SR&ED Outreach Program

October 11, 2024 Danielle Cooper

In December 2023, the CRA began a SR&ED Outreach Program. The program is designed to provide education to Canadian businesses interested in research and growth through innovation. This program does not replace an existing program but is a new initiative to expand innovation throughout Canada and eliminate barriers that discourage taxpayers from filing SR&ED claims. According to the CRA website, the program is available for, “industry sector representatives, professional associations, and innovation and business facilitators to support their work and help increase understanding of the SR&ED program”¹

What does the program offer?

One big question is what does the SR&ED Outreach Program offer? The program can give presentations, webinars, and distribute information products to raise awareness of the SR&ED program and what the investment tax credits available for businesses.² The CRA site states:

Our Outreach program officers can:

give a presentation for your business

display a booth or speak at an event you are organizing

provide products tailored to your industry

let you know how to access SR&ED tax incentives

direct you to online tools and other resources³

How to request assistance?

According to the CRA site, requesting a meeting with the SR&ED Outreach Program is as simple as contacting your servicing tax services office. If you are uncertain which office to contact, please reference this page.

Other SR&ED learning opportunities

How is the SR&ED Outreach Program different from other CRA programs geared at sharing information on SR&ED and offering taxpayer assistance?

Webinars: The CRA offers webinars on SR&ED basics both in English and in French. These webinars cover various SR&ED topics and are offered at specific times posted by the CRA.
Self-Assessment and Learning Tool (SALT): This tool is provided by the CRA to allow taxpayers to see if their work is SR&ED eligible, provide an estimated refund, and understand the documents and information required to claim SR&ED.
Pre-Claim Consultation: You may request a virtual consultation on up to 3 projects a year for a SR&ED technical advisor to determine if you conducted SR&ED eligible work in those projects, answer questions, and offer advice before you file your claim.
First Time Claimant Advisory Service (FTCAS): This is a mandatory virtual service for selected first time claimants (or those who have not filed in the past 3 years) that provides recommendations and guidance for future claims.

Conclusion

The CRA is constantly trying to meet the needs of taxpayers and offering programs to provide information on the SR&ED program. Seeking this type of assistance can be beneficial as you, the taxpayer, and the CRA will be on the same page regarding your claim and SR&ED eligibility. The Canadian Council of Innovators gave an interview about SR&ED consultations, which we have written about here. For more information on FTCAS please see our article here. Another great source for information on SR&ED is our website SR&ED Education and Resources and through SR&ED consultants like The InGenuity Group.