control exists when DCM is 
exposed to, or has the rights to, variable returns from its involvement with the entity and has the ability to affect those 
returns through its power over the entity.  Subsidiaries are fully consolidated from the date which control is obtained.  
They are deconsolidated from the date that control ceases. DCM has two wholly owned subsidiaries, Perennial Inc. 
("Perennial") (in Canada) and Data Communications Management (US) Corp. ("DCM USA") (in USA) (note 25). 

ii.Changes in ownership interests in subsidiaries without change of control

Transactions with non-controlling interests that do not result in loss of control are accounted for as equity transactions 
–  that  is,  as  transactions  with  the  owners  in  their  capacity  as  owners.  The  difference  between  fair  value  of  any 
consideration paid and the relevant share acquired of the carrying value of net assets of the subsidiary is recorded in 
equity.  Gains or losses on disposals to non-controlling interests are also recorded in equity.

62

DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

iii.Disposal of subsidiaries

When DCM ceases to have control, any retained interest in the entity is re-measured to its fair value at the date when 
control  is  lost,  with  the  change  in  carrying  amount  recognized  in  profit  or  loss.  The  fair  value  is  the  initial  carrying 
amount  for  the  purposes  of  subsequently  accounting  for  the  retained  interest  as  an  associate,  joint  venture  or 
financial asset. In addition, any amounts previously recognized in other comprehensive loss in respect of that entity 
are  accounted  for  as  if  DCM  had  directly  disposed  of  the  related  assets  or  liabilities. This  may  mean  that  amounts 
previously recognized in other comprehensive income (loss) are reclassified to the statement of operations.

BUSINESS COMBINATIONS

Business combinations are accounted for using the acquisition method, and their operating results are included in the 
consolidated financial statements as of the acquisition date.  The consideration transferred is the total fair value of the 
assets acquired, equity instruments issued, liabilities incurred or assumed by DCM and contingent considerations, on 
the acquisition date, in exchange for control of the acquired entity.  The excess of the consideration transferred over 
the  fair  value  of  the  identifiable  assets  acquired  and  liabilities  assumed  is  recognized  as  goodwill.   The  transaction 
costs attributable to the acquisition are recognized in the statement of operations when they are incurred.

If the agreement includes a contingent consideration, it is measured at fair value as of the acquisition date and added 
to the consideration transferred, and a liability for the same amount is recognized.  Any subsequent change to the fair 
value of the contingent consideration will be recognized in the statement of operations.

If  the  initial  recognition  of  the  business  combination  is  incomplete  when  the  financial  statements  are  issued  for  the 
period during which the acquisition occurred, DCM records a provisional amount for the items for which measurement 
is incomplete.  Adjustments to the original recognition of the business combination will be recorded as an adjustment 
to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed during the measurement period, and the adjustments must be applied 
retroactively.  The measurement period is the period from the acquisition date to the date on which DCM has received 
complete information on the facts and circumstances that existed as of the acquisition date.

If a business combination is achieved in stages, DCM reassesses the share it held previously in the acquiree at fair 
value at the acquisition date and includes the gain or loss resulting, if any, to the statement of operations.

In the case of a business combination of less than 100%, a non-controlling interest is measured, either at fair value or 
at  the  non-controlling  interest's  share  of  the  net  identifiable  assets  of  the  acquiree.    The  basis  of  measurement  is 
determined on a transaction-by-transaction basis.

FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSLATION

Items included in the financial statements of each entity within DCM are measured using the currency of the primary 
economic  environment  in  which  the  entity  operates  (the  “functional  currency”).    These  consolidated  financial 
statements are presented in Canadian dollars, which is DCM’s functional currency.  The functional currency of DCM’s 
United States operations is U.S. dollars.  All financial information presented in Canadian dollars has been rounded to 
the nearest thousand.

Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into each entity's functional currency 
at rates of exchange in effect at the statement of financial position date.  Revenues and expenses denominated in 
foreign  currencies  are  translated  into  each  entity's  functional  currency  at  rates  prevailing  on  the  transaction  dates.  
Gains  and  losses  resulting  from  translation  of  monetary  assets  and  liabilities  denominated  in  currencies  other  than 
each entity's functional currency are included in the determination of income for the year.

The assets and liabilities of foreign operations, including goodwill and fair value adjustments arising on acquisitions, 
are  translated  to  Canadian  dollars  at  exchange  rates  at  the  reporting  date.    The  income  and  expenses  of  foreign 
operations  are  translated  to  Canadian  dollars  at  average  exchange  rate  during  the  period.    Foreign  currency 
differences are recognized in other comprehensive income (loss) in the foreign currency translation reserve account.

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DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS

Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash on hand, deposits held with banks and bank overdraft and highly liquid 
short-term interest bearing securities with maturities of three months or less at the date of purchase.

INVENTORIES

Raw materials inventories, base stock finished goods and work-in-progress are recorded at the lower of cost and net 
realizable value.  Raw materials are recorded on a weighted average cost basis.  Cost of finished goods and work-in-
process  are  determined  using  the  first-in,  first-out  method.  Inventory  manufactured  includes  the  cost  of  materials, 
labour and production overheads (based on normal operating capacity) including applicable depreciation on property, 
plant and equipment.  Net realizable value is the estimated selling price less cost to complete and applicable selling 
expenses.

PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT

Property, plant and equipment are recorded at cost less accumulated depreciation and impairments.  Costs include 
expenditures that are directly attributable to the acquisition of the asset.  Subsequent costs are included in the asset’s 
carrying  value  or  recognized  as  a  separate  asset,  as  appropriate,  only  when  it  is  probable  that  future  economic 
benefits associated with the item will flow to DCM and the cost can be measured reliably.  The carrying value of a 
replaced asset is derecognized when replaced.  Maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred.  Property, plant 
and equipment are depreciated from the point at which the asset is ready for use. Depreciation is computed using the 
methods and rates based on the estimated useful lives of the property, plant and equipment as outlined below:

Leasehold improvements

Office furniture and equipment

Presses and printing equipment

Computer hardware 

Vehicles

Basis
 straight-line

 straight-line

 straight-line

 straight-line

 straight-line

Rate
   Shorter of life or 
lease term

   5 years  

  3 to 10 years

   2 to 5 years

3 years

DCM allocates the amount initially recognized in respect of an item of property, plant and equipment to its significant 
parts and depreciates separately each such part.  Residual values, the method of depreciation and useful lives of the 
assets are reviewed annually and adjusted if appropriate.

Gains and losses on disposals of property, plant and equipment are determined by comparing the proceeds with the 
carrying amount of the asset and are included in general and administration expenses in the statement of operations.

INTANGIBLE ASSETS

Separately acquired intangible assets are initially measured at cost. Customer relationships, tradenames, trademarks 
and non-compete agreements acquired in a business combination are recognised at fair value at the acquisition date 
which  is  their  deemed  cost.  Where  these  assets  have  a  finite  life,  they  are  subsequently  carried  at  cost  less 
accumulated amortization and impairment losses. 

Research  costs  are  recognized  as  an  expense  as  incurred.    Development  costs  that  are  directly  attributable  to  the 
design  and  testing  of  identifiable  and  unique  software  products  controlled  by  DCM  are  recognized  as  intangible 
assets when the following criteria are met:

•

it is technically feasible to complete the software so that it will be available for use

• management intends to complete the software and use or sell it

•

there is an ability to use or sell the software

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DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

•

•

•

it can be demonstrated how the software will generate probable future economic benefits

adequate  technical,  financial  and  other  resources  to  complete  the  development  and  to  use  or  sell  the 
software are available, and

the expenditure attributable to the software during its development can be reliably measured.

Directly  attributable  costs  that  are  capitalized  as  part  of  the  software  include  employee  costs  and  an  appropriate 
portion of relevant overheads.  Capitalized development costs are recorded as intangible assets and amortized from 
the point at which the asset is ready for use.

Management’s judgment is required to determine the useful lives of intangible assets including reviewing the length of 
customer relationships and other factors.  These finite life assets are amortized over their estimated useful lives as 
outlined below.

Customer relationships and customer backlog

Software and technology

Computer software development costs 

Basis

 straight-line

 straight-line

 straight-line

Trademarks, trade names and non-compete agreements

 straight-line

Rate

   1.5 to 12 years

  1 to 7 years

1 to 5 years

   2 to 10 years

Residual  values,  the  method  of  amortization  and  useful  lives  of  the  assets  are  reviewed  annually  and  adjusted  if 
appropriate.

GOODWILL

Goodwill represents the excess of the aggregate of consideration transferred in a business combination and the non-
controlling  interest  in  the  acquired  business  over  the  fair  value  of  net  identifiable  assets  and  liabilities  acquired.  
Adjustments  to  fair  value  assessments  are  recorded  to  goodwill  over  the  measurement  period,  not  exceeding  one 
year from the date of acquisition.  Goodwill is allocated to the cash generating unit (“CGU”) or a group of CGUs to 
which it relates.  A CGU is an identifiable group of assets that are largely independent of the cash flows from other 
assets or group of assets, which is not higher than an operating segment.

Goodwill  is  evaluated  for  impairment  annually  or  more  frequently  if  events  or  circumstances  indicate  there  may  be 
impairment.    Impairment  is  determined  for  goodwill  by  assessing  if  the  carrying  value  of  a  cash  generating  unit, 
including the allocated goodwill, exceeds its recoverable amount determined as the greater of the estimated fair value 
less  costs  to  sell  or  the  value  in  use.    Impairment  losses  recognized  in  respect  of  a  CGU  are  first  allocated  to  the 
carrying  value  of  goodwill  and  any  excess  is  allocated  to  the  carrying  amount  of  assets  in  the  CGU.   Any  goodwill 
impairment is charged to income in the period in which the impairment is identified.  Impairment losses on goodwill 
are not subsequently reversed.

IMPAIRMENT OF NON-FINANCIAL ASSETS

Property, plant and equipment and definite life intangible assets are tested for impairment when events or changes in 
circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable.  For the purpose of measuring recoverable 
amounts, assets are grouped at the lowest levels for which there are separately identifiable cash flows (CGUs).  The 
recoverable amount is the higher of an asset’s fair value less costs of disposal and value in use (being the present 
value of the expected future cash flows of the relevant asset or CGU).  The projections of future cash flows take into 
account  the  relevant  operating  plans  and  management’s  best  estimate  of  the  most  probable  set  of  conditions 
anticipated  to  prevail  including  a  number  of  estimates  and  assumptions  such  as  projected  revenue  growth  rates, 
gross margin and discount rates.

An  impairment  loss  is  recognized  for  the  amount  by  which  the  asset’s  carrying  amount  exceeds  its  recoverable 
amount.  Impairment losses are recorded as impairment provisions within accumulated depreciation for depreciable 
assets.    DCM  evaluates  impairment  losses,  other  than  goodwill  impairment,  for  potential  reversals  when  events  or 

65

DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

circumstances warrant such consideration.  Where an impairment loss subsequently reverses the carrying amount of 
the asset or CGU is increased to the lesser of the revised estimate of recoverable amount and the carrying amount 
that would have been recorded had no impairment loss been recognized previously.

SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION

DCM has share-based compensation plans as part of DCM’s long-term incentive plan, as described in note 18.  All 
transactions involving share-based payments are recognized as an expense in the statement of operations over the 
vesting period.

Equity-settled share-based payment transactions, such as stock option awards, are measured at the grant date at the 
fair value of employee services received in exchange for the grant of options or share awards and, for non-employee 
transactions, at the fair value of the goods or services received at the date on which the entity recognizes the goods 
or services.  The total amount of the expense recognized in the statement of operations is determined by reference to 
the fair value of the share awards or options granted, which factors in the number of options expected to vest.  Equity-
settled share-based payment transactions are not remeasured once the grant date fair value has been determined.

Cash-settled  share-based  payment  transactions  are  measured  at  the  fair  value  of  the  liability.    The  liability  is 
remeasured  at  each  reporting  date  and  at  the  date  of  settlement,  with  changes  in  fair  value  recognized  in  the 
statement of operations.

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

DCM  maintains  a  defined  benefit  and  defined  contribution  pension  plan  (the  “DATA  Communications  Management 
Pension Plan”) for some of its employees.  Pension benefits are primarily based on years of service, compensation 
and accrued contributions with investment earnings.  DCM's funding policy is to fund the annual amount required to 
meet or exceed the minimum statutory requirements.  Actuarial valuations are required to be completed every three 
years.

DCM also contributes to the Québec Graphic Communication Pension Plan (the “GCPP”) for certain employees at its 
Drummondville  plant  in  Québec.    Prior  to  2018  contributions  were  made  to  a  similar  plan,  the  Québec  Graphics 
Communications  Supplemental  Retirement  and  Disability  Fund  (the  "SRDF").    Effective  December  31st,  2017,  the 
SRDF was merged into the GCPP and this merger was approved by the Québec pension authorities in October 2019.  
In addition, DCM sponsors a number of multi-employer, defined benefit employee pension and non-pension benefit 
plans  which  are  administered  by  Unifor  Local  591G  for  the  hourly  employees  of Thistle  ("Unifor  Pension  &  Benefit 
Plans").  The  GCPP,  SRDF  and  Unifor  Pension  &  Benefit  Plans  provide  post-employment  benefits  to  unionized 
employees  in  the  printing  industry  jointly-trusteed  by  representatives  of  the  employers  and  the  unions.  DCM's 
obligation  to  the  GCPP,  SRDF  and  Unifor  Pension  &  Benefit  Plans  are  limited  to  the  amounts  agreed  to  in  the 
respective collective bargaining agreements of each plan.

Certain former senior executives of a predecessor corporation participated in a Supplementary Executive Retirement 
Plan (“SERP”), which provides for pension benefits payable as a single life annuity with a five year guarantee.

(a)

Defined contribution plan

A  defined  contribution  plan  is  a  post-employment  benefit  plan  under  which  an  entity  pays  fixed  contributions  into  a 
separate  entity  and  has  no  legal  or  constructive  obligation  to  pay  further  amounts.    Pension  benefits  for  defined 
contribution  formula  are  based  on  the  accrued  contributions  with  investment  earnings.    DCM’s  annual  pension 
expense is based on the amounts contributed in respect of eligible employees when they are due.

(b)

Defined benefit plans

A defined benefit plan is a post-employment benefit plan other than a defined contribution plan.  Pension benefits for 
the  defined  benefit  formula  are  generally  calculated  based  on  the  number  of  years  of  service  and  the  maximum 
average eligible earnings of each employee during any period of five consecutive years.  DCM accrues its obligations 

66

DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

for the defined benefit provision and related costs, net of plan assets, where applicable.  The cost of pensions earned 
by  employees  covered  by  these  plans  are  actuarially  determined  using  the  projected  unit  credit  method  taking  into 
account  management’s  best  estimate  of  salary  escalation,  retirement  ages  and  longevity  of  employees,  where 
applicable.  When the calculation results in a benefit to DCM, the recognized asset is limited to the present value of 
economic benefits available in the form of any future refunds from the plan or reductions in future contributions to the 
plan.    In  order  to  calculate  the  present  value  of  economic  benefits,  consideration  is  given  to  any  minimum  funding 
requirements that apply to any plan in DCM.  An economic benefit is available to DCM if it is realizable during the life 
of the plan, or on settlement of the plan liabilities.

Improvements  to  the  pension  plans  are  recognized  as  past  service  costs  in  the  period  of  the  plan  amendment.  
Current service costs are expensed in the period that the benefits are accrued.  Current service costs, administration 
costs and past services costs are recognized as period costs in general and administration expenses in the statement 
of operations.  Net interest is calculated by applying the discount rate at the beginning of the period to the net benefit 
liability or asset and is recognized in finance costs (income) in the statement of operations.

The  discount  rate  used  to  determine  the  accrued  benefit  obligation  is  determined  by  reference  to  yields  on  high 
quality corporate bonds and that have terms to maturity approximating the terms of the related pension liability.

Actuarial gains and losses arise from the difference between actual rate of return on plan assets and the discount rate 
for  that  period,  from  changes  in  actuarial  assumptions  used  to  determine  the  accrued  benefit  obligation  and  from 
changes to accrued benefit obligation resulting from actual experience differing from long-term assumptions used to 
determine the accrued benefit obligation.  Re-measurements, comprising actuarial gains and losses, the effect of the 
changes  to  the  asset  ceiling  (if  applicable)  and  the  actual  return  on  plan  assets  (excluding  interest),  is  reflected 
immediately in the statement of financial position with a charge or credit recognized in other comprehensive income 
(loss)  in  the  period  in  which  they  occur.    Re-measurements  recognized  in  other  comprehensive  income  (loss)  are 
reflected immediately in retained earnings (deficit) and will not be reclassified to the statement of operations.

The  retirement  benefit  obligation  recognized  in  the  statement  of  financial  position  represents  the  actual  deficit  or 
surplus in the DCM’s defined benefit plans.  When the payment in the future of minimum funding requirements related 
to  past  service  would  result  in  a  net  defined  benefit  surplus  or  an  increase  in  a  surplus,  the  minimum  funding 
requirements are recognized as a liability to the extent that the surplus would not be fully available as a refund or a 
reduction in future contributions to the plans.

A liability for termination benefits is recognized at the earlier of when the entity can no longer withdraw the offer of the 
termination benefit and when the entity recognizes any related restructuring costs.  Termination benefits that require 
future services are required to be recognized over the periods the future services are provided.

The SERP is unfunded.

The GCPP and the Unifor Pension & Benefit Plans are negotiated contribution, defined benefit multi-employer plans, 
however, the trustees of these plans are not able to provide sufficient information for DCM to account for these plans 
as  a  defined  benefit  plan.    DCM  has  accounted  for  these  plans  on  a  defined  contribution  basis  as  DCM  does  not 
believe there is sufficient information to recognize participation on a defined benefit basis.  See note 21 for additional 
information related to the GCPP and Unifor pension and benefit plans.

(c)

Other post-employment and long-term employee benefit plans

DCM provides non-pension post-employment benefits, including health care and life insurance benefits on retirement 
to certain former employees, their beneficiaries and covered dependents ("DCM OPEB Plans").  DCM’s net obligation 
in  respect  of  its  DCM  OPEB  Plans  is  the  amount  of  future  benefit  that  employees  have  earned  in  return  for  their 
service in the current and prior periods; that benefit is discounted to determine its present value.  The calculation is 
performed  using  the  projected  unit  credit  method.    Any  actuarial  gains  and  losses  related  to  non-pension  post-

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DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

employment benefit plans are recognized in other comprehensive loss in the period in which they arise and will not be 
reclassified to statement of operations.

DCM also provides other long-term employee benefit plans including pension, health care and dental care benefits for 
certain  employees  on  long-term  disability  ("DCM  OPEB  LTD  Plan").    DCM’s  net  obligation  in  respect  of  its  DCM 
OPEB LTD Plan is the actuarial present value of all future projected benefits determined as at the valuation date.  Any 
actuarial  gains  and  losses  related  to  other  long-term  employee  benefit  plans  are  recognized  in  the  statement  of 
operations in the period in which they arise.

The discount rate is the yield at the reporting date on yields on high quality corporate bonds that have maturity dates 
approximating the terms of DCM’s obligations.  The DCM OPEB Plans and DCM OPEB LTD Plan are funded on a 
pay-as-you-go basis.

PROVISIONS

Provisions are liabilities of uncertain timing or amount. A provision is recognized if, as a result of a past event, DCM 
has a present legal or constructive obligation for which the amount can be estimated reliably, and it is more likely than 
not  that  an  outflow  of  economic  benefits  will  be  required  to  settle  the  obligation.    Provisions  are  measured  at 
management’s  best  estimate  of  the  expenditure  required  to  settle  the  obligation.  When  the  effect  of  discounting  is 
significant, the amount of the provision is determined by discounting the expected cash flows at a pre-tax rate that 
reflects current market assessments of the time value of money and the risks specific to the liability. Provisions are 
reviewed  at  each  reporting  date  and  any  changes  to  estimates  are  reflected  in  the  statement  of  operations.  The 
unwinding of the discount is recognized as a finance cost.

(i)    Restructuring:  A  provision  for  restructuring  is  recognized  when  DCM  has  approved  a  detailed  and  formal 
restructuring  plan,  and  the  restructuring  either  has  commenced  or  has  been  announced  publicly.    Future 
operating losses are not provided for.

(ii)  Onerous  contracts:  DCM  performs  evaluations  to  identify  onerous  contracts  and,  where  applicable,  records 

provisions against such contracts.

INCOME TAXES

Income tax expense comprises current and deferred tax.  Current income tax and deferred income tax are recognized 
in profit or loss except to the extent that it relates to a business combination, or items recognized directly in equity or 
in  other  comprehensive  income  (loss),  in  which  case  the  current  and/or  deferred  tax  is  also  recognized  directly  in 
equity or other comprehensive income (loss).

Current income taxes is the expected tax payable or receivable on the taxable income or loss for the year, using tax 
rates enacted or substantively enacted at the reporting date, and any adjustment to tax payable in respect of previous 
years that are expected to be paid.  Management periodically evaluates positions taken in tax returns with respect to 
situations  in  which  applicable  tax  regulation  is  subject  to  interpretation.    DCM  establishes  provisions  where 
appropriate on the basis of amounts expected to be paid to the tax authorities.  Deferred income tax is recognized in 
respect  of  temporary  differences  between  the  carrying  amounts  of  assets  and  liabilities  for  financial  reporting 
purposes  and  the  amounts  used  for  taxation  purposes.    Deferred  income  tax  is  not  recognized  for  the  following 
temporary differences: the initial recognition of assets or liabilities in a transaction that is not a business combination 
and  that  affects  neither  accounting  nor  taxable  profit  or  loss,  and  temporary  differences  relating  to  investments  in 
subsidiaries and jointly controlled entities to the extent that it is probable that they will not reverse in the foreseeable 
future.    In  addition,  deferred  income  tax  is  not  recognized  for  taxable  temporary  differences  arising  on  the  initial 
recognition  of  goodwill.    Deferred  income  tax  is  measured  on  a  non-discounted  basis  at  the  tax  rates  that  are 
expected  to  be  applied  to  temporary  differences  when  they  reverse,  based  on  the  laws  that  have  been  enacted  or 
substantively enacted by the reporting date.

A deferred income tax asset is recognized for unused tax losses, tax credits and deductible temporary differences, to 
the extent that it is probable that future taxable profits will be available against which they can be utilized. Deferred 

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DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

income tax assets are reviewed at each reporting date and are reduced to the extent that it is no longer probable that 
the related tax benefit will be realized in the foreseeable future.

Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are offset if there is a legally enforceable right to offset current tax liabilities 
and  assets,  and  they  relate  to  income  taxes  levied  by  the  same  tax  authority  on  the  same  taxable  entity,  or  on 
different tax entities, but they intend to settle current tax liabilities and assets on a net basis or their tax assets and 
liabilities will be realized simultaneously.

Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are presented as non-current.

LEASES

DCM leases various offices, warehouses and machinery and office equipment. Rental contracts are typically made for 
fixed periods of 1 to 13 years but may have extension options. Lease terms are negotiated on an individual basis and 
contain  a  wide  range  of  different  terms  and  conditions.  The  lease  agreements  do  not  impose  any  covenants,  but 
leased  assets  may  not  be  used  as  security  for  borrowing  purposes.  DCM  has  options  to  purchase  certain 
manufacturing  equipment  for  a  nominal  amount  or  the  then  fair  market  value,  to  extend  the  term,  or  return  the 
equipment at the end of the lease term. The obligations are secured by the lessors’ title to the leased asset for such 
leases.  DCM also enters into sub-leases as an intermediate lessor. 

The accounting policies for leases are as follows:

AS A LESSEE
DCM  assesses,  at  the  inception  of  a  contract,  whether  a  contract  is,  or  contains,  a  lease.   A  lease  is  a  contract  in 
which the right to control the use of an identified asset is granted for an agreed upon period of time in exchange for 
consideration.  DCM  assesses  whether  a  contract  conveys  the  right  to  control  the  use  of  an  identified  asset  when 
there is both the right to direct the use of the asset and obtain substantially all the economic benefits from that use. 

At the commencement of a lease contract:

(i) a lease liability is initially measured at the present value of the non-cancellable lease payments over the lease 
term and discounted at DCM's incremental borrowing rate which represents the rate DCM would pay to borrow 
funds to obtain the underlying asset over a similar term and with similar security. Lease payments include fixed 
payments and such variable payments that depend on an index or a rate; less any lease incentives receivable. In 
determining  the  lease  term,  management  considers  all  facts  and  circumstances  that  create  an  economic 
incentive to exercise an extension option or not exercise a termination option. Extension options (or periods after 
termination options) are only included in the lease term if the lease is reasonably certain to be extended (or not 
terminated). The  assessment  is  reviewed  if  a  significant  event  or  a  significant  change  in  circumstances  occurs 
which affects this assessment and that is within the control of the lessee. 

(ii) a  right-of-use  asset  ("ROU Asset")  is  initially  measured  at  cost,  which  comprises  the  initial  lease  liability,  lease 
payments made at or before the lease commencement date, initial direct costs and restoration obligations less 
lease incentives. 

