The information in this preliminary prospectus supplement is not complete and may be changed. This preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are not an offer to sell these securities and are not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
Filed pursuant to General Instruction II.L. of Form F-10
File Number 333-249962
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED AUGUST 9, 2021
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
(To Prospectus Dated November 16, 2020)
US$

Bell Canada
US$ % Series US-5 Notes due 2032
US$ % Series US-6 Notes due 2052
Unconditionally guaranteed as to payment of principal, interest and other obligations by BCE Inc.
Interest on the % Series US-5 Notes due 2032 offered hereby (the “2032 Notes”) and the % Series US-6 Notes due 2052 offered hereby (the “2052 Notes”, and together with the 2032 Notes, the “Offered Notes”) is payable semi-annually on and of each year, commencing on , 2021. Payment of principal, interest and other payment obligations under the Offered Notes will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by BCE Inc. (“BCE” or the “Guarantor”). Each series of Offered Notes is redeemable, in whole or in part, at the option of Bell Canada (the “Company” or “Bell Canada”) at the applicable redemption price and subject to the conditions set forth herein. See “Description of Offered Notes – Redemption”.
Each series of Offered Notes is being offered separately and not as part of a unit. No offering of either series of Offered Notes is conditioned on the offering of the other series of Offered Notes. We may sell the 2032 Notes or the 2052 Notes, or both.
Each series of Offered Notes will be senior unsecured, general obligations of Bell Canada and will rank equally with all of Bell Canada’s existing and future senior unsecured indebtedness, but will be effectively junior to obligations of Bell Canada’s subsidiaries. See “Description of Offered Notes – General”.
The offering of each series of the Offered Notes is made by a Canadian issuer that is permitted, under the multijurisdictional disclosure system adopted by the United States and Canada, to prepare this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus in accordance with the disclosure requirements of all the provinces and territories of Canada. Prospective investors in the United States should be aware that such requirements are different from those of the United States.
Investing in the Offered Notes involves certain risks. See “Risk Factors” in the accompanying prospectus and Section 9 entitled “Business Risks” of the BCE 2020 Annual MD&A, as updated in the section entitled “Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” of the BCE 2021 First Quarter MD&A and of the BCE 2021 Second Quarter MD&A.
The Offered Notes are only being offered to institutions, and not to individuals.
Prospective investors should be aware that the acquisition of the Offered Notes described herein may have tax consequences both in the United States and in Canada. Such consequences for investors who are resident in, or citizens of, the United States may not be fully described herein. See “Material United States Federal Income Tax Consequences” and “Material Canadian Income Tax Consequences”.
The enforcement by investors of civil liabilities under United States federal securities laws may be affected adversely by the fact that the Company is a Canadian corporation, that a majority of its officers and directors are residents of Canada, that some of the underwriters or experts named in the registration statement are residents of Canada and that a substantial portion of the assets of the Company and said persons are located outside the United States.
These securities have not been approved or disapproved by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) or any U.S. state securities regulator nor has the SEC or any U.S. state securities regulator passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
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| | Per 2032 Note | | Total | | | Per 2052 Note | | Total | |
Public offering price(1) | | % | | US$ | | | | % | | US$ | | |
Underwriting discount | | % | | US$ | | | | % | | US$ | | |
Proceeds to the Company (before expenses)(1) | | % | | US$ | | | | % | | US$ | | |
(1) Plus accrued interest, if any, from August , 2021, if settlement occurs after that date.
The underwriters are offering the Offered Notes subject to various conditions. The underwriters expect to deliver the Offered Notes to purchasers in book-entry form only through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) and its direct and indirect participants, including Euroclear Bank NV/SA (“Euroclear”) and Clearstream Banking, SA (“Clearstream”), on or about August , 2021.