Shareholder info
Shareholder Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan
BCE’s Shareholder Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase (Plan) provides a convenient method for eligible holders of BCE Common Shares to automatically reinvest dividends into additional Common Shares without having to pay brokerage commissions, fees or service charges. Participants may also make Optional Cash Payments in the form of cash or dividends on BCE preferred shares to be applied toward the purchase of additional Common Shares under the Plan (maximum $40,000 per year and minimum $100 per transaction) without having to pay brokerage commissions, fees or service charges. All amounts referred to herein are in Canadian dollars.
On November 18, 2024, BCE amended the Plan to permit, at the discretion of the board of directors of BCE, the issuance of new Common Shares from treasury at a discount of up to 5% to the Average Market Price (as defined hereafter). Average Market Price means the volume weighted average trading price of the Common Shares for the five trading days immediately preceding the applicable Dividend Payment Date. BCE anticipates that commencing with the dividend payable on January 15, 2025 to eligible holders of Common Shares as of the December 16, 2024 record date, and subsequently until further notice, Common Shares will be issued from treasury at a Discount of 2% to the Average Market Price.
All registered holders of BCE Common Shares resident of Canada or the United States will receive an enrollment form to enroll into the Plan. In order to participate in time for the dividend payable on January 15, 2025, enrollment forms from registered holders of Common Shares must be received by TSX Trust Company, the agent of the Plan, before the close of business on December 16, 2024.
Existing participants under the Plan are not required to take any action to maintain participation in the Plan. Existing participants under the Plan will automatically have the Discount applied to the reinvestment of the dividend payable to holders of Common Shares on January 15, 2025.
Quarterly purchase prices since implementation of the Plan
Transfer agent and administrator of the Plan
For more information on how to enroll in the Plan or any other inquiries, contact the transfer agent and administrator of the Plan (Agent) of the Plan:
TSX Trust Company
301 – 100 Adelaide St. West
Toronto, Ontario
M5H 4H1
Telephone: 1-800-561-0934 (Toll free in Canada and the U.S.)
416-682-3861
Fax: 1-888-249-6189 (Toll free in Canada and the U.S.)
514-985-8843
Email: bce@tmx.com
If you are a registered shareholder and want to enroll in the plan, request a package to the Agent of the Plan or download the enrollment form.
Advantages of the Plan
- Convenience of having cash dividends automatically reinvested into Common Shares, instead of receiving cash payments.
- Ability to purchase Common Shares without having to pay brokerage commissions, fees or service charges; shares may be offered by BCE at a discount of up to 5% from the Average Market Price at BCE’s sole discretion if purchases of Common Shares are made by way of Treasury Purchases.
- The Average Market Price will be the volume weighted average trading price of the Common Shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange during the five trading days immediately preceding the relevant Dividend Payment Date.
- Commencing with the previously declared dividend payable on January 15, 2025 to eligible holders of Common Shares as of the December 16, 2024 record date, and subsequently until further notice, Common Shares distributed under the Plan will be issued from treasury at a discount of 2% to the Average Market Price. The discount will not apply to purchases made pursuant to Optional Cash Payments.
- Full reinvestment of cash dividends, as the Plan allows fractions of Common Shares and cash dividends on those fractions to be included in your account.
- Participants in the Plan may also make Optional Cash Payments, in the form of cash or dividends on BCE preferred shares, to purchase additional Common Shares. Optional Cash Payments in the form of cash shall not be less than $100 per transaction nor greater than $40,000 in each 12-month period ending on the last Business Day preceding the Dividend Payment Date in October of each year.
- Optional Cash Payments in the form of dividends on BCE preferred shares are subject to a separate limit of $40,000 in each 12-month period ending on the last Business Day preceding the Dividend Payment Date in October of each year.
- Convenient tracking of your Plan Shares with quarterly statements of account.
- Ability to withdraw and/or sell any number of Plan Shares at any time for a reasonable administrative cost without terminating your participation in the Plan.
- Ability to terminate your participation in the Plan at any time without penalty.
Who can enroll?
