(continued from cover)
The enforcement by investors of civil liabilities under the U.S. federal securities laws may be affected adversely by the fact that the Company, BFI, BFI II, the AUS Issuer and the UK Issuer are incorporated or organized under the laws of a foreign jurisdiction outside of the United States and that some or all of their officers and directors may be residents of a foreign jurisdiction outside of the United States, that some or all of the underwriters or experts named or to be named in the registration statement may be residents of a foreign jurisdiction outside of the United States and that all or a substantial portion of the assets of the Issuers and such persons may be located outside the United States.
See “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information” and “Risk Factors” beginning on pages iii and 2 for a discussion of certain risks that you should consider in connection with an investment in these Securities.
THE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION (THE “COMMISSION”), ANY U.S. STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION, OR ANY CANADIAN REGULATORY AUTHORITY, NOR HAS THE COMMISSION, ANY U.S. STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION OR ANY CANADIAN SECURITIES REGULATORY AUTHORITY PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
Collectively, the Issuers may offer and issue Securities either separately or together, in one or more offerings in an aggregate principal amount of up to US$3,500,000,000 (or the equivalent in other currencies or currency units). Securities of any series may be offered in such amount and with such terms as may be determined in light of market conditions. The specific terms of the Securities in respect of which this Prospectus is being delivered will be set forth in one or more prospectus supplements (each a “Prospectus Supplement”) to be delivered to purchasers together with this Prospectus, and may include, where applicable (i) in the case of Debt Securities, the specific designation, aggregate principal amount, denomination (which may be in United States dollars, in any other currency or in units based on or relating to foreign currencies), maturity, interest rate (which may be fixed or variable) and time of payment of interest, if any, any terms for redemption at the option of the Issuer or the holders, any terms for sinking fund payments, any listing on a securities exchange, the initial public offering price (or the manner of determination thereof if offered on a non-fixed price basis), any exchange or conversion terms and any other specific terms, (ii) in the case of the BAM Preference Shares, the designation of the particular class, series, aggregate principal amount, the number of shares offered, the issue price, the dividend rate, the dividend payment dates, any terms for redemption at the option of the Company or the holder, any exchange or conversion terms and any other specific terms, (iii) in the case of Class A Shares, the number of shares offered, the issue price and any other specific terms, and (iv) in the case of the US Preferred Shares, the designation of the particular class, series, aggregate principal amount, the number of shares representing limited liability company interests offered, the issue price, the distribution rate, the distribution payment dates, any terms for redemption at the option of the US Pref Issuer or the holder, any exchange or conversion terms and any other specific terms. Each such Prospectus Supplement will be incorporated by reference into this Prospectus for the purposes of securities legislation as of the date of each such Prospectus Supplement and only for the purposes of the distribution of the Securities to which such Prospectus Supplement pertains. The Issuers have filed an undertaking with the securities regulatory authorities in each of the provinces of Canada that they will not distribute, under this Prospectus, Securities that, at the time of distribution, are novel without pre-clearing the disclosure to be contained in the Prospectus Supplement, pertaining to the distribution of such Securities, with the applicable regulator.
The Company’s, BFI’s and BFI II’s head and registered offices are at Suite 300, Brookfield Place, 181 Bay Street, P.O. Box 762, Toronto, Ontario, M5J 2T3. The US LLC Issuer’s and the US Pref Issuer’s head and registered office is at Brookfield Place, 250 Vesey Street, 15th Floor, New York, New York, United States 10281-1023. The AUS Issuer’s registered and head office is Level 22, 135 King Street, Sydney, NSW, Australia 2000. The UK Issuer’s registered and head office is Level 25 One Canada Square, London, United Kingdom, E14 5AA.
The Issuers may sell the Securities to or through underwriters or dealers or directly to investors or through agents. The Prospectus Supplement relating to each series of offered Securities will identify each person who may be deemed to be an underwriter or agent with respect to such series and will set forth the terms of the offering of such series, including, to the extent applicable, the initial public offering price, the proceeds to the applicable Issuer, the underwriting commissions or agent commissions, as applicable, and any other concessions to be allowed or reallowed to dealers. The managing underwriter or underwriters with respect to each series sold to or through underwriters will be named in the related Prospectus Supplement.
In connection with any underwritten offering of Securities, the underwriters or agents may over-allot or effect transactions which stabilize or maintain the market price of the Securities offered at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market. Such transactions, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time. See “Plan of Distribution”.
The outstanding BAM Preference Shares, Series 2, Series 4, Series 8, Series 9, Series 13, Series 17, Series 18, Series 24, Series 25, Series 26, Series 28, Series 30, Series 32, Series 34, Series 36, Series 37, Series 38, Series 40, Series 42, Series 44, Series 46 and Series 48 are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. The outstanding Class A Shares are listed for trading on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges.
The US LLC Issuer, the US Pref Issuer, the AUS Issuer, the UK Issuer, certain directors of each of the Company, the AUS Issuer and the UK Issuer and certain managers of the US LLC Issuer and the US Pref Issuer (collectively, the “Non-Residents”) are incorporated, continued or otherwise organized under the laws of a non-Canadian jurisdiction or reside outside of Canada, as applicable. Although each of the Non-Residents has appointed the Company, Suite 300, Brookfield Place, 181 Bay Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5J 2T3, as its agent for service of process in Ontario, it may not be possible for investors to enforce judgments obtained in Canada against any person or company that is incorporated, continued or otherwise organized under the laws of a non-Canadian jurisdiction or resides outside of Canada, even if the Non-Resident has appointed an agent for service of process. See “Agent for Service of Process”.
There is no market through which the Debt Securities or the Preference Securities may be sold and purchasers may not be able to resell Debt Securities or Preference Securities purchased under this Prospectus. This may affect the pricing of the Debt Securities or the Preference Securities in the secondary market, the transparency and availability of trading prices, the liquidity of the Debt Securities or the Preference Securities, and the extent of issuer regulation. See “Risk Factors”.