Russ Roberts
Innovation Leadership Council, Innovation Policy and SR&ED | Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance (CATAAlliance)
Ottawa, ON, CANADA
29 years of experience with Canada’s SR&ED Tax Incentive Program, from the perspective of both the public and private sectors
Multimedia
Publications:
Documents:
Photos:
Videos:
Audio/Podcasts:
Biography
Dr. Roberts has 29 years of experience with Canada’s SR&ED Tax Incentive Program, from the perspective of both the public and private sectors. As the Senior Science Advisor of Revenue Canada during the program’s inception, he led the development of the interpretive policies on the eligibility of R&D for the tax credits, including leading the consultations that resulted in Information Circular IC 86-4 and the associated application papers. He was a contributor to the development of the refined definition of SR&ED found in subsection 248(1) of the current legislation and the guidance subsequently developed by the CRA on its application.
He led the development of the Software Guidance for the software community. And, he participated in the joint CRA-Industry committee that developed the consensus guidance on the application of the newly refined definition of "SR&ED".
He has led the development and defense of major SR&ED claims in the ICT and manufacturing sectors at Deloitte.
He served as an expert witness in the Northwest Hydraulic Consultants Ltd. case that resulted in one of the pivotal decisions on the interpretation of the definition of "SR&ED."
Industry Expertise (2)
Computer Software
Research
Areas of Expertise (6)
Change Management
Entrepreneurship
SR&ED
Tax Credits
Management Consulting
Business Strategy
Education (2)
University of California, Davis: Ph.D., Chemistry
Williamette University: B.A., Chemistry and Mathematics
Selected Media Appearances (5)
Federal budget 2019: Tech community welcomes Global Talent Stream commitment, SR&ED expansion
IT World Canada
2019-03-19
“I think the agenda that’s been set was set in previous budgets. There are micro-changes being made and improvements being made along the way,” said Russ Roberts, senior vice-president of advocacy, tax, and finance for the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance. “Frankly, I don’t think it addresses the big questions that the community has been asking about that agenda.”...
Federal liberals promise better innovation funding but CATAAlliance says the government is really chopping billions
CATA Alliance
2017-07-26
In this video, Russ Roberts, CATA’s Sr. VP, Tax, Finance and Advocacy talks about what has happened to SR&ED tax credits in the last Decade (view briefing note) and some of the causes of the dramatic reduction of innovation support in Canada. Between 2009 and 2016 the aggregate SR&ED tax credits delivered by the CRA (Canada Revenue Agency) has gone down by $5.3 billion, and the Department of Finance now forecasts a 15 percent reduction in SR&ED expenditure. CATAAlliance has argued that tax credits can be significantly better designed to support innovation, not just SR&ED. Currently, the program review process is – at best – opaque, which is unacceptable...
Government essentially cutting billions from innovation funding, CATA says
IT World Canada
2017-01-27
For years, Russ Roberts has argued that despite its much-vaunted “innovation agenda,” Canada’s federal government has functionally reduced innovation spending by billions of dollars by reducing Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) tax incentives – and now, he says, he has the numbers to prove it...
Canada is good at inventing, not so good at selling
The Globe and Mail
2014-08-18
"The one thing that has always struck me is how good Canadians are at inventing things and solving problems," says Russ Roberts, vice-president for tax and finance at the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance (CATA), a high-tech industry association. "In terms of inputs, in terms of capacity, we're doing pretty darn good."...
Simplify tech tax credits, CATA urges
The Globe and Mail
2003-01-23
Entitled Improving Access to SR&ED Investment Tax Credits, the 12-page consultation paper was developed Russ Roberts, a senior director of CATA and Deloitte and Touche...
Social