If you incurred a capital loss in a tax year, you can use it to offset any capital gains income in the same year, lowering your total income. If, however, you have a net capital loss for the year, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) allows you to carry those losses back up to 3 years or forward indefinitely to apply against any capital gains income. The time limits and specific application rules depend on the type of capital gain, as well as other factors.