Quebec’s AI Revolution: Inside Boast’s Purpose-Built CDAE-IA Solution

In this special bonus episode of What the Tech, we’re doing something different: Going inside Boast to discuss one of the most significant changes to Quebec’s innovation funding landscape in over a decade.

The province’s banner e-business tax credit (CDAE) is being revamped starting in 2026, with a major focus on AI, and Boast is meeting the moment with the first platform built specifically for the new CDAE-IA program.

Host Paul Davenport sat down with Joshua Martin, Boast’s Quebec Sales Leader, and Blake Nelson, Boast’s Product Leader, to unpack what this transformation means for innovative Quebec businesses and how Boast’s dedicated CDAE-IA solution is designed to help companies maximize their funding while minimizing their effort.

The Big Picture: Why This Matters

The CDAE program—often called the e-business tax credit—has been supporting Quebec’s software and IT consulting companies since the early 2000s. But as Joshua explains, the government is making a monumental shift:

“They want to transform the CDAE program… into a tax credit that supports AI. They’re adding a new requirement: to stay eligible, software companies must now integrate AI in a meaningful way.”

This isn’t just a minor update—it’s a modernization that reflects how R&D is done today. The program is becoming more generous in some respects (some limits are being lifted), but it’s also adding new AI integration requirements that bring both new opportunities and new questions.

What Quebec Businesses Are Thinking (and Worrying About)

Joshua works directly with Quebec’s innovation leaders every day, and he’s hearing a mix of optimism and concern:

The optimism: Companies understand this is a necessary evolution. Quebec needs to maintain its competitive edge in AI, building on strengths from Mila, strong universities, and a thriving startup ecosystem.

The concern: Companies already claiming millions in CDAE are nervous about changing criteria. The “magic phrase” everyone keeps asking about? What exactly does “significant use of AI” entail?

“There’s a bit of gray zone into how Quebec will actually apply these changes,” Joshua notes. “There’s optimism, but there’s also a mix of skepticism and fear in navigating this uncertainty.”

This ambiguity is precisely why having an expert partner matters, and why Boast built a dedicated solution rather than trying to retrofit existing tools.

Building a Platform When Requirements Are Still Evolving

Blake Nelson leads product development at Boast, and he faced a unique challenge: How do you design a platform when the rules are still being finalized?

His approach: Start with the end in sight.

“We understand the concept and the goals of what they’re trying to accomplish. Whereas some of the in-between steps are still trying to be defined, we can use our tool and continue to tune it as we get more and more details about the specifics as they come out.”

The advantage of partnering with Boast early? You don’t have to wait until December 2026 to look back at your entire year and figure out how to apply new criteria retroactively. You can start the process now and adapt as requirements crystallize.

The Boast Difference: Technology Meets Expertise

One of the most important themes in the conversation is how Boast balances automation with human judgment.

Blake’s philosophy: “We’re not building a platform to do everything automatically. We’re saying let’s build a platform to automate the mundane, to take care of the tedious pieces, to save time where it can be saved. But we know that human judgment is gonna be critical.”

The platform handles:

Clear criteria and guidance specific to each company’s setup
Automated extraction of information from documentation
Streamlined communication between clients and experts (no more 37-email chains)
Centralized workspace where both clients and Boast experts see the same information

But humans handle what matters most:

Strategic positioning of your AI work
Narrative development that satisfies government requirements
Stacking strategies combining CDAE-IA with SR&ED and other credits
Risk mitigation and proactive planning

As Joshua puts it: “The platform will help with defensibility, gathering documentation. It allows you and our team in tandem to really think strategically—how do we loop in SR&ED and other tax credits to kind of mitigate the changing program?”

Less Time, Better Results: How It Works

Blake built the platform with one goal: save you massive amounts of time without sacrificing quality.

Here’s how it works:

1. Dedicated Space with Clear Criteria: No guesswork. The platform adapts to your situation (Have you claimed before? What’s your setup?).

2. AI-Powered Heavy Lifting: Once you upload your documents, Boast’s AI pulls out the key info and formats it for clarity. The straightforward calculations show your potential return fast.

3. One-Stop Shop: Your expert sees exactly what you see. Communication is streamlined. Turnaround is quick.

The result? Companies save hours—or even days—at year-end, while actually getting better results thanks to strategic expertise layered on top of efficient processes.

Built to Adapt: What Happens When Rules Change?

One of Blake’s key insights: you need a strong core foundation.

“When your core is solid, you can make quick adjustments. That lets us adapt fast—no need to start from scratch every time the rules change.”

Boast has been building AI-powered tax credit platforms for years. The CDAE-IA solution builds on that foundation, adding new processes that speed up response times and feedback.

Bottom line: When Quebec updates or clarifies the rules (and they will), Boast can update the platform quickly—no need for clients to start over.

The Strategic Advantage: Stacking and Planning

One often-overlooked benefit of working with Boast is strategic tax credit stacking.

Quebec businesses may be eligible for:

CDAE-IA (AI-focused e-business credit)
SR&ED (federal and provincial R&D credits)
Other provincial and federal innovation programs

Joshua’s team helps companies evaluate:

Which credits apply to which projects
How to maximize your total funding
Timing (Do you need cash flow now or later?)
How to document your work to satisfy multiple programs

This is where human expertise is essential. A platform can’t analyze your unique business and recommend the best funding strategy—but Boast’s experts can.

Success in 2026: What It Looks Like

The program launches in January 2026. For companies that partner with Boast now, success means:

Day One Readiness

Current projects reviewed for AI integration
Documentation standards aligned with new requirements
Clear understanding of eligibility

Proactive Positioning: As Joshua puts it: “Uncertainty isn’t a reason to do nothing. There are steps you can take now to reduce risk.”

Year-End Confidence: Blake’s take: companies that start early will breeze through year-end, while those who wait until November will be scrambling to see if they qualify.

Why Boast Built This (And Why It Matters)

Joshua, based in Montreal, sums it up: “It’s amazing to see Boast making such a big investment in technology built specifically for Quebec’s tax programs.”

This isn’t a generic tool adapted for Quebec. It’s a purpose-built solution for a specific program transformation, designed for a community of innovators Boast truly cares about.

And here’s the key: Boast leads by example. The company uses the same AI tools and methods that Quebec wants businesses to adopt. The platform itself is a real-world example of “significant use of AI”—delivering efficiency gains while keeping the human expertise needed for compliance.

What This Means for You

If you’re a Quebec business doing innovative work with AI:

The opportunity is huge – More funding, fewer limits, and government recognition of how modern R&D works.

The complexity is real – New requirements, changing criteria, and strategic choices about how to present your work.

The time is now – Don’t wait until the end of 2026 to figure this out. Companies that start planning now will be ready while others scramble.

Boast’s dedicated CDAE-IA solution gives you both platform efficiency and expert guidance to help you navigate this change with confidence.

Listen to the Full Episode

Want to hear Blake and Joshua go deeper on platform design, strategic stacking, and what “significant AI use” really means in practice?

Listen to the full bonus episode of What the Tech from Boast.

About What the Tech from Boast

What the Tech features conversations with the brilliant minds behind new and exciting tech initiatives, exploring what it takes to tackle technological uncertainty and change the world. Hosted by Paul Davenport, Boast’s resident tech journalist and Head of Content.

Ready to Navigate CDAE-IA with Confidence?

Boast’s dedicated CDAE-IA solution combines purpose-built technology with deep Quebec tax credit expertise. Whether you’re claiming CDAE for the first time or transitioning from previous claims, our platform and team help you maximize funding and minimize effort.