Income Tax Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. 1 (5th Supp.))

SUBDIVISION HCorporations Resident in Canada and their Shareholders

Marginal note:Taxable dividends received

• 82 (1) In computing the income of a taxpayer for a taxation year, there shall be included the total of the following amounts:

  • (a) the amount, if any, by which

    • (i) the total of all amounts, other than eligible dividends and amounts described in paragraph (c), (d) or (e), received by the taxpayer in the taxation year from corporations resident in Canada as, on account of, in lieu of payment of or in satisfaction of, taxable dividends,

    exceeds

    • (ii) if the taxpayer is an individual, the total of all amounts each of which is, or is deemed by paragraph 260(12)(b) to have been, paid by the taxpayer in the taxation year and deemed by subsection 260(5.1) to have been received by another person as a taxable dividend (other than an eligible dividend);

  • (a.1) the amount, if any, by which

    • (i) the total of all amounts, other than amounts included in computing the income of the taxpayer because of paragraph (c), (d) or (e), received by the taxpayer in the taxation year from corporations resident in Canada as, on account of, in lieu of payment of or in satisfaction of, eligible dividends,

    exceeds

    • (ii) if the taxpayer is an individual, the total of all amounts each of which is, or is deemed by paragraph 260(12)(b) to have been, paid by the taxpayer in the taxation year and deemed by subsection 260(5.1) to have been received by another person as an eligible dividend;

  • (b) if the taxpayer is an individual, other than a trust that is a registered charity, the total of

    • (i) the product of the amount determined under paragraph (a) in respect of the taxpayer for the taxation year multiplied by

      • (A) for the 2018 taxation year, 16%, and

      • (B) for taxation years after 2018, 15%, and

    • (ii) the product of the amount determined under paragraph (a.1) in respect of the taxpayer for the taxation year multiplied by

      • (A) for taxation years that end after 2005 and before 2010, 45%,

      • (B) for the 2010 taxation year, 44%,

      • (C) for the 2011 taxation year, 41%, and

      • (D) for taxation years that end after 2011, 38%;

  • (c) all taxable dividends received by the taxpayer in the taxation year, from corporations resident in Canada, under dividend rental arrangements of the taxpayer;

  • (d) all taxable dividends (other than taxable dividends described in paragraph (c)) received by the taxpayer in the taxation year from corporations resident in Canada that are not taxable Canadian corporations; and

  • (e) if the taxpayer is a trust, all amounts each of which is all or part of a taxable dividend (other than a taxable dividend described in paragraph (c) or (d)) that was received by the trust in the taxation year on a share of the capital stock of a taxable Canadian corporation and that can reasonably be considered to have been included in computing the income of a beneficiary under the trust who was non-resident at the end of the taxation year.

• Marginal note:Limitation as to paragraph (1)(c)

  (1.1) An amount shall be included in the amounts described in paragraph (1)(c) in respect of a taxable dividend received at any time as part of a dividend rental arrangement only if that dividend was received on a share acquired before that time and after April, 1989.

• Marginal note:Certain dividends received by taxpayer

  (2) Where by reason of subsection 56(4) or 56(4.1) or sections 74.1 to 75 of this Act or section 74 of the Income Tax Act, chapter 148 of the Revised Statutes of Canada, 1952, there is included in computing a taxpayer’s income for a taxation year a dividend received by another person, for the purposes of this Act, the dividend shall be deemed to have been received by the taxpayer.

• Marginal note:Dividends received by spouse or common-law partner

  (3) Where the amount that would, but for this subsection, be deductible under subsection 118(1) by reason of paragraph 118(1)(a) in computing a taxpayer’s tax payable under this Part for a taxation year that is less than the amount that would be so deductible if no amount were required by subsection (1) to be included in computing the income for the year of the taxpayer’s spouse or common-law partner and the taxpayer so elects in the taxpayer’s return of income for the year under this Part, all amounts described in paragraph (1)(a) or (a.1) received in the year from taxable Canadian corporations by the taxpayer’s spouse or common-law partner are deemed to have been so received by that taxpayer and not by the spouse or common-law partner.