The ROU Asset is depreciated in subsequent periods over the shorter of the asset's useful life and the lease term on 
a straight-line basis. The lease term includes periods covered by an option to extend if DCM is reasonably certain to 
exercise  that  option.  The  ROU  Asset  is  assessed  for  impairment  in  accordance  with  the  requirements  of  IAS  36 
Impairment of Assets. 

The lease liability is measured in subsequent periods at amortized cost using the effective interest method. The lease 
liability is remeasured when there is a change in future lease payments arising from a change in an index or rate, if 
there is a change in DCM’s estimate of the amount expected to be payable under a residual value guarantee, or if 
DCM changes its assessment of whether it will exercise a purchase, extension or termination option. When the lease 

69

DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

liability  is  remeasured,  a  corresponding  adjustment  is  made  to  the  carrying  amount  of  the  ROU  Asset,  with  any 
difference recorded in the consolidated statement of operations. 

On a lease by lease basis, DCM also exercises the option available for contracts comprising lease components as 
well  as  non-lease  components,  not  to  separate  these  components.  Payments  to  the  lessor  for  variable  costs 
associated  with  the  lease,  including  variable  payments  to  the  lessor  related  to  non-lease  components,  are  not 
included  in  the  measurement  of  the  lease  liability,  and  are  expensed  as  incurred  in  the  consolidated  statement  of 
operations. 

Extension and termination options exist for DCM’s property leases. DCM re-measures the lease liability, when there is 
a change in the assessment of the inclusion of the extension option in the lease term, resulting from a change in facts 
and circumstances. 

Payments associated with short-term leases and leases of low-value assets are recognized on a straight-line basis as 
an expense in the condensed interim consolidated statement of operations. Short-term leases are leases with a lease 
term of twelve months or less. Low value assets comprise IT equipment and small items of office furniture. 

AS AN INTERMEDIATE LESSOR 
For sub-leases where DCM is an intermediate lessor, the interest in the head lease and sub-lease are accounted for 
separately.  DCM assesses the lease classification of a sub-lease as either an operating lease or a finance lease with 
reference to the ROU Asset arising from the head lease. 

SHARE CAPITAL AND WARRANTS

Common shares and warrants are classified as equity instruments.  Incremental costs directly attributable to the issue 
of common shares and warrants are recognized as a deduction from equity, net of any tax effects.

EARNINGS (LOSS) PER SHARE

Basic earnings (loss) per share is calculated by dividing net income (loss) by the weighted average number of shares 
outstanding  during  the  period.    Diluted  earnings  (loss)  per  share  is  calculated  by  adjusting  net  income  (loss)  and 
weighted average number of shares outstanding during the period for the effects of dilutive potential shares, which 
includes any options granted.

REVENUE RECOGNITION

DCM recognizes revenue when control of the goods or services has been transferred.  Revenue is measured at the 
amount  of  consideration  to  which  DCM  expects  to  be  entitled  to,  net  of  incentives  given  to  its  customers  including 
volume-based incentives and cash discounts.

The  following  is  a  description  of  the  principal  activities  from  which  DCM  generates  its  revenue,  along  with  the 
corresponding revenue recognition accounting policies applied:

(a) Product sales - DCM manufactures customized products based on specifications pre-approved by its customers.  
At  its  customers'  request,  DCM  will  also  purchase  product  from  third-party  vendors  and  resell  that  to  its 
customers.  For products that DCM purchases and resells to its customers, DCM is typically a principal in these 
arrangements as it is responsible for making key decisions over the purchasing of product and has the economic 
risks and rewards that are customary with control.  Accordingly, third party product revenue is typically presented 
on a gross basis in revenue with the corresponding product purchase cost and associated costs recognized in 
costs  of  revenue.  DCM  recognizes  revenue  when  control  over  the  product  transfers  to  the  customer,  which  is 
effectively transferred upon the completion of production or when resale product is purchased and inducted into 
DCM's warehouses due to the custom nature of the product, as it does not have an alternative use to DCM, such 
that  DCM  is  entitled  to  payment  once  the  quantity  of  product  pursuant  to  an  individual  purchase  order  is 

70

DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

produced  or  purchased  from  a  third-party  vendor  and  inducted  into  its  warehouses.    Given  manufactured 
products are customized or purchased specifically at the customer’s request, product returns are insignificant.

In  some  instances,  DCM's  customers  obtain  the  product  directly  from  DCM  following  the  completion  of 
production. In other instances, DCM’s contracts involve the provision of warehousing and shipment services, in 
addition to manufacturing or purchasing of third-party products. Based on DCM's contractual arrangements with 
its  customers  related  to  product,  DCM  has  identified  three  key  distinct  performance  obligations:  product  sales, 
warehousing services and shipment services. Certain of DCM's contracts with customers include the provision of 
warehousing, freight, marketing and other services, in addition to manufacturing or purchase from third-parties of 
customized products based on specifications pre-approved by its customers. For bundled pricing arrangements, 
DCM  allocates  the  transaction  price  to  each  performance  obligation  based  on  their  relative  stand  alone  selling 
prices.  Management  applied  significant  judgment  in  determining  the  stand-alone  selling  prices  in  allocating 
revenue  between  the  various  performance  obligations.  DCM  stores  customized  or  purchased  product  at  the 
request of the customer; the product is identifiable as the customer’s product; the product is ready for transfer to 
the  customer  upon  the  customer’s  request;  and  DCM  cannot  re-direct  the  product  nor  use  the  product  to  fulfill 
another  customer’s  product  order  under  the  contract.    DCM  recognizes  product  revenues  when  control  has 
transferred over the product upon product manufacture by DCM or upon receipt of third-party product into DCM's 
warehouses. Based on the contractual terms with its customers, DCM either issues an invoice when product that 
is  manufactured  by  DCM  or  purchased  from  third-party  vendors  is  inducted  into  DCM's  warehouse,  or 
alternatively  the  invoice  is  issued  for  some  customers  when  product  is  dispatched  from,  its  warehouses.    In 
instances where DCM issues an invoice on dispatch of product from its warehouses, rather than at the date of 
transfer  of  control,  DCM  is  still  entitled  to  payment  for  the  purchased  or  manufactured  product.    Accordingly, 
revenue  is  recognized  for  the  product  manufactured  by  DCM  or  third-party  stock  product  and  a  corresponding 
balance  for  “unbilled  receivables”  are  recognized  within  trade  receivables  in  the  consolidated  statement  of 
financial position. Unbilled receivables are transferred to accounts receivables when the invoices are issued to 
the  customers.  Deferred  revenue  represents  amounts  that  have  been  invoiced  to  the  customer  but  not  yet 
recognized  as  revenue,  including  advance  payments  and  billings  in  excess  of  revenue.  Deferred  revenue  is 
recognized as revenue when DCM completes production of product or upon receipt of third-party product into its 
warehouses.

(b) Warehousing  services  -  DCM  provides  custodial  services  to  store  customer  product  in  its  warehouse  over  a 
specified  agreed  upon  period.    For  non-bundled  pricing  arrangements,  warehousing  revenues  are  recognized 
over  the  period  that  warehousing  services  are  provided  to  the  customer  based  on  the  balance  of  customer 
product remaining in the warehouse at the time an invoice is issued.  For bundled pricing arrangements, DCM 
allocates a portion of the initial transaction price for warehousing services and recognizes revenue on a straight-
line  basis  over  the  period  of  the  warehousing  as  it  best  represents  the  pattern  of  performance.  Amounts  are 
typically invoiced as warehousing services are performed in accordance with agreed upon contractual terms at 
periodic  intervals.  When  DCM  receives  advance  payments  or  issues  billings  in  excess  of  revenue,  these  are 
recognized as deferred revenue in the statement of financial position. Deferred revenue is recognized as revenue 
when or as DCM provides custodial services over the agreed upon warehouse term.

(c) Freight services - DCM has identified it has a distinct performance obligation for shipment of product for certain 
contracts  where  it  has  an  obligation  to  arrange  shipment  services  where  control  of  the  product  has  been 
transferred  to  the  customer  prior  to  shipment.    DCM  frequently  contracts  with  third  parties  to  deliver  product.  
DCM  is  typically  a  principal  for  such  shipment  services  as  it  is  responsible  for  making  key  decisions  over  the 
shipment  arrangements  and  has  the  economic  risks  and  rewards  associated  with  such  control.   As  a  principal 
DCM  recognizes  shipment  revenues  when  performance  of  the  shipping  service  has  occurred  as  products  are 
shipped.

(d) Marketing services - DCM generates revenue from providing marketing solutions to its customers which include 
business  and  brand  strategy,  consumer  insights,  strategic  marketing  and  design  services.    Typically,  these 
services  are  contracted  with  fixed-fees  and  are  provided  over  a  period  of  time  equal  to  one  year  or  less.  
Revenue  is  measured  based  on  the  consideration  DCM  expects  to  be  entitled  to  in  exchange  for  providing 

71

DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

services.    DCM’s  marketing  contracts  include  a  single  performance  obligation  because  the  promise  to  transfer 
the individual services are not separately identifiable from other promises in the contract and therefore are not 
distinct.  DCM  transfers  control  of  the  services  it  provides  to  its  customers  over  time  and  therefore  recognizes 
revenue progressively as the services are performed. Revenue from customer contracts are recognized based 
on the percentage of completion method. Under this method, the stage of completion is measured using costs 
incurred to date as a percentage of total estimated costs for each contract and the percentage of completion is 
applied to the total estimated revenue.  Progress  on jobs  is regularly reviewed by management and estimated 
costs to complete are revised based on the information available at the end of each reporting period. Contract 
costs estimates are based on various assumptions that can result in a change to contract profitability from one 
financial reporting period to another, including labor productivity and availability, the complexity of the work to be 
performed and the performance of subcontractors. 

  While  providing  services,  DCM  incurs  certain  direct  costs  for  subcontractors  and  other  expenses  that  are 
recoverable  directly  from  its  customers.  The  recoverable  amounts  of  these  direct  costs  are  included  in  DCM’s 
gross revenue as it obtains control of these services before they are provided to the customer and therefore, acts 
as a principal in these arrangements.

  The timing of revenue recognition, billings, and cash collections results in trade receivables, unbilled receivables, 
and deferred revenue in the consolidated statements of financial position. Amounts are typically invoiced as work 
progresses  in  accordance  with  agreed-upon  contractual  terms,  either  at  periodic  intervals  or  when  contractual 
milestones are achieved. Receivables represent amounts currently due from customers and unbilled receivables 
represents  work  that  has  not  yet  been  invoiced  to  the  customer  however  DCM  has  a  right  to  payment  for  the 
services  provided  ahead  of  agreed  upon  contractual  milestones.  Unbilled  receivables  are  transferred  to 
receivables  when  billings  are  issued  to  the  customer.  Accordingly,  unbilled  receivables  are  recognized  and 
included within trade receivables in the consolidated statement of financial position. Deferred revenue represents 
amounts  that  have  been  invoiced  to  the  customer  but  not  yet  recognized  as  revenue,  including  advance 
payments  and  billings  in  excess  of  revenue.  Deferred  revenue  is  recognized  as  revenue  when  or  as  DCM 
performs under the contract.

(e) Other services - This includes other ancillary services such as fees related to administrative functions that DCM 
provides to its customers and financing charges associated with customers where DCM stores customer product 
in the warehouse over a period of time and invoices the customer when the product is dispatched from DCM's 
warehouse.  Revenue for other ancillary services are recognized upon completion of the performance obligations 
to its customers. Financing income is recognized as DCM provides custodial services to its customers over the 
agreed upon warehouse term.

VARIABLE CONSIDERATION
Some  contracts  with  customers  provide  volume-based  incentives  specific  to  product  sales.  In  addition  price 
concessions  (adjustments  to  the  amount  charged  to  a  customer  made  outside  of  the  initial  contact  terms)  are 
sometimes  provided  to  customers  if  there  are  billing  disputes  or  customers  have  experienced  some  level  of 
dissatisfaction in order to encourage customers to pay for previous purchases and continue making future purchases. 
Such incentive offerings and price concessions give rise to variable consideration and are required to be estimated at 
contract inception by using either the expected value or the most likely amount, depending on which method better 
predicts  the  amount  of  consideration  to  which  the  customer  will  be  entitled.    The  estimates  are  based  on  various 
assumptions including past experience with customers and other relevant factors.  DCM uses the most likely amount 
when determining the expected amount of volume-based incentives and price concessions it will give to its customers 
and  records  these  as  a  reduction  to  revenue  in  the  consolidated  statement  of  operations.  DCM  reduces  the 
transaction price for any price concessions expected to be provided to customers, as revenue can only be recognized 
to  the  extent  that  it  is  highly  probable  that  a  significant  reversal  in  the  amount  of  revenue  will  not  occur  when  the 
uncertainty associated with the variable consideration is subsequently resolved. 

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DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

CONTRACT COSTS
Contract costs represent incremental costs incurred, such as sales commissions for sales made to certain customers. 
Contract  costs  are  deferred  and  included  within  prepaid  expenses  and  other  assets  for  contracts  expected  to  be 
delivered after more than one year and then amortized over their estimated useful lives. Contract costs are carried at 
cost  less  accumulated  amortization.  For  the  years  ended  December  31,  2020  and  2019,  DCM  did  not  have  any 
significant balances or transactions.

FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

CLASSIFICATION AND MEASUREMENT
Financial  assets  are  classified  and  measured  based  on  these  categories:  amortized  cost,  fair  value  through  other 
comprehensive income ("FVTOCI"), and fair value through profit and loss (“FVTPL”).

Financial  liabilities  are  classified  and  measured  based  on  two  categories:  amortized  cost  or  FVTPL.  Derivatives 
embedded  in  contracts  where  the  host  is  a  financial  asset  in  the  scope  of  the  standard  are  not  separated,  but  the 
hybrid financial instrument as a whole is assessed for classification.

Financial assets and liabilities at FVTPL: A financial asset or liability is classified in this category if acquired principally 
for the purpose of selling or repurchasing in the short-term.  Derivatives are also included in this category unless they 
are  designated  as  hedges.  Financial  instruments  in  this  category  are  recognized  initially  and  subsequently  at  fair 
value.  Transaction costs are expensed in the statement of operations and are included in finance costs.  Gains and 
losses arising from changes in fair value are presented in the statement of operations within other gains and losses in 
the period in which they arise.  Financial assets and liabilities at FVTPL are classified as current except for the portion 
expected to be realized or paid beyond twelve months of the statement of financial position date, which is classified 
as non-current.

Financial  assets  and  liabilities  at  amortized  cost:  Financial  assets  and  liabilities  at  amortized  cost  are  initially 
recognized at fair value, except for trade receivables that do not contain a significant financing component which are 
measured  at  the  transaction  price,  plus  or  minus  transaction  costs,  respectively,  and  subsequently  carried  at 
amortized cost less any impairment.

Financial assets through other comprehensive income: Financial assets carried at FVOCI are measured at fair value. 
Interest, dividends and impairment gains and losses are recognized in the consolidated statement of operations on 
the  same  basis  as  for  amortized  cost  assets.  Changes  in  fair  value  are  recognized  initially  in  other  comprehensive 
income. When the assets are derecognized or reclassified the cumulative changes in fair value are reclassified to the 
consolidated statement of operations (except where they relate to investments in equity instruments). The Company 
has no financial instruments measured at fair value through other comprehensive loss.

DCM determines the classification of financial assets and liabilities at initial recognition. The classification of DCM's 
financial assets and liabilities is disclosed in note 23.

IMPAIRMENT OF FINANCIAL ASSETS
DCM applies the 'expected credit loss' ("ECL") model to assess the impairment of its financial assets at each balance 
sheet  date.  The  ECL  model  requires  considerable  judgment,  including  consideration  of  how  changes  in  economic 
factors affect ECLs, which are determined on a probability-weighted basis.  IFRS 9 outlines a three-stage approach to 
recognizing  ECLs  which  is  intended  to  reflect  the  increase  in  credit  risks  of  a  financial  instrument  based  on  1)  12-
month expected credit losses or 2) lifetime expected credit losses. DCM measures loss allowance at an amount equal 
to lifetime ECLs.  

DCM applies the simplified approach to determine ECLs on trade receivables by using a provision matrix based on 
historical  credit  loss  experiences.  The  historical  results  were  used  to  calculate  the  run  rates  of  default  which  were 
then applied over the expected life of the trade receivables, adjusted for forward looking information of economic and 
other factors (such as potential impacts from the COVID -19 pandemic) affecting the ability of customers to settle the 

73

DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

billed trade receivables. Trade receivables are written off when there is no reasonable expectation of recovering the 
asset or a portion, thereof.

Impairment losses are recorded in general and administration expenses in the consolidated statements of operations. 
Where there is a change that will cause a significant reduction in the loss, the impairment loss previously recognized 
is reversed through the consolidated statements of operations. 

DERECOGNITION
Financial Assets: The Company derecognizes financial assets only when the contractual rights to cash flows from the 
financial  assets  expire,  or  when  it  transfers  the  financial  assets  and  substantially  all  of  the  associated  risks  and 
rewards  of  ownership  to  another  entity.  Gains  and  losses  on  derecognition  are  generally  recognized  in  the 
consolidated statements of operations.

Financial  liabilities:  The  Company  derecognizes  financial  liabilities  only  when  its  obligations  under  the  financial 
liabilities are discharged, cancelled or expired. Generally, the difference between the carrying amount of the financial 
liability derecognized and the consideration paid and payable, including any non-cash assets transferred or liabilities 
assumed, is recognized in the consolidated statements of operations.

USE OF ESTIMATES, MEASUREMENT UNCERTAINTY AND JUDGMENTS

The preparation of consolidated financial statements requires management to make critical judgments, estimates and 
assumptions  that  affect  the  reported  amount  of  certain  assets  and  liabilities  and  the  disclosure  of  the  contingent 
assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and revenues and expenses for the period 
reported.  Management must also make estimates and judgments about future results of operations, related specific 
elements  of  the  business  and  operations  in  assessing  recoverability  of  assets  and  recorded  value  of  liabilities.  
Significant areas of measurement uncertainty are summarized below.  For each item, actual results could differ from 
estimates and judgments made by management.

IMPAIRMENT OF GOODWILL, INTANGIBLE AND NON-CURRENT ASSETS
Goodwill, intangible and non-current assets are tested for impairment if there is an indicator of impairment, and in the 
case  of  goodwill,  annually  at  the  end  of  each  fiscal  year  or  more  frequently  if  events  or  changes  in  circumstances 
indicate there may be impairment.  The determination of the impairment of goodwill, intangible and non-current assets 
are  impacted  by  estimates  of  the  recoverable  value  of  CGUs,  assumptions  of  future  cash  flows,  and  achieving 
forecasted  business  results. The  recoverable  amounts  of  the  CGUs  were  determined  based  on  their  estimated  fair 
value  less  cost  of  disposal  using  a  discounted  cash  flow  method.  Management  applied  considerable  judgment  in 
estimating  the  recoverable  amounts  of  the  CGUs,  which  included  the  use  of  significant  assumptions  relating  to 
revenue  growth  rates,  gross  margins  and  discount  rates.  Changing  the  assumptions  selected  by  management,  in 
particular  the projected revenue  growth  rates, gross  margins, and discount rate assumptions used in the cash flow 
projections, could significantly affect the result of DCM's impairment analysis.

GOING CONCERN
The  assessment  of  events  or  conditions  that  may  cast  significant  doubt  on  the  Company’s  ability  to  continue  as  a 
going concern involves considerable judgment as there continues to be significant uncertainty as to the duration and 
impact that the current COVID-19 pandemic could have on the Company's financial performance, and accordingly its 
ability to achieve its forecasted business results and meet its future financial covenants over the next twelve months.

74

DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

REVENUE RECOGNITION 

a)   Allocating the transaction price to separate performance obligations on bundled contracts

Certain  of  the  Company’s  contracts  with  customers  include  the  provision  of  warehousing,  shipment,  marketing 
and  other  services,  in  addition  to  manufacturing  or  purchase  of  third-party  products.  For  bundled  pricing 
arrangements,  the  Company  allocates  the  transaction  price  to  each  performance  obligation  based  on  their 
relative stand-alone selling prices. This requires significant judgment in determining the stand-alone selling prices 
in allocating revenue between the various performance obligations.

b)   Measurement of revenues and trade receivables 

When  determining  the  amount  of  revenue  to  record  from  contracts  with  customers,  IFRS  15  requires  the 
Company  to  reduce  the  transaction  price  for  any  price  concessions  expected  to  be  provided  to  customers,  as 
revenue can only be recognized to the extent that it is highly probable that a significant reversal in the amount of 
revenue will not occur when the uncertainty associated with the variable consideration is subsequently resolved.

In addition in accordance with IFRS 9, DCM applies the simplified approach to determine expected lifetime credit 
losses  ("ECLs")  on  its  billed  trade  receivables  by  using  a  provision  matrix  based  on  historical  credit  loss 
experiences. The historical results are used to calculate the run rates of default which are then applied over the 
expected  life  of  the  trade  receivables,  adjusted  for  forward  looking  information  of  economic  and  other  factors 
(such  as  potential  impacts  from  the  COVID-19  pandemic)  affecting  the  ability  of  customers  to  settle  the  billed 
trade receivables.

During  2019,  the  Company  underwent  a  transformation  of  its  operational  and  financial  reporting  systems, 
implementing a new cloud based ERP system company-wide (excluding DCM Burlington, Thistle and Perennial) 
which has affected its ability to generate accurate and timely billings to its customers. As a result of these billing 
issues, the aging of the Company's billed trade receivables deteriorated following the ERP implementation and at 
December  31,  2020  the  Company  has  $7,444  (16%)  of  its  billed  trade  receivables  that  are  over  90  days  old 
(December 31, 2019 - $12,187 (22%)).

As a result considerable judgment by management is required to determine how the deterioration in aging of its 
billed trade receivables impacts both recorded revenues and gross billed trade receivables for price concessions 
that may need to be given to encourage customers to settle older amounts promptly as a result of billing issues, 
and ECL provisions required to reflect impairments of its billed trade receivable - see (note 23).

Changes  in  estimates  are  reflected  in  the  period  in  which  the  circumstances  that  gave  rise  to  the  change  became 
known. 

3  Change in accounting policies

(a) Existing standards adopted

IAS 20 GOVERNMENT GRANTS

Grants from the government are recognized at their fair value when there is reasonable assurance that the grant will 
be  received  and  DCM  will  comply  with  all  attached  conditions.  The  Company  has  elected  to  present  government 
grants related to income as "other income" in the consolidated statement of operations. DCM has applied this policy 
to the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (note 27).

75

DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

(b) New and amended standards adopted 

IFRS 3 BUSINESS COMBINATIONS (AMENDMENT) 

In October 2018, the IASB issued Definition of a Business (Amendments to IFRS 3) aimed at resolving the difficulties 
that arise when an entity determines whether it has acquired a business or a group of assets. The amendments are 
effective  for  business  combinations  for  which  the  acquisition  date  is  on  or  after  the  first  annual  reporting  period 
beginning  January  1,  2020.  The  adoption  of  this  amendment  did  not  have  an  impact  on  its  consolidated  financial 
statements. 

IAS  1  PRESENTATION  OF  FINANCIAL  STATEMENTS  AND  IAS  8  ACCOUNTING  POLICIES,  CHANGES  IN 
ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES AND ERRORS (AMENDMENT) 

In October 2012, the IASB issued Definition of Material (Amendments to IAS 1 and IAS 8) to clarify the definition of 
‘material’  and  to  align  the  definition  used  in  the  Conceptual  Framework  and  the  standards  themselves.  The 
amendments  are  effective  annual  reporting  periods  beginning  on  or  after  January  1,  2020.  The  adoption  of  this 
amendment did not have an impact on its consolidated financial statements. 

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR FINANCIAL REPORTING 

Together  with  the  revised  Conceptual  Framework  published  in  March  2018,  the  IASB  also  issued  Amendments  to 
References  to  the  Conceptual  Framework  in  IFRS  Standards.  The  amendments  are  effective  for  annual  periods 
beginning on or after January 1, 2020. The adoption of this amendment did not have an impact on its consolidated 
financial statements.

c) Future accounting standards not yet adopted

IBOR REFORM

In  recent  years,  global  regulators  have  prioritized  the  reform  and  replacement  of  benchmark  interest  rates  such  as 
LIBOR  and  other  interbank  offered  rates  (IBORs). As  a  result,  public  authorities  and  other  market  participants  are 
selecting  new  benchmark  interest  rates  in  key  currencies  with  the  objective  that  such  rates  will  be  based  on  liquid 
underlying  market  transactions.  With  this  reform,  the  IASB  have  provided  amendments  to  IFRS  9  -  Financial 
Instruments,  IFRS  7  -  Financial  Instruments:  Disclosures  and  IAS  39  -  Financial  Instruments:  Recognition  and 
Measurement. The amendments are effective for annual periods beginning on or after January 1, 2021 and are to be 
applied retrospectively. These changes may impact the fair value of liabilities and financial instruments. The amended 
standard is not expected to have an impact on the consolidated financial statements.

