Principal Issues: (a) Does a Canadian resident payor of rent (the "tenant") have an obligation under the Act to withhold Part XIII tax on the whole of the amount of rent paid to a non-resident or only on a portion thereof? (b) If a partnership, which has both resident and non-resident partners, holds real property in Canada upon which it receives rent, is it necessary that the tenant withhold Part XIII tax on the entire amount of rent paid or on the proportionate share of the interest held by non-residents? (c) Where the non-residents have filed an election under subsection 216(4), is the tenant relieved of the obligation to withhold Part XIII tax? If so, is there any guidance that can be given as to what evidence the tenant may rely upon in order to be satisfied that elections have been accepted by the CRA?
Position: (a) The tenant must withhold Part XIII tax from the entire amount of rent paid. (b) The tenant must withhold Part XIII tax from the entire amount of rent paid and not only from the non-resident's proportionate share. (c) Technically, the tenant is not relieved of the obligation to withhold Part XIII tax on the rent. However, when a subsection 216(4) election is filed, the tenant would only withhold Part XIII tax from the rent in limited situations.
Reasons: (a) Subsection 215(1) requires that the tenant withhold Part XIII tax on the entire amount of the rent paid. (b) Paragraph 212(13.1)(b) deems a partnership to be non-resident if it has one or more non-resident partners. As such, the tenant should withhold Part XIII on the entire amount, notwithstanding that some of the interests may be held by a Canadian resident. (c) Where a non-resident appoints an agent pursuant to subsection 216(4), the agent is required to withhold Part XIII tax on amounts paid to the non-resident. As such, the CRA would not expect a tenant to withhold Part XIII tax, except in limited situations.