BILL 7 – 2005
INCOME TAX AMENDMENT ACT, 2005

HER MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia, enacts as follows:

1 Section 1 of the Income Tax Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 215, is amended by adding the following subsection:

(4.1) For the purposes of this Act, a series of transactions or events is deemed to include any related transactions or events completed in contemplation of the series.

2 Section 4.2 is amended

(a) in subsection (1) by striking out "sections 4.3" and substituting "sections 4.3, 4.31", and

(b) in subsection (3) by striking out "sections 4.72," and substituting "sections 4.301, 4.72,".

3 The following section is added:

BC tax reduction credit

4.301 For the purpose of computing the tax payable under this Act for a taxation year by an individual, there may be deducted the amount determined by the formula

A – B

where

A is $360, and

B is 3.6% of the amount, if any, by which the individual's income for the year exceeds $16 000.

4 Section 4.5 is amended

(a) in subsection (1) by striking out the formula and substituting the following:

A x [(B – C) + D]

(b) in subsection (1) in the description of C by striking out "the smaller of $1 637" and substituting "the smaller of $1 772",

(c) in subsection (1) by striking out the description of D and substituting the following:

D is the total of all amounts each of which is, in respect of a dependant of the individual, the smaller of $5 000 and the amount determined by the formula

E – F

where

E is the amount used in the formula in section 118.2 (1) of the federal Act for E in computing the individual's deduction under that section for the year, and

F is the smaller of $1 772 and 3% of the dependant's income for the year. , and

(d) by adding the following subsection:

(3) In this section, "dependant", in respect of the dependant of an individual for a taxation year, has the same meaning as in section 118 (6) of the federal Act, but does not include a child of the individual who has not attained the age of 18 years before the end of the taxation year.

5 Section 4.52 (1) is repealed and the following substituted:

(1) In this section, "relevant provision" means the following:

(a) section 4.1 (1) [amount of tax payable];

(b) section 4.3 (1) [personal credits];

(c) section 4.31 [age credit];

(d) section 4.5 [medical expense credit];

(e) section 4.51 [credit for mental or physical impairment].

6 Section 4.52 (1) (d) is repealed and the following substituted:

(d) except in respect of the 2004 taxation year, the descriptions of C and F in section 4.5 (1) [medical expense credit]; .

7 Section 4.52 (1) is amended by adding the following paragraph:

(b.1) except in respect of the 2005 taxation year, section 4.301 [BC tax reduction credit]; .

8 Section 4.71 (5) is amended by striking out "and section 14 (3) (b)".

9 Section 4.73 is amended by adding "4.301 [BC tax reduction credit]," after "section 4.3 [personal credits],".

10 Section 4.74 (b) is amended by adding "4.301 [BC tax reduction credit]," after "sections 4.3 [personal credits],".

11 Section 4.75 (1) and (2) is amended by adding "4.301," after "sections 4.3,".

12 Section 4.76 (1) (b) (ii) is amended by adding "4.301 [BC tax reduction credit]," after "sections 4.3 [personal credits],".

13 Section 4.77 is amended by adding the following paragraph:

(a.1) section 4.301 [BC tax reduction credit]; .

14 Section 4.79 (3) is amended by adding the following paragraph:

(a.1) section 4.301 [BC tax reduction credit]; .

15 Section 4.87 is amended by striking out "the deduction under section 4.72 of this Act [supplementary credit for 2000 taxation year]." and substituting "the deductions under sections 4.301 [BC tax reduction credit] and 4.72 [supplementary credit for 2000 taxation year] of this Act."

16 Section 14 is amended

(a) by adding the following subsection:

(1.1) In this section, "tax-exempt income" has the same meaning as in section 126 (7) of the federal Act. ,

(b) by repealing subsection (3) and substituting the following:

(3) A corporation may deduct from the tax otherwise payable under this Act for the taxation year the aggregate of the amounts determined under subsection (3.1) if

(a) the corporation maintained a permanent establishment in British Columbia at any time in the taxation year,

(b) the corporation's income for the year includes foreign investment income, and

(c) the corporation has claimed a deduction under section 126 (1) of the federal Act in respect of the foreign investment income.

(3.1) The amount deductible under subsection (3), in respect of each country other than Canada, is the smaller of

(a) the amount determined by the following formula:

where

BCTI = the corporation's taxable income earned in the year in British Columbia;

FII = the corporation's foreign investment income for the year from sources in that other country;

TI = the corporation's taxable income earned in the year, and

(b) the amount determined by the following formula:

where

AD = the amount deductible by the corporation for the year under section 126 (1) of the federal Act in respect of that other country;

ATI = the corporation's taxable income earned in the year in all provinces, as determined in accordance with section 124 (4) of the federal Act;

BCTI = the corporation's taxable income earned in the year in British Columbia;

