Federal Science Expenditures and Personnel 2027/2028 - Activities in the social sciences, humanities and the arts

Information for respondents

Authority to publish

Section 17 of the Statistics Act allows for the disclosure of certain information relating to an organization. For this survey, Statistics Canada will release the names of federal departments and agencies whose science and technology (S&T) expenditures surpass 2% of the total federal S&T expenditures. This applies to departments that previously authorized publication. For each of these departments, data on expenditures and personnel will be published.

Respondent Information:

  • Name of person who approved the data reported
  • Signature
  • Official position
  • Program
  • Department or agency
  • E-mail address
  • Telephone number

Enquiries to be directed to:

  • Name
  • Date
  • Position title
  • Telephone number
  • Email address
  • Fax number

Purpose

This survey collects financial and operating data on expenditures and full-time equivalent personnel on the scientific activities of Federal Government Public Administration in Canada.

Additional information

The data collected are used by federal, territorial and provincial science policy analysts, and are also part of the gross domestic expenditures on research and development (GERD). Your information may also be used by Statistics Canada for other statistical and research purposes.

Authority

Collected under the authority of the Statistics Act, Revised Statutes of Canada, 1985, Chapter S-19.

Completion of this questionnaire is a legal requirement under this Act.

Confidentiality

Statistics Canada is prohibited by law from releasing any information it collects which could identify any person, business, or organization, unless consent has been given by the respondent or as permitted by the Statistics Act. Statistics Canada will use the information from this survey for statistical purposes.

Data-sharing agreements

To reduce respondent burden, Statistics Canada has entered into data-sharing agreements with provincial and territorial statistical agencies and other government organizations, which have agreed to keep the data confidential and use them only for statistical purposes. Statistics Canada will only share data from this survey with those organizations that have demonstrated a requirement to use the data.

Section 11 of the Statistics Act provides for the sharing of information with provincial and territorial statistical agencies that meet certain conditions. These agencies must have the legislative authority to collect the same information, on a mandatory basis, and the legislation must provide substantially the same provisions for confidentiality and penalties for disclosure of confidential information as the Statistics Act. Because these agencies have the legal authority to compel businesses to provide the same information, consent is not requested and businesses may not object to the sharing of the data.

For this survey, there are Section 11 agreements with the provincial and territorial statistical agencies of Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, and the Yukon.

The shared data will be limited to information pertaining to federal departments and agencies located within the jurisdiction of the respective province or territory.

Section 12 of the Statistics Act provides for the sharing of information with federal, provincial or territorial government organizations. Under Section 12, you may refuse to share your information with any of these organizations by writing a letter of objection to the Chief Statistician and returning it with the completed questionnaire. Please specify the organizations with which you do not want to share your data.

For this survey, there are Section 12 agreements with the statistical agencies of Prince Edward Island, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Innovation Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), as well as the Office of the Chief Science Advisor (OCSA) of ISED.

The shared data will be limited to information pertaining to federal departments and agencies located within the jurisdiction of the respective province or territory.

Record linkage

To enhance the data from this survey and to minimize the reporting burden, Statistics Canada may combine it with information from other surveys or from administrative sources.

Security of emails and faxes

Statistics Canada advises you that there could be a risk of disclosure during the transmission of information by facsimile or e-mail. However, upon receipt, Statistics Canada will provide the guaranteed level of protection afforded all information collected under the authority of the Statistics Act.

Return procedures

Please forward the completed questionnaire and listing of extramural performers through the Electronic File Transfer service (EFT).

For further inquiries:

Thank you for your co-operation.

FSEP - Introduction

This introduction is intended to provide an overview of the process of collecting science expenditure data; definitions of and explanatory notes on natural sciences and engineering, social sciences, humanities and the arts, scientific and technological activities, performance sectors, and other terms used are given in subsequent sections.

The collection of science expenditure data is organized by the Centre for Innovation, Technology and Enterprise Statistics (CITES) of Statistics Canada. This exercise was formerly conducted under the aegis of the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat but is now solely a Statistics Canada survey.

Collection is undertaken to gather essential data describing the recent, current and proposed state of the federal resources allocated to science. Federal science expenditures data are provided to Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada who in turn use the data in the development of advice to the Assistant Deputy Ministers' Steering Committee on the Management of S&T, their Minister and the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, as well as in policy development and in monitoring the implementation of science policies. Statistics Canada maintains historical expenditure series in natural sciences and engineering dating back to 1963 and to 1971 in the social sciences, humanities and the arts. These data are available through the Centre for Innovation, Technology and Enterprise Statistics (CITES) or through special requests.

The basic reporting unit is the budgetary program of a department or agency. Each budgetary program forms the subject of separate scientific expenditure reports for the natural and for the social science activities within it. Both the program and the program activities within it may be scientific in whole or in part only. Only expenditures on the scientific components of a program or its activity are reported. In some programs it will be difficult to distinguish between the natural and social sciences. However, some allocation must be made and in determining this allocation, the dominant orientation of the projects and the area of expertise of the personnel involved must be considered. Detailed definitions are given on the following pages.

On the questionnaires, the identified expenditures are looked at from several different viewpoints and in various subdivisions. Expenditures on research and development (R&D) and related scientific activities (RSA) are subdivided to provide an indication of the "what" of a department's scientific effort. Expenditures in each category of scientific activity are further subdivided into "current" and "capital" segments. Current expenditures are additionally subdivided by sector, to indicate the "where" and "by whom" the activity is performed (e.g., in business enterprise, in higher education).

The human resources allocated to scientific activities are summarized in terms of the involved categories of personnel (scientific and professional, technical, etc.) and the principal focus of their efforts (R&D, RSA and, administration of extramural programs).

When completed, checked for consistency with previous reports, entered into the database and totaled along the various dimensions, these data provide snapshots of the federal resources allocated to science, supporting not only the work of central agencies but also the submissions of departments and agencies requesting resources.

Purpose

This survey collects financial and operating data on expenditures and full-time equivalent personnel on the scientific activities of Federal Government Public Administration in Canada.

Question 1: Expenditures by activity and performer

General

The social sciences, humanities and the arts consist of disciplines involving the study of human actions and conditions and the social, economic and institutional mechanisms affecting humans. Included are such disciplines as arts, economics and business, education, history and archaeology, law, language and linguistics, media and communications, philosophy, ethics and religion, psychology and cognitive sciences, social and economic geography, and sociology.

Expenditures by activity and performer

Scientific and technological (S&T) activities can be defined as all systematic activities which are closely concerned with the generation, advancement, dissemination and application of scientific and technology knowledge in all fields of science and technology, that is the natural sciences and engineering, and the social sciences, humanities and the arts.

The central activity is scientific research and experimental development (R&D). In addition there are a number of activities closely related to R&D, and are termed related scientific activities (RSA). Those identified as being appropriate for the federal government in the social sciences, humanities and the arts are: general purpose data collection, information services, special services and studies and education support.

The performer is equivalent to the sector in which the scientific activity is conducted. The basic distinction is between intramural and extramural performance. Extramural payments are classified on the basis of the performance sectors to which they are made. The appropriate extramural performers are business enterprise, higher education, Canadian non-profit institutions, provincial, territorial and municipal government, and foreign performers.

I. Performers

lntramural activities include all current expenditures incurred for scientific activities carried out by in-house personnel of units assigned to the program; the related gross fixed capital expenditures (acquisition of land, buildings, machinery and equipment for scientific activities); the administration of scientific activities by program employees; and, the purchase of goods and services to support in-house scientific activities (include royalties or licences for the use of patents and other intellectual property rights, the lease of capital goods (machinery and equipment, etc.) and the rental of buildings to support scientific activities performed by the statistical unit in the reference year).

The intramural expenditures reported for scientific activities are those direct costs, including salaries, associated with scientific programs. The costs should include that portion of a program's contribution to employee benefit plans (e.g., superannuation and compensation) which is applicable to the scientific personnel within the program. The summation of intramural R&D activity is synonymous with the performance of R&D for the entire economy (GERD).

Extramural performers are groups being funded by the federal government sector for S&T activities. In this survey the extramural performers include:

  • Business enterprise – business and government enterprises including public utilities and government-owned firms. Both financial and non-financial corporations are included. Incorporated consultants or unincorporated individuals providing scientific and engineering services are also included. Industrial research institutes located at Canadian universities are considered to be in the higher education sector.
  • Higher education – comprises all universities, colleges of technology and other institutes of post-secondary education, whatever their source of finance or legal status. It also includes teaching hospitals (non-teaching hospitals are in the Canadian non-profit sector), all research institutes, centers, experimental stations and clinics that have their scientific activities under the direct control of, or administered by, or associated with, the higher education establishments.
  • Canadian non-profit institutions – charitable foundations, voluntary health organizations, scientific and professional societies, non-teaching hospitals (teaching hospitals are in the higher education sector) and other organizations not established to earn profits. Non-profit institutions primarily serving or controlled by another sector should be included in the controlling sector.
  • Provincial, territorial and municipal governments – departments and agencies of these governments as well as provincial research organizations and self-governing First Nations and Tribal Councils. Government enterprises, such as provincial utilities are included in the business enterprise sector, and non-teaching hospitals in the Canadian non-profit institutions sector.
  • Foreign performers – all foreign government agencies, foreign companies (including foreign subsidiaries of Canadian firms), international organizations, non-resident foreign nationals and Canadians studying or teaching abroad.

II. Research and experimental development (R&D)

Research and experimental development (R&D) - comprise creative and systematic work undertaken in order to increase the stock of knowledge - including knowledge of humankind, culture and society - and to devise new applications of available knowledge.

R&D activities may be aimed at achieving either specific or general objectives. R&D is always aimed at new findings, based on original concepts (and their interpretation) or hypotheses. It is largely uncertain about its final outcome (or at least about the quantity of time and resources needed to achieve it), it is planned for and budgeted (even when carried out by individuals), and it is aimed at producing results that could be either freely transferred or traded in a marketplace.

For an activity to be an R&D activity, it must satisfy five core criteria:

  • To be aimed at new findings (novel);
  • To be based on original, not obvious, concepts and hypothesis (creative);
  • To be uncertain about the final outcome (uncertainty);
  • To be planned and budgeted (systematic);
  • To lead to results that could be possibly reproduced (transferable/or reproducible).

Examples of R&D:

  • A review of theories on the factors determining regional disparities in economic growth.
  • Understanding the fundamental dynamics of spatial interactions.
  • Comparative evaluations of national education programs aimed at reducing the learning gap experienced by disadvantaged communities.
  • Research studies analyzing the spatial-temporal patterns in the transmission and diffusion of an infectious disease outbreak.

Both "research" and "development" are often used with different meanings in the government. For example, it is increasingly common to hear that a person is "researching" something (i.e. the person is looking for information about something). Similarly, there are many units with either "research" or "development" or both terms in their titles which are concerned primarily with information gathering, speech writing, and preparation of position papers. These should be excluded from the scientific activity of R&D. On the other hand, a case study on unemployment in a specific region, if applying original techniques in interviewing survey respondents could include such data collection in its R&D effort. From a broad perspective, to the extent that the social sciences are using empirical data, the same guidelines have to be applied as for the natural sciences (although excluding the testing of their results on an experimental basis).

Many social scientists perform work in which they bring the established methodologies and facts of the social sciences to bear upon a particular problem, but which cannot be classified as research. The following are examples of work which might be included in this category and are not R&D: interpretative commentary on the probable economic effects of a change in the tax structure using existing economic data; forecasting future changes in the pattern of the demand for social services within a given area arising from an altered demographic structure; operations research as a contribution to decision-making, e.g. planning the optimal distribution system for a factory; the use of standard techniques in applied psychology to select and classify industrial and military personnel, students, etc., and to test children with reading or other disabilities.

1. In-house R&D – R&D performed by personnel of the reporting program. It may include R&D carried out on behalf of another program or federal government department.

2. R&D contracts – R&D contracts to an outside institution or individual to fund R&D performed by the institution or individual. The criterion is: would the performer report the R&D contract as in-house (intramural) R&D that is government-funded? If the answer is yes the activity would be an R&D contract. If no, and the funding is to provide goods and services necessary to support the in-house R&D of the federal government it should be reported as In-house R&D.

3. R&D grants, contributions and fellowships – awards to organizations or individuals for the conduct of R&D and intended to benefit the recipients rather than provide the program with goods, services or information. These funds are normally identical to that portion of the budgetary "grants, contributions and fellowships" line object of expenditure which is devoted to R&D activities.

4. Research fellowships – awards to individuals for advanced research training and experience. Awards intended primarily to support the education of the recipients should be reported as "education support".

5. Administration of extramural programs – the costs of identifiable units engaged in the administration of contracts and grants and contributions for scientific activities that are to be performed outside the federal government. These expenditures should be broken down by the type of scientific activity supported, i.e. R&D or RSA.

6. Capital expenditures – the annual gross amount paid for the acquisition of fixed assets that are used repeatedly or continuously in the performance of scientific activities for more than one year. They should be reported in full for the period when they took place, whether acquired or developed in house, and should not be registered as an element of depreciation.

The most relevant types of assets used for capital expenditures are:

  • Land and buildings
  • Machinery and equipment
  • Capitalized computer software
  • Other intellectual property products

III. Related scientific activities (RSA)

Related scientific activities (RSA) are all systematic activities which are closely concerned with the generation, advancement, dissemination and application of scientific and technological knowledge. The types of related scientific activities for the social sciences, humanities and the arts are described below.

7. In-house RSA – RSA performed by personnel of the reporting program. It may include RSA carried out on behalf of another program or federal government department.

