#SR&ED Consulting in Calgary | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

banhall · 2 months ago

Text

Unlocking Innovation: SR&ED Consulting in Calgary

Calgary is known not only for its thriving energy sector but also for a growing tech and innovation scene. SR&ED Consulting in Calgary plays a critical role in helping businesses of all sizes tap into valuable federal tax incentives designed to support research and development efforts.

Whether you're in advanced manufacturing, software development, clean tech, or biotech, the Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) program can significantly reduce your tax burden and free up resources for further growth.

Why Calgary Businesses are Embracing SR&ED

Over the past few years, Calgary has evolved into a hotspot for innovation. From startups in East Village to established firms in the downtown core, companies are increasingly investing in R&D to stay competitive. However, navigating the SR&ED tax credit system can be complex, especially for founders and financial managers juggling multiple priorities.

This is where specialized support comes in. By working with consultants who understand both the local business landscape and the SR&ED program inside out, Calgary-based companies can ensure their claims are accurate, complete, and audit-ready.

Common SR&ED-Eligible Activities Across Industries

It’s a misconception that SR&ED only applies to white-lab-coat science or big-budget labs. In fact, many companies unknowingly engage in eligible activities as part of their everyday operations. For example:

Software Development: Creating custom platforms, solving technical uncertainties, or optimizing algorithms.

Engineering & Manufacturing: Prototyping new components, developing automation systems, or enhancing product performance.

Agriculture & Food Tech: Experimenting with crop yields, designing new processing techniques, or integrating precision technology.

Oil & Gas Services: Developing more efficient tools, environmental tech, or data analytics platforms for operations.

Each of these sectors thrives in Calgary’s diverse economy, making the SR&ED program highly relevant across the board.

The Strategic Value of Working with SR&ED Experts

Even though the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) provides guidance on eligible projects, translating that into a successful claim can be time-consuming and technical. SR&ED consulting firms streamline this process by:

Identifying eligible activities and expenses

Preparing detailed technical narratives

Aligning documentation with CRA expectations

Offering audit support when necessary

For Calgary businesses that are scaling rapidly or diversifying into new products, having this level of support can be the difference between leaving money on the table and fully capturing their R&D value.

How Documentation Makes or Breaks an SR&ED Claim

One of the most overlooked aspects of SR&ED success is documentation. Too often, businesses don’t keep the right kind of records or leave it until the last minute. SR&ED consultants help implement proactive tracking systems that integrate seamlessly with daily operations.

This ensures that when it’s time to file, your time logs, project notes, technical milestones, and costing are already in order. Not only does this improve the chances of a successful claim, but it also reduces the risk of penalties or disallowed expenses in the event of a CRA review.

Maximizing Cash Flow Through R&D Tax Credits

SR&ED incentives come in the form of either refundable or non-refundable tax credits, depending on your company’s size and tax status. For smaller Canadian-controlled private corporations (CCPCs), the refund can be as high as 35% of eligible expenditures. This can translate into substantial cash injections that are reinvested into the business.

Companies in Calgary often pair SR&ED claims with other forms of innovation funding, such as IRAP, Alberta Innovates, or private grants. SR&ED consultants can help develop a funding strategy that considers timing, stacking rules, and long-term business planning.

The Local Advantage: Why Calgary-Based SR&ED Services Matter

Working with consultants who are embedded in the Calgary business ecosystem provides tangible benefits. Local SR&ED experts are familiar with the region’s economic drivers, industry-specific challenges, and innovation clusters. They know what the CRA expects and understand how R&D looks within the context of Calgary's unique business climate. For More Info Click Here

Furthermore, face-to-face collaboration fosters better communication and deeper understanding of your projects. It also helps build long-term relationships that go beyond a single tax season.

Planning Ahead: When to Start the SR&ED Process

The best time to start thinking about SR&ED isn’t at year-end—it’s at project kickoff. By engaging consultants early, companies can integrate SR&ED tracking into their workflows from day one. This leads to more accurate claims and better alignment between technical teams and financial reporting.

In Calgary’s fast-paced sectors, innovation doesn’t wait. Businesses that treat SR&ED as part of their overall R&D strategy, rather than a once-a-year tax task, tend to see the best results.

#SR&ED Consulting in Calgary

0 notes

gconsulting01 · 4 months ago

Text

#best sred consultant

0 notes

artificial-intelligence-related · 1 year ago

Text

Software Development Companies in Canada: Pioneering the Digital Frontier

Canada has emerged as a global leader in the tech industry, with its vibrant ecosystem of software development companies driving innovation and growth. Software development companies in Canada are at the forefront of developing cutting-edge technologies, providing a wide range of services from custom software solutions to mobile app development, and playing a crucial role in the digital transformation of various industries.

The Canadian Software Development Scene

Canada’s software development industry is thriving, thanks to a combination of a highly skilled workforce, supportive government policies, and a strong focus on research and development. Cities like Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, and Calgary host numerous software development companies that cater to both local and international clients. These companies range from large multinational corporations to dynamic startups, all contributing to the country’s reputation as a tech hub.

Noteworthy Canadian Software Development Companies

Several Canadian software development companies have gained international recognition for their expertise and innovative solutions. Here are a few that stand out:

Shopify: Based in Ottawa, Shopify is a leading e-commerce platform that helps businesses create and manage online stores. Shopify’s success story exemplifies the innovation and entrepreneurial spirit thriving in Canada.

Blackberry: Once a dominant player in the mobile phone market, Blackberry has reinvented itself as a software company focusing on cybersecurity and Internet of Things (IoT) solutions. Its transformation showcases the adaptability and forward-thinking nature of Canadian tech companies.

CGI Group: Headquartered in Montreal, CGI is one of the world’s largest IT and business consulting services firms. It offers a wide range of services, including systems integration, consulting, and outsourcing, to clients across various industries.

Hootsuite: This Vancouver-based company provides a widely-used social media management platform, helping businesses streamline their social media strategies and enhance their online presence.

The Role of Innovation and Research

Innovation is a key driver for software development companies in Canada. Many of these companies invest heavily in research and development (R&D) to stay ahead of the curve. Canadian universities and research institutions also play a significant role in fostering innovation, often collaborating with tech companies to advance technology and develop new solutions.

Government initiatives and funding programs further support this innovative ecosystem. Programs such as the Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) tax incentive offer financial benefits to companies engaging in R&D activities, encouraging them to invest in new technologies and processes.

A Rich Talent Pool

Canada’s diverse and highly educated workforce is another critical factor contributing to the success of its software development industry. The country’s universities and colleges produce a steady stream of graduates in computer science, engineering, and related fields. Additionally, Canada’s immigration policies are designed to attract skilled workers from around the world, further bolstering the talent pool available to software development companies.

Facing Challenges and Seizing Opportunities

Despite its strengths, the software development industry in Canada faces several challenges. These include intense global competition, the need for continuous innovation, and growing concerns around cybersecurity and data privacy. However, these challenges also present opportunities for growth and differentiation.

Canadian software development companies are increasingly focusing on emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, and IoT to maintain their competitive edge. By leveraging these technologies, they can develop innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of their clients and stay ahead in the global market.

Conclusion

Software development companies in Canada are playing a pivotal role in shaping the digital future. With a strong emphasis on innovation, a talented workforce, and supportive government policies, Canada is well-positioned to continue its growth as a leading player in the global tech industry. As these companies push the boundaries of technology, they are not only driving economic growth but also transforming the way businesses operate and deliver value to their customers. The future looks promising for software development in Canada, with endless possibilities for innovation and success.

#technology #software development #canada

0 notes

abroadeducation · 5 years ago

Text

Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP)

Overview

You may have just a single Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program application in the process whenever. Don't re-apply on the off chance that you have just presented an application under the Employer-Driven Stream or Strategic Recruitment Stream stamped at the very latest June 14, 2018. You should withdraw your first application before you can present another application.

On the off chance that you have chosen to live in Alberta, at that point you have settled on an awesome decision. Alberta is one of Canada's most unique regions noted for its staggering characteristic magnificence, solid condition, social assorted variety, enthusiastic networks, and a solid economy. It is situated in Western Canada and circumscribed by the Canadian Rocky Mountains toward the west and tremendous pampas and barren wilderness toward the east. Alberta is viewed as one of Canada's most prosperous regions and is perceived worldwide for its elevated expectation of living. Alberta is the quickest developing area in the nation, with its populace outperforming the 4,000,000 imprints just because. It is regularly called "vitality territory" since it is the world chief in the oil and gas industry. On account of the plenitude of work openings, the territory has gotten one of the top goals for movement to Canada.

There is a low degree of joblessness and appeal for laborers in the area. Alberta's normal pay and compensation rate are exceptionally serious with the remainder of Canada. The individuals of this area have the most elevated normal consolidated salary in Canada. Additionally, the 'Vitality Province' is perhaps the most secure territory of Canada with exceptionally low crime percentages. It is truth be told, a lovely spot to live and raise a family. Check your profile in Alberta Occupation in Demand Stream to apply Canada PNPs.

Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP)

Would you like to make Alberta your permanent home? Regardless of whether you're as of nowhere, or need to Immigrate from another nation, we'll assist you with finding the correct Canadian migration program. There is an understanding made by the area with the administration of Canada to draw in gifted transients for the changeless living arrangement. The Alberta Ministry of Employment Immigration and Industry are associated with dynamic to draw in and designate outsiders who match abilities required in Alberta PNP qualification. Ascertain you Alberta PNP Points free and simple.

The ALBERTA PROVINCIAL NOMINEE PROGRAM (AINP) is an administration movement program that chooses candidates who exhibit they have the potential and the craving to move and settle themselves and their families in the Canadian region of Alberta. The AINP is the pathway for the possibility to apply for Canadian Permanent Residence. Through this program, the planned foreigners who have the correct sort of abilities and work experience that is required by the Alberta Immigration office may get an Alberta Provincial Nomination Certificate.

Different Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program Immigration Streams:

The region of Alberta gives you the alternative of choosing the movement programs that best suits your Alberta PNP qualification conditions and the individual inclination. Check which AINP class is generally alluring for your definitive Canadian Immigration.

Alberta Express Entry Stream

Alberta Opportunity Stream

Alberta Self-Employed Farmer Stream

Alberta Express Entry Stream: This stream permits the Government of Alberta to choose the applicants who have their profiles in the express section pool. An effective assignment under this stream will give 600 extra points towards the general Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) Score.

Alberta Opportunity Stream: This stream permits people who are at present working in Alberta in a qualified occupation to apply for the AINP commonplace designation. The Alberta Opportunity Stream supplanted two manager driven streams on June 14, 2018. Those streams were Strategic Recruitment Stream (SRS) and Employer-Driven Stream (EDS).

Alberta Self-Employed Farmer Stream: This stream permits candidates having cultivating experience and individual assets to build up a homestead in Alberta to apply for a perpetual home. Along these lines, to deal with your cultivating business, this stream is totally reasonable.

Alberta is the second most famous movement goal for newcomers outperforming British Columbia. From past numerous years the ongoing portion of migrants has expanded from 6.9 percent in 2001 to 17.1 percent in 2016. The capital city Edmonton and other bigger urban areas like Calgary and a couple of not many networks have encountered monetary development.

Alberta PNP Requirements and Checklist

The candidates applying for ALBERTA IMMIGRATION Nominee Program must have the option to outfit certain reports that are basic for fruitful migration. The Alberta Government require the itemized data of the candidate going to their region for all time upheld by the documents. The documents differ as per the particular stream under which a candidate is applying.

In this way, an applicant just as his/her manager must set up the require documents and submit them to Alberta government as an essential assignment for moving to the province. As you are a gifted and capable individual applying through AINP, consider the beneath rundown of significant documents and prepare them.

The Documents Required for Alberta PNP Nomination Vary By Case to Case But In General, Include the Following:

Copy of Passport

Birth certificate

Marriage certificate

Address proof

Financial documents

NOI letter from Alberta Military records, if applicable

Police clearance certificate

Court, police, and jail records, if applicable

Prior-marriage termination papers, if applicable

Immigration violation records, if applicable

Employment proof (offer letter, a reference letter, relieving letter, etc.)

English language test evidence

Read More About Below Links:

New Rules to Apply for Alberta PNP in 2020

Canada Express Entry a Merit-Based Immigration System

Canada Express Entry Enables Semi-Skilled Workers to Apply For PNP

Check the Below Videos:

youtube

#Alberta Immigration #Alberta PNP #Alberta Provincial Nominee Program #Canada Express Entry #Immigration to Canada

0 notes

mikemortgage · 6 years ago

Text

Ottawa ’bending over backward’ for foreign tech giants at the expense of homegrown stars, insiders say

The centrepiece of Canada’s innovation strategy is the $950-million “supercluster” initiative. The goal, according to the federal government, is for companies of all sizes, academia and the non-profit sector to collaborate on new technologies, to spur economic growth and create jobs. As part of the Innovation Nation series, the Financial Post is taking an in-depth look at each of the five regional projects, and provide continuing coverage of their progress. You can find all of our coverage here.

Carl Rodrigues recalls being thrilled in August 2017 to have a sitting prime minister visit him at a Toronto hotel to discuss the future of his burgeoning company.

Just one detail was different than what he was hoping for. The visiting prime minister was not Justin Trudeau, but Ireland’s Leo Varadkar, who made a point of making SOTI Inc. one of the few private-sector companies he visited during a summer trip to Canada.

SOTI had written to Trudeau seven months earlier, inviting him to attend the unveiling of its future headquarters in Mississauga, Ont., which will eventually support some 1,100 jobs focused on mobility and the Internet of Things technologies.

But Trudeau declined to visit the potentially important research facility, though he did find the time, in January 2018, to visit several foreign tech juggernauts in Silicon Valley, including Amazon.com Inc. chief executive Jeff Bezos.

Canadian executives roundly consider such mild snubs from the Trudeau government to be a familiar occurrence, saying it points to Ottawa’s ready embrace of foreign tech companies at the expense of domestic firms, making it hard for scrappy young tech firms to find the attention and affordable workers they need to grow to commercial scale.

Rodrigues, the founder and chief executive of SOTI, is broadly supportive of Ottawa’s efforts to spur innovation, but said there is an instinctual, and often contradictory, support of Canadian companies’ multinational rivals that could have real consequences for the country’s broader economy.

Innovation Nation: What Canadian companies need to thrive in the cutthroat global ideas economy

How smart cities may be too smart for their own good

The secret sauce that’s made Montreal a global hot spot for making video games

Read all of the Innovation Nation series

“While this government has been bending over backward to bring multinational companies to Canada, Canadian companies have been expanding internationally,” Rodrigues said.

Varadkar’s visit certainly appears to have yielded fruit for both SOTI and Ireland. In August 2018, SOTI announced it would spend roughly $30 million to build a branch office in Galway that would employ 150 people. The company is mulling further expansions in the country as it grows.

But industry insiders warn that the growth of multinational tech giants in Canada and the influence they wield over government policy, if left unchecked, could suffocate domestic firms on their home turf.

“It’s really these (Canadian) companies that are going to be the centre of the economy,” said Benjamin Bergen, executive director of the Council for Canadian Innovators (CCI). “If we don’t have big, successful tech companies, we’re going to find it hard to pay for the social programs that we as Canadians care about.”

CCI was founded in 2015 by Jim Balsillie, the former co-CEO of Research in Motion Ltd., which built BlackBerry into one of Canada’s few homegrown success stories. The council lobbies Ottawa to introduce policies it believes will allow the Canadian tech space to flourish, along with the roughly 100 executives it represents.

Much of CCI’s concern revolves around intellectual property rights.

In an increasingly digital economy, where data points are like the new oil barrels, IP rights are the lifeblood of any tech company. But because of the borderless nature of IP, companies such as Amazon or Google LLC can develop software ideas at branch plants all over the world, then sell the resulting products from those ideas through their central headquarters — typically in the U.S.

That process has led to criticism of such branch plants in Canada, which allow U.S. companies to develop IP while providing Canada little in the way of tax benefits or local job creation.

“My opinion is that government doesn’t know how to properly attribute the value of intellectual property developed by Canadians, as opposed to foreign branch plants,” said Craig McLellan, founder of ThinkOn, a data management company.

CCI has also decried the recent opening of human resources companies such as MobSquad in Calgary and Terminal Inc. in Waterloo, Ont., saying they provide little long-term value to the domestic economy because they channel much-needed Canadian workers into roles at non-Canadian firms.

The grand opening in October of MobSquad, which hires local engineers and developers on behalf of clients based in Silicon Valley, was attended by Minster of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Navdeep Bains, who has been central to Ottawa’s innovation efforts since 2015.

Bains appears to have aspirations to help build the next billion-dollar tech company in Canada. According to documents obtained by The Logic, an online news outlet, Ottawa believes it can create 10 technology companies worth more than $1 billion over the next 10 years, assuming the right policies are introduced.

McLellan and other executives appreciate the government’s newfound focus on technology under Bains and Trudeau, but say they have yet to see the necessary attention paid toward local companies.

As an example, McLellan points to a procurement bid opened in August 2018 by the federal IT agency Shared Services Canada (SSC), which was looking for private companies to consolidate a number of public data centres across the country.

As part of the bid, however, Ottawa stipulated that the firms had to have completed at least five prior data transfer jobs worth $10 million or more, ruling out virtually every Canadian tech firm, favouring multinationals such as IBM Corp. and Microsoft Corp.

Finding enough talent is another issue Canadian companies say they have, though foreign tech giants have strained the labour pool across the globe, not just in Toronto and Vancouver, said David Ticoll, fellow at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy.

“If you go to Silicon Valley, you’ll hear mid-size companies complaining about exactly the same issue, which is that the mega players are hiring all the best talent in these advanced fields,” he said.

Ticoll, like others, stresses that the problem is not new, but it’s difficult for Canadian policymakers to solve: neglecting to embrace multinational firms would make Ottawa seem closed to foreign investment, while letting them in threatens to put a damper on local industry.

CCI said Canada could begin to address the problem by barring foreign tech companies from accessing the Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) Program, a tax credit that allows companies to write off R&D expenses. Currently Ottawa dishes out roughly $3 billion a year to cover such writeoffs.

In Ottawa, opposition MPs have a darker theory. Some say the problem is at least partly a result of the Trudeau government’s cozy relationship with lobbyists who represent foreign tech firms, which has benefited firms such as Facebook Inc. and Google.

For example, John Brodhead, a former chief of staff to Liberal ministers Amarjeet Sohi and Jane Philpott, left the party in April 2018 for a senior position at Sidewalk Labs, Google’s ambitious plan to build a digitally-connected urban space on Toronto’s waterfront.

The federal government, along with its partners, is one of the owners of the site where the project will be built. Brodhead played a key role in crafting Liberal infrastructure policy when Sohi was overseeing the file, which includes expanding digital infrastructure in Canada.

Similarly, Leslie Church, now chief of staff to Minister of Women and Gender Equality Maryam Monsef, came from a senior position at Google Canada in 2015. Before her role at Google, she had worked as an adviser to Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff. And Kevin Chan, formerly a policy director for Ignatieff, is now a senior executive at Facebook Canada.

“They have been so embedded with this Liberal government that decisions have been made that I don’t think are in the interests of Canadians, but are very much to the advantage of the data-opolies,” NDP MP Charlie Angus said.

“I think with this government, it was a belief that by being seen hanging with Google, hanging with Facebook, with Amazon, it would give them cachet. That might have been true in 2008, but I think it’s really out of place in 2018.”

On the other hand, policymakers around the world, not just Canada, are increasingly willing to attract companies any way they can.

For example, the Irish prime minister’s visit to SOTI’s facilities was part of a larger years-long effort to attract foreign tech firms to the country, often through a series of tailored government supports, consultancy services and tax breaks.

Tech companies have taken notice. Ireland has lured a number of sizeable players in recent years, including Facebook, which recently announced it would be expanding its Dublin headquarters and doubling current staff to around 8,000.

Rodrigues said that even a small gesture by government can have an outsized impact on a medium-sized firm such as SOTI, particularly as governments from Israel to Chile are aggressively picking off the most promising young startups.

“It’s an incredible honour to have the head of a country visit your operations, show an interest in your company, and talk to you one-on-one about the kinds of policies and supports he can offer you,” he said. “I don’t want to leave Canada, this is where I want to grow my company. But it’s hard when all these countries are throwing incentives in your face.”

• Email: [email protected] | Twitter: jesse_snyder

from Financial Post http://bit.ly/2Ge2WXv via IFTTT Blogger Mortgage Tumblr Mortgage Evernote Mortgage Wordpress Mortgage href="https://www.diigo.com/user/gelsi11">Diigo Mortgage

#IFTTT #Financial Post

0 notes

txks04a-blog-blog · 7 years ago

Text

‘Canadian style’ innovation strategy has to stop being nice and start picking winners

New Post has been published on http://dougsays.net/2018/11/15/canadian-style-innovation-strategy-has-to-stop-being-nice-and-start-picking-winners/

‘Canadian style’ innovation strategy has to stop being nice and start picking winners

Canada has a rich history of innovation, but in the next few decades, powerful technological forces will transform the global economy. Large multinational companies have jumped out to a headstart in the race to succeed, and Canada runs the risk of falling behind. At stake is nothing less than our prosperity and economic well-being. The FP set out explore what is needed for businesses to flourish and grow. Over the next three months, we’ll talk to some of the innovators, visionaries and scientists on the cutting edge of the new cutthroat economy about a blueprint for Canadian success. You can find all of our coverage here.

OTTAWA — Oilmen often fancy themselves as self-reliant innovators, never in need of government handouts. But it was a Crown corporation, the Alberta Oil Sands Technology and Research Authority, that rode to its rescue in the 1970s with funding for steam-assisted gravity drainage technology, which eventually unlocked a new wave of growth in the oilpatch.

SAGD revived the sputtering industry, and is now expected to drive growth in the oilsands.

“Without it there wouldn’t have been an oilsands industry in Alberta,” said Dan Breznitz, professor and Munk Chair of Innovation Studies.

AOSTRA was seen as a template for how government-funded innovation ought to work: a temporary program crafted to meet private sector needs, and singularly focused on achieving one goal. But fast forward nearly 50 years, and it seems Canadian policymakers have taken few lessons from the program.

Despite spending piles of money on research and development in recent years, Canada’s innovation space remains a messy tangle of government grant programs, tax credits and the newly-minted “supercluster” initiative, often with sprawling and ill-defined goals. Business investment in R&D, meanwhile, has stagnated. Many Canadian business leaders are calling for a reset.

Business sector spending on research and development has been in steady decline since 2001, falling from 1.2 per cent of GDP down to 0.9 per cent in 2015, well below a 16-country average of 1.7 per cent, according to the Conference Board of Canada. That decline has come despite a steady rise in R&D spending in the public sector, particularly by higher education institutions, which has outpaced spending in other developed nations.

Anthony Lacavera, founder of Globalive Holdings, a Toronto-based investment firm, and of WIND Mobile, has written a book about the pitfalls of Canadaâs innovation policy.

Tyler Anderson/National Post

“We spread around incentives like peanut butter — evenly — and that has a very negative set out of outcomes associated with it,” said Anthony Lacavera, founder of Globalive Holdings, a Toronto-based investment firm, and of WIND Mobile. WIND began as a startup telecommunications firm that Lacavera later sold for $1.6 billion to Shaw Communications.

In his book ‘How We Can Win: And What Happens to Us and Our Country If We Don’t’, a study of Canadian innovation policy, Lacavera points to the various pitfalls that have hindered innovative Canadian companies from growing into multinational “anchor” firms.

“Business is about winners, and we need in Canada to start recognizing that we need to pick winners, and we need to help our companies become global success stories,” he said.

Lacavera is advocating a return to an older form of innovation policy that focuses more on companies or specific areas rather than laboratories, and making bigger bets on fewer innovative firms. In short, that would mean taking a far less egalitarian, or perhaps “Canadian,” approach to innovation.

“Structurally, we are trying to excel in too many digital and knowledge economy areas,” Lacavera said. “It’s the Canadian style — spread it around, give everyone a shot. And then no one wins.”

Experts have long called for an overhaul that could simplify Canadian innovation policy, starting with a streamlining of the various programs aimed at supporting promising companies. Ottawa went at least part way toward that goal in its 2018 budget, after promising to whittle down the total number of federal grant programs from 92 to around 35.

Lacavera points to the Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) tax credit as an area ripe for improvement. The tax credit dishes out more than $3 billion every year to reimburse research and development spending for thousands of companies, either at 15 per cent or 35 per cent.

But the program has been criticized for being geared too specifically towards smaller companies, effectively incentivizing laggard companies to remain small, even as they enjoy subsidies year after year. The issue has become so prevalent that the program has long been called the “Walking SRED” in some business circles, a nod to the zombie TV series Walking Dead.

“You have companies that really should have already failed, or should have already been consolidated, or are really never going to get to scale, just sort of walking around,” Lacavera said.

Innovation programs can also add an administrative burden for entrepreneurs.

Wealthsimple CEO Michael Katchen says the government has been supportive, but the paperwork is daunting.

Peter J. Thompson/National Post

Michael Katchen, the co-founder and CEO of Wealthsimple Financial Inc., raised around $1 million through government programs in the early days of his company, from both the Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP), a long-standing federal program aimed at small and medium-sized companies, and The Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, which offers early-stage loans to firms.

Katchen said the process was administratively intensive, forcing the small firm to hire a consultant just to assist with the mounds of paperwork. What’s more, the application process for FedDev effectively repeated the due diligence already carried out by Impression Ventures, a Toronto-based venture capital firm that invested $1.9 million in Wealthsimple in September 2014.

“The most bizarre part of it was I had just raised $1.9 million from really sophisticated investors, and I had to start from scratch on an even more arduous process, this time from a much less sophisticated government agency,” Katchen said.

Still business owners are also quick to defend Ottawa’s innovation efforts under Navdeep Bains, the minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development.

“In general the current government has been very supportive,” Katchen said, but added that in meetings with Bains he has suggested Canada needs to be more ambitious in attracting talent and innovative companies. “We can’t match dollar for dollar investments that other bigger countries are making, so we need to pick our spots and really double down.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made innovation a central part of his mandate in 2016, underpinned by a new initiative to create several innovation superclusters that he hopes will create the the next technological breakthrough.

Those policy efforts were then bulked up again in the 2017 budget when Ottawa raised spending on university research and development.

Navdeep Bains, the minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development.

Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick

Even so, critics argue the $950-million superclusters program is ultimately a drop in the bucket when considering it is spread across five different groups, encapsulating everything from protein-rich potatoes to marine sensors that track animal activity.

“It’s what you would call an accounting error if you look at the overall budget,” Munk’s Breznitz said.

Breznitz suggests Canada should instead unleash its capital from various government programs and funnel it directly into a few select sectors where Canada has demonstrated potential: artificial intelligence, stem cell research, autonomous car manufacturing or financial services, to name a few. Most importantly, he says, the funding should go directly toward technologies that can be sold on the market, rather than focusing on tests in the laboratory.

“Where the federal government should be focusing is on what needs to be done to move more Canadian companies towards R&D — full stop,” Breznitz said. “Instead, any time there’s a hot new trend, something new and shiny, we spend a lot of money on it. And we spend almost no time looking at how to turn this into an industry.”

Such solutions come with their own set of challenges, however. By loosening government controls over how capital is spent, and by funnelling capital more directly into companies and technologies, Ottawa runs the risk of throwing billions of dollars at abject failures.

Indeed, Jack Mintz, fellow at the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy, is wary of government-directed innovation that can be subject to the vagaries of politics.

“Governments are not great at picking winners, but losers are great at picking governments,” he said.

Take, for example, Ottawa’s recent decision to use its Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) to pay out $250 million in reimbursements for steel and aluminum producers hurt by U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade tariffs.

But observers argue that direct programs are nonetheless preferable to the more passive, and widespread, tax credit system. A 2011 report by Tom Jenkins, now the chair of the National Research Council of Canada, recommended Ottawa scrap much of its tax credits for corporations in favour of higher direct spending on innovation.

It’s an approach that even skeptics are warming up to.

“I’ve been leaning more towards grants these days,” said Mintz. “The one criticism of a grant rather than a tax credit is it can be used politically. But I think if it’s administered well, it can certainly be subjected to far less political intervention.”

The way forward for Canada then, is perhaps to embrace a policy that is much bolder than its current form. The right government program helped usher in the second wave of oilsands development in northern Alberta. Similar breakthroughs are crucial, especially if Canada wants to be front and centre of the next industrial shift.

“In Canada we do two things that employ every single person: we pull resources out of the ground and we finance that activity,” Wealthsimple’s Katchen said. “That’s our economy in a nutshell. Twenty years from now that will not be true—or if it’s true, we’re in trouble.”

***

A SHORT LIST OF INNOVATION-INDUCING PROGRAMS Canada has a long list of government grant programs and tax credits available to innovative—or even not-so-innovative—businesses. That list could soon get a lot shorter after Ottawa announced in its 2018 budget it would streamline the number of existing federal grant programs from 92 down to around 35. Here is a brief rundown of some of the most prominent programs.

Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED): A tax credit program that effectively reimburses Canadian businesses for investments in research and development. It is administered by the Canada Revenue Agency. Companies can claim input tax credits (ITCs) at either 15 per cent or 35 per cent, depending on the company and size of investment.

Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP): A program aimed at scaling up innovations in small and medium sized companies. IRAP is one of the oldest programs in Canada, founded shortly after the Second World War. Contributions come in the form of anything from consultations to financing for innovation. It is administered by the Canadian Research Council of Canada, and is widely considered one of the most effective programs of its kind.

Canada Small Business Financing Program (CSBFP): A program that offers loans to businesses with gross revenues of $10 million or less. Loans can be a maximum of $1 million.

Southern Ontario Fund for Investment in Innovation (SOFII): A federal initiative that offers loans to companies in southwestern Ontario. Loans range from $150,000 to $500,000, and are geared toward helping small and medium-sized companies scale up technologies. It is supported through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario).

Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF): A fund focused on “encouraging R&D”, attracting investments, facilitating growth and advancing industrial research. The fund will spend $1.26 billion over five years (ending in 2023) in both repayable and non-repayable contributions to companies and post-secondary institutions.

Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC): An agency focused on developing clean technologies. SDTC oversees two separate funds. One is the SD Tech Fund, totalling $550 million, which provides money to pre-commercial clean technology projects aimed at greening air, water and soil. The other is the NextGen Biofuels Fund, totalling $500 million, which is aimed at developing renewable fuels through private equity financings. The fund is currently being wound down.

• Email: [email protected] | Twitter: jesse_snyder

0 notes

jazzworldquest-blog · 7 years ago

Text

CANADA: Canadian Songwriters Honored In US-Based International Songwriting Competition (ISC)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: Candace Avery

International Songwriting Competition

615.251.4441

[email protected]

www.songwritingcompetition.com

Canadian Songwriters Honored In US-Based International Songwriting Competition (ISC)

Judges Include Lorde, Hardwell, Tom Waits, Nancy Wilson (Heart), Ziggy Marley, Kaskade, The Mavericks, Martie Maguire (Dixie Chicks), Bastille, and More

April 18, 2018 -- The International Songwriting Competition (ISC is pleased to announce its 2017 winners. Created in 2002, ISC is widely recognized as the most prestigious and respected songwriting competition in the world and received more than16,000 entries from almost 140 countries. Prizes include more than $175,000 in cash and merchandise.

The Grand Prize winners this year are Nicholas Miller (better known as Illenium), Annika Wells, Kate Morgan, and Michael Biancaniello for the song Crawl Outta Love Ft. Annika Wells." The Grand Prize consists of $25,000 in cash (USD) and over $35,000 in additional prizes.

Winners hail from all over the world (61% of this years winners come from outside the USA) and range from talented amateurs to seasoned songwriting veterans. The 23 categories include all genres of contemporary music, from Rock to Pop to Country to R&B/Hip-Hop and more.

Canadian songwriters fared extremely well in ISC, garnering four First Places and three Third Places. Canadian winners also received 39 Honorable Mentions.

This marks the first time in the competitions history that Canadian songwriters have scored four First Places in categories, says Candace Avery, ISC Founder and Director. It takes a lot of dedication and hard work to write great songs, and ISC is honored to throw the spotlight on these talented Canadian songwriters and their achievements.

Over the years ISC winners have included: Vance Joy, Bastille, Passenger, Kate Miller-Heidke, Lindsey Stirling, Gotye, The Band Perry, Kasey Chambers, Lupe Fiasco, Rachel Bloom, Gin Wigmore, Kimbra, Gregory Porter, Kehlani, For King & Country, and many more.

For a complete list of ISC 2017 winners and to hear the winning songs, go to: https://www.songwritingcompetition.com/winners.

The complete panel of judges includes:

Recording Artists

Lorde; Tom Waits; Ziggy Marley; American Authors; Nancy Wilson (Heart); Martie Maguire (Dixie Chicks); Booker T. Jones; The Mavericks; Sara Evans; Bastille; Keane; Hardwell; Danilo Perez; James McNally (Afro Celt Sound System); Billy Cobham; Gerald Casale (Devo); Natalie Grant Lee-Phillips; ; Krewella; Matt Nathanson; Amadou & Miriam; John Tibbs; Kaskade; John Mayall; Joe Louis Walker; Nicholas Gunn; Ashwin Batish; Lonnie Liston Smith; Walter Trout; Trilok Gurtu; Tommy Chong; and Tony Joe White.

Industry Executives:

Gregg Nadel (President, Elektra Records); Seymour Stein (Chairman/CEO, Sire Records); Daniel Glass (President, Glassnote Records); John Esposito (Chairman/CEO, Warner Music Nashville); John Burk (President, Concord Label Group); Ed Vetri (President, Wind-Up Records); Bruce Iglauer (Founder/President, Alligator Records); Steve Yegelwel (Sr. VP, Island Records); Nate Albert (Executive VP of A&R, Capitol Records); Jacob Edgar (Founder, Cumbancha); Aaron Bay-Schuck (President of A&R, Interscope Records); Mike Easterlin (President, Fueled By Ramen/Roadrunner Records); Josh Bailey (Senior VP of A&R, Word Entertainment); Gordon Kerr (CEO, Black River Entertainment); Richard Stumpf (CEO, Atlas Publishing); Steve Greenberg (CEO, S-Curve Records); Kim Buie (VP of A&R, New West Records); AJ Tobey (Head of A&R, Rough Trade Publishing); Cory Robbins (Founder/President, Robbins Entertainment); Angel Carrasco (Latin Music Consultant); Julie Kertes (Editor/Manager, Hot Diggity Media); Laura Margolin (Publishing, Glassnote Records); Leib Ostrow (Founder/CEO, Music For Little People); Katherine Danes (Co-President, The Childrens Music Network); Claire S. Green (President, Parents Choice Foundation); Benjamin Groff (Founder, The Brill Building); Sas Metcalfe (President, Global Creative, Kobalt Music); Golnar Khosrowshahi (President, Reservoir Media Management); Carianne Marshall (Partner, Songs Music Publishing); Tamara Conniff (EVP, Roc Nation); Dara Frank (Head of Comedy Central Records/Viacom); Carl Caprioglio (Founder/CEO, Oglio Entertainment); and Elena Epstein (Director, National Parenting Product Awards).

ISC is sponsored by: AKG By Harman; Berklee College of Music; Celebrity Access; D'Addario; Dark Horse Institute; Disc Makers; Eventric; Gig Salad; JBL Professional by Harman; Lurrsen Mastering; Merch Cat; Musician Wellness; Musicians Institute; ONErpm; PreSonus; SongU.com; Sweetwater Sound; PAWW Premium Sound; and Tunedly.

Entries are now open for the 2018 competition. For more information and to enter, go to http://www.songwritingcompetition.com.

For low-res photos of all winners, go to http://www.songwritingcompetition.com/winners

For high-res photos, please contact Candace Avery at [email protected]

The list of 2017 Canadian winners is as follows:

First Place Winners

Knock On My Door Faouzia Ouihya (Faouzia) Carman, MB, Canada Teen

Born in Morocco and raised in the Canadian prairies, Faouzia is a young artist who is wowing audiences and industry alike with her contemporary pop hooks and heart-wrenching lyrics, not to mention a voice that is truly distinctive with a huge range, taking on subtle trills and stylings. Her first single Knock On My Door found its way onto regular rotation at Canadian radio, and the follow up My Hearts Grave is already seeing adds in both Canada and her native Morocco. Already a multiple award winner in ISC, as well as the Grand Prize winner of the 2017 Unsigned Only Music Competition, Faouzia is an up-and-coming artistic force whose star just keeps shining brighter.

Sheep Darrelle London Toronto, ON, Canada Children's Music

A piano pop singer/songwriter, Darrelle London is known for her clever quirkiness and has performed at festivals such as Lilith Fair, Canadian Music Week, Pop Overthrow, and more. She was named the Toronto Lilith Talent Search winner and the BellMedia Emerging Artist. London has attracted some celebrity supporters along the way, including fellow Canadian songstress Chantal Kreviazuk who discovered her music and collaborated with her on several songs for Londons album Eat A Peach. The celebrity blogger Perez Hilton has also been a vocal champion of her music. Her latest album is a lullaby EP entitled Sing To The Moon.

This Little Light Jaylene Johnson Winnipeg, MB, Canada Christian

Jaylene Johnson, is a singer/songwriter based in Winnipeg, MB. Her song, "Fallin'" took second place in the ISC last year in the Christian category. Her work has been heard on network TV shows including Pretty Little Liars, So You Think You Can Dance, and Degrassi: The Next Generation. Co-written songs have been recorded by artists including JJ Heller, Amy Sky, Brian Doerksen and Luke McMaster among others. Her most recent album, Potter & Clay, was nominated for a Juno Award, a Western Canadian Music Award, and several Covenant Awards. Two of her songs earned songwriting trophies at the Covenant Awards this year.

Untouchable Dylan Edward Roberts (King Dylan) Calgary, AB, Canada Music Video

The winner of the Music Video category for his stop-motion animation video of the song Untouchable, King Dylan (the King didn't give himself that name - it was written in his high school yearbook) is best described as if Blink 182 had a lovechild with Eminem and Lady Gaga's backup dancers. This one-man machine has performed live for thousands across Canada and released a handful of albums and music videos. Previously he played bass guitar in the hard Rock band Broken Ride (Regional Radio Star winners 2013), performed in and produced the hip hop group The DC Show, and played piano for the band Lost In Film at CMW 2014. Dylan has also just finished a new full-length album featuring "Untouchable" and eleven other hard-hitting tracks. The award-winning video utilized over 4,000 photos of legos taken over the course of 450+ hours.

Third Place Winners

Backroads Jimmy Zee (The Jimmy Zee Band) Vanvouver, BC, Canada Blues

Never Have Time Jared Salte, Bethany Salte (The Royal Foundry) Sherwood Park, AB, Canada Rock

Tequila Johnny Simmen, Hunter Leath, Matt McGinn Toronto, ON, Canada Country

Honorable Mentions

A Flat Miner Troy Kokol Calgary, AB, Canada Comedy/Novelty

Ambition Soul Toronto, ON, Canada R&B/Hip-Hop

Ask Too Much Ft. Spence Holden Spencer Heaslip, Spence Milne-O'Neil (Taabu) Dundas, ON, Canada EDM (Electronic Dance Music)

Baby, I Understand Kat Goldman Toronto, ON, Canada Folk/Singer-Songwriter

Beautiful Thing Aaron Buchholz, Ian Eskelin Langley, BC, Canada Christian

Booger Song Tim Machin (Sing Along Tim And The Pacifiers) Toronto, ON, Canada Children's Music

Campfire Dinah Desrochers, Aaron Cadwaladr, Phil Wipper, Jocelyn Hallett (The Kerplunks) Gabriola Island, BC, Canada Children's Music

Chills James Barker, Donovan Woods, Travis Wood, Gavin Slate (James Barker Band) Toronto, ON, Canada Country

Ciento Viente Roman Smirnov Newmarket, ON, Canada Instrumental

Don't Give Up Maggie Szabo, Stefan Lit, Chaz Mason Dundas, ON, Canada Pop/Top 40

Eleven! Dylan Bell, Ed Hanley, Suba Sankaran (Autorickshaw) Toronto, ON, Canada Children's Music

Fall In Love Again Chris Graham, Mikalyn Hay (Xtro And Mikalyn Hay) Toronto, ON, Canada Teen

Firetruck Firetruck John Donnelly (Rockin' Robin And The Magical Tree) Delta, BC, Canada Children's Music

Freedom Ariana Gillis Vineland, ON, Canada Folk/Singer-Songwriter

Gamblin Man Richard Tichelman Surrey, BC, Canada Teen

Good Thing Go Powell Peebles, Brett Sheroky, Andy Wills (Powell Peebles) North Vancouver, BC, Canada Country

House On Fire Don Oriolo, Jason Gleed, Chris Bolger Toronto, ON, Canada Rock

I Don't Want To Lose You Luca Fogale Burnaby, BC, Canada Performance

Knock On My Door Faouzia Ouihya (Faouzia) Carman, MB, Canada Unsigned Only

Lay It Down Jordan St. Cyr, Jaylene Johnson, Ben Calhoun, Taylor Watson Niverville, MB, Canada Christian

Love It Up Tyler Lorette, Roberta Quilico Courtice, ON, Canada Performance

Lowdown Matt Zimbel, Doug Wilde (Manteca) Toronto, ON, Canada Instrumental

Move On Down The Track Spencer Mackenzie, Rich Mackenzie (Spencer Mackenzie) Ridgeway, ON, Canada Blues

My Heart's Grave Faouzia Ouihya (Faouzia) Carman, MB, Canada Pop/Top 40

My Heart's Grave Faouzia Ouihya (Faouzia) Carman, MB, Canada Teen

Nosotros Christopher Alexander Gaitan Valencia (Ness El Digital) Montreal, QC, Canada Latin Music

Roses Gus McMillan, Robyn Dell'Unto (Gus McMIllan) Toronto, ON, Canada AC (Adult Contemporary)

Sanctuary City Cat Toren (Cat Toren's HUMAN KIND) Vancouver, BC, Canada Jazz

Sing For Kwanzaa Chris McKhool, Richard Bona (Sultans Of String) Toronto, ON, Canada World Music

Summer Paula Eve Kirman Edmonton, AB, Canada Lyrics Only

Temptation Debra Power Airdrie, AB, Canada Blues

The Pee Song Jason Gleed (Redd Butts ) Toronto, ON, Canada Comedy/Novelty

This Little Light Jaylene Johnson Winnipeg, MB, Canada Unpublished

Three Words Sara Diamond, Austin Tecks, Noah Barer (Sarah Diamond) Montreal, QC, Canada Unpublished

Unsure Sara Diamond, Austin Tecks, Noah Barer (Sarah Diamond) Montreal, QC, Canada Unsigned Only

Untouchable Dylan Edward Roberts (King Dylan) Calgary, AB, Canada Unsigned Only

What's A Boy Gotta Do Sean Thomas Langley, BC, Canada Teen

When You Think No One Loves You David Leask, Daryl Burgess (David Leask) Mississauga, ON, Canada Performance

Worth It Wes Mason Rockwood, ON, Canada AC (Adult Contemporary)

via Blogger https://ift.tt/2vp16yd

0 notes