3. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES Cash and cash equivalents Cash and cash equivalents consist primarily of cash in banks and high-interest savings accounts and cash collateral which are recorded at cost, which approximates fair value. Short-term investments The Company’s short-term investments consist of guaranteed investment certificates, U.S. treasury securities, corporate debt securities, commercial paper and term deposits with original maturities exceeding three months and less than one year. The investments are carried at fair value plus accrued interest. Foreign exchange Transactions in currencies other than the United States dollar are recorded at exchange rates prevailing on the dates of the transactions. At the end of each reporting period, monetary assets and liabilities of the Company that are denominated in foreign currencies are translated at the period end exchange rate while non-monetary assets and liabilities are translated at historical rates. Revenues and expenses are translated at the exchange rates approximating those in effect on the date of the transactions. Exchange gains and losses arising on translation are included in comprehensive loss. On translation of the entities whose functional currency is other than the United States dollar, revenues and expenses are translated at the exchange rates approximating those in effect on the date of the transactions. Assets and liabilities are translated at the rate of exchange at the reporting date. Translation gains and losses are recorded in other comprehensive income (loss) as the cumulative translation adjustment along with the historical effects of a change in the functional currency. Research and development costs Expenditures on research and development activities, undertaken with the prospect of gaining new scientific or technical knowledge and understanding, are recognized in profit or loss as incurred. Investment tax credits related to current expenditures are included in the determination of net income as the expenditures are incurred when there is reasonable assurance they will be realized. Fair value of financial instruments The Company’s financial instruments consist of cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments, receivables, accounts payable and accrued liabilities and derivative liabilities. The Company provides disclosures that enable users to evaluate (a) the significance of financial instruments for the entity’s financial position and performance; and (b) the nature and extent of risks arising from financial instruments to which the entity is exposed during the period and at the date of the statement of financial position, and how the entity manages these risks. The Company provides information about its financial instruments measured at fair value at one of three levels according to the relative reliability of the inputs used to estimate the fair value: Level 1 – quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities; Level 2 – inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly (i.e., as prices) or indirectly (i.e., derived from prices); and Level 3 – inputs for the asset or liability that are not based on observable market data (unobservable inputs). The fair value of cash and cash equivalents, GICs and term deposits included in short-term investments, receivables, accounts payable and accrued liabilities approximates their carrying values due to their short term to maturity. The fair value of U.S. treasury securities, corporate debt securities and commercial paper included in short-term investments are measured using Level 2 inputs based on standard observable inputs, including reported trades, broker/dealer quotes, and bids and/or offers (Note 4). The derivative liabilities are measured using level 3 inputs (Note 8). Share-based payments Share based payment arrangements in which the Company receives goods or services as consideration for its own equity instruments are accounted for as equity settled share-based payment transactions and measured at the fair value of at grant date. Share-based compensation The Company grants stock options to acquire Common Shares of the Company to directors, officers, employees and consultants. The fair value of stock options is measured on the date of grant, using the Black-Scholes option pricing model, and is recognized over the requisite service or vesting period as applicable. Consideration paid for the shares on the exercise of stock options is credited to share capital. Such value is recognized as expense over the requisite service period, net of actual forfeitures, using the accelerated attribution method. The Company recognizes forfeitures as they occur. The estimation of stock awards that will ultimately vest requires judgment, and to the extent actual results, or updated estimates, differ from current estimates, such amounts are recorded as a cumulative adjustment in the period estimates are revised. Basic and diluted loss per share Basic loss per share is computed by dividing the loss available to common shareholders by the weighted average number of Common Shares outstanding during the year. The computation of diluted earnings per share assumes the conversion, exercise or contingent issuance of securities only when such conversion, exercise or issuance would have a dilutive effect on earnings per share. The dilutive effect of convertible securities is reflected in diluted earnings per share by application of the “if converted” method. The dilutive effect of outstanding options and warrants and their equivalents is reflected in diluted earnings per share by application of the weighted-average method. Since the Company has losses, the exercise of outstanding options and warrants has not been included in this calculation as it would be anti-dilutive. Leases At the inception of an arrangement, the Company determines whether the arrangement is or contains a lease based on the unique facts and circumstances present in the arrangement. Leases with a term greater than one year are recognized on the balance sheet as ROU assets and short-term and long-term lease liabilities, as applicable. ROU assets represent the Company’s right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent its obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. The Company typically only includes an initial lease term in its assessment of a lease arrangement. It also considers termination options and factors those into the determination of lease payments. Options to renew a lease are not included in the assessment unless there is reasonable certainty that the Company will renew. Operating lease liabilities and their corresponding ROU assets are recorded based on the present value of lease payments over the expected remaining lease term. Certain adjustments to the ROU asset may be required for items such as incentives received. The interest rate implicit in lease contracts is typically not readily determinable. As a result, the Company utilizes its incremental borrowing rate, which reflects the fixed rate at which it could borrow on a collateralized basis the amount of the lease payments in the same currency, for a similar term, in a similar economic environment. In transition to ASC 842, the Company utilized the remaining lease term of its leases in determining the appropriate incremental borrowing rates. Lease expense for lease payments is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The Company elected the short-term lease exemption for all leases that qualify; as a result, we will not recognize right-of-use assets or lease liabilities for leases with a term of less than 12 months at inception. Income taxes Income tax is recognized in profit or loss except to the extent that it relates to items recognized directly in equity, in which case it is recognized in equity. Current tax expense is the expected tax payable on the taxable income for the year, using tax rates enacted at period end. Deferred tax is recognized in respect of temporary differences, between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for taxation purposes. The following temporary differences are not provided for: goodwill not deductible for tax purposes and an excess of the amount for financial reporting over the tax basis of an investment in a foreign subsidiary that is essentially permanent in duration. The amount of deferred tax provided is based on the expected manner of realization or settlement of the carrying amount of assets and liabilities, using tax rates enacted at the financial position reporting date. A valuation allowance is recognized for deferred tax assets if, based on the weight of available evidence, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. Deferred tax assets are reviewed at each reporting date and a valuation allowance is recorded to the extent that it is no longer more likely than not that the related tax benefit will be realized. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are offset when there is a legally enforceable right to set off current tax assets against current tax liabilities and when they relate to income taxes levied by the same taxation authority and the Company intends to settle its current tax assets and liabilities on a net basis. Recently accounting pronouncements adopted During the year ended September 30, 2023, there have been no new, or existing, recently issued accounting pronouncements that are of significance, or potential significance, that impact the Company’s consolidated financial statements. Recently accounting pronouncements not yet adopted Management does not believe that any recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting standards, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. Recent accounting pronouncements issued by the FASB, including its Emerging Issues Task Force, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the Securities and Exchange Commission did not or are not believed by management to have a material impact on the Company’s present or future consolidated financial statement presentation or disclosures. Change in presentation During the year ended September 30, 2023, the Company identified a presentation item that required adjustments to be recorded in the historical consolidated statements of cash flows to conform to the presentation required under U.S. GAAP. Interest from short-term investments of $705,020 for the year ended September 30, 2022 has been reclassified from investing activities to operating activities. There were no changes to net loss of the Company or earnings per share in the periods presented. The Company believes this reclassification and presentation change in the historical consolidated statement of cash flow for the year ended September 30, 2022 is not material and has reflected this reclassification and presentation change in the comparative period included within these consolidated financial statements.
|