In-house RSA activities include all current expenditures incurred for scientific activities carried out by in-house personnel of units assigned to the program; the purchase of goods and services to support in-house scientific activities (include royalties or licences for the use of patents and other intellectual property rights, and the rental of buildings to support scientific activities performed by the statistical unit in the reference year). Also include expenses of persons who provide ancillary services such as security, cleaning and maintenance work, finance and administration that are proportional to the RSA being conducted. However, the personnel providing these services are not to be included in the in-house personnel counts (see Section 2. Personnel).

The intramural expenditures reported to RSA are those direct costs, including salaries, associated with scientific programs. The cost should include that portion of a program's contribution to employee benefit plans (e.g., superannuation and compensation) which is applicable to the scientific personnel within the program. Also include the costs of self-employed individuals, consultants and researchers who are working on-site on the departments' RSA projects.

8. RSA contracts – contracts to an outside institution or individual to fund RSA performed by the institution or individual. The criterion is: would the performer report the RSA contract as in-house (intramural) RSA that is government-funded? If the answer is yes the activity would be an RSA contract. If no, and the funding is for the purchase goods and services to support the in-house RSA of the federal government department, it should be reported as In-house RSA (Item 7).
Contracts to other federal government departments should be reported as a transfer of funds in question 3A (i) and 3A (ii) of the questionnaire.

9. RSA grants and contributions – awards to organizations or individuals for the conduct of RSA and intended to benefit the recipients rather than provide the program with goods, services or information. These funds are normally identical to that portion of the budgetary "grants and contributions" line object of expenditure which is devoted to RSA.

In-house RSA, RSA Contracts and RSA grants and contributions can include the following items:

  • General purpose data collection – the routine gathering, processing, collating and analyzing and publication of information on human phenomena using survey, regular and special investigations and compilations of existing records. It excludes data collected primarily for internal administrative purpose (e.g. departmental personnel statistics) as well as the collection of data as part of an R&D project.
    Data collected as part of an existing or proposed research project are charged to research. Similarly, the costs of analyzing existing data as part of a research project are R&D costs, even when the data were originally collected for some other purpose. The institutions involved are generally the statistical bureaus of Canadian governments and the statistical sections of departments and agencies. If there are units whose principal activity is R&D, their costs and personnel should be assigned to R&D; specialized libraries with separate budgets should be assigned to information services.
  • Information services – all work directed to collecting, coding, analyzing, evaluating, recording, classifying, translating and disseminating scientific and technological information as well as museum services. Included are the operations of scientific and technical libraries, S&T consulting and advisory services, the Patent Office, the publication of scientific journals and monographs, and the organizing of scientific conferences. Grants for the publication of scholarly works are also included.
    General purpose information services or information services directed primarily towards the general public are excluded, as are general departmental and public libraries. When individual budgets exist, the costs of libraries which belong to institutions otherwise entirely classified to another activity, such as R&D, should be assigned to information services. The costs of printing and distributing reports from another activity, such as R&D, are normally attributed to that activity.
  • Sub category under Information services:
    • Museum services – the collecting, cataloguing and displaying of specimens and representations relating to human history, social organization and creations. The activity involves a systematic attempt to preserve and display the works of human beings and to provide information on their works, history, and nature. The scientific activities of historical museums, archeological displays, and art galleries are included. In all cases the costs of providing entertainment and recreation to visitors should be excluded (e.g. restaurants, children's gardens and museums).
      When a museum also covers aspects of natural history, the museum's operations should be divided between the social and natural sciences. However, museums of science and technology, war, etc., which display synthetic or artificial objects and may also illustrate the operations of certain technologies, should be considered as engaged in museum services in social sciences.
    • Special services and studies - systematic investigations carried out in order to provide information needed for planning or policy formulation. Demonstration projects are also included.
      The work is usually carried out by specialized units in some government departments, by consultants, by royal commissions, and by task forces. The activity is similar to R&D since it may require innovative analyses and a high degree of scientific ability. However, such studies are not intended to acquire new knowledge but to provide specific answers to specific problems (generally immediate, localized and perhaps temporary). The day-to-day operations of units concerned with departmental planning, organization or management are not normally included (i.e. administrative records kept by departments of education) but special projects may be relevant.
  • Sub categories under Special services and studies include:
    • Economic and feasibility studies – the investigation of the socio-economic characteristics and implications of specific situations (e.g. a study of the variability of a petrochemical complex in a certain region). Note that feasibility studies on research projects are part of R&D.
    • Operations and policy-related studies – covers a range of activities, such as the analysis and assessment of the existing programs, policies and operations of government departments and other institutions; the work of units concerned with the continuing analysis and monitoring of external phenomena (e.g. defence and security analysis); and the work of legislative commissions of inquiry concerned with general government or departmental policy or operations.
      Any activity aimed at providing close support to policy actions, as well as to legislative activity, should be included as a related scientific activity (RSA). This includes policy advice and relations with the media, legal advice, public relations or even technical support for the administrative activity (e.g. accounting).
      Research activities aimed at providing the decision makers with a thorough knowledge of social, economic or natural phenomena have to be included in R&D. These R&D activities are usually performed by skilled personnel - researchers - in small teams of experts and consultants and meet the standard academic criteria for scientific work (in addition to the R&D criteria).
    • Education support – grants to individuals or institutions on behalf of individuals which are intended to support the post-secondary education of students in technology and the social sciences. General purpose grants to educational institutions are excluded. The activity includes the support of foreign students in their studies of the social sciences at Canadian or foreign institutions. Grants intended primarily to support the research of individuals at universities are either R&D grants or research fellowships.

10. Administration of extramural programs – the costs of identifiable units engaged in the administration of contracts and grants and contributions for scientific activities that are to be performed outside the federal government. These expenditures should be broken down by the type of scientific activity supported, i.e. R&D or RSA.

11. Capital expenditures – the annual gross amount paid for the acquisition of fixed assets that are used repeatedly or continuously in the performance of scientific activities for more than one year. They should be reported in full for the period when they took place, whether acquired or developed in house, and should not be registered as an element of depreciation.

The most relevant types of assets used for capital expenditures are:

  • Land and buildings
  • Machinery and equipment
  • Capitalized computer software
  • Other intellectual property product

Question 2: Personnel

Full-time equivalent (FTE) – the ratio of working hours actually spent on scientific activities during a specific reference period divided by the total number of hours conventionally worked in the same period by an individual or a group. For example, an employee who is engaged in scientific activities for half a year has a full-time equivalence of 0.5. Personnel data reported should be consistent with expenditures data.

Scientific and professional – researchers and professionals engaged in the conception or creation of new knowledge. They conduct research and improve or develop concepts, theories, models, techniques instrumentation, software or operational methods. They require at least one academic degree or a nationally recognized professional qualification, as well as those with equivalent experience.

Technical – technicians and equivalent staff are persons whose main tasks require technical knowledge and experience in one or more fields of engineering, the physical and life sciences, or the social sciences, humanities and the arts. They perform scientific and technical tasks involving the application of concepts and operational methods and the use of research equipment, normally under the supervision of researchers.

Other – other supporting staff includes skilled and unskilled craftsmen, and administrative, secretarial and clerical staff participating in science and technology projects or directly associated with such projects.

Question 2: Personnel by gender

Gender – refers to current gender which may be different from sex assigned at birth and may be different from what is indicated on legal documents. Categories include: man, woman, and non-binary person.

Man – this category includes persons whose reported gender is male. It includes cisgender (cis) and transgender (trans) men.

Woman – this category includes persons whose reported gender is female. It includes cisgender (cis) and transgender (trans) women.

Non-binary person – this category includes persons whose reported gender is not exclusively male or female.

Question 3: Sources of funds

Question 3A (i). Transfers for social sciences, humanities and the arts activities

Include payments and recipients for contracts, transfers and joint programs from/to other federal government departments. Please identify the amount and names of the origination and recipient programs.

Question 3A (ii). Sources of funds for total scientific and technological activities

This question identifies the sources of funds for expenditures on scientific activities reported for all three years. It will help to ensure that work funded from outside the department is not overlooked.

  • Departmental S&T budget – that portion of the total departmental budget which was spent on social sciences, humanities and the arts activities.
  • Revenues to / from other federal departments – money transferred from this program to another federal department or money transferred into this program from another federal department for activities in the social sciences, humanities and the arts.
  • Provincial government departments – all funds from the provincial government used for social sciences, humanities and the arts activities. The funds are referred to as payments, contributions, transfers, etc. Also include provincial portions of federal-provincial cost sharing programs performed by the department program.
  • Business enterprises – all funds from business enterprises used for social sciences, humanities and the arts activities performed by the department.
  • Other – all funds for social sciences, humanities and the arts activities from sources not specified above.

Question 4: Socio-economic objectives

Intramural and extramural scientific and technological expenditures by socio-economic objective for the reporting year by activity (research and experimental development, related scientific activities, and total).

  • 1. Exploration and exploitation of the Earth
  • 2. Environment
  • 3. Exploration and exploitation of space
  • 4. Transport, telecommunication and other infrastructures
  • 5. Energy
  • 6. Industrial production and technology
  • 7. Health
  • 8. Agriculture (include forestry and fisheries)
    • 8.1: Agriculture
    • 8.2: Fishing
    • 8.3: Forestry
  • 9. Education
  • 10. Culture, recreation, religion and mass media
  • 11. Political and social systems, structures and processes
  • 12. Defence

1. Exploration and exploitation of the Earth – scientific activities with objectives related to the exploration of the Earth's crust and mantle, seas, oceans and atmosphere, as well as on their exploitation. It also includes climatic and meteorological research, polar exploration (under various headings, as appropriate) and hydrology. It does not include scientific activities related to soil improvement (objective 4), land use or fishing (objective 8), or pollution (objective 2).

Examples:

  • General scientific activities
  • Mineral, oil and natural gas prospecting
  • Exploration and exploitation of the sea-bed
  • Earth's crust and mantle excluding sea-bed and studies of soil for agriculture (objective 8)
  • Hydrology - excludes scientific activities on: water supplied and disposal (objective 4) and water pollution (objective 2)
  • Sea and oceans
  • Atmosphere
  • Other scientific activities on the exploration and exploitation of the earth

Excludes: scientific activities on pollution (objective 2), soil improvement (objective 4), land-use and fishing (objective 8).

2. Environment - covers scientific activities aimed at improving the control of pollution, including the identification and analysis of the sources of pollution and their causes, and all pollutants, including their dispersal in the environment and the effects on humans, species (fauna, flora, micro-organisms) and the biosphere.

The development of monitoring facilities for the measurement of all kinds of pollution is included, as is scientific activities for the elimination and prevention of all forms of pollution in all types of environment.

3. Exploration and exploitation of space – covers all civil space scientific activities relating to the scientific exploration of space, space laboratories, space travel and launch systems. Although civil space scientific activities is not in general concerned with particular objectives, it frequently has a specific goal, such as the advancement of knowledge (e.g. astronomy) or relates to particular applications (e.g. telecommunications satellites or earth observation). This chapter does not include corresponding scientific activities for defence purposes.

4. Transport, telecommunication and other infrastructures – Transport, telecommunication and other infrastructures - covers scientific activities aimed at infrastructure and land development, including the construction of buildings. More generally, this objective covers all scientific activities relating to the general planning of land use. This includes scientific activities into protection against harmful effects in town and country planning but not research into other types of pollution (objective 2). This objective also includes scientific activities related to transport systems; telecommunication systems; general planning of land use; the construction and planning of buildings; civil engineering; and water supply.

5. Energy – covers scientific activities aimed at improving the production, storage, transportation, distribution and rational use of all forms of energy. It also includes scientific activities on processes designed to increase the efficiency of energy production and distribution, and the study of energy conservation. It does not include scientific activities related to prospecting (objective 1) or scientific activities into vehicle and engine propulsion (objective 6).

Examples:

  • Fossil fuels and their derivatives
  • Nuclear fission
  • Radioactive waste management including decommissioning with regard to fuel/energy
  • Nuclear fusion
  • Renewable energy sources
  • Rational utilization of energy

6. Industrial production and technology – covers scientific activities on the improvement of industrial production and technology. It includes scientific activities on industrial products and their manufacturing processes except where they form an integral part of the pursuit of other objectives (e.g. defence, space, energy, agriculture).

Examples:

  • Increasing economic efficiency and competitiveness
  • Manufacturing and processing techniques
  • Petrochemical and coal by-products
  • Pharmaceutical products
  • Manufacture of motor vehicles and other means of transport
  • Aerospace equipment manufacturing and repairing
  • Electronic and related industries
  • Manufacture of electrical machinery and apparatus
  • Manufacture of non-electronic and non-electronical machinery
  • Manufacture of medical and surgical equipment and orthopaedic appliances
  • Manufacture of food products and beverages
  • Manufacture of clothing and textiles and leather goods
  • Recycling

7. Health - covers scientific activities aimed at protecting, promoting and restoring human health broadly interpreted to include health aspects of nutrition and food hygiene. It ranges from preventive medicine, including all aspects of medical and surgical treatment, both for individuals and groups, and the provision of hospital and home care, to social medicine and paediatric and geriatric research.

Examples:

  • General scientific activities
  • Medical scientific activities, hospital treatment, surgery
  • Preventive medicine
  • Biomedical engineering and medicines
  • Occupational medicine
  • Nutrition and food hygiene
  • Drug abuse and addition
  • Social medicine
  • Hospital structure and organization of medical care
  • Other medical scientific activities

8. Agriculture (include forestry and fisheries) – covers all scientific activities on the promotion of agriculture, forestry, fisheries and foodstuff production, or further knowledge on chemical fertilizers, biocides, biological pest control and the mechanization of agriculture, as well as concerning the impact of agricultural and forestry activities on the environment. Also covers scientific activities on improving food productivity and technology.

