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Spending on industrial research and development
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In 2007, firms performing research and development (R&D) dedicated $15.8 billion to industrial R&D spending, up from $15.4 billion the previous year. Reported growth in R&D expenditures between 2005 and 2006 was flat, while the estimated growth between 2006 and 2007 was 2.7%.
The six leading industries performing R&D in 2007 continued to be information and cultural industries ($1.7 billion), communications equipment ($1.4 billion), scientific research and development ($1.3 billion), computer system design and related services ($1.3 billion), pharmaceutical and medicine ($1.1 billion), and aerospace products and parts ($1.0 billion). Together these industries represent half (49.5%) of industrial R&D expenditures.
Industrial R&D expenditures related to health showed almost no growth, an estimated $1.8 billion for 2007. R&D expenditures in the information communication technologies (ICT) industries showed modest growth, attaining an estimated $6 billion.
R&D expenditures by ICT industries from 2002 to 2007 represent 4 out of every 10 dollars spent on industrial R&D in Canada down from the high of 5 out of every 10 dollars in 2000.
R&D activities provided employment to 137,686 full-time equivalents in 2005, up 8.9% from 126,431 in 2003. Scientists and engineers accounted for 81,955 full-time jobs or 60% of the R&D personnel. Technicians, administrators and support staff comprised the remaining 55,731 full-time equivalents.
The four most important provincial contributors to gross domestic product are the provinces in which the highest levels of industrial R&D spending occur. The largest amount spent on R&D by industry occurred in Ontario ($8.0 billion or 52%) followed by Québec ($4.2 billion or 27%), British Columbia ($1.5 billion or 9%) and Alberta ($1.1 billion or 7%).
R&D performers in Canada continued to allocate the most important share of their research and development dollars to new ($5.7 billion or 40%) and improved ($3.2 billion or 22%) product development, while basic research was allocated 4% of industrial R&D dollars, attaining $0.6 billion in 2005.
Available on CANSIM: table 358-0024.
Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 4201.
The article, "Industrial Research and Development, 2003 to 2007," is in the service bulletin Science Statistics, Vol. 31, no. 6 (88-001-XWE, free), now available from the Publications module of our website.
For more information, or to enquire about the methods, concepts or data quality of this release, contact Robert Schellings, (613-951-6675; robert.schellings@statcan.gc.ca) or Jonathan Aikens (613-951-9281; jonathan.aikens@statcan.gc.ca), Science, Innovation and Electronic Information Division.
