The tax term for business losses is non-capital losses. Non capital losses can be used to reduce taxable income from a prior year or a subsequent year. If they are not used within a certain time period, then the non-capital losses expire. The time period for utilizing non-capital losses depends on the taxation year in which the losses arose:
- For taxation years ending before March 23, 2004 non capital losses can be carried back (3) three years and carried forward (7) seven year
- Non-capital losses incurred after March 23, 2004 but before 2006 can be carried forward (10) ten years and carried back (3) three years.
- Non-capital losses incurred after 2006 can be carried forward (20) twenty years and carried back three (3) years.
