Key S&T investments survive massive massive security spending in latest Budget

Federal Budget Coverage

Security concerns and a lagging economy put the squeeze on science and technology in the latest federal Budget, as ambitious spending plans related to the Liberal government’s emerging innovation agenda were significantly scaled back or deferred. Despite a 9.4% jump in FY01-02 program spending, big ticket items like the indirect costs of university research, the granting councils and the national broadband initiative received far less than expected.

There were surprises, however. The BC Cancer Foundation was awarded $10 million in honour of the late Dr Michael Smith for ongoing research at the BC Genome Sequencing Centre. And the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research received a 43% increase in federal support with $25 million in funding over five years.

Ottawa saved the largest S&T-related announcement for itself, injecting $600 million into its Government-On-Line initiative. The funding over four years is meant to complete the massive project and kicks in for FY02-03, following an initial two-year investment of $280 million announced in February/00.

In the area of S&T the Budget was not without controversy or glaring omissions. The wide disparity in funding increases afforded to the granting councils is already stirring up a hornet’s nest in Ottawa, with health receiving a permanent increase of $75 million, followed by $36.5 million for natural sciences and engineering and just $9.5 million for social sciences and humanities (see page 3).

Northern research and astronomy were not included in the Budget’s spending plans, even though the sums involved were relatively modest. But astronomy is being given a boost courtesy of National Research Council, which was finally successful in securing major new funding (see page 5).

Of the $7.7 billion being pumped into security-related initiatives, some S&T funding is included in the $513 million being dedicated to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats. Details are pending.

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