8.1 Agriculture – covers scientific activities on animal products, veterinary medicine, crops, food technology and other scientific activities on agricultural production and technology.

8.2 Fishing – covers scientific activities on fishing, salting, drying, and initial freezing of products (but not on preparation and canning (objective 6)), scientific activities on fish-farming, exploration of new fishing grounds, exploration and development of new and unconventional sources of seafood.

8.3 Forestry – covers scientific activities into the ecological and economic aspects of forestry and timber production.

9. Education – covers scientific activities aimed at supporting general or special education, including training, pedagogy, didactics, and targeted methods for specially gifted persons or those with learning disabilities. Applied to all levels of education as well as to subsidiary services to education.

10. Culture, recreation, religion and mass media – covers scientific activities aimed at improving the understanding of social phenomena related to culture activities, religion and leisure activities so as to define their impact on life in society, as well as to racial and cultural integration and on socio-cultural changes in these areas. The concept of "culture" covers sociology of science, religion, art, sport and leisure, and also comprises inter alia R&D on the media, the mastery of language and social integration, libraries, archives and external cultural policy.

11. Political and social system, structures and processes – covers scientific activities aimed at improving the understanding and supporting the political structure of society, public administration issues and economic policy, regional studies and multi-level governance, social change, social processes and social conflicts, the development of social security and social assistance systems, and the social aspects of the organization of work.

12. Defence – covers scientific activities for military purposes. It also includes basic research and nuclear and space research financed by the Department of National defence. Civil scientific activities financed by ministries of defence, for example, in the fields of meteorology, telecommunications and health, should be classified in the relevant objectives.

Question 5: Expenditures and personnel by region

Scientific and technological expenditures and personnel of federal organizations for the reference year, including current and capital expenditures for intramural R&D and RSA and by scientific and professional and total personnel for R&D and RSA.

  • Newfoundland and Labrador
  • Prince Edward Island
  • Nova Scotia
  • New Brunswick
  • Quebec (excluding NCR - Quebec)
  • National Capital Region (NCR) - Quebec
  • Ontario (excluding NCR - Ontario)
  • National Capital Region (NCR) - Ontario
  • Manitoba
  • Saskatchewan
  • Alberta
  • British Columbia
  • Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut
  • Canada Total

Federal Science Expenditures and Personnel 2027/2028 - Activities in the natural sciences and engineering

Information for respondents

Authority to publish

Section 17 of the Statistics Act allows for the disclosure of certain information relating to an organization. For this survey, Statistics Canada will release the names of federal departments and agencies whose science and technology (S&T) expenditures surpass 2% of the total federal S&T expenditures. This applies to departments that previously authorized publication. For each of these departments, data on expenditures and personnel will be published.

Respondent Information:

  • Name of person who approved the data reported
  • Signature
  • Official position
  • Program
  • Department or agency
  • E-mail address
  • Telephone number

Enquiries to be directed to:

  • Name
  • Date
  • Position title
  • Telephone number
  • Email address
  • Fax number

Purpose

This survey collects financial and operating data on expenditures and full-time equivalent personnel on the scientific activities of Federal Government Public Administration in Canada.

Additional information

The data collected are used by federal, territorial and provincial science policy analysts, and are also part of the gross domestic expenditures on research and development (GERD). Your information may also be used by Statistics Canada for other statistical and research purposes.

Authority

Collected under the authority of the Statistics Act, Revised Statutes of Canada, 1985, Chapter S-19.

Completion of this questionnaire is a legal requirement under this Act.

Confidentiality

Statistics Canada is prohibited by law from releasing any information it collects which could identify any person, business, or organization, unless consent has been given by the respondent or as permitted by the Statistics Act. Statistics Canada will use the information from this survey for statistical purposes.

Data-sharing agreements

To reduce respondent burden, Statistics Canada has entered into data-sharing agreements with provincial and territorial statistical agencies and other government organizations, which have agreed to keep the data confidential and use them only for statistical purposes. Statistics Canada will only share data from this survey with those organizations that have demonstrated a requirement to use the data.

Section 11 of the Statistics Act provides for the sharing of information with provincial and territorial statistical agencies that meet certain conditions. These agencies must have the legislative authority to collect the same information, on a mandatory basis, and the legislation must provide substantially the same provisions for confidentiality and penalties for disclosure of confidential information as the Statistics Act. Because these agencies have the legal authority to compel businesses to provide the same information, consent is not requested and businesses may not object to the sharing of the data.

For this survey, there are Section 11 agreements with the provincial and territorial statistical agencies of Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, and the Yukon.

The shared data will be limited to information pertaining to federal departments and agencies located within the jurisdiction of the respective province or territory.

Section 12 of the Statistics Act provides for the sharing of information with federal, provincial or territorial government organizations. Under Section 12, you may refuse to share your information with any of these organizations by writing a letter of objection to the Chief Statistician and returning it with the completed questionnaire. Please specify the organizations with which you do not want to share your data.

For this survey, there are Section 12 agreements with the statistical agencies of Prince Edward Island, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Innovation Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), as well as the Office of the Chief Science Advisor (OCSA) of ISED.

The shared data will be limited to information pertaining to federal departments and agencies located within the jurisdiction of the respective province or territory.

Record linkage

To enhance the data from this survey and to minimize the reporting burden, Statistics Canada may combine it with information from other surveys or from administrative sources.

Security of emails and faxes

Statistics Canada advises you that there could be a risk of disclosure during the transmission of information by facsimile or e-mail. However, upon receipt, Statistics Canada will provide the guaranteed level of protection afforded all information collected under the authority of the Statistics Act.

Return procedures

Please forward the completed questionnaire and listing of extramural performers through the Electronic File Transfer service (EFT).
For further inquiries:

Thank you for your co-operation.

FSEP - Introduction

This introduction is intended to provide an overview of the process of collecting science expenditure data; definitions of and explanatory notes on natural sciences and engineering, social sciences, humanities and the arts, scientific and technological activities, performance sectors, and other terms used are given in subsequent sections.

The collection of science expenditure data is organized by the Centre for Innovation, Technology and Enterprise Statistics (CITES) of Statistics Canada. This exercise was formerly conducted under the aegis of the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat but is now solely a Statistics Canada survey.

Collection is undertaken to gather essential data describing the recent, current and proposed state of the federal resources allocated to science. Federal science expenditures data are provided to Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada who in turn use the data in the development of advice to the Assistant Deputy Ministers' Steering Committee on the Management of S&T, their Minister and the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, as well as in policy development and in monitoring the implementation of science policies. Statistics Canada maintains historical expenditure series in natural sciences and engineering dating back to 1963 and to 1971 in the social sciences, humanities and the arts. These data are available through the Centre for Innovation, Technology and Enterprise Statistics (CITES) or through special requests.

The basic reporting unit is the budgetary program of a department or agency. Each budgetary program forms the subject of separate scientific expenditure reports for the natural and for the social science activities within it. Both the program and the program activities within it may be scientific in whole or in part only. Only expenditures on the scientific components of a program or its activity are reported. In some programs it will be difficult to distinguish between the natural and social sciences. However, some allocation must be made and in determining this allocation, the dominant orientation of the projects and the area of expertise of the personnel involved must be considered. Detailed definitions are given on the following pages.

On the questionnaires, the identified expenditures are looked at from several different viewpoints and in various subdivisions. Expenditures on research and development (R&D) and related scientific activities (RSA) are subdivided to provide an indication of the "what" of a department's scientific effort. Expenditures in each category of scientific activity are further subdivided into "current" and "capital" segments. Current expenditures are additionally subdivided by sector, to indicate the "where" and "by whom" the activity is performed (e.g., in business enterprise, in higher education).

The human resources allocated to scientific activities are summarized in terms of the involved categories of personnel (scientific and professional, technical, etc.) and the principal focus of their efforts (R&D, RSA and, administration of extramural programs).

When completed, checked for consistency with previous reports, entered into the database and totaled along the various dimensions, these data provide snapshots of the federal resources allocated to science, supporting not only the work of central agencies but also the submissions of departments and agencies requesting resources.

Purpose

This survey collects financial and operating data on expenditures and full-time equivalent personnel on the scientific activities of Federal Government Public Administration in Canada.

Question 1: Expenditures by activity and performer

General

The natural sciences and engineering consist of disciplines concerned with understanding, exploring, developing or utilizing the natural world. Included are the engineering and technology, mathematical, computer and information sciences, physical sciences, medical and health sciences, and agricultural sciences, veterinary sciences and forestry.

Expenditures by activity and performer

Scientific and technological (S&T) activities can be defined as all systematic activities which are closely concerned with the generation, advancement, dissemination and application of scientific and technology knowledge in all fields of science and technology, that is the natural sciences and engineering, and the social sciences, humanities and the arts.

The central activity is scientific research and experimental development (R&D). In addition there are a number of activities closely related to R&D, and are termed related scientific activities (RSA). Those identified as being appropriate for the federal government in the natural sciences are: scientific data collection, information services, special services and studies and education support.

The performer is equivalent to the sector in which the scientific activity is conducted. The basic distinction is between intramural and extramural performance. Extramural payments are classified on the basis of the performance sectors to which they are made. The appropriate extramural performers are business enterprise, higher education, Canadian non-profit institutions, provincial, territorial and municipal government, and foreign performers.

I. Performers

lntramural activities include all current expenditures incurred for scientific activities carried out by in-house personnel of units assigned to the program; the related gross fixed capital expenditures (acquisition of land, buildings, machinery and equipment for scientific activities); the administration of scientific activities by program employees; and, the purchase of goods and services to support in-house scientific activities (include royalties or licences for the use of patents and other intellectual property rights, the lease of capital goods (machinery and equipment, etc.) and the rental of buildings to support scientific activities performed by the statistical unit in the reference year).

The intramural expenditures reported for scientific activities are those direct costs, including salaries, associated with scientific programs. The costs should include that portion of a program's contribution to employee benefit plans (e.g., superannuation and compensation) which is applicable to the scientific personnel within the program. The summation of intramural R&D activity is synonymous with the performance of R&D for the entire economy (GERD).

Extramural performers are groups being funded by the federal government sector for S&T activities. In this survey the extramural performers include:

  • Business enterprise – business and government enterprises including public utilities and government-owned firms. Both financial and non-financial corporations are included. Incorporated consultants or unincorporated individuals providing scientific and engineering services are also included. Industrial research institutes located at Canadian universities are considered to be in the higher education sector.
  • Higher education – comprises all universities, colleges of technology and other institutes of post-secondary education, whatever their source of finance or legal status. It also includes teaching hospitals (non-teaching hospitals are in the Canadian non-profit sector), all research institutes, centers, experimental stations and clinics that have their scientific activities under the direct control of, or administered by, or associated with, the higher education establishments.
  • Canadian non-profit institutions – charitable foundations, voluntary health organizations, scientific and professional societies, non-teaching hospitals (teaching hospitals are in the higher education sector) and other organizations not established to earn profits. Non-profit institutions primarily serving or controlled by another sector should be included in the controlling sector.
  • Provincial, territorial and municipal governments – departments and agencies of these governments as well as provincial research organizations and self-governing First Nations and Tribal Councils. Government enterprises, such as provincial utilities are included in the business enterprise sector, and non-teaching hospitals in the Canadian non-profit institutions sector.
  • Foreign performers – all foreign government agencies, foreign companies (including foreign subsidiaries of Canadian firms), international organizations, non-resident foreign nationals and Canadians studying or teaching abroad.

II. Research and experimental development (R&D)

Research and experimental development (R&D) - comprise creative and systematic work undertaken in order to increase the stock of knowledge - including knowledge of humankind, culture and society - and to devise new applications of available knowledge.

R&D activities may be aimed at achieving either specific or general objectives. R&D is always aimed at new findings, based on original concepts (and their interpretation) or hypotheses. It is largely uncertain about its final outcome (or at least about the quantity of time and resources needed to achieve it), it is planned for and budgeted (even when carried out by individuals), and it is aimed at producing results that could be either freely transferred or traded in a marketplace.

For an activity to be an R&D activity, it must satisfy five core criteria:

  • To be aimed at new findings (novel);
  • To be based on original, not obvious, concepts and hypothesis (creative);
  • To be uncertain about the final outcome (uncertainty);
  • To be planned and budgeted (systematic);
  • To lead to results that could be possibly reproduced (transferable/or reproducible).

Examples of R&D:

  • A special investigation of a particular mortality in order to establish the side effects of certain cancer treatment is R&D.
  • The investigation of new methods of measuring temperature is R&D, as is the study and development of new models for weather prediction.
  • Investigation on the genetics of the species of plants in a forest in an attempt to understand natural controls for disease or pest resistance.
  • The development of new application software and substantial improvements to operating systems and application programs.

R&D is generally carried out by specialized R&D units. However, an R&D project may also involve the use of non R&D facilities (e.g., testing grounds), the purchase or construction of specialized equipment and materials, and the assistance of other units. Costs of such items, attributable to the project, are to be considered R&D costs.

R&D may also be carried out by units normally engaged in other functions (e.g. a marine survey ship used for hydrological research, a geological survey team may be directed to work in a certain area in order to provide data for a geophysical research project). Such effort is part of an R&D project and, again, so far as is practical, the costs should be assigned to R&D expenditures.

On the other hand, R&D units may also be engaged in non R&D activities such as technical advisory services, testing, and construction of special equipment for other units. So far as is practical, the effort devoted to such operations should be included in the related scientific activities (RSA).

1. In-house R&D – R&D performed by personnel of the reporting program. It may include R&D carried out on behalf of another program or federal government department.