IAS  1  PRESENTATION  OF  FINANCIAL  STATEMENTS:  CLASSIFICATION  OF  LIABILITIES  AS  CURRENT  OR 
NON-CURRENT 

In January 2020, the IASB issued Classification of Liabilities as Current or Non-current (Amendments to IAS 1). The 
amendments aim to promote consistency in applying the requirements by helping companies determine whether debt 
and  other  liabilities  with  an  uncertain  settlement  date  should  be  classified  as  current  (due  or  potentially  due  to  be 
settled within one year) or non-current. The amendments include clarifying the classification requirements for debt a 
company  might  settle  by  converting  it  into  equity.  The  amendments  are  effective  for  annual  reporting  periods 
beginning  on  or  after  January  1,  2022,  with  earlier  application  permitted.  DCM  is  currently  evaluating  the  impact  of 
this amendment. 

IFRS 16 COVID-19-RELATED RENT CONCESSIONS 

In  May  2020,  the  IASB  issued  an  amendment  to  IFRS  16  to  provide  lessees  with  an  exemption  from  assessing 
whether a COVID-19-related rent concession is a lease modification. The mandatory effective date would be annual 
periods beginning on or after June 1, 2020, with early adoption permitted. The amended standard is not expected to 
have an impact on the consolidated financial statements.

76

DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

IFRS 3 REFERENCE TO CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

In May 2020, the IASB issued an amendment to IFRS 3 to (i) clarify references to the 2018 Conceptual Framework in 
order  to  determine  what  constitutes  an  asset  or  liability  in  a  business  combination,  (ii)  add  an  exception  for  certain 
liabilities and contingent liabilities to refer to IAS 37 or IFRIC 21 and (iii) clarify that an acquirer should not recognize 
contingent assets at the acquisition date. The mandatory effective date would be annual periods beginning on or after 
January 1, 2022, with early adoption permitted. The amended standard is not expected to have a significant impact 
on the consolidated financial statements.

IAS 37 ONEROUS CONTRACTS: COST OF FULFILLING A CONTRACT 

In  May  2020,  the  IASB  issued  an  amendment  to  IAS  37  to  clarify  which  costs  to  include  in  estimating  the  cost  of 
fulfilling a contract for the purpose of assessing whether that contract is onerous. The mandatory effective date would 
be annual periods beginning on or after January 1, 2022, with early adoption permitted. The amended standard is not 
expected to have a significant impact on the consolidated financial statements.

IFRS 9 FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS: FEES IN THE '10 PER-CENT' TEST FOR DERECOGNITION OF FINANCIAL 
LIABILITIES

In May 2020, the IASB issued Annual Improvements to IFRS Standards 2018 - 2020. This amendment clarifies which 
fees an entity includes when it applies the ‘10 per cent’ test of IFRS 9 in assessing whether to derecognise a financial 
liability.  An  entity  includes  only  fees  paid  or  received  between  the  entity  and  the  lender,    including  fees  paid  or 
received  by  either  the  entity  or  the  lender  on  the  other’s  behalf. The  mandatory  effective  date  would  be  for  annual 
periods  beginning  on  or  after  January  1,  2022  with  early  application  permitted.  The  amended  standard  is  not 
expected to have a significant impact on the consolidated financial statements.

There are no other IFRS or International Financial Reporting Interpretations Committee (‘IFRIC’) interpretations that 
are not yet effective that would be expected to have a significant impact on DCM. 

4  Business disposals

SALE OF TABS AND BINDER BUSINESS

On  May  2,  2019,  DCM  entered  into  an  asset  purchase  agreement  with  Southwest  Business  Products  Ltd. 
(“Southwest”) whereby DCM has sold its loose-leaf binders and index tab business to Southwest for cash of $675 and 
Southwest acquired certain assets and assumed certain liabilities related to the business, including $65 of goodwill. 
The gross cash proceeds were used for general working capital requirements. The release of security on the assets 
sold were approved by DCM’s senior lenders.

In  addition,  DCM  entered  into  a  long-term  supply  agreement  with  Southwest  as  a  preferred  vendor  to  DCM  for  the 
supply of binders, index tabs and related products. The loose-leaf binders and tab business was previously acquired 
by DCM in conjunction with the acquisition of BOLDER Graphics in November of 2018.

77

DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

5  Trade receivables

Trade receivables

Provision for expected credit losses (note 23)

December 31,
2020

December 31,
2019

65,942  $ 

(652)   

65,290  $ 

88,258 

(1,807) 

86,451 

$ 

$ 

As  at  December  31,  2020,  trade  receivables  include  unbilled  receivables  of  $18,895  (2019  –  $32,364),  net  of  an 
expected credit loss allowance of $300 (2019 – $390).

6  Inventories

Raw materials

Work-in-progress

Finished goods

December 31,
2020

December 31,
2019

4,061  $ 

1,393 

3,060 

8,514  $ 

8,304 

2,035 

2,241 

12,580 

$ 

$ 

Raw materials inventory amount is net of obsolescence reserves of $154 (2019 – $229).  Finished goods consist of 
base stock items.

7  Property, plant and equipment

The following tables present changes in property, plant and equipment for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 
2019:

Leasehold
improvements

Office
furniture 
and
equipment

Presses 
and
printing
equipment

Computer
hardware Vehicles

Construction 
in progress

Total

Year ended December 31, 2020

Opening net book value
Additions

$ 

3,437  $ 
—   

288  $ 
20   

8,489  $ 
207   

831  $ 
41   

17  $ 
—   

—  $  13,062 
268 
—   

Effect of movement in 
exchange rates

Disposals

(1)  

—   

—   

—   

(1) 

—   

(4)  

—   

—   

Depreciation for the year

(1,056)  

(127)  

(2,086)  

(255)  

(17)  

—   

—   

—   

(2) 

(4) 

(3,541) 

Closing net book value

$ 

2,380  $ 

181  $ 

6,609  $ 

613  $ 

—  $ 

—  $  9,783 

At December 31, 2020

Cost
Accumulated depreciation  

$ 

12,051  $ 
(9,671)  

1,659  $  43,795  $ 
(1,478)  

(37,186)  

3,079  $ 
(2,466)  

Net book value

$ 

2,380  $ 

181  $ 

6,609  $ 

613  $ 

74  $ 
(74)  

—  $ 

—  $  60,658 
—    (50,875) 

—  $  9,783 

78

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

Leasehold
improvements

Office
furniture 
and
equipment

Presses 
and
printing
equipment

Computer
hardware  Vehicles

Construction 
in progress

Total

Year ended December 31, 2019

Opening net book value

$ 

4,338  $ 

437  $  10,105  $ 

1,224  $ 

42  $ 

658  $  16,804 

Additions, net of transfers 
from CIP
Reclassifications to 
intangible assets (note 9)

Effect of movement in 
exchange rates

Disposals

182   

6   

1,481   

25   

—   

(1)  

(16)  

—   

—   

—   

—   

(152)  

(2)  

(645)  

(1)  

(2)  

—   

—   

—   

—   

Depreciation for the year

(1,066)  

(155)  

(2,450)  

(263)  

(25)  

(658)  

1,036 

—   

(152) 

—   

—   

—   

(4) 

(663) 

(3,959) 

Closing net book value

$ 

3,437  $ 

288  $ 

8,489  $ 

831  $ 

17  $ 

—  $  13,062 

At December 31, 2019

Cost
Accumulated depreciation  

$ 

12,056  $ 
(8,619)  

1,639  $  43,592  $ 
(1,351)  

(35,103)  

3,044  $ 
(2,213)  

Net book value

$ 

3,437  $ 

288  $ 

8,489  $ 

831  $ 

74  $ 
(57)  

17  $ 

—  $  60,405 
—    (47,343) 

—  $  13,062 

8  Right-of-use asset

The following tables present changes in the right-of-use assets for for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019:

Year ended December 31, 2020
Opening net book value 
Additions

Modifications

Depreciation for the year
Effect of movement in exchange 
rates
Closing net book value

At December 31, 2020
Cost
Accumulated depreciation
Net book value

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

Property

Office 
Equipment

Production 
Equipment

43,419  $ 
642   

(6,665)  

(3,668)  

(30)  

33,698  $ 

1,610  $ 
—   

47   

(964)  

(11)  
682  $ 

11,352  $ 
204   

167   

(3,767)  

5   

7,961  $ 

Total 

56,381 
846 

(6,451) 

(8,399) 

(36) 
42,341 

41,970  $ 
(8,272)  
33,698  $ 

2,441  $ 
(1,759)  

682  $ 

15,238  $ 
(7,277)  
7,961  $ 

59,649 
(17,308) 
42,341 

79

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

Property

Office 
Equipment

Production 
Equipment

Year ended December 31, 2019
Opening net book value
Additions

Modifications

Depreciation for the year
Effect of movement in exchange 
rates
Closing net book value

At December 31, 2019
Cost
Accumulated depreciation
Net book value

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

48,720  $ 

—   

(690)  

(4,611)  

—   

43,419  $ 

48,030  $ 
(4,611)  
43,419  $ 

419  $ 

2,044   

(29)  

(824)  

—   
1,610  $ 

2,434  $ 
(824)  
1,610  $ 

Total

56,879 
8,367 

75 

7,740  $ 
6,323  $ 

794  $ 

(3,505) $ 

(8,940) 

—  $ 
11,352  $ 

— 
56,381 

14,857  $ 
(3,505)  
11,352  $ 

65,321 
(8,940) 
56,381 

During the year ended December 31, 2020, DCM modified certain leases by entering into renewal and/or amending 
agreements to extend or reduce a lease term and/or increase/reduce the lease payments. This includes formalizing a 
property  lease  agreement  that  was  previously  month-to-month,  and  reducing  the  term  of  its'  Mississauga  facility  to 
exclude  extension  options  as  it  was  announced  subsequent  to  year-end  that  the  facility  will  consolidate  with  the 
Brampton facility by the end of 2021. 

During the year ended December 31, 2019, DCM modified certain leases by entering into renewal and/or amending 
agreements  to  extend  or  reduce  a  lease  term  and/or  increase/reduce  the  lease  payments.  This  includes  early 
termination  of  the  Saskatoon,  Saskatchewan  property  lease  effective  November  30,  2019,  and  negotiations  with  a 
significant lessor to extend the term of existing production and office equipment contracts.

80

 
 
 
 
 
DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

9  Intangible assets

The following tables present changes in intangible assets for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019:

Customer
relationships

Software and
 technology

Trademarks,
trade names 
and non-
compete 
agreements

Construction 
in progress

Total

Year ended December 31, 2020

Opening net book value

$ 

7,061  $ 

10,765  $ 

—   

(1,612)  

571   

(2,461)  

5,449  $ 

8,875  $ 

341  $ 

—   

(206)  

135  $ 

—  $ 

18,167 

—   

—   

571 

(4,279) 

—  $ 

14,459 

Additions, net of transfers from CIP  

Amortization for the year

Closing net book value

At December 31, 2020

Cost

Accumulated amortization

Net book value

$ 

$ 

$ 

Year ended December 31, 2019

Opening net book value
Additions, net of transfers from CIP  
Reclassifications from PPE (note 7)
Disposals during the year (note 4)

$ 

Amortization for the year

Closing net book value

At December 31, 2019

Cost

Accumulated amortization

Net book value

$ 

$ 

$ 

87,733  $ 

25,754  $ 

(82,284)  

(16,879)  

5,449  $ 

8,875  $ 

8,697  $ 

(8,562)  

135  $ 

—  $ 

122,184 

—   

(107,725) 

—  $ 

14,459 

Customer
relationships

Software and
 technology

Trademarks,
trade names 
and non-
compete 
agreements

Construction in 
progress

9,181  $ 
—   
—   
(65)  

121  $ 

12,080   
152 

—   

(2,055)  

(1,588)  

7,061  $ 

10,765  $ 

660  $ 
—   

—   

(319)  

341  $ 

8,202  $ 
(8,202)  
—   
—   

—   

—  $ 

Total

18,164 
3,878 
152 
(65) 

(3,962) 

18,167 

87,733  $ 

25,183  $ 

(80,672)  

(14,418)  

7,061  $ 

10,765  $ 

8,697  $ 

(8,356)  

341  $ 

—  $ 

121,613 

—   

(103,446) 

—  $ 

18,167 

The remaining useful lives of the customer relationships are between 1 and 5 years.

During  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020,  the  costs  of  $571  DCM  incurred  mainly  related  to  a  new  development 
project.

During the year ended December 31, 2019, the costs of $12,080 DCM incurred mainly related to development and 
implementation of new Enterprise Resource Planning ("ERP") system were transferred to software and technology.  A 
significant portion of these cost were previously included in construction in progress.

81

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

10  Goodwill

DCM

DCM Burlington

Thistle

Perennial

December 31,
2020

December 31,
2019

$ 

$ 

864  $ 

836

6,603

8,670

16,973  $ 

864 

836

6,603

8,670

16,973 

DCM performs an annual impairment analysis of goodwill at the CGU levels at the end of each fiscal year, or more 
frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate that the recoverable amount of the CGUs may be lower than 
their net carrying amount, such that there may be an impairment. As a result of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, 
DCM concluded that there were indicators of impairment in the first and second quarter of 2020 and performed an 
impairment  analysis  as  of  March  31,  2020  and  June  30,  2020  as  well  as  at  December  31,  2020.  The  CGUs  were 
defined as follows: DCM, DCM Burlington, Thistle,  and  Perennial. The classification of CGUs is consistent with  the 
operating segments identified in note 25.

DCM  performed  its  reviews  for  impairment  of  goodwill  by  comparing  the  fair  value  of  each  of  its  CGUs  to  its 
respective  carrying  values.  DCM  did  not  make  any  changes  to  the  valuation  methodology  used  to  assess  for 
impairment since its last annual impairment test.  The recoverable amounts of all CGUs have been determined based 
on the fair value less cost of disposal.  DCM uses the income approach to estimate the recoverable value of each 
CGU  considering  estimated  cash  flows  from  the  perspective  of  an  independent  market  participant,  which  would  be 
classified within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy.  The income approach is predicated on the value of the future cash 
flows  that  a  business  will  generate  going  forward.    The  discounted  cash  flow  method  was  used  which  involves 
projecting cash flows and converting them into a present value through discounting.  The discounting uses a rate of 
return that is commensurate with the risk associated with the business and the time value of money.  This approach 
required key assumptions about projected revenue growth rates, gross margins and discount rates. 

During  the  first  and  second  quarters  of  2020,  revenue  growth  rates  and  gross  margins  were  based  on  the  2020 
budget internally approved and presented to the Board and further projected over a 4.5 year period. The budget was 
revised to reflect management's expected decline in operating activity for the balance of fiscal 2020 as a direct result 
of COVID-19. 

During the first quarter of 2020, average annual cumulative revenue growth rates over the forecast period range from 
(5.1)%  to  0%  for  DCM,  (20.9)%  to  0%  for  DCM  Burlington,  (9.9)%  to  1.0%  for  Thistle  and  (6.8)%  to  1.0%  for 
Perennial, with forecasted gross margins of 24.9% to 27.3% for DCM, 17.3% to 26.4% for DCM Burlington, 25.4% to 
32.6% for Thistle and 57.3% to 57.7% for Perennial. Cash flows for a further perpetual period were extrapolated using 
a terminal growth rate of 0%.

During the second quarter of 2020, average annual cumulative revenue growth rates over the forecast period range 
range from (7.2)% to 3.9% for DCM, (19.3)% to 5.5% for DCM Burlington, (20.1)% to 17.5% for Thistle and (11.9)% to 
43.1% for Perennial, with forecasted gross margins of 23.8% to 28.1% for DCM, 23.2% to 25.3% for DCM Burlington, 
24.3%  to  30.5%  for  Thistle  and  50.6%  to  56.7%  for  Perennial.  Cash  flows  for  a  further  perpetual  period  were 
extrapolated using a terminal growth rate of 0%.

During the fourth quarter of 2020, revenue growth rates and gross margins were based on the 2021 budget internally 
approved and presented to the Board and further projected over a five-year period. The average annual cumulative 
revenue growth rates for 2021 forecast period was 0.4% for DCM, 7.1% for DCM Burlington, 12.0% for Thistle and 
30.60% for Perennial. A revenue growth rate of 1% (2019 – 1%) for DCM Burlington and Thistle CGUs,  0% (2019 – 
0%) for DCM CGU and (4.3)% to 7.4% for Perennial was applied to revenue for 2022 to 2025, in consideration of the 

82

DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

current economic conditions that existed as at December 31, 2020 and the specific trends of the business services 
and  marketing  solutions  industries.  A  perpetual  long-term  growth  rate  of  0%  (2019  –  0%)  was  used  thereafter  to 
derive the recoverable amount of these CGUs. The forecasted gross margins over the five-year forecast period range 
from 30.3% for DCM, 26.8% DCM Burlington, 34.1% Thistle and 54.0% for Perennial. 

Furthermore, DCM derived an after-tax discount rate to calculate the present value of the projected cash flows using 
a  weighted  average  cost  of  capital  (“WACC”)  for  the  DCM,  DCM  Burlington,  Thistle  and  Perennial  CGUs.  This 
represents an estimate of the total overall required rate of return on an investment for both debt and equity owners.  
Determination  of  the  WACC  requires  separate  analysis  of  cost  of  equity  and  debt,  and  considers  a  risk  premium 
based on the assessment of risks related to the projected cash flows of these CGUs. A discount rate of 13.75% was 
used for the first and second quarters of 2020, and 14.88% for the fourth quarter of 2020 (2019 – 14.25%) for DCM, 
DCM Burlington, Thistle and Perennial CGUs. The change in discount rates reflect management’s judgment as to the 
specific risks relating to the CGUs and industry in which they operate. 

As  a  result  of  these  tests,  it  was  concluded  that  there  was  no  impairment  of  goodwill  for  DCM,  DCM  Burlington, 
Thistle and Perennial CGUs during the year.  The estimated recoverable amount of the DCM, DCM Burlington, Thistle 
and Perennial CGUs exceeded their carrying values by:

DCM

DCM Burlington

Thistle

Perennial

March 31,
2020

June 30,
2020

December 31,
2020

December 31,
2019

$ 

32,812  $ 

14,097  $ 

84,603  $ 

14,367

12,117

3,825

2,409

2,931

8,752

13,709

13,524

3,527

33,079 

15,536

14,259

3,866

The recoverable amount of the DCM, DCM Burlington, Thistle and Perennial CGUs would equal their carrying values 
if the key assumptions were changed to the following (in each case with all other assumptions remaining unchanged).

March 31,
2020

June 30,
2020

December 31,
2020

December 31,
2019

Discount rate

DCM

DCM Burlington

Thistle

Perennial

Revenue growth rate over 5 year forecast 
period and in perpetuity 

DCM

DCM Burlington

Thistle

Perennial

Gross Margin

DCM

DCM Burlington

Thistle

Perennial

 20.9 %

 33.8 %

 24.5 %

 18.7 %

 (3.0) %

 (14.2) %

 (10.8) %

 (3.0) %

 24.8 %

 16.1 %

 22.4 %

 50.3 %

 16.9 %

 16.9 %

 16.4 %

 24.8 %

 (0.6) %

 (3.9) %

 5.2 %

 7.9 %

 27.0 %

 23.2 %

 27.5 %

 43.2 %

 55.1 %

 48.1 %

 37.1 %

 20.5 %

 (9.6) %

 (10.8) %

 (7.5) %

 2.0 %

 23.4 %

 15.8 %

 21.0 %

 47.0 %

 31.8 %

 38.6 %

 30.7 %

 22.5 %

 (3.2) %

 (17.2) %

 (14.4) %

 (3.3) %

 24.6 %

 14.7 %

 19.7 %

 49.8 %

83

DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

11  Provisions

Balance – December 31, 2019

Additional charge during the year

Utilized during the year

Balance - December 31, 2020

Less: Current portion of provisions

As at December 31, 2020

$ 

$ 

$ 

Termination 
provisions

Onerous 
contracts

Other

4,078  $ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

2,821 

(5,623)   

1,276 

(1,186)   

— 

— 

— 

— 

90  $ 

—  $ 

Termination 
provisions

Onerous 
contracts

Balance – December 31, 2018

$ 

2,581  $ 

Adoption of IFRS 16 

As at January 1, 2019

Additional charge during the year

Utilized during the year

Balance – December 31, 2019

Less: Current portion of provisions

As at December 31, 2019

TERMINATION PROVISIONS

— 

2,581 

7,489 

(5,992)   

4,078  $ 

(3,886)   

192  $ 

$ 

$ 

653  $ 

(136)   

517 

— 

(517)   

—  $ 

— 

—  $ 

Total

4,078 

2,821 

(5,623) 

1,276 

(1,186) 

90 

Total

3,448 

(316) 

3,132 

7,489 

(6,543) 

4,078 

(3,886) 

192 

— 

— 

—  $ 

— 

—  $ 

Other

214  $ 
(180)   

34 

— 

(34)   

—  $ 

— 

—  $ 

During the year ended December 31, 2020, DCM continued its restructuring and ongoing productivity improvement 
initiatives  to  reduce  its  cost  of  operations.  During  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020,  these  initiatives  resulted  in 
$2,821 of additional restructuring expenses due to headcount reduction across DCM's operations.

During the year ended December 31, 2019, total restructuring initiatives resulted in costs incurred of $7,489 due to 
headcount reductions across DCM's operations, the closure of its Brossard, Quebec manufacturing facility effective 
April 30, 2019, as part of its strategy to outsource its stationery business, and the sale of its loose-leaf binders and 
tab business in the Calgary, Alberta manufacturing facility.

For the year ended December 31, 2020, cash payments of $5,623 (2019 - $5,992), respectively, were made to former 
employees for severances and for other restructuring costs. The remaining severance and restructuring accruals of 
$1,276 at December 31, 2020 are expected to be paid in 2021 and 2022.

12  Lease liabilities

(i) LEASE LIABILITIES

DCM currently leases office space, office equipment and production equipment.  A lease liability has been recognized 
equal to the present value of remaining lease payments discounted at the interest rate implicit in the lease, or if that 
rate cannot be readily determined, DCM’s weighted average incremental borrowing rate.

84

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

Balance - January 1, 2020
Additions

Modifications

Payments during the year

Interest charge for the year
Effects of movement in FX rates
Balance - December 31, 2020

Balance - January 1, 2019
Additions

Modifications

Payments during the year

Interest charge for the year
Balance - December 31, 2019

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

Property

48,317  $ 
642   

(6,374)  

(6,150)  

2,603   
(5)  

39,033  $ 

Property

52,209  $ 

—   

(681)  

(6,038)  

2,827   
48,317  $ 

Office 
Equipment

Production 
Equipment

1,903  $ 
—   

47   

(1,013)  

81   
—   
1,018  $ 

11,546  $ 
204   

167   

(4,173)  

573   
(15)  
8,302  $ 

Office 
Equipment

Production 
Equipment

Total
61,766 
846 

(6,160) 

(11,336) 

3,257 
(20) 
48,353 

Total
60,645 
8,332 

84 

419  $ 

2,295   

(29)  

(896)  

114   
1,903  $ 

8,017  $ 
6,037   

794   

(3,970)  

(10,904) 

668   
11,546  $ 

3,609 
61,766 

The contractual undiscounted cash flows of DCM’s lease liabilities are as follows: 

Contractual 
Cash Flows

Extension 
Options

Not later than one year
Later than one and not later than five years
Later than five years

Total undiscounted lease liabilities

$ 

$ 

Discounted using the incremental borrowing rate

11,044  $ 
25,841 
1,879 

38,764  $ 

Lease liabilities

Current 
Non-current

Total December 
31, 2020
11,044 
28,258 
28,270 

—  $ 

2,417 
26,391 

28,808  $ 

$ 

$ 
$ 

67,572 

(19,219) 

48,353 

8,032 
40,321 

(ii) AMOUNTS RECOGNIZED IN THE STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS

Variable lease payments not included in the measurement of 
lease liabilities
Income from sub-leasing right-of-use assets
Expenses relating to short-term leases and leases of low value 
assets

$ 
$ 

$ 

5,178  $ 
(212) $ 

1,170  $ 

6,152 
(198) 

1,208 

For the year ended 
December 31, 2020

For the year ended 
December 31, 2019

85

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

13  Credit facilities

Term loans

- 6.10% term debt, maturing October 15, 2022, (FPD III 
Credit Facility)
- 6.95% term debt, maturing March 10, 2023, (FPD IV 
Credit Facility)
- 6.95% term debt, maturing May 15, 2023, (FPD V Credit 
Facility)
-12.00% term debt, maturing May 7, 2023, (Crown 
Facility)

Revolving facilities

- floating rate debt, maturing January 31, 2023, (Bank 
Credit Facility)

Credit facilities

Unamortized debt premiums and discount

Unamortized transaction costs

Less: Current portion of Credit facilities

Credit facilities

$ 

$ 

$ 

December 31,
2020

December 31,
2019

$ 

2,760  $ 

13,678 

3,109 

20,911 

5,687 

46,145  $ 

921 

(1,327)   

45,739  $ 
(6,172) -
3
39,567  $ 

3,404 

16,350 

3,681 

19,000 

34,664 

77,099 

3,201 

(1,653) 

78,647 

(3,887) 

74,760 

CREDIT AGREEMENTS

BANK  FACILITIES
DCM  has  established  a  revolving  credit  facility  (as  amended,  the  “Bank  Credit  Facility”)  with  a  Canadian  chartered 
bank (the “Bank”). Under the terms of the Bank Credit Agreement, the maximum principal amount available under the 
Bank Credit Facility is $35,000 (see Amendments to Credit Facilities) and the Bank Credit Facility matures on January 
31, 2023.  Advances under the Bank Credit Facility may not, at any time, exceed the lesser of $35,000 and a fixed 
percentage  of  DCM’s  aggregate  accounts  receivable  and  inventory  (less  certain  amounts).    Advances  under  the 
amended  Bank  Credit  Facility  are  subject  to  floating  interest  rates  based  upon  the  Canadian  prime  rate  plus  an 
applicable  margin  of  1.35%.    For  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020,  DCM  capitalized  transaction  costs  of  $150 
related  to  the  Bank  Credit  Facility. The  unamortized  balance  of  the  transaction  costs  are  being  amortized  over  the 
remaining term of the Bank Credit Facility.  As at December 31, 2020, the unamortized transaction costs related to the 
Bank  Credit  Facility  was  $459. As  at  December  31,  2020,  there  were  outstanding  borrowings  of  $5,687  under  the 
revolving facilities portion of the Bank Credit Facility and letters of credit granted of $567. As at December 31, 2020, 
all of DCM’s indebtedness outstanding under the Bank Credit Facility was subject to a floating interest rate of 3.80% 
per annum. As at December 31, 2020, DCM had access to $13,067 of available credit under the Bank Credit Facility. 
The  cash  and  cash  equivalents  balance  of  $578  shown  on  the  consolidated  statement  of  financial  position  as  at 
December  31,  2020  represents  outstanding  deposits  which  when  cashed  would  be  a  deposit  on  the  Bank  Credit 
Facility.  As at December 31, 2020, the carrying value of the debt instrument was $5,507. The carrying value includes 
the outstanding borrowings of $5,687, unamortized premium of $279 less the unamortized transaction cost of $459.

