BC book publishing tax credit
Last Update: July 22, 2025
BC, Canada
Tax credit for British Columbia book publishers
BC book publishing tax credit at a glance
Eligible Funding
- Up to 90% of project cost
Timeline
- Closing date : April 1, 2026
Financing Type
Tax Credits
Eligible Industries
- Information and cultural industries
Grant Providers
- BC Ministry of Finance
- Government of British Columbia
Program status
Open
Overview of the BC book publishing tax credit program
Companies get a credit equal to 90% of the base amount of Support for Publishers contributions they receive in the tax year.
Financing terms and conditions
This tax credit provides refundable financial support to qualifying book publishing corporations in British Columbia by leveraging federal contributions. It aims to enhance the financial stability of the regional book publishing industry while supporting growth and sustainability.
- Refundable tax credit up to 90% of the base Support for Publishers contributions received in the tax year.
- The tax credit is applied against the total income tax payable before a refund is issued.
- There are no provisions for carry-back or carry-forward of the credit.
Eligible projects & activities
Examples of admissible projects:
$ 20,700
Developing an interactive digital platform for educational books
$ 18,000
Launching a subscription-based journal for literary critiques
$ 11,700
Publishing a collection of poetry by local authors
$ 12,600
Translating a series of French novels into English
$ 13,500
Launching a new series of science fiction novels
Eligibility criteria of the BC book publishing tax credit program
Eligibility for the book publishing tax credit is determined by specific criteria related to the corporation's business operations and control structure.
- The corporation must be a Canadian-controlled corporation, defined under sections 26 to 28 of the Investment Canada Act.
- The principal business of the corporation must be book publishing.
- The corporation must offer books for retail sale, enter into contractual agreements with authors or copyright holders, and assume financial risks associated with book production and marketing.
- The corporation must carry on business primarily through a permanent establishment in B.C., meaning it has a permanent establishment only in B.C. or pays more than 50% of its salaries and wages to employees of permanent establishments in B.C. during the taxation year.
- The corporation must receive a base amount of Support for Publishers contributions under the federal Canada Book Fund before April 1, 2026.
- The corporation must not be exempt from tax under section 27 of the Income Tax Act.
- The corporation must not be controlled directly or indirectly by persons who are exempt under section 27 of the Income Tax Act or Part I of the Income Tax Act (Canada).
Who is eligible?
To apply for the Book Publishing Tax Credit, you must be a Canadian-controlled book publishing corporation doing business primarily in British Columbia. Eligibility requires:- Canadian-controlled corporation status as per the Investment Canada Act.- Principal business activity in book publishing offering books for retail, entering contracts with authors, and assuming production and marketing risks.- Business operations primarily through a permanent establishment in B.C. with over 50% of salaries paid to B.C. employees during the tax year.- Receipt of Support for Publishers contributions under the Canada Book Fund before April 1, 2026.Entities exempt from tax under section 27 of the Income Tax Act or controlled by such exempt organizations are ineligible.
Who is not eligible
This tax credit is not available to certain companies based on their tax status or control structure. Specifically, companies that are tax-exempt or controlled by tax-exempt individuals are not eligible.
- Companies exempt from tax under section 27 of the Income Tax Act.
- Companies controlled directly or indirectly by persons who are exempt under section 27 of the Income Tax Act or Part I of the Income Tax Act (Canada).
Eligible expenses
The book publishing tax credit supports the activities of Canadian-controlled book publishing corporations operating primarily in British Columbia. These activities are directly related to the business of book publishing and include the following:
- Offering books for retail sale.
- Entering into contractual agreements with authors or copyright holders.
- Assuming financial risks associated with the production and marketing of books.
Eligible geographic areas
This grant applies to book publishing corporations that primarily operate within a designated geographical area. Eligible locations are confined to ensure that the benefits of the program are locally targeted.
- Businesses with a permanent establishment located exclusively within British Columbia (B.C.), Canada.
- Corporations where more than 50% of employee salaries and wages are paid in British Columbia (B.C.), Canada.
How to apply to the BC book publishing tax credit program
1
Verify Eligibility
- Ensure you are a Canadian-controlled corporation operating through a permanent establishment in B.C. with a principal business of book publishing.
- Confirm receipt of the base amount of Support for Publishers contributions under the federal Canada Book Fund.
2
Calculate the Tax Credit
Determine the credit you may claim, taking up to 90% of the base amount received under the Support for Publishers contributions.
3
Prepare Supporting Documentation
Compile evidence of the receipt of the base amount and any other required documentation to substantiate your claim.
4
Complete T2 Corporation Income Tax Return
- Fill out the T2 Corporation Income Tax Return form.
- Enter the base amount of Support for Publishers contributions on line 886.
- Enter the amount of the credit you are claiming on line 665 of Schedule 5, Tax Calculation Supplementary - Corporations.
5
Submit the Application
Submit the completed T2 Corporation Income Tax Return with the claimed tax credit to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) by the deadline, which is no later than 18 months after the end of the tax year in which you received the contributions.
Additional information
Book publishing tax credit provides financial support to Canadian-controlled book publishing corporations in B.C. adhering to specific eligibility criteria.
- The credit is available until April 1, 2026.
- Claim must be filed within 18 months of receiving Support for Publishers contributions.
- Deadline extension for claims required between March 13, 2020 and December 30, 2020 until December 31, 2020.
- The credit must first be applied against total income tax payable.
- No carry-back or carry-forward provisions for the tax credit.
Contact BC Ministry of Finance
itbtaxquestions@gov.bc.ca
1-866-317-0473
Apply to this program
Grant and FundingClosed
British Columbia, Canada
Supporting B.C. book publishers attending domestic and international events
Grant and FundingClosed
British Columbia, Canada
Financial support for B.C. magazine publishers attending trade events
Tax CreditsOpen
British Columbia, Canada
Supports corporations developing interactive digital media products in BC
Tax CreditsOpen
British Columbia, Canada
Tax credit for interactive digital media in British Columbia
Grant and FundingClosed
British Columbia, Canada
Money to future-proof your non-profit in British Columbia
Grant and FundingClosed
British Columbia, Canada
PacifiCan's BSP supports high-growth business innovation and scale-up
Grant and FundingClosed
British Columbia, Canada
Financing to accelerate growth in British Columbia
Grant and FundingClosed
British Columbia, Canada
Wage subsidy for B.C's tech sector
Partnering and CollaborationOpen
British Columbia, Canada
Funding in the development of novel and innovative digital technology solutions
Grant and FundingOpen
British Columbia, Canada
Money to future-proof your Indigenous-led business in British Columbia