Travel Policy

The Travel Policy was approved on April 1, 2023 for the 2023-24 Fiscal Year. Any amendments made after the fact will be posted here:

• “Travel and membership benefits or anything without cash value are not an eligible expense.” was changed to: Reward points may be used towards travel expenses such as flights and accommodations. If reward points are to count towards the applicant’s contribution to the project financial structure, the applicant must include the following at the time of application:
  • Proof of redemption with airfare or accommodation booking confirmation; and
  • Evidence of the original price (the lowest price) of the expense before reward points were redeemed (projects cannot be overfinanced.)

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Applicant Travel Policy

Per diems, accommodations, and travel expenses are eligible for Saskatchewan residents for travel, performance, and promotional dates.

• Travel expenses for non-Saskatchewan residents are not eligible.
• Expenses for hired staff are not eligible during non-travel days and non-work days.
• Reward points may be used towards travel expenses such as flights and accommodations. If reward points are to count towards the applicant’s contribution to the project financial structure, the applicant must include the following at the time of application:
  • Proof of redemption with airfare or accommodation booking confirmation; and
  • Evidence of the original price (the lowest price) of the expense before reward points were redeemed (projects cannot be overfinanced.)
• The per diem rate is determined by the location at the end of the day.
• If the applicant is not returning to Saskatchewan after the market event, return travel expenses are capped at the amount of the initial leg of the trip.

Example: Jane Smith flies from Saskatoon to Toronto for $250. After the event, Jane flies from Toronto to Frankfurt for other business. As Jane is not flying home to Saskatchewan, the maximum amount they are eligible to claim for their return flight is the same amount for their initial flight, $250. The total amount eligible for flights to be claimed in the budget is $500 ($250 + $250). Creative Saskatchewan will cover 50% of this claim.

Travel Expense Guide

• All eligible travel costs must be calculated using the provided Travel Itinerary and Budget templates.
• Travel expenses must be directly related to the project and incurred during the project term.
  • Expenses for travel within the province are eligible for rural and northern Saskatchewan residents (with the exception of the Market Travel Grant, which does not support in-province events/showcases.)
    • Funding for in-province travel is intended to support rural and northern residents outside of the two major centres (Regina and Saskatoon).
      • Eligible applicants can apply to attend market events 300 km or more from their primary residence within Saskatchewan.
      • Exception: Applicants travelling from Prince Albert (and north of Prince Albert) to Saskatoon do not need to meet the 300 km threshold.
• Applications are not eligible to attend events where the primary organizer is a Creative Saskatchewan supported industry association (Saskatchewan Craft Council; SaskBooks; SaskGalleries; SaskInteractive; SaskMusic; SATP and SMPIA).
• All amounts must be in Canadian Dollars. For international amounts, applicants must supply the exchange rates used by their bank or credit card company or calculate amounts using the Bank of Canada’s Currency Converter.
• The Mileage rate is for private vehicles only and is based on the Government of Saskatchewan Public Service Commission rate (which includes fuel, vehicle usage and expenses). If a rental vehicle is being used for travel, eligible costs include the rental and fuel.
• The Government of Saskatchewan rates in effect at the time the grant application are eligible. The Mileage and Per Diem rates to be used can be found here.
• Accommodations are limited to $400 per night per room (Canadian funds), inclusive of all taxes. If the rate exceeds the amount, only the excessive amount is disallowed.
• Airfare and event registration may be booked prior to submitting an application to Creative Saskatchewan.
• Reward points may be used towards travel expenses such as flights and accommodations. If reward points are to count towards the applicant’s contribution to the project financial structure, the applicant must include the following at the time of application:
  • Proof of redemption with airfare or accommodation booking confirmation; and
  • Evidence of the original price (the lowest price) of the expense before reward points were redeemed (projects cannot be overfinanced.)

Refer to the General Program Guidelines and the Guidelines specific to the program being applied to for a complete list of eligible and ineligible expenses.