Marginal note:Qualifying dividends

• 83 (1) Where a qualifying dividend has been paid by a public corporation to shareholders of a series of tax-deferred preferred shares of a class of the capital stock of the corporation that were outstanding on March 31, 1977, the following rules apply:

  • (a) no part of the qualifying dividend shall be included in computing the income of any shareholder of the corporation by virtue of this Subdivision; and

  • (b) in computing the adjusted cost base to any shareholder of the corporation of any tax-deferred preferred share of the corporation owned by the shareholder, there shall be deducted in respect of the qualifying dividend an amount as provided by subparagraph 53(2)(a)(i).

• Marginal note:Capital dividend

  (2) Where at any particular time after 1971 a dividend becomes payable by a private corporation to shareholders of any class of shares of its capital stock and the corporation so elects in respect of the full amount of the dividend, in prescribed manner and prescribed form and at or before the particular time or the first day on which any part of the dividend was paid if that day is earlier than the particular time, the following rules apply:

  • (a) the dividend shall be deemed to be a capital dividend to the extent of the corporation’s capital dividend account immediately before the particular time; and

  • (b) no part of the dividend shall be included in computing the income of any shareholder of the corporation.

• Marginal note:Idem

  (2.1) Notwithstanding subsection 83(2), where a dividend that, but for this subsection, would be a capital dividend is paid on a share of the capital stock of a corporation and the share (or another share for which the share was substituted) was acquired by its holder in a transaction or as part of a series of transactions one of the main purposes of which was to receive the dividend,

  • (a) the dividend shall, for the purposes of this Act (other than for the purposes of Part III and computing the capital dividend account of the corporation), be deemed to be received by the shareholder and paid by the corporation as a taxable dividend and not as a capital dividend; and

  • (b) paragraph 83(2)(b) does not apply in respect of the dividend.

• Marginal note:Where s. (2.1) does not apply

  (2.2) Subsection 83(2.1) does not apply in respect of a particular dividend, in respect of which an election is made under subsection 83(2), paid on a share of the capital stock of a particular corporation to an individual where it is reasonable to consider that all or substantially all of the capital dividend account of the particular corporation immediately before the particular dividend became payable consisted of amounts other than any amount

  • (a) added to that capital dividend account under paragraph (b) of the definition capital dividend account in subsection 89(1) in respect of a dividend received on a share of the capital stock of another corporation, which share (or another share for which the share was substituted) was acquired by the particular corporation in a transaction or as part of a series of transactions one of the main purposes of which was that the particular corporation receive the dividend, but not in respect of a dividend where it is reasonable to consider that the purpose of paying the dividend was to distribute an amount that was received by the other corporation and included in computing the other corporation’s capital dividend account by reason of paragraph (d) of that definition;

  • (b) added to that capital dividend account under paragraph 87(2)(z.1) as a result of an amalgamation or winding-up or a series of transactions including the amalgamation or winding-up that would not have been so added had the amalgamation or winding-up occurred or the series of transactions been commenced after 4:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Saving Time, September 25, 1987;

  • (c) added to that capital dividend account at a time when the particular corporation was controlled, directly or indirectly, in any manner whatever, by one or more non-resident persons; or

  • (d) in respect of a capital gain from a disposition of a property by the particular corporation or another corporation that may reasonably be considered as having accrued while the property (or another property for which it was substituted) was a property of a corporation that was controlled, directly or indirectly, in any manner whatever, by one or more non-resident persons.

• Marginal note:Idem

  (2.3) Subsection 83(2.1) does not apply in respect of a dividend, in respect of which an election is made under subsection 83(2), paid on a share of the capital stock of a corporation where it is reasonable to consider that the purpose of paying the dividend was to distribute an amount that was received by the corporation and included in computing its capital dividend account by reason of paragraph (d) of the definition capital dividend account in subsection 89(1).