FPD FACILITIES
DCM established an amortizing term loan facility (the “FPD IV Credit Facility”) with Fiera Private Debt Fund IV L.P.
("FPD  IV")  (formerly,  Integrated  Private  Debt  Fund  IV  LP)  a  fund  managed  by  Fiera  Private  Debt  Fund  GP  Inc. 
("FPD")  (formerly,  Integrated  Asset  Management  Corp.)  pursuant  to  separate  amended  and  restated  credit 
agreements  between  DCM  and  the  Bank  (as  amended,  the  “Bank  Credit Agreement”)  and  FPD  (as  amended,  the 

86

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

“FPD  IV  Credit  Agreement”),  respectively.    Upon  closing  of  the  Thistle  acquisition  in  2017,  DCM  became  a  co-
borrower with Thistle under an existing credit agreement (the “FPD III Credit Agreement”) between Thistle and Fiera 
Private Debt Fund III L.P. ("FPD III") (formerly, Integrated Private Debt Fund III LP), another fund managed by FPD, 
pursuant to which FPD III has advanced to Thistle a term loan facility (the “FPD III Credit Facility”).  On November 10, 
2017, DCM established a $28,000 secured, non-revolving senior credit facility (the "FPD V Credit Facility") with Fiera 
Private Debt V L.P. ("FPD V") (formerly, Integrated Private Debt Fund V LP), a fund managed by FPD (the "FPD V 
Credit  Agreement"  and,  together  with  the  FPD  III  Credit  Agreement  and  the  FPD  IV  Credit  Agreement,  the  “FPD 
Credit  Agreements”)  to  fund  the  acquisition  of  BOLDER  Graphics  and  to  repay  a  portion  of  DCM's  outstanding 
principal under the Bank Credit Facility.  The FPD III Credit Facility and the FPD V Credit Facility are subject to the 
same covenants stipulated under the FPD IV Credit Agreement and are reported on a consolidated basis. 

Under the terms of the FPD Credit Agreements, the maximum aggregate principal amount which may be outstanding 
under the FPD III Credit Facility, FPD IV Credit Facility, the FPD V Credit Facility, the Bank Credit Facility and Crown 
Facility (as defined below), calculated on a consolidated basis (“Total Funded Debt”), cannot exceed $93,000.  

The  principal  amount  of  the  amended  FPD  III  Credit  Facility  amortizes  in  blended  equal  monthly  repayments  of 
principal  and  interest  of  $96  over  a  nine  year  term  ending  October  15,  2022.   The  principal  amount  of  the  FPD  IV 
Credit  Facility  amortizes  in  blended  equal  monthly  repayments  of  principal  and  interest  of  $422  over  a  seven  year 
term ending March 10, 2023.  The principal amount of the FPD V Credit Facility amortizes in blended equal monthly 
repayments  of  principal  and  interest  of  $91  over  a  sixty  six  month  term  ending  May  15,  2023.  The  FPD  III  Credit 
Facility, FPD IV Credit Facility and FPD IV Credit Facility were amended on July 25, 2019 to defer principal payments 
for the months of August through December 2019 (see Amendments to Credit Facilities).  As at December 31, 2020, 
all of DCM’s indebtedness outstanding under the FPD III Credit Facility was subject to a fixed interest rate equal to 
6.10% per annum and all of DCM’s indebtedness outstanding under the amended FPD IV Credit Facility and under 
the FPD V Credit Facility were subject to a fixed interest rate equal to 6.95% per annum, respectively. 

As at December 31, 2020, the unamortized transaction costs and outstanding borrowings related to the FPD III Credit 
Facility  were  $13  and  $2,760,  respectively.  As  at  December  31,  2020,  the  unamortized  transaction  costs  and 
outstanding borrowings related to the FPD IV Credit Facility were $208 and $13,678, respectively. As at December 
31, 2020, the unamortized transaction costs and outstanding borrowings related to the FPD V Credit Facility were $83 
and $3,109, respectively. The unamortized balance of the transaction costs for FPD III Credit Facility, FPD IV Credit 
Facility and the FPD V Credit Facility are being amortized over the remaining term of each respective facility. For the 
year ended December 31, 2020, DCM capitalized transaction costs of $16. 

CROWN FACILITY
On  May  8,  2018,  DCM  established  a  $12,000  non-revolving  term  loan  facility  ("Crown  Tranche  One  Loan")  with 
Crown Capital Partner Funding, LP (previously Crown Capital Fund IV, LP) (the "Crown Facility"), a fund managed by 
Crown Capital LP Partner Funding Inc. (previously Crown Capital Fund IV Management Inc.) ("Crown"). On August 
16,  2019,  DCM  entered  into  a  third  amendment  to  its  Crown  Facility  whereby  Crown  advanced  a  second  non 
revolving term loan in the principal amount of $7,000 ("Crown Tranche Two Loan"), for total advances in the principal 
amount  of  $19,000  that  are  repayable  on  maturity  on  May  7,  2023.  These  loans  bore  interest  at  10%  per  annum 
which  increased  to  12%  per  annum  on  January  1,  2020  under  the  Crown  Fourth Amendment.  Interest  is  payable 
quarterly. In connection with this third amendment, DCM recognized a loss on modification of debt of $449 which is 
included in finance costs in the consolidated statement of operations. In connection with the fifth amendment interest 
on outstanding borrowings under the Crown Credit Agreement of $1,911 for the first ten months of 2020 was deferred 
and  capitalized  to  DCM’s  outstanding  principal  obligations  under  the  Crown  Credit Agreement  increasing  the  total 
advances to $20,911. DCM's obligations under the Crown Facility are subordinated to its other senior credit facilities 
and secured by a conventional security on all of the assets of DCM and its subsidiaries.

87

DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

A  total  of  960,000  warrants  were  issued  to  Crown  in  connection  with  the  Crown  Tranche  One  Loan.  Each  warrant 
entitles  the  holder  to  acquire  one  DCM  common  share  at  an  exercise  price  of  $1.75  for  a  period  of  five  years, 
commencing  on  May  8,  2018.  The  Crown  Tranche  One  Loan  of  $12,000  was  apportioned  to  $11,458  to  the  debt 
instrument and $542 to the warrant option based on their relative fair values (note 18). The fair value of the warrant 
option  was  then  bifurcated  and  recorded  separately  within  equity  while  the  fair  value  of  the  debt  host  is  being 
accreted  from  $11,458  to  $12,000  over  the  term  of  the  loan. A  total  of  550,000  warrants  were  issued  to  Crown  in 
connection with the Crown Tranche Two Loan. Each warrant entitles the holder to acquire one DCM common share at 
an exercise price of $1.08 for a period of 3.7 years, commencing on August 16, 2019. The Crown Tranche Two Loan 
was apportioned to 6,855 to the debt instrument and $145 to the warrant option based on the relative fair values (note 
18). The fair value of the warrant option was then bifurcated and recorded separately within equity while the fair value 
of the debt host is being accreted from $6,855 to $7,000 over the term of the loan.

As at December 31, 2020, the carrying value of the Crown debt instrument was $20,989. This carrying value includes 
the loan principal balance of $20,911, unamortized premiums/discounts of $642 less unamortized transaction costs of 
$564. For the year ended December 31, 2020, DCM capitalized transaction costs of $61 related to the Crown Facility.  
The unamortized transaction costs of $564 is being amortized over the remaining term of this facility. 

The  Crown  Facility  can  be  prepaid  in  full  at  any  time  after  twenty-four  (24)  months  from  the  date  of  the  funding 
anniversary.  The  penalties  attached  to  each  option  are:  (a)  3%  prepayment  penalty  fee  on  the  principal  loan 
outstanding if the prepayment option is exercised during or after the 24th month but before the 36th month following 
the  date  of  the  funding  anniversary,  (b)  2%  prepayment  penalty  fee  on  the  principal  loan  outstanding  if  the 
prepayment  option  is  exercised  during  or  after  the  36th  month  but  before  the  48th  month  following  the  date  of  the 
funding anniversary, or (c) 1% prepayment penalty fee on the principal loan outstanding if the prepayment option is 
exercised during or after the 48th month but before the 60th month following the date of the funding anniversary. 

BANK LEASE FACILITY
On  July  31,  2018,  DCM  entered  into  a  commitment  with  the  Bank  to  lease  equipment  by  way  of  a  demand,  non-
revolving lease facility for approximately $2,400 (“Bank Lease Facility”). On January 16, 2019, DCM entered into an 
amendment  to  extend  the  interim  funding  period  to  March  31,  2019.  On  April  29,  2019,  DCM  finalized  its  lease 
agreement with the Bank pursuant to the Bank Lease Facility entered into on July 31, 2018. The agreement is for a 
period  of  five  years  with  monthly  payments  of  $38.  Upon  expiration  of  the  lease  term,  DCM  has  the  option  to 
purchase or return the equipment. 

AMENDMENTS TO CREDIT FACILITIES
On March 5, 2019, DCM entered into a second amendment to its' A&R Bank Credit Facility. Significant terms of the 
amendment made to the credit facility include an extension of the maturity date to January 31, 2023, from its original 
maturity date of March 31, 2020; a reduction in the prime rate margin on advances by 15 basis points from 0.75% per 
annum to 0.60% per annum; the elimination of an early termination fee in the event the credit facility is terminated or 
repaid prior to maturity; and amendments related to the calculation of certain financial covenants as a result of the 
adoption of IFRS 16 effective for reporting periods on or after January 1, 2019. The amendments related to IFRS 16 
include clarification that the calculation of DCM's fixed charge coverage ratio under the A&R Bank Credit Facility will 
be  completed  on  a  basis  that  substantially  has  the  same  effect  as  the  results  prior  to  the  adoption  of  IFRS  16 
whereby lease payments will also be deducted from EBITDA, in addition to all other adjustments previously allowed 
per the Bank Credit Agreement. As a result, definitions of certain terms related to IFRS 16 were added to the A&R 
Bank Credit Facility. DCM’s financial covenant ratio with the Bank remained unchanged. 

On  June  21,  2019,  DCM  received  an  amendment  regarding  the  FPD A&R  Credit  Facilities  for  the  requirement  to 
maintain a Total Funded Debt to EBITDA Ratio of no greater than 3:0 to 1:0, which was amended to no greater than 
3.25 to 1:0 for the quarters ended June 30, 2019, September 30, 2019, and December 31, 2019, respectively. 

88

DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

On June 24, 2019, DCM received an amendment regarding the A&R Bank Credit Facility for the requirement to meet 
the fixed charge coverage ratio of 1.1 to 1.0, which was amended to 0.90 to 1.0 for May and June 2019, and 1.0 to 
1.0 for July and August 2019. 

On July 25, 2019, FPD III, FPD IV and FPD V agreed to amend the credit agreements between DCM and FPD III, 
FPD IV and FPD V for the FPD A&R Credit Facilities (“Amended FPD A&R Credit Facilities”). For each of the FPD 
A&R Credit Facilities, principal payments for the months of August 2019 through December 2019 were deferred and 
are to be paid out as bullet payments on each FPD A&R Credit Facility's respective maturity date. During this period, 
the interest rate on each of the FPD III, FPD IV and FPD V A&R Credit Facilities was increased to 7.25% per annum. 
The  increase  in  the  interest  rates  is  treated  as  a  payment  in  kind  ("PIK")  with  the  interest  premium  calculated  and 
accrued on a monthly basis for each of the three credit facilities.  The PIK was repaid in cash on January 15, 2020 
when the regularly scheduled principal and interest payments on each credit facility resumed. 

As a condition to those amendments, DCM agreed to defer any payments on its vendor take-back promissory notes 
effective as of the date of the Amended FPD A&R Credit Facilities. In addition, the waiver obtained on October 26, 
2018 to reduce the requirement to maintain a debt service coverage ratio from 2.0 to 1.85 times for the purposes of 
determining  its  Excess  Cash  Flow,  and  permit  payments  on  its  vendor  take-back  promissory  notes,  was  revoked. 
Resumption of payments on vendor take-back promissory notes will require prior approval by FPD. 

On July 31, 2019, DCM entered into a third amendment to increase the revolving commitment on its Bank A&R Credit 
Facility  from  an  aggregate  outstanding  principal  amount  of  up  to  $35,000  to  up  to  $42,000  between  July  31  and 
December  31,  2019.  In  addition,  the  amendment  includes  the  Bank's  consent  to  the  amendments  to  the  FPD A&R 
Credit Facilities on July 25, 2019. 

On  November  14,  2019,  DCM  entered  into  a  fourth  amendment  to  its  Bank  Credit  Facility  (the  “Bank  Fourth 
Amendment”). This amendment increased the maximum principal amount of the Bank Credit Facility from $35,000 to 
$45,000 until December 31, 2019. 

On December 19, 2019, DCM entered into a fifth amendment to its Bank Credit Facility (the “Bank Fifth Amendment”). 
This  amendment  increased  the  maximum  principal  amount  of  the  Bank  Credit  Facility  to  a  maximum  of  $50,000, 
subject to successful completion of a rights offering and receipt of net proceeds from that rights offering of at least 
$3,000  after  giving  effect  to  any  repayment  of  the  related  party  promissory  notes  (as  defined  in  note  14).  The 
maximum principal amount available under the Bank Credit Facility will decrease by $1,500 each month commencing 
April  2020  until  it  has  been  reduced  to  $35,000  in  January  2021.  The  Bank  Fifth  Amendment  suspended  the 
requirement  for  DCM  to  comply  with  its  Fixed  Charge  Coverage  Ratio  (the  “FCCR”)  until  July  31,  2020.  DCM  was 
required to maintain a FCCR of not less than 1.0 to 1.0 for the twelve month period ended July 31, 2020, a FCCR of 
not less than 1.05 to 1.0 for the twelve month period ended August 31, 2020 and a FCCR of not less than 1.1 to 1.0 
for each twelve month period ending thereafter, commencing with the month ending September 30, 2020. The Bank 
Fifth  Amendment  introduced  a  new  covenant  requiring  DCM  to  collect  an  agreed  minimum  percentage  of  its 
outstanding accounts receivable each month and a covenant requiring DCM to attain revenue in a minimum amount 
equal to not less than 90% of its forecasted revenue on a quarterly and on a cumulative basis commencing with the 
fourth quarter of 2019 and ending with the quarter ending June 30, 2020. The Bank Fifth Amendment also increased 
the interest rate payable by DCM on its prime rate loans by 100 basis points per annum, at least until such time as 
DCM  demonstrates  its  achievement  of  at  least  a  FCCR  of  greater  than  1.1  to  1.0.    In  connection  with  this 
amendment,  DCM  recognized  a  loss  on  modification  of  debt  of  $2,808,  which  is  included  in  finance  costs  in  the 
consolidated statement of operations. 

On December 19, 2019 DCM entered into a waiver and amendment agreement (the “FPD Amendment”) with respect 
to  the  FPD  Credit Agreements.  The  FPD Amendment  suspends  DCM’s  obligation  to  comply  with  its  Total  Funded 
Debt to EBITDA Ratio covenant for the quarter ending December 31, 2019 and establishes a new Total Funded Debt 
to EBITDA Ratio covenant of no more than 4.5 to 1.0 that will apply for the second quarter of 2020, after which the 
original covenant of no greater than 3.0 to 1.0 will apply. In addition, during this period EBITDA for the purposes of 
such covenant will be calculated on an annualized basis starting with actual EBITDA achieved for the quarter ending 

89

DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

December  31,  2019.  The  FPD Amendment  also  revised  DCM’s  Debt  Service  Coverage  Ratio  (“DSCR”)  covenant, 
such that DCM’s minimum DSCR will be 0.75 to 1.0 for the quarters ending December 31, 2019 and March 31, 2020 
and 1.00 to 1.0 for the quarter ending June 30, 2020. Thereafter, the original DSCR covenant of at least 1.50 to 1.0 
will apply. The FPD Amendment also confirms that the monthly principal payments of the loans under the FPD Credit 
Agreements will recommence at the originally scheduled rate in January 2020. The FPD Amendment also increased 
DCM’s maximum Total Funded Debt to $93,000.  The FPD Amendment also added a new financial covenant requiring 
DCM to maintain a minimum monthly EBITDA of $1,000 during for the first seven months of 2020.

On  December  19,  2019  DCM  entered  into  a  fourth  amending  agreement  (the  “Crown  Fourth  Amendment”)  in 
connection  with  the  Crown  Credit Agreement.  Under  the  Crown  Fourth Amendment,  the  calculation  of  DCM’s  Net 
Debt  to  EBITDA  Ratio  covenant  was  modified  such  that  EBITDA  is  calculated  on  an  annualized  basis  for  the  first 
three quarters of 2020, commencing with EBITDA for the quarter ending March 31, 2020. The Net Debt to EBITDA 
Ratio covenant was further modified such that DCM is required to maintain a maximum Net Debt to EBITDA Ratio of 
5.0 to 1.0 for the quarters ending March 31, 2020 and June 30, 2020, a maximum of 4.5 to 1.0 for the quarters ending 
September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2020 and a maximum of 3.0 to 1.0 for each quarter thereafter. The FCCR 
covenant under the Crown Credit Agreement was also modified such that DCM must maintain an FCCR of at least 
1.1 to 1.0 for the quarter ending September 30, 2020, at least 1.15 to 1.0 for the quarter ending December 31, 2020 
and at least 1.25 to 1.0 for each quarter thereafter.  The FCCR will not apply for the quarters ending December 31, 
2019,  March  31,  2020  and  June  30,  2020.  The  Crown  Fourth  Amendment  also  added  a  new  financial  covenant 
requiring  DCM  to  have  EBITDA  of  not  less  than  $4,000  for  the  quarter  ending  March  31,  2020  and  cumulative 
EBITDA  of  not  less  than  $8,000  for  the  six-month  period  ending  June  30,  2020.  The  Crown  Fourth  Amendment 
increased the interest rate on the Crown Credit Agreement from 10% per annum to 12% per annum on January 1, 
2020,  with  the  incremental  200  basis  points  per  annum  being  accrued  and  payable  at  the  earlier  of  maturity  of  the 
Crown Credit Agreement or, pursuant to its prepayment terms, prepayment in full. In connection with this amendment, 
DCM  recognized  a  loss  on  modification  of  debt  of  $981,  which  is  included  in  finance  costs  in  the  consolidated 
statement of operations.

In  connection  with  the  Crown  Fourth  Amendment  on  December  19,  2019,  the  Company  agreed  to  amend  the 
exercise price of (A) the 960,000 common share purchase warrants of the Company issued to Crown in May 2018 
from  $1.75  to  $0.26,  and  (B)  the  550,000  common  share  purchase  warrants  of  the  Company  issued  to  Crown  in 
August 2019 from $1.08 to $0.26. In accordance with the rules of the Toronto Stock Exchange, these amendments 
became  effective  on  January  8,  2020.  The  increased  value  of  the  warrants  arising  from  the  debt  modification  was 
$121 which was recorded as a transaction cost and applied against the carrying value of the debt.

On  February  21,  2020,  DCM  entered  into  a  sixth  amendment  to  its  Bank  Credit  Facility  (the  “Bank  Sixth 
Amendment”). Advances  under  the  Bank  Credit  Facility  may  not,  at  any  time,  exceed  the  lesser  of  $50,000  and  a 
fixed  percentage  of  DCM’s  aggregate  accounts  receivables  and  inventory  (less  certain  reserve  amounts).    This 
amendment  permits  DCM:    (i)  for  the  period  from  January  1,  2020  to  April  30,  2020,  to  add  up  to  $6,000  on  an 
unmargined  basis  (the  “Unmargined  Amount”)  when  calculating  that  borrowing  base,  and  (ii)  for  the  period  from 
January 15, 2020 to May 14, 2020, to remove from the calculation of that borrowing base, up to $2,800 of reserves 
(the “Excluded Pension Reserve Amount”) on account of DCM’s deficit in respect of its defined benefit pension plan. 
The Unmargined Amount of the borrowing base will reduce at the rate of $1,000 per month commencing on May 1, 
2020 until the Unmargined Amount is fully removed from the borrowing base.  DCM will be required to reinstate the 
Excluded  Pension  Reserve  Amount  in  the  calculation  of  its  borrowing  base  by  adding  $1,000  and  $2,000  of  that 
amount respectively in each of May and June, 2020, and by including all of the Excluded Pension Reserve Amount in 
July  2020  and  thereafter.    In  addition  to  the  financial  covenants  in  the  Bank  Credit  Agreement,  the  Bank  Sixth 
Amendment  added  a  new  financial  covenant  that  requires  DCM  to  meet  a  Minimum  Cash  Flow  Requirement  (as 
defined in the Bank Sixth Amendment).  In the event that DCM’s borrowing base exceeds total borrowings under the 
Bank Credit Facility by less than $1,500, tested on a bi-weekly basis, the Minimum Cash Flow Requirement requires 
DCM to demonstrate, in that circumstance, that net cash flows for the Company for the preceding four weeks do not 
vary negatively from its forecasted cash flows by more than $3,000. 

90

DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

The Bank Sixth Amendment also restricts DCM from making payments and distributions to non-arm’s length parties 
without the Bank’s consent, subject to certain exceptions, and increases the interest rate on DCM’s borrowings under 
the Bank Credit Facility by 0.50% for the period from January 1, 2020 to September 30, 2020. In addition, a total of 
500,000 warrants have been issued  in connection with the Bank Sixth Amendment. Each warrant entitles the holder 
to acquire one DCM common share at an exercise price of $0.185 for a period of 24 months, commencing on June 
18,  2020  (note  18).  In  connection  with  this  amendment,  DCM  recognized  a  loss  on  modification  of  debt  of  $359  
which is included in finance costs in the consolidated statement of operations.   

On February 21, 2020, DCM entered into an agreement with each of FPD III, FPD IV and FPD V to defer the payment 
of  regularly  scheduled  principal  payments  owing  to  each  of  them  under  the  applicable  FPD  Loan  Agreement 
commencing  February  1,  2020  with  scheduled  principal  payments  resuming  June  15,  2020.  The  deferred  principal 
payments will be added to the amounts due at maturity of the respective FPD Loan Agreements.  

On  February  21,  2020,  DCM  entered  into  a  fifth  amendment  (the  “Crown  Fifth  Amendment”)  to  the  Crown  Credit 
Agreement.  Under the Crown Fifth Amendment, for the period from January 1, 2020 to October 1, 2020, the interest 
on  outstanding  borrowings  under  the  Crown  Credit  Agreement  of  $1,911  was  deferred  and  capitalized  to  DCM’s 
outstanding  principal  obligations  under  the  Crown  Credit  Agreement.  In  connection  with  this  amendment,  DCM 
recognized  a  loss  on  modification  of  $450,  which  is  included  in  finance  costs  in  the  consolidated  statement  of 
operations.    

On  March  30,  2020,  in  anticipation  of  potential  COVID-19  impacts  on  its  business,  DCM  entered  into  a  seventh 
amendment to its Bank Credit Facility (the “Bank Seventh Amendment”). This amendment permits DCM to amend the 
definition of borrowing base by adding into the margining calculations 75% of BAR Products, without duplication, for 
the period from April 1, 2020 to June 30, 2020.  BAR Products means Bill-as-Released finished goods products that 
are produced and held for future delivery based on specified contracts and billing procedures with DCM's customers.  
During the aforementioned period, finished goods consisting of BAR Products shall be removed from the definition of 
"Eligible Inventory" when calculating DCM's borrowing base.  The Bank Fifth Amendment covenant requiring DCM to 
collect  an  agreed  minimum  percentage  of  its  outstanding  accounts  receivable  each  month  has  been  waived  in 
respect of the months March, April, May, June, August, and September 2020, respectively.  In addition, the covenant 
requiring  DCM  to  attain  revenue  in  a  minimum  amount  equal  to  not  less  than  90%  of  its  forecasted  revenue  on  a 
quarterly and on a cumulative basis commencing with the fourth quarter of 2019 and ending with the quarter ending 
June 30, 2020 was waived starting in the fourth quarter of 2019.  

