How much funding can be received?

Funds up to 35% of admissible expenses, capped at $437500 per project.

What is the deadline to apply?

The deadline to apply is not specified.

Who are the financial supporters of the Quebec book publishing tax credit?

Quebec book publishing tax credit is funded by Revenu Québec, Société de développement des entreprises culturelles (SODEC), Gouvernement du Québec

What are Quebec book publishing tax credit's eligibility criterias?

Must be a company with an establishment in Quebec operating a book publishing business Must be recognized as a publishing house by the SODEC Must not be controlled, directly or indirectly, by one or more persons not residing in Quebec

Quebec book publishing tax credit

Last Update: June 26, 2025

QC, Canada

Tax credit for publishing Quebec books and international sales

Quebec book publishing tax credit at a glance

Eligible Funding

Max. $437,500
Up to 35% of project cost

Timeline

Open Date : November 14, 2019

Financing Type

Tax Credits

Eligible Industries

Information and cultural industries

Grant Providers

Revenu Québec
Société de développement des entreprises culturelles (SODEC)
Gouvernement du Québec

Status

Open

Overview of the Quebec book publishing tax credit program

The Quebec Book Publishing Tax Credit offers a refundable tax credit to support significant publishing projects, digital book versions, translation, and the development of international markets for Quebec publications. Administered by SODEC, this program encourages innovation and expansion within the book and publishing sector; the maximum funding amount varies by project, based on eligible expenses.

Financing terms and conditions

Tax credit covers 35% of eligible labour expenses (for both preparatory and printing-related work) up to certain limits per book.
Eligible preparatory expenses, including digital publishing costs, are capped at 65% of actual preparatory and digital edition costs.
Tax credit for printing expenses is limited to 33.3% of admissible printing costs.
Maximum tax credit is $437,500 per eligible book, to be shared proportionally among co-publishers according to their share of expenses.

Eligible projects & activities

Publishing new books by Quebec authors or groups of authors, including print and digital formats.
Co-publishing projects involving eligible Quebec-based publishing houses.
Translating and publishing works to develop foreign markets for Quebec-based productions.
Major publishing initiatives that contribute significantly to the sector.
Digital version development of otherwise eligible works.

Examples of admissible projects:

$ 22,500

Publishing a major anthology of contemporary Quebec poetry with digital adaptations and international distribution

$ 37,500

Translation of Quebec children's books into German for the European market with digital versions available

$ 50,000

Development of a digital library of Quebec literary works for worldwide access including translation and adaptation

$ 50,000

Large-scale digital adaptation and international marketing of Quebec science-fiction novels

$ 30,000

Expanding market reach of Quebec comic books to European countries through translation and digital versions

$ 25,000

Publishing an extensive historical novel adapting it into Spanish for the Latin American market

Eligibility criteria of the Quebec book publishing tax credit program

The applicant must be a company with an establishment in Quebec that operates a book publishing business.
The company must be recognized by SODEC as a publishing house, with book publishing as its main activity and a focus on commercial viability.
The company must edit and publish books, enter into publishing contracts with authors or rights holders (including digital editions), and commercially market the books it publishes.
The company must have a catalogue of at least three works by Quebec authors who have no financial interest in the company.
The project (book or group of books) must be intended for commercial exploitation, have a minimum initial print run, meet specific requirements regarding Quebec authorship, and comply with page count and format guidelines.

Who is eligible?

Recognized book publishing companies (houses) whose principal activity is book publishing
Companies operating a book publishing business in Quebec with an established place of business in Quebec

Who is not eligible

Companies controlled, directly or indirectly, at any time during the year or in the previous 24 months, by one or more persons not residing in Quebec.
Companies that would be controlled by a specific person if all shares owned by non-residents of Quebec belonged to that person.
Companies exempt from tax for the year under Book VIII of the Quebec Taxation Act.
Crown corporations or subsidiaries wholly controlled by such corporations.

Eligible expenses

Preparatory expenses directly attributable to the production of the book, including non-refundable advances to authors, editing, design, research, illustration, mock-up development, page layout, composition, and prepress workshop costs.
Reasonable management and administrative fees related to the book.
Printing expenses directly attributable to the initial printing, binding, and assembly of the book.
Labour costs for services directly related to preparation and printing of the book, including salaries of employees and payments to qualified Quebec-based contractors or companies.
Labour costs for digital edition-related activities, including conversion, metadata production, indexing, digital storage, quality control, and deposit in a digital warehouse (when a digital version is eligible).
Portion of the amortization of an asset used directly in the digital publishing process.

Eligible geographic areas

Quebec

How to apply to the Quebec book publishing tax credit program

Consult program guidelines

Review the program's guidelines to understand eligibility, required documents, deadlines, and procedures
Consult any clarification documents if needed

Prepare all required documents

Gather all required documents for both the master file and the application (historical, legal, shareholder details, financial statements, templates, etc.)
Use SODEC-provided templates for declarations and expense breakdowns

Access SOD@ccès portal

Create a user profile or log in to SOD@ccès if already registered
Select the correct program/form code for the Book Publishing Tax Credit
Ensure the company's master file is up-to-date or provide documents if this is the first application

Submit electronic application

Complete the application form within SOD@ccès
Upload all required supporting documents
Name files with both the work title and document type as specified
Include proof of electronic pre-authorized payment/debit enrollment

Respond to completeness review

Monitor your application’s status through SOD@ccès
If your file is incomplete, provide missing documents or information within 10 days of receipt of the notification
If not completed in time, the application will be closed and must be resubmitted

Receive SODEC certificate or ruling

Receive a favourable advance ruling (if requested) or certificate from SODEC confirming eligibility
Ensure compliance with all SODEC requirements and keep the certificate for tax purposes

Claim tax credit from Revenu Québec

Submit your tax credit claim with Revenu Québec, including a copy of the SODEC certificate or advance ruling
Follow the deadline based on your company’s fiscal year and certificate/ruling date

Additional information

Applications can be submitted at any time through the secure SOD@ccès electronic portal.
If a submitted application is incomplete, applicants have 10 days from the notice date to provide missing details; otherwise, the request will be closed and the original deposit date will not be considered.
The publication benefiting from the tax credit must display a specific mention indicating support from the Quebec government and SODEC, formatted according to guidelines.
Fees for eligibility attestations range between a minimum of $100 and a maximum of $5,800 per eligible book or group of books, with additional non-refundable and amendment fees applicable in certain situations.

Documents and links

Quebec book publishing tax credit

Contact Revenu Québec

annie.gagne@sodec.gouv.qc.ca

Apply to this program

Tax credit for development of a Quebec e-business