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s. 256.1

PART XVII — Interpretation

Definitions

Not yet annotated · Text current to 2026-06-21 · section last amended 2026-03-26

Current text

(1)

The following definitions apply in this section.

attribute trading restriction means a restriction on the use of a tax attribute arising on the application, either alone or in combination with other provisions, of any of this section, subsections 10(10) and 13(24), section 37, subsections 66(11.4) and (11.5), 66.7(10) and (11), 69(11) and 88(1.1) and (1.2), sections 111 and 127, subsections 181.1(7), 190.1(6) and 249(4), section 251.2 and subsection 256(7). (restriction au commerce d’attributs)

person includes a partnership. (personne)

specified provision means any of subsections 10(10) and 13(24), paragraph 37(1)(h), subsections 66(11.4) and (11.5), 66.7(10) and (11), 69(11) and 111(4), (5), (5.01), (5.1) and (5.3), paragraphs (j) and (k) of the definition investment tax credit in subsection 127(9), subsections 181.1(7) and 190.1(6), section 251.2 and any provision of similar effect. (dispositions déterminées)

Application of subsection (3)

(2)

Subsection (3) applies at a particular time in respect of a corporation if

(a)

shares of the capital stock of the corporation held by a person, or the total of all shares of the capital stock of the corporation held by members of a group of persons, as the case may be, have at the particular time a fair market value that exceeds 75% of the fair market value of all the shares of the capital stock of the corporation;

(b)

shares, if any, of the capital stock of the corporation held by the person, or the total of all shares, if any, of the capital stock of the corporation held by members of the group, have immediately before the particular time a fair market value that does not exceed 75% of the fair market value of all the shares of the capital stock of the corporation;

(c)

the person or group does not control the corporation at the particular time; and

(d)

it is reasonable to conclude that one of the main reasons that the person or group does not control the corporation is to avoid the application of one or more specified provisions.

Deemed acquisition of control

(3)

If this subsection applies at a particular time in respect of a corporation, then for the purposes of the attribute trading restrictions,

(a)

the person or group referred to in subsection (2)

(i)

is deemed to acquire control of the corporation, and each corporation controlled by the corporation, at the particular time, and

(ii)

is not deemed to have control of the corporation, and each corporation controlled by the corporation, at any time after the particular time solely because this paragraph applied at the particular time; and

(b)

during the period that the condition in paragraph (2)(a) is satisfied, each corporation referred to in paragraph (a) — and any corporation incorporated or otherwise formed subsequent to that time and controlled by that corporation — is deemed not to be related to, or affiliated with, any person to which it was related to, or affiliated with, immediately before paragraph (a) applies.

Special rules

(4)

For the purpose of applying paragraph (2)(a) in respect of a person or group of persons,

(a)

if it is reasonable to conclude that one of the reasons that one or more transactions or events occur is to cause a person or group of persons not to hold shares having a fair market value that exceeds 75% of the fair market value of all the shares of the capital stock of a corporation, the paragraph is to be applied without reference to those transactions or events; and

(b)

the person, or each member of the group, is deemed to have exercised each right that is held by the person or a member of the group and that is referred to in paragraph 251(5)(b) in respect of a share of the corporation referred to in paragraph (2)(a).

Deeming rules — if share value nil

(5)

For the purposes of subsections (2) to (4), if the fair market value of the shares of the capital stock of a corporation is nil at any time, then for the purpose of determining the fair market value of those shares, the corporation is deemed, at that time, to have assets net of liabilities equal to $100,000 and to have $100,000 of income for the taxation year that includes that time.

Deemed acquisition of control

(6)

If, at any time as part of a transaction or event or series of transactions or events, control of a particular corporation is acquired by a person or group of persons and it can reasonably be concluded that one of the main reasons for the transaction or event or any transaction or event in the series of transactions or events is so that a specified provision does not apply to one or more corporations, the attribute trading restrictions are deemed to apply to each of those corporations as if control of each of those corporations were acquired at that time.

Source: Justice Laws Website. Not an official version.

