R&D personnel decline slightly in 2002 after nine years of growth: StatsCan

The number of R&D employees in Canada increased by 39.9% between 1993 and 2002, despite a slight drop in 2002 due primarily to the downturn in the telecom sector. The greatest increase was experience in the business sector, which has enjoyed a rapid expansion every year except for 1996 and 2002. Between 1993 and 2001, Canadian-based firms increased their R&D personnel faster than any other sector, jumping 87% from 61,530 to 115,050, according to the latest data from Statistics Canada.

Of those employed by industry in 2002, 62.3% or 69,640 are researchers, 26,1% (29,190) are technicians and 11.6% (12,970) are support staff. Ontario is home to 48.5% of business R&D personnel, followed by Quebec (34.9%), British Columbia (8.3%) and Alberta (4.6%). The other provinces account for the remaining 3.7%.

In contrast to industry, increases in R&D personnel at institutions of higher learning have been relatively modest, with only an 8.4% increase over the 10-year period of the survey, from 43,670 in 1993 to 47,340 in 2002. For the first seven years, however, the personnel levels were stagnant, increasing far more rapidly from 1999 onward as the impact of federal and provincial investment in university-based research ramped up.

FEDERAL STAFFING DECLINES

A more depressing picture emerges when examining the federal government. Over the 10-year period, R&D personnel has declined by 3,280, from 17,240 to 13,960, spread across all occupational categories — researchers, technicians and support staff — with the latter particularly hard hit. The decline is fairly consistent year-over-year, except for an unexplained upward blip in 1999 and 2000 when federal R&D employees increased by 350 and 620 respectively before falling sharply in 2001.

R&D personnel employed by the provinces also experienced a significant drop from 3,710 to 2,880 between 1993 and 1996 and then stagnating for several years. But hiring has escalated in recent years, hitting 3,290 in 2002. Alberta places a strong third with 740, due to the presence of the Alberta Research Council. In contrast, Ontario employed 1,040 and Quebec employed 920.

Overall, Ontario is home to 81,320 or 45.9% of all R&D personnel in Canada. Quebec places second with 55,560 (31.4%), followed by British Columbia (15,360/ 8.7%), Alberta (11,770/6.6%), Manitoba (3,570/2.0%), Nova Scotia (3,170/1.8%), Saskatchewan (2,950/1.7%), New Bruns-wick (1,800/1.0%) and Newfoundland (1,300/0.7%) and PEI (270/0.1%).

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