A Canadian Affidavit of Gift is a sworn written statement documenting the voluntary and unconditional transfer of property, money, or other assets from one person (the Donor) to another (the Recipient) without receiving any compensation or consideration in return. The document is made under oath or solemn affirmation before an authorized official such as a commissioner of oaths, notary public, or lawyer (barrister and solicitor).

Although Canada does not impose a dedicated gift tax, the Income Tax Act (R.S.C. 1985, c. 1 (5th Supp.)) has significant implications for gifts. Under section 69(1)(b), the Donor is deemed to have disposed of the gifted property at its fair market value (FMV) at the time of the gift, which may trigger capital gains tax on any appreciation. Furthermore, the attribution rules under sections 74.1 through 74.5 of the Income Tax Act may cause income or capital gains arising from the gifted property to be attributed back to the Donor for tax purposes when the gift is made to a spouse, common-law partner, or related minor child.

The Affidavit of Gift serves as formal legal documentation that the transfer was a genuine gift with no consideration exchanged, which is important for satisfying the Canada Revenue Agency’s requirements and for claiming exemptions from provincial sales taxes on certain gift transfers (such as vehicle transfers between family members). Making a false statement in the affidavit constitutes perjury under section 131 of the Criminal Code of Canada, punishable by up to fourteen years imprisonment.

A Canadian Affidavit of Gift is needed in several common situations across all provinces and territories. Motor vehicle transfers between family members typically require a sworn affidavit to claim the provincial sales tax exemption on family gifts. In Ontario, under the Retail Sales Tax Act (R.S.O. 1990, c. R.31), vehicles gifted between qualifying family members (spouse, parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling) are exempt from the 13% HST that would otherwise apply. British Columbia exempts family vehicle gifts from PST, and each province has similar provisions requiring documented proof of the gift.

Real property transfers require the affidavit when gifting land or buildings through the provincial land registry system. The land transfer tax (such as Ontario’s Land Transfer Tax Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. L.6) may still apply even on gifts of real property, and the affidavit documents the nature of the transfer. Financial institutions may require a gift affidavit when large sums of money are transferred between accounts, particularly for mortgage qualification purposes where the lender needs to confirm that the down payment is a gift and not a loan.

Estate planning often involves inter vivos gifts (gifts made during the Donor’s lifetime) to reduce the size of the estate and potentially minimize probate fees. The affidavit provides documentation for the CRA and for the estate trustee’s records. Insurance claims, customs declarations for valuable items crossing international borders, and documentation for charitable donations or cultural property gifts may also require a sworn Affidavit of Gift.

A valid Canadian Affidavit of Gift must include the following essential components. The header identifies the province or territory and municipality where the affidavit is sworn, establishing the geographic jurisdiction for the jurat. The Donor’s information includes their full legal name, residential address, municipality, province, and postal code. The Recipient’s information includes the same details, along with a statement of the relationship between the parties — this is particularly important because the Income Tax Act attribution rules and provincial sales tax exemptions often depend on the specific family relationship.

The gift description must be sufficiently detailed to identify the property being transferred. For vehicles, this includes the year, make, model, and Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). For financial gifts, the amount in Canadian dollars must be specified. For real property, the legal description as recorded in the land title registry should be included. The fair market value of the gift at the date of transfer must be stated, as this is the deemed disposition value under the Income Tax Act.

A tax notice section alerts both parties to the Income Tax Act attribution rules (sections 74.1 through 74.5) that may apply when gifts are made between spouses, common-law partners, or to related minors. The Donor declares that the transfer is voluntary, unconditional, and without consideration, and that they are the legal owner with authority to transfer ownership.

The perjury notice warns that false statements constitute criminal offences under sections 131 and 134 of the Criminal Code of Canada. An optional Recipient’s consent section allows the Recipient to acknowledge acceptance of the gift. The jurat records the oath administration details, and a governing law clause identifies the applicable provincial legislation.