New Statistics Canada survey gives policy makers a better handle on R&D spending that directly benefits developing nations

The federal government spent 2.8% of its R&D budget on projects intended to directly benefit developing countries in FY04-05, according to a first-of-its-kind survey conducted by Statistics Canada and commissioned by the Office of the National Science Advisor (ONSA). In that year, federal R&D funding totalled $5.4 billion, and there were $151.5 million in expenditures intended to benefit developing nations. The vast majority of that funding — $141.3 million — is spent by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

An additional $344.5 million was spent on related scientific activity (RSA) bringing the S&T total directed toward developing nations to $496 million or 5.7% of the federal S&T total of $8.76 billion.

The pilot StatsCan survey was augmented by a parallel survey of the Canadian private sector. While the low response rate did not allow for specific dollar amounts, the data indicate that 0.4% of industrial R&D spending was devoted to the developing world in 2004, primarily China, India, Mexico, Brazil and South Africa.

"This is potentially path breaking work," says Paul Dufour, the NSA's senior advisor on international affairs. "I'm not aware of any other country that has tried to break out R&D data along these lines."

The decision to generate data on how much Canada spends on S&T in support of developing nations goes back to 2003 when then Finance minister Paul Martin first proposed sharing Canadian S&T expertise with the world's less advantaged. That was followed up with the government's so-called 5% challenge — devoting 5% of federal R&D to the developing world. The only problem was, no one had a clear idea how much was being spent and by whom. With the new data, policy developers now have a benchmark upon which to build.

"The 5% target was a rallying cry but at the end of the day the exercise was about getting a coherent strategic vision amongst the science-based departments and agencies to consider their use of R&D in support of domestic and international agendas," says Dufour. "It's an attempt to affect behaviour and encourage collaboration by changing the terms of reference. We hope to add on more questions to future surveys about what is being done and how."

The issue of S&T devoted to developing nation's needs is also seen as an opportunity to integrate Canada's domestic and foreign policy agendas. Since Martin's call to action, many organizations have contributed to the ever-widening dialogue, with the lead being taken by IDRC, CIDA, the ONSA and the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. Various mechanisms have been proposed to boost Canada's R&D and S&T performance in this area, including an expansion of the successful Global Health Research Initiative (GHRI), an international version of the Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) program, international research chairs and additional funding for IDRC and CIDA.

While these mechanisms were originally proposed under the previous Liberal government, Dufour says there's no indication that the Conservative administration won't be considering them. The new data will also provide a framework for new thinking on strategy development that includes developing world perspectives.

"A good idea is a good idea," he says. "The new government is interested in development assistance."

Dufour says the new StatsCan data will allow a more measured approach to future planning for mechanisms to promote specific, targeted research partnerships between Canadian scientists and their colleagues in the developed and developing world.

"This is a two-way street. We can use this to benefits Canadians. It can also be a public diplomacy tool and play a role in strengthening trade policy.

"We need to be coordinated in pulling this together. We're putting together options for consideration that SBDAs can engage in as they see fit," says Dufour. "We can also leverage with other players and other countries like the UK."

An opportunity for other nations to follow Canada's lead in developing these kinds of indicators will occur in Ottawa when it hosts the Blue Sky II 2006 Forum this September. Nations will be gathering to consider new areas for indicator development and courses of action for future work on science, technology and innovation indicators.

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