2. R&D contracts – contracts to an outside institution or individual to fund R&D performed by the institution or individual. The criterion is: would the performer report the R&D contract as in-house (intramural) R&D that is government-funded? If the answer is yes the activity would be an R&D contract. If no, and the funding is for the purchase of goods and services to support the in-house R&D of the federal government department, it should be reported as In-house R&D (Item 7).

3. R&D grants, contributions and fellowships – awards to organizations or individuals for the conduct of R&D and intended to benefit the recipients rather than provide the program with goods, services or information. These funds are normally identical to that portion of the budgetary "grants, contributions and fellowships" line object of expenditure which is devoted to R&D activities.

4. Research fellowships – awards to individuals for advanced research training and experience. Awards intended primarily to support the education of the recipients should be reported as "education support".

5. Administration of extramural programs – the costs of identifiable units engaged in the administration of contracts and grants and contributions for scientific activities that are to be performed outside the federal government. These expenditures should be broken down by the type of scientific activity supported, i.e. R&D or RSA.

6. Capital expenditures – the annual gross amount paid for the acquisition of fixed assets that are used repeatedly or continuously in the performance of scientific activities for more than one year. They should be reported in full for the period when they took place, whether acquired or developed in house, and should not be registered as an element of depreciation.

The most relevant types of assets used for capital expenditures are:

  • Land and buildings
  • Machinery and equipment
  • Capitalized computer software
  • Other intellectual property products

III. Related scientific activities (RSA)

Related scientific activities (RSA) are all systematic activities which are closely concerned with the generation, advancement, dissemination and application of scientific and technological knowledge. The types of related scientific activities for the natural sciences and engineering are described below.

7. In-house RSA – RSA performed by personnel of the reporting program. It may include RSA carried out on behalf of another program or federal government department.

In-house RSA activities include all current expenditures incurred for scientific activities carried out by in-house personnel of units assigned to the program; the purchase of goods and services to support in-house scientific activities (include royalties or licences for the use of patents and other intellectual property rights, and the rental of buildings to support scientific activities performed by the statistical unit in the reference year). Also include expenses of persons who provide ancillary services such as security, cleaning and maintenance work, finance and administration that are proportional to the RSA being conducted. However, the personnel providing these services are not to be included in the in-house personnel counts (see Section 2. Personnel).

The intramural expenditures reported to RSA are those direct costs, including salaries, associated with scientific programs. The cost should include that portion of a program's contribution to employee benefit plans (e.g., superannuation and compensation) which is applicable to the scientific personnel within the program. Also include the costs of self-employed individuals, consultants and researchers who are working on-site on the departments' RSA projects.

8. RSA contracts – contracts to an outside institution or individual to fund RSA performed by the institution or individual. The criterion is: would the performer report the RSA contract as in-house (intramural) RSA that is government-funded? If the answer is yes the activity would be an RSA contract. If no, and the funding is for the purchase of goods and services to support the in-house RSA of the federal government department, it should be reported as In-house RSA (Item 7).

Contracts to other federal government departments should be reported as a transfer of funds in question 3A (i) and 3A (ii) of the questionnaire.

9. RSA grants and contributions – awards to organizations or individuals for the conduct of RSA and intended to benefit the recipients rather than provide the program with goods, services or information. These funds are normally identical to that portion of the budgetary "grants and contributions" line object of expenditure which is devoted to RSA.

In-house RSA, RSA Contracts and RSA grants and contributions can include the following items:

  • Scientific data collection – the gathering, processing, collating and analyzing of data on natural phenomena. These data are normally the results of surveys, routine laboratory analyses or compilations of operating records.
    Data collected as part of an existing or proposed research project are charged to research. Similarly, the costs of analyzing existing data as part of a research project are R&D costs, even when the data were originally collected for some other purpose. The development of new techniques for data collection is also to be considered a research activity. Examples of RSA scientific data collection are: routine geological, hydrographic, oceanographic and topographic surveys; routine astronomical observations; maintenance of meteorological records; and wildlife and fisheries surveys.
  • Information services – all work directed to collecting, coding, analyzing, evaluating, recording, classifying, translating and disseminating scientific and technological information as well as museum services. Included are the operations of scientific and technical libraries, S&T consulting and advisory services, the Patent Office, the publication of scientific journals and monographs, and the organizing of scientific conferences. Grants for the publication of scholarly works are also included.
    General purpose information services or information services directed primarily towards the general public are excluded, as are general departmental and public libraries. When individual budgets exist, the costs of libraries which belong to institutions otherwise entirely classified to another activity, such as R&D, should be assigned to information services. The costs of printing and distributing reports from another activity, such as R&D, are normally attributed to that activity.
  • Sub category under Information services:
    • Museum services – the collecting, cataloguing and displaying of specimens of the natural world or of representations of natural phenomena. The activity involves a systematic attempt to preserve and display items from the natural world; in some ways it could be considered an extension of information services. The scientific activities of natural history museums, zoological and botanical gardens, aquaria, planetaria and nature reserves are included. Parks which are not primarily restricted reserves for certain fauna or flora are excluded. In all cases the costs of providing entertainment and recreation to visitors should be excluded (e.g. restaurants, children's gardens and museums).
      When a museum also covers not only natural history but also aspects of human cultural activities, the museum's resources should be appropriated between the natural and social sciences. However, museums of science and technology, war, etc., which display synthetic or artificial objects and may also illustrate the operations of certain technologies, should be considered as engaged in museum services in social sciences.
    • Special services and studies – work directed towards the establishment of national and provincial standards for materials, devices, products and processes; the calibration of secondary standards; non-routine quality testing; feasibility studies and demonstration projects.
  • Sub categories under Special services and studies include:
    • Testing and standardization – concerns the maintenance of national standards, the calibration of secondary standards and the non-routine testing and analysis of materials, components, products, processes, soils, atmosphere, etc. These activities are related scientific activities (RSA). The development of new measures for standards, or of new methods of measuring or testing, is R&D. Exclude routine testing such as monitoring radioactivity levels or soil tests before construction.
    • Feasibility studies – technical investigations of proposed engineering projects to provide additional information required to reach decisions on implementation. Besides feasibility studies, the related activity of demonstration projects are to be included. Demonstration projects involve the operation of scaled-up versions of a facility or process, or data on factors such as costs, operational characteristics, market demand and public acceptance. Projects called "demonstration projects" but which conform to the definition of R&D should be considered R&D. Once a facility or process is operated primarily to provide a service or to gain revenue, rather than as a demonstration, it should no longer be included with feasibility studies. In all demonstration projects, only the net costs should be considered.
    • Education support – grants to individuals or institutions on behalf of individuals which are intended to support the post-secondary education of students in technology and the natural sciences. General operating or capital grants are excluded. The activity includes the support of foreign students in their studies of the natural sciences at Canadian or foreign institutions. Grants intended primarily to support the research of individuals at universities are either R&D grants or research fellowships.
      Awards intended primarily to support the education of the recipients should be reported as "education support".

10. Administration of extramural programs – the costs of identifiable units engaged in the administration of contracts and grants and contributions for scientific activities that are to be performed outside the federal government. These expenditures should be broken down by the type of scientific activity supported, i.e. R&D or RSA.

11. Capital expenditures – the annual gross amount paid for the acquisition of fixed assets that are used repeatedly or continuously in the performance of scientific activities for more than one year. They should be reported in full for the period when they took place, whether acquired or developed in house, and should not be registered as an element of depreciation.

The most relevant types of assets used for capital expenditures are:

  • Land and buildings
  • Machinery and equipment
  • Capitalized computer software
  • Other intellectual property products

Question 2: Personnel

Full-time equivalent (FTE) – the ratio of working hours actually spent on scientific activities during a specific reference period divided by the total number of hours conventionally worked in the same period by an individual or a group. For example, an employee who is engaged in scientific activities for half a year has a full-time equivalence of 0.5. Personnel data reported should be consistent with expenditures data.

Scientific and professional – researchers and professionals engaged in the conception or creation of new knowledge. They conduct research and improve or develop concepts, theories, models, techniques instrumentation, software or operational methods. They require at least one academic degree or a nationally recognized professional qualification, as well as those with equivalent experience.

Technical – technicians and equivalent staff are persons whose main tasks require technical knowledge and experience in one or more fields of engineering, the physical and life sciences, or the social sciences, humanities and the arts. They perform scientific and technical tasks involving the application of concepts and operational methods and the use of research equipment, normally under the supervision of researchers.

Other – other supporting staff includes skilled and unskilled craftsmen, and administrative, secretarial and clerical staff participating in science and technology projects or directly associated with such projects.

Question 2: Personnel by gender

Gender – refers to current gender which may be different from sex assigned at birth and may be different from what is indicated on legal documents. Categories include: man, woman, and non-binary person.

Man – this category includes persons whose reported gender is male. It includes cisgender (cis) and transgender (trans) men. 

Woman – this category includes persons whose reported gender is female. It includes cisgender (cis) and transgender (trans) women. 

Non-binary person – this category includes persons whose reported gender is not exclusively male or female.

Question 3: Sources of funds

Question 3A (i). Transfers for natural sciences and engineering activities

Include payments and recipients for contracts, transfers and joint programs from/to other federal government departments. Please identify the amount and names of the origination and recipient programs.

Question 3A (ii). Sources of funds for total scientific and technological activities

This question identifies the sources of funds for expenditures on scientific activities reported for all three years. It will help to ensure that work funded from outside the department is not overlooked.

  • Departmental S&T budget – that portion of the total departmental budget which was spent on natural science and engineering activities.
  • Revenues to / from other federal departments – money transferred from this program to another federal department or money transferred into this program from another federal department for activities in the natural sciences and engineering.
  • Provincial government departments – all funds from the provincial government used for natural science and engineering activities. The funds are referred to as payments, contributions, transfers, etc. Also include provincial portions of federal-provincial cost sharing programs performed by the department program.
  • Business enterprises – all funds from business enterprises used for natural science and engineering activities performed by the department.
  • Other – all funds for natural sciences and engineering activities from other sources not specified above.

Question 4: Socio-economic objectives

Intramural and extramural scientific and technological expenditures by socio-economic objective for the reporting year by activity (research and experimental development, related scientific activities, and total).

  • 1. Exploration and exploitation of the Earth
  • 2. Environment 
  • 3. Exploration and exploitation of space
  • 4. Transport, telecommunication and other infrastructures
  • 5. Energy
  • 6. Industrial production and technology
  • 7. Health
  • 8. Agriculture (include forestry and fisheries)
    • 8.1: Agriculture
    • 8.2: Fishing
    • 8.3: Forestry
  • 9. Education 
  • 10. Culture, recreation, religion and mass media
  • 11. Political and social systems, structures and processes
  • 12. Defence

1. Exploration and exploitation of the Earth – scientific activities with objectives related to the exploration of the Earth's crust and mantle, seas, oceans and atmosphere, as well as on their exploitation. It also includes climatic and meteorological research, polar exploration (under various headings, as appropriate) and hydrology. It does not include scientific activities related to soil improvement (objective 4), land use or fishing (objective 8), or pollution (objective 2).

Examples:

  • General scientific activities
  • Mineral, oil and natural gas prospecting
  • Exploration and exploitation of the sea-bed
  • Earth's crust and mantle excluding sea-bed and studies of soil for agriculture (objective 8)
  • Hydrology - excludes scientific activities on: water supplied and disposal (objective 4) and water pollution (objective 2)
  • Sea and oceans
  • Atmosphere
  • Other scientific activities on the exploration and exploitation of the earth

Excludes: scientific activities on pollution (objective 2), soil improvement (objective 4), land-use and fishing (objective 8).

2. Environment - covers scientific activities aimed at improving the control of pollution, including the identification and analysis of the sources of pollution and their causes, and all pollutants, including their dispersal in the environment and the effects on humans, species (fauna, flora, micro-organisms) and the biosphere.

The development of monitoring facilities for the measurement of all kinds of pollution is included, as is scientific activities for the elimination and prevention of all forms of pollution in all types of environment.

3. Exploration and exploitation of space – covers all civil space scientific activities relating to the scientific exploration of space, space laboratories, space travel and launch systems. Although civil space scientific activities is not in general concerned with particular objectives, it frequently has a specific goal, such as the advancement of knowledge (e.g. astronomy) or relates to particular applications (e.g. telecommunications satellites or earth observation). This chapter does not include corresponding scientific activities for defence purposes.

4. Transport, telecommunication and other infrastructures – Transport, telecommunication and other infrastructures - covers scientific activities aimed at infrastructure and land development, including the construction of buildings. More generally, this objective covers all scientific activities relating to the general planning of land use. This includes scientific activities into protection against harmful effects in town and country planning but not research into other types of pollution (objective 2). This objective also includes scientific activities related to transport systems; telecommunication systems; general planning of land use; the construction and planning of buildings; civil engineering; and water supply.

5. Energy – covers scientific activities aimed at improving the production, storage, transportation, distribution and rational use of all forms of energy. It also includes scientific activities on processes designed to increase the efficiency of energy production and distribution, and the study of energy conservation. It does not include scientific activities related to prospecting (objective 1) or scientific activities into vehicle and engine propulsion (objective 6).

Examples:

  • Fossil fuels and their derivatives
  • Nuclear fission
  • Radioactive waste management including decommissioning with regard to fuel/energy
  • Nuclear fusion
  • Renewable energy sources
  • Rational utilization of energy

6. Industrial production and technology – covers scientific activities on the improvement of industrial production and technology. It includes scientific activities on industrial products and their manufacturing processes except where they form an integral part of the pursuit of other objectives (e.g. defence, space, energy, agriculture).

