How Can Companies Qualify for R&D Tax Incentives?

The SR&ED (Scientific Research and Experimental Development) tax incentive program is offered by the government of Canada. This program offers tax credits and refunds to companies of all sizes that do research in Canada. Just last year, more than $4.5 billion was given out in tax credits by the government of Canada.


Some facts about the R&D tax incentives:

1. They are available to both big and small companies.
2. The tax credit can be applied to the taxes your company owes, or if you owe less than the credit, you can get a refund from the program.
3. The tax credits can be applied to taxes from the previous three years or the next 20 years.
4. There are also local R&D tax incentives in many of the Canadian provinces.
5. The R&D tax incentives are available for a wide variety of R&D operations and apply to many businesses in the country.


What types of companies can qualify for the R&D tax incentives?

All companies from small partnerships to giant multinational companies can qualify for the R&D tax incentives. As long as a company does R&D work in Canada, it will most likely qualify.

Business owners will be amazed at how much they can save on taxes. All Canadian-controlled private corporations are eligible for up to 35% of the first $2 million they spend and 20% after that. Smaller companies like partnerships and trusts can get back as much as 20% of the money they spend on research and development.


These R&D tax incentives are applicable for work that includes:

1. Developing new products, devices, or materials.
2. Significantly improving current products, devices, or materials.
3. Developing new ways of manufacturing goods or improving the current methods.
4. Developing new work methods or improving current methods.
5. Decreasing the negative effect that a business has on the environment (including business practices and products.
6. Working on technological advances.

According to the Canadian Revenue Authority (CRA), the R&D projects that companies conduct have to provide advancement for how we understand scientific relations or technologies, focus on uncertainties in science and technology, and involve systematic investigation done by qualified staff. The CRA gives examples of work that qualifies for the SR&ED tax incentives such as experimental development, applied research, basic research, and work that supports research.  Most companies can benefit by hiring a SR&ED consultant such as Evamax Group - a trusted SRED consulting firm in Ontario.

The CRA also offers example of activities that will not qualify for the tax incentives such as typical business activities that companies do as part of producing and manufacturing goods, researching for marketing and sales purposes, and testing products. Also not included is changing the style of the products. Companies will also not qualify for the R&D tax incentives if they are involved in mineral, gas, or petroleum prospecting or are doing research in the field of humanities or social science.