The cost of a federal tax credit, once called an "open bar" for companies, is getting close to what it was 10 years ago when the Conservative government reduced the subsidy..According to Blacklock’s Reporter, a federal report said that over 16,000 companies are now using the Scientific Research and Experimental Development tax credit..“The Scientific Research and Experimental Development program is the largest Government of Canada program supporting research and development in Canada,” said a Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) report. .“It is providing more than $3 billion in tax credits to over 16,000 businesses annually.”.For money spent on salaries and equipment used for research and development, the program gives a 15% tax credit..In 2012, the government reduced the credit from 20% due to complaints about misuse. They also set a $1,000 fine for fake applications..The government reduced eligible contractor costs to 80% and wage claims from 65% to 55% and stopped allowing lease costs. This lowered the program's costs from $4.1 billion to $2.7 billion in 2017..The CRA now was “seen to go the extra mile” for claimants, said the report Qualitative Research On Scientific Research And Experimental Development Client Portal. “Claimants who participated in interviews are highly motivated to submit claims,” it added..“It’s really attractive,” researchers quoted one business owner. .“If we get it back quickly, then we can meet payroll,” said another. .“I’m a big, big fan,” said a third..“The Canada Revenue Agency is seen to go the extra mile by giving personalized direction through its first-time claimant advisory service, and for experienced claimants when the process is consistently dependable year over year,” wrote researchers..The program was launched in 1963. Claims peaked at 27,000 a year by 2010. Access to Information records showed many claims were “debatable” – an average of 16% were rejected – and that companies would apply repeatedly, resulting in a “mountain of requests, some of them frivolous.”.“You can’t have an uncapped program without a focus on compliance or else it would be an ‘open bar,’” said a 2012 Revenue Agency report SR&ED Tax Incentive Program: An Appraisal. .“Since determining a project’s scientific eligibility to an investment tax credit is often a debatable point, claimants and their associations, as well as claim preparers, are incentivized to continuously test and push the boundaries of eligibility.”.In 2012, the year they did the "open bar" audit, about 23,000 companies got credits. However, 11% of these claims were not allowed. The total amount of these ineligible claims was $425 million.
