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Income taxes | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2019
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract] |
Income taxes | Income taxes The provision for income taxes in the consolidated statements of operations represents an effective tax rate different than the Canadian enacted statutory rate of 26.5% (2018 - 26.5%). The differences are as follows:
| 2019 |  | 2018
Expected income tax expense at Canadian statutory rate | $ | 147,093 |  |  | $ | 35,102 |
Increase (decrease) resulting from: |  |  |
Effect of differences in tax rates on transactions in and within foreign jurisdictions and change in tax rates | (27,703 | ) |  | (28,064 | )
Adjustments from investments carried at fair value | (60,730 | ) |  | 25,870 |
Non-controlling interests share of income | 16,991 |  |  | 29,637 |
Non-deductible acquisition costs | 2,500 |  |  | 4,267 |
Tax credits | (9,332 | ) |  | (1,419 | )
Adjustment relating to prior periods | (1,240 | ) |  | 3,673 |
U.S. Tax reform and related deferred tax adjustments (1) | — |  |  | (18,363 | )
Other | 2,538 |  |  | 2,669 |
Income tax expense | $ | 70,117 |  |  | $ | 53,372 |
(1) In 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ("Tax Act") implemented significant changes to U.S. tax legislation, including a reduction in the U.S. federal corporate income tax from 35% to 21%, effective January 1, 2018. The Company’s U.S. entities were required to remeasure their deferred tax assets and liabilities at the new corporate income tax rate as at the date of enactment. In 2018, an adjustment related to the implementation of U.S. Tax Reform resulted in a non-cash accounting benefit of $18,363, which was recorded in the Company's 2018 consolidated statement of operations. For the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, earnings before income taxes consist of the following:
| 2019 |  | 2018
Canada | $ | 351,908 |  |  | $ | (109,537 | )
U.S. | 203,159 |  |  | 241,998 |
| $ | 555,067 |  |  | $ | 132,461 |
Income tax expense (recovery) attributable to income (loss) consists of:
| Current |  | Deferred |  | Total
Year ended December 31, 2019 |  |  |  |  |
Canada | $ | 6,695 |  |  | $ | 17,607 |  |  | $ | 24,302 |
United States | 9,736 |  |  | 36,079 |  |  | 45,815 |
| $ | 16,431 |  |  | $ | 53,686 |  |  | $ | 70,117 |
Year ended December 31, 2018 |  |  |  |  |
Canada | $ | 2,872 |  |  | $ | (14,197 | ) |  | $ | (11,325 | )
United States | 8,475 |  |  | 56,222 |  |  | 64,697 |
| $ | 11,347 |  |  | $ | 42,025 |  |  | $ | 53,372 |
18. | Income taxes (continued)
The tax effect of temporary differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases that give rise to significant portions of the deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 are presented below:
| 2019 |  | 2018
Deferred tax assets: |  |  |
Non-capital loss, investment tax credits, currently non-deductible interest expenses, and financing costs | $ | 382,448 |  |  | $ | 329,099 |
Pension and OPEB | 54,113 |  |  | 48,586 |
Environmental obligation | 15,541 |  |  | 14,790 |
Regulatory liabilities | 160,200 |  |  | 161,560 |
Other | 59,103 |  |  | 45,193 |
Total deferred income tax assets | $ | 671,405 |  |  | $ | 599,228 |
Less: valuation allowance | (29,447 | ) |  | (28,018 | )
Total deferred tax assets | $ | 641,958 |  |  | $ | 571,210 |
Deferred tax liabilities: |  |  |
Property, plant and equipment | $ | 707,185 |  |  | $ | 653,962 |
Outside basis in partnership | 235,063 |  |  | 167,659 |
Regulatory accounts | 145,852 |  |  | 113,758 |
Other | 14,811 |  |  | 7,561 |
Total deferred tax liabilities | $ | 1,102,911 |  |  | $ | 942,940 |
Net deferred tax liabilities | $ | (460,953 | ) |  | $ | (371,730 | )
Consolidated balance sheets classification: |  |  |
Deferred tax assets | $ | 30,585 |  |  | $ | 72,415 |
Deferred tax liabilities | (491,538 | ) |  | (444,145 | )
Net deferred tax liabilities | $ | (460,953 | ) |  | $ | (371,730 | )
The valuation allowance for deferred tax assets as at December 31, 2019 was $29,447 (2018 - $28,018). The valuation allowance primarily relates to operating losses that, in the judgment of management, are not more likely than not to be realized. In assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, management considers whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in which those temporary differences become deductible. Management considers the scheduled reversal of deferred tax liabilities (including the impact of available carryback and carryforward periods), projected future taxable income, and tax-planning strategies in making this assessment. As of December 31, 2019, the Company had non-capital losses carried forward available to reduce future years' taxable income, which expire as follows:
Year of expiry | Non-capital loss carryforwards
2020 and onwards | $ | 1,091,322 |
The Company has provided for deferred income taxes for the estimated tax cost of distributed earnings of certain of its subsidiaries. Deferred income taxes have not been provided on approximately $370,682 of undistributed earnings of certain foreign subsidiaries, as the Company has concluded that such earnings are indefinitely reinvested and should not give rise to additional tax liabilities. A determination of the amount of the unrecognized tax liability relating to the remittance of such undistributed earnings is not practicable.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for income taxes. Disclosures may include net deferred tax liability or asset recognized in an enterprise's statement of financial position, net change during the year in the total valuation allowance, approximate tax effect of each type of temporary difference and carryforward that gives rise to a significant portion of deferred tax liabilities and deferred tax assets, utilization of a tax carryback, and tax uncertainties information. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2144680 + Details
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