NBIT = the non-business-income tax paid by the corporation for the year to the government of that other country, as determined under the definition of "non-business-income tax" in section 126 (7) of the federal Act, except any tax that may reasonably be regarded as having been paid in respect of income from a share of the capital stock of a foreign affiliate of the corporation. , and

(c) by repealing subsection (5) and substituting the following:

(5) For the purposes of this section,

(a) the government of a country other than Canada includes the government of a state, province or other political subdivision of that country,

(b) if a corporation's income for a taxation year is in whole or in part from sources in more than one country other than Canada, subsection (3.1) must be read as providing for separate deductions in respect of each of the countries other than Canada, and

(c) if any income from a source in a particular country would be tax-exempt income but for the fact that a portion of the income is subject to an income or profits tax imposed by the government of a country other than Canada, the portion is deemed to be income from a separate source in the particular country.

17 Section 16 (5) is amended

(a) in paragraphs (a) and (b) of the definition of "business limit" by striking out "$300 000" and substituting "$400 000", and

(b) in the definition of "specified partnership income" by striking out "for the first amount, read as "$300 000" and, for the second amount, read as "$822"." and substituting "for the first amount, read as "$400 000" and, for the second amount, read as "$1 096"."

18 Section 25.1 (1) is amended

(a) in paragraph (f.2) (i) of the definition of "excluded expense" by striking out "January 1, 2005," and substituting "January 1, 2006,", and

(b) in paragraph (f.2) (ii) of the definition of "excluded expense" by striking out "December 31, 2004" and substituting "December 31, 2005" and by striking out "January 1, 2006" and substituting "January 1, 2007".

19 Section 25.1 (1) is amended in paragraph (b) of the definition of "qualified mining exploration expense" by striking out "August 1, 2006" and substituting "January 1, 2017".

20 Section 29 is repealed and the following substituted:

Application of federal provisions --
returns of income and assessments of tax

29 (1) The following sections of the federal Act apply for the purposes of this Act:

(a) section 150 [returns];

(b) section 150.1 (1) to (4) [electronic filing];

(c) section 151 [estimate of tax];

(d) subject to this section, section 152 (1), (1.2) and (2) to (8) [assessment].

(2) In applying section 152 (1) (b) of the federal Act for the purposes of this Act, section 152 (1) (b) must be read as follows:

(b) the amount of tax, if any, deemed by the following sections to be paid or deducted on account of the taxpayer's tax payable under this Act for the year:

(i) section 8 (5) [refundable sales tax credit];

(ii) section 21 (10) [small business venture capital tax credit];

(iii) section 25 (5) [qualifying environmental trusts tax credit];

(iv) section 25.1 (5) [mining exploration tax credit];

(v) section 84 [film and television tax credit];

(vi) section 98 (2) [scientific research and experimental development tax credit].

(3) In applying section 152 (4.2) of the federal Act for the purposes of this Act, section 152 (4.2) (d) must be read as follows:

(d) redetermine the amount, if any,

(i) deemed by the following sections of this Act to be paid or deducted on account of the taxpayer's tax payable under this Act for the year:

(A) section 8 (5) [refundable sales tax credit];

(B) section 21 (10) [small business venture capital tax credit];

(C) section 25 (5) [qualifying environmental trusts tax credit];

(D) section 25.1 (5) [mining exploration tax credit], or

(ii) deemed by section 10 (3) [BC Family Bonus] of this Act to be an overpayment on account of the taxpayer's liability under this Act for the year.

21 Section 29 (2) is amended by adding the following subparagraph:

(vii) section 113 [book publishing tax credit].

22 Section 29 is amended by adding the following subsections:

(2.1) In applying section 152 (4) of the federal Act for the purposes of this Act, that section must be read as including the following paragraph:

(c) in respect of a taxpayer that is a corporation, the assessment, reassessment or additional assessment is made

(i) as a consequence of a taxing authority

(A) determining or redetermining, under a law of a province that imposes a tax similar to the tax imposed under this Act, the corporation's taxable income earned in the province for the year if that determination or redetermination changes the proportion that the corporation's taxable income earned in the province for the year is to the corporation's taxable income for the year as calculated under the law of that province, or

(B) allocating or reallocating, under the Corporation Capital Tax Act, the corporation's net paid up capital for the year to a jurisdiction other than British Columbia, and

(ii) before the day that is the later of

(A) the latest day on which an assessment, reassessment or additional assessment may otherwise be made under this Act, and

(B) one year after the day that is the earlier of

(I) the day that the minister receives notification from the taxing authority of the action referred to in subparagraph (i), and

(II) the day that the minister receives notification from the corporation of the action referred to in subparagraph (i).

(2.2) In applying section 152 (4.01) of the federal Act for the purposes of this Act, the reference in that section to "paragraph (4) (a) or (b)" must be read as "paragraph (4) (a), (b) or (c)" and that section must be read as including the following paragraph:

(c) where paragraph (4) (c) applies to the assessment, reassessment or additional assessment, determining or redetermining the corporation's taxable income earned in the year in British Columbia, as defined in section 13.3 of this Act.

