Funds advised by OMERS Capital Partners and Apax Partners have agreed to buy a couple of Thomson Corp. units for $8.63 billion in cash.

Nelson Canada, a provider of books and online resources for the educational market in this country, will be majority owned by OMERS.

The funds are also acquiring Thomson’s higher education, careers and library reference assets, which includes well-known brands and businesses, including Wadsworth, Delmar Learning, Gale, Heinle, Brooks/Cole and South-Western.

The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of this year and is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

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