Greer – Tax Court of Canada finds a shareholder benefit regarding a transfer to an individual shown on the register as holding one of the 1000 shares

Spiro J applied the presumption in s. 181(3) of the Business Corporations Act (NB) that an entry in a share register is, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, proof that the holder shown in the register is the owner of the share, to find that the transfer of four properties (valued by Spiro J at over $2.4 million) by a corporation to the taxpayer, who was shown in the register as holding one of the 1000 shares, gave rise to a corresponding shareholder benefit under s. 15(1).

The Minister had initially assessed the wrong taxation year of the taxpayer (2006), but later reassessed his 2005 taxation year (the correct year) beyond the normal reassessment period. Spiro J found that this reassessment was not statute-barred under s. 152(4)(a)(i), stating that “[h]is failure to consult a tax professional before filing his 2005 return reflects a lack of reasonable care and was, therefore, negligent.”

Neal Armstrong. Summary of Greer v. The King, 2023 TCC 100 under s. 15(1) and s. 152(4)(a)(i).