• Marginal note:Idem

  (2.4) Subsection 83(2.1) does not apply in respect of a particular dividend, in respect of which an election is made under subsection 83(2), paid on a share of the capital stock of a particular corporation to a corporation (in this subsection referred to as the “related corporation”) related (otherwise than by reason of a right referred to in paragraph 251(5)(b)) to the particular corporation where it is reasonable to consider that all or substantially all of the capital dividend account of the particular corporation immediately before the particular dividend became payable consisted of amounts other than any amount

  • (a) added to that capital dividend account under paragraph (b) of the definition capital dividend account in subsection 89(1) in respect of a dividend received on a share of the capital stock of another corporation if it is reasonable to consider that any portion of the capital dividend account of that other corporation immediately before that dividend became payable consisted of amounts added to that account under paragraph 87(2)(z.1) or paragraph (b) of that definition as a result of a transaction or a series of transactions that would not have been so added had the transaction occurred or the series of transactions been commenced after 4:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Saving Time, September 25, 1987;

  • (b) that represented the capital dividend account of a corporation before it became related to the related corporation;

  • (c) added to the capital dividend account of the particular corporation at a time when that corporation was controlled, directly or indirectly, in any manner whatever, by one or more non-resident persons;

  • (d) in respect of a capital gain from a disposition of a property by the particular corporation or another corporation that may reasonably be considered as having accrued while the property (or another property for which it was substituted) was a property of a corporation that was controlled, directly or indirectly, in any manner whatever, by one or more non-resident persons; or

  • (e) in respect of a capital gain from a disposition of a property (or another property for which it was substituted) that may reasonably be considered as having accrued while the property or the other property was a property of a person that was not related to the related corporation.

• Marginal note:Late filed elections

  (3) Where at any particular time after 1974 a dividend has become payable by a corporation to shareholders of any class of shares of its capital stock, and subsection 83(1) or (2) would have applied to the dividend except that the election referred to therein was not made on or before the day on or before which the election was required by that subsection to be made, the election shall be deemed to have been made at the particular time or on the first day on which any part of the dividend was paid, whichever is the earlier, if

  • (a) the election is made in prescribed manner and prescribed form;

  • (b) an estimate of the penalty in respect of that election is paid by the corporation when that election is made; and

  • (c) the directors or other person or persons legally entitled to administer the affairs of the corporation have, before the time the election is made, authorized the election to be made.

• Marginal note:Request for election

  (3.1) The Minister may at any time, by written request served personally or by registered mail, request that an election referred to in subsection 83(3) be made by a taxpayer, and where the taxpayer on whom such a request is served does not comply therewith within 90 days of service thereof on the taxpayer, subsection 83(3) does not apply to such an election made by the taxpayer.

• Marginal note:Penalty for late filed election

  (4) For the purposes of this section, the penalty in respect of an election referred to in paragraph 83(3)(a) is an amount equal to the lesser of

  • (a) 1% per annum of the amount of the dividend referred to in the election for each month or part of a month during the period commencing with the time that the dividend became payable, or the first day on which any part of the dividend was paid if that day is earlier, and ending with the day on which that election was made, and

  • (b) the product obtained when $500 is multiplied by the proportion that the number of months or parts of months during the period referred to in paragraph 83(4)(a) bears to 12.

• Marginal note:Unpaid balance of penalty

  (5) The Minister shall, with all due dispatch, examine each election referred to in paragraph 83(3)(a), assess the penalty payable and send a notice of assessment to the corporation and the corporation shall pay, forthwith to the Receiver General, the amount, if any, by which the penalty so assessed exceeds the total of all amounts previously paid on account of that penalty.

• Definition of qualifying dividend

  (6) For the purposes of subsection 83(1), qualifying dividend means a dividend on shares of a series of a class of the capital stock of a public corporation that is prescribed to be a tax-deferred preferred series that became payable by the corporation after 1978 and not later than

  • (a) where the terms as at March 31, 1977 of the shares of that series entitled the holder of such a share to exchange it after a particular date for a share or shares of another series or class of preferred shares of the capital stock of the corporation, that particular date,

  • (b) where the terms as at March 31, 1977 of the shares of that series required the corporation to offer to purchase at a time not later than a particular date all of the shares of that series from all of the holders of those shares, that particular date, and

  • (c) in any other case, October 1, 1991,

  whichever is applicable in respect of that series of shares, except that a dividend on shares of such a series that would otherwise be a qualifying dividend shall be deemed not to be a qualifying dividend if

  • (d) at the time that the dividend became payable, the terms of the shares of that series differ from the terms as at March 31, 1977 of the shares of that series, or

  • (e) after March 31, 1977 the corporation issued additional shares of that series.