On  March  30,  2020,  DCM  also  entered  into  an  agreement  with  each  of  FPD  III,  FPD  IV  and  FPD  V,  to  waive  the 
financial covenant to maintain a minimum monthly EBITDA of $1,000 in respect of the months of March 2020, April 
2020, May 2020 and June 2020 respectively.  In addition, FPD also waived the Total Funded Debt to EBITDA Ratio 
covenant for the quarter ending June 30, 2020.  

On March 30, 2020, DCM also entered into a sixth amendment (the “Crown Sixth Amendment”) to the Crown Credit 
Agreement.  This amendment waives the Net Debt to EBITDA Ratio covenant requirements for the quarters ending 
March 31, 2020 and June 30, 2020, respectively and also removes the new financial covenant requiring DCM to have 
EBITDA  of  not  less  than  $4,000    for  the  quarter  ending  March  31,  2020  and  cumulative  EBITDA  of  not  less  than 
$8,000 for the six-month period ending June 30, 2020.  

On June 23, 2020, in connection with the anticipated continued negative impact of COVID-19 on its second and third 
quarter results in particular, DCM entered into an additional waiver and amendment agreement with each of FPD III, 
FPD IV and FPD V, with respect to the FPD Credit Agreements.  FPD has agreed to waive the financial covenant to 
maintain a minimum monthly EBITDA of $1,000 for the month of July 2020. In addition, FPD also agreed to amend 
the Total Funded Debt to EBITDA Ratio covenant for the quarter ending September 30, 2020 from no greater than 3.0 
to 1.0 to no greater than 3.75 to 1.0, and for the quarter ending December 31, 2020, from no greater than 3.0 to 1.0 to 
no greater than 3.25 to 1.0. 

91

DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

On  November  2,  2020,  DCM  entered  into  an  eighth  amendment  to  its  Bank  Credit  Facility  (the  “Bank  Eighth 
Amendment”) under which the Bank reduced its interest rate on DCM's borrowings under the Bank Credit Facility by 
25  basis  points  effective  September  24,  2020.  At  the  Company's  request  the  Bank  also  agreed  to  accelerate 
reduction of the maximum principal amount available under the Bank Credit Facility to $35,000. As part of the Bank 
Sixth  Amendment,  the  interest  rate  on  DCM's  borrowings  under  the  Bank  Credit  Facility  was  increased  by  0.5% 
between January 1 to September 30, 2020. Effective October 1, 2020, the interest rate was reduced by an additional 
0.5%  for  a  total  floating  interest  rate  of  3.8%  at  such  time.  In  connection  with  this  amendment,  DCM  recognized  a 
gain on modification of $175, which is included in finance costs in the consolidated statement of operations.    

COVENANT REQUIREMENTS

Each  of  the  Bank  Credit  Agreement,  the  FPD  Credit  Agreements  and  the  Crown  Facility  contain  customary 
representations  and  warranties,  as  well  as  restrictive  covenants  which  limit  the  discretion  of  the  Board  and 
management  with  respect  to  certain  business  matters  including  the  declaration  or  payment  of  dividends  on  the 
common shares of DCM without the consent of the Bank, FPD III, FPD IV, FPD V and Crown, as applicable.  Under 
the terms of the FPD Credit Agreements, DCM has agreed that it will not, without the prior written consent of FPD III, 
FPD IV and FPD V, change (or permit any change) in its Chief Executive Officer, President or Chief Financial Officer, 
provided that, if he or she voluntarily resigns as an officer of DCM, or if any such person has either died or is disabled 
and can therefore no longer carry on his or her duties of such office, DCM will have 60 days to replace such officer, 
such replacement officer to be satisfactory to FPD III, FPD IV and FPD V, acting reasonably.  The A&R Bank Credit 
Facility,  FPD  A&R  Credit  Facilities  and  the  Crown  Facility  limit  spending  on  capital  expenditures  by  DCM  to  an 
aggregate amount not to exceed $5,500, $5,000 and $5,000, respectively during any fiscal year.

Under  the  terms  of  the  Bank  Credit Agreement,  DCM's  requirement  to  maintain  a  fixed  charge  coverage  ratio  was 
waived for September to November 2019, and the first six months of 2020, however DCM was required to maintain a 
fixed charge coverage ratio of not less than 1.0 to 1.0 for the twelve month period ended July 31, 2020, not less than 
1.05 to 1.0 for the twelve month period ended August 31, 2020 and is required to maintain a fixed charge coverage 
ratio of not less than 1.1 to 1.0 for each twelve month period ending thereafter, commencing with the month ending 
September  30,  2020.  The  fixed  charge  coverage  ratio  is  calculated  on  a  consolidated  basis,  in  respect  of  any 
particular trailing 12 month period, as EBITDA for such period less cash taxes, cash distributions (including dividends 
paid)  and  non-financed  capital  expenditures  paid  in  such  period,  divided  by  the  total  amount  required  by  DCM  to 
service  its  outstanding  debt  for  such  period.  DCM  is  also  required  to  collect  an  agreed  minimum  percentage  of  its 
outstanding accounts receivables during 2020, however this requirement was waived for the months of March, April, 
May, June, August,  September, November and December absent which the Company would have been breach of 
this covenant. Each covenant is calculated and reported on a monthly basis. As at December 31, 2020, DCM was in 
compliance with the fixed charge coverage ratio covenant.  

Under  the  terms  of  the  FPD  Credit  Agreements,  DCM  is  required  to  maintain  (i)  a  ratio  of  Total  Funded  Debt  to 
EBITDA no greater than 3.0 to 1.0 (except for the quarters ended June 30, 2019, September 30, 2019 and December 
31,  2019,  respectively  when  the  covenant  was  revised  to  be  no  greater  than  3.25  to  1.0).    The  covenant  was 
amended on December 19, 2019 to be no greater than 4.5 to 1.0 for the second quarter of 2020, 3.75 to 1.0 for the 
third quarter of 2020, 3.25 to 1.0 for the fourth quarter of 2020 and 3.0 to 1.0 thereafter.  FPD waived the requirement 
to comply with this covenant for the quarters ended June 2019 through June 2020; (ii) a debt service coverage ratio 
of not less than 1.50 to 1.0, reducing to 0.75 to 1.0 for the quarters ended December 31, 2019 and March 31, 2020, 
respectively, increasing to 1.00 to 1.0 for the quarter ended June 30, 2020 and thereafter a ratio of 1.50 to 1.0 will 
apply.  FPD waived the requirement to comply with this covenant for the quarter ended September 30, 2019, (iii) a 
working capital current ratio of not less than 1.10 to 1.0, and (iv) total funded debt of not more than $72,000 up until 
the  quarter  ended  June  30,  2019,  $80,000  for  the  quarter  ended  September  30,  2019  (which  FPD  waived)  and 
$93,000  commencing  with  the  quarter  ended  December  31,  2019.    Each  covenant  is  calculated  and  reported  on  a 
quarterly basis.  Monthly EBITDA levels must be greater than $1,000 during the first seven months of 2020. During 
the first quarter of 2020, the Company monthly EBITDA levels were waived for the months of March to June 2020. 
During  the  second  quarter  of  2020,  the  monthly  EBITDA  level  was  waived  for  the  month  of  July  2020.      At 
December 31, 2020, DCM was in compliance with these amendment covenants.  

92

DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

In addition, the FPD Credit Agreements permit cash payments in respect to the vendor take-back promissory notes 
issued in connection with DCM's acquisitions, as well as consulting fees or distributions in cash to shareholders and/
or  related  parties,  in  an  amount  equal  to  the  Excess  Cash  Flow  (as  defined  below),  provided  that  the  debt  service 
coverage  ratio  for  the  four  most  recently  completed  quarters  is  greater  than  2.0  to  1.0,  which  was  subsequently 
amended to 1.85 to 1.00 from October 1, 2018 to September 30, 2019, and provided that there is no default or event 
of  default.  The  excess  cash  flow  is  calculated  by  taking  the  EBITDA  less  payments  for  (i)  cash  taxes,  (ii)  capital 
expenditures, (iii) principal and interest payments on the A&R Bank Credit Facility, the FPD A&R Credit Facilities and 
the Crown Facility and (iv) interest on leases for the two most recently completed quarters ("Excess Cash Flow"). The 
Excess Cash Flow is required to be calculated as at March 31 and September 30 of each calendar year ("The Excess 
Cash Flow Determination Date") which determines the quantum of payments that can be made for the following six-
month  period  until  the  next  Excess  Cash  Flow  Determination  Date.  DCM  has  agreed  to  defer  any  payments  on  its 
vendor take-back promissory notes effective as of the date of the Amended FPD A&R Credit Facilities. Resumption of 
payments on vendor take-back promissory notes will require prior approval by FPD. 

Under the terms of the Crown Facility agreement, DCM is required to maintain (i) Net Debt to EBITDA of no greater 
than 4.0 to 1.0 until December 31, 2019 and 3.0 to 1.0 thereafter.  Crown waived the requirement to comply with this 
covenant  for  the  quarters  ended  September  30,  2019  and  December  31,  2019,  respectively  and  modified  this 
covenant ratio to be a maximum of 5.0 to 1:0 for the quarters ending March 31, 2020 and June 30, 2020, respectively, 
a  maximum  of  4.5  to  1.0  for  the  quarters  ended  September  30,  2020  and  December  31,  2020,  respectively,  and  a 
maximum  of  3.0  to  1.0  thereafter.  In  addition  EBITDA  for  the  first  three  quarters  of  2020  was  calculated  on  an 
annualized basis instead of a trailing twelve months basis; (ii) a fixed charge coverage ratio no less than 1.40 to 1.0, 
for which waivers were obtained for the quarters ended March 31, 2019 through to June 30, 2020.  Crown amended 
this  covenant  ratio  to  be  at  least  1.1  to  1.0  for  the  quarter  ended  September  30,  2020,  at  least  1.15  to  1.0  for  the 
quarter ended December 31, 2020 and at least 1.25 to 1.0 for each quarter thereafter; and (iii) EBITDA of not less 
than $4,000 for the quarter ending March 31, 2020 and cumulative EBITDA of not less than $8,000 for the six-month 
period ending June 30, 2020 which were waived.  Each covenant is calculated and reported on a quarterly basis.  As 
at December 31, 2020, DCM was in compliance with these amendment covenants. 

For  purposes  of  the  Bank  Credit Agreement,  the  FPD  Credit Agreements  and  Crown  Facility  agreement,  “EBITDA” 
means net income or net loss for the relevant period, calculated on a consolidated basis, plus amounts deducted, or 
minus amounts added, in calculating net income or net loss in respect of: the aggregate expense incurred for interest 
on  debt  and  other  costs  of  obtaining  credit;  income  taxes,  whether  or  not  deferred;  depreciation  and  amortization; 
non-cash  expenses  resulting  from  employee  or  management  compensation,  including  the  grant  of  stock  options  or 
restricted options to employees; any gain or loss attributable to the sale, conversion or other disposition of property 
out  of  the  ordinary  course  of  business;  interest  or  dividend  income;  foreign  exchange  gain  or  loss;  gains  resulting 
from  the  write-up  of  property  and  losses  resulting  from  the  write‑down  of  property  (except  allowances  for  doubtful 
accounts receivable and non-cash reserves for obsolete inventory); any gain or loss on the repurchase or redemption 
of  any  securities  (including  in  connection  with  the  early  retirement  or  defeasance  of  any  debt);  goodwill  and  other 
intangible  asset  write-downs;  lease  payments  to  convert  on  a  pre  IFRS  16  basis;  and  any  other  extraordinary, 
non‑recurring or unusual items such as restructuring costs as agreed to by the lender. The pro forma financial results 
from any acquisitions completed by DCM during a given year are included on a trailing twelve month basis effective 
as of the closing date of the acquisitions for the purposes of DCM's covenant calculations.

A failure by DCM to comply with its obligations under the Bank Credit Agreement, the FPD Credit Agreements or the 
Crown Facility, together with certain other events, including a change of control of DCM and a change in DCM's Chief 
Executive  Officer,  President  or  Chief  Financial  Officer  (unless  a  replacement  officer  acceptable  to  FPD,  acting 
reasonably, is appointed within 60 days of the effective date of such officer's resignation), could result in an event of 
default which, if not cured or waived, could permit acceleration of the indebtedness outstanding under each of those 
agreements.    DCM  anticipates  it  will  be  in  compliance  with  the  covenants  in  its  credit  facilities  for  the  next  twelve 
months  or  that  it  shall  be  able  to  receive  waivers  from  its  lenders  to  the  extent  required;  however  there  can  be  no 
assurance that DCM will be successful in achieving the results targeted in its operating plans or in complying with its 
covenants, or obtaining waivers from its lenders over the next twelve months (see note 1).

93

DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

In addition, under the terms of the FPD IV Credit Agreement and the FPD V Credit Agreement, DCM is required to 
deposit and hold cash in a blocked account of $425 and of $90 to be used for repayments of principal and interest of 
indebtedness outstanding under the FPD IV A&R Credit Facility and indebtedness outstanding under the FPD V A&R 
Credit Facility, respectively.  As at December 31, 2020, there was a balance of $515 (December 31, 2019 - $515) in 
the blocked account related to the FPD IV A&R Credit Facility and FPD V A&R Credit Facility which is recognized as 
restricted cash on the consolidated statement of financial position. 

The continued ability to comply with financial covenants on the Company's credit facilities for at least the next twelve 
months is contingent on management’s ability to meet budgeted revenue and profitability targets and take actions to 
address  operating  and  financial  challenges  resulting  from  COVID-19.  The  estimate  of  future  cash  flows  in  the 
Company’s  2021  budget  include  a  number  of  key  assumptions  to  support  the  financial  covenant  calculations, 
specifically  related  to  revenues  and  gross  margins,  which  in  turn  impact  earnings  before  interest,  income  taxes, 
depreciation  and  amortization  (EBITDA).  The  estimates  of  forecasted  compliance  with  financial  covenants  are 
sensitive  to  those  assumptions  (for  example,  if  gross  margins  do  not  improve  and  were  to  remain  in  line  with  the 
current  year  and  revenues  do  not  increase  from  post  COVID-19  levels,  all  other  assumptions  aside,  the  Company 
may be offside with certain of its existing financial covenants in the third quarter of 2021). The ongoing impact of the 
COVID-19 pandemic is difficult to project with respect to the Company’s business and financial results. Collectively, 
these factors could materially affect the business and operating results and DCM’s ability to comply with the financial 
covenants for 2021. Failure to obtain adequate financing if required and/ or on satisfactory terms and further covenant 
waivers  as  necessary  could  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  the  Company’s  results  of  operations  and  financial 
condition.

INTER-CREDITOR AGREEMENT

DCM's  obligations  under  its  Credit  Facilities  are  secured  by  conventional  security  charging  all  of  the  property  and 
assets of DCM and its subsidiaries. DCM entered into an inter-creditor agreement between the Bank, FPD III, FPD IV, 
FPD V, Crown and the VTB Noteholders, respectively, which, among other things, establishes the rights and priorities 
of the respective liens of the Bank, FPD III, FPD IV, FPD V, Crown and the VTB Noteholders on the present and after 
acquired property of DCM and its subsidiaries.

94

DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

The movement in credit facilities during the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 are as follows:

Balance - Beginning of year, net of transaction costs and debt 

premiums and discounts

$ 

78,647  $ 

57,421 

December 31,
2020

December 31,
2019

Changes from financing cash flows

Proceeds from credit facilities 

Repayment of credit facilities

Transaction costs

Total change from financing cash flows

Non-cash movements

Issuance of new and repricing of existing warrants

Amortization of transaction costs

Debt modification losses

Accrued interest

Accretion of (premium) discount

— 

(32,865)   

(227)   

45,555 

— 

553 

634 

1,911 

(2,914)   

26,099 

(8,495) 

(533) 

74,492 

(266) 

465 

3,858 

— 

98 

Balance - End of year, net of transaction costs and debt 

premiums and discounts

$ 

45,739  $ 

78,647 

The scheduled principal repayments on the long-term debt are as follows:

2021

2022

2023

December 31,
2020

6,172 

7,267

32,706

46,145 

$ 

$ 

95

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

14  Promissory notes 

The movement in the promissory note balances during the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 are as follows:

2020

DCM 
Burlington 
acquisition

Thistle 
acquisition

BOLDER 
Graphics 
acquisition

Perennial 
acquisition

Related Party 
Promissory 
Notes

Balance – Beginning of year

$ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

175  $ 

1,447  $ 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

2 

— 

6 

57 

(3)   

(530)   

—  $ 

—  $ 

174  $ 

980  $ 

965  $ 
10   
—   
—   

975  $ 

Total

2,587 
18 

57 

(533) 

2,129 

Unwinding of discount

Loss on modification

Payments during the year

Balance – End of year

Less: Current portion of 
promissory notes

As at December 31, 2020

$ 

$ 

$ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

(174)  $ 

(980)  $ 

—  $ 

(1,154) 

—  $ 

—  $ 

975  $ 

975 

2019

DCM 
Burlington 
acquisition

Thistle 
acquisition

BOLDER 
Graphics 
acquisition

Perennial 
acquisition

Related Party 
Promissory 
Notes

Balance - Beginning of year

$ 

2,254  $ 

270  $ 

509  $ 

Addition - May 8, 2018

Unwinding of discount

Capitalized interest expense

— 

29 

— 

— 

4 

— 

— 

— 

14 

2,343  $ 
— 

104 

— 

Payments during the year

(2,283)   

(274)   

(348)   

(1,000)   

Balance - End of year

$ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

175  $ 

1,447  $ 

—  $ 

961   

4   

—   
—   
965  $ 

Total

5,376 
961 

141 

14 

(3,905) 

2,587 

Less: Current portion of 
promissory notes

As at December 31, 2019

$ 

— 

—  $ 

— 

— 

(492)   

—   

(492) 

—  $ 

175  $ 

955  $ 

965  $ 

2,095 

On June 18, 2020, DCM entered into an amendment for the Perennial acquisition VTB ("Perennial amendment"). The 
original terms required payments of $1,000 on May 8, 2020 and $500 on May 8, 2021. As of September 30, 2020, 
DCM  made  payments  of  $530  of  the  total  $1,000  owing  on  May  8,  2020.  The  remaining  payment  of  $470  was 
deferred, for a total of $970 due on May 8, 2021. The Perennial amendment also added an interest rate of 10% per 
annum commencing May 8, 2020. In connection with this amendment, an additional 215,450 warrants were issued 
(note 18). Each warrant entitles the holder to acquire one DCM common share at an exercise price of $0.185 for a 
period of 2 years, commencing on June 18, 2020. The Perennial amendment resulted in a loss on modification of the 
loan of $69 which was apportioned $57 to the debt instrument and $12 to the warrant option based on their relative 
fair  values  (note  18).  The  loss  on  modification  of  the  loan  of  $69  is  included  in  finance  costs  in  the  consolidated 
statement of operations.

On July 31, 2019, DCM issued promissory notes (“Related Party Promissory Notes”) to members of key management 
of DCM, in the aggregate principal amount of $1,000. The Related Party Promissory Notes bear interest at the rate of 
10% per annum, payable quarterly on the first business day of each fiscal quarter beginning September 3, 2019, with 
principal  repayable  on  or  before  the  May  7,  2023  maturity  date.    The  Related  Party  Promissory  Notes  are 
subordinated to DCM's obligations under the Bank A&R Credit Facility, the FPD A&R Credit Facilities and the Crown 
Facility  on  the  same  basis  as  the  VTB  Noteholders  as  provided  for  in  the  amended  and  restated  inter-creditor 
agreement dated May 7, 2018. On November 10, 2020, DCM entered into an amendment to increase the interest rate 
from 10% per annum to 12% per annum for the remaining term of the promissory notes. 

96

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

In  addition,  a  total  of  78,571  warrants  have  been  issued  in  connection  with  the  issuance  of  the  Related  Party 
Promissory Notes.  Each warrant entitles the holder to acquire one DCM common share at an exercise price of $1.08 
for  a  period  of  3.8  years,  commencing  on  July  31,  2019.  The  Related  Party  Promissory  Notes  of  $1,000  was 
apportioned to $961 to the debt instrument and $39 to the warrant option based on their relative fair values (note 18).  
The fair value of the warrant option was then bifurcated and recorded separately within equity while the fair value of 
the debt host will be accreted from $961 to $1,000 over the term of the loan.

Effective July 25, 2019 (date of the Amended FPD A&R Credit Facilities), DCM agreed to defer any further payments 
on its vendor take-back promissory notes.  Resumption of payments on the vendor take-back promissory notes will 
require prior approval by FPD. DCM received approval for payment of $530 made on May 8, 2020 for the Perennial 
VTB. 

15  Income taxes

Significant components of DCM’s deferred income tax assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 are as 
follows:

December 31, 2020

Assets

Liabilities

Net

Pension obligations and other post-employment benefit plans

$ 

2,920  $ 

—  $ 

2,920 

Property, plant and equipment, ROU assets and lease liabilities

Benefit of income tax loss and other carry-forwards

Deferred finance fees and debt premiums

Deductible reserves

Promissory notes

Intangible assets

Other

364   

64   

360   

595   

2   

—   

—   

—   

—   

—   

—   

—   

364 

64 

360 

595 

2 

(1,357)  

(1,357) 

(67)  

(67) 

Total deferred income tax assets (liabilities)

$ 

4,305  $ 

(1,424) $ 

2,881 

Set-off of deferred income tax assets (liabilities) pursuant to set off 

provisions

Net deferred income tax assets (liabilities)

December 31, 2019

(1,142)  

1,142   

— 

$ 

3,163  $ 

(282) $ 

2,881 

Assets

Liabilities

Net

Pension obligations and other post-employment benefit plans

$ 

2,713  $ 

—  $ 

2,713 

Property, plant and equipment, ROU assets and lease liabilities

Benefit of income tax loss and other carry-forwards

Deferred finance fees and debt premiums

Deductible reserves

Intangible assets

Promissory notes

Other

124   

2,393   

1,064   

507   

—   

—   

—   

—   

—   

—   

—   

(513)  

(15)  

(27)  

124 

2,393 

1,064 

507 

(513) 

(15) 

(27) 

Total deferred income tax assets (liabilities)

$ 

6,801  $ 

(555) $ 

6,246 

Set-off of deferred income tax assets (liabilities) pursuant to set off 

provisions

(153)  

153  $ 

— 

Net deferred income tax assets (liabilities)

$ 

6,648  $ 

(402) $ 

6,246 

As at December 31, 2020, DCM recorded net deferred income tax assets of $3,163 (2019 – $6,648) and net deferred 
income tax liabilities of $282 (2019 – $402) in its consolidated statements of financial position.  The deferred income 

97

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

tax  assets  have  not  been  offset  against  the  deferred  income  tax  liabilities  as  DCM  does  not  have  a  legally 
enforceable right to offset these amounts and the deferred income tax assets and deferred income tax liabilities are 
not related to income taxes levied by the same taxation authority.

Changes in deferred income tax assets and liabilities during the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 are as 
follows:

Pension obligations and other 
post-employment benefit plans

Property, plant and equipment, 
ROU assets and lease liabilities

Benefit of income tax loss and 
other carry-forwards

Deferred finance fees and debt 
premiums

Deductible reserves

Intangible assets

Promissory notes

Other

Deferred income tax assets 
(liabilities), net

Balance at 
January 1,
2020

Other

Recognized
in statement
operations

Recognized in
comprehensive
income

Balance at 
December 31,
2020

$ 

2,713  $ 

—  $ 

(32) $ 

239  $ 

2,920 

124   

—   

240   

2,393   

—   

(2,329)  

1,064   

507   

(513)  

(15)  

(27)  

—   

—   

—   

—   

(6)  

(704)  

88   

(844)  

17   

(34)  

—   

—   

—   

—   

—   

—   

—   

364 

64 

360 

595 

(1,357) 

2 

(67) 

$ 

6,246  $ 

(6) $ 

(3,598) $ 

239  $ 

2,881 

Balance at 
January 1, 
2019

Other

Recognized
in statement
operations

Recognized in
comprehensive
income

Balance at 
December 31, 
2019

Pension obligations and other 
post-employment benefit plans

$ 

2,944  $  — 

$ 

(201) $ 

(30) $ 

2,713 

Property, plant and equipment, 
ROU assets and lease liabilities  

(1,491)   1,036 

 (1)

Benefit of income tax loss and 
other carry-forwards
Deferred finance fees and debt 
premiums

Deductible reserves

Intangible assets

Promissory notes
Unfavourable lease obligation

Lease escalation

Other

Deferred income tax assets 
(liabilities), net

(121)  

94 

217   

734   

(1,348)  

(50)  
236   

586   

(32)  

 (1)

46 
(82)  (1)
— 

— 
(236)  (1)
(586)  (1)
(132)  (1)

579   

2,420   

801   

(145)  

835   

35   
—   

—   

137   

—   

—   

—   

—   

—   

—   
—   

—   

—   

124 

2,393 

1,064 

507 

(513) 

(15) 
— 

— 

(27) 

$ 

1,675  $ 

140 

$ 

4,461  $ 

(30) $ 

6,246 

(1) The  net  impact  of  adopting  IFRS  16  on  DCM’s  net  deferred  income  tax  assets  and  liabilities  as  at  January  1, 

2019 was $nil. 

