Montreal: Police investigators with the Surete du Quebec and the rcmp seized four boxes of tax-credit-related documents at the sodec offices in Montreal, April 6.

The documents relate to tax-credit reports on four productions by Cinar Corp., under investigation for alleged tax-credit fraud by both police forces since last fall.

Officials with Canadian Heritage say there hasn’t been a similar police action at cavco, the certification office, which, in association with the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency manages the federal tax-credit program, although cavco claims it is cooperating with the police investigation.

Following the Montreal seizure, the rcmp issued a statement saying cavco has refused to release tax documents related to the Cinar case because of confidentiality laws under section 241 of the Income Tax Act.

sodec appears to have taken a different position.

A spokesperson for the agency says that because the police had obtained a court-ordered search warrant, apparently they were entitled to access confidential tax-credit information. sodec manages the Quebec film and television production tax-credit program. It prepares preliminary rulings, which are forwarded to Revenue Quebec.

Last week, Cinar’s new management committee said it hoped to restate its financial results going back three years by May 31. The company has asked security authorities for a 90-day extension in reporting its fiscal 1999 results, otherwise due April 18, and has also requested an extension for results for the first quarter of fiscal 2000, due April 28.