Royal Bank of Canada has been ordered to divulge the real owners of 97 offshore corporations that used its services, but a critic is wondering why it’s taken the Canada Revenue Agency six years to acquire a fount of information that could help detect tax cheats.
The companies involved are all registered in the Bahamas, a tax haven, and originally came to light as part of a leak of financial records called Bahamas Leaks.
In submissions to the Federal Court of Canada, the CRA says most of the companies used tactics to “obfuscate the identities of the persons who truly control and beneficially own these entities,” and it wants to check whether the real owners are Canadians hiding money in tax havens.
“The CRA is concerned that any or all of these 97 Bahamian corporations may be controlled and/or beneficially owned by persons resident in Canada,” the agency says in a court filing.
Canadian individuals and corporations have $23 billion in declared, known funds held in or invested through the Bahamas — more than France, Spain and Portugal combined. A 2018 CRA study suggested Canadians have another $76 billion to $241 billion in undeclared, hidden wealth stashed in all offshore jurisdictions combined, but it didn’t break it down by country.
In May, a judge granted the federal government’s request for an order for Royal Bank and its RBC Dominion Securities subsidiary to provide any information that would help the CRA identify the owners of the 97 Bahamas corporations. The bank did not oppose the government.
The CRA says in its court filings that all the companies had investment accounts at Royal Bank or RBC Dominion at some point, “which suggests that they might be or have been controlled by persons resident in or situated in Canada.”
It’s not inherently illegal for Canadians to have an offshore account or company, but any assets over $100,000 and any income have to be reported for tax purposes.
CBC/Radio-Canada originally reported in 2016 that the Bahamas Leaks revealed that three Canadian banks had provided services to nearly 2,000 offshore companies in the Bahamas since 1990. The banks were what’s known as “registered agents” — licensed intermediaries who pay the annual fees to the Bahamas corporate registry, manage the paperwork and in many cases also incorporate the offshore companies.
The leaked files showed that Royal Bank acted as agent for 847 Bahamian companies listed in the leaked data, companies with names from Abbatis 1 Inc. to Yellow Jacket Holdings Ltd., while CIBC registered or administered 632 and Scotiabank handled 481.
Royal Bank didn’t answer questions from CBC News about the Bahamas corporations, but did provide a statement saying that in general, it has “high standards and an extensive due diligence process to detect and prevent any illegal activity occurring through RBC.”
Neither the CRA nor RBC would explain how the number of offshore companies of interest was whittled down to 97 from the 847 number. Some of that reduction is likely because even back in 2016, nearly half of those companies were already dormant or dissolved. It’s possible the CRA also determined that many of the companies had no Canadian shareholders or other ties to Canada that could lead to tax obligations.
There is no indication in the docket of the Federal Court that the CRA has also gone after any of the companies managed by CIBC or Scotiabank. It’s possible the tax agency obtained information directly and confidentially from those two banks using powers under the Income Tax Act that don’t require it to first get a court order, but it wouldn’t say.
“The CRA does not generally release information related to our compliance approaches, as it could provide a roadmap to non-compliance,” the agency said in a statement to CBC News. “As such, we are unable to confirm if the CRA will be seeking authorization to retrieve third party data from CIBC and Scotiabank.”
Toby Sanger, a senior policy adviser to the advocacy group Canadians for Tax Fairness, said the lack of transparency doesn’t help the impression that the CRA “seems to be more focused on going after the easy targets, the small-time individuals,” rather than the bigger and more complex cases of offshore tax evasion and avoidance.
“We shouldn’t just kind of write these carte blanche cheques allowing wealthy corporations and individuals with money in whatever jurisdiction they decide to park it in to avoid taxes,” he said in an interview.
The CRA, which proclaimed in the wake of other leaks, such as the Panama Papers and the Paradise Papers, that it was cracking down on offshore tax shenanigans, also wouldn’t explain why it’s only seeking ownership records for the 97 offshore companies now — six years after the Bahamas Leaks brought them to light.
“It’s very frustrating and disappointing that it has taken the CRA so long to act on these leaks,” Sanger said. “The slow action in this instance on the Bahamas Leaks means that they’re just kind of crying wolf, and that it’s more bark than bite.”
The Bahamas Leaks records were obtained by Sueddeutsche Zeitung, the same German newspaper that was leaked the Panama Papers, which then shared the files with the Washington-based International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and its network of global media partners, including CBC/Radio-Canada.
The Panama Papers emerged a few months earlier in 2016, but the CRA has yet to lay any criminal charges against anyone named in that leak. Other countries have already brought hundreds of charges and secured convictions.
The CRA received nearly $1 billion in extra funding between 2016 and this year to combat tax evasion and tax avoidance. In an email to CBC, the agency couldn’t point to a single criminal conviction it’s obtained in the last 4½ years that had to do with offshore tax evasion.
