ARTICLE XXXI
U.S. Income Tax Treaty — Canada Income Tax Treaty and Protocols - 1980 · 2026-10-03 edition · updated 2026-10-04 · United States
Termination
This Convention shall remain in force until terminated by a Contracting State.
Either Contracting State may terminate the Convention at any time after 5 years from the date on which the Convention enters into force provided that at least 6 months prior notice of termination has been given through diplomatic channels.
Where a Contracting State considers that a significant change introduced in the taxation laws of the other Contracting State should be accommodated by a modification of the Convention, the Contracting States shall consult together with a view to resolving the matter; if the matter cannot be satisfactorily resolved, the first-mentioned State may terminate the Convention in accordance with the procedures set forth in paragraph 2, but without regard to the 5 year limitation provided therein.
In the event the Convention is terminated, the Convention shall cease to have effect:
(a) For tax withheld at the source on income referred to in Articles X (Dividends), XI (Interest), XII (Royalties), XVIII (Pensions and Annuities) and paragraph 2 of Article XXII (Other Income), with respect to amounts paid or credited on or after the first day of January next following the expiration of the 6 months period referred to in paragraph 2; and
(b) For other taxes, with respect to taxable years beginning on or after the first day of January next following the expiration of the 6 months' period referred to in paragraph 2.
In witness whereof, the undersigned, being duly authorized thereto by their respective Governments, have signed this Convention.
Done in two copies at Washington this twenty-sixth day of September, 1980, in the English and French languages, each text being equally authentic.
For the Government of the United States of America:
G. WILLIAM MILLER.
For the Government of Canada:
ALLAN J. MACEACHERN.
NOTES OF EXCHANGE
WASHINGTON D.C., September 26, 1980 .
HON. G. WILLIAM MILLER, Secretary of the Treasury, Washington, D.C.
SIR: I have the honour to refer to the Convention between Canada and the United States of America with Respect to Taxes on Income and on Capital, signed today, and to confirm certain understandings reached between the two Governments with respect to the Convention.
- In French, the term "société" also means a "corporation" within the meaning of Canadian law.
- The competent authorities of each of the Contracting States shall review the procedures and requirements for an organization of the other Contracting State to establish its status as a religious, scientific, literary, educational or charitable organization entitled to exemption under paragraph 1 of Article XXI (Exempt Organizations), or as an eligible recipient of the charitable contributions or gifts referred to in paragraphs 5 and 6 of Article XXI, with a view to avoiding duplicate application by such organizations to the administering agencies of both Contracting States. If a Contracting State determines that the other Contracting State maintains procedures to determine such status and rules for qualification that are compatible with such procedures and rules of the first-mentioned Contracting State, it is contemplated that such first-mentioned Contracting State shall accept the certification of the administering agency of the other Contracting State as to such status for the purpose of making the necessary determinations under paragraphs 1, 5 and 6 of Article XXI.
It is further agreed that the term "family", as used in paragraphs 5 and 6 of Article XXI, means an individual's brothers and sisters (whether by whole or half-blood, or by adoption), spouse, ancestors, lineal descendants and adopted descendants.
It is the position of Canada that the so-called "unitary apportionment" method used by certain states of the United States to allocate income to United States offices or subsidiaries of Canadian companies results in inequitable taxation and imposes excessive administrative burdens on Canadian companies doing business in those states. Under that method the profit of a Canadian company on its United States business is not determined on the basis of arm's-length relations but is derived from a formula taking account of the income of the Canadian company and its worldwide subsidiaries as well as the assets, payroll and sales of all such companies. For a Canadian multinational company with many subsidiaries in different countries to have to submit its books and records for all of these companies to a state of the United States imposes a costly burden. It is understood that the Senate of the United States has not consented to any limitation on the taxing jurisdiction of the states by a treaty and that a provision which would have restricted the use of unitary apportionment in the case of United Kingdom corporations was recently rejected by the Senate. Canada continues to be concerned about this issue as it affects Canadian multinationals. If an acceptable provision on this subject can be devised, the United States agrees to reopen discussions with Canada on this subject.
I have the honour to propose to you that the present Note and your reply thereto shall constitute an agreement between our two Governments on these matters.
Accept, Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.
ALLAN J. MacEachern, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Canada .
SEPTEMBER 26, 1980.
Hon. ALLAN J. MacEachern, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Canada .
