Government science bears disproportionate brunt of Budget's austerity-related cuts

Budget 2012 - Government S&T Cuts

Federal science-based programs are seeing a 10% cut to their funding, far greater than the 6.9% average across government outlined in the recent federal Budget. While details of the impact of Ottawa's austerity measures continue to trickle out, several examples are of particular concern to researchers, scientists and technicians working in key portfolios.

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA), Communications Research Centre (CRC), International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the R&D arm of the Department of National Defence are all receiving cuts of at least 10%. Even the budget of highly regarded Networks of Centres of Excellence program is being reduced via cuts imposed on the granting councils (R$, March 29/12)

At Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC), cuts of $40 million have been identified, representing 12.8% of the agency's $312-million budget. DRDC is in the midst of a sweeping re-organization that was launched before the Budget and now anticipates doing more with less (R$, March 29/12). According to reports, DRDC Suffield will be scaling back on how much it spends on R&D related to explosives detection.

At Environment Canada (EC), the S&T branch will receive $7.5 million less in future, prompting cuts to initiatives such as Canada's management of a United Nations database for its Global Environmental Monitoring System, research on urban waste water, emergency disaster response and support for three Canadian Environmental Technology Advancement Centres (CETAC).

EC minister Peter Kent's office says the elimination in CETAC funding is due to the fact that the department does not have the mandate to develop an environmental industry. Ironically, EC, along with Natural Resources Canada, sponsor Sustainable Development Technology Canada, which has received more than $1 billion to support the growth of a clean tech industry. The Budget did not respond to SDTC's request for new funding (see page 5).

At CRC — an agency of Industry Canada — RE$EARCH MONEY has learned that one third of salaries are being eliminated as well as R&D programs for photonics and a key fundamental technology underlying fibre optic networks. Fibre Bragg gratings has generated significant royalties for CRC over the years although patent protection expires this year (R$, August 30/00). There will also be cuts at the spectrum management and telecommunications branch of Industry Canada.

IDRC has responded to an 11.1% cut to its $207.4-million Parliamentary appropriation with several measures including closing offices, reducing activities in social innovation and a smaller board of governors. More details on the impact of the cuts are pending.

The CSA is digging deep to find $29.5 million from its $300-million budget — a budget that has remained largely stagnant for the past several years — by eliminating at least 23 positions and hampering its ability to consider new R&D projects. The RADARSAT Constellation project has a budget of $400 million but the funding has not been committed. Funding uncertainty has prompted prime contractor, MacDonald Dettwiler & Associates Ltd, to issue a statement stating that it is "accelerating its steps to restructure its work force related to this event".

The union representing government scientists and professionals says the cuts stemming from the Budget now exceed 2,000 and counting. The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) reports that the second wave of cuts related to the Budget's austerity measures total 1,500, on top of more than 500 personal already identified for elimination.

"It's clear where the government's priorities lie," says PIPSC president Gary Corbett in a press release. "Less science in the public interest."

PIPSC released the following details on the second wave of announced staffing reductions: Canadian Food Inspection Agency (344); Health Canada (328); Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada (153); Environment Canada (137); Industry Canada (219); Natural Resources Canada (156); Canadian Space Agency (23); and, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (53).

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