7 May 2004 IFA Roundtable Q. 1, 2004-0072131C6 - IFA Round Table 2004 Q.1 - 212(13.1)(a) -- summary under Paragraph 212(1)(b)

In the context of a "tower" structure, a partnership of which two taxable Canadian corporations are the partners borrows money from a U.S. financial institution in order to acquire an interest in a U.S. limited liability company. The Directorate indicated that in a recent tax ruling request, the CRA had concluded in light of the foreign law applicable to such a partnership, the provisions of the partnership agreement and the terms and conditions of the loan agreement between the partnership and the U.S. lender that the partners of the partnership were considered to be the payers of the interest on the loan, with the result that such interest was not exempt from withholding tax as the loan did not qualify under s. 212(1)(b)(vii).