The realization of the deferred income tax assets is dependent on the generation of future taxable income during the 
years in which those temporary differences become deductible. Based on management's projections of future taxable 
income and tax planning strategies, management expects to realize these net deferred income tax assets in advance 

98

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

of expiry.  As at December 31, 2020, DCM has non-capital tax loss carry-forwards of $901 (2019 – $7,767).  The non-
capital tax loss carry-forwards expire in varying amounts from 2039 to 2040 (2019 – 2037 to 2039).

In the ordinary course of business, DCM and its subsidiaries and predecessors have entered into transactions where 
the ultimate tax determination may be uncertain.  These uncertainties require management to make estimates of the 
ultimate  tax  liabilities  and,  accordingly,  the  provision  for  income  taxes.    Since  there  are  inherent  uncertainties, 
additional  tax  liabilities  may  result  if  tax  matters  are  ultimately  resolved  or  settled  at  amounts  different  from  those 
estimates.    As  at  December  31,  2020,  DCM  has  provided  for  $1,407  (2019  -  $2,267)  included  in  income  taxes 
payable related to past transactions where the ultimate tax determination is unclear.

The major components of income tax expense (recovery) for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 are set 
out below:

Current income tax expense:

Current tax on profits for the year

Adjustment for current tax of prior periods

Total current income tax recovery

Total deferred income tax expense (recovery)

Total income tax expense (recovery) for the year

For the year ended 
December 31, 2020

For the year ended 
December 31, 2019

$ 

$ 

$ 

369  $ 

(860)   

(491)  $ 

3,598 

3,107  $ 

(105) 

— 

(105) 

(4,461) 

(4,566) 

For the year ended December 31, 2020, deferred income tax expense (recovery) on the recognition of actuarial gains 
(losses)  related  to  DCM's  defined  benefit  plans  of  $(239)  (2019  –  $30)  were  recognized  in  the  statements  of 
comprehensive income.

The  following  are  reconciliations  of  income  tax  expense  (recovery)  calculated  at  the  statutory  rate  of  Canadian 
corporate income taxes to the income tax expense (recovery) for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019.

Income (loss) before income taxes

$ 

14,613  $ 

(18,553) 

For the year ended 
December 31, 2020

For the year ended 
December 31, 2019

Expected income tax expense (recovery) calculated at statutory 

income tax rate (1)

Adjustment to income taxes resulting from:

Difference between Canadian rates and rates applicable to 
subsidiary in another country or rates applicable to wholly 
owned Canadian subsidiaries

Adjustment for current tax of prior periods

Non-deductible expenses and other items

Total income tax expense (recovery) for the year

$ 

3,715 

(4,813) 

(3)   

(860)   

255 
3,107  $ 

43 

— 

204 
(4,566) 

(1) The calculation of the current income tax is based on a combined federal and provincial statutory income tax rate 

of 25.42% (2019 – 25.94%).

The combined federal and provincial statutory income tax rate for the current year is 0.52% lower than 2019 due to 
the effect of changes in statutory tax rates and the allocation of taxable income between provinces.  Deferred income 
tax assets and liabilities are measured at tax rates that are expected to apply to the period when the asset is realized 
or the liability is settled.  Deferred income tax assets and liabilities have been measured using an expected average 
combined statutory income tax rate of 25.49% (2019 – 25.48%) based on the tax rates in years when the temporary 
differences are expected to reverse.

99

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

16  Pension obligations, assets and expenses

Effective  January  1,  2008,  no  further  services  credits  will  accrue  under  the  defined  benefit  provision  of  the  DATA 
Communications Management Pension Plan.  Actuarial valuations are typically performed at least every three years. 
Based  on  those  valuations,  the  annual  cash  contributions  in  respect  of  the  defined  benefit  provision  of  the  DATA 
Communications  Management  Pension  Plan  are  dependent  on  the  plan’s  investment  performance  and  changes  in 
long-term interest rates, estimates of the price of annuities, and other elements of pension plan experience such as 
demographic changes and administration expenses, among others.  Under applicable pension regulations, the plan’s 
solvency deficiency can be funded over a maximum period of five years.

During the year ended December 31, 2020, DCM engaged actuaries to complete an updated actuarial valuation of 
the  defined  benefit  provision  of  the  DATA  Communications  Management  Pension  Plan,  which  confirmed  that,  as  at 
January  1,  2020,  the  solvency  position  of  the  defined  benefit  provision  of  the  DATA  Communications  Management 
Pension Plan had improved since the previous valuation.  Based upon the January 1, 2020 actuarial report, DCM's 
annual  minimum  funding  obligation  for  the  defined  benefit  provision  of  the  DATA  Communications  Management 
Pension Plan for 2020 is $551 and 2021 is $423.

As  of  December  31,  2017,  DCM  had  exceeded  its  minimum  required  funding  requirements  for  the  defined  benefit 
provision  of  the  DATA  Communications  Management  Pension  Plan  for  2017  by  $227.    During  the  year  ended 
December  31,  2018,  DCM  applied  $216  of  the  excess  funding  from  2017  to  its  2018  funding  requirements  for  the 
defined benefit provision of the DATA Communications Management Pension Plan.  During the year ended December 
31, 2019, DCM's required payments related to its 2019 funding requirements for the defined benefit provision of the 
DATA Communications Management Pension Plan after applying the remaining excess funding from 2017 of $11 was 
$516.  The  December  2019  payment  of  $44,  related  to  DCM's  funding  requirement,  was  received  by  the  DATA 
Communications Management Pension Plan during the first week of January 2020. During the year ended December 
31,  2020,  DCM's  made  all  its  required  payments  related  to  its  2020  funding  requirements  for  the  defined  benefit 
provision of the DATA Communications Management Pension Plan.

The  following  is  a  summary  of  DCM’s  net  pension  obligations  for  the  defined  benefit  provision  of  the  funded  DATA 
Communications Management Pension Plan and unfunded SERP:

Present value of funded obligations

Less: Fair value of plan assets

Surplus of funded plan

Present value of unfunded obligations

Pension obligations, net

December 31,
2020

December 31,
2019

67,530  $ 

(67,733)   

(203)   

8,271 

8,068  $ 

64,999 

(65,155) 

(156) 

7,958 

7,802 

$ 

$ 

100

 
 
 
 
DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

CHANGE IN THE PRESENT VALUE OF DEFINED BENEFIT PLAN OBLIGATIONS

The following is a summary of the change in DCM’s net pension obligations for the defined benefit provision of the 
funded DATA Communications Management Pension Plan and unfunded SERP:

Balance – Beginning of year

Interest expense

Benefits paid

Re-measurements:
‑ Loss from change in financial assumptions
‑ Experience (gains) losses

Funded

Unfunded

$ 

64,999  $ 

7,958  $ 

1,935   

(3,290)  

5,072   

(1,186)  

232   

(521)  

528   

74   

Balance – End of year

$ 

67,530  $ 

8,271  $ 

Balance – Beginning of year

Interest expense

Benefits paid

Re-measurements:
‑ Gain from change in financial assumptions
‑ Experience (gains) losses

Funded

Unfunded

$ 

60,073  $ 

7,721  $ 

2,232   

(3,015)  

5,715   

(6)  

276   

(517)  

505   

(27)  

Balance – End of year

$ 

64,999  $ 

7,958  $ 

December 31,
2020

72,957 

2,167 

(3,811) 

5,600 

(1,112) 

75,801 

December 31,
2019

67,794 

2,508 

(3,532) 

6,220 

(33) 

72,957 

101

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

CHANGE IN THE FAIR VALUE OF PLAN ASSETS

The following is a summary of the change in the fair value of the plan assets for the defined benefit provision of the 
funded DATA Communications Management Pension Plan and unfunded SERP:

Balance – Beginning of year

Interest income

Employer contributions

Benefits paid

Administrative expenses paid from plan assets

Re-measurements:
‑ Return on plan assets, excluding amounts included in 
interest income

Balance – End of year

Funded

Unfunded

$ 

65,155  $ 

—  $ 

1,980 

595   

(3,290)  

(300)  

521   

(521)  

—   

December 31,
2020

65,155 

1,980 

1,116 

(3,811) 

(300) 

3,593   

$ 

67,733  $ 

—   

—  $ 

3,593 

67,733 

Funded

Unfunded

December 31,
2019

Balance – Beginning of year

$ 

59,448  $ 

Interest income

Employer contributions

Benefits paid

Administrative expenses paid from plan assets

Re-measurements:
‑ Return on plan assets, excluding amounts included in 
interest income

Balance – End of year

2,212   

472   

(3,015)  

(300)  

—  $ 

—   

517   

(517)  

—   

59,448 

2,212 

989 

(3,532) 

(300) 

6,338   

$ 

65,155  $ 

—   

—  $ 

6,338 

65,155 

DATA COMMUNICATIONS MANAGEMENT PENSION PLAN ASSET COMPOSITION

The  following  is  a  summary  of  the  composition  in  plan  assets  of  the  defined  benefit  provision  of  the  funded  DATA 
Communications Management Pension Plan:

For the year ended 
December 31, 2020

For the year ended 
December 31, 2019

Quoted

Percentage of 
plan assets

Quoted

Percentage of 
plan assets

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

436 

9,947 

10,383 

15,158 

41,799 

56,957 

393 

67,733 

$ 

 15 % $ 

$ 

 84 % $ 

 1 % $ 

3,388 

6,577 

9,965 

11,883 

43,384 

55,267 

(77) 

 100 % $ 

65,155 

 15 %

 85 %

 0 %

 100 %

Domestic equities

Foreign equities

Equity instruments

Short and mid-term bonds

Long-term bonds

Debt instruments

Cash and cash equivalents

Total

102

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

ELEMENTS OF DEFINED BENEFIT EXPENSE RECOGNIZED IN THE STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

The  following  is  a  summary  of  the  expense  recognized  for  the  defined  benefit  provision  of  the  funded  DATA 
Communications Management Pension Plan and unfunded SERP:

Administration expenses

$ 

300  $ 

—  $ 

300 

Funded

Unfunded

December 31,
2020

Interest expense

Interest income

Total net interest expenses (income)

Defined benefit expense recognized

Administration expenses

Interest expense

Interest income

Total net interest expense 

1,935   

(1,980)  

(45)  

232   

—   

232   

255  $ 

232  $ 

2,167 

(1,980) 

187 

487 

Funded

Unfunded

December 31,
2019

300  $ 

—  $ 

300 

$ 

$ 

2,232   

(2,212)  

20   

276   

—   

276   

Defined benefit expense recognized

$ 

320  $ 

276  $ 

2,508 

(2,212) 

296 

596 

103

 
 
 
 
 
 
DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

AMOUNTS RECOGNIZED IN THE STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS

The  following  is  a  summary  of  the  amounts  recognized  in  the  statement  of  comprehensive  income  (loss)  for  the 
defined benefit provision of the funded DATA Communications Management Pension Plan and unfunded SERP:

Funded

Unfunded

December 31,
2020

Re-measurements:
‑ Loss from change in financial assumptions
‑ Experience (gains) losses
‑ Return on plan assets, excluding amounts included in 
interest income

$ 

5,072  $ 

(1,186)  

(3,593)  

293   

528  $ 

74   

—   

602   

Deferred income tax effect

(73)  

(152)  

Defined benefit expense recognized

$ 

220  $ 

450  $ 

5,600 

(1,112) 

(3,593) 

895 

(225) 

670 

Funded

Unfunded

December 31,
2019

Re-measurements:
‑ Gain from change in financial assumptions
‑ Experience gains
‑ Loss on plan assets, excluding amounts included in 
interest income

$ 

5,715  $ 

(6)  

(6,338)  

(629)  

505  $ 

(27)  

—   

478   

Deferred income tax effect

163   

(124)  

Defined benefit (recovery) expense recognized

$ 

(466) $ 

354  $ 

6,220 

(33) 

(6,338) 

(151) 

39 

(112) 

DCM manages its pension plans by meeting with an actuarial consultant and the fund managers on a regular basis 
and reviews periodic reports outlining changes in the plan liabilities and the return on pension assets relative to the 
market.  Assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis and adjustments are made whenever management believes 
that conditions have materially changed.

SIGNIFICANT ACTUARIAL ASSUMPTIONS ADOPTED IN MEASURING DCM’S DEFINED BENEFIT 

OBLIGATIONS

DATA Communications Management Pension Plan

Discount rate

Rate of compensation increase

SERP

Discount rate

December 31,
2020

December 31,
2019

 2.50 %

 3.00 %

 3.10 %

 3.00 %

 2.30 %

 3.00 %

DCM decreased the discount rate that was used to calculate its defined benefit obligations as at December 31, 2020 
to  reflect  current  Canadian  economic  conditions  and  long-term  interest  rates.    The  salary  increase  assumption 
remained unchanged at December 31, 2020.

104

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

Assumptions regarding future mortality are set based on actuarial advice in accordance with published statistics and 
experience in Canada.  These assumptions translate into an average life expectancy in years for a pensioner retiring 
at age 65:

Retiring at the end of the reporting period:

Male

Female

Retiring in 25 years after the end of the reporting period:

Male

Female

December 31,
2020

December 31,
2019

21.9

24.2

23.1

25.4

21.8

24.2

23.1

25.4

Through  its  defined  benefit  plans,  DCM  is  exposed  to  a  number  of  risks,  the  most  significant  of  which  are  detailed 
below:

ASSET VOLATILITY

For a defined benefit pension plan, fluctuations in the value of plan assets are assessed in the context of fluctuations 
in  the  plan  liabilities.    The  plan  liabilities  are  calculated  using  a  discount  rate  set  with  reference  to  high  quality 
corporate bond yields.  As discount rates change, the value of the plan liabilities will fluctuate, if the growth of plan 
liabilities exceeds that of plan assets a deficit will result.  The defined benefit provision of the DATA Communications 
Management  Pension  Plan  currently  holds  a  small  proportion  of  equities,  approximately  15%  of  total  assets,  which 
are expected to outperform corporate bonds in the long-term while providing volatility and risk in the short-term.  The 
defined  benefit  provision  of  the  DATA  Communications  Management  Pension  Plan’s  investment  time  horizon  and 
financial position are key inputs in deciding on the proportion of equities held.

The defined benefit provision of the DATA Communications Management Pension Plan is closed to new membership, 
which  means  the  investment  time  horizon  is  shrinking  as  the  plan  matures.    In  2014,  the  derisking  strategy  was 
reviewed against the investment time horizon and the financial position of the defined benefit provision of the DATA 
Communications  Management  Pension  Plan.    With  a  significant  improvement  in  the  financial  position,  the  defined 
benefit  provision  of  the  DATA  Communications  Management  Pension  Plan  asset  mix  was  15%  equities  and  85% 
bonds.  Given  the  new  funding  rules  for  Ontario  registered  pension  plans,  the  investment  strategy  shifted  from  a 
solvency focus to an ongoing focus.  This lead to a bond portfolio structure change in 2018 that moved from cash flow 
matching  to  duration  matching  using  pooled  funds.   The  equity  and  bond  target  allocations  and  the  equity  portfolio 
structure did not change relative to the previous year.

CHANGES IN BOND YIELDS

A decrease in corporate bond yields will increase plan liabilities, although this will be partially offset by an increase in 
the value of the plan’s bond holdings.

SALARY RISK

The  present  value  of  the  pension  benefit  obligations  is  calculated  by  reference  to  the  future  salaries  of  plan 
participants, so salary increases of the plan participants greater than assumed will increase plan liabilities.

LIFE EXPECTANCY

The majority of the plans’ obligations provide benefits for the life of the member, so increases in life expectancy will 
result in an increase in the plans’ liabilities.

105

DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

The sensitivity of the defined benefit pension obligations for the DATA Communications Management Pension Plan 
and  SERP  to  changes  in  assumptions  at  December  31,  2020  and  at  December  31,  2019  are  set  out  below.    The 
effects  on  each  plan  of  a  change  in  an  assumption  are  weighted  proportionately  to  the  total  plan  obligations  to 
determine the total impact for each assumption presented.

December 31, 2020

Impact on defined benefit obligations

Change in assumption

Increase in assumption Decrease in assumption

Discount rate

Salary growth rate

0.25%

0.25%

Life expectancy

$ 

$ 

(2,386) $ 

399   

2,512 

(362) 

Increase by 1 year in 
assumption

Decrease by 1 year in 
assumption

2,313  $ 

(2,346) 

December 31, 2019

Impact on defined benefit obligations

Change in assumption

Increase in assumption

Decrease in assumption

Discount rate

Salary growth rate

0.25%

0.25%

Life expectancy

$ 

$ 

(2,324) $ 

567   

2,449 

(506) 

Increase by 1 year in 
assumption

Decrease by 1 year in 
assumption

2,074  $ 

(2,111) 

Each  sensitivity  analysis  disclosed  in  this  note  is  based  on  changing  one  assumption  while  holding  all  other 
assumptions  constant.    In  practice,  this  is  unlikely  to  occur  and  changes  in  some  of  the  assumptions  may  be 
correlated.    When  calculating  the  sensitivity  of  the  defined  benefit  obligations  to  variations  in  significant  actuarial 
assumptions,  the  same  method  (present  value  of  the  defined  benefit  obligations  calculated  with  the  projected  unit 
credit  method  at  the  end  of  the  reporting  period)  has  been  applied  as  for  calculating  the  liability  recognized  in  the 
statements of financial position.

The weighted average duration of the defined benefit obligations is 12.92 years (2019 – 13.10 years).

Expected maturity analysis of undiscounted pension benefits:

Less than
a year

Between 1 to 2 
years

Between 3 to 5 
years

Between 5 to 10 
years

At December 31, 2020

At December 31, 2019

$ 

$ 

3,432 $ 

3,281 $ 

7,019 $ 

6,769 $ 

7,309 $ 

7,123 $ 

19,637 

19,525 

The  annual  pension  expense  for  the  defined  contribution  provision  of  the  DATA  Communications  Management 
Pension Plan is based on the amounts contributed in respect of eligible employees.  The annual pension expense for 
the GCCP and Unifor Pension & Benefit Plans, which are accounted for as a defined contribution plan, is based on 
amounts  contributed  based  on  a  percentage  of  wages  of  unionized  employees  who  are  covered  by  the  respective 
collective bargaining agreements, all of whom are employed at DCM facilities located in the Province of Québec and 
Ontario.

106

 
 
DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

DCM’s pension expense related to DCM’s defined contribution plans are as follows:

Defined contribution plan

Defined benefit multi-employer plans

For the year ended 
December 31, 2020

$ 

$ 

1,008  $ 

471  $ 

For the year ended 
December 31, 2019
1,225 

505 

DCM expects that, in 2021, contributions to the defined benefit provision of the DATA Communications Management 
Pension  Plan  will  be  approximately  $423,  contributions  to  the  defined  contribution  provision  of  the  DATA 
Communications  Management  Pension  Plan  will  be  approximately  $1,040,  contributions  to  the  SERP  will  be 
approximately $544 , contributions to the GCPP will be approximately $468 and contributions to the Unifor Pension & 
Benefit Plans will be approximately $57.

17  Other post-employment benefit plans 

Costs related to the DCM OPEB Plans and the DCM OPEB LTD Plan, are actuarially determined using the projected 
unit credit method, the actuarial present value of all future projected benefits determined as at the valuation date and 
management’s best assumptions.

The following summarizes the change in the obligations related to the DCM OPEB Plans and DCM OPEB LTD Plan:

December 31,
2020

December 31,
2019

Balance – Beginning of year

$ 

2,938  $ 

Current service cost

Interest expense

Benefits paid

Re-measurements:
‑ Gain from change in demographic assumptions
‑ Loss from change in financial assumptions
‑ Experience gains
Balance – End of year

244 

94 

(338)   

— 

149 

420 

$ 

3,507  $ 

2,978 

280 

118 

(312) 

(252) 

154 

(28) 

2,938 

ELEMENTS OF OTHER POST EMPLOYMENT BENEFIT EXPENSE RECOGNIZED IN THE STATEMENTS OF 

OPERATIONS

The following summarizes the elements of the benefit expense related to the DCM OPEB Plans and DCM OPEB LTD 
Plan:

December 31,
2020

December 31,
2019

Current service cost

Interest expense

Re-measurements:

‑ Gain from change in demographic assumptions
‑ Loss from change in financial assumptions
‑ Experience gains

Benefit expense recognized

$ 

$ 

244  $ 

94 

— 

103 

411 

852  $ 

280 

118 

(112) 

85 

(132) 

239 

107

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

AMOUNTS RECOGNIZED IN THE STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS

The  following  summarizes  the  amounts  recognized  in  the  statement  of  comprehensive  income  (loss)  related  to  the 
DCM OPEB Plans:

Re-measurements:
‑ Gain from change in demographic assumptions
‑ Loss from change in financial assumptions
‑ Experience losses

Deferred income tax effect

Benefit recovery recognized

December 31,
2020

December 31,
2019

$ 

$ 

—  $ 

46 

9 

55 

(14)   

41  $ 

(140) 

69 

104 

33 

(9) 

24 

SIGNIFICANT ACTUARIAL ASSUMPTIONS ADOPTED IN MEASURING DCM’S OTHER POST-EMPLOYMENT 

BENEFIT OBLIGATIONS

DCM OPEB Plans

Discount rate

Health care cost trend rate – Initial

Health care cost trend rate declines by 2040 (2019 – 2040)

DCM OPEB LTD Plan

Discount rate

Health care cost trend rate – Initial

Health care cost trend rate declines by 2040 (2019 – 2040)

December 31,
2020

December 31,
2019

 2.50 %

 5.94 %

 4.00 %

 3.10 %

 6.22 %

 4.00 %

December 31,
2020

December 31,
2019

 2.50 %

 5.47 %

 4.00 %

 3.10 %

 5.55 %

 4.00 %

SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS ON OTHER POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFIT OBLIGATIONS

The  effects  on  the  DCM  OPEB  Plans  and  DCM  OPEB  LTD  Plan  of  a  change  in  an  assumption  are  weighted 
proportionately to the total plan obligations to determine the total impact for each assumption presented.

At December 31, 2020
Discount rate

Health care cost trend rates

Life expectancy

Impact on other post-employment benefit obligations

Change in assumption

Increase in 
assumption

Decrease in 
assumption

0.25%

1.00%

$ 

(64) $ 

233   

65 

(209) 

Increase by 1 year in 
assumption

Decrease by 1 year in 
assumption

$ 

70  $ 

(67) 

108

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

At December 31, 2019
Discount rate

Health care cost trend rates

Life expectancy

Impact on other post-employment benefit obligations

Change in assumption

Increase in assumption Decrease in assumption

0.25%

1.00%

$ 

(51) $ 

179   

52 

(162) 

Increase by 1 year in 
assumption

Decrease by 1 year in 
assumption

$ 

61  $ 

(59) 

Expected maturity analysis of undiscounted other post-employment benefits:

Less than
a year

Between 1 to 
2 years

Between 3 to 
5 years

Between 5 to 
10 years

At December 31, 2020

At December 31, 2019

$ 

$ 

381  $ 

329  $ 

705  $ 

612  $ 

569  $ 

528  $ 

1,019 

923 

DCM expects that, in 2021, contributions to its DCM OPEB Plans and DCM OPEB LTD Plan will be approximately 
$381.

18  Shares and warrants

SHARES
DCM is authorized to issue an unlimited number of common shares.  The common shares have a stated capital of 
one dollar.  Each common share is entitled to one vote at any meeting of shareholders.  Each holder of the common 
shares  will  be  entitled  to  receive  dividends  if,  as  and  when  declared  by  the  Board.  In  the  event  of  the  liquidation, 
dissolution,  winding  up  of  DCM  or  other  distribution  of  assets  of  DCM  among  its  shareholders  for  the  purpose  of 
winding  up  its  affairs,  the  holders  of  the  common  shares  will    be  entitled  to  receive  assets  of  DCM  upon  such  a 
distribution.    Such  distribution  will  be  made  in  equal  amounts  per  share  on  all  the  common  shares  at  the  time 
outstanding without preference or distinction.

