Spending on industrial research and development

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Businesses performing industrial research and development (R&D) in Canada anticipated spending $14.8 billion (in current dollars) in 2010. This was down 6.2% from actual spending reported in 2008 and 2.6% below the 2009 planned spending estimates.

Companies spent $15.8 billion on industrial R&D in 2008, down 5.1% or $852 million from 2007.

In 2010, 43% of industrial R&D spending was performed in the following five industries: scientific research and development services ($1.6 billion), communications equipment industry ($1.3 billion), wholesale trade ($1.2 billion), computer system design and related services industry ($1.1 billion), and information and cultural industries ($1.1 billion).

Spending in 2008 in Ontario amounted to $7.6 billion, or 48% of the industrial R&D total. Businesses in Quebec spent $4.6 billion, or 29% of the total.

R&D activities provided employment to an estimated 158,926 full-time equivalent positions in 2008, an increase of 15% in research effort from five years earlier.

Note: Data for 2008 on employment in R&D activities, sources of funds for R&D, and industrial R&D spending distributed by provinces are also available.

Revised R&D spending intentions for 2009 are also available. Spending intentions for 2009 and 2010 are preliminary indications of the direction of R&D investments. They do not represent absolute values of R&D spending, and should be used with caution.

Available on CANSIM: table 358-0024.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 4201.

The article, "Industrial research and development, 2006 to 2010," is now available in the service bulletin Science Statistics, Vol. 34, no. 6 (88-001-X, free), from the Key resource module of our website under Publications.

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Charlene Lonmo (613-951-6617; charlene.lonmo@statcan.gc.ca) or Robert Schellings (613-951-6675; robert.schellings@statcan.gc.ca), Business Special Surveys and Technology Statistics Division.