• Marginal note:Amalgamation where there are tax-deferred preferred shares

  (7) For the purposes of this section, where, after March 31, 1977, there has been an amalgamation within the meaning of section 87 and one or more of the predecessor corporations had a series of shares outstanding on March 31, 1977 that was prescribed to be a tax-deferred preferred series, the following rules apply:

  • (a) the series of shares of the capital stock of the predecessor corporation that was prescribed to be a tax-deferred preferred series shall be deemed to have been continued in existence in the form of the new shares; and

  • (b) the new corporation shall be deemed to be the same corporation as, and a continuation of, each such predecessor corporation.

Marginal note:Deemed dividend

• 84 (1) Where a corporation resident in Canada has at any time after 1971 increased the paid-up capital in respect of the shares of any particular class of its capital stock, otherwise than by

  • (a) payment of a stock dividend,

  • (b) a transaction by which

    • (i) the value of its assets less its liabilities has been increased, or

    • (ii) its liabilities less the value of its assets have been decreased,

    by an amount not less than the amount of the increase in the paid-up capital in respect of the shares of the particular class,

  • (c) a transaction by which the paid-up capital in respect of the shares of all other classes of its capital stock has been reduced by an amount not less than the amount of the increase in the paid-up capital in respect of the shares of the particular class,

  • (c.1) if the corporation is an insurance corporation, any action by which it converts contributed surplus related to its insurance business (other than any portion of that contributed surplus that arose at a time when it was non-resident, or that arose in connection with a disposition to which subsection 212.1(1.1) applies or an investment, as defined in subsection 212.3(10), to which subsection 212.3(2) applies) into paid-up capital in respect of the shares of its capital stock,

  • (c.2) if the corporation is a bank, any action by which it converts any of its contributed surplus that arose on the issuance of shares of its capital stock (other than any portion of that contributed surplus that arose at a time when it was non-resident, or that arose in connection with a disposition to which subsection 212.1(1.1) applies or an investment, as defined in subsection 212.3(10), to which subsection 212.3(2) applies) into paid-up capital in respect of shares of its capital stock, or

  • (c.3) if the corporation is neither an insurance corporation nor a bank, any action by which it converts into paid-up capital in respect of a class of shares of its capital stock any of its contributed surplus that arose after March 31, 1977 (other than any portion of that contributed surplus that arose at a time when it was non-resident, or that arose in connection with a disposition to which subsection 212.1(1.1) applies or an investment, as defined in subsection 212.3(10), to which subsection 212.3(2) applies)

    • (i) on the issuance of shares of that class or shares of another class for which the shares of that class were substituted (other than an issuance to which section 51, 66.3, 84.1, 85, 85.1, 86 or 87 or subsection 192(4.1) or 194(4.1) applied),

    • (ii) on the acquisition of property by the corporation from a person who at the time of the acquisition held any of the issued shares of that class or shares of another class for which shares of that class were substituted for no consideration or for consideration that did not include shares of the capital stock of the corporation, or

    • (iii) as a result of any action by which the paid-up capital in respect of that class of shares or in respect of shares of another class for which shares of that class were substituted was reduced by the corporation, to the extent of the reduction in paid-up capital that resulted from the action,

  the corporation shall be deemed to have paid at that time a dividend on the issued shares of the particular class equal to the amount, if any, by which the amount of the increase in the paid-up capital exceeds the total of

  • (d) the amount, if any, of the increase referred to in subparagraph 84(1)(b)(i) or the decrease referred to in subparagraph 84(1)(b)(ii), as the case may be,

  • (e) the amount, if any, of the reduction referred to in paragraph 84(1)(c), and

  • (f) the amount, if any, of the increase in the paid-up capital that resulted from a conversion referred to in paragraph 84(1)(c.1), (c.2) or (c.3),

  and a dividend shall be deemed to have been received at that time by each person who held any of the issued shares of the particular class immediately after that time equal to that proportion of the dividend so deemed to have been paid by the corporation that the number of the shares of the particular class held by the person immediately after that time is of the number of the issued shares of that class outstanding immediately after that time.

• Marginal note:Distribution on winding-up, etc.

