Rogers Communications (RCI) 40-F 2019 FY Annual report (Canada)

0000733099 ifrs-full:CountryOfDomicileMember ifrs-full:TopOfRangeMember 2018-12-31

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 40-F

[Check one]

☐ REGISTRATION STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 12 OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

OR

☒ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13(a) OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019

Commission File Number 001-10805

Rogers Communications Inc.

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

Not Applicable

(Translation of Registrant’s name into English (if applicable))

British Columbia

(Province or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)

4812, 4813, 4822, 4832, 4833, 4841

(Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number (if applicable))

Not Applicable

(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number (if applicable))

333 Bloor Street East, 10th Floor

Toronto, Ontario M4W 1G9

(416) 935-7777

(Address and telephone number of Registrant’s principal executive offices)

CT Corporation System

111 Eighth Avenue, 13th Floor

New York, New York 10011

(212) 894-8940

(Name, address (including zip code) and telephone number (including area code)

of agent for service in the United States)

Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act.

Title of each class	Trading symbol	Name of each exchange on which registered
Class B Non-Voting	RCI	New York Stock Exchange

Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act.

Not Applicable

(Title of Class)

SEC 2285 (05-19)

Securities for which there is a reporting obligation pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Act.

Class B Non-Voting Shares

(Title of Class)

For annual reports, indicate by check mark the information filed with this Form:

☒  Annual information form               ☒  Audited annual financial statements

Indicate the number of outstanding shares of each of the issuer’s classes of capital or common stock as of the close of the period covered by the annual report.

111,154,811 Class A Voting shares; 393,770,507 Class B Non-Voting shares.

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to file such reports) and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

☒  Yes               ☐  No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to submit such files).

☒  Yes               ☐  No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Emerging growth company   ☐

If an emerging growth company that prepares its financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards† provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.

☐

†The term “new or revised financial accounting standard” refers to any update issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board to its Accounting Standards Codification after April 5, 2012.

DISCLOSURE CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

The disclosure provided in Management’s Discussion and Analysis under the heading Disclosure Controls and Procedures on page 73 of Exhibit 99.2: Management’s Discussion and Analysis, is incorporated by reference herein.

MANAGEMENT’S ANNUAL REPORT ON INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING

The disclosure provided in Management’s Discussion and Analysis under the heading Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting on page 73 of Exhibit 99.2: Management’s Discussion and Analysis, is incorporated by reference herein.

ATTESTATION REPORT OF THE REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

The Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2019 on page 4 of Exhibit 99.3: Annual Audited Consolidated Financial Statements is incorporated by reference herein.

CHANGES IN INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING

The disclosure provided in Management’s Discussion and Analysis under the heading Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting and Disclosure Controls and Procedures on page 73 of Exhibit 99.2: Management’s Discussion and Analysis, is incorporated by reference herein.

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AUDIT COMMITTEE FINANCIAL EXPERT

The Board of Directors of Rogers Communications Inc. has determined that the Company has at least one “audit committee financial expert” (as defined in paragraph 8(b) of General Instruction B of Form 40-F) serving on its Audit and Risk Committee. The audit committee financial expert is John H. Clappison. Mr. Clappison has been determined by the Board to be an independent director as such term is defined under the Canadian Securities Administrators’ National Instrument 52-110 (Audit Committees), which is the Canadian corporate governance rule that applies to the Company. Under the standards of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the New York Stock Exchange relating to the independence of audit committee members Mr. Clappison is deemed to be a non-independent director as his son-in-law is a partner at KPMG LLP, the auditors of the Company. Mr. Clappison’s son-in-law has no involvement in the audit of the Company. Under the rules of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), such relationship does not impair the independence of KPMG LLP. The Board’s designation of Mr. Clappison as audit committee financial expert does not impose on him any duties, obligations or liability that are greater than the duties, obligations and liability imposed on him as a member of the Audit and Risk Committee and Board of Directors in the absence of such designation or identification. In addition, the designation of Mr. Clappison as “audit committee financial expert” does not affect the duties, obligations or liability of any other member of the Audit and Risk Committee or Board of Directors. See also Item 17 - Audit and Risk Committee on page 26 of the Company’s Annual Information Form, attached as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated by reference herein.

CODE OF CONDUCT AND ETHICS AND BUSINESS CONDUCT POLICY

The Company has adopted a Directors Code of Conduct and Ethics that applies to all directors and Business Conduct Policy that apply to all directors, officers (including the principal executive officer, principal financial officer, and principal accounting officer), and employees (the Codes). The Codes have been posted on the Rogers website under the Corporate Governance section at investors.rogers.com. A copy of the Codes will also be provided upon request to Investor Relations, 333 Bloor Street East, 10th Floor, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 1G9.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES

The following table presents fees for professional services rendered by KPMG LLP to the Company for the audit of the Company’s annual financial statements for 2019 and 2018, and fees billed for other services rendered by KPMG LLP, during the period from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2019.

