Income Tax Act

Marginal note:Meaning of capital gain and capital loss

• 39 (1) For the purposes of this Act,

  • (a) a taxpayer’s capital gain for a taxation year from the disposition of any property is the taxpayer’s gain for the year determined under this subdivision (to the extent of the amount thereof that would not, if section 3 were read without reference to the expression “other than a taxable capital gain from the disposition of a property” in paragraph 3(a) and without reference to paragraph 3(b), be included in computing the taxpayer’s income for the year or any other taxation year) from the disposition of any property of the taxpayer other than

    • (i) eligible capital property,

    • (i.1) an object that the Canadian Cultural Property Export Review Board has determined meets the criteria set out in paragraphs 29(3)(b) and (c) of the Cultural Property Export and Import Act and that has been disposed of,

      • (A) in the case of a gift to which subsection 118.1(5) applies, within the period ending 36 months after the death of the taxpayer or, where written application therefor has been made to the Minister by the taxpayer’s legal representative within that period, within such longer period as the Minister considers reasonable in the circumstances, and

      • (B) in any other case, at any time,

      to an institution or a public authority in Canada that was, at the time of the disposition, designated under subsection 32(2) of that Act either generally or for a specified purpose related to that object,

    • (ii) a Canadian resource property,

    • (ii.1) a foreign resource property,

    • (ii.2) a property if the disposition is a disposition to which subsection 142.4(4) or (5) or 142.5(1) applies,

    • (iii) an insurance policy, including a life insurance policy, except for that part of a life insurance policy in respect of which a policyholder is deemed by paragraph 138.1(1)(e) to have an interest in a related segregated fund trust,

    • (iv) a timber resource property; or

    • (v) an interest of a beneficiary under a qualifying environmental trust;

  • (b) a taxpayer’s capital loss for a taxation year from the disposition of any property is the taxpayer’s loss for the year determined under this subdivision (to the extent of the amount thereof that would not, if section 3 were read in the manner described in paragraph (a) of this subsection and without reference to the expression “or the taxpayer’s allowable business investment loss for the year” in paragraph 3(d), be deductible in computing the taxpayer’s income for the year or any other taxation year) from the disposition of any property of the taxpayer other than

    • (i) depreciable property, or

    • (ii) property described in any of subparagraphs 39(1)(a)(i), (ii) to (iii) and (v); and

  • (c) a taxpayer’s business investment loss for a taxation year from the disposition of any property is the amount, if any, by which the taxpayer’s capital loss for the year from a disposition after 1977

    • (i) to which subsection 50(1) applies, or

    • (ii) to a person with whom the taxpayer was dealing at arm’s length

    of any property that is

    • (iii) a share of the capital stock of a small business corporation, or

    • (iv) a debt owing to the taxpayer by a Canadian-controlled private corporation (other than, where the taxpayer is a corporation, a debt owing to it by a corporation with which it does not deal at arm’s length) that is

      • (A) a small business corporation,

      • (B) a bankrupt (within the meaning assigned by subsection 128(3)) that was a small business corporation at the time it last became a bankrupt, or

      • (C) a corporation referred to in section 6 of the Winding-up Act that was insolvent (within the meaning of that Act) and was a small business corporation at the time a winding-up order under that Act was made in respect of the corporation,

      exceeds the total of

    • (v) in the case of a share referred to in subparagraph 39(1)(c)(iii), the amount, if any, of the increase after 1977 by virtue of the application of subsection 85(4) in the adjusted cost base to the taxpayer of the share or of any share (in this subparagraph referred to as a “replaced share”) for which the share or a replaced share was substituted or exchanged,

    • (vi) in the case of a share referred to in subparagraph 39(1)(c)(iii) that was issued before 1972 or a share (in this subparagraph and subparagraph 39(1)(c)(vii) referred to as a “substituted share”) that was substituted or exchanged for such a share or for a substituted share, the total of all amounts each of which is an amount received after 1971 and before or on the disposition of the share or an amount receivable at the time of such a disposition by

      • (A) the taxpayer,

      • (B) where the taxpayer is an individual, the taxpayer’s spouse or common-law partner, or