The following summarizes the change in number of issued and outstanding common shares during the periods below:

Balance – January 1, 2020

Shares issued under LTIP plan

Exercise of warrants

Balance – December 31, 2020

Balance – January 1, 2019

Shares issued December 31, 2019

Balance – December 31, 2019

Number of
Common shares

43,047,030 $ 

320,000  

500,000 

Amount

256,045 

80 

135 

43,867,030  $ 

256,260 

Number of
Common shares

21,523,515  $ 

21,523,515 

43,047,030  $ 

Amount

251,217 

4,828 

256,045 

On December 31, 2019, DCM completed a rights offering (“Rights Offering”) which was conducted by way of a rights 
offering  circular  (“Circular”).    Under  the  offering,  DCM  issued  21,523,515  Common  Shares  at  a  price  of  $0.23  per 
share for gross proceeds of $4,950.  Among this, 11,341,310 Common Shares were issued to directors, officers and 

109

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

related  parties  of  DCM  for  total  gross  proceeds  of  $2,609.    The  gross  proceeds  were  used  to  reduce  DCM 
outstanding indebtedness, by repaying amounts drawn under the revolving facilities portion of its Bank Credit Facility.  
Under  the  terms  of  the  Rights  Offering,  each  eligible  shareholder  (“Eligible  Holder”)  on  record  as  of  December  3, 
2019  (the  “Record  Date”)  received  one  right  (“Right”)  for  each  Common  Share  held  as  of  the  Record  Date.    Every 
Right entitled the Eligible Holder to subscribe for one Common Share upon payment of the subscription price of $0.23 
per  share.  The  Rights  were  transferable  and  were  represented  by  rights  certificates.    Total  transaction  costs  were 
$165 which were classified net of the Common Shares issued under the Rights Offering.  The value of the Common 
Shares were increased by a deferred income tax asset of $43.

WARRANTS
A summary of warrant activities for the year ended December 31, 2020 and the year ended December 31, 2019 is as 
follows:

Warrants outstanding - beginning of 

year

Granted

Anti-dilution adjustment

Expired

Exercised

Warrants outstanding - end of year

2020

2019

Number of 
Warrants

Weighted 
average 
Exercise Price

Number of 
Warrants

Weighted 
average Exercise 
Price

1,688,571  $ 

715,450   

16,071   

—   

(500,000)  

1,920,092  $ 

0.35 

0.19 

0.99 

— 

(0.19)   

0.33 

2,251,550  $ 

728,571   

—   

(1,291,550)  

—   

1,688,571  $ 

1.75 

1.08 

— 

1.75 

— 

0.35 

The outstanding warrants had an exercise price range as follows:

$1.08

$0.99

$0.26

$0.185

Warrants outstanding

December 31, 2020

December 31, 2019

Number of Warrants

Number of Warrants

— 

194,642 

1,510,000 

215,450 

1,920,092 

178,571 

— 

1,510,000 

— 

1,688,571 

On  June  18,  2020,  DCM  entered  into  an  amendment  under  the  Perennial  acquisition  VTB  and  issued  215,450 
warrants  in  connection  with  the  amendment.  Each  warrant  entitles  the  holder  to  acquire  one  Common  Share  at  an 
exercise price of $0.185 for a period of 2 years, commencing on June 18, 2020. The fair value of the warrants issued 
was  estimated  to  be  $12  using  the  Black-Scholes  option-pricing  model,  assuming  a  risk-free  interest  of  0.30%,  a 
weighted average life of 2 years, a dividend yield of nil and an expected volatility of 56.95% based on comparable 
companies and adjusted using a discount rate of 5% for the statutory hold period.

On June 18, 2020, DCM issued 500,000 warrants in connection with an amendment under the Bank Credit Facility on 
February 21, 2020. Each warrant entitles the holder to acquire one Common Share at an exercise price of $0.185 for 
a period of 2 years, commencing on June 18, 2020. The fair value of the warrants issued was estimated to be $27 
using  the  Black-Scholes  option-pricing  model,  assuming  a  risk-free  interest  of  0.30%,  a  weighted  average  life  of  2 
years,  a  dividend  yield  of  nil  and  an  expected  volatility  of  56.95%  based  on  comparable  companies  and  adjusted 
using a discount rate of 5% for the statutory hold period. During the fourth quarter of 2020, the 500,000 warrants were 
exercised for total proceeds of $93. 

110

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

On May 12, 2020, the Board approved the anti-dilution adjustments that affect certain DCM warrants outstanding at 
December  31,  2019,  pursuant  to  the  anti-dilution  provisions  of  DCM's  LTIP,  in  connection  with  the  Rights  Offering 
completed by the Company on December 31, 2019. The warrant exercise prices were adjusted by a factor of 1:0.917 
and the number of warrants were adjusted by a factor of 1:1.09. 178,571 warrants outstanding with an exercise price 
of $1.08, were adjusted to 194,642 warrants outstanding with an exercise price of $0.99.

On August 16, 2019, DCM entered into an amendment with Crown for an additional principal amount of $7,000 and 
issued 550,000 warrants as part of this financing. Each warrant entitles the holder to acquire one Common Share at 
an exercise price of $1.08 for a period of 3.7 years, commencing on August 16, 2019.  The fair value of the warrants 
issued  was  estimated  to  be  $145  using  the  Black-Scholes  option-pricing  model,  assuming  a  risk-free  interest  of 
1.24%,  a  weighted  average  life  of  3.7  years,  a  dividend  yield  of  nil  and  an  expected  volatility  of  40%  based  on 
comparable  companies  and  adjusted  using  a  discount  rate  of  5%  for  the  statutory  hold  period.    The  additional 
principal amount of $7,000 was then apportioned between the host debt and the warrant option based on relative fair 
values.  The value allocated to the warrant options outstanding for this issue was $140, net of transaction costs of $5 
(increased by a deferred income tax asset of $1).

On August  31,  2019,  DCM  issued  100,000  warrants  in  connection  with  an  agreement  for  advisory  services.    Each 
warrant entitles the holder to acquire one DCM common share at an exercise price of $1.08 for a period of 2.0 years, 
commencing  on August  31,  2019.  The  fair  value  of  the  warrants  issued  was  estimated  to  be  $18  using  the  Black-
Scholes option-pricing model, assuming a risk-free interest of 1.35%, a weighted average life of 2.0 years, a dividend 
yield of nil and an expected volatility of 40% based on comparable companies.  This was adjusted using a discount 
rate of 5% for the statutory hold period and net of transaction costs totaling $5 (increased by a deferred income tax 
asset of $1).  DCM recorded $18 as consulting expense related to this issuance.  As at December 31, 2020, the value 
allocated to the warrants outstanding for this issue was $13, net of transaction costs (increased by a deferred income 
tax asset of $1).

On  July  31,  2019,  DCM  issued  78,571  warrants  in  connection  with  the  issuance  of  the  Related  Party  Promissory 
Notes. Each warrant entitles the holder to acquire one DCM common share at an exercise price of $1.08 for a period 
of 3.8 years, commencing on July 31, 2019. The fair value of the warrants issued was estimated to be $39 using the 
Black-Scholes  option-pricing  model,  assuming  a  risk-free  interest  of 1.49%,  a  weighted  average  life  of 3.8  years,  a 
dividend  yield  of  nil  and  an  expected  volatility  of  40%  based  on  comparable  companies.    The  total  Related  Party 
Promissory Notes amount of $1,000 was then apportioned between the host debt and the warrant option based on 
relative fair values.  As at December 31, 2020, the value allocated to the warrant options outstanding for this issue 
was $38, net of transaction costs of $1 (increased by a deferred income tax asset of $1).

On December 19, 2019, in connection with the Crown Fourth Amendment (note 13), the Company agreed to amend 
the exercise price of (A) the 960,000 common share purchase warrants of the Company issued to Crown in May 2018 
from  $1.75  to  $0.26,  and  (B)  the  550,000  common  share  purchase  warrants  of  the  Company  issued  to  Crown  in 
August 2019 from $1.08 to $0.26. In accordance with the rules of the Toronto Stock Exchange, these amendments 
became  effective  on  January  8,  2020.  The  increased  value  of  the  warrants  arising  from  the  debt  modification  was 
$121 which was recorded as a transaction cost and applied against the carrying value of the debt.

SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION

DCM  has  adopted  a  Long-Term  Incentive  Plan  ("LTIP")  to:  recruit  and  retain  highly  qualified  directors,  officers, 
employees  and  consultants  (the  "Participants");  provide  Participants  with  an  incentive  for  productivity  and  an 
opportunity  to  share  in  the  growth  and  the  value  of  DCM;  and,  align  the  interests  of  Participants  with  those  of  the 
shareholders  of  DCM.    Awards  to  Participants  are  primarily  based  on  the  financial  results  of  DCM  and  services 
provided.  The aggregate maximum number of common shares available for issuance from DCM's treasury under the 
LTIP is 4,386,703 common shares or 10% of the issued and outstanding common shares of DCM.  The shares to be 
awarded will be authorized and unissued shares.

111

DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

DCM's  share-based  compensation  plan  consists  of  five  types  of  awards:  restricted  share  unit  ("RSUs"),  options, 
deferred share unit ("DSUs"), restricted shares or stock appreciation right ("SARs") awards.  No restricted shares or 
SARs have been granted to date.

On  May  12,  2020,  the  Board  approved  the  anti-dilution  adjustments  pursuant  to  the  provisions  of  DCM's  LTIP  that 
affect  DCM's  share-based  compensation  grants  outstanding  at  December  31,  2019,  in  connection  with  the  Rights 
Offering completed by the Company on December 31, 2019. The option exercise prices were adjusted by a factor of 
1:0.917 and the number of options, RSUs and DSUs were adjusted by a factor of 1:1.09.

Restricted share unit ("RSU")

(a)
Under the RSU portion of the LTIP, selected employees are granted RSUs where each RSU represents the right to 
receive a distribution from DCM in an amount equal to the fair value of one DCM common share.  RSUs granted are 
performance  and  non-performance  based.  The  performance  component  is  based  on  Company  specific  financial 
targets  approved  by  the  Board  and  the  non-performance  component  is  based  on  continued  employment.    RSUs 
generally vest over three years, require continued employment with DCM for the duration of the vesting period and 
settle in cash upon final vesting. 

A liability for RSUs is measured at fair value on the grant date and is subsequently adjusted for changes in fair value.  
The  liability  is  recognized  on  a  graded  vesting  basis  over  the  vesting  period,  with  a  corresponding  charge  to 
compensation expense, as a component of costs of revenues, selling, commissions and expenses, and general and 
administration  expenses. The  RSUs  payable  are  included  in  trade  payables  and  accrued  liabilities.    Compensation 
expenses for RSUs incorporate an estimate for expected forfeiture rates based on which the fair value is adjusted.

Balance - beginning of year

Units granted

Units forfeited

Units paid out

Balance - end of year

December 31,
2020

December 31,
2019

Number of RSUs

Number of RSUs

707,950 

7,054,214 

(4,941,372)   

(158,231)   

2,662,561 

530,452 

853,016 

(648,883) 

(26,635) 

707,950 

During  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020,  the  Chief  Executive  Officer  ("CEO")  and  the  President  of  DCM  were 
granted  2,799,707  RSUs  (2019  –  327,343  RSUs)  and  a  total  of  4,254,507  RSUs  (2019  –  525,673  RSUs)  were 
awarded to other members of DCM's management.

Of the total RSUs outstanding as at December 31, 2019, 695,101 were affected by those anti-dilution adjustments, 
and were adjusted to 757,656 RSUs.

Of  the  total  outstanding  RSUs  at  December  31,  2020,  nil  (December  31,  2019  –  54,857)  have  vested  and  are 
payable.  The carrying amount of the liability relating to the RSUs at December 31, 2020 was $769 (December 31, 
2019 – $193).

During  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020,  compensation  expense  of  $608  (2019  –  $230)  was  recognized  in  the 
consolidated statement of operations related to RSUs granted.

Options ("Options")

(b)
A summary of Options activities for the year ended December 31, 2020 and the year ended December 31, 2019 is as 
follows:

112

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

2020

2019

Number of 
Options

Weighted 
average 
Exercise Price

Number of 
Options

Weighted 
average Exercise 
Price

Options outstanding - beginning of year

1,456,409  $ 

Granted

Forfeited

Anti-dilution adjustment

Options outstanding - end of year

—   

—   

131,077   

1,587,486  $ 

1.45 

— 

— 

1.33 

1.33 

1,991,957  $ 

40,000   

(575,548)  

—   

1,456,409  $ 

1.45 

1.41 

(1.44) 

— 

1.45 

Exercisable

1,522,087  $ 

1.33 

1,116,415  $ 

1.46 

The outstanding Options had an exercise price range as follows:

$1.50

$1.41

$1.38

$1.29

Options outstanding

December 31, 2020

December 31, 2019

Number of Options

Number of Options

— 

— 

671,886 

915,600 

1,587,486 

616,409 

840,000 

— 

— 

1,456,409 

The Black-Scholes option-pricing model inputs used to compute compensation expense for the options granted under 
the fair value-based method are as follows:

Expected life (years)

Expected volatility

Dividend yield

Risk free rate of return

Weighted average fair value of options granted

$ 

Forfeiture rate

December 31, 2019

7 

 40 %

 0 %

 1.45 %

0.57 

 10 %

During  the  year  ended  December  31,  2019,  options  to  purchase  up  to  40,000  common  shares  were  awarded  to  a 
director.  Once vested, the options are exercisable for a period of seven years from the grant date at an exercise price 
of $1.41 per share, representing the fair value of the common shares on the date of grant.  These options vest at a 
rate of 1/36th per month beginning on March 28, 2019. During the year ended December 31, 2020, a total of nil (2019 
– 575,548) options awarded were forfeited.

Of the total outstanding options at as at December 31, 2019, 1,456,409 options were affected by those anti-dilution 
adjustments and were adjusted to 1,587,486 options.

During  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020,  compensation  expense  of  $54  (2019  –  $190)  was  recognized  in  the 
consolidated statement of operations related to options granted.

(c) Deferred share unit ("DSU")
Each director is required to receive at least half of his or her annual retainer in DSUs and had the option to elect to 
receive all or part of his or her other compensation in DSUs.

113

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

Each DSU represents the right to receive a distribution from DCM in an amount equal to the fair value of one DCM 
common share on the date of the termination of service of the respective director.  The number of DSUs payable to 
each director is determined by multiplying the total Director Fees payable by the percent elected to be paid in DSUs 
and  dividing  the  product  by  the  Fair  Value  of  one  DCM  common  share  on  the  grant  date.   A  liability  for  DSUs  is 
measured at fair value on the grant date and is subsequently adjusted for changes in fair value.  The DSUs payable is 
included in trade payables and accrued liabilities.

Of the total DSUs outstanding as at December 31, 2019, 476,865 were affected by those anti-dilution adjustments, 
and were adjusted to 519,782 DSUs.

During  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020,  1,715,722  DSUs  (2019  –  152,925  DSUs)  were  granted.  The  carrying 
amount of the liability relating to the 1,955,571 DSUs outstanding at December 31, 2020 was $1,232 (December 31, 
2019 – $58 and 239,849 DSUs outstanding).

During the year ended December 31, 2020, an expense of $1,260 (2019 – a recovery of $58) was recognized in the 
consolidated statement of operations related to DSUs granted.

19  Earnings (loss) per share

BASIC (LOSS) EARNINGS PER SHARE

Net (loss) income for the year attributable to common 
shareholders

Weighted average number of shares

Basic (loss) earnings per share

DILUTED (LOSS) EARNINGS PER SHARE

Net (loss) income for the year attributable to common 
shareholders

Weighted average number of shares

Diluted (loss) earnings per share

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

For the year ended 
December 31, 2020

For the year ended 
December 31, 2019

11,506  $ 

43,146,866

0.27  $ 

(13,987) 

21,582,483

(0.65) 

11,506  $ 

43,316,630

0.27  $ 

(13,987) 

21,582,483

(0.65) 

For  the  year  ended December  31,  2020,  options  to  purchase  up  to 1,587,486  common  shares,  where  the  average 
market price of the common shares was less than the exercise price were excluded from the computation of diluted 
earnings per share as their effect would have been anti-dilutive. Warrants to purchase up to 194,642 common shares 
were excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share as they were out-of-the-money as of December 31, 
2020.

During the year ended December 31, 2019, options to purchase up to 1,456,409 common shares, where the average 
market  price  of  the  common  shares  was  less  than  the  exercise  price,  were  excluded  in  the  computation  of  diluted 
earnings  per  share  as  their  effect  would  have  been  anti-dilutive.  Warrants  to  purchase  up  to  1,688,571  common 
shares  were  excluded  from  the  computation  of  diluted  earnings  per  share  as  they  were  out-of-the-money  as  of 
December 31, 2019.

114

DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

20  Changes in working capital

Trade receivables

Inventories

Prepaid expenses and other current and non-current assets

Trade and accrued liabilities

Deferred revenue

21  Commitments and Contingencies

For the year ended 
December 31, 2020

For the year ended 
December 31, 2019

$ 

$ 

21,011  $ 

4,066 

1,627 

(11,425)   

665 

15,944  $ 

(13,436) 

(4,038) 

945 

8,751 

656 

(7,122) 

DCM  and  its  subsidiaries  are  subject  to  various  claims,  potential  claims  and  lawsuits.    While  the  outcome  of  these 
matters  is  not  determinable,  DCM’s  management  does  not  believe  that  the  ultimate  resolution  of  such  matters  will 
have a material adverse impact on DCM’s financial position.

DCM  makes  contributions  to  the  Québec  Graphic  Communication  Pension  Plan  (the  “GCPP”),  based  on  a 
percentage of the wages of its unionized employees covered by the respective collective bargaining agreements, all 
of whom are employed at DCM facilities located in the Province of Québec. 

The  GCPP  is  a  negotiated  contribution  defined  benefit  multi-employer  pension  plan  which  provides  retirement 
benefits  to  unionized  employees  in  the  printing  industry.  The  GCPP  is  administered  by  a  joint  Board  of  Trustees 
composed  of  representatives  of  participating  employers  and  of  the  unions  representing  plan  members  in  collective 
bargaining.    Based  upon  the  terms  of  those  applicable  collective  agreements,  DCM’s  estimated  annual  negotiated 
contribution to the GCPP for 2021 is $468.

The GCPP’s most recent funding actuarial report (as at December 31, 2018) disclosed a small going concern surplus 
and that negotiated contributions are in excess of the current service cost of the plan. On a solvency basis (or wind 
up basis) the valuation shows a deficit and a solvency ratio of 75%. 

Bill 34 was adopted by Québec in April 2015 to clarify Québec pension legislation for negotiated contribution defined 
benefit multi-employer pension plans to, among other things: 

•

•

•

limit required employer contributions only to those amounts specified in the applicable collective agreements 
negotiated with the relevant unions; 

eliminate the employer's obligation to fund deficiencies; 

require the Board of Trustees to develop and implement a recovery plan when the negotiated contributions 
are not sufficient to fund the plan, including the reduction of accrued benefits of all members; and

During the year ended December 31, 2020, DCM did not receive any other information on the GCPP.

115

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

22  Capital structure

DCM’s objectives when managing its capital structure are:

▪ To seek to ensure sufficient liquidity to safeguard DCM’s ability to continue as a going concern;

▪ To maintain a strong capital base so as to maintain shareholders’, creditors’, customers', suppliers' and market 

confidence; and

▪ To deploy capital to provide an appropriate investment return to its shareholders

DCM’s  capital  structure  consists  of  long-term  debt  (including  the  current  portion)  and  shareholders’  equity.    DCM’s 
primary uses of capital are to finance increases in working capital, make payments towards its long-term obligations, 
and fund investments in capital expenditures and business acquisitions.

DCM manages its capital structure and makes adjustments to it in light of changes in economic conditions and the 
risk characteristics of the underlying assets. In order to maintain or adjust the capital structure, in line with its present 
strategic plan, DCM may issue new shares. Management anticipates that any major acquisition or significant growth 
initiatives would be financed in part with additional equity and debt.

DCM is not subject to any externally imposed capital requirements other than the covenants and restrictions under 
the  terms  of  its  Credit  Facilities  including  the  requirement  to  meet  certain  financial  ratios  and  financial  conditions 
pertaining to permitted investments, acquisitions, lease agreements, dividends and subordinated debt (see note 13).

DCM’s capital structure is as follows:

Credit facilities

Promissory notes

Lease liabilities

Total long-term debt

Total equity (deficit)

23  Financial instruments

December 31,
2020

December 31,
2019

45,739  $ 

2,129 

48,353 

96,221  $ 

9,959  $ 

78,647 

2,587 

61,766 

143,000 

(1,041) 

$ 

$ 

$ 

DCM’s  financial  instruments  consist  of  cash,  restricted  cash,  trade  receivables,  bank  overdraft,  trade  payables  and 
accrued  liabilities,  credit  facilities,  promissory  notes  and  lease  liabilities,  as  indicated  in  DCM’s  statements  of 
consolidated financial position as at December 31, 2020 and 2019. DCM does not enter into financial instruments for 
trading or speculative purposes.

FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

DCM's non-derivative financial instruments are comprised of cash, trade receivables, restricted cash, bank overdraft, 
trade payables and accrued liabilities, credit facilities, promissory notes, and lease liabilities.  Non-derivative financial 
instruments  are  recognized  initially  at  fair  value  plus,  for  instruments  not  at  fair  value  through  profit  or  loss,  any 
directly  attributable  transaction  costs.  Subsequent  to  initial  recognition  non-derivative  financial  instruments  are 
measured as described below. 

Non-derivative financial instruments at fair value through the profit and loss include restricted share units and director 
share units which are recorded as a liability at fair value on the grant date and are subsequently adjusted for changes 
in the price of DCM's common shares through the consolidated statements of operations.  

116

 
 
 
 
DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

The  fair  value  for  other  non-derivative  financial  instruments  such  as  cash,  trade  receivables,  bank  overdraft,  trade 
payables  and  accrued  liabilities  approximates  their  carrying  value  because  of  the  short-term  maturity  of  these 
instruments.    The  fair  value  of  restricted  cash  approximates  its  carrying  value  because  it  is  a  deposit  held  with  a 
Canadian  chartered  bank.  Credit  facilities,  promissory  notes  and  lease  liabilities  are  initially  recognized  at  the 
discounted  present  value  of  the  amounts  required  to  be  paid  to  derive  its  fair  value  and  are  then  measured  at 
amortized costs using the effective interest method, less any impairment losses. 

CATEGORIES OF FINANCIAL ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

The carrying values and the fair values of DCM’s financial instruments are classified into the categories listed below 
in accordance with IFRS 9. 

December 31, 2020
Financial assets at amortized cost (1)
Financial liabilities at amortized cost (2)
Financial liabilities FVTPL (3)

December 31, 2019
Financial assets at amortized cost (1)
Financial liabilities at amortized cost (2)
Financial liabilities FVTPL(3)

Carrying Value

Fair Value

$66,383

133,159

2,001

Carrying Value
$86,966

195,414

251

$66,383

134,486

2,001

Fair Value
$86,966

197,067

251

(1)
(2)

(3)

Includes cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash and trade receivables.
Includes bank overdraft, trade payables and accrued liabilities (excluding financial liabilities related to commodity 
taxes that are not contractual and that arise as a result of statutory requirements imposed by governments and 
therefore do not meet the definition of financial assets or financial liabilities), credit facilities, lease liabilities and 
promissory notes.
Includes RSUs and DSUs.

Credit facilities, promissory notes, lease liabilities, RSUs and DSUs are categorized as level 2 inputs in the fair value 
hierarchy given their valuations include inputs other than quoted prices for which all significant inputs are observable, 
either directly or indirectly.  There were no transfers between levels 1, 2 or 3 during the year.

RISKS ARISING FROM FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

DCM is exposed to various risks as it relates to financial instruments.  These risks and the processes for managing 
the risk are set out below.

CREDIT RISK

Credit  risk  is  the  risk  of  an  unexpected  loss  if  a  customer  or  counterparty  to  a  financial  instrument  fails  to  meet  its 
contractual  obligations.    Financial  instruments  that  potentially  subjected  DCM  to  credit  risk  consisted  of  cash, 
restricted  cash  and  trade  receivables.  The  carrying  amount  of  assets  included  in  the  consolidated  statements  of 
financial position represents the maximum credit exposure.

DCM grants credit to customers in the normal course of business.  DCM typically does not require collateral or other 
security from customers; however, credit evaluations are performed prior to the initial granting of credit terms when 
warranted and periodically thereafter.  Normal credit terms for amounts due from customers call for payment within 0 
to 60 days. 

117

DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

DCM  has  trade  receivables  from  clients  engaged  in  various  industries  including  financial  institutions,  insurance, 
healthcare, lottery and gaming, retailing, not-for-profit, energy and governmental agencies that are not concentrated 
in  any  specific  geographic  area.    DCM  does  not  believe  that  any  single  industry  or  geographic  region  represents 
significant  credit  risk.    Credit  risk  concentration  with  respect  to  trade  receivables  is  mitigated  by  DCM’s  large  client 
base. 

To measure the ECLs, trade receivables, including unbilled receivables, have been grouped based on similar credit 
risk characteristics, past due status and other relevant factors. The expected default rates are calculated based on 
management’s estimate as well as historical credit losses. The historical loss rates are adjusted to reflect current and 
forward-looking information on economic factors affecting the ability of the customers to settle the trade receivable.

On that basis, the loss allowance as at December 31, 2020 was determined using default rates under the provision 
matrix for an amount of $652 (2019 – $1,807), of which $300 (2019 – $390) relates to unbilled receivables.

