The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has published Transfer Pricing Memorandum (TPM)-15 regarding intra-group services and section 247 of the Income Tax Act on 13th February 2015. TPM-15 describes the CRA’s audit policy on some audit and tax issues usually faced during an international audit of intra-group services. The guidance entitled “International Transfer Pricing” on Information Circular (IC) 87-2R provided by CRA has been expanded by TPM-15. As part of its Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) project, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has released draft revisions to its guidance on intra-group services for comment on 3rd November 2014. The common subject of TPM-15 is that the CRA will continue to audit intra-group services with emphasizing a benefit test, the arm’s length service charges calculation, particularly the configuration of the cost base where a cost-based method is used. A benefit test is that intra-group service give a benefit to the recipient for which a charge is necessary in an arm’s length circumstances. Besides this the guidance in TPM-15 on non-deductibility of specific types of costs with reference to other non-transfer pricing provisions of the Income tax Act creates double taxation alert. Though TPM-15 refers the current OECD guidance, it confirms the CRA’s continued endorsement of the guidance set out in the OECD’s Transfer Pricing Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and Tax Administrations and it ignores the proposal of OECD for the purpose of more simplified approach.
Related Posts

J5 Australia, Canada, Netherlands, UK, and US publish report on fintech use in tax evasion and money laundering
The J5 group—Australia, Canada, Netherlands, UK, and US—has released a report examining how fintech is used to facilitate tax evasion and money laundering. The Joint Chiefs of Global Tax Enforcement (J5) released three reports today –
Read More
Canada extends tariff exemptions on Ukraine imports for one year
Canada has extended its tariff-free policy for Ukrainian imports for another year, keeping Ukrainian goods free from customs duties until 9 June 2026. Canada’s Department of Finance announced on 6 June 2025 that it will continue to support
Read More
Canada: Government proposes GST rebate for first-time home buyers, repeal of consumer carbon price, middle-class tax cuts
Canada’s Finance Minister proposed the measures on 27 May 2025. Canada’s Finance Minister, François-Philippe Champagne, has tabled a notice of Ways and Means Motion in Parliament on 27 May 2025, proposing GST relief for first-time
Read More
Canada: Carney to announce 2025-26 federal budget in autumn
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney said on 18 May 2025 that the federal government will present a budget this autumn. This follows Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne's announcement on 14 May 2025 that the government won’t table a
Read More
Canada: Ontario unveils 2025 budget, proposes increased tax credit for corporations
Minister of Finance Peter Bethlenfalvy, of the Canadian province of Ontario, presented the 2025 Ontario Budget: A Plan to Protect Ontario on 15 May 2025. It confirms no new changes to corporate or personal income tax rates. However, qualifying
Read More
Canada: Alberta halts industrial carbon pricing at the current rate
The Canadian Province of Alberta announced on 12 May 2025 that it is freezing the industrial carbon price at the current rate of CAD 95 per tonne of emissions. The announcement was made by Alberta’s Premier, Danielle Smith. Previously, the
Read More