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Contingencies | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2023
Contingencies |
Contingencies | Note 25 – Contingencies
(a) | Cobre Panama Arbitration Proceedings
Cobre Panama has been in P&SM with production halted since November 2023. First Quantum and its subsidiary, MPSA, and the GOP had been engaged in discussions regarding a revised concession contract for Cobre Panama. On November 27, 2023, the Supreme Court issued a ruling, released publicly the following day, declaring Law 406 unconstitutional. Franco-Nevada is pursuing legal avenues to protect its investment in Cobre Panama and is of the view that it has rights under international law. On November 23, 2023, the Company notified MICI of its intent to initiate arbitration to enforce its rights under international law (the “Notice of Intent”) pursuant to the Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement (the “FTA”). On February 23, 2024, the Company filed an updated Notice of Intent (the “Updated Notice of Intent”) reiterating its intent to commence arbitration under the FTA. The Updated Notice of Intent also specifies that the Company presently and preliminarily estimates its damages to be at least $5 billion, subject to further analysis and development. The Company accounts for its Cobre Panama arbitration proceedings in accordance with IAS 37 Provisions, Contingent Liabilities and Contingent Assets.
(b) | Canada Revenue Agency Audit
The CRA is conducting an audit of Franco-Nevada for the 2012-2019 taxation years. Settlement of Domestic and FAPI Reassessments In prior years, certain wholly-owned Canadian subsidiaries of the Company received Notices of Reassessment for the 2014 through 2017 taxation years (the “Domestic Reassessments”) in which the CRA increased income by adjusting the timing of the deduction of the upfront payments which were made in connection with precious metal stream agreements. This resulted in the Company being subject to an incremental payment of Federal and provincial income taxes for these years of $15.1 million (C$19.9 million) (after applying available non-capital losses and other deductions) plus interest and penalties. In addition, in a prior year, the Company received Notices of Reassessment for the 2012 and 2013 taxation years (the “FAPI Reassessments”) in relation to its Barbadian subsidiary. The FAPI Reassessments asserted that a majority of the income relating to precious metal streams earned by the Barbadian subsidiary, in those years, should have been included in the income of its Canadian parent company and subject to tax in Canada as Foreign Accrual Property Income (“FAPI”). The CRA noted that its position may not extend beyond the 2013 taxation year. The FAPI Reassessments resulted in additional Federal and provincial income taxes of $5.8 million (C$7.7 million) plus interest and penalties. On April 28, 2023, the Company reached a settlement with the CRA in respect of the Domestic and FAPI Reassessments, which provide for these reassessments to be vacated entirely on a without-cost basis. Under the settlement, the CRA accepts the manner in which the Company deducts upfront payments made in connection with precious metal stream agreements for Canadian tax purposes. This would result in no FAPI in 2012 and 2013 as computed under Canadian tax law. While the settlement of the Domestic Reassessment only addresses the taxation years that were reassessed (2014-2017), the Company’s expectation is that the manner in which it deducts upfront payments made in connection with precious metal stream agreements for Canadian tax purposes will now be accepted by the CRA for the subsequent years. The Company had posted security in cash for 50% of the reassessed amounts under the Domestic and FAPI Reassessments totaling $13.9 million (C$17.7 million). The CRA returned the full amount of the deposits to the Company. Transfer Pricing Reassessments The Company has received reassessments from the CRA made on the basis of the transfer pricing provisions in the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the “Act”). The following table provides a summary of the CRA audit and reassessment matters further detailed below: ​
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​ | CRA Position | Taxation Years Reassessed | Potential Exposure for Tax, Interest and Penalties (in millions)