The following default rates are used to calculate the ECLs on billed receivables as at December 31, 2020 and 
December 31, 2019, respectively:

December 31, 2020

Default rates

Billed receivables balance

Billed receivables ECL

December 31, 2019

Default rates

Billed receivables balance

Billed receivables ECL

Total

Less than 30 
days

Over 30 
days

Over 60 
days

Over 90 
days

$46,747

$352

0.17%

$22,933

$39

0.33%

$10,607

$35

0.35%

$5,763

$20

3.47%

$7,444

$258

Total

Less than 30 
days

Over 30 days Over 60 days Over 90 days

$55,504

$1,417

1.32%

$16,603

$219

1.31%

$16,736

$219

2.19%

$9,978

$219

6.24%

$12,187

$760

The following default rates are used to calculate the ECLs on unbilled receivables as at December 31, 2020 and 
December 31, 2019, respectively:

December 31, 2020

Default rates

Total

Less than 30 
days

Over 30 days Over 60 days Over 90 days

0.18%

0.40%

0.80%

2.86%

Unbilled receivables balance

Unbilled receivables ECL

$19,195

$301

$6,556

$12

$2,125

$9

$1,018

$8

$9,496

$272

December 31, 2019

Unbilled receivables

Total

Less than 30 
days

Over 30 days Over 60 days Over 90 days

0.16%

0.31%

0.78%

2.51%

Unbilled receivables balance

Unbilled receivables ECL

$32,754

$390

$11,317

$18

$4,835

$15

$3,464

$27

$13,138

$330

At the end of each reporting period, management re-assesses the default rates. Default rates are applied to the billed 
and unbilled receivable balances to calculate the credit default reserve. Management assesses the adequacy of this 
reserve  quarterly,  taking  into  account  historical  experience,  current  collection  trends,  the  age  of  receivables  and, 

118

DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

when  warranted  and  available,  the  financial  condition  of  specific  counterparties.  When  collection  efforts  have  been 
reasonably exhausted, specific balances are written off.  During 2019, the Company underwent a transformation of its 
operational and financial reporting systems, implementing a new cloud based ERP system company-wide (excluding 
DCM  Burlington,  Thistle  and  Perennial)  which  affected  its  ability  to  generate  accurate  and  timely  billings  to  its 
customers. As a result of these billing issues, the aging of the Company's billed receivables deteriorated following the 
ERP implementation and at December 31, 2020 the Company has $7,444 (16%) of its billed receivables that are over 
90 days old (2019 - $12,187 or 22%).

Considerable  judgment  by  management  is  required  to  determine  how  the  deterioration  in  aging  of  its  billed 
receivables impacts both the (a) the revenue and billed receivables to be recognized where price concessions may 
need to be given to encourage customers to settle older amounts promptly as a result of billing issues under IFRS 15 
(as revenue can only be recognized to the extent that it is highly probable that a significant reversal in the amount of 
revenue will not occur when the uncertainty associated with the variable consideration is subsequently resolved), and 
(b)  ECL  provisions  required  under  IFRS  9  to  reflect  impairments  of  its  trace  receivables  as  a  result  of  customers 
inability  to  settle  the  billed  receivables.  In  2019  as  the  Company  was  still  working  through  these  implementation 
issues,  the  additional  $1,075  provision  recorded  in  that  year  to  cover  both  potential  risks  was  reflected  as  an 
expected  credit  loss  provision.  In  2020  with  the  benefit  of  further  experience  with  the  new  ERP  system  billing 
challenges, and hindsight into actual credit losses experienced during the year, the Company recorded a provision of 
$567 within the billed receivable balance (and against revenue) for potential price concessions that may need to be 
given  to  encourage  customers  to  settle  older  amounts  promptly  as  a  result  of  billing  issues,  separately  from  the 
expected credit losses in the tables above. 

The movement in DCM’s expected credit loss provision for 2020 and 2019 are as follows:

Balance – Beginning of year

Receivables written off as uncollectible during the year
Estimated price concession provisions reclassified to gross 
carrying amount

Increase in loan loss allowance

Balance – End of year

LIQUIDITY RISK

For the year ended 
December 31, 2020

For the year ended 
December 31, 2019

$ 

$ 

1,807  $ 

(658)   

(567)   

70 

652  $ 

795 

— 

— 

1,012 

1,807 

Liquidity risk is the risk that DCM may encounter difficulties in meeting obligations associated with financial liabilities 
as they become due.

119

 
 
 
 
DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

The contractual undiscounted cash flows of DCM’s significant financial liabilities are as follows:

December 31, 2020

Less than
a year

1 to 3 years

4 years and 
greater

Trade payables and accrued liabilities

$ 

39,999  $ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

Total

39,999 

67,572 

52,791 

2,483 

Lease liabilities
Credit facilities (2)
Promissory notes (3)

Total

December 31, 2019

Bank overdraft

Trade payables and accrued liabilities
Bonuses payable (1)

Lease liabilities
Credit facilities (2)
Promissory notes (3)

Total

11,044   

9,444   

1,321   

20,492   

43,347   

1,162   

36,036   

—   

—   

$ 

61,808  $ 

65,001  $ 

36,036  $ 

162,845 

Less than
a year

1 to 3 years

4 years and 
greater

Total

$ 

1,093  $ 

51,743   

333   

11,267   

9,840   

782   

—  $ 

—   

—   

26,465   

88,785   

2,235   

—  $ 

1,093.00 

—   

—   

49,988   

—   

—   

51,743 

333 

87,720 

98,625 

3,017 

$ 

75,058  $ 

117,485  $ 

49,988  $ 

242,531 

(1) Bonuses  payable  to  former  employees  of  Thistle  assumed  in  connection  with  DCM's  acquisition  of  Thistle  on 

February 22, 2017.  Monthly principal payments of $33 ending October 31 2020.

(2) Credit  facilities  at  December  31,  2020  subject  to  floating  interest  rates  consisting  of  the  Bank  Credit  Facility, 
expiring  on  January  31,  2023.    As  at  December  31,  2020,  the  outstanding  balances  totaled  $5,687  and  bore 
interest at a floating rate of 3.80% per annum.  The amounts at December 31, 2020 include estimated interest 
totaling $312 for 2021, $216 for 2022, and $54 for 2023.  The estimated interest was calculated based on the 
total borrowings outstanding during the period and the annual floating interest rate in effect as at December 31, 
2020.    Credit  facilities  at  December  31,  2020  subject  to  fixed  interest  rates  consisting  of  the  FPD  III  Credit 
Facility, expiring on October 15, 2022, the FPD IV Credit Facility, expiring on March 10, 2023, the FPD V Credit 
Facility expiring on May 15, 2023 and the Crown Facility expiring on May 7, 2023.  As at December 31, 2020, the 
outstanding balances totaled $40,458 and bore interest at a fixed rate of 6.1% per annum, of 6.95% per annum, 
of 6.95% per annum, and of 10.00% per annum, respectively.  Monthly blended principal and interest payments 
of  $96,  of  $422  and  of  $91,  respectively.    Annual  interest  payment,  including  payment  in  kind,  on  the  Crown 
Facility totals $2,537 for 2021,  $2,617 for 2022, and 931 for 2023.  Credit facilities at December 31, 2019 subject 
to floating interest rates consisting of the Bank Credit Facility, expiring on January 31, 2023.  As at December 31, 
2019, the outstanding balance totaled $34,664 and bore interest at an average floating rate of 5.55% per annum. 
The  amounts  at  December  31,  2019  include  estimated  interest  totaling  $2,054  for  2020  and  $1,924  for  2021, 
$1,924  for  2022,  and  $160  for  2023.    The  estimated  interest  was  calculated  based  on  the  total  borrowings 
outstanding during the period and the average annual floating interest rate in effect as at December 31, 2019.  
Credit  facilities  at  December  31,  2019  subject  to  fixed  interest  rates  consisting  of  the  FPD  III  Credit  Facility 
expiring  on  October  15,  2022,  FPD  IV  Credit  Facility,  expiring  on  March  10,  2023,  the  FPD  V  Credit  Facility 
expiring  on  May  15,  2023  and  the  Crown  Facility  expiring  on  May  7,  2023.    As  at  December  31,  2019,  the 
outstanding balance totaled $42,435 and bore interest at a fixed rate of 6.1% per annum, of 6.95% per annum, of 
6.95%  per  annum  and  of 10.0%  per  annum,  respectively.    Monthly  blended  principal  and  interest  payments  of 
$96, of $422 and of $91, respectively.  Annual interest payment on the Crown Facility totals $478 for 2020 and 
annual  interest  payment  on  the  Crown  Facility  totals  $1,900,  thereafter.  The  incremental  200  basis  points  per 
annum  interest  rate  on  the  Crown  Facility  being  accrued  and  payable  at  the  earlier  of  maturity  of  the  Crown 
Credit Agreement or pursuant to its prepayment terms, prepayment in full is, treated as a payment in kind, totals 
$3,531.

(3) Promissory  notes  related  to  loans  provided  by  key  members  of  management  of  DCM  and  related  to  the 
acquisitions completed during prior years.  On July 31, 2019, DCM issued the Related Party Promissory Notes to 
certain parties, including related parties of DCM, in the aggregate principal amount of $1,000.  The Related Party 

120

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

Promissory  Notes  bear  interest  at  the  rate  of  12%  per  annum  (previously  10%  per  annum,  amended  effective 
November 10, 2020), payable quarterly on the first business day of each fiscal quarter beginning September 3, 
2019,  with  principal  repayable  on  or  before  the  May  7,  2023  maturity  date.    A  non-interest  bearing  promissory 
note  related  to  the  acquisition  of  Perennial  totaling  $2,253  and  payable  in  three  installments  of $1,000  due  on 
May 8, 2019, $1,000 due on May 8, 2020 and $500 due on May 8, 2021.  On June 18, 2020, the terms of the 
payments  were  amended  for  the  remaining  $1,500.  During  2020,  DCM  made  payments  of  $530  of  the  total 
$1,000 owing on May 8, 2020. The remaining payment of $470 was deferred, for a total of $970 due on May 8, 
2021.  Promissory  notes  related  to  the  acquisitions  completed  during  2017  and  2018  included  a  non  interest 
bearing  promissory  notes  related  to  the  acquisition  of  DCM  Burlington  totaling  $4,566  and  payable  in  two 
installments  of  $2,283  due  on  February  28,  2018  and  February  28,  2019,  respectively,  and  related  to  the 
acquisition  of  Thistle  totaling  $1,913  and  payable  in  monthly  installments  of  $137  ending  February  28,  2019.  
Interest  bearing  promissory  notes  related  to  the  acquisition  of  BOLDER  Graphics  totaling  $1,160  and  bore 
interest at a fixed rate of 6.0% per annum.  Monthly blended principal and interest payments of $58, beginning 
February 28, 2018 and ending September 30, 2019.  As a result of amendments to its credit agreements, DCM 
suspended its payments on vendor take-back promissory notes on June 30, 2019.  Resumption of payments on 
vendor take-back promissory notes will require prior approval from its lenders.  DCM received approval from its 
lenders and made a $530 payment towards the promissory note related to the Perennial acquisition on February 
28, 2020.

DCM also has contingent obligations in the form of letters of credit.  DCM believes that the currently projected cash 
flow  from  operations,  cash  on  hand  and  anticipated  lower  operating  costs  resulting  from  existing  restructuring 
initiatives will be sufficient to fund its currently projected operating requirements, including expenditures related to its 
growth  strategy,  payments  associated  with  provisions  as  a  result  of  on-going  productivity  improvement  initiatives, 
payment  of  income  tax  liabilities,  contributions  to  its  pension  plans,  maintenance  or  investment  in  new  capital 
expenditures,  and  interest  and  scheduled  repayments  of  borrowings  under  its  credit  facilities  and  scheduled 
repayments  of  promissory  notes.  Cash  flows  from  operations  have  been,  and  could  continue  to  be,  negatively 
impacted  by  decreased  demand  for  DCM’s  products  and  services  and  pricing  pressures  from  its  existing  and  new 
customers,  which  could  result  from  factors  such  as  reduced  demand  for  traditional  business  forms  and  other  print-
related  products,  adverse  economic  conditions  and  competition  from  competitors  supplying  similar  products  and 
services,  increases  in  DCM’s  operating  costs  (including  interest  expense  on  its  outstanding  indebtedness  and 
restructuring  expenses)  and  increased  costs  associated  with  the  manufacturing  and  distribution  of  products  or  the 
provision of services. DCM’s ability to conduct its operations could be negatively impacted in the future should these 
or other adverse conditions affect its primary sources of liquidity.

MARKET RISK

INTEREST RATE RISK
Interest rate risk refers to the risk that the value of a financial instrument or cash flows associated with the financial 
instrument  will  fluctuate  due  to  changes  in  market  interest  rates.    Interest  rate  risk  arises  from  interest  bearing 
financial assets and liabilities.  DCM’s interest rate risk arises from credit facilities issuances at floating interest rates.

At December 31, 2020, $5,687 of DCM’s indebtedness outstanding was subject to floating interest rates of 3.80% per 
annum;  a  1%  increase/decrease  in  interest  rates  would  have  resulted  in  an  increase/decrease  in  profit  or  loss  and 
comprehensive  loss  by $57  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020  (2019  –  $299),  respectively.   At December  31, 
2020,  $2,760  of  DCM’s  indebtedness  outstanding  was  subject  to  a  fixed  interest  rate  of 6.1%  per  annum,  $16,787 
was subject to a fixed rate of interest of 6.95% per annum and $20,911 was subject to a fixed interest rate of 12.00% 
per annum.  The Related Party Promissory Notes, in the aggregate principal amount of $975 was subject to a fixed 
rate of 12.00% per annum. 

CURRENCY RISK
Currency  risk  is  the  risk  that  the  fair  value  of  future  cash  flows  arising  from  a  financial  instrument  will  fluctuate 
because  of  changes  in  foreign  currency  exchange  rates.    In  the  normal  course  of  business,  DCM  does  not  have 
significant foreign exchange transactions and, accordingly, the amounts and currency risk are not expected to have 
adverse material impact on the operations of DCM.  Management considers the currency risk to be low and does not 
hedge its currency risk and therefore sensitivity analysis is not presented.

121

DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

24  Expenses by nature

For the year ended 
December 31, 2020

For the year ended 
December 31, 2019

Raw materials and other purchases

$ 

116,058  $ 

Wages and benefits

Occupancy costs

Restructuring expenses

Depreciation and amortization

Other expenses

87,805 

9,264 

2,821 

16,221 

15,908 

Total cost of revenues and operating expenses

$ 

248,077  $ 

25  Segmented information 

131,324 

103,111 

10,193 

7,489 

16,861 

19,212 

288,190 

The  CEO  of  DCM  is  the  chief  operating  decision  maker  ("CODM").    The  CODM  reviews  and  assesses  DCM’s 
performance and makes decisions about resources to be allocated for each operating segment. 

Given  many  of  DCM’s  customers  operate  and  run  marketing  campaigns  on  a  national  scale,  DCM  utilizes  its  print 
capabilities,  logistics  and  fulfilment  services,  and  digital  communications  solutions  from  its  operating  segments  to 
service  its  customers.  These  operating  segments  have  been  aggregated  as  one  reportable  segment  as  they  have 
similar  economic  characteristics,  they  offer  a  portfolio  of  similar  products  and  services,  they  have  alike  customers, 
and their production processes and distribution methods are similar based on the aggregation criteria in IFRS 8.

Perennial is considered a separate operating segment.  Perennial is a design firm focused on creating and delivering 
design strategies for major retail brands. Perennial's business is separate from the core DCM business and cannot be 
aggregated  based  on  the  criteria  in  IFRS  8.  For  the  purposes  of  segment  disclosure,  Perennial  does  not  meet  the 
quantitative  thresholds  stipulated  under  IFRS  8,  and  because  it  is  not  significant,  this  segment  is  not  disclosed 
separately. 

Management evaluates the performance of the reportable segments based on income before interest, finance costs 
and income taxes.  Corporate expenses, certain non-recurring expenses, interest expense, finance costs and income 
taxes are not taken into account in the evaluation of the performance of the reporting segment.  

All significant external sales are to customers located in Canada. DCM established operations in Niles and Chicago, 
Illinois in order to service the U.S. operations of a large customer and is seeking to grow its U.S. sales, however at 
December 31, 2020, U.S. sales were not significant to disclose separately.

DCM  has  disclosed  revenue  on  a  disaggregated  basis  based  on  the  nature  of  the  major  products  and  services  it 
provides to its customers as follows:

For the year ended 
December 31, 2020

For the year ended 
December 31, 2019

$ 

$ 

236,011  $ 

7,718   

8,351   

7,234   

259,314  $ 

253,146 

9,350 

10,822 

9,558 

282,876 

Product sales

Warehousing services

Freight services

Marketing and other services

122

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

26  Related party transactions 

On July 31, 2019, DCM issued Related Party Promissory Notes to certain parties, including related parties of DCM, in 
the aggregate principal amount of $1,000.  In addition, a total of 78,571 warrants have been issued in connection with 
the issuance of the Related Party Promissory Notes.  See note 14.

During  the  year  ended  December  31,  2019,  directors,  officers  and  related  parties  of  DCM  participated  in  a  rights 
offering  of  Common  Shares  (see  note  18),  purchasing  11,341,310  Common  Shares  (or  52.7%  of  the  21,523,515 
common shares issued as a result of the rights offering) for consideration of $2,609.  

Effective July 1, 2018, Perennial entered into a new agreement with Perennial Designs International Private Limited, 
a  company  100%  owned  by  a  key  member  of  management  for  creative  design  and  development  of  technology. 
During the year ended, total consulting fees totaled $736 (2019 – $734).

On March 15, 2018, DCM entered into a 5 year loan agreement with a key member of management for a total of $107 
to finance the purchase of Common Shares. Interest will accrue at a rate of 3% per annum on the unpaid balance. 
The loan is unsecured and repayable upon maturity.  As at December 31, 2020, the balance owing was $111 (2019 – 
$108) was included within other non-current assets in the statement of financial position.

These  transactions  are  provided  in  the  normal  course  of  operations  and  are  measured  at  the  exchange  amount, 
which represents the amount of consideration established and agreed to by the related parties.

COMPENSATION OF KEY MANAGEMENT

Key  management  personnel  are  deemed  to  be  Directors  on  DCM's  Board,  the  CEO,  the  President,  the  Chief 
Financial  Officer  and  other  members  of  the  senior  executive  team.    Compensation  awarded  to  key  management 
personnel, excluding compensation awarded to Directors which are described below, included:

Salaries and other short-term employee benefits

Post-employment benefits

Share-based compensation expense

Total

For the year ended 
December 31, 2020

For the year ended 
December 31, 2019

$ 

$ 

3,129  $ 

23 

445 

3,597  $ 

2,466 

37 

(8) 

2,495 

In January 2020, DCM disposed of its' wholly owned subsidiary Perennial Brands Inc. (“PBI”), a non-core developer 
of branded products, to a former employee and entered into an option agreement to purchase an equity interest in 
PBI on or before December 31, 2021. Subsequent to year-end, the option agreement was terminated (note 28).

During  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020,  key  management  personnel  (excluding  compensation  awarded  to 
Directors) were granted 5,988,890 RSUs (2019 – 571,236 RSUs), and 4,149,264 RSUs (2019 – 378,723 RSUs) were 
forfeited.  Key management personnel (excluding compensation awarded to Directors) were also granted options to 
purchase up to 64,533 Common Shares for anti-dilution adjustments pursuant to the provisions of DCM's LTIP that 
affect  DCM's  share  based  compensation  grants  outstanding  at  December  31,  2019,  in  connection  with  the  Rights 
Offering completed by the Company on December 31, 2019 (2019 – Nil Common Shares) and Nil Common Shares 
(2019 – 575,548 Common Shares) were forfeited during the year ended December 31, 2020 (see note 18).  During 
the  year  ended  December  31,  2020,  DCM’s  general  and  administration  expenses  include  an  expense  of  of  $445 
(2019 – recovery of $8) for these share-based compensation awards.

During the year ended December 31, 2020, DCM’s general and administration expenses include a charge of $1,260 
(2019 – $153) for the duties performed by DCM’s Board, of which a charge of $809 (2019 - a recovery of $58) relates 
to  DSU  expense  (note  18).  Directors  were  also  granted  options  to  purchase  up  to 66,544  Common  Shares  for  the 
antidilution  adjustments  pursuant  to  the  provisions  of  DCM's  LTIP  that  affect  DCM's  share  based  compensation 

123

 
 
 
 
DATA Communications Management Corp.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except percentages, shares and per share amounts)

grants  outstanding  at  December  31,  2019,  in  connection  with  the  Rights  Offering  completed  by  the  Company  on 
December 31, 2019 (2019 - options to purchase 40,000 Common Shares) during the year ended December 31, 2020 
(see  note  18).    During  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020,  DCM’s  general  and  administration  expenses  include  a 
charge of $28 (2019 – $58) for these share-based compensation awards.

27  Government Grant Income

On  April  11,  2020,  the  Canadian  government  launched  the  Canada  Emergency  Wage  Subsidy  (the  “CEWS”),  an 
emergency  economic  relief  program  to  lessen  the  financial  fallout  on  Canadian  businesses  from  the  effects  of 
COVID-19.

The  CEWS  program  is  designed  to  help  businesses  struggling  with  the  economic  effects  of  the  coronavirus  retain 
and/or rehire their employees. The subsidy is intended to make it easier for eligible employers to avoid laying off or 
terminating employees, as well as to bring back staff that were laid-off due to COVID-19 by significantly lessening the 
organization’s payroll costs.

The  CEWS  commenced  March  15,  2020  and  now  extends  through  to  June  5,  2021. The  CEWS  is  a  program  that 
subsidises a portion of eligible remuneration paid by an eligible employer that qualifies, to each eligible employee. 

DCM qualified for approximately $10,708 under the CEWS in 2020. Of the total grant received, $1,622 of that amount 
was  attributable  to  the  first  quarter  of  2020,  $4,478  was  attributable  to  the  second  quarter  of  2020,  $2,828  was 
attributable to the third quarter of 2020 and $1,780 was attributable to the fourth quarter of 2020. 

28  Subsequent events

On January 4, 2021, DCM entered into an agreement with PBI, an arms’ length third party and former subsidiary of 
DCM, pursuant to which DCM agreed to terminate an option to purchase an equity interest in PBI acquired by DCM in 
connection  with  the  prior  disposition  of  PBI.  DCM  received  total  gross  proceeds  of  $1,200  as  consideration  for 
terminating the option.

In February 2021, DCM settled an outstanding litigation for total proceeds of $300. 

In March 2021, DCM announced that its Mississauga, Ontario facility will be consolidating with its Brampton, Ontario 
facility by the end of 2021. DCM will exit the existing lease in Mississauga, Ontario upon expiration as of December 
31, 2021. The extension options for additional terms are no longer expected to be exercised, and the lease term was 
modified to exclude the extension options as of December 31, 2020 (note 12). 

On  March  8,  2021,  DCM’s  new  President  &  CEO,  has  been  awarded  a  total  of  2,500,000  options,  with  1,000,000 
options  having  vested  immediately  upon  his  date  of  hire,  500,000  options  vesting  on  the  first  anniversary,  500,000 
options vesting on the second anniversary of his hire date, and 500,000 vesting on the third anniversary of his hire 
date,  with  the  vesting  of  the  1,500,000  options  dependent  on  continued  employment  with  DCM  at  such  time.  The 
options have an exercise price of $0.69 and a term of 7 years.

The Company has incurred a total of $3.9 million in restructuring expenses in the first quarter of 2021, through the 
date hereof, relating to the recently announced departure of certain executives, along with other ongoing restructuring 
initiatives. 

124

CORPORATE INFORMATION

EXECUTIVE 
TEAM

CORPORATE 
INFORMATION

Richard Kellam
President & 
Chief Executive Officer 

James E. Lorimer
Chief Financial Officer

Auditors 
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Transfer Agent 
Computershare Investor  
Services Inc.

Phil Hammond
Chief Revenue Officer

Corporate Counsel 
McCarthy Tétrault LLP

Corporate Office 
9195 Torbram Road 
Brampton, Ontario L6S 6H2 
Telephone:  905-791-3151 
Facsimile:  905-791-1713

Website 
datacm.com

Toronto Stock  
Exchange Symbol 
DCM

DIRECTORS 
AND OFFICERS

J.R. Kingsley Ward 3 
Chairman, Director

Gregory J. Cochrane  
Vice Chairman, Director 

William Albino 1,2,3 
Director

Merri L. Jones 1,3 
Director 

James J. Murray O.Ont., SIOR 2 
Director

Michael G. Sifton 1 
Director 

Derek J. Watchorn 1,2 
Director

Richard Kellam  
Director & Officer 

James E. Lorimer 
Officer 
Chief Financial Officer & 
Corporate Secretary

1 

Member, Audit Committee 
(Chairperson is Michael G. Sifton)

2

3

Member, Corporate Governance Committee  
(Chairperson is Derek J.Watchorn)

Member, Human Resources & Compensation Committee 
(Chairperson is J.R. Kingsley Ward)

 
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2020 ANNUAL REPORT

DATA Communications Management Corp.  |   9195 Torbram Road   |   Brampton, Ontario L6S 6H2