Spending on research and development in the higher education sector, 2014/2015
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Released: 2016-07-29
$12.9 billion
2014/2015
0.6% 
(annual change)
Total expenditures on research and development (R&D) in Canada's higher education sector edged up 0.6% to $12.9 billion in 2014/2015, after declining in 2013/2014. The gain was attributable to higher spending in the natural sciences and engineering field, as expenditures in the field of social sciences and humanities were unchanged.
Provincially, expenditures were up in six provinces. The largest rise in R&D spending was in Quebec (+$32.9 million), followed by Newfoundland and Labrador (+$30.7 million) and British Columbia (+$26.5 million). The largest decline occurred in Ontario (-$64.3 million). Together, Ontario and Quebec accounted for about two-thirds of total R&D spending in the higher education sector in Canada.
Spending rose in three of six funding sectors from 2013/2014 to 2014/2015. The private non-profit sector posted the largest gain (+$107.7 million), followed by the business enterprise sector (+$90.7 million) and the higher education sector (+$54.8 million). Increased funding from these sectors was slightly offset by a decrease in funding from federal and provincial governments and the foreign sector.
Chart 1
Spending on research and development in the higher education sector, by source of funding and science field, 2014/2015
The higher education sector contributed the most to total R&D expenditures in 2014/2015, accounting for 49.5% of expenditures. The sector supplied 67.4% of total R&D spending in the field of social sciences and humanities, and 43.9% in the field of natural sciences and engineering.
Note to readers
Expenditures on research and development in the higher education sector concepts
The higher education sector is composed of universities and affiliated research hospitals, experimental stations and clinics.
Total expenditures on research and development (R&D) are classified into two fields of science: natural sciences and engineering and social sciences and humanities.
There are six funding sources for R&D expenditures in the higher education sector: business enterprises, private non-profit organizations, the federal government, provincial governments, the foreign sector and internal funding from the higher education sector.
Survey on research and development in the higher education sector
The survey on research and development in the higher education sector was conducted in 2014/2015 to derive coefficients of time spent by faculty members on R&D activities by academic field of science. These new coefficients have been applied in Statistic Canada's model for expenditures on research and development in the higher education sector (HERD), commencing with fiscal year 2012/2013. Data for previous years are not comparable.
For further information on HERD concepts and definitions, click on the Related information tab of this release.
Contact information
For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; STATCAN.infostats-infostats.STATCAN@canada.ca) or Media Relations (613-951-4636; STATCAN.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.STATCAN@canada.ca).
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