Examples:

  • Increasing economic efficiency and competitiveness
  • Manufacturing and processing techniques
  • Petrochemical and coal by-products
  • Pharmaceutical products
  • Manufacture of motor vehicles and other means of transport
  • Aerospace equipment manufacturing and repairing
  • Electronic and related industries
  • Manufacture of electrical machinery and apparatus
  • Manufacture of non-electronic and non-electronical machinery
  • Manufacture of medical and surgical equipment and orthopaedic appliances
  • Manufacture of food products and beverages
  • Manufacture of clothing and textiles and leather goods
  • Recycling

7. Health - covers scientific activities aimed at protecting, promoting and restoring human health broadly interpreted to include health aspects of nutrition and food hygiene. It ranges from preventive medicine, including all aspects of medical and surgical treatment, both for individuals and groups, and the provision of hospital and home care, to social medicine and paediatric and geriatric research.

Examples:

  • General scientific activities
  • Medical scientific activities, hospital treatment, surgery
  • Preventive medicine
  • Biomedical engineering and medicines
  • Occupational medicine
  • Nutrition and food hygiene
  • Drug abuse and addition
  • Social medicine
  • Hospital structure and organization of medical care
  • Other medical scientific activities

8. Agriculture (include forestry and fisheries) – covers all scientific activities on the promotion of agriculture, forestry, fisheries and foodstuff production, or further knowledge on chemical fertilizers, biocides, biological pest control and the mechanization of agriculture, as well as concerning the impact of agricultural and forestry activities on the environment. Also covers scientific activities on improving food productivity and technology.

8.1 Agriculture – covers scientific activities on animal products, veterinary medicine, crops, food technology and other scientific activities on agricultural production and technology.

8.2 Fishing – covers scientific activities on fishing, salting, drying, and initial freezing of products (but not on preparation and canning (objective 6)), scientific activities on fish-farming, exploration of new fishing grounds, exploration and development of new and unconventional sources of seafood.

8.3 Forestry – covers scientific activities into the ecological and economic aspects of forestry and timber production.

9. Education – covers scientific activities aimed at supporting general or special education, including training, pedagogy, didactics, and targeted methods for specially gifted persons or those with learning disabilities. Applied to all levels of education as well as to subsidiary services to education.

10. Culture, recreation, religion and mass media – covers scientific activities aimed at improving the understanding of social phenomena related to culture activities, religion and leisure activities so as to define their impact on life in society, as well as to racial and cultural integration and on socio-cultural changes in these areas. The concept of "culture" covers sociology of science, religion, art, sport and leisure, and also comprises inter alia R&D on the media, the mastery of language and social integration, libraries, archives and external cultural policy.

11. Political and social system, structures and processes – covers scientific activities aimed at improving the understanding and supporting the political structure of society, public administration issues and economic policy, regional studies and multi-level governance, social change, social processes and social conflicts, the development of social security and social assistance systems, and the social aspects of the organization of work.

12. Defence – covers scientific activities for military purposes. It also includes basic research and nuclear and space research financed by the Department of National defence. Civil scientific activities financed by ministries of defence, for example, in the fields of meteorology, telecommunications and health, should be classified in the relevant objectives.

Question 5: Expenditures and personnel by region

Scientific and technological expenditures and personnel of federal organizations for the reference year, including current and capital expenditures for intramural R&D and RSA and by scientific and professional and total personnel for R&D and RSA.

Regions include:

  • Newfoundland and Labrador
  • Prince Edward Island
  • Nova Scotia
  • New Brunswick
  • Quebec (excluding NCR - Quebec)
  • National Capital Region (NCR) - Quebec
  • Ontario (excluding NCR - Ontario)
  • National Capital Region (NCR) - Ontario
  • Manitoba
  • Saskatchewan
  • Alberta
  • British Columbia
  • Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut
  • Canada Total

Statistics Canada thanks Canadians for their exceptional participation in the 2026 Census

September 14, 2026 | Ottawa

Collection for the 2026 Census of Population is now complete. Thanks to outstanding participation across the country, the final response rate is among the highest ever recorded for the Canadian census.

The overall response rate for the 2026 Census of population reached 98.4% nationally. This is above the 98% recorded in 2021 and equal to the rate that was achieved in 2016. The online response rate increased as well from 84.1% in 2021 to 88.6% in 2026, with more Canadians completing their census online than ever before.

The self-response rate also reached a new record of 91.2%. This means more Canadians completed their questionnaire without assistance from census staff.  It reflects a strong engagement with the Census and a good understanding of its importance.  
Statistics Canada is now turning its attention towards census results. They will be published in a series of data releases throughout 2027 that will provide Canadians with new insights on a wide variety of topics.

The first of seven releases of 2026 Census of population results is scheduled for February 10, 2027. It will provide new data on the population and dwelling counts.

The full release schedule is available on Statistics Canada's 2026 Census dissemination planning web page.

A more detailed analysis of census participation across the country, including statistics by province and territory, will also be published later this year.

Collection for the 2026 Census of Agriculture is also complete. Thanks to the participation of farm operators across Canada, as well as the community supporters and stakeholders who helped raise awareness of the census, the new data will provide a detailed statistical portrait of Canadian agriculture. The first results will be published in May 2027. The response rate for the Census of Agriculture will be provided as the data are published. For more information about the Census of Agriculture, visit the Census of Agriculture web page.

Quote

"On behalf of Statistics Canada, I thank all respondents for making the 2026 Census a success. I also want to extend our gratitude to the many partners and stakeholders who helped promote and support participation within their communities. Our overall response rate for the Census of Population is one of the highest in the world for such an exercise, making the data it provides as accurate and reliable as can be. The information obtained from the census provides invaluable insights into the evolving characteristics of our country that are needed to make well-informed, fact-based decisions. We look forward to sharing the results with all Canadians."

André Loranger, Chief Statistician of Canada

Contact for media inquiries

Statistics Canada Media Relations
statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca

Wholesale Trade Survey (monthly): CVs for total sales by geography - July 2026

Wholesale Trade Survey (monthly): CVs for total sales by geography - July 2026
GeographyMonth
202507202508202509202510202511202512202601202602202603202604202605202606202607
percentage
Canada0.40.40.50.50.50.50.50.50.40.40.40.40.5
Newfoundland and Labrador0.30.30.30.70.30.41.10.30.40.70.81.31.1
Prince Edward Island0.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
Nova Scotia2.81.61.21.14.81.41.62.21.92.83.14.82.3
New Brunswick0.81.00.70.71.40.50.80.50.91.80.70.70.8
Quebec1.81.32.01.71.92.01.82.21.41.81.31.41.7
Ontario0.80.80.91.00.90.91.01.00.90.90.90.81.0
Manitoba0.81.10.40.30.80.40.60.40.50.50.70.70.6
Saskatchewan0.90.61.00.30.20.50.60.20.40.70.40.20.4
Alberta0.50.50.50.50.40.70.60.40.30.20.30.40.5
British Columbia1.11.61.82.71.81.41.71.51.11.10.81.12.0
Yukon Territory0.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
Northwest Territories0.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
Nunavut0.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0

National Level CVs by Characteristic - July 2026

National Level CVs by Characteristic, July 2026
Table summary
This table displays the results of Monthly Survey of Manufacturing: National Level CVs by Characteristic. The information is grouped by Month (appearing as row headers), and Sales of goods manufactured, Raw materials and components inventories, Goods / work in process inventories, Finished goods manufactured inventories and Unfilled Orders, calculated in percentage (appearing as column headers).
MonthSales of goods manufacturedRaw materials and components inventoriesGoods / work in process inventoriesFinished goods manufactured inventoriesUnfilled Orders
%
July 20250.751.222.021.401.38
August 20250.771.241.871.381.43
September 20250.781.251.831.421.29
October 20250.741.231.811.461.38
November 20250.701.271.881.431.52
December 20250.681.261.941.521.41
January 20260.751.201.891.471.37
February 20260.761.252.101.531.42
March 20260.731.232.041.441.43
April 20260.741.232.001.421.48
May 20260.791.222.011.441.33
June 20260.781.191.951.441.30
July 20260.791.211.911.441.32

Retail Commodity Survey: CVs for Total Sales (June 2026)

Retail Commodity Survey: CVs for Total Sales (June 2026)
Table summary
This table displays the results of Retail Commodity Survey: CVs for Total Sales (June 2026). The information is grouped by NAPCS-CANADA (appearing as row headers), and Month (appearing as column headers).
NAPCS-CANADAMonth
202605202606
Total commodities, retail trade commissions and miscellaneous services0.580.63
Retail Services (except commissions) [561]0.570.64
Food and beverages at retail [56111]0.391.66
Cannabis products, at retail [56113]0.000.00
Clothing at retail [56121]0.720.64
Jewellery and watches, luggage and briefcases, at retail [56123]3.513.63
Footwear at retail [56124]0.991.11
Home furniture, furnishings, housewares, appliances and electronics, at retail [56131]0.890.83
Sporting and leisure products (except publications, audio and video recordings, and game software), at retail [56141]2.552.55
Publications at retail [56142]7.278.27
Audio and video recordings, and game software, at retail [56143]4.174.06
Motor vehicles at retail [56151]1.971.58
Recreational vehicles at retail [56152]4.873.85
Motor vehicle parts, accessories and supplies, at retail [56153]1.381.44
Automotive and household fuels, at retail [56161]1.421.29
Home health products at retail [56171]2.402.70
Infant care, personal and beauty products, at retail [56172]4.443.60
Hardware, tools, renovation and lawn and garden products, at retail [56181]1.631.98
Miscellaneous products at retail [56191]3.443.49
Retail trade commissions [562]1.661.53

Survey of Marine Vessel Operators – 2025

Reporting period information

1. Please report the start and end dates of this business's most recent 12-month fiscal period.

Note: For this survey, the end date should fall between April 1, 2025, and March 31, 2026.

The reported fiscal period end date will be used as the reference point for the remainder of the survey.

  • Start date
    Example: YYYY-MM-DD
  • End date
    Example: YYYY-MM-DD

Business information

2. What is the form of ownership of this business?

  • Sole proprietorship
  • Incorporated company
    Include non-profit organizations, partnerships and limited partnerships in incorporated companies.
  • Crown corporation
    Include port authorities and pilotage authorities.
  • Government
    Include federal, provincial, municipal and First Nations government-operated ferries.
  • Other
    e.g., businesses operating as subsidiaries
    • Specify other form of ownership:

Flow condition: If "Crown corporation" or "Government" are selected in Q2, survey will conclude. Otherwise, go to Q3.

3. How many vessels did this business operate in total during its last fiscal year ending in 2025/2026?

Report the total number of vessels operated that were owned, leased or chartered and not the number of times a vessel was operated. 

Include barges, cargo ships, tankers, ferries, research vessels, tugboats, escort vessels, icebreakers, offshore vessels, dredgers, buoy tenders, derricks or cranes, salvage vessels, diving vessels, dump vessels, floating dry docks, survey ships, or patrol boats that were operated by this business regardless of gross tonnage (GT).

Exclude vessels that were owned and not operated, as well as private pleasure craft and fishing vessels. 

Enter "0" if this business did not operate any vessels.

  • Number of vessels operated by this business:

Flow condition: If Q3 is greater than 0 or blank, go to Q4, otherwise go to Q5.

4. How many of the vessels operated were 15 gross tonnage and above?

Report the total number of vessels operated that were owned, leased or chartered and were 15 GT and above.

Include barges, cargo ships, tankers, ferries, research vessels, tugboats, escort vessels, icebreakers, offshore vessels, dredgers, buoy tenders, derricks or cranes, salvage vessels, diving vessels, dump vessels, floating dry docks, survey ships, or patrol boats operated by this business that were 15 GT and above.

Exclude vessels that were owned and not operated, as well as private pleasure craft and fishing vessels.

Enter "0" if this business did not operate any vessels 15 GT and above.

  • Number of vessels operated 15 GT and above

5. How many vessels did this business own in total during its last fiscal year ending in 2025/2026?

Include barges, cargo ships, tankers, ferries, research vessels, tugboats, escort vessels, icebreakers, offshore vessels, dredgers, buoy tenders, derricks or cranes, salvage vessels, diving vessels, dump vessels, floating dry docks, survey ships, or patrol boats owned by this business.

Exclude private pleasure craft and fishing vessels. 

Enter "0" if this business did not own any vessels.

  • Number of vessels owned by this business:

Flow condition: If Q5 is greater than 0 or blank, go to Q6. Otherwise go to Q7.

6. How many of the vessels owned were 15 gross tonnage and above?

Include barges, cargo ships, tankers, ferries, research vessels, tugboats, escort vessels, icebreakers, offshore vessels, dredgers, buoy tenders, derricks or cranes, salvage vessels, diving vessels, dump vessels, floating dry docks, survey ships, or patrol boats owned by this business that were 15 GT and above.

Exclude private pleasure craft and fishing vessels.

Enter "0" if this business did not own any vessels 15 GT and above.

  • Number of vessels owned 15 GT and above:

Flow condition: If Q3 = 0 or Q4 =0, survey will conclude. Otherwise go to Q7.

Revenue from vessel operations

7.  What was the total revenue from vessel operations for the fiscal year ending in 2025/2026?

Include revenue from the transportation of commodities, cargo, freight, passengers or vehicles; revenue from the towing of commodities or log booms; chartering or leasing; cost compensation from parent companies; revenue from on-vessel sales and concessions; and water transport subsidies.

Please report in Canadian dollars.

If the exact value is not available, please provide your best estimate.

