Federal support for S&T set to decline by 5.4% this year as cuts continue

Data don't match government assertions

The federal government has reduced its spending on science and technology by $1.7 billion or 14.4% over the past five years, according to new data from Statistics Canada. The agency projects that federal S&T outlays will decline for the fourth year running to $10.3 billion in FY14-15 — a year-over-year decline of $587 million or 5.4%. The picture is even gloomier when cast in 2007 constant dollars — $9.8 billion in FY13-14 or back to the same level as FY05-05.

The steady progression of cuts to federal S&T expenditures is in stark contrast to assertions by the Conservative government. In a speech just two months ago, Ed Holder, minister of State for science and technology, stated that, "Our government is making record investments in science and technology to create jobs, strengthen the economy and improve the quality of life of Canadians."

Declining federal support for intramural S&T outlays has also taken a beating. Over the past five years it has shrunk by $743 million or 12.4%, from $6.0 billion in FY10-11 to a projected $5.2 billion in FY14-15 — $272 million in the last year alone.

The cuts are spread across the spectrum of S&T-related activities, from data collection and information services to education support, administration of extramural programs and capital. Hardest hit in dollar terms in the past year is information services, which dropped 8.7% from $759 million to $693 million. In percentage terms,. administration of extramural programs declined 10.6% from $85 million to $76 million.

The cuts have inevitably led to an across-the-board downsizing of federal scientific personnel. In the same five-year period, S&T staff was cut by 3,405 or 8.8% from 39,594 in FY1-0-11 to 35,189 in FY14-15.

Statistics Canada itself has been particularly hard hit, with its staff dropping from 5,691 to 4,340 or 18.9% over the past five years. The National Research Council has also been downsizing, cutting 626 people or 14.3% of its staff since FY10-11.

National Defence S&T personnel that work for Defence R&D Canada have seen a significant downsizing — 329 positions or 14.6% cut in the same period.

Staffing in the catch-all category of ‘Other' is down 729 people or 10.2%.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada's staff has shrunk from 1,851 to 1,709 for a 14.2% decline, while staff at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada declined from 2,422 to 2,132 or 12%. Industry Canada staff dropped from 1,029 to 848 (17.6%).

Natural Resources Canada fared somewhat better, dropping from 2,760 to 2,580 for a 7% decline. The Canadian Space Agency also experienced a single digit staffing decline, dropping 7.1% from 693 in FY10-11 to 644 in FY14-15.

The data show that staffing at the remaining S&T-intensive departments (Environment Canada, Health Canada) and the granting councils is largely stagnant.

Sole increase in staff

The only department or agency that experienced an increase is the Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd, up 19.5% from 2,372 to 2,835

Whether the government plans to reverse the declines with the release of a refreshed S&T Strategy isn't known. A planned conference set for earlier this year never occurred and many are now saying the strategy is overdue (R$, November 26/13).

In the past year, spending on natural sciences and engineering (NSE) S&T was particularly hard hit, declining $497 million from $8.35 billion in FY13-14 to $7.85 billion in FY14-15. The cuts were particularly harsh in the areas of federal intramural expenditures and support for businesses. Support for NSE in higher education dropped a marginal $20 million or 0.8%.

The social sciences and humanities fared somewhat better, dropping 3.6% from $2.52 billion to $2.43 billion. Federal intramural spending declined $50 million, support to business was down by $14 million and not-for-profit institutions dropped by $11 million.

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