Any registered holder of Common Shares resident in Canada or the United States may participate in the Plan. Registered holders of Common Shares resident in jurisdictions other than Canada or the United States are not eligible to enroll in the Plan.
Existing participants in the Plan will automatically have the discount applied to the reinvestment of the dividend payable to holders of Common Shares on January 15, 2025. Registered shareholders of Common Shares resident in Canada or the United States wishing to join the Plan can obtain an enrollment form at www.tsxtrust.com/bce/drip, or by contacting the Agent (Tel: 1‑800‑561‑0934 (Toll free in Canada and the U.S.) or bce@tmx.com). In order to participate in time for the dividend payable on January 15, 2025, enrollment forms from registered holders of Common Shares must be received by the Agent before the close of business on December 16, 2024.
Beneficial owners of Common Shares (shareholders who hold their shares through a financial institution, broker or other intermediary) should consult with the intermediary to determine how to participate in the Plan. The administrative practices and requirements of intermediaries vary and, accordingly, the various dates by which actions must be taken under the Plan and the documentary requirements set out in the Plan may not be the same for beneficial owners as for registered holders. Some intermediaries may require beneficial owners to become registered holders in order to participate in the Plan. There may be a fee charged by the intermediary for beneficial non-registered shareholders to become registered shareholders, which will not be paid by BCE or by the Agent.
If you are a registered shareholder and want to enroll in the Plan, request a package to the Agent of the Plan or download the enrollment form opens in a new window.
Optional Cash Payments
You must be enrolled in the Plan in order to be eligible to make Optional Cash Payments. You can make Optional Cash Payments in cash or in dividends on BCE preferred shares that you hold.
To make an Optional Cash Payment in cash, fill in the Optional Cash Payment form opens in a new window and send it to the Agent together with a cheque payable to the Agent. No third-party cheques are accepted. To make an Optional Cash Payment in dividends on BCE preferred shares, fill in the applicable authorization form and send it to the Agent. Currently, it is not possible to enroll to make an Optional Cash Payment by pre-authorized debit; but BCE reserves the right to and may implement such feature at a later time.
Optional Cash Payments can vary with respect to each Dividend Payment Date and there is no obligation to make continuing cash payments. Payments in cash must be at least $100 per transaction and may not exceed $40,000 per 12-month period ending on the last Business Day preceding the Dividend Payment Date in October each year. Optional Cash Payments in the form of dividends on BCE preferred shares are subject to a separate limit of $40,000 for each 12-month period ending on the last Business Day preceding the Dividend Payment Date in October of each year.
BCE may from time to time in its sole discretion approve a discount of up to 5% on the price of Common Shares issued pursuant to a Treasury Purchase. However, the Discount, if any, will not apply to purchases made pursuant to Optional Cash Payments.
All Optional Cash Payments made in U.S. dollars to the Agent will be converted into Canadian dollars by the Agent based on the exchange rate in effect at the time of conversion. For the purposes of calculating the limits on Optional Cash Payments, the amount converted in Canadian dollars will be used.
The Agent is required under the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (Canada) to collect and record certain information relating to Optional Cash Payments. Participants wishing to make Optional Cash Payments may be required to complete a participant declaration form and to comply with the Agent’s requirements in this respect.
Deadline for Optional Cash Payments (in cash)
Optional Cash Payments in cash must be at least $100 per transaction and may not exceed $40,000 per 12-month period ending on the last Business Day preceding the Dividend Payment Date in October each year. Optional Cash Payments in the form of dividends on BCE preferred shares are subject to a separate limit of $40,000 for each 12-month period ending on the last Business Day preceding the Dividend Payment Date in October of each year.
Cheques must be dated and received by the Agent at least five Business Days preceding the Dividend Payment Date in order for such payments to be accepted for investment at the Dividend Payment Date. Any cheques dated or received on or after such date will be held by the Agent for investment until the next Dividend Payment Date.