      • (C) a trust of which the taxpayer or the taxpayer’s spouse or common-law partner was a beneficiary

      as a taxable dividend on the share or on any other share in respect of which it is a substituted share, except that this subparagraph shall not apply in respect of a share or substituted share that was acquired after 1971 from a person with whom the taxpayer was dealing at arm’s length,

    • (vii) in the case of a share to which subparagraph 39(1)(c)(vi) applies and where the taxpayer is a trust referred to in paragraph 104(4)(a), the total of all amounts each of which is an amount received after 1971 or receivable at the time of the disposition by the settlor (within the meaning assigned by subsection 108(1)) or by the settlor’s spouse as a taxable dividend on the share or on any other share in respect of which it is a substituted share, and

    • (viii) the amount determined in respect of the taxpayer under subsection 39(9) or 39(10), as the case may be.

• Marginal note:Capital gains and losses in respect of foreign currencies

  (2) Notwithstanding subsection 39(1), where, by virtue of any fluctuation after 1971 in the value of the currency or currencies of one or more countries other than Canada relative to Canadian currency, a taxpayer has made a gain or sustained a loss in a taxation year, the following rules apply:

  • (a) the amount, if any, by which

    • (i) the total of all such gains made by the taxpayer in the year (to the extent of the amounts thereof that would not, if section 3 were read in the manner described in paragraph (1)(a) of this section, be included in computing the taxpayer’s income for the year or any other taxation year)

    exceeds

    • (ii) the total of all such losses sustained by the taxpayer in the year (to the extent of the amounts thereof that would not, if section 3 were read in the manner described in paragraph (1)(a) of this section, be deductible in computing the taxpayer’s income for the year or any other taxation year), and

    • (iii) if the taxpayer is an individual, $200,

    shall be deemed to be a capital gain of the taxpayer for the year from the disposition of currency of a country other than Canada, the amount of which capital gain is the amount determined under this paragraph; and

  • (b) the amount, if any, by which

    • (i) the total determined under subparagraph 39(2)(a)(ii),

    exceeds

    • (ii) the total determined under subparagraph 39(2)(a)(i), and

    • (iii) if the taxpayer is an individual, $200,

    shall be deemed to be a capital loss of the taxpayer for the year from the disposition of currency of a country other than Canada, the amount of which capital loss is the amount determined under this paragraph.

• Marginal note:Gain in respect of purchase of bonds, etc., by issuer

  (3) Where a taxpayer has issued any bond, debenture or similar obligation and has at any subsequent time in a taxation year and after 1971 purchased the obligation in the open market, in the manner in which any such obligation would normally be purchased in the open market by any member of the public,

  • (a) the amount, if any, by which the amount for which the obligation was issued by the taxpayer exceeds the purchase price paid or agreed to be paid by the taxpayer for the obligation shall be deemed to be a capital gain of the taxpayer for the taxation year from the disposition of a capital property, and

  • (b) the amount, if any, by which the purchase price paid or agreed to be paid by the taxpayer for the obligation exceeds the greater of the principal amount of the obligation and the amount for which it was issued by the taxpayer shall be deemed to be a capital loss of the taxpayer for the taxation year from the disposition of a capital property,

  to the extent that the amount determined under paragraph 39(3)(a) or 39(3)(b) would not, if section 3 were read in the manner described in paragraph 39(1)(a) and this Act were read without reference to subsections 80(12) and 80(13), be included or be deductible, as the case may be, in computing the taxpayer’s income for the year or any other taxation year.

• Marginal note:Election concerning disposition of Canadian securities

  (4) Except as provided in subsection 39(5), where a Canadian security has been disposed of by a taxpayer in a taxation year and the taxpayer so elects in prescribed form in the taxpayer’s return of income under this Part for that year,

  • (a) every Canadian security owned by the taxpayer in that year or any subsequent taxation year shall be deemed to have been a capital property owned by the taxpayer in those years; and

  • (b) every disposition by the taxpayer of any such Canadian security shall be deemed to be a disposition by the taxpayer of a capital property.

