View the most recent version.

Highlights

Gross domestic expenditure on research and development, 2007 intentions

1. Total spending on research and development (R&D) in Canada this year is projected to increase slightly, according to preliminary estimates (Table 1-1 ).
2. R&D spending is anticipated to reach nearly $29.0 billion in 2007, up 3.3% from the estimated $28.1 billion in 2006 (Table 1-1 ).
3. The higher education sector is projected to account for half ($459 million) of the anticipated overall growth of $917 million. The business enterprise sector will likely account for 45% or $413 million of the increase (Table 1-3 ).
4. The intentions indicate that the business enterprise sector will continue to be the largest R&D performer. Its investment will amount to $15.8 billion, followed by the higher education sector at $10.4 billion (Table 1-3 ).
5. Combined, these two sectors should continue to perform 90% of total R&D in 2007 as they have been since 2003 (Table 1-3 ).
6. The value of the federal government’s performance of R&D is expected to increase by $40 million, or 1.7%, to reach $2.3 billion (Table 1-3 ).
7. In terms of R&D funding, business enterprises are expected to account for nearly 48% of the total funding.The federal government will continue as the second largest funder, accounting for almost 19% of the total (Table 1-3 ).
8. Figures on provincial distribution of R&D spending are available up to 2005. In four provinces – Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Manitoba – the higher education sector performed over half of the total R&D in 2005. In Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia, business enterprises performed over half (Table 5-1 ).