  (2) Where funds or property of a corporation resident in Canada have at any time after March 31, 1977 been distributed or otherwise appropriated in any manner whatever to or for the benefit of the shareholders of any class of shares in its capital stock, on the winding-up, discontinuance or reorganization of its business, the corporation shall be deemed to have paid at that time a dividend on the shares of that class equal to the amount, if any, by which

  • (a) the amount or value of the funds or property distributed or appropriated, as the case may be,

  exceeds

  • (b) the amount, if any, by which the paid-up capital in respect of the shares of that class is reduced on the distribution or appropriation, as the case may be,

  and a dividend shall be deemed to have been received at that time by each person who held any of the issued shares at that time equal to that proportion of the amount of the excess that the number of the shares of that class held by the person immediately before that time is of the number of the issued shares of that class outstanding immediately before that time.

• Marginal note:Redemption, etc.

  (3) Where at any time after December 31, 1977 a corporation resident in Canada has redeemed, acquired or cancelled in any manner whatever (otherwise than by way of a transaction described in subsection 84(2)) any of the shares of any class of its capital stock,

  • (a) the corporation shall be deemed to have paid at that time a dividend on a separate class of shares comprising the shares so redeemed, acquired or cancelled equal to the amount, if any, by which the amount paid by the corporation on the redemption, acquisition or cancellation, as the case may be, of those shares exceeds the paid-up capital in respect of those shares immediately before that time; and

  • (b) a dividend shall be deemed to have been received at that time by each person who held any of the shares of that separate class at that time equal to that portion of the amount of the excess determined under paragraph 84(3)(a) that the number of those shares held by the person immediately before that time is of the total number of shares of that separate class that the corporation has redeemed, acquired or cancelled, at that time.

• Marginal note:Reduction of paid-up capital

  (4) Where at any time after March 31, 1977 a corporation resident in Canada has reduced the paid-up capital in respect of any class of shares of its capital stock otherwise than by way of a redemption, acquisition or cancellation of any shares of that class or a transaction described in subsection 84(2) or (4.1),

  • (a) the corporation shall be deemed to have paid at that time a dividend on shares of that class equal to the amount, if any, by which the amount paid by it on the reduction of the paid-up capital, exceeds the amount by which the paid-up capital in respect of that class of shares of the corporation has been so reduced; and

  • (b) a dividend shall be deemed to have been received at that time by each person who held any of the issued shares at that time equal to that proportion of the amount of the excess referred to in paragraph 84(4)(a) that the number of the shares of that class held by the person immediately before that time is of the number of the issued shares of that class outstanding immediately before that time.

• Marginal note:Deemed dividend on reduction of paid-up capital

  (4.1) Any amount paid by a public corporation on the reduction of the paid-up capital in respect of any class of shares of its capital stock, otherwise than by way of a redemption, acquisition or cancellation of any shares of that class or by way of a transaction described in subsection (2) or section 86, is deemed to have been paid by the corporation and received by the person to whom it was paid, as a dividend, unless

  • (a) the amount may reasonably be considered to be derived from proceeds of disposition realized by the public corporation, or by a person or partnership in which the public corporation had a direct or indirect interest at the time that the proceeds were realized, from a transaction that occurred

    • (i) outside the ordinary course of the business of the corporation, or of the person or partnership that realized the proceeds, and

    • (ii) within the period that commenced 24 months before the payment; and

  • (b) no amount that may reasonably be considered to be derived from those proceeds was paid by the public corporation on a previous reduction of the paid-up capital in respect of any class of shares of its capital stock.

• Marginal note:Deemed dividend on term preferred share

  (4.2) Where, at any time after November 16, 1978, the paid-up capital in respect of a term preferred share owned by a shareholder that is

  • (a) a specified financial institution, or

  • (b) a partnership or trust of which a specified financial institution or a person related to such an institution was a member or a beneficiary,

  was reduced otherwise than by way of a redemption, acquisition or cancellation of the share or of a transaction described in subsection 84(2) or (4.1), the amount received by the shareholder on the reduction of the paid-up capital in respect of the share shall be deemed to be a dividend received by the shareholder at that time unless the share was not acquired in the ordinary course of the business carried on by the shareholder.