• Marginal note:Members of partnerships

  (4.1) For the purpose of determining the income of a taxpayer who is a member of a partnership, subsections 39(4) and 39(5) apply as if

  • (a) every Canadian security owned by the partnership were owned by the taxpayer; and

  • (b) every Canadian security disposed of by the partnership in a fiscal period of the partnership were disposed of by the taxpayer at the end of that fiscal period.

• Marginal note:Exception

  (5) An election under subsection 39(4) does not apply to a disposition of a Canadian security by a taxpayer (other than a mutual fund corporation or a mutual fund trust) who at the time of the disposition is

  • (a) a trader or dealer in securities,

  • (b) a financial institution (as defined in subsection 142.2(1)),

  • (c) to (e) [Repealed, 1995, c. 21, s. 49(3)]

  • (f) a corporation whose principal business is the lending of money or the purchasing of debt obligations or a combination thereof, or

  • (g) a non-resident,

  or any combination thereof.

• Definition of Canadian security

  (6) For the purposes of this section, Canadian security means a security (other than a prescribed security) that is a share of the capital stock of a corporation resident in Canada, a unit of a mutual fund trust or a bond, debenture, bill, note, mortgage, hypothecary claim or similar obligation issued by a person resident in Canada.

• Marginal note:Unused share-purchase tax credit

  (7) The amount of any unused share-purchase tax credit of a taxpayer for a particular taxation year, to the extent that it was not deducted from the taxpayer’s tax otherwise payable under this Part for the immediately preceding taxation year, shall be deemed to be a capital loss of the taxpayer from a disposition of property for the year immediately following the particular taxation year.

• Marginal note:Unused scientific research and experimental development tax credit

  (8) The amount of any unused scientific research and experimental development tax credit of a taxpayer for a particular taxation year, to the extent that it was not deducted from the taxpayer’s tax otherwise payable under this Part for the immediately preceding taxation year, shall be deemed to be a capital loss of the taxpayer from a disposition of property for the year immediately following the particular taxation year, except that where the taxpayer is an individual the capital loss shall be deemed to be 147% of that amount.

• Marginal note:Deduction from business investment loss

  (9) In computing the business investment loss of a taxpayer who is an individual (other than a trust) for a taxation year from the disposition of a particular property, there shall be deducted an amount equal to the lesser of

  • (a) the amount that would be the taxpayer’s business investment loss for the year from the disposition of that particular property if paragraph 39(1)(c) were read without reference to subparagraph 39(1)(c)(viii), and

  • (b) the amount, if any, by which the total of

    • (i) the total of all amounts each of which is twice the amount deducted by the taxpayer under section 110.6 in computing the taxpayer’s taxable income for a preceding taxation year that

      • (A) ended before 1988, or

      • (B) begins after October 17, 2000,

    • (i.1) the total of all amounts each of which is

      • (A) 3/2 of the amount deducted under section 110.6 in computing the taxpayer’s taxable income for a preceding taxation year that

        • (I) ended after 1987 and before 1990, or

        • (II) began after February 27, 2000 and ended before October 18, 2000, or

      • (B) the amount determined by multiplying the reciprocal of the fraction in paragraph 38(a) that applies to the taxpayer for each of the taxpayer’s taxation years that includes February 28, 2000 or October 18, 2000 by the amount deducted under section 110.6 in computing the taxpayer’s taxable income for that year, and

    • (i.2) the total of all amounts each of which is 4/3 of the amount deducted under section 110.6 in computing the taxpayer’s taxable income for a preceding taxation year that ended after 1989 and before February 28, 2000

    exceeds

    • (ii) the total of all amounts each of which is an amount deducted by the taxpayer under paragraph 39(1)(c) by virtue of subparagraph 39(1)(c)(viii) in computing the taxpayer’s business investment loss

      • (A) from the disposition of property in taxation years preceding the year, or

      • (B) from the disposition of property other than the particular property in the year,

      except that, where a particular amount was included under subparagraph 14(1)(a)(v) in the taxpayer’s income for a taxation year that ended after 1987 and before 1990, the reference in subparagraph 39(9)(b)(i.1) to “3/2” shall, in respect of that portion of any amount deducted under section 110.6 in respect of the particular amount, be read as “4/3”.

