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Highlights
Spending on industrial research and development 2009 (preliminary)
- Data are now available on preliminary intentions for spending in 2009 on industrial research and development by firms in the private sector.
- In total, companies anticipated that their spending (in current dollars) on industrial R&D would amount to $16.1 billion in 2009.
- Firms in the information and communications technologies (ICT) sector anticipated total R&D performance at $6.2 billion, or 38.5% of the total in 2009. Those performing R&D related to pharmaceuticals and medicine anticipated investment of $1.7 billion, or 10% of the total. Both proportions are in line with historical levels.
- Also available are data on revised intentions for 2008. Preliminary actual data are available for 2007 on employment in R&D, the nature of R&D activities and industrial spending distributed by provinces.
- In 2007, firms in Ontario accounted for 48% of total industrial spending on R&D, while those in Quebec accounted for 30%. R&D spending in Ontario declined by 4.0% to $7.6 billion, while investment in Quebec rose 3.2% to $4.7 billion.
Note
Spending intentions for 2008 and 2009 are preliminary indications of the direction of R&D investment intentions. They are not absolute levels of R&D spending so they should be used with caution. In response to the global economic downturn, survey respondents may have adjusted their R&D spending for the last two quarters of 2008 and for all of 2009 after providing their intentions. In addition, estimates of R&D spending for 2007 represent the latest year of actual spending data in the time series released today. However, these data will be revised when Statistics Canada has received processed tax credit forms for scientific research and experimental development outstanding at the time these estimates were finalized or revised after audit by the Canada Revenue Agency.
