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Cross-border & specialty

Flow-Through Shares

A Canadian share type that lets mining and energy exploration companies pass certain tax deductions through to investors.

Part of the Cross-Border Investing (CA + US) course · Lesson 16 of 17

What it is

Flow-through shares are a uniquely Canadian financing tool used mainly by mining, oil, gas, and renewable-energy exploration companies. The company agrees to spend the money it raises on eligible exploration and development, then renounces the related tax deductions and passes them through to the investors who bought the shares. Investors can then claim those expenses against their own income.

Why it matters

Flow-through shares give investors an immediate tax deduction, which is attractive to high-income Canadians, and they help fund early-stage resource companies. The risks are significant: these are often small, speculative exploration firms, the shares typically come at a premium, and the tax benefit lowers your adjusted cost base, increasing taxable capital gains when you sell.

How it's calculated

The deduction passed to an investor equals the eligible Canadian exploration or development expenses the company renounces and allocates to that investor's shares, claimed on the investor's Canadian tax return.

How Quintarthai uses it

Quintarthai covers Canadian resource and mining companies with SEDAR+ filing data and financial detail on each stock's company page, so you can research the issuer behind a flow-through offering.

Cross-border note. Flow-through shares are a Canadian-only tax mechanism with no US equivalent, and the deductions are claimed under the Canadian Income Tax Act, not against US income.

FAQ

Are flow-through shares a good deal?
They offer real tax deductions, but the underlying companies are usually speculative exploration firms and the shares often trade at a premium, so the tax saving can be outweighed by investment risk.
Do flow-through shares affect my capital gains later?
Yes. Claiming the deduction typically reduces your adjusted cost base toward zero, which increases your taxable capital gain when you eventually sell the shares.
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