The agency said last week that at one point, it had five open criminal investigations stemming from the Panama Papers, but it subsequently dropped three. The two remaining cases appear to be ongoing probes into $77 million in alleged withholding-tax evasion in Vancouver, and an investigation into an Alberta oilpatch financier.
PORT ALBERNI, B.C. – RCMP say the body of a second person has been found inside their vehicle after a road washed away amid pouring rain on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
Police say two vehicles went into the Sarita River when Bamfield Road washed out on Saturday as an atmospheric river hammered southern B.C.
The body of the other driver was found Sunday.
More coming.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
The B.C. Greens say Sonia Furstenau will be staying on as party leader, despite losing her seat in the legislature in Saturday’s provincial election.
The party says in a statement that its two newly elected MLAs, Jeremy Valeriote and Rob Botterell, support Furstenau’s leadership as they “navigate the prospect of having the balance of power in the legislature.”
Neither the NDP led by Premier David Eby nor the B.C. Conservatives led by John Rustad secured a majority in the election, with two recounts set to take place from Oct. 26 to 28.
Eby says in a news conference that while the election outcome is uncertain, it’s “very likely” that the NDP would need the support of others to pass legislation.
He says he reached out to Furstenau on election night to congratulate her on the Greens’ showing.
But he says the Green party has told the NDP they are “not ready yet” for a conversation about a minority government deal.
The Conservatives went from taking less than two per cent of the vote in 2020 to being elected or leading in 45 ridings, two short of a majority and only one behind the NDP.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2024.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Toronto FC captain Jonathan Osorio is making a difference, 4,175 kilometres away from home.
The 32-year-old Canadian international midfielder, whose parents hail from Colombia, has been working with the Canadian Colombian Children’s Organization, a charity whose goal is to help disadvantaged youth in the South American country.
Osorio has worked behind the scenes, with no fanfare.
Until now, with his benevolence resulting in becoming Toronto FC’s nominee for the Audi Goals Drive Progress Impact Award, which honours an MLS player “who showed outstanding dedication to charitable efforts and serving the community” during the 2024 season.”
Other nominees include Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Sebastian Berhalter and CF Montreal goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois.
The winner will be announced in late November.
The Canadian Colombian Children’s Organization (CCCO) is run entirely by volunteers like Monica Figueredo and Claudia Soler. Founded in 1991, it received charitable status in 2005.
The charity currently has four projects on the go: two in Medellin and one each in Armenia and Barranquilla.
They include a school, a home for young girls whose parents are addicted to drugs, after-school and weekend programs for children in a disadvantaged neighbourhood, and nutrition and education help for underprivileged youth.
The organization heard about Osorio and was put in contact with him via an intermediary, which led to a lunch meeting. Osorio did his due diligence and soon got back to the charity with his decision.
“It was something that I wanted to be a part of right away,” said Osorio, whose lone regret is that he didn’t get involved sooner.
“I’m fortunate now that to help more now that I could have back then,” he added. “The timing actually worked out for everybody. For the last three years I have donated to their cause and we’ve built a couple of (football) fields in different cities over there in the schools.”
His father visited one of the sites in Armenia close to his hometown.
“He said it was amazing, the kids, how grateful they are to be able to play on any pitch, really,” said Osorio. “But to be playing on a new pitch, they’re just so grateful and so humble.
“It really makes it worth it being part of this organization.”
The collaboration has also made Osorio take stock.
“We’re very fortunate here in Canada, I think, for the most part. Kids get to go to school and have a roof over their head and things like that. In Colombia, it’s not really the same case. My father and his family grew up in tough conditions, so giving back is like giving back to my father.”
Osorio’s help has been a godsend to the charity.
“We were so surprised with how willing he was,” said Soler.
The TFC skipper has helped pay for a football field in Armenia as well as an ambitious sports complex under construction in Barranquilla.
“It’s been great for them,” Figueredo said of the pitch in Armenia. “Because when they go to school, now they have a proper place to train.”
Osorio has also sent videos encouraging the kids to stay active — as well as shipping soccer balls and signed jerseys their way.
“They know more about Jonathan than the other players in Colombia,” Figueredo said. “That’s the funny part. Even though he’s far away, they’ve connected with him.”
“They feel that they have a future, that they can do more,” she added. “Seeing that was really, really great.”
The kids also followed Osorio through the 2022 World Cup and this summer’s Copa America.
Back home, Osorio has also attended the charity’s annual golf tournament, helping raise funds.
A Toronto native, he has long donated four tickets for every TFC home game to the Hospital for Sick Children.
Vancouver’s Berhalter was nominated for his involvement in the Whitecaps’ partnership with B.C. Children’s Hospital while Montreal’s Sirois was chosen for his work with the Montreal Impact Foundation.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.
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