• Marginal note:Deemed dividend on guaranteed share

  (4.3) Where at any time after 1987 the paid-up capital in respect of a share of the capital stock of a particular corporation owned

  • (a) by a shareholder that is another corporation to which subsection 112(2.2) or (2.4) would, if the particular corporation were a taxable Canadian corporation, apply to deny the deduction under subsection 112(1) or (2) or 138(6) of a dividend received on the share, or

  • (b) by a partnership or trust of which the other corporation is a member or beneficiary, as the case may be,

  was reduced otherwise than by way of a redemption, acquisition or cancellation of the share or of a transaction described in subsection 84(2) or (4.1), the amount received by the shareholder on the reduction of the paid-up capital in respect of the share shall be deemed to be a dividend received by the shareholder at that time.

• Marginal note:Amount distributed or paid where a share

  (5) Where

  • (a) the amount of property distributed by a corporation or otherwise appropriated to or for the benefit of its shareholders as described in paragraph 84(2)(a), or

  • (b) the amount paid by a corporation as described in paragraph 84(3)(a) or (4)(a),

  includes a share of the capital stock of the corporation, for the purposes of subsections 84(2) to (4) the following rules apply:

  • (c) in computing the amount referred to in paragraph 84(5)(a) at any time, the share shall be valued at an amount equal to its paid-up capital at that time, and

  • (d) in computing the amount referred to in paragraph 84(5)(b) at any time, the share shall be valued at an amount equal to the amount by which the paid-up capital in respect of the class of shares to which it belongs has increased by virtue of its issue.

• Marginal note:Where s. (2) or (3) does not apply

  (6) Subsection 84(2) or (3), as the case may be, is not applicable

  • (a) in respect of any transaction or event, to the extent that subsection 84(1) is applicable in respect of that transaction or event; and

  • (b) in respect of any purchase by a corporation of any of its shares in the open market, if the corporation acquired those shares in the manner in which shares would normally be purchased by any member of the public in the open market.

• Marginal note:When dividend payable

  (7) A dividend that is deemed by this section or section 84.1, 128.1 or 212.1 to have been paid at a particular time is deemed, for the purposes of this Subdivision and sections 131 and 133, to have become payable at that time.

• Marginal note:Where s. (3) does not apply

  (8) Subsection 84(3) does not apply to deem a dividend to have been received by a shareholder of a public corporation where the shareholder is an individual resident in Canada who deals at arm’s length with the corporation and the shares redeemed, acquired or cancelled are prescribed shares of the capital stock of the corporation.

• Marginal note:Shares disposed of on redemptions, etc.

  (9) For greater certainty it is declared that where a shareholder of a corporation has disposed of a share of the capital stock of the corporation as a result of the redemption, acquisition or cancellation of the share by the corporation, the shareholder shall, for the purposes of this Act, be deemed to have disposed of the share to the corporation.

• Marginal note:Reduction of contributed surplus

  (10) For the purpose of paragraph 84(1)(c.3), there shall be deducted in determining at any time a corporation’s contributed surplus that arose after March 31, 1977 in any manner described in that paragraph the lesser of

  • (a) the amount, if any, by which the amount of a dividend paid by the corporation at or before that time and after March 31, 1977 and when it was a public corporation exceeded its retained earnings immediately before the payment of the dividend, and

  • (b) the amount of its contributed surplus immediately before the payment of the dividend referred to in paragraph 84(10)(a) that arose after March 31, 1977.

• Marginal note:Computation of contributed surplus

  (11) For the purpose of subparagraph 84(1)(c.3)(ii), where the property acquired by the corporation (in this subsection referred to as the “acquiring corporation”) consists of shares (in this subsection referred to as the “subject shares”) of any class of the capital stock of another corporation resident in Canada (in this subsection referred to as the “subject corporation”) and, immediately after the acquisition of the subject shares, the subject corporation would be connected (within the meaning that would be assigned by subsection 186(4) if the references in that subsection to “payer corporation” and “particular corporation” were read as “subject corporation” and “acquiring corporation”, respectively) with the acquiring corporation, the contributed surplus of the acquiring corporation that arose on the acquisition of the subject shares shall be deemed to be the lesser of

  • (a) the amount added to the contributed surplus of the acquiring corporation on the acquisition of the subject shares, and

  • (b) the amount, if any, by which the paid-up capital in respect of the subject shares at the time of the acquisition exceeded the fair market value of any consideration given by the acquiring corporation for the subject shares.