The Taxpayer is a non-resident corporation that carries on business in many countries, including Canada. The activities of the non-resident Taxpayer in Canada help satisfy the shipping requirements of related companies (the “Related Party Customers”), who generally are residents of Canada or non-residents carrying on business in Canada and who are not themselves in the shipping business. Would the Taxpayer’s activities carried on in Canada be considered “the operation of a ship in international traffic” under the previous version of s. 81(1)(c), or as “international shipping” under the current version (so that various chartering arrangements could be considered “leases” under the new “international shipping” definition?
Respecting the former version, CRA stated:
[T]he Taxpayer never has management of the ships’ operations, in that it is not responsible for the crew nor the service and maintenance of the ships…[so that it] does not have the “Technical Management” of the ships. However…this requirement could also be met where the Taxpayer has the so-called “Commercial Management” of the ships…[which] means the right to exploit the earning capacity of the ship…[which] right does not necessarily go hand in hand with the responsibility for the crewing and maintenance of the ship. … [T]he Taxpayer would need to demonstrate that the ship owner is operating the ship under the Taxpayer’s direction and not, in effect, under the direction of the Related Party Customers.
Respecting the post-amendment version, CRA stated:
[T]hese amendments were not intended to effect any significant scope limitations. …[T[]he term “lease” as used in the specific context of the international shipping rules would include chartering arrangements whereby taxpayers do not have the Technical Management of the ship but do have the Commercial Management of the ship. As such, we are of the view that the Taxpayer may continue to qualify for the international shipping exemption in taxation years that begin after July 12, 2013 on the same basis as for taxation years beginning before that time, that is, provided that the Taxpayer has the Commercial Management of the ship.