Please note that the following document, although believed to be correct at the time of issue, may not represent the current position of the CRA.
Prenez note que ce document, bien qu'exact au moment émis, peut ne pas représenter la position actuelle de l'ARC.
Please note that the following document, although believed to be correct at the time of issue, may not represent the current position of the Department.
Prenez note que ce document, bien qu'exact au moment émis, peut ne pas représenter la position actuelle du ministère.
Canadian Tax Foundation
Corporate Management Tax Conference
June 14, 1996
Question 18 - Pre-Butterfly Transactions
What is Revenue Canada's view on the repayment of shareholders' loans with cash by the distributing corporation prior to a butterly distribution? Can Revenue Canada reconcile that view with the rules in section 55 which specifically permit the redemption of shares of a specified class prior to a butterfly distribution?
Department's Response
The repayment of a shareholder's loan with cash by the distributing corporation before a butterfly would ordinarily be viewed as occurring in contemplation of the butterfly distribution, and not as a transfer of property as part of the distribution. Accordingly, the cash paid to the shareholder would not have to be taken into account in determining whether there had been a pro rata distribution. The same view would ordinarily be taken with respect to cash paid to a shareholder on the redemption of its shares of a specified class.
However, where the butterfly is being carried out on a "net equity" basis, the repayment of a debt (whether owing to a third party or a shareholder) could be viewed as resulting in property becoming property of the distributing corporation in contemplation of the distribution, thus contravening paragraph 55(3.1)(a), where the repayment of the debt changes the mix of property of the distributing corporation. Our position in that regard was set out at the 1991 annual conference.
Author: Mark Symes
File: 5-962079
Date: June 14, 1996ENDNOTES
1.Ted Harris, "An Update of Revenue Canada's Approach to the Butterfly," in Report of Proceedings of the Forty-Third Tax Conference, 1991 Conference Report, 14:11-12.
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