Taxpayer’s Ombudsman: Issues of service and fairness within the SR&ED program
The Office of the Taxpayer’s Ombudsman released word on their investigation into the Canadian SR&ED program this week. The OTO committed to looking into the program’s service and administrative fairness after hearing of “dissatisfaction” with the SR&ED program from claimants and representatives. The OTO set out with a firm objective: “Through research and analysis, we […]
Harper signals Canada’s looming R&D revamp
Canadian Prime Minister Harper reiterated possible amendments to the Canadian SR&ED program at the World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland on Thursday. “We believe that Canada’s less than optimal results for those investments is a significant problem for our country,” Mr. Harper stated. Suggested changes, as previously mentioned by the Globe and Mail, follow from the much-discussed […]
Harper hints at R&D tax break overhaul
Prime Minister Stephen Harper is hinting that Ottawa will overhaul a $3.5-billion SR&ED program. The recent Jenkins Report recommended that the SR&ED tax credit be made simpler and smaller. Among suggested changes to the Scientific Research & Experimental Development program, the report suggests that the credit should be limited to labour costs, and that the […]
Productivity is Innovation, Not Invention
On October 17, 2011, the federally appointed panel, chaired by Open Text chief strategy officer Tom Jenkins, released an assessment of the government’s $7-billion in annual investment in “business R&D”. The report recommended significant changes to the incentive programs and singled out the Scientific Research & Experimental Development (SR&ED) tax credit, the largest program, which […]