Overview

Commodity and value-added tax (VAT) issues require unique knowledge, experience and strategies to do effective planning and advocacy.

We assist with matters involving provincial and federal sales, use and value added taxes (GST, HST, PST), South African VAT, excise, insurance premium, employer health, tobacco, carbon, fuel and gasoline taxes. We are involved to assist clients with their start-up, acquisitions, reorganizations, importations, general planning and all forms of advocacy, including at audit and while making disclosures.

Our clients include Canadian and non-resident financial institutions, real estate development corporations, mining concerns, manufacturers, hospitals and other private businesses across virtually every industry.

With practitioners spread throughout offices in Canada and Africa, we offer clients a commodity tax expertise combined with the insight of our colleagues practicing in the international trade and customs, corporate/commercial, employment and finance areas.

Visit our TaxEdInternational blog, or contact any of our lawyers with your questions about commodity and VAT tax strategies.

Achievements

Lists 14 of our Lawyers, The Best Lawyers in Canada 2017 to 2018
Recognizes Tax Leaders, The International Tax Review 2016 to 2017
14 Lawyers from our Tax Group Recognized as Leading Lawyers, Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2016 to 2017

Best Lawyers Publication name with laurels

2017 to 2018 The Best Lawyers in Canada Lists 14 of our Lawyers lists 14 of our lawyers in several related areas of practice, including Tax Law and Trusts and Estates

2016 to 2017 2016 to 2017 The International Tax Review Recognizes Tax Leaders recognizes two of our lawyers as Tax Controversy Leaders and two of our lawyers as Indirect Tax Leaders

2016 to 2017 2016 to 2017 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 14 Lawyers from our Tax Group Recognized as Leading Lawyers recognizes 14 Tax Group members as leading lawyers for their work in Corporate Tax, Litigation - Corporate Tax, Commodity Tax/Customs, Estate & Personal Tax Planning and Investment Funds & Asset Management (Tax Aspects)

Client Work

Ivanhoé Cambridge partners with Simon Properties on Premium Outlet Collection at Edmonton International Airport, [Deal - Ivanhoe Cambridge], On January 20, 2016, Ivanhoé Cambridge, a Canadian global real estate leader, and Simon Property Group announced that they are partnering to build Premium Outlet Collection – Edmonton International Airport. The enclosed 428,000 square foot outlet centre in the province’s capital city is expected ...
North Castle Partners’ portfolio company Curves International acquires Jenny Craig weight loss business, [Deal - Confidential Clients], On November 22, 2013, U.S. private equity firm North Castle Partners’ (North Castle) portfolio company, Curves International, Inc. (Curves), completed the acquisition of the Jenny Craig weight loss business from Nestle S.A. North Castle is a leading private equity firm focused exclusively on heal...
Medicis acquires Graceway Pharmaceuticals' assets for US$455 million, [Deal - Medicis Pharmaceuticals], Medicis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, a leading independent specialty pharmaceutical corporation in the United States and Canada, completed its acquisition of substantially all of the U.S. and Canadian assets of Graceway Pharmaceutical, LLC for US$455 million. Graceway filed for Chapter 11 bankrup...
Desjardins Credit Union amalgamates with Meridian Credit Union, [Deal - Desjardins Credit Union], On June 1, 2011, Desjardins Credit Union and Meridian Credit Union completed their amalgamation, creating an Ontario credit union with 263,000 members and $8 billion in assets under management. The amalgamation includes all 19 Desjardins Credit Union branches, Central Loans Unit and Head Office. ...
Upper Lakes Group sells shipping business to Algoma Central for US$85 million, [Deal - Upper Lakes Group], On April 14, 2011, Upper Lakes Group Inc. completed the previously announced sale to Algoma Central Corporation of its partnership interest in Seaway Marine Transport and related entities (collectively, "SMT") along with the vessels and assets owned by Upper Lakes and its affiliates and used by S...
CTV acquires Toronto radio station from Milestone Group, sells Edmonton and London radio stations to Rogers, [Deal - CTV Limited], On January 31, 2011, CTV Limited acquired the radio station known as CFXJ-FM 93.5FM/ "The Flow" in Toronto, Ontario for $27 million immediately after the completion of the sale of its interest in the radio station CHBN-FM/"The Bounce" in Edmonton, Alberta and in the radio station CHST-FM/"BOB-FM"...
MIJO sold to DG FastChannel for US$40 million, [Deal - MIJO Corporation], On April 1, 2011, DG FastChannel, Inc. acquired the business of MIJO Corporation in a transaction valued at approximately $40 million. MIJO provides top US and multinational brands with a platform of bilingual and integrated media services targeted to the advertising, entertainment and broadcast ...

