Steven Sitcoff Photo
Steven Sitcoff Photo
Steven Sitcoff Photo

Steven Sitcoff is a highly experienced lawyer with a practice primarily focused on providing domestic and international corporations with proactive and practical tax planning solutions to assist them to further their business objectives.  He has significant experience working with private and public companies from various sectors including consumer products, retail, real estate, financial services, and entertainment.

Steven provides comprehensive legal and tax advice to Canadian companies with national and cross-border activities as well as to companies from abroad expanding into Canada.

Steven is repeatedly called upon for his unique combined expertise in taxation and private aviation matters.  In this capacity he is frequently consulted by clients and aviation services firms across Canada to advise on tax-efficient acquisition and ownership structures for aircraft, to review aircraft ownership structures and usage policies for tax risk, and for representation in aircraft-related audits and tax disputes. Steven also has extensive experience in advising vendors, purchasers, and financiers of aircraft as regards the Select Luxury Items Tax Act (i.e., the Canadian luxury tax).

Steven regularly represents both corporate and individual clients in tax disputes with the federal and provincial tax authorities. A member of both the Québec and Ontario bars, Steven fulfilled his articling requirements as a law clerk to the judges of the Tax Court of Canada.


Expertise

Industries

Practices


Representative Matters

  • Planning and executing tax-efficient strategies for the selling shareholders of a national retail chain
  • Planning and executing tax-efficient structures for Canadian companies expanding abroad, as well as for multinationals inbound to Canada
  • Advising public and private companies on establishing formal policies governing the use of corporate aircraft
  • Tax planning for acquisitions and divestitures, including structuring earn-out transactions and other tax-efficient strategies for vendors
  • Tax planning for individuals immigrating to or departing Canada
  • Extensive experience in representing clients with regard to the voluntary disclosure programs of both the Canada Revenue Agency and Revenue Québec, especially as pertains to offshore bank accounts

Speaking Engagements

Speaker, Evolving Customer Expectations, Elite Wings Aviation Summit, Montréal

June 17, 2024

Speaker, Mitigating the Impact of the Luxury Tax, the 2023 National Convention of the Canadian Business Aviation Association

July 13, 2023

Speaker, The Canadian Luxury Tax: Tips for buyers and sellers of aircraft, WINGS Magazine Webinar

May 16, 2023

Tax and Legal Considerations for Aircraft Owners, the 2022 National Convention of the Canadian Business Aviation Association

June 15, 2022

Speaker, Inside the Aircraft Luxury Tax, WINGS Magazine Webinar

November 30, 2021

Co-presenter, Tax and financial planning for business aircraft owners, 2019 National Convention of the Canadian Business Aviation Association

July 10, 2019

Co-presenter, How to manage the impact of CRA’s new tax policy, 2018 National Convention of the Canadian Business Aviation Association

June 14, 2018

Co-presenter, Tax Planning for Your Business Aircraft, 2017 National Convention of the Canadian Business Aviation Association

August 11, 2017

Co-presenter, Taxation of personal use of business aircraft, Webinar to the Canadian Business Aviation Association

July 15, 2017

Co-presenter, Taxation of personal use of business aircraft, Webinar to the Canadian Business Aviation Association

April 28, 2016
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News


Media Mentions


Rankings & Recognitions

  • Recognized in the 2024 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory as a Repeatedly Recommended Lawyer in the area of Aviation (Regulation & Liability)
  • Recognized in the 2023 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory as a Repeatedly Recommended Lawyer in the area of Aviation

Community Involvement

  • Chair of the Innovations Committee of the Jewish Community Foundation of Montréal: 2013 to present
  • 2019 West Island Campaign Chair, Federation-CJA (Montréal)
  • Member of the Board of Directors and Secretary to the Board of West Island College: 2015 to 2022
  • Board Member, Jewish Community Foundation of Montréal: 2008-2013

Directorships & Affiliations

  • Le Barreau du Québec
  • Law Society of Ontario
  • Canadian Tax Foundation (CTF)
  • International Fiscal Association
  • Canadian Business Aviation Association

Education & Admissions

2007
Called to the Québec bar
1998
Called to the Ontario bar
1996
LLBQueen's University
1993
BAMcGill University

Publications

Insights (8 Posts)View More

Featured Insight

Budget 2024: New Measures Addressing Bonus Tax Depreciation and Crypto-Assets

Budget 2024 announced new measures to accelerate tax depreciation as well as certain measures applicable to crypto-asset investments.

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Apr 19, 2024
Featured Insight

Canada’s Luxury Tax on Aircraft: A Primer for Non-Canadian Sellers and Brokers

Outlines potential implications for non-Canadian parties to common aircraft transactions under the Canadian federal Luxury Tax.

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Nov 15, 2023
Featured Insight

Stay Ahead Podcast: Demystifying Québec’s Business Landscape

Interested in expanding your business into Quebec? On this episode of our Stay Ahead podcast, Montreal Partners Shari Munk-Manel, Enda Wong, Yonatan Petel and Steven Sitcoff share what you need to know about doing business in the province.

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Aug 14, 2023
Featured Insight

Budget 2023: Alternative Minimum Tax

Budget 2023 proposes the first major changes to the Alternative Minimum Tax (the “AMT”) since its introduction in 1986

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Mar 31, 2023
Featured Insight

Canada’s Luxury Tax: Practical challenges for the aviation industry

To date, the Canada's Luxury Tax remains poorly understood notwithstanding that it is expected to have a broad impact on key industries.

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Nov 28, 2022
Featured Insight

Not Yet Cleared for Takeoff: Draft Canadian Luxury Tax Legislation Raises Concerns for the Aviation Industry

On March 11, 2022, the federal Department of Finance released draft legislative proposals to implement the proposed Luxury Tax.

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Mar 25, 2022
Featured Insight

Remote Working Arrangements: Tax Planning & Pitfalls

Discussion of tax considerations related to remote working arrangements such as appropriate payroll withholding rates and permanent establishment issues.

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Feb 8, 2022
Featured Insight

Clipping Wings and Stalling Engines: The proposed Canadian federal luxury tax raises issues for vendors, manufacturers, service providers and consumers

Proposed Canadian federal luxury tax raises issues for the aviation, automotive and boat industries

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Aug 24, 2021

Deals & Cases (1 Posts)

Featured Insight

McMillan advises FTAI Aviation in its USD$170 Million acquisition of Lockheed Martin Commercial Engine Solutions

On September 9, 2024, FTAI Aviation Ltd. completed its previously announced agreement to purchase the Commercial Engine Solutions business of Lockheed Martin at the Montréal airport, for USD$170 million. The completion of the acquisition was subject to satisfactory customary regulatory approvals.

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Sep 9, 2024