  • Total revenue from vessel operations in CAN$:

Flow condition: If Q7 is equal to or greater than $6,000,000 or blank, go to Q8. Otherwise go to Q10. 

Business information

8. For the fiscal year ending in 2025/2026, of the vessels that were 15 gross tonnage and above, which of the following types of vessels were operated? 

If this business operated vessels that transport both passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles together, report them as passenger and all vehicle type ferries.

Exclude vessels that were owned and not operated, as well as private pleasure craft and fishing vessels.

Select all that apply.

  • Barges
    Include deck, hopper or tank barges.
  • Cargo ships
    Include solid cargo vessels; container ships; dry bulk, liquid bulk and breakbulk carriers; and roll-on-roll-off cargo vessels.
  • Tankers
    Include oil, chemical, liquefied gas and product (gas or diesel) tankers.
  • Passenger vessels
    Include day or overnight cruises and sightseeing vessels.
    Exclude ferries.
  • Passenger and passenger vehicle ferries
    Exclude commercial vehicles.
  • Passenger and all vehicle type ferries
    Include commercial and passenger vehicle roll-on-roll-off ferries.
  • Passenger-only ferries
    Include water taxis.
    e.g., cyclists, pedestrians
  • Research vessels
    Include seismic and fishing vessels.
  • Tugboats or escort vessels
    Include vessels that assist in moving larger ships and barges at ports or in narrow waterways.
  • Icebreakers
    Include those used to escort research vessels in icy waters.
  • Offshore vessels
    Include supply vessels, workboats, cable-laying and floating platforms, and vessels used for production storage and offloading.
  • Dredgers
    Include vessels used for excavation and maintenance of waterways, construction support or resource extraction.
  • Buoy tenders
  • Derricks or cranes
  • Salvage vessels
  • Diving vessels
  • Dump vessels
  • Floating dry docks
  • Survey ships
  • Patrol boats
  • Other types of vessels operated
    • Specify the other types of vessels:

Display condition: Only vessel types that were selected in Q8 are displayed in Q9. If no vessel types were selected in Q8, display all vessel types.

9. For the fiscal year ending in 2025/2026, how many of each of the following types of vessels that were 15 gross tonnage and above did this business operate?

If this business operated vessels that transport both passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles together, only report them once, as passenger and all vehicle type ferries.

Exclude vessels that were owned and not operated, as well as private pleasure craft and fishing vessels. 

Number of vessels 15 GT and above

  • Barges:
    Include deck, hopper or tank barges.
  • Cargo ships:
    Include solid cargo vessels; container ships; dry bulk, liquid bulk and breakbulk carriers; and roll-on-roll-off cargo vessels.
  • Tankers:
    Include oil, chemical, liquefied gas and product (gas or diesel) tankers.
  • Passenger vessels:
    Include day or overnight cruises and sightseeing vessels.
    Exclude ferries.
  • Passenger and passenger vehicle ferries:
    Exclude commercial vehicles.
  • Passenger and all vehicle type ferries:
    Include commercial and passenger vehicle roll-on-roll-off ferries.
  • Passenger-only ferries:
    Include water taxis.
    e.g., cyclists, pedestrians
  • Research vessels:
    Include seismic and fishing vessels.
  • Tugboats or escort vessels:
    Include vessels that assist in moving larger ships and barges at ports or in narrow waterways.
  • Icebreakers:
    Include those used to escort research vessels in icy waters.
  • Offshore vessels:
    Include supply vessels, workboats, cable-laying and floating platforms, and vessels used for production storage and offloading.
  • Dredgers:
    Include vessels used for excavation and maintenance of waterways, construction support or resource extraction.
  • Buoy tenders:
  • Derricks or cranes:
  • Salvage vessels :
  • Diving vessels:
  • Dump vessels:
  • Floating dry docks:
  • Survey ships:  
  • Patrol boats:
  • Other types of vessels operated:
  • Total:

10. For the fiscal year ending in 2025/2026, has this business chartered in or leased any vessels for its operations?

Chartered in or leased: Process by which an individual or a business entity, called the lessee, rents a vessel from a shipowner (the lessor) for a specific voyage or period of time (also known as chartering in). This can be done by bareboat charter.

Exclude private pleasure craft and fishing vessels.

  • Yes
    Please indicate the number of vessels that were chartered in or leased by this business.
    Number of vessels chartered in or leased:
  • No
  • Don't know

Flow condition: If Q7 is equal to or greater than $6,000,000 or blank, go to Q11, otherwise go to Q13. 

11. For the fiscal year ending in 2025/2026, was this business directly or indirectly owned or controlled by any other businesses?

Control: Having the authority or enough voting shares to make corporate decisions for the business.

  • Yes
    • Where were those businesses located?
      Select all that apply.
      • Inside Canada
      • Outside Canada
        • What region is the majority owner or controller of this business located in? 
          Majority owner or controller: The business that has the greatest share of ownership or control of this business.
          • United States
          • Central America, the Caribbean, Mexico and South America
          • United Kingdom
          • Europe other than United Kingdom
            Include Eastern and Western Europe.
          • Australia
          • New Zealand
          • Asia and Oceania
            Exclude Australia and New Zealand.
          • Middle East and Africa
  • No
  • Don't know

12. For the fiscal year ending in 2025/2026, did this business own or control any other businesses engaged in foreign marine activities?

Control: Having the authority or enough voting shares to make corporate decisions for the business.

  • Yes
    • Where were those businesses located?
      Select all that apply.
      • Inside Canada
      • Outside Canada
  • No 
  • Don't know

Type of operation

13. For the fiscal year ending in 2025/2026, was this business engaged in the transportation of commodities, cargo or freight, passengers or vehicles?

Commodities: Basic raw materials or bulk goods, usually transported in large quantities. These include a wide range of products, such as crude oil, natural gas, coal, iron ore, grains, chemicals and other bulk goods. These goods are usually transported in large quantities using specialized vessels.

Cargo or freight: Goods or freight, used as a general term, often regarding commercial inventory, can include any type of product or good, such as packaged goods, manufactured products, machinery and containers.

Passenger: A person carried on a vessel by the owner or operator in exchange for payment. 

Select all that apply.

  • Commodities
  • Cargo or freight
  • Passengers or vehicles
    Include ferries, day or overnight cruises and sightseeing vessels.
    OR
  • This business was not engaged in the transportation of commodities, cargo or freight, passengers or vehicles.
    e.g., drayage, research, construction, equipment
    • Please indicate the type of activities other than the transportation of commodities, cargo or freight, passengers or vehicles that this business was engaged in.
      Select all that apply.
      • Construction or industrial support
        Include vessels used as work platforms for construction, installation or industrial activities.
        Exclude the transport of goods between locations.
      • Offshore resource activities
        Include support services for offshore energy or resource development.
      • Dredging or seabed work
        Include dredging, excavation or seabed preparation.
      • Bunkering or lightering
        Include ship-to-ship fuel or cargo transfer.
        Exclude the transportation of fuel or cargo between ports.
      • Aquaculture or fisheries support
        Include servicing aquaculture or fishing operations. 
        Exclude the transport of fish or seafood to market.
      • Accommodation
        Include stationary or semi-stationary accommodation or support vessels (e.g., floatels).
        Exclude the transport of passengers or workers.
      • Towing
        Include towing or escorting vessels.
      • Icebreaking
        Include icebreaking or ice management services.
        Exclude ice navigation advice only.
      • Research activities
        Include scientific, technical or environmental research conducted using vessels or marine facilities (e.g., data collection, surveys, monitoring).
        Exclude commercial transportation or industrial operations.
      • Other activities
        • Specify other activities:

Sources of power

14. For the fiscal year ending in 2025/2026, which of the following sources of power were purchased for propulsion in vessel operations? 

Only report sources of power in vessel operations.

Include sources of power and propulsion for main engines.

Select all that apply.

  • Fuel oil
    Include bunker C oil, diesel oil and gas oil.
    Please indicate the type of fuel oil that was purchased.
    Select all that apply.
    • Heavy fuel oil
      Please indicate the type of heavy fuel oil that was purchased.
      Select all that apply.
      • Bunker C oil
      • IFO380
      • VLSFO
    • Diesel oil
    • Gas oil
      OR
    • Don't know
  • Gasoline
  • Liquefied natural gas (LNG)
  • Biodiesel or biofuel
  • Hydrogen
  • Ammonia
  • Methanol
  • Electric
    Include batteries.
  • Green fuel sources
    Please indicate the type of green fuel that was purchased.
    Select all that apply.
    • E-LNG
    • Bio-LNG
    • Green ammonia
    • Green methanol
    • Green hydrogen
  • Other sources of power
    • Specify the other sources of power for propulsion
      OR
  • Don't know

Flow condition: If Q14= "Don't know", go to Q16. If Q7 is equal to or greater than $6,000,000 or blank, go to Q15. Otherwise, go to Q16.

Display condition: Only sources of power that were selected in Q14 are displayed in Q15. If no sources of power were selected in Q14, display "Fuel oil", "Gasoline", "Liquefied natural gas (LNG)", "Biodiesel or biofuel", "Hydrogen", "Ammonia", "Methanol", "Electric", "Green fuel sources", and "Other sources of power".

15. For the fiscal year ending in 2025/2026, what percentage of this business's total vessel propulsion fuel spending was attributable to each propulsion fuel or power source?

If exact values are not available, please provide your best estimate.

Percentages should be rounded to whole numbers, and the total should equal to 100%.

Percentage of propulsion fuel purchased

  • Fuel oil:
  • Heavy fuel oil:
  • Bunker C oil:
  • IFO380:
  • VLSFO:
  • Diesel oil:
  • Gas oil:
  • Gasoline:
  • Liquefied natural gas (LNG):
  • Biodiesel or biofuel:
  • Hydrogen:
  • Ammonia:
  • Methanol:
  • Electric:
  • Green fuel source:
  • E-LNG:
  • Bio-LNG :
  • Green ammonia:
  • Green methanol:
  • Green hydrogen:
  • Other source of power:
  • Total:

 16. Over the next five years, does this business plan to modify the source of power or fuel type used in its vessels? 

e.g., switching from diesel to biodiesel, installing shore power connection equipment on the vessel, changing technology to take advantage of environmentally friendly fuels or to improve efficiency

  • Yes
    What source of power or fuel type does this business plan to use?
    Source of power or fuel type:
  • No
  • Don't know

Flow condition: If Q7 is equal to or greater than $6,000,000 or blank, go to Q17. Otherwise, go to Q19. 

Shore power stations

17. For the fiscal year ending in 2025/2026, did this business's vessels use shore power stations in Canada? 

Shore power station: The source of the power used by the vessel while docked at port, allowing access to landside electrical power. Shore power alleviates the unnecessary use of fuel, which would otherwise be used to power vessels while in port. 

Exclude vessels that use the power of terminals for propulsion.

  • Yes
    • Please indicate the quantity of electricity purchased and expenditures at shore power stations in Canada.
      • Quantity purchased in kWh:
      • Electricity expenditures in CAN$:
        If the exact value is not available, please provide your best estimate.
  • No
  • Don't know

Flow condition: If Q7 is equal to or greater than $6,000,000 or blank, go to Q18. Otherwise, go to Q19. 

Revenue from vessel operations

18. Based on this business's reported revenue from vessel operations, please provide a breakdown of this revenue for the fiscal year ending in 2025/2026. 

Include revenue from the transportation of commodities, cargo, freight, passengers or vehicles; revenue from the towing of commodities or log booms; chartering or leasing; cost compensation from parent companies; revenue from on-vessel sales and concessions; and water transport subsidies.

Please report in Canadian dollars.

If exact values are not available, please provide your best estimate.

If no revenue was earned for an activity, please report "0" where applicable.

Revenue CAN$

Vessel operating revenue

  • Transport and towing of commodities, cargo or freight:
  • Transport of passengers:
    Include sightseeing vessels and ferries.
    Exclude revenue from concessions and food and beverage sales when not included in the cost of the trip fare.
  • Charter or lease of owned Canadian-registered vessels to other operators:
    Include chartered or leased non-duty paid Canadian-registered vessels and chartered or leased foreign-registered vessels under a coasting trade licence.
  • Water transport subsidies:

Other water transportation revenue

  • Towing, docking or turning of self-propelled vessels:
  • Other water transportation revenue:

Revenues from other marine activities of a commercial nature, non-transportation

  • Construction or industrial support:
  • Offshore resource exploration and development activities:
  • Dredging and seabed work:
  • Bunkering and lightering:
  • Aquaculture and fisheries support:
  • Accommodation and support vessels:
  • Icebreaking:
  • Other commercial marine activities that do not have a transportation component:

Revenue from activities incidental to water transportation

  • Terminal and cargo handling services:
    Include terminal operations, stevedoring, yarding and storage related to cargo movement.
  • Logistics and agency services:
    Include freight forwarding, customs brokerage, and vessel and cargo agency fees.
  • Vessel and cargo delay charges:
    Include demurrage charges and detention charges.
  • Marine support and emergency services:
    Include marine salvaging, emergency response and specialized marine support services.

Other sources of revenue

  • Other sources of revenue incidental to water transportation activities:
    Include vessel dispatching and voyage planning services, transportation equipment rental (excluding vessels), and standby and availability fees.
  • Other sources of revenue from transportation activities:
    Include railway transportation, trucking, etc.
  • Other sources of revenue not related to transportation:
    Include concrete aggregates, production of construction materials, etc.
  • Other sources of revenue related to on-vessel sales and concessions:
    Include rooms, food and beverages, souvenirs or other non-food items.

Total:

Flow condition: If Q7 is less than $6,000,000, go to Q19. Otherwise, go to Q20. 

