Higher education R&D declines as majority of funding sources reduce support: StatsCan

Mark Henderson
September 8, 2015

The halcyon days of annual increases in federal support for R&D in the higher education sector have come to a halt. After a healthy jump in FY12-13, federal support declined 2.1% in FY13-14 to $3.1 billion. In constant 2007 dollars, federal spending is virtually unchanged from the 2007 base year (see chart), according to the latest data from Statistics Canada.

Federal support is among the four funding sources of higher education R&D that declined in FY13-14 — the others are business, provincial governments, and private non-profits. A small gain of 1.5% was realized by the higher education itself (which includes substantial federal funding) while foreign sources — the smallest funding source of the group — increased 16% to $149.7 million.

From a regional perspective, Manitoba was the only province that didn't experience a decline from any of the six funding sources. In contrast, British Columbia suffered decreases from all sources.

Hardest hit is the natural sciences and engineering (NSE) sector, which saw its funding decline 2.8% to $9.7 billion or 76.6% of the total. Social sciences and humanities (SSH) experienced a projected 1.5% uptick to $3 billion.

NSE disciplines derive 43.9% of its overall funding from the higher education sources, while SSH disciplines are substantially higher at 65.9%.

Provincial funding hit hard

Provincial governments delivered the largest decline of any funding sector with a collective drop of 13.4% Hardest hit was Newfoundland, declining a staggering 78.1% from $38.4 million in FY12-13 to $8.4 million FY13-14.

British Columbia suffered a 33.2% drop from $126.2 million to $84.3 million.

The debt-plagued Ontario government also significantly reduced its support of higher education, dropping 32.8% from $529.7 million to $355.9 million. When all funding sources are factored in, Ontario experienced a modest year-over-year decline of $1.2% to $5,264.5 billion.

That contrasts with Quebec with received an increase in funding from its government, up 5.9% from $385 million to $407.7 million. Overall, Quebec's higher education research funding inched up 2.6% from $3.23 billion to $3.31 billion.

Other provinces that maintained or increased funding from their respective governments are Manitoba, Alberta and Saskatchewan.

For the first time, StatsCan commissioned a faculty time use survey to determine how much time faculty spend on sponsored and non-sponsored research. It developed coefficients for six fields of S&T, ranging from 0.45 for NSE and engineering and technology to 0.39 and 0.38 respectively for the social sciences and the humanities.

R$

Higher Education R&D Spending by Type of Science - 2013-14

($ millions)
    % Change
(2013 to 2014)
Total funding sectors 12,714.6   -1.8%      
     Natural sciences and engineering9,743.0    
     Social sciences and humanities2,971.6    
Federal government 3,102.5   -2.1%      
     Natural sciences and engineering2,583.7    
     Social sciences and humanities518.8    
Provincial government 1,178.5   -13.4%      
     Natural sciences and engineering942.8    
     Social sciences and humanities235.7   
Business enterprise 910.6   -8.4%      
     Natural sciences and engineering860.9    
     Social sciences and humanities49.7    
Higher education 6,239.8   +1.5%      
     Natural sciences and engineering4,281.5    
     Social sciences and humanities1,958.3    
Private non-profit 1,133.5   -1.9%      
     Natural sciences and engineering924.5    
     Social sciences and humanities209.0    
Foreign 149.7   +16.0%      
     Natural sciences and engineering149.7    
     Social sciences and humanities0.0    

Higher education R&D expenditures, by funding sector and type of science

Current Prices ($ millions)
Funding sector 2006-2007    2007-2008    2008-2009    2009-2010    2010-2011    2011-2012    2012-2013    2013-2014   
Federal government 2,487.5    2,720.2    2,811.5    2,932.5    3,073.8    3,165.2    3,168.8    3,102.5   
Provincial government 992.7    1,034.0    1,105.1    1,144.3    1,193.2    1,255.0    1,361.1    1,178.5   
Business enterprise 808.2    870.1    892.4    896.0    842.1    966.2    993.7    910.6   
Higher education 4,434.9    4,574.1    5,054.5    4,823.7    4,970.1    5,192.7    6,145.5    6,239.8   
Private non-profit 775.7    889.7    948.7    901.4    1,029.2    1,126.7    1,155.2    1,133.5   
Foreign 125.7    99.1    114.4    120.0    140.9    125.9    129.1    149.7   
Total funding sectors 9,624.8    10,187.3    10,926.6    10,817.9    11,249.3    11,831.6    12,953.4    12,714.6   
2007 Constant Prices ($ millions)
Federal government 2,567.1    2,720.2    2,706.0    2,883.5    2,944.3    2,933.5    2,893.9    2,795.1   
Provincial government 1,024.5    1,034.0    1,063.6    1,125.2    1,142.9    1,163.1    1,243.0    1,061.7   
Business enterprise 834.1    870.1    858.9    881.0    806.6    895.5    907.5    820.4   
Higher education 4,576.8    4,574.1    4,864.8    4,743.1    4,760.6    4,812.5    5,612.3    5,621.4   
Private non-profit 800.5    889.7    913.1    886.3    985.8    1,044.2    1,055.0    1,021.2   
Foreign 129.7    99.1    110.1    118.0    135.0    116.7    117.9    134.8   
Total funding sectors 9,932.7    10,187.3    10,516.5    10,637.1    10,775.2    10,965.3    11,829.6    11,454.6   



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