Spending on research and development, 2012 (intentions)

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Gross domestic expenditures on research and development (R&D) are anticipated to amount to $30.0 billion in 2012, up 0.3% from 2011.

The 2012 R&D intentions show a gradual recovery from the most recent economic downturn. While total R&D spending intentions are below the $30.8 billion peak in 2008, they are 28% higher than the $23.5 billion spent in 2002.

In 2012, business enterprises expect to spend $15.5 billion on R&D, up 0.9% from the previous year but 6.9% below the pre-recession peak. This anticipated expenditure accounts for 52% of total spending on R&D, down from 58% a decade earlier, illustrating this sector's reduced presence in R&D activities.

The higher education sector's R&D spending intentions are $11.5 billion, maintaining its position as the second largest R&D performing sector. Since 2002, R&D expenditures in this sector have increased almost 55%.

The federal government, the third largest performing sector, anticipates R&D spending at $2.5 billion, down 7.3% from 2011. This decline represents a return to more normal levels, as a result of the conclusion of federal stimulus spending. From 2002 to 2012, federal R&D expenditures on R&D increased 13.0%.

The remaining R&D performing sectors (provincial governments, provincial research organizations and private non-profit organizations) are expected to spend $547 million. This combined group's R&D expenditures are anticipated to increase 7.5% from 2011 and 58.6% from 2002.

For R&D funding, the business enterprise sector is expected to fund $14.1 billion in 2012, followed by the federal government sector at $5.8 billion and the higher education sector at $5.4 billion. The business enterprise sector and the higher education sector anticipate increases of 1.0% over 2011 R&D funding levels while the federal government sector anticipates a 3.1% decline. In comparison, provincial governments and provincial research organizations expect their R&D funding to increase by 2.8% to $1.7 billion in 2012.

Funding for R&D also includes the foreign sector, which is anticipated to provide $2.0 billion, up 1.8% from 2011.

Canada's gross domestic expenditures on research and development as a percentage of its gross domestic product for 2011 was 1.74. In 2010, Canada ranked fifth among the G8 countries with a ratio of 1.85.