Auditors’ Fees	2019		2018
	($)	%	($)	%
Audit Fees(1)	6,042,150	88.2	6,324,754	87.9
Audit-Related Fees(2)	692,753	10.1	797,575	11.1
Tax Fees(3)	114,322	1.7	71,606	1.0
Total	6,849,225	100.0	7,193,935	100.0

NOTES:

(1) Consists of fees related to audits of annual financial statements, involvement with registration statements and other filings with various regulatory authorities, quarterly reviews of interim financial statements, audit procedures on new accounting standards not yet effective, audits and reviews of subsidiaries for statutory or regulatory reporting, and consultations related to accounting matters impacting the consolidated financial statements.

(2) Consist primarily of pension plan audits, French translation of certain filings with regulatory authorities, other assurance engagements, due diligence services in respect of potential acquisitions and divestitures, and consultations regarding accounting standards not yet effective.

(3) Consist of fees for tax consultation and compliance services, including indirect taxes.

For the year ended December 31, 2019, none of the Company’s audit-related fees, tax fees or all other fees described in the table above made use of the de minimis exception to pre-approval provisions contained in Rule 2-01 (c)(7)(i)(C) of U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Regulation S-X or Section 2.4 of the Canadian Securities Administrators’ National Instrument 52-110 (Audit Committees).

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The following is the pre-approval process:

1. Annually, the Company will provide the Audit and Risk Committee with a list of the audit-related and non-audit services that may be provided by the auditor during the year to the Company. The Audit and Risk Committee will review the services with the auditor and management, considering whether the provision of the service is compatible with maintaining the auditor’s independence.

2. Management may engage the auditor for specific engagements that are included in the list of pre-approved services referred to above if the estimated fees do not exceed $500,000 per engagement per quarter.

3. The Audit and Risk Committee delegates authority to the Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee to approve requests for services not included in the pre-approved list of services or for services not previously pre-approved by the Audit and Risk Committee. Any services approved by the Chair will be reported to the full Audit and Risk Committee at the next meeting.

4. A listing of all audit and non-audit services and fees rendered to the Company and its subsidiaries by KPMG LLP will be reviewed each quarter by the Audit and Risk Committee.

OFF-BALANCE SHEET ARRANGEMENTS

The Company does not have any off-balance sheet arrangements other than those described in Management’s Discussion and Analysis under the heading Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements on page 61 of Exhibit 99.2: Management’s Discussion and Analysis, which is incorporated by reference herein.

TABULAR DISCLOSURE OF CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS

The information provided in Management’s Discussion and Analysis under the heading Commitments and Contractual Obligations on page 61 of Exhibit 99.2: Management’s Discussion and Analysis, is incorporated by reference herein.

IDENTIFICATION OF THE AUDIT AND RISK COMMITTEE

Our Board of Directors has established an Audit and Risk Committee. The Audit and Risk Committee consists of three directors: Messrs. Clappison, Gemmell, and MacDonald, who are appointed annually by our Board of Directors. Further disclosure is provided under Item 17.2 — Composition of the Audit and Risk Committee of the Company’s Annual Information Form, attached as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated by reference herein.

DISCLOSURE PURSUANT TO REQUIREMENTS OF THE NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE

The disclosure provided under the headings “Composition of the Board”, “Controlled Company Exemption”, “Foreign Private Issuer Status”, “Corporate Governance Practices” and “Conflicts of Interest” beginning on page 22 of the Company’s Annual Information Form, attached as Exhibit 99.1, is incorporated by reference herein.

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UNDERTAKING AND CONSENT TO SERVICE OF PROCESS

Rogers Communications Inc. undertakes to make available, in person or by telephone, representatives to respond to inquiries made by the Commission staff, and to furnish promptly, when requested to do so by the Commission staff, information relating to: the securities registered pursuant to Form 40-F; the securities in relation to which the obligation to file an annual report on Form 40-F arises; or transactions in said securities.

Rogers Communications Inc. has previously filed with the Commission a Form F-X in connection with its securities. Any change to the name or address of the Company’s agent for service of process shall be communicated promptly to the Commission by amendment to the Form F-X referencing the file number of the Company.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Exchange Act, the registrant certifies that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form 40-F and has duly caused this annual report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized.

Registrant: Rogers Communications Inc.

By:	"Joe Natale"	"Anthony Staffieri"
	Joe Natale	Anthony Staffieri, FCPA, FCA
	President and Chief Executive Officer	Chief Financial Officer

Date: March 5, 2020

Subsidiary Guarantor/Co-Obligor: Rogers Communications Canada Inc.

By:	"Joe Natale"	"Anthony Staffieri"
	Joe Natale	Anthony Staffieri, FCPA, FCA
	President and Chief Executive Officer	Chief Financial Officer

Date: March 5, 2020

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EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit Number	Description
23.1	Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
31.1	Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
31.2	Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
32.1	Certifications pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 †
99.1	Annual Information Form for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019
99.2	Management’s Discussion and Analysis for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) under cover of a Form 6-K dated March 5, 2020
99.3	Annual Audited Consolidated Financial Statements, together with the reports of independent registered public accounting firm, for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019

†  This exhibit shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference on any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, whether made before or after the date hereof and irrespective of any general incorporation language in any filings.

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