40-F 1 noa40-f12x31x2017.htm 40-F
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 40-F

£ | REGISTRATION STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

OR

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

| For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 |  | Commission File Number 001-33161

NORTH AMERICAN ENERGY PARTNERS INC.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
Canada
(Province or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
1629
(Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number (if applicable))
N/A
(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number (if applicable))
Zone 3, Acheson Industrial Area, 2-53016—Hwy. 60
Acheson, Alberta, T7X 5A7
(780) 960-7171
(Address and telephone number of Registrant’s principal executive offices)
CT Corporation System
111 Eighth Avenue, 13 th 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 |  | Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Shares |  | Toronto Stock Exchange
|  | The New York Stock Exchange

Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None
Securities for which there is a reporting obligation pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Act: None
For annual reports, indicate by check mark the information filed with this Form:

| S | Annual information form | S | 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.
28,070,150 Common Shares
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant by filing the information required in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”). If “Yes” is marked, indicate the file number assigned to the Registrant in connection with such Rule.
Yes £ No x
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 x 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.
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ANNUAL INFORMATION FORM, AUDITED ANNUAL CONSOLIDATED
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
Annual Information Form
The Registrant’s Annual Information Form for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Annual Report on Form 40-F and is incorporated herein by reference.
Audited Annual Consolidated Financial Statements
The Registrant’s audited annual consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, including the report of the independent registered public accounting firm with respect thereto, are attached as Exhibit 99.2 to this Annual Report on Form 40-F and are incorporated herein by reference.
Management’s Discussion and Analysis
The Registrant’s Management’s Discussion and Analysis for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 is attached as Exhibit 99.3 to this Annual Report on Form 40-F and is incorporated herein by reference.
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DISCLOSURES REGARDING CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Please see “Internal Systems and Processes—Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures” included in the Registrant’s Management’s Discussion and Analysis for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, which is attached as Exhibit 99.3 to this Annual Report on Form 40-F and is incorporated herein by reference.
Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
Please see “Internal Systems and Processes—Management’s Report on Internal Controls Over Financial Reporting (ICFR)” included in the Registrant’s Management’s Discussion and Analysis for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, which is attached as Exhibit 99.3 to this Annual Report on Form 40-F and is incorporated herein by reference.
Attestation Report of the Registered Public Accounting Firm
The attestation report of the independent registered public accounting firm on the effectiveness of the Registrant's internal control over financial reporting is included under the heading “Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm” on pages 1 and 2 of Exhibit 99.2 to this Annual Report on Form 40-F, which attestation report is incorporated herein by reference.
Changes in Internal Control over Financing Reporting
Please see “Internal Systems and Processes—Material Changes to the Internal Controls over Financial Reporting” included in the Registrant’s Management’s Discussion and Analysis for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, which is attached as Exhibit 99.3 to this Annual Report on Form 40-F and is incorporated herein by reference.
NOTICES PURSUANT TO REGULATION BTR
None.
AUDIT COMMITTEE FINANCIAL EXPERT
The Registrant’s board of directors has determined that Mr. Bryan Pinney, a member and the chairman of the Registrant’s audit committee, is an “audit committee financial expert” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission) and is “independent” (as such term is defined by the New York Stock Exchange’s listing standards applicable to the Registrant).
CODE OF ETHICS
The Registrant has adopted a “code of ethics” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission), entitled the “Code of Conduct and Ethics Policy”, that applies to all employees the Registrant, including its Chief Executive Officer, its President, and its Vice President, Finance. The Code of Conduct and Ethics Policy is available for viewing on the Registrant’s website at www.nacg.ca under “Investor Relations—Corporate Governance”. There were not any amendments to any provision of the Code of Conduct and Ethics Policy during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 that applied to the Registrant’s principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions. Further, there were not any waivers, including implicit waivers, granted from any provision of the Code of Conduct and Ethics Policy during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 that applied to the Registrant’s principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions.
PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES
AND PRE-APPROVAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Please see “The Board and Board Committees” included in the Registrant’s Annual Information Form for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, which is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Annual Report on Form 40-F and is incorporated herein by reference.
OFF-BALANCE SHEET ARRANGEMENTS
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Please see “Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements” included in the Registrant’s Management’s Discussion and Analysis for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, which is attached as Exhibit 99.3 to this Annual Report on Form 40-F and is incorporated herein by reference.
TABULAR DISCLOSURE OF CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS
Please see “Capital Commitments—Contractual Obligations and Other Commitments” included in the Registrant’s Management’s Discussion and Analysis for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, which is attached as Exhibit 99.3 to this Annual Report on Form 40-F and is incorporated herein by reference.
IDENTIFICATION OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE
Please see “The Board and Board Committees—Audit Committee” included in the Registrant’s Annual Information Form for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, which is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Annual Report on Form 40-F and is incorporated herein by reference.
NYSE CORPORATE GOVERNANCE RULES
The Registrant has reviewed the New York Stock Exchange’s corporate governance rules and confirms that the Registrant’s corporate governance practices are not significantly different from those required of domestic companies under the New York Stock Exchange’s listing standards.
MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURE
Pursuant to Section 1503(a) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, issuers that are operators, or that have a subsidiary that is an operator, of a coal or other mine in the United States, and that is subject to regulation by the Federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (“MSHA”) under the Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (the “Mine Act”), are required to disclose in their periodic reports filed with the SEC information regarding specified health and safety violations, orders and citations, related assessments and legal actions, and mining-related fatalities. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, the Registrant had no mines in the United States that were subject to regulation by the MSHA under the Mine Act.
UNDERTAKING AND CONSENT TO SERVICE OF PROCESS
Undertaking
The Registrant 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.
Consent to Service of Process
The Registrant previously filed with the Commission a Form F-X in connection with the class of securities in relation to which the obligation to file this report arises.
Any change to the name or address of the Registrant’s agent for service shall be communicated promptly to the Commission by an amendment to the Form F-X referencing the file number of the Registrant.
SIGNATURES
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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.

|  | /S/ Martin Ferron
|  | Martin Ferron
|  | Chief Executive Officer

Date: February 13, 2018
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EXHIBIT INDEX

99.1 |  | Annual Information Form for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017.
99.2 |  | Audited Annual Consolidated Financial Statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017.
99.3 |  | Management’s Discussion and Analysis for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017.
99.4 |  | Consent of KPMG LLP.
99.5 |  | Certification of the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) or Rule 15d-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
99.6 |  | Certification of the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) or Rule 15d-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
99.7 |  | Certification of the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
99.8 |  | Certification of the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
101 |  | The following financial information from North American Energy Partners Inc.’s audited Consolidated Financial Statements, formatted in XBRL (eXtensible Business Reporting Language) and furnished electronically herewith: (i) the Consolidated Balance Sheets; (ii) the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive (Loss) Income; (iii) the Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity; (iv) the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows; and (v) Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements, tagged as blocks of text.

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