Transfer Pricing (Mexico) ​ | Transfer pricing provisions in the Act apply such that a majority of the income earned by the Company’s Mexican subsidiary should be included in the income of the Company and subject to tax in Canada. ​ | 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 | For 2013-2016: Tax: $22.7 (C$29.9) Transfer pricing penalties: $9.1 (C$12.0) Interest and other penalties: $14.6 (C$19.1) ​ The amounts set forth above do not include any potential relief under the Canada-Mexico tax treaty. ​ The Company’s Mexican subsidiary ceased operations after 2016 and no reassessments for this issue are expected for subsequent years. ​
Transfer Pricing (Barbados) ​ | Transfer pricing provisions in the Act apply such that a majority of the income relating to certain precious metal streams earned by the Company’s Barbadian subsidiary should be included in the income of the Company and subject to tax in Canada. ​ | 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 ​ 2019 (proposed) | For 2014-2018, 2019 (proposed): Tax: $83.8 (C$110.7) Transfer pricing penalties: $13.3 (C$17.6) for 2014-2017; $18.4 (C$24.4) for 2018-2019 under review Interest and other penalties: $29.5 (C$39.1) ​ If the CRA were to reassess the 2020-2023 taxation years on the same basis: Tax: $242.8 (C$321.1) Transfer pricing penalties: $91.8 (C$121.4) Interest and other penalties: $33.4 (C$44.2) ​
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(i) | Mexico (2013-2016)
In December 2018 and December 2019, the Company received Notices of Reassessment from the CRA for the 2013 taxation year (the “2013 Reassessment”) and for the 2014 and 2015 taxation years (the “2014 and 2015 Reassessments”, collectively with the 2013 Reassessment, the “2013-2015 Reassessments”) in relation to its Mexican subsidiary. The reassessments were made on the basis of the transfer pricing provisions in the Act and assert that a majority of the income earned by the Mexican subsidiary should have been included in the income of the Company and subject to tax in Canada. The 2013-2015 Reassessments result in additional Federal and provincial income taxes of $19.2 million (C$25.3 million) plus estimated interest (calculated to December 31, 2023) and other penalties of $13.2 million (C$17.3 million) but before any relief under the Canada-Mexico tax treaty. The Company has filed formal Notices of Objection with the CRA against the 2013-2015 Reassessments and has posted security in the form of a standby letter of credit for 50% of the reassessed amounts, as referenced in Note 12. In December 2020, the CRA issued revised 2013-2015 Reassessments to include transfer pricing penalties of $7.8 million (C$10.3 million). The Company has filed formal Notices of Objection with the CRA against these revised reassessments and has posted security in the form of cash for 50% of the reassessed amounts of penalties, as referenced in Note 10. The Company has commenced an appeal in the Tax Court of Canada with respect to the 2013-2015 Reassessments. In December 2021, the Company received a Notice of Reassessment for the 2016 taxation year (the “2016 Reassessment”) on the same basis as the 2013-2015 Reassessments, resulting in additional Federal and provincial income taxes of $3.5 million (C$4.6 million) plus estimated interest (calculated to December 31, 2023) and other penalties of $1.4 million (C$1.8 million) but before any relief under the Canada-Mexico tax treaty. The Company has filed a formal Notice of Objection with the CRA against the 2016 Reassessment and has posted security in the form of cash for 50% of the reassessed amounts, as referenced in Note 10. On October 26, 2023, the Company received a revised 2016 Reassessment to include transfer pricing penalties of $1.3 million (C$1.7 million). Subsequent to year-end, the Company filed a formal Notice of Objection against this revised reassessment and posted security in the form of cash for 50% of the reassessed amounts of penalties. The Company’s Mexican subsidiary ceased operations after 2016 and no reassessments are expected for subsequent years. For taxation years 2013 through 2016, the Company’s Mexican subsidiary paid a total of $34.1 million (490.3 million Pesos) in cash taxes, at a 30% tax rate, to the Mexican tax authorities on income earned in Mexico. If required, the Company intends to seek relief from double taxation under the Canada-Mexico tax treaty.
