Guide · updated October 6, 2026

Innovation funding in Saskatchewan

Written from the official program pages and checked against them: every amount and date here appears on a source page. CashRadar is an independent service and is not affiliated with the Government of Canada or any provincial government.

This guide covers government funding and tax credit programs designed to support innovation, research, and development projects in Saskatchewan, helping businesses and organizations identify options that align with their operational sector and goals.

Saskatchewan Petroleum Innovation Incentive (SPII)

This program offers transferable Crown royalty and freehold production tax credits at a rate of 25 per cent of eligible project costs for qualified innovation commercialization projects. It is open to pilot and commercial scaling projects across all segments of Saskatchewan's oil and gas industry that improve recovery, manage environmental impacts, increase processing capacity, or commercialize byproducts. Project applications are accepted until March 31, 2029, with a project-specific awarded credit cap of CAD$5 million.

Saskatchewan Research and Development Tax Credit

This program provides refundable or non-refundable tax credits to corporations for qualifying research and development expenditures incurred in the province. Saskatchewan Canadian-controlled private corporations receive a 10 per cent refundable tax credit on annual qualifying expenditures up to specified limits, while expenditures exceeding the annual limit and those by other corporations are eligible for a 10 per cent non-refundable tax credit. The total refundable and non-refundable tax credits that may be claimed by a corporation are limited to $1 million per year.

Saskatchewan Critical Minerals Innovation Incentive (SCMII)

This program provides transferable royalty credits at a rate of 25 per cent of eligible project costs for qualified innovation commercialization projects in critical mineral industries. It targets segments including aluminum, cobalt, copper, gallium, helium, lithium, magnesium, natural graphite, nickel, rare earth elements, and zinc. The program supports pilot and commercial scaling projects that improve recovery, manage environmental impacts, increase processing, or commercialize byproducts, and features a project-specific awarded credit cap of CAD$5 million.

AgriInnovate Program

This program provides repayable contributions to for-profit organizations incorporated in Canada to commercialize, demonstrate, or adopt commercial-ready innovative technologies and processes that increase agricultural and agri-food sector competitiveness and sustainability benefits. Funding normally does not exceed $5,000,000 per project, with an optional 10 per cent increase on the cost-share ratio for organizations majority-owned or led by under-represented groups. The program runs until March 31, 2028, and is currently closed to applications.

Canadian Agricultural Strategic Priorities Program

This grant program supports the Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector in identifying and advancing strategic opportunities that foster innovative ideas, practices, or market-oriented approaches developed collaboratively with sector partners. It helps organizations test innovative technologies or methods, develop national sector strategies, and improve automation and biosecurity frameworks. Applications are accepted on a continuous basis until March 31, 2029, with funding generally not exceeding $5 million over 5 years for each applicant.

AgriScience Program – Clusters

This program provides non-repayable contributions and collaborative research assistance from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada scientists to support pre-commercial science activities and research benefiting the agriculture and agri-food sector. The Clusters Component supports projects that mobilize industry, government, and academia through partnerships to address priority national themes and horizontal issues. The program is currently closed to applications.

Which one fits

Selection depends heavily on your industry sector and the nature of your operations. If your work centers on natural resources in Saskatchewan, the programs split cleanly by commodity: the Saskatchewan Petroleum Innovation Incentive (SPII) targets oil and gas pilot and commercial scaling projects, while the Saskatchewan Critical Minerals Innovation Incentive (SCMII) is built for critical mineral industries such as copper, nickel, and rare earth elements. For broader corporate research and development across sectors in the province, the Saskatchewan Research and Development Tax Credit offers annual tax relief to corporations.

For applicants in the agricultural and agri-food sector, options span federal supports. The AgriInnovate Program provides repayable funding for for-profit businesses adopting or commercializing ready technologies, though it is currently closed. Organizations seeking broader sector-wide strategic advancements or collaborative science partnerships can look to the Canadian Agricultural Strategic Priorities Program, which accepts continuous applications through a grant format, or the AgriScience Program – Clusters, which provides non-repayable contributions and direct scientific collaboration.

Before you apply

Program terms, intake schedules, eligibility conditions, and funding caps frequently change. Always confirm the current guidelines, application instructions, and deadlines directly on the official program page before starting an application.

CashRadar identifies potential matches. Final eligibility is determined by the program administrator.