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your Note of September 26, 1980, which reads as follows:
"I have the honour to refer to the Convention between Canada and the United States of America with Respect to Taxes on Income and on Capital, signed today, and to confirm certain understandings reached between the two Governments with respect to the Convention.
In French, the term " société" also means a "corporation" within the meaning of Canadian law.
The competent authorities of each of the Contracting States shall review the procedures and requirements for an organization of the other Contracting State to establish its status as a religious, scientific, literary, educational or charitable organization entitled to exemption under paragraph 1 of Article XXI (Exempt Organizations), or as an eligible recipient of the charitable contributions or gifts referred to in paragraphs 5 and 6 of Article XXI. with a view to avoiding duplicate application by such organizations to the administering agencies of both Contracting States.
If a Contracting State determines that the other Contracting State maintains procedures to determine such status and rules for qualification that are compatible with such procedures and rules of the firstmentioned Contracting State, it is contemplated that such first-mentioned Contracting State shall accept the certification of the administering agency of the other Contracting State as to such status for the purpose of making the necessary determinations under paragraphs 1, 5 and 6 of Article XXI.
It is further agreed that the term "family," as used in paragraphs 5 and 6 of Article XXI means an individual's brothers and sisters (whether by whole or half-blood, or by adoption), spouse, ancestors, lineal descendants and adopted descendants.
It is the position of Canada that the so-called "unitary apportionment" method used by certain states of the United States to allocate income to United States offices or subsidiaries of Canadian companies results in inequitable taxation and imposes excessive administrative burdens on Canadian companies doing business in those states. Under that method the profit of a Canadian company on its United States business is not determined on the basis of arm's-length relations but is derived from a formula taking account of the income of the Canadian company and its world-wide subsidiaries as well as the assets, payroll and sales of all such companies. For a Canadian multinational company with many subsidiaries in different countries to have to submit its books and records for all of these companies to a state of the United States imposes a costly burden. It is understood that the Senate of the United States has not consented to any limitation on the taxing jurisdiction of the states by a treaty and that a provision which would have restricted the use of unitary apportionment in the case of United Kingdom corporations was recently rejected by the Senate. Canada continues to be concerned about this issue as it affects Canadian multinationals. If an acceptable provision on this subject can be devised, the United States agrees to reopen discussions with Canada on this subject.
I have the honour to propose to you that the present Note and your reply thereto shall constitute an agreement between our two Governments on these matters."
I confirm these understandings on behalf of the Government of the United States of America. These understandings constitute an agreement between our two Governments on this matter, which will enter into force on the date of entry into force of the Convention between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of Canada with Respect to Taxes on Income and on Capital which was signed today.
Accept, Sir, the renewed assurances of my highest consideration.
J. WILLIAM MILLER.
PROTOCOL 1
PROTOCOL AMENDING THE 1980 TAX CONVENTION
WITH CANADA
MESSAGE
FROM
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
TRANSMITTING
A PROTOCOL AMENDING THE 1980 CONVENTION BETWEEN THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND CANADA WITH RESPECT TO TAXES ON INCOME AND ON CAPITAL, SIGNED AT OTTAWA
ON JUNE 14, 1983, WITH A RELATED EXCHANGE OF NOTES
LETTER OF SUBMITTAL (PROTOCOL 1)
DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, September 2, 1983.
The PRESIDENT, The White House.
THE PRESIDENT: I have the honor to submit to you, with a view to its transmission to the Senate for advice and consent to ratification, the Protocol amending the Convention between the United States and Canada with respect to taxes on income and on capital, signed at Washington on September 26. 1980, which Protocol was signed at Ottawa on June 14, 1983. Also submitted for transmission to the Senate is a related exchange of notes.
The Convention was transmitted to the Senate on November 12, 1980, but Senate consideration of the Convention was delayed until certain technical problems in the text had been resolved. The Protocol resolves these technical problems by clarifying the language of the Convention to assure that its original intent is fulfilled. In addition, the Protocol introduces new rules not previously considered.
A necessary change is found in Articles IX and XIII of the Protocol. Paragraph 3 of Article IX amends paragraph 6 of Article XVIII (Pensions and Annuities) of the Convention by splitting the rule in the paragraph relating to the taxation of alimony and child support payments into two subparagraphs. This is done to permit proper cross-referencing in paragraph 3(a) of Article XXIX (Miscellaneous Rules) of the Convention. Article XIII of the Protocol amends Article XXIX to assure that the United States will preserve its full right to tax pensions, annuities, and alimony received by United States citizens who are resident in Canada.
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