ARTICLE · 16 JUNE 2014

Spruce Credit: Avoidance Transactions And The Duke Of Westminster

Dentons Canada LLP

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The Federal Court of Appeal upheld the lower court’s interpretation and application of the inter-corporate dividend deduction under subsection 112(1) of the Income Tax Act.

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In Spruce Credit Union v. The Queen (2014 FCA 143) the Federal Court of Appeal upheld the lower court's interpretation and application of the inter-corporate dividend deduction under subsection 112(1) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the "Act"). The Court of Appeal also considered the interpretation of "avoidance transaction" for purposes of the general anti-avoidance rule ("GAAR") in section 245 of the Act.

Spruce Credit Union ("Spruce") was a member of a network of credit unions providing financial services to individuals in British Columbia. Two separate provincially-owned entities were responsible for insuring the deposits of B.C. credit unions during the relevant period: the Credit Union Deposit Insurance Corporation ("CUDIC") and the Stabilization Central Credit Union of British Columbia ("STAB").

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