Deal January 2016 Advised Ivanhoe Cambridge Ivanhoé Cambridge partners with Simon Properties on Premium Outlet Collection at Edmonton International Airport On January 20, 2016, Ivanhoé Cambridge, a Canadian global real estate leader, and Simon Property Group announced that they are partnering to build Premium Outlet Collection – Edmonton International Airport. The enclosed 428,000 square foot outlet centre in the province’s capital city is expected ... Read more

Deal November 2013 Advised Confidential Clients North Castle Partners’ portfolio company Curves International acquires Jenny Craig weight loss business On November 22, 2013, U.S. private equity firm North Castle Partners’ (North Castle) portfolio company, Curves International, Inc. (Curves), completed the acquisition of the Jenny Craig weight loss business from Nestle S.A. North Castle is a leading private equity firm focused exclusively on heal... Read more

Deal December 2011 Advised Medicis Pharmaceuticals Medicis acquires Graceway Pharmaceuticals' assets for US$455 million Medicis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, a leading independent specialty pharmaceutical corporation in the United States and Canada, completed its acquisition of substantially all of the U.S. and Canadian assets of Graceway Pharmaceutical, LLC for US$455 million. Graceway filed for Chapter 11 bankrup... Read more

Deal June 2011 Advised Desjardins Credit Union Desjardins Credit Union amalgamates with Meridian Credit Union On June 1, 2011, Desjardins Credit Union and Meridian Credit Union completed their amalgamation, creating an Ontario credit union with 263,000 members and $8 billion in assets under management. The amalgamation includes all 19 Desjardins Credit Union branches, Central Loans Unit and Head Office. ... Read more

Deal April 2011 Advised Upper Lakes Group Upper Lakes Group sells shipping business to Algoma Central for US$85 million On April 14, 2011, Upper Lakes Group Inc. completed the previously announced sale to Algoma Central Corporation of its partnership interest in Seaway Marine Transport and related entities (collectively, "SMT") along with the vessels and assets owned by Upper Lakes and its affiliates and used by S... Read more

Deal January 2011 Advised CTV Limited CTV acquires Toronto radio station from Milestone Group, sells Edmonton and London radio stations to Rogers On January 31, 2011, CTV Limited acquired the radio station known as CFXJ-FM 93.5FM/ "The Flow" in Toronto, Ontario for $27 million immediately after the completion of the sale of its interest in the radio station CHBN-FM/"The Bounce" in Edmonton, Alberta and in the radio station CHST-FM/"BOB-FM"... Read more

Deal Advised MIJO Corporation MIJO sold to DG FastChannel for US$40 million On April 1, 2011, DG FastChannel, Inc. acquired the business of MIJO Corporation in a transaction valued at approximately $40 million. MIJO provides top US and multinational brands with a platform of bilingual and integrated media services targeted to the advertising, entertainment and broadcast ... Read more

Knowledge

Temporary GST/HST Exemptions Affecting Canadian Businesses Effective December 14, 2024, 11/27/2024
South African VAT implications for foreign employers of seconded employees, 2/7/2017
Canada Q&A: Tax on Corporate Transactions, 3/1/2012

Bulletin November 27, 2024 Temporary GST/HST Exemptions Affecting Canadian Businesses Effective December 14, 2024 Temporary GST/HST exemptions for Canadian consumers. Businesses must prepare their systems for smooth compliance. Read more

February 2017 07 Bulletin February 7, 2017 South African VAT implications for foreign employers of seconded employees The secondment of employees to South Africa has become a common practice of multinational companies as the demand for international skills and cross-border services has increased over the past couple of years. Ordinarily, a South African company will enter into a secondment agreement with its f... Read more

March 2012 01 Guide March 1, 2012 Canada Q&A: Tax on Corporate Transactions Christopher Steeves, David Fox and Paul Casuccio co-wrote the Canadian-focused chapter of PLC Cross-Border Tax on Transactions, a Q&A guide to tax on corporate transactions. This chapter provides a high level overview of tax in Canada and looks at key practical issues including, for example, the ... Read more

Events

E-Commerce Taxation in Canada, China, Switzerland and the EU – VAT and Platform Taxation Update, 6/6/2024
Good Practices and Errors to Avoid with a Family Trust, 5/24/2023

Webinar June 6, 2024 E-Commerce Taxation in Canada, China, Switzerland and the EU – VAT and Platform Taxation Update Governments around the world have been struggling to determine how best to tax e-commerce transactions for nearly two decades. About the event

Webinar | In-Person Seminar | Hybrid | Pre-recorded Webinar May 24, 2023 Good Practices and Errors to Avoid with a Family Trust Fasken is pleased to invite you to the training : Good Practices and Errors to Avoid with a Family Trust

Montreal, QC Fasken Montréal About the event

News

The 2021 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory Recognizes 235 Fasken Lawyers, 4/22/2021
Fasken Receives High Recognition in the 2019 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, 4/22/2019
International Tax Review names four Fasken lawyers as Indirect Tax Leaders, 7/23/2018