Optional Cash Payment cheques are to be received no later than:
Investment date | Deadline to receive Optional Cash Payments |
---|---|
November 18, 2024* Dividends are subject to confirmation by the board of directors of BCE Inc (Monday) | November 11, 2024 (Monday) |
January 15, 2025** Dividends are subject to confirmation by the board of directors of BCE Inc (Wednesday) | January 8, 2025 (Wednesday) |
April 15, 2025** Subject to dividends being declared by the board of directors of BCE Inc. (Tuesday) | April 8, 2025 (Tuesday) |
July 15, 2025** Dividends are subject to confirmation by the board of directors of BCE IncSubject to dividends being declared by the board of directors of BCE Inc. (Tuesday) | July 8, 2025 (Tuesday) |
October 15, 2025** Dividends are subject to confirmation by the board of directors of BCE IncSubject to dividends being declared by the board of directors of BCE Inc.(Wednesday) | October 7, 2025 (Tuesday) |
Withdrawal or Sale of Plan Shares
A participant may withdraw or sell whole Common Shares from the participant’s account under the Plan by completing the request to withdraw or sell shares form, enclosed with each quarterly statement of account and mailing it to the Agent, or by providing similar written notice to the Agent.
Upon receipt of a request for withdrawal of shares, the Agent will withdraw the specified number of whole shares from the participant’s account and issue a direct registration system advice (“DRS Advice”) to the participant. A share certificate in lieu of a DRS Advice will only be issued upon specific request in writing of the same to the Agent. The DRS Advices or certificates will normally be forwarded within three weeks of receipt of the request.
If the participant requested the sale of the shares, the Agent will sell the specified number of whole shares on behalf of the participant through a stock broker designated by the Agent as soon as possible following receipt of the instruction to do so. The Agent will pay the proceeds of such sale, less brokerage commissions and transfer taxes, if any, to the participant by cheque. Cheques will normally be issued within three Business Days from the completion of the sale.
Common Shares that are to be sold may be commingled with Common Shares being sold for other participants, in which case the proceeds to each such participant will be based on the average sales price of all Common Shares so commingled.
Price of Common Shares purchased for the Plan
The price of the shares will depend on whether the Agent buys the shares through a stock exchange or directly from BCE:
- if the Agent buys the shares through a stock exchange, the price for the shares will be the average cost paid by the Agent for all the shares acquired for the purposes of the Plan in respect of a Dividend Payment Date.
- if the Agent buys the shares directly from BCE, the price for the shares will be the Average Market Price.
- In either case, you will pay no brokerage commissions on purchases.
Commencing with the previously declared dividend payable on January 15, 2025 to eligible holders of Common Shares as of the December 16, 2024 record date, and subsequently until further notice, Common Shares distributed under the Plan will be issued from treasury at a Discount of 2% to the Average Market Price. The Discount will not apply to purchases made pursuant to Optional Cash Payments.
Quarterly statements are a participant’s record of the cost and number of shares purchased and should be retained for income tax purposes. In addition, each participant will receive annually from the Agent the appropriate tax information for reporting dividends paid on Common Shares held under the Plan.
Terminate your participation
A participant may terminate their participation in the Plan at any time by completing the termination request enclosed with each quarterly statement of account and sending it to the Agent or by providing similar written notice to the Agent.
If a termination request is received by the Agent less than five Business Days before the Dividend Record Date, the participant’s account will not be closed until after the corresponding Dividend Payment Date and the corresponding dividend reinvestment has been completed.
Upon termination of participation in the Plan, a participant may request the Agent to either
- issue a DRS Advice for all the whole shares and a cheque payment for any fraction of a Common Share and/or uninvested Optional Cash Payment; or
- sell all the Common Shares held by the Agent for the participant’s account.
If the participant requested the sale of the shares, the Agent will sell the shares through a stock broker as soon as practicable following receipt of the request. The Agent will not process any sale requests until participation in the Plan has been terminated and the participant’s account has been closed (which, depending on the date on which the termination request was received by the Agent, may take up to six weeks).
Following the sale of the shares, the Agent will pay the proceeds of such sale, less brokerage commissions and transfer taxes, if any, to the participant by cheque.