Total revenue 

19. Based on this business's reported revenue from vessel operations, please provide a breakdown of this revenue for the fiscal year ending in 2025/2026.

Include revenue from the transportation of commodities, cargo, freight, passengers or vehicles; revenue from the towing of commodities or log booms; chartering or leasing; cost compensation from parent companies; revenue from on-vessel sales and concessions; and water transport subsidies.

Please report in Canadian dollars.

If exact values are not available, please provide your best estimate.

If no revenue was earned for an activity, please report "0" where applicable.

  • Vessel operating revenue:
    Include the transport and towing of commodities, cargo or freight, the transport of passengers, and the charter or lease of owned Canadian-registered vessels to other operators.
  • Other water transportation revenue:
    Include the towing, docking or turning of self-propelled vessels, and other water transportation revenue.
  • Revenues from other marine activities of a commercial nature:
    Exclude transportation. 
    Include construction or industrial support, offshore resource exploration and development activities, dredging and seabed work, bunkering and lightering, aquaculture and fisheries support, accommodation and support vessels, icebreaking, and other commercial marine activities that do not have a transportation component.
  • Revenue from activities incidental to water transportation:
    Include terminal and cargo handling services, logistics and agency services, vessel and cargo delay charges, and marine support and emergency services.
  • Other sources of revenue:
    Include other sources of revenue incidental to water transportation activities, other sources of revenue from transportation activities, other sources of revenue not related to transportation, and on-vessel sales and concessions.
  • Total revenue:

Vessel operating expenses

20. What were this business's total vessel operating expenses for the fiscal year ending in 2025/2026?

Include vessel operating costs, vessel maintenance and repairs, insurance and other fees, terminal and office expenses, non-transportation expenses, other transportation expenses and depreciation. 

Please report in Canadian dollars. 

If exact values are not available, please provide your best estimate.

Enter "0" if this business did not incur any expenses.

  • Total vessel operating expenses in CAN$:

Flow condition: If Q7 is equal to or greater than $6,000,000 or blank, go to Q21. Otherwise, go to Q22. 

21. Based on this business's reported expenses from vessel operations, please provide the breakdown of these expenses for the fiscal year ending in 2025/2026.

Please report in Canadian dollars.

If exact values are not available, please provide your best estimate.

If no expenses were incurred, please report "0" where applicable.

Vessel operating costs

  • Vessel crew remuneration:
    Include gross payroll and mandatory and non-mandatory contributions. 
    Exclude contractors.
  • Sources of power for propulsion:
    Include non-refundable taxes.
    e.g., fuel oil, gasoline, liquefied natural gas (LNG)
  • Vessel maintenance and repairs:
    Include allocation for the ship's survey, annual overhaul, lay-up or fit out; lubricating oil (inclusive of non-refundable taxes); and remuneration for maintenance crew who are not on the vessel.
  • Bareboat charter or lease hired in Canada:
  • Bareboat charter or lease hired abroad:
  • Food and provisions:
  • Communication expenses:
    e.g., radar, radio, satellite, computer, cellular phone

Insurance and other fees

  • Insurance:
    Include hull and machinery insurance, third-party liability insurance, and cargo insurance. 
    e.g., package freight policy premiums
  • Berthage and port dues:
    e.g., wharfage, anchorage, buoyage and dockage
  • Pilotage:
  • Canal and seaway tolls:
  • Coast guard fees:
  • Waste disposal expenses:
  • Purchased towage or escort services:

Terminal and office expenses

  • Office and terminal employee remuneration:
    Include gross payroll and mandatory and non-mandatory contributions.
  • Demurrage:
    Include fees charged when a vessel, container or cargo remains at a port, terminal or berth beyond the allowed free time for loading or unloading, because of delays while under the control of the terminal or port.
    e.g., a vessel is billed for demurrage when the cargo cannot be unloaded within the agreed-upon time because of terminal congestion

Non-transportation expenses

  • Corporate taxes paid at the federal, provincial and municipal levels:

Other expenses

  • Other transportation expenses:
    Include railway transportation, trucking, etc.
  • Other purchased transport:
    e.g., transportation services purchased from a third party, transportation of crew or other cargos in support of business operations
  • Depreciation:
    Include vessels and floating equipment.

Total expenditures:

Flow condition: If Q7 is less than $6,000,000, go to Q22. Otherwise, go to Q23. 

22. Based on this business's reported expenses from vessel operations, please provide the breakdown of these expenses for the fiscal year ending in 2025/2026.

Please report in Canadian dollars.

If exact values are not available, please provide your best estimate.

If no expenses were incurred, please report "0" where applicable.

  • Vessel operating costs:
    Include vessel crew remuneration, sources of power for propulsion, lubricating oil, vessel maintenance and repairs, boat charter or lease hired in Canada or abroad, food and provisions, and communication expenses. 
    e.g., radar, radio, satellite, computer, cellular phone
  • Insurance and other fees:
    Include insurance, berthage and port dues, pilotage, canal and seaway tolls, coast guard fees, inspection fees, waste disposal expenses, and purchased towage or escort services.
  • Terminal and office expenses:
    Include office and terminal employee remuneration and demurrage.
    e.g., a vessel is billed for demurrage when the cargo cannot be unloaded within the agreed-upon time because of terminal congestion
  • Non-transportation expenses:
    Include corporate taxes paid at the federal, provincial and municipal levels.
  • Other expenses:
    Include other transportation expenses, other purchased transport and depreciation.
    e.g., transportation services purchased from a third party, transportation of crew or other cargos in support of business operations
  • Total expenditures:

Employment

23. As of this business's peak season for the fiscal year ending in 2025/2026, how many people worked for this business's vessel operations, by type of occupation and by number of Canadian citizens or permanent residents and non-permanent residents?

Include all employees who received a T4 working for this business's vessel operations, whether full-time, part-time, seasonal or temporary. 
Exclude contract workers.

Canadian citizen: A person described as a citizen under the Citizenship Act. This means a person who is Canadian by birth (either born in Canada or born outside Canada to a Canadian citizen who was either born in Canada or granted citizenship) or has applied for a grant of citizenship and has received Canadian citizenship. 

Permanent resident: A person who has legally immigrated to Canada but is not yet a Canadian citizen.

Non-permanent resident: A person from another country with a usual place of residence in Canada and who has a work or study permit or who has claimed refugee status (asylum claimant), including individuals employed under the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program or other temporary work permit programs.

Enter "0" if this business did not have employees in one of the occupation types.

  • Number of Canadian citizens and permanent residents  
    • Deck officers:
      e.g., captains, chief officers, second or third officers
    • Engineering officers:
      e.g., chief engineers, second or third engineers
    • Deck crew:
      e.g., seafarers
    • Engine crew:
      e.g., oilers, motor persons, wipers, electricians
    • Stewards and catering:
      e.g., cooks, stewards
    • Dock and warehouse:
      e.g., longshorepersons, cargo handlers, forklift operators
    • Office and administration:
      e.g., shipping clerks, logistics coordinators, port agents
    • Other:
      e.g., pilots, tug operators, compliance or environmental officers, customer service agents, clerks, pursers, attendants, industrial electricians, trainees
    • Total number of employees:
  • Number of non-permanent residents 
    • Deck officers:
      e.g., captains, chief officers, second or third officers
    • Engineering officers:
      e.g., chief engineers, second or third engineers
    • Deck crew:
      e.g., seafarers
    • Engine crew:
      e.g., oilers, motor persons, wipers, electricians
    • Stewards and catering:
      e.g., cooks, stewards
    • Dock and warehouse:
      e.g., longshorepersons, cargo handlers, forklift operators
    • Office and administration:
      e.g., shipping clerks, logistics coordinators, port agents
    • Other:
      e.g., pilots, tug operators, compliance or environmental officers, customer service agents, clerks, pursers, attendants, industrial electricians, trainees
    • Total number of employees:
  • Total number of employees in each occupation
    • Deck officers:
      e.g., captains, chief officers, second or third officers
    • Engineering officers:
      e.g., chief engineers, second or third engineers
    • Deck crew:
      e.g., seafarers
    • Engine crew:
      e.g., oilers, motor persons, wipers, electricians
    • Stewards and catering:
      e.g., cooks, stewards
    • Dock and warehouse:
      e.g., longshorepersons, cargo handlers, forklift operators
    • Office and administration:
      e.g., shipping clerks, logistics coordinators, port agents
    • Other:
      e.g., pilots, tug operators, compliance or environmental officers, customer service agents, clerks, pursers, attendants, industrial electricians, trainees
    • Total number of employees:

Flow condition: If "number of Canadian citizens and permanent residence" or "number of non-permanent residents" are greater than 0, go to Q24. Otherwise, go to Q25. 

24. For the employees reported in the "other" category in question 23, please specify the other type of occupation.

  • Other occupations of the Canadian citizens and permanent residents:
  • Other occupations of the non-permanent residents:

Flow condition: If Q7 is equal to or greater than $6,000,000 or blank, go to Q25. Otherwise, go to Q26. 

25. As of this business's peak season for the fiscal year ending in 2025/2026, was this business experiencing labour shortages or job vacancies?

Labour shortages: Difficulties finding qualified workers.

Job vacancies: Unfilled positions.

Select all that apply.

  • Labour shortages
    • Please select the occupations in which this business was experiencing labour shortages.
      Labour shortages: Difficulties finding qualified workers.
      Select all that apply.
      • Deck officers
        e.g., captains, chief officers, second or third officers
      • Engineering officers
        e.g., chief engineers, second or third engineers
      • Deck crew
        e.g., seafarers
      • Engine crew
        e.g., oilers, motor persons, wipers, electricians
      • Stewards or catering
        e.g., cooks, stewards
      • Dock and warehouse
        e.g., longshorepersons, cargo handlers, forklift operators
      • Office and administration
        e.g., shipping clerks, logistics coordinators, port agents
      • Other occupations
        e.g., pilots, tug operators, compliance or environmental officers, customer service agents, clerks, pursers, attendants, industrial electricians, trainees

        • Specify the other occupations:

        OR

      • None of the above
  • Job vacancies

    • Please select the occupations in which this business was experiencing job vacancies.
      Job vacancies: Unfilled positions. 
      Select all that apply.
      • Deck officers
        e.g., captains, chief officers, second or third officers
      • Engineering officers
        e.g., chief engineers, second or third engineers
      • Deck crew
        e.g., seafarers
      • Engine crew
        e.g., oilers, motor persons, wipers, electricians
      • Stewards or catering
        e.g., cooks, stewards
      • Dock and warehouse
        e.g., longshorepersons, cargo handlers, forklift operators
      • Office and administration
        e.g., shipping clerks, logistics coordinators, port agents
      • Other occupations
        e.g., pilots, tug operators, compliance or environmental officers, customer service agents, clerks, pursers, attendants, industrial electricians, trainees

        • Specify the other occupations:

        OR

      • None of the above

    OR

  • This business did not experience labour shortages or job vacancies

Flow condition: If Q13 is "commodities" or "cargo or freight", go to Q26. Otherwise, go to Q28.

Commodities, cargo and freight transported

26. For the fiscal year ending in 2025/2026, please select all types of commodities, cargo or freight that this business transported. 

Commodities: Basic raw materials or bulk goods, usually transported in large quantities. These include a wide range of products, such as crude oil, natural gas, coal, iron ore, grains, chemicals and other bulk goods. These goods are usually transported in large quantities using specialized vessels.

Cargo or freight: Goods or freight, used as a general term, often regarding commercial inventory, can include any type of product or good, such as packaged goods, manufactured products, machinery and containers.

Select all that apply.

  • Containerized freight
  • Dry bulk cargo
  • Liquid bulk cargo
  • Project or breakbulk cargo
  • General cargo
  • Other types of commodities, cargo or freight
    • Specify the other types of commodities, cargo or freight transported:

Display condition: Only types of commodities, cargo or freight selected in Q26 are displayed in Q27. If no types of commodities, cargo or freight was selected, display all categories in Q27.

27. For the fiscal year ending in 2025/2026, please report how much of each of the following types of commodities, cargo or freight was transported by this business. 

If exact numbers are not available, please provide your best estimate.

  • Please report the total twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of containerized freight transported by this business.
    • TEUs of containerized freight transported:
      OR
    • Don't know
  • Please report the total tonnage of containerized freight transported by this business.
    • Tonnage of containerized freight transported:
      OR
    • Don't know
  • Please report the total tonnage of dry bulk cargo transported by this business.
    • Tonnage of dry bulk cargo transported:
      OR
    • Don't know
  • Please report the total tonnage of liquid bulk cargo transported by this business.
    • Tonnage of liquid bulk cargo transported:
      OR
    • Don't know
  • Please report the total tonnage of project or breakbulk cargo transported by this business.
    • Tonnage of project or breakbulk cargo transported:
      OR
    • Don't know
  • Please report the total tonnage of general cargo transported by this business.
    • Tonnage of general cargo transported:
      OR
    • Don't know
  • Please report the total tonnage of other types of commodities, cargo or freight transported by this business.
    • Tonnage of commodities, cargo or freight transported:
      OR
    • Don't know

Flow condition: If "Passenger or vehicles" is selected in Q13, go to Q28. Otherwise, go to Q30. 

Ferry and passenger services 

28. For the fiscal year ending in 2025/2026, please indicate the types of services related to passengers and vehicles provided by this business.

Select all that apply.

