Right now, of course, they're tax credits because we're not profitable. But my experience in the past with renewables, for example, and some nuclear stuff.... One of the great times in California, when I was doing this sort of work, was when the regulators would allow research to be an allowable expense for utilities. When that went away in California, it had a profoundly negative effect. This may be useless information to you, but I'm just giving you my own experience here.
I found direct funding from a government very useful if it was attached to an attitude that you're allowed to take reasonable risks for big rewards. That's typically not a government characteristic, unless it's declared clearly to be R and D, in which case, of course, you're forgiven for more give and take in the results.
I think the ARPA-E that DOE has going is a refreshing change from some of the ways I've seen governments fund things. Again, I'm speaking of my experience in the U.S. I apologize for having very little experience in Canada.
I don't know whether this is helpful.