
Tax credit for conversion of a ship
Last Update: April 23, 2025
QC, Canada
Provides a tax credit for eligible ship conversion projects
Tax credit for conversion of a ship at a glance
Eligible Funding
- No Condition
Timeline
- Continuous Intakes
Financing Type
Tax Credits
Eligible Industries
- Transportation and warehousing
Grant Providers
- Revenu Québec
- Gouvernement du Québec
Status
Open
Overview of the Tax credit for conversion of a ship program
The Tax Credit for Conversion of a Ship is a government financial incentive designed to support ship conversion activities in Quebec, promoting modernization and compliance with environmental standards. Eligible businesses can receive a refundable tax credit covering a portion of the conversion costs, although the specific maximum funding amount is not specified.
Eligible projects & activities
- Major transformation of an existing ship involving significant modifications to the superstructures, machinery, or equipment.
Examples of admissible projects:
$ 325,000
Conversion of ferry to hybrid electric propulsion system
$ 120,000
Ice-class retrofitting of tugboat for year-round towing service
$ 160,000
Retrofitting tour boat with accessibility and safety upgrades
$ 400,000
Deep-sea cargo vessel superstructure modernization and refit
$ 112,000
Complete engine replacement for regional fishing vessel fleet leader
Eligibility criteria of the Tax credit for conversion of a ship program
- The shipyard must be located in Quebec and have direct access to a navigable waterway.
- The shipyard must have workshops for the construction under permanent shelter of entire vessels or modules, as well as the necessary infrastructure for launching.
- The shipyard must have built or rebuilt, within the last five years, a vessel or a barge of more than 50 gross tons for a client without a dependency link.
- The vessel in question must be of a volume of 50 gross tons and more, used for the transport of goods, people or specialized services, or undergoing a major transformation concerning essential elements.
Who is eligible?
- Shipyards located in Quebec with infrastructure for the construction or transformation of ships.
Eligible expenses
- Cost of plans and specifications for the construction of the eligible ship (or only the part carried out in Quebec).
- Expenses incurred for salaries related to plans and specifications carried out in Quebec.
- Salaries of employees directly connected to the transformation of the ship.
Eligible geographic areas
- Companies located in Quebec
Eligibility criteria of the Tax credit for conversion of a ship program
- Justification and adequacy of construction costs in relation to market standards.
- Demonstration of the potential for repetition for a prototype ship (commitments, letters of intent, or market study).
- Proof of an investment in innovation in planning, production processes, or the integration of advanced or environmentally friendly technologies.
How to apply to the Tax credit for conversion of a ship program
- Step 1: Preparation of the eligibility certificate applicationSave the application form on your computer before filling it out.
- Fill out the form with a brief description of the ship project, an assessment of its gross tonnage, and any other available information.
- Attach the preliminary plans and specifications of the project.
- Step 2: Submission of the eligibility certificate applicationSubmit the completed application form, accompanied by supporting documents, to certificat-maritime@economie.gouv.qc.ca.
- Step 3: Request for a pre-eligibility opinion (optional)If necessary, contact certificat-maritime@economie.gouv.qc.ca to request a pre-eligibility opinion to verify the compliance of the project.
- Step 4: Request for ship certificateUpon signing the ship construction contract, submit a request for a ship certificate including the previous application, a copy of the signed contract, the stipulated plans and specifications, as well as a completed and signed application form.
- For related companies, attach a comparison with the current prevailing price to justify costs.
- Step 5: Once the certificate is obtained, fill out the Tax Credit for the Construction or Transformation of a Ship form.
- Step 6: Attach all required documents to your tax return.
Additional information
- The eligibility certificate is valid for a maximum period of three years from the date the application is submitted.
- The project must start no later than two years after the issuance of the eligibility certificate.
- The renewal of the eligibility certificate may require a revision and update of the documentation.
- The process is free, no fees are required for the application of the certificate.
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