• Marginal note:Idem, of a trust

  (10) In computing the business investment loss of a trust for a taxation year from the disposition of a particular property, there shall be deducted an amount equal to the lesser of

  • (a) the amount that would be the trust’s business investment loss for the year from the disposition of that particular property if paragraph 39(1)(c) were read without reference to subparagraph 39(1)(c)(viii), and

  • (b) the amount, if any, by which the total of

    • (i) the total of all amounts each of which is twice the amount designated by the trust under subsection 104(21.2) in respect of a beneficiary in its return of income for a preceding taxation year that

      • (A) ended before 1988, or

      • (B) begins after October 17, 2000,

    • (i.1) the total of all amounts each of which is

      • (A) 3/2 of the amount designated by the trust under subsection 104(21.2) in respect of a beneficiary in its return of income for a preceding taxation year that

        • (I) ended after 1987 and before 1990, or

        • (II) began after February 27, 2000 and ended before October 18, 2000, or

      • (B) the amount determined by multiplying the reciprocal of the fraction in paragraph 38(a) that applies to the trust for each of the trust’s taxation years that includes February 28, 2000 or October 18, 2000 by the amount designated by the trust under subsection 104(21.2) in respect of a beneficiary in its return of income for that year, and

    • (i.2) the total of all amounts each of which is 4/3 of the amount designated by the trust under subsection 104(21.2) in respect of a beneficiary in its return of income for a preceding taxation year that ended after 1989 and before February 28, 2000

    exceeds

    • (ii) the total of all amounts each of which is an amount deducted by the trust under paragraph 39(1)(c) by virtue of subparagraph 39(1)(c)(viii) in computing its business investment loss

      • (A) from the disposition of property in taxation years preceding the year, or

      • (B) from the disposition of property other than the particular property in the year,

      except that, where a particular amount was included under subparagraph 14(1)(a)(v) in the trust’s income for a taxation year that ended after 1987 and before 1990, the reference in subparagraph 39(10)(b)(i.1) to “3/2” shall, in respect of that portion of any amount deducted under section 110.6 in respect of the particular amount, be read as “4/3”.

• Marginal note:Recovery of bad debt

  (11) Where an amount is received in a taxation year on account of a debt (in this subsection referred to as the “recovered amount”) in respect of which a deduction for bad debts had been made under subsection 20(4.2) in computing a taxpayer’s income for a preceding taxation year, the amount, if any, by which 1/2 of the recovered amount exceeds the amount determined under paragraph 12(1)(i.1) in respect of the recovered amount is deemed to be a taxable capital gain of the taxpayer from a disposition of capital property in the year.

• Marginal note:Guarantees

  (12) For the purpose of paragraph 39(1)(c), where

  • (a) an amount was paid by a taxpayer in respect of a debt of a corporation under an arrangement under which the taxpayer guaranteed the debt,

  • (b) the amount was paid to a person with whom the taxpayer was dealing at arm’s length, and

  • (c) the corporation was a small business corporation

    • (i) at the time the debt was incurred, and

    • (ii) at any time in the 12 months before the time an amount first became payable by the taxpayer under the arrangement in respect of a debt of the corporation,

  that part of the amount that is owing to the taxpayer by the corporation shall be deemed to be a debt owing to the taxpayer by a small business corporation.

• Marginal note:Repayment of assistance

  (13) The total of all amounts paid by a taxpayer in a taxation year each of which is

  • (a) such part of any assistance described in subparagraph 53(2)(k)(i) in respect of, or for the acquisition of, a capital property (other than depreciable property) by the taxpayer that was repaid by the taxpayer in the year where the repayment is made after the disposition of the property by the taxpayer and under an obligation to repay all or any part of that assistance, or

  • (b) an amount repaid by the taxpayer in the year in respect of a capital property (other than depreciable property) acquired by the taxpayer that is repaid after the disposition thereof by the taxpayer and that would have been an amount described in subparagraph 53(2)(s)(ii) had the repayment been made before the disposition of the property,

  shall be deemed to be a capital loss of the taxpayer for the year from the disposition of property by the taxpayer in the year and, for the purpose of section 110.6, that property shall be deemed to have been disposed of by the taxpayer in the year.