  • Ferry services
    Include shuttle services.
    • Please indicate the types of ferry services that were offered by this business.
      Select all that apply.
      • Passenger and passenger vehicle ferries
        Exclude commercial vehicles.
      • Passenger and all vehicle type ferries
        Include commercial and passenger vehicle roll-on-roll-off ferries.
      • Passenger-only ferries
        Include water taxis.
        e.g., cyclists, pedestrians
  • Passenger services
    Include day or overnight cruises and sightseeing vessels.
    Exclude ferry services.
  • Other types of services

    • Specify the other types of passenger and vehicle transportation services provided:

    OR

  • None of the above

Flow condition: If Q7 is equal to or greater than $6,000,000 or blank and "Passenger or vehicles" is selected in Q13 and "none of the above" was NOT selected in Q28, go to Q29. Otherwise go to Q30.

Display condition: Only services related to passengers and vehicles selected in Q28 are displayed in Q29. If no type of services related to passengers and vehicles was selected in Q28, display "Ferry services", "Passenger services", and "Other types of services" in Q29.

29. For the fiscal year ending in 2025/2026, please report the number of tickets sold and the number of trips related to ferry and passenger services provided by this business.

Ticket: A ticket is a legal document or electronic record that confirms payment and entitles a person or entity to transport between specified locations.

Trip: A trip starts with the embarkation of ticket holders and ends when those ticket holders disembark the vessel. In the case of passenger services, in-transit stops are not considered disembarkation. Therefore, the final disembarkation point is considered the end of the trip. 

If exact numbers are not available, please provide your best estimate.

  • Number of tickets sold
    • Ferry services:
      Include shuttle services.
    • Passenger and passenger vehicle ferries:
      Exclude commercial vehicles.
    • Passenger and all vehicle type ferries:
      Include commercial and passenger vehicle roll-on-roll-off ferries.
    • Passenger-only ferries:
      Include water taxis.
      e.g., cyclists, pedestrians
    • Passenger services:
      Include day or overnight cruises and sightseeing vessels.
      Exclude ferry services.
    • Other types of services:
    • Total:
  • Number of trips
    • Ferry services:
      Include shuttle services.
    • Passenger and passenger vehicle ferries:
      Exclude commercial vehicles.
    • Passenger and all vehicle type ferries:
      Include commercial and passenger vehicle roll-on-roll-off ferries.
    • Passenger-only ferries:
      e.g., cyclists, pedestrians
    • Passenger services:
      Include day or overnight cruises and sightseeing vessels.
      Exclude ferry services.
    • Other types of services:
    • Total: 

Obstacles

30. Please indicate to what extent this business experienced each of the following obstacles during its fiscal year ending in 2025/2026.

  • Drayage scheduling uncertainty
    Drayage: The short-distance, truck-based transport of shipping containers and cargo, usually connecting ports, rail yards or warehouses within the same urban area.
    • Not an obstacle
    • Minor obstacle
    • Moderate obstacle
    • Major obstacle
    • Don't know
  • Seafarer shortages
    • Not an obstacle
    • Minor obstacle
    • Moderate obstacle
    • Major obstacle
    • Don't know
  • Labour challenges at ports or terminals
    • Not an obstacle
    • Minor obstacle
    • Moderate obstacle
    • Major obstacle
    • Don't know
  • Delays because of regulatory requirements
    e.g., inspection, permits
    • Not an obstacle
    • Minor obstacle
    • Moderate obstacle
    • Major obstacle
    • Don't know
  • Delays at ports because of other factors
    • Not an obstacle
    • Minor obstacle
    • Moderate obstacle
    • Major obstacle
    • Don't know
  • Supply chain interruptions
    • Not an obstacle
    • Minor obstacle
    • Moderate obstacle
    • Major obstacle
    • Don't know
  • Economic uncertainty and inflation
    • Not an obstacle
    • Minor obstacle
    • Moderate obstacle
    • Major obstacle
    • Don't know
  • Irregular water level
    • Not an obstacle
    • Minor obstacle
    • Moderate obstacle
    • Major obstacle
    • Don't know
  • Weather-related cancellations
    • Not an obstacle
    • Minor obstacle
    • Moderate obstacle
    • Major obstacle
    • Don't know
  • Extreme weather events
    • Not an obstacle
    • Minor obstacle
    • Moderate obstacle
    • Major obstacle
    • Don't know
  • Other
    • Not an obstacle
    • Minor obstacle
    • Moderate obstacle
    • Major obstacle
    • Don't know

Government data presentation on a System of National Accounts basis compared to the Government Finance Statistics program

The annual Government Finance Statistics (GFS) program is a principal data source for the estimation of the government sector on a System of National Accounts (SNA) basis. However, there are key differences between these two programs in how they compile their government sector estimates. This note highlights some of the notable differences between SNA and GFS methodologies, concepts, and coverage.

Within the SNA, there are two primary programs that release data on the government sector: the Income and Expenditure Accounts (IEA) and the Financial and Wealth Accounts (FWA). Estimates within the IEA include revenues and expenditures within the GDP and current and capital accounts. The FWA starts with the capital account from IEA and tracks the financial flows for the government sector through the financial account and other change in assets account, ending with positions in the balance sheet for assets and liabilities.

The sequence of accounts within the SNA are fully consistent (within and across sectors) and balanced, and include transactions with residents and non-residents (outside Canada). As such, some of the differences noted below are to maintain the consistency within the sequence. The GFS is also a consistent set of accounts but with a narrower focus on the accounting consistency within government sectors.

Key differences between the SNA and the GFS

Fiscal year versus calendar year

Generally, the GFS data are on a fiscal year (i.e., March 31st year-end), whereas the SNA is on a calendar year (i.e., December 31st year-end). As a result, the fiscal year data from the GFS must be 'calendarized' to be incorporated into the SNA. For Federal government, the receipt of quarterly data facilitates integration, while in other instances, only annual fiscal data is available.

Accrual accounting

The GFS is based on fiscal year accrual accounting. When this data is integrated into the quarterly accounts, the accrual adjustments must be distributed to better reflect quarterly economic activity on a calendar basis. This is primarily an issue for the provincial/territorial administration subsector.

Year-end adjustments

In the GFS program, reporting data from government entities can include fiscal year-end adjustments. These year-end adjustments can perturb the estimates of economic growth in the SNA accounts, so these adjustments must first be spread through the four quarters of the fiscal year to align to fiscal year annual totals and then the calendarization process is applied as mentioned above.

Intergovernmental transfers

The SNA primarily uses counterparty information for transactions, that is, recording the amounts paid by a government entity as the receipts of that counterparty sector, whether it is government or non-government. This ensures internal bi-directional consistency for these flows. The GFS program articulates distinctly what is reported by the government making the transfer and the government receiving the transfer. For the GFS, when two sides of a transfer do not match between payer and recipient, an adjustment is made to 'Other revenues' and 'Other expenditures' so that the total balances of net lending/borrowing are consistent, but the transfers to and from will not necessarily align.

Estimation of capital investment, consumption of fixed capital, and stock of fixed capital

Conceptual differences and timeliness sometimes preclude the use of GFS source data for the estimate of capital investment within the SNA. In general, for federal government capital investment, the SNA is aligned with the GFS source data. For other government sectors, the capital investment estimate within the IEA is from the Annual Capital and Repair Expenditures Survey and may be adjusted with the GFS source data. This capital investment subsequently flows into the Stock and Consumption of Fixed Capital program (SCFC) and the FWA. The final GFS estimates also incorporate this capital investment data. Similarly, the SCFC provides estimates of the consumption of fixed capital (CFC) and stocks of fixed capital assets that are subsequently incorporated into the IEA, FWA and GFS, where applicable. Altogether, this ensures full consistency within the sequence.

The capital stock and CFC (also known as depreciation) within the SCFC is an economic measure of available capital in use in production processes and the associated economic depreciation of this capital. It is developed using the flow of capital investment from the IEA and is estimated on a replacement cost basis using a geometric depreciation method and specific service lives by asset. As a result, it differs from the asset and deprecation values that would be provided according to public sector and business accounting principles

Compensation of employees for government sector

Within the SNA, the compensation of employees for the general government and government sub-sectors is estimated using a similar methodology to the market sector, that is using administrative data, specifically T4 information from Canada Revenue Agency.  This administrative data is supplemented with additional data from the Survey of Employment, Payroll and Hours, Pension Plans in Canada, and from Employment and Social Development Canada. This ensures full consistency within the SNA. The GFS uses wages as reported in the government source data, which may differ from the SNA given the different sources.

Treatment of corporate income tax

In the IEA, the treatment of corporate incomes taxes aligns to the corporations' accrual perspective. This means that corporate reporting on income taxes paid are used to replace the GFS-based corporate income tax receipts of government, which may reflect more of a cash-basis perspective. This ensures consistency between both payers and recipients. The GFS replaces federal corporate income tax receipts with this corporate data but not the receipts of provincial and territorial governments. In both programs, GFS data is used for Quebec and Alberta to aid in the allocation of total provincial and territorial corporate income tax receipts.

Financial services

In the IEA, there are certain financial services that must be measured implicitly to derive an output. For example, the margin between what deposit-taking institutions earn on their loan assets versus what they pay on their deposit liabilities is considered an output of these entities. To ensure that this output aligns to all uses such as final demand, there are adjustments made to impute these expenditures by sector, including government. The GFS does not explicitly incorporate these expenses.

Indigenous general governments

In the IEA and FWA, Indigenous general governments is a distinct sub-sector of general governments. The GFS does not currently articulate this sector.

Bond liabilities

Within the FWA, data on government bond liabilities are taken from Canada's securities statistics program instead of the GFS as the data is timelier, and this practice maintains consistency within the sequence of the accounts for both issuer and debtor perspectives.

Consolidation

The FWA presents the general government sectors on an unconsolidated basis; this means that the debt securities and loan assets of one level of government corresponding to the liabilities of another government sector are shown gross. The GFS presents information on both a consolidated and unconsolidated basis (i.e., a statement of operations and balance sheet). A specific example of consolidation involves the social security fund sector's holdings of government debt. The GFS may consolidate these holdings and remove both asset and liability at the level of general government sector, whereas these will be shown gross in the FWA. However, the FWA publishes from-whom-to-whom estimates that allow users to produce consolidated estimates as needed.

Gross versus net loans

In the FWA, loans are presented on a gross basis versus net of allowances (or expected credit losses) while in the GFS, loans are presented net of allowances.

Pension entitlement estimates

In the FWA, pension entitlements are measured using pension plan and pension fund information to measure the accrued entitlement benefit. These estimates differ from GFS, which uses pension entitlements as presented according to public sector accounting standards.

Seasonal adjustment

This is unique to the quarterly IEA in which the government estimates are seasonally adjusted, whereas the quarterly FWA are presented on a non-seasonally adjusted basis.

Published information on the government sector

Income and expenditure accounts, quarterly

Taxes less subsidies, government final expenditure, government capital investment, current and capital accounts for general government and sub-sectors

Financial and wealth accounts, quarterly

Government assets and liabilities, non-financial and financial, government net worth, for general government and sub-sectors

Provincial-territorial Economic Accounts, annual

Government revenue, expenditure, and budgetary balance, by region

Government Finance Statistics, quarterly

GFS quarterly data are derived by mapping the quarterly SNA data to GFS standards and conventions

Consolidated Canadian Government Finance Statistics, annual

Government and sub-sector revenues, expenditures and financial transactions

User Guide: Canadian System of Macroeconomic Accounts

Labour Market Indicators - September 2026

In September 2026, questions measuring the Labour Market Indicators were added to the Labour Force Survey as a supplement.
Questionnaire flow within the collection application is controlled dynamically based on responses provided throughout the survey. Therefore, some respondents will not receive all questions, and there is a small chance that some households will not receive any questions at all. This is based on their answers to certain LFS questions.

Labour Market Indicators

ENTRY_Q01 / EQ 1 - From the following list, please select the household member that will be completing this questionnaire on behalf of the entire household.

AIG_Q01 / EQ 2 - Are you aware of Generative AI tools used for generating human-like text, images, computer code and more?

  1. Yes, I am aware and have a good understanding of their use
  2. Yes, I am aware and have some understanding of their use
  3. Yes, I am aware, but do not have a good understanding of their use
  4. No, I have never heard of them

AIG_Q02 / EQ 3 - How familiar are you with Generative AI tools in terms of how they could be applied to your current work?

  1. Familiar with Generative AI tools, but they have no applicability to your work
  2. Not familiar at all
  3. Somewhat familiar
  4. Moderately familiar
  5. Very familiar

AIG_Q03 / EQ 4 - In the last 12 months, did you use any of the following AI or automation technologies as part of your main job or business?

  1.  Generative AI tools
  2. Natural language processing
  3. Voice recognition software
  4. Machine learning
  5. Other
  6. None of the above

AIG_Q04 / EQ 5 - Currently, how often do you use Generative AI tools as part of your main job or business?

  1. Daily
  2. A few times a week
  3. A few times a month
  4. A few times a year

AIG_Q05 / EQ 6 - Currently, for what proportion of tasks do you use Generative AI tools as part of your main job or business?

  1. For almost all tasks
  2. For most tasks
  3. For some tasks
  4. For almost no tasks

AIG_Q06 / EQ 7 - Currently, how often do you use Generative AI tools outside of work?

  1. Daily
  2. A few times a week
  3. A few times a month
  4. A few times a year
  5. Never

AIG_Q07 / EQ 8 - What are the reasons why you are not using Generative AI tools as part of your main job or business?

  1. No interest
  2. Lack of access to AI tools
  3. Too difficult to integrate into your existing workflow
  4. Lack of skills or knowledge
  5. Lack of structured training from your employer
  6. No dedicated time during work hours for informal training
  7. Company or organisational policy
  8. Security, privacy or ethical concerns with using AI
  9. Few or no incentives and rewards
  10. Other
  11. Generative AI tools have no applicability to your work