Historic text

Immediately preceding version, in force from 2024-06-20 to 2026-03-25:

Show the text in force 2024-06-20 to 2026-03-25


Definitions

  • 256.1 (1) The following definitions apply in this section.

    attribute trading restriction

    attribute trading restriction means a restriction on the use of a tax attribute arising on the application, either alone or in combination with other provisions, of any of this section, subsections 10(10) and 13(24), section 37, subsections 66(11.4) and (11.5), 66.7(10) and (11), 69(11) and 88(1.1) and (1.2), sections 111 and 127, subsections 181.1(7), 190.1(6) and 249(4), section 251.2 and subsection 256(7). (restriction au commerce d’attributs)

    person

    person includes a partnership. (personne)

    specified provision

    specified provision means any of subsections 10(10) and 13(24), paragraph 37(1)(h), subsections 66(11.4) and (11.5), 66.7(10) and (11), 69(11) and 111(4), (5), (5.01), (5.1) and (5.3), paragraphs (j) and (k) of the definition investment tax credit in subsection 127(9), subsections 181.1(7) and 190.1(6) and any provision of similar effect. (dispositions déterminées)

  • Application of subsection (3)

    (2) Subsection (3) applies at a particular time in respect of a corporation if

    • (a) shares of the capital stock of the corporation held by a person, or the total of all shares of the capital stock of the corporation held by members of a group of persons, as the case may be, have at the particular time a fair market value that exceeds 75% of the fair market value of all the shares of the capital stock of the corporation;

    • (b) shares, if any, of the capital stock of the corporation held by the person, or the total of all shares, if any, of the capital stock of the corporation held by members of the group, have immediately before the particular time a fair market value that does not exceed 75% of the fair market value of all the shares of the capital stock of the corporation;

    • (c) the person or group does not control the corporation at the particular time; and

    • (d) it is reasonable to conclude that one of the main reasons that the person or group does not control the corporation is to avoid the application of one or more specified provisions.

  • Deemed acquisition of control

    (3) If this subsection applies at a particular time in respect of a corporation, then for the purposes of the attribute trading restrictions,

    • (a) the person or group referred to in subsection (2)

      • (i) is deemed to acquire control of the corporation, and each corporation controlled by the corporation, at the particular time, and

      • (ii) is not deemed to have control of the corporation, and each corporation controlled by the corporation, at any time after the particular time solely because this paragraph applied at the particular time; and

    • (b) during the period that the condition in paragraph (2)(a) is satisfied, each corporation referred to in paragraph (a) — and any corporation incorporated or otherwise formed subsequent to that time and controlled by that corporation — is deemed not to be related to, or affiliated with, any person to which it was related to, or affiliated with, immediately before paragraph (a) applies.

  • Special rules

    (4) For the purpose of applying paragraph (2)(a) in respect of a person or group of persons,

    • (a) if it is reasonable to conclude that one of the reasons that one or more transactions or events occur is to cause a person or group of persons not to hold shares having a fair market value that exceeds 75% of the fair market value of all the shares of the capital stock of a corporation, the paragraph is to be applied without reference to those transactions or events; and

    • (b) the person, or each member of the group, is deemed to have exercised each right that is held by the person or a member of the group and that is referred to in paragraph 251(5)(b) in respect of a share of the corporation referred to in paragraph (2)(a).

  • Deeming rules — if share value nil

    (5) For the purposes of subsections (2) to (4), if the fair market value of the shares of the capital stock of a corporation is nil at any time, then for the purpose of determining the fair market value of those shares, the corporation is deemed, at that time, to have assets net of liabilities equal to $100,000 and to have $100,000 of income for the taxation year that includes that time.

  • Deemed acquisition of control

    (6) If, at any time as part of a transaction or event or series of transactions or events, control of a particular corporation is acquired by a person or group of persons and it can reasonably be concluded that one of the main reasons for the transaction or event or any transaction or event in the series of transactions or events is so that a specified provision does not apply to one or more corporations, the attribute trading restrictions are deemed to apply to each of those corporations as if control of each of those corporations were acquired at that time.

  • [NOTE: Application provisions are not included in the consolidated text
  • see relevant amending Acts and regulations.]
  • 2013, c. 40, s. 94
  • 2016, c. 12, s. 68
  • 2023, c. 26, s. 75
  • 2024, c. 15, s. 69

This version on Justice Laws

Earlier versions: Justice Laws point-in-time versions of the Act (from 31 August 2004), and CanLII (under “Versions”). On Justice Laws, each version of section 256.1 links to the one before it.

Enacting and amending legislation

  • 2013, c. 40, s. 94; 2016, c. 12, s. 68
  • 2023, c. 26, s. 75
  • 2024, c. 15, s. 69
  • 2026, c. 3, s. 96

Text before 2004 is found in the annual Statutes of Canada cited above. Application and coming-into-force provisions are not part of the consolidation; see the amending Acts.

Cross-references

This section refers to

Referred to in

References are generated from the statutory text and list other sections of the Act only.

Citation

Income Tax Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. 1 (5th Supp.), s. 256.1.