Accelerate your tech growth with the CDAEIA credit
Helping businesses consolidate and grow their IT projects in Quebec a government incentive delivered by Revenu Québec, giving companies in computer systems design and software publishing a tax credit of up to 30% on eligible salaries.
UNDERSTANDING CDAEIA
How it Works
CDAEIA (E-Business Development Tax Credit integrating AI and Automation) is Revenu Québec’s current tax credit for Quebec’s IT sector, having replaced the former CDAE program in 2026. Where CDAE covered a broad range of software development activities, CDAEIA is more selective targeting projects that integrate artificial intelligence, automation, or intelligent systems. The credit is refundable at 23%, a rate that will decrease to 20% by 2028.
Companies still operating under legacy CDAE-eligible activities should have already reviewed their projects during 2025 the last full year CDAE was available in its original form. If your business hasn’t yet assessed how its current work aligns with CDAEIA’s AI/automation focus, that review is now overdue rather than upcoming.
Leadership, Quantified
Our Impact in Figures
Businesses supported in Canada
Years of Expertise
Countries
Industries served
Offices in Canada
How it helps
Expenses That Qualify
The credit applies to eligible salaries tied to the activities above not equipment, not overhead, not subcontractor invoices in general. Specifically:
Our STEPS
Your Path to Success
A rigorous, six-phase approach designed to minimize risk and accelerate measurable impact across your organization.
Current Project Review
We assess your current IT projects and eligible salaries against CDAEIA’s criteria.
AI/Automation Mapping
We identify which of your projects genuinely integrate AI, automation, or intelligent systems as CDAEIA now requires.
Claim Preparation
We prepare your documentation and calculations based on CDAEIA’s current 23% refundable rate.
Legacy Gap Check
For any activities that qualified under the former CDAE but no longer meet CDAEIA’s criteria, we flag the gap and explore alternative credits.
Stacking Strategy
We review how your claim can stack with SR&ED and potentially the CRIC tax credit for maximum combined value.
Submission & Follow-up
Your claim is submitted and tracked through to final credit, with support if Revenu Québec opens a review.
Get STARTED
Book a Free Assessment
Ready to accelerate your transformation? Schedule a 30-minute scoping session with one
of our specialized partners to discuss your current CDAEIA challenges.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know before working with us.
What is CDAEIA, and how is it different from the former CDAE program?
CDAEIA (E-Business Development Tax Credit integrating AI and Automation) is the current Revenu Québec tax credit for Quebec’s IT sector, having replaced CDAE in 2026. Where CDAE covered a broad range of software development salaries, CDAEIA is more selective it targets salaries tied to projects that integrate artificial intelligence, automation, or intelligent systems, and it’s refundable at 23% rather than CDAE’s former 24%+6% split.
Does my business still qualify now that CDAEIA has replaced CDAE?
It depends on the nature of your projects. If your eligible activities under the former CDAE already involved AI, automation, or intelligent systems, you likely still qualify under CDAEIA. If your work was primarily general software development, security services, or IT consulting without an AI/automation component, you may no longer meet the current criteria this is worth reviewing project by project rather than assuming continuity.
Can the CDAEIA credit be combined with SR&ED or CRIC?
Yes, in principle CDAEIA can be claimed alongside federal SR&ED credits, and potentially alongside the CRIC tax credit, though CRIC specifically excludes combining with certain other Quebec incentives for the same expense. A claim review is the best way to confirm which credits can be stacked for your specific projects.