(ii) | Barbados (2014-2019)
The 2014 and 2015 Reassessments also reassess the Company in relation to its Barbadian subsidiary. The reassessments were made on the basis of the transfer pricing provisions in the Act and assert that a majority of the income relating to certain precious metal streams earned by the Barbadian subsidiary should have been included in the income of the Company and subject to tax in Canada, resulting in additional Federal and provincial income taxes of $5.1 million (C$6.7 million) plus estimated interest (calculated to December 31, 2023) and other penalties of $3.3 million (C$4.4 million). As noted previously, the Company has filed formal Notices of Objection with the CRA against the 2014 and 2015 Reassessments and has posted security in the form of a standby letter of credit for 50% of the reassessed amounts, as referenced in Note 12. As noted above, in December 2020, the CRA issued revised 2014 and 2015 Reassessments to include transfer pricing penalties of $1.9 million (C$2.5 million). The Company has filed formal Notices of Objection with the CRA against these revised reassessments and has posted security in the form of cash for 50% of the reassessed amounts of penalties, as referenced in Note 10. The Company has commenced an appeal in the Tax Court of Canada with respect to the 2014-2015 Reassessments. In December 2021, the Company received the 2016 Reassessment as well as a Notice of Reassessment for the 2017 taxation year (the “2017 Reassessment”, and collectively with the 2016 Reassessment, the “2016 and 2017 Reassessments”) that reassess the Company in relation to its Barbadian subsidiary on the same basis as the 2014 and 2015 Reassessments, resulting in additional Federal and provincial income taxes of $30.1 million (C$39.8 million) plus estimated interest (calculated to December 31, 2023) and other penalties of $11.2 million (C$14.8 million). The Company has filed formal Notices of Objection with the CRA against the 2016 and 2017 Reassessments and has posted security in the form of cash for 50% of the reassessed amounts, as referenced in Note 10. On October 26, 2023, the Company received revised 2016 and 2017 Reassessments to include transfer pricing penalties of $11.4 million (C$15.1 million). Subsequent to year-end, the Company filed formal Notices of Objection against these revised reassessments and posted security in the form of cash for 50% of the reassessed amounts of penalties. On November 10, 2023, the Company received a letter from the CRA (the “Proposal Letter”) proposing to reassess the 2018 and 2019 taxation years on the same basis as the 2016 and 2017 Reassessments, resulting in additional Federal and provincial income taxes of $17.2 million (C$22.7 million) for 2018 and $31.4 million (C$41.5 million) for 2019 plus estimated interest (calculated to December 31, 2023) and other penalties of $6.5 million (C$8.6 million) for 2018 and $8.5 million (C$11.3 million) for 2019. The Proposal Letter did not include transfer pricing penalties which are currently under review. If the CRA were to apply transfer pricing penalties, the Company estimates that the amounts would be approximately $6.6 million (C$8.8 million) for 2018 and $11.8 million (C$15.6 million) for 2019. On December 6, 2023, the Company received a Notice of Reassessment for the 2018 taxation year (the “2018 Reassessment”, and collectively with the 2013-2015 Reassessments and the 2016 and 2017 Reassessments, the “Transfer Pricing Reassessments”) as proposed. The Company does not agree with the 2018 Reassessment and subsequent to year-end, filed a formal Notice of Objection with the CRA and posted security in the form of cash for 50% of the reassessed amounts. The Company does not agree with the Proposal Letter and intends to file a formal Notice of Objection when the CRA issues a Notice of Reassessment for the 2019 taxation year. If the CRA were to reassess the Company for taxation years 2020 through 2023 on the same basis and continue to apply transfer pricing penalties, the Company estimates that it would be subject to additional Canadian tax for these years of approximately $242.8 million (C$321.1 million), transfer pricing penalties of approximately $91.8 million (C$121.4 million) plus interest (calculated to December 31, 2023) and other penalties of approximately $33.4 million (C$44.2 million). Management believes that the Company and its subsidiaries have filed all tax returns and paid all applicable taxes in compliance with Canadian and applicable foreign tax laws and, as a result, no liabilities have been recorded in the financial statements of the Company for the Transfer Pricing Reassessments and the Proposal Letter, or for any potential tax exposure that may arise in respect of these matters. The Company does not believe that the Transfer Pricing Reassessments and the Proposal Letter are supported by Canadian tax law and jurisprudence and intends to vigorously defend its tax filing positions. The CRA audit is ongoing and there can be no assurance that the CRA will not further challenge the manner in which the Company or any of its subsidiaries has filed its tax returns and reported its income. In the event that the CRA successfully challenges the manner in which the Company or a subsidiary has filed its tax returns and reported its income, this could potentially result in additional income taxes, penalties and interest, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company.

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