23 Section 29 is amended by adding the following subsection:

(4) In applying section 152 (6) of the federal Act for the purposes of this Act, the reference in paragraph (d) of that section to "subsection 127 (5)" must be read as a reference to section 4.721 (2) of this Act.

24 Section 29 (4) is amended by adding ", 99 (2) or 105 (1)" after "section 4.721 (2)".

25 Section 34 is amended by striking out "161 (1) to (7), (9) and (11) and 161.1" and substituting "161 (1) to (7), (9) and (11), 161.1 and 161.2".

26 Section 38 (1) is amended

(a) by striking out "(c), (d), (e) and (f)" and substituting "(c) and (d) to (g)", and

(b) by striking out "and" at the end paragraph (c), by adding ", and" at the end of paragraph (d) and by adding the following paragraph:

(e) a reference in section 163 (2) (g) of the federal Act

(i) to "subsection 125.5 (3)" were to section 113 of this Act, and

(ii) to "the information provided in the return filed for the year pursuant to that subsection" were to "the information provided in the application filed for the year under section 114 of this Act".

27 Section 62 is amended by striking out "Section 239 (1)" and substituting "Section 239 (1) and (1.1)".

28 Section 80 is amended

(a) in subsection (3) by striking out "subsection (2) (a)," and substituting "subsections (2) (a) and (4) (a),", and

(b) by adding the following subsections:

(4) In addition to the tax credit that may be claimed under subsection (2) but subject to subsection (5), the amount of the tax credit that may be claimed by a qualifying corporation under this section is,

(a) in the case of a production that is an interprovincial co-production, 10% of the corporation's qualified BC labour expenditure for the taxation year in respect of the production multiplied by the percentage of the copyright in the production that is owned by the corporation, or

(b) in any other case, 10% of the corporation's qualified BC labour expenditure for the taxation year in respect of the production.

(5) For a qualifying corporation to claim a tax credit in the amount calculated under subsection (4) in respect of an eligible production, the following rules apply:

(a) in addition to the other requirements in subsection (1), principal photography of the production must begin after December 31, 2004 and before April 1, 2006;

(b) the references to "March 31, 1998" in the definition of "BC labour expenditure" in section 79 (1) must be read as "December 31, 2004";

(c) despite section 79 (2) (a), if the production is intended for television broadcast as a series and principal photography of a cycle of the series begins before January 1, 2005, all the episodes of the cycle for which principal photography begins after December 31, 2004 are to be considered a single production;

(d) despite section 79 (2) (a), if the production is intended for television broadcast as a series and principal photography of a cycle of the series begins before April 1, 2006 and is completed after March 31, 2006,

(i) all the episodes of the cycle are to be considered a single production, if there are no more than 13 episodes in that cycle,

(ii) all the episodes of the cycle are to be considered a single production, if there are more than 13 episodes in that cycle and principal photography of each episode of that cycle begins before April 1, 2006, or

(iii) the greater of

(A) all the episodes of the cycle for which principal photography of those episodes begins before April 1, 2006, and

(B) the first 13 episodes of the cycle

are to be considered a single production, if there are more than 13 episodes in that cycle and principal photography of at least one episode of that cycle begins after March 31, 2006.

29 Section 82.1 is amended by adding the following subsections:

(5) In addition to the tax credit that may be claimed under subsection (2) but subject to subsection (6), the amount of the tax credit that may be claimed by an accredited production corporation under this section is 7% of the accredited qualified BC labour expenditure of the corporation for the taxation year in respect of the accredited production.

(6) For an accredited production corporation to claim a tax credit in the amount calculated under subsection (5) in respect of an accredited production, the following rules apply:

(a) in addition to the other requirements in subsection (1), principal photography of the production must begin after December 31, 2004 and before April 1, 2006;

(b) despite paragraph (a) in the definition of "accredited BC labour expenditure" in section 79 (1), the references to "March 31, 1998" in the definition of "BC labour expenditure" in section 79 (1) must be read as "December 31, 2004".

 
Transitional Provision

Transitional -- sections 4.71 and 14 of the Income Tax Act

30 (1) In this section, "corporation" and "taxation year" have the same meaning as in the Income Tax Act.

(2) Despite sections 1 and 2 of this Act, sections 4.71 (5) and 14 of the Income Tax Act, as those sections of the Income Tax Act read on the date before this section comes into force, continue to apply to a corporation's taxation year that began before the date this section comes into force.

 
Consequential Amendment

31 Section 71 of the Provincial Revenue Statutes Amendment Act, 2004, S.B.C. 2004, c. 40, is amended by striking out "section 29 (1.01)" and substituting "section 29 (2.1)".

Commencement

32 The provisions of this Act referred to in column 1 of the following table come into force as set out in column 2 of the table: