Maximize Your CDAE-IA Tax Credit Claim in Quebec
Complete guide to maximize your CDAE-IA claim. Discover how to document significant AI integration and avoid costly mistakes.
Is the transition to CDAE-IA complex for you?
You’re not alone. The transition from CDAE to CDAE-IA brings its share of questions and uncertainties for technology companies in Quebec who want to file a solid CDAE-IA claim.
- Are the new AI integration criteria clear for your projects?
- Are you concerned that your documentation may not be sufficient for inspection?
- Are you afraid of missing out on thousands of dollars due to lack of time or expertise?
- Does the claim process seem too heavy to manage internally?
A poorly prepared file, incomplete documentation, or misinterpretation of criteria can cost you tens of thousands of dollars.
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Why Avinova for your CDAE-IA tax credit?
Avinova is a Quebec consulting firm specializing in grants and tax credits for technology companies. For over 9 years, we have been helping Quebec companies obtain the government funding they are entitled to. You can trust us, our employees have over 25 years of combined experience in grants and tax credits.
Specifically, your file is structured to:
- Identify all eligible activities and expenses you may have missed
- Comply with precise requirements from Revenu Québec and Investissement Québec
- Document significant AI integration in an irrefutable manner
- Maximize your claim while minimizing the risk of refusal
We work primarily with companies in information technology, software development, artificial intelligence, video games, and more. We know your reality and speak your language.
What sets us apart? At Avinova, you are accompanied by qualified engineers who speak the same technical language as your experts.
We also help companies obtain the SR&ED tax credit for their research and development activities, as well as access more than 2000 grant programs to finance their growth projects.
How much can you get?
The tax credit represents 30% of the eligible salary of each qualified employee (refundable and non-refundable portion). Unlike the old CDAE credit which capped the eligible salary at $83,333, CDAE-IA imposes no maximum cap, allowing companies to claim much larger amounts for their highly qualified employees. However, an annual exclusion threshold must be subtracted from the employee’s eligible salary. The exclusion threshold is the amount taken into account in the calculation of the basic personal tax credit in the personal taxation system. As an indication, this amount is $18,571 in 2025.
For example, a company with 10 eligible employees with an average salary of $100,000 could obtain an annual tax credit of over $240,000 (after deduction of the exclusion threshold).
Each file depends on the company structure, eligible activities and available documentation. This is where we maximize eligible amounts by identifying all expenses you could claim.
Significant AI integration as a critical point
This is the major change in CDAE-IA and it’s exactly this detail that differs from the previous version of the grant.
Artificial intelligence can no longer be simply accessory or decorative in your projects. It must play a determining role in the functioning of the developed solution. This means that AI components must substantially modify the performance, processes or value of the system implemented at the client.
This requirement aims to direct tax assistance towards structuring initiatives capable of generating real innovation, and to distinguish development activities from simple adaptation or maintenance tasks.
Specifically, you must be able to demonstrate that:
- AI is integrated into the core of your solution, not just on the periphery
- AI features bring significant and measurable value to your clients
- Your employees actively work on the development, integration or optimization of these AI features
Our role is to help you document this integration with precise technical descriptions, architecture diagrams and concrete evidence of AI’s impact on your solution.
Don’t let CDAE-IA become a puzzle. Transform it into a growth lever.
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Elie Karam
President
Expert in grants and tax credits, Elie Karam has been helping Quebec businesses obtain government funding for over 15 years. His passion for innovation and deep expertise in financial assistance programs make him the ideal advisor to maximize your returns.
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