Developments in Taxation: Welcome to the New Age

Course Chair
David Christian — Thorsteinssons LLP, Vancouver 

David is a partner with Thorsteinssons LLP. His practice covers all taxation matters, with a particular focus on corporate reorganizations and taxation of owner-managed businesses.

David was an adjunct professor for eight years, of corporate tax law at Allard Hall, the law school at the University of BC. He was a contributor to the tax materials for the Professional Legal Training Course of BC for many years, and has lectured on tax matters at conferences sponsored by the Canadian Tax Foundation, the Conference for Advance Life Underwriting, the Pacific Business and Law Institute, the Continuing Legal Education Society of BC, and various professional organizations including the Certified General Accountants Association of BC, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of BC and Ontario, the BC Medical Association, and the Canadian Bar Association.

Faculty
Rosemary J. Anderson, CA — Thorsteinssons LLP, Vancouver
Tom Boddez — Thorsteinssons LLP, Vancouver
Ian Gamble — Thorsteinssons LLP, Vancouver
Soraya Jamal — Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Vancouver
Parveen B. Karsan — Karsan Law Group, Vancouver
Sam S. Liang — Legacy Tax & Trust Lawyers, Vancouver
Noah Sarna — Thorsteinssons LLP, Vancouver
Josh Schmidt — Schmidt & Gilmour Tax Law LLP, Vancouver

Welcome and Introduction

The Big Picture: What's New in the New Age? 

• $1 billion for CRA enforcement
• massive global tax reform
• increasing tax on the wealthiest 1%
• tax avoidance vs. tax evasion

Ian Gamble — Thorsteinssons LLP, Vancouver

Nowhere to Hide: New Audit Initiatives and Voluntary Disclosures

• offshore compliance initiatives
• domestic initiatives
• voluntary disclosures — changes may be coming

Tom Boddez — Thorsteinssons LLP, Vancouver

Break

Principal Residence Taxation 

• what is the principal residence exemption
• changes made in 2016

Parveen B. Karsan — Karsan Law Group, Vancouver

Foreign Buyers Tax/Vacancy Tax 

• when does the foreign buyers tax apply
• when does the vacancy tax apply
• surprises and grey areas

Noah Sarna — Thorsteinssons LLP, Vancouver

Networking Lunch

PST/GST 

• PST — hot audit issues four years later
• GST — changes in legislation and jurisprudence

Rosemary J. Anderson, CA — Thorsteinssons LLP, Vancouver

Corporate Taxation Update

• corporate reorganizations
• transfers
• s. 55
• possible changes to professional corporations and small business deductions

Soraya Jamal — Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Vancouver

Break

Personal Taxation Update 

• atribution rules
  • what they are, what they are intended to do, and why they are no longer seen as a tax policy solution
• stock option rules
  • important considerations when granting stock options to employees

Josh Schmidt — Schmidt & Gilmour Tax Law LLP, Vancouver

Trusts and Estates Update 

• graduated rate estates
• use of trusts as will substitutes to avoid tax and wills variation

Sam S. Liang — Legacy Tax & Trust Lawyers, Vancouver

Closing Questions and Comments