Analysis

Scientific and technological activities of provincial governments and provincial researchorganizations, 2003/2004 to 2007/2008

The 2007/2008 S&T expenditures for the provincial governments of Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia reported increases in S&T spending while Manitoba indicated a slight decrease from the previous year (table 3-1).

The leading provinces for total R&D expenditures in 2007/2008 continued to be Ontario ($595.3 million); Quebec ($498.1 million) and Alberta ($374.9 million) (table 3-1).

Provincial government research and development expenditures in the natural sciences and engineering are available for Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia. In 2007/2008, the Alberta government led in the amount spent on intramural R&D in the natural sciences and engineering at $138.6 million. (table 3-5)

For 2007/2008 in the natural sciences and engineering, the Alberta government funded the highest amount of R&D in the business enterprise sector, $62.5 million (table 3-5).

The provincial government of Ontario indicated that $303.0 million was intended for R&D expenditures on natural sciences and engineering in the higher education sector in 2007/2008. The Quebec provincial government funded $205.5 million of natural science and engineering R&D to the higher education sector. The third largest amount of funding in the natural sciences and engineering to the higher education sector for R&D activities came from the Alberta provincial government at $129.4 million. (table 3-5)

The provinces allocate their S&T expenditures by socio-economic objectives. These objectives are:

1. Exploration and exploitation of the earth
2. Infrastructure and general planning of land use
3. Control and care of the environment
4. Protection and improvement of human health
5. Production, distribution and rational utilization of energy
6. Agriculture production and technology
7. Fishing
8. Forestry
9. Industrial production and technology
10. Social structures and relationships
11. Exploration and exploitation of space
12. Basic research
13. Other civil research

In 2007/2008, total expenditures on scientific activities varied by objective. Protection and improvement of human health was ranked as one of the top five S&T expenditure objectives as determined by amount spent. (table 5)

Newfoundland and Labrador’s top three priorities for total S&T activities by objective in 2007/2008 were social structures and relationships, infrastructure and general planning of land use and industrial production and technology (table 5).

New Brunswick’s primary focus for total S&T expenditures in 2007/2008 by objective were on infrastructure and general planning for land use, followed by social structures and relationships and basic research (table 5).

In 2007/2008 Ontario’s priorities for total S&T activities in 2007/2008 by objective were concentrated in protection and improvement of human health, control and care of the environment and basic research (table 5).

For Manitoba, in 2007/2008 the primary objectives for total S&T expenditures were in social structures and relationships, infrastructure and general planning for land use, and protection and improvement of human health (table 5).

Alberta’s top three objectives of total S&T expenditures in 2007/2008 were protection and improvement of human health; production, distribution and rational utilization of energy and control and care of the environment (table 5).

British Columbia’s priorities for total S&T activities in 2007/2008 by objective were concentrated in basic research, protection and improvement of human health and control and care of the environment (table 5).

In 2007/2008, the provincial government of Alberta dedicated 840 full-time equivalents to its R&D activities of which 389 were in the scientific and professional category. Quebec’s provincial government followed with 775 full-time equivalents working on R&D activities. Quebec with 438 had more full-time equivalent scientists and professionals engaged in research and development than any other Canadian province. Ontario’s provincial government dedicated 616 full-time equivalents to R&D activities of which 378 were in the scientific and professional category. (table 12-2)

This report also presents the results of the S&T activities of provincial research organizations (PROs).

In 2007/2008 total expenditures of the PROs on scientific activities reached approximately $112 million, an increase of 48% over the previous year. The majority of this increase was due to the Aurora Research Institute having a three year R&D contract of $34 million which ended in early 2009. (table 14)

Almost 89% of Canada’s $112 million in S&T expenditures by the PROs occurred in the Northwest Territories, Saskatchewan and Quebec. The PRO in the Northwest Territories accounted for $35.8 million, the PRO in Saskatchewan accounted for $33.3 million, while the Quebec PRO spent $30.1 million. (table 14)