Overview

Eligible corporations can claim a 20% refundable tax credit for qualified expenditures on scientific research and experimental development work performed in Ontario under contract with eligible research institutes.

Small businesses may claim this tax credit and the Ontario innovation tax credit on qualified expenditures.

How much you can receive

Qualified expenditures are capped at $20 million annually. The maximum annual tax credit is $4 million.

Eligibility

Eligible corporations

You can claim the credit, if the corporation:

  • carries on business in the tax year through a permanent establishment in Ontario
  • is not exempt from corporation income tax
  • entered into an eligible contract with an eligible research institute
  • is not connected to the eligible research institute

Eligible research institutes

Eligible research institutes are generally:

  • Ontario universities or Ontario community colleges
  • hospital research institutes (large teaching hospitals)
  • Ontario Centres of Excellence or federal Network of Centres of Excellence (operating in Ontario)
  • non-profit organizations designated as eligible research institutes

List: Canada Revenue Agency – Eligible Research Institutes - Please contact the Canada Revenue Agency Income Tax Rulings Directorate for questions on Eligible Research Institutes. 

Corporation connected to an eligible research institute

Your corporation is generally considered to be connected to an eligible research institute during a tax year if:

  • the eligible research institute owned shares of the corporation that:
    • carry more than 10% of the voting rights attached to voting securities
    • had a fair market value of more than 10% of the fair market value of all of the corporation’s issued shares
  • the eligible research institute and the corporation were members of the same partnership or did not deal at arm’s length
  • a partnership of which the eligible research institute is a member owned, any of the shares of the corporation
  • the corporation and the eligible research institute are connected under prescribed rules

Eligible contract

An eligible contract is an agreement between your corporation and an eligible research institute to perform scientific research and experimental development on behalf of the corporation if:

  • the scientific research and experimental development is performed in Ontario by the eligible research institute and is related to a business carried on in Canada by the corporation
  • your corporation is entitled to exploit the results of the scientific research and experimental development carried out under the agreement
  • the contract is entered into after May 6, 1997

Qualified expenditure

A qualified expenditure with an eligible research institute is:

  • made as a payment of money (not a payment-in-kind)
  • a current expenditure that qualifies for the federal investment tax credit for purposes of section 127 of the federal Income Tax Act
  • incurred for scientific research and experimental development performed by the eligible research institute in Ontario

Claiming the tax credit

Corporations may claim the tax credit on Schedule 568 and file it with their T2 corporation income tax return. Corporations should also complete and file Schedule 569 for each eligible contract.

Download Schedule 568, Ontario Business-Research Institute Tax Credit

Download Schedule 569, Ontario Business-Research Institute Tax Credit Contract Information

Get the Corporation Income Tax return, also known as the T2, from the Canada Revenue Agency

More information

The Canada Revenue Agency administers the tax credit on behalf of Ontario through the federal income tax system.

Contact the Canada Revenue Agency with your questions at 1-800-959-5525 or 1-800-665-0354 for teletypewriter (TTY).