Federal government spending on science and technology

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Spending on science and technology (S&T) by federal government departments and agencies is forecast to reach $11.3 billion for the fiscal year 2011/2012 on a current dollar basis.

These data reflect federal government spending intentions at the beginning of the fiscal year and are subject to revision throughout the year.

Estimates for federal S&T spending are now available for three fiscal years, from 2009/2010 through 2011/2012.

After federal departments and agencies finalized their accounts for 2009/2010, federal S&T spending amounted to $11.6 billion. For the fiscal year 2010/2011, S&T spending is forecast to increase to $11.9 billion.

After taking inflation into account, federal government S&T spending in 2009/2010 amounted to $9.8 billion, up 46.5% from the level in 1999/2000.

S&T comprises two components: research and development and related scientific activities. In 2011/2012, projected federal government spending on research and development is forecast at $7.1 billion, with the remainder of the S&T expenditures projected to be directed to related scientific activities. These related activities include gathering, processing and analyzing data, information services, museum services, and feasibility and policy studies.

S&T expenditures made within the federal government such as salaries of scientific personnel and the materials and equipment required to support their activities, are known as intramural expenditures. S&T payments made to other performing sectors such as higher education, the business sector, private non-profit organizations and foreign and other entities are known as extramural expenditures.

Over the past decade, the federal government began directing a higher proportion of its S&T expenditures to extramural performers. In 1998/1999, about $4 of every $10 of federal S&T expenditures were paid to extramural performers. By 2009/2010, this proportion had increased to about $5.

In 2011/2012, extramural expenditures are projected to account for almost half ($5.5 billion) of total federal S&T expenditures.

The higher education sector will continue to be the leading recipient of the federal government's extramural S&T spending at $3.3 billion.

Most of the S&T spending directed to higher education institutions is projected to come from the three granting councils: Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council ($967 million), Canadian Institutes of Health Research ($930 million) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council ($625 million).

In 2011/2012, federal departments and agencies are projected to have 39,052 full-time equivalent positions engaged in S&T activities.

Of this total, 18,028 positions will be classified as scientific and professional, 9,373 as technical and 11,651 as "other" engaged in support activities. About 43% of the total will be involved in research and development.

Note: The Federal Science Expenditures and Personnel, Activities in the Social Sciences and Natural Sciences is an annual survey of all federal government departments and agencies believed to be performing or funding science and technology activities. Data for this release cycle were collected between December 10, 2010 and March 31, 2011 from 64 federal government departments and agencies.

Responding departments and agencies to the Federal Science Expenditures and Personnel Survey are requested to authorize Statistics Canada to publish any or all portions of the data supplied to this survey that could identify them. Information is not published for departments and agencies which have not authorized the disclosure.

Available on CANSIM: tables 358-0142 to 358-0151.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 4212.

The publication Federal Scientific Activities, 2011/2012 (88-204-X, free), is now available 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 Horatio Sam-Aggrey (613-951-9010; horatiogodfrey.sam-aggrey@statcan.gc.ca) or Louise Earl (613-951-2880; louise.earl@statcan.gc.ca), Business Special Surveys and Technology Statistics Division.