In order to isolate cost base in preferred shares, a taxpayer transfers his common shares of a corporation to the corporation in exchange for preferred shares and common shares. In 2004-0092561E5, CRA indicated that there will not be a disposition of the "transferred" common shares to the extent that, following this transfer, the taxpayer holds shares with the same rights and restrictions as the transferred common shares. Is this position changed as a result of the enactment of s. 49, para. 3 of the Quebec Business Corporations Act, which provides that "the articles may provide that the shares of two or more classes or two or more series of the same class carry the same rights and restrictions"? CRA stated (TaxInterpretations translation):
[W]e consider the participation of a shareholder in the share capital of a corporation as being intangible property constituting the collection of the rights and conditions ("bundle of rights") respecting the shares, in accordance with the articles and relevant corporate law.
The CRA applies the same position as stated in the above-noted Technical Interpretation if, by virtue of the BCA, a share of a given class issued in exchange for a share of a different class of shares has the same rights, privileges, conditions and restrictions as the share of the other class.