Released on April 4, 2017
The Government of Saskatchewan’s 2017-18 Budget introduced the Saskatchewan Commercial Innovation Incentive (SCII), North America’s first of its kind “patent box” style incentive.
This program will reduce the provincial Corporate Income Tax rate for eligible corporations to six per cent for a period of 10 years—on taxable income earned from the commercialization of a broad range of qualifying types of intellectual property in Saskatchewan. This includes patents, plant breeders’ rights, trade secrets and copyright (computer programs and algorithms).
Eligible corporations will be able to extend the benefit period to 15 years if the majority of the related research and development has been conducted in the province. Further, eligible corporations can decide when to begin their 10 or 15 year Corporate Income Tax rebate period—a flexibility which will allow firms to scale-up operations and profitability before they start claiming their tax rebate. The SCII is open to any company in the world operating in any sector, regardless of where or when the research and development for the qualifying intellectual property occurred.
“This new tax incentive has been designed to improve our investment climate across all innovation sectors, and will position Saskatchewan as a world-class destination for companies looking to bring new innovations to market,” Economy Minister Jeremy Harrison said. “It supports our government’s commitment to Saskatchewan’s future economic success, which will depend increasingly on knowledge and innovation.”
Qualification for the SCII will be determined using criteria outlined in the program’s established scientific and economic eligibility tests.
The Government of Saskatchewan is pleased to have the National Research Council-Industrial Research Assistance Program as a program partner in assessing scientific eligibility applications.
“Introducing this incentive will help diversify and strengthen our economy by advancing multiple priorities of the Saskatchewan Plan for Growth,” Harrison said. “It will also create greater opportunities to secure foreign direct investment and attract entrepreneurial talent to our province.”
The SCII will come into effect in summer, 2017.
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For more information, contact:
Deb Young
Economy
Regina
Phone: 306-787-4765
Email: deb.young@gov.sk.ca