The Scientific Research & Experimental Development Program
The SR&ED program is the largest tax incentive program available in Canada. The program is designed to help companies developing breakthrough technologies in all industries. Over 20,000 companies participate in the program, with benefits totalling over $4 billion.
Refundable
The program provides refunds in the form of investment tax credits. For eligible companies, this means you can receive cash back even if you have no tax liability.
Eligibile
SR&ED isn't limited to lab coats and test tubes. The program covers technological advancement and experimentation across many fields—software development, engineering, manufacturing processes, and more.
Reliable
The SR&ED program was established in 1985, and has continued to be enhanced over the last 40 years. You can file a claim on an annual basis, along with your taxes, and go back to up 18 months from the end of your fiscal year.
Our Service
How we make it happen simplifying your claims
We combine technical financial and business expertise to ensure that you get the most out of the program.
Technical
We do the technical work so you don't have to. Our staff of engineers and developers will conduct interviews with your team to gather information about your work in short order, and prepare the reports.
Financial
We work along side your accountants and bookkeepers to gather up the elgible costs. Once the financial component of the claim is prepared, we'll integrate the claim into your tax filing.
Review
As a part of each claim we prepare, we conduct a compreshensive risk analysis, using AI and statistical models we've developed in-house over the years. Should the CRA decide to review your claim, we'll be there to defend the claim and prepare any additional materials they may require.
SR&ED FAQ
Got questions?
Learn more about the details of the SR&ED program, and how MCN can help your company.
What is SR&ED?
The Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) program was established by the Government of Canada to encourage Canadian businesses to conduct research and development activities. The Canada Revenue Agency is responsible for the administration of the SR&ED program. The SR&ED program is the largest source of federal government assistance for research and development.
What are the SR&ED eligibility criteria?
In order for a project to qualify under the SR&ED program it must meet the following three criteria: Scientific or technological advancement – The work must generate information that advances the understanding of scientific relations or technologies. Scientific or technological uncertainty – Whether a given result or objective can be achieved, or how to achieve it, is unknown or cannot be determined based on generally available scientific or technological knowledge or experience. Scientific and technical content – There must be evidence that qualified personnel with relevant experience in science, technology, or engineering have conducted a systematic investigation through experiment or analysis.
Can a SR&ED claim trigger an audit?
SR&ED reviews are limited to a review of the claim itself and does not trigger a general audit of the claimant.
What SR&ED services do you provide?
We provide a comprehensive SR&ED claim service. Our human-first, AI-assisted approach starts with the preparation of technical reports through interviews with your key technical staff, preparation of costing schedules, and integration into the tax filing. In the event of a review, we'll coach you ahead of time, attend the review and prepare any additional materials the CRA may request.
In addition, our services include pro-active services where we can advise on eligibility through the year, propose activities to enhance eligibility, review SR&ED financials, and assist with board reporting requirements.
Can you help us with time tracking?
Yes. As a part of our pro-active services, our technical team can help identify gaps in your documentation and advise on how to make your processes more compliant with SR&ED. As apart of these services, we also offer monthly reporting capabilities, where our team can provide monthly summaries of your work performed, to ensure all work efforts are captured.
Do you provide SR&ED tools?
We have developed a back office suite to assist the claims preparation process, and provide comprehensive reporting. Our tools can integrate with Github, Linear, JIRA, Pivotal, Azure Devops. We can provide reporting to you on a monthly or quarterly cadence depending on your requirements. No gimmicky dashboards, just real, actionable insights to grow your claims.
Take your funding strategy to the next level
Ready to accelerate the growth of your business? Our expert team is here to help you achieve measurable growth and lasting success.
.svg)
