🚨 How Can a Billionaire Own 3 BC Malls + a Mansion… and Still Claim Not to Be a Canadian Tax Resident? 🤯

We can’t have foreign billionaires buying up B.C. and skipping out on taxes. 💸🏙️

Recently, Douglas Todd (Vancouver Sun) uncovered something jaw-dropping: Weihong (Ruby) Liu, a billionaire from China who owns:

🏬 Three major shopping malls in British Columbia
🏡 A luxury mansion
💼 And is trying to buy big pieces of the troubled Hudson’s Bay Company

…claims she is not a resident of Canada for tax purposes.

🤔 How Is That Even Possible?

At first glance, it sounds impossible: How can you be a “Vancouver billionaire,” own huge properties, and not pay taxes here?

But under Canada’s Income Tax Act and CRA (Canada Revenue Agency) rules, “residency” isn’t just about owning stuff. It depends on where you live your life.

Here’s how billionaires can play the system 👇

📝 The CRA Looks at “Residential Ties”

Primary ties include:

🏡 Having a home in Canada that you actually live in
❤️ Having a spouse/partner here
👨‍👩‍👧 Having dependents here

Secondary ties include:

💳 Canadian bank accounts & credit cards
🚘 Cars, personal property here
🏥 Health insurance, driver’s licence
👫 Social memberships, community involvement

👉 The CRA also checks how many days per year you stay in Canada. If you’re here for 183+ days, you can be “deemed resident” even if you say you live abroad.

🌍 Tax Treaties + Loopholes

Canada has tax treaties with other countries. If you’re considered a resident of another nation (say, China) under those rules, Canada might accept that you’re not a Canadian resident for taxes—even if you’ve got a mansion here.

So technically, if:

You spend fewer than 183 days in Canada,
Your family and business are based abroad,
Your “center of vital interests” is outside Canada,

👉 You could legally claim non-residency for tax purposes.

⚖️ Why This Matters for B.C.

Let’s get real:

🌲 British Columbia is in the middle of a housing + affordability crisis.
💰 Local people are struggling to pay rent while billionaires park fortunes in luxury real estate.
🏬 Shopping malls and commercial properties shape whole communities — yet profits may not even stay in Canada.

When billionaires profit off B.C. land, homes, and businesses but don’t pay their fair share of taxes, that shifts the burden onto everyday people. 😡

🚩 Big Questions We Need to Ask

Should foreign billionaires be allowed to own huge chunks of Canadian real estate while claiming non-residency?
Why is it so easy to park wealth in B.C. properties with limited tax accountability?
What protections exist to stop massive tax leakage?

💡 Final Thought

Canada’s tax system wasn’t designed for global billionaires with armies of lawyers. But unless rules change, people like Liu can legally say they’re “non-resident” while living like Vancouver elites.

B.C. deserves better. We need transparency, stronger tax residency rules, and protections for ordinary residents—NOT loopholes for billionaires. 🌍✊

✨ What do you think? Should B.C. crack down on foreign billionaires claiming non-residency? Drop your thoughts below ⬇️

Sunday, September 21, 2025

How Can a Billionaire Own 3 BC Malls + a Mansion… and Still Claim Not to Be a Canadian Tax Resident?