Healthy increases in higher education research and development (R&D) continued for a ninth straight year in FY18-19, jumping 5.2% year-over-year to $15.1 billion, according to the latest data from Statistics Canada.
All sources of funding – both internal and external – reported higher levels of support, bolstering Canada’s higher education status in contributing a greater portion of Canada’s total R&D than any other G7 nation. It also accounts for approximately 40% of Canada’s total R&D spending.
Internal university funding sources accounted for $7.4 billion or nearly half of the total, up 4.4% over FY17-18, followed by the federal government which boosted its support 7.7% to $3.6 billion.
Provincial governments provided $1.2 billion while the business sector contributed an equal amount. Private not-for-profit organizations provided $1.5 billion while foreign sources amount to $137 million.
Unsurprisingly, Ontario and Quebec accounted for 65% of all higher education R&D expenditures, boosting their totals by $198.4 million and $196.7 million respectively. All other provinces had increases with the exceptions of Manitoba and Nova Scotia.
Natural sciences continue to dominate R&D outlays in the higher education sector, accounting for $11.5 billion or 65.9% of total expenditures. The social sciences and humanities account for the remainder ($3.6 billion/24.1%).
($ millions, current dollars)
Higher education | Federal government | Provincial government | Business enterprise | Private non-profit | Foreign | |
2009/10 | 4,824 | 2,933 | 1,144 | 892 | 901 | 120 |
2010/11 | 4,970 | 3,074 | 1,193 | 842 | 1,029 | 141 |
2011/12 | 5,193 | 3,165 | 1,255 | 966 | 1,127 | 126 |
2012/13 | 6,085 | 3,212 | 1,301 | 952 | 1,079 | 128 |
2013/14 | 6,320 | 3,109 | 1,182 | 914 | 1,138 | 139 |
2014/15 | 6,394 | 3,020 | 1,138 | 998 | 1,235 | 108 |
2015/16 | 6,657 | 3,028 | 1,096 | 1,041 | 1,309 | 114 |
2016/17 | 6,815 | 3,170 | 1,154 | 1,094 | 1,467 | 111 |
2017/18 | 7,106 | 3,331 | 1,163 | 1,125 | 1,495 | 119 |
2018/19 | 7,421 | 3,587 | 1,222 | 1,205 | 1,516 | 137 |
Source: Statistics Canada
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