Statistics Canada releases comprehensive geographic breakdown of R&D spending

The latest provincial data on R&D spending show Quebec is the only province where business expenditures are actually declining. Data from 2005 — the most recent year for which a provincial breakdown is available — show that business outlays in Quebec declined 3.0% over the previous year to $3.768 billion. In contrast, business spending in Ontario increased 3.8% over the same period to $6.965 billion.

In the major western provinces, Alberta's business R&D slightly exceeded that of British Columbia for the second year in a row. In Alberta, $1.072 billion was spent by businesses in 2005, compared to $962 million in British Columbia. And, whereas Alberta's business R&D increased 59.5% between 2001 and 2005, the increase in BC over the same period was negligible — just 2.9%. In Manitoba, business spent $196 million, while Saskatchewan accounted for $154 million

In Atlantic Canada, businesses in Newfoundland showed the greatest increase, more than doubling between 2004 and 2005 to $98 million. That bettered Nova Scotia, where $94 million was spent in 2005, up 16.2% from 2004. Business R&D expenditures in New Brunswick held relatively steady at $84 million, while PEI accounted for $7 million.

Federal R&D

The allocation of federal R&D dollars shows a somewhat different picture. Of the $5.4 billion in federal outlays in 2005, Ontario took a 27.5% share with $1.497 billion, up 13.2% from 2004. Quebec accounted for 21.5% of the total with $1.168 billion, up just 1% from the previous year. The National Capital Region was home to the third largest amount of federal R&D — $1.103 billion, up 15.1%.

The other provinces were: British Columbia ($417 million/+2.0%), Alberta ($400 million/+22.7%), Manitoba ($157 million/+7.5%), Nova Scotia ($150 million/

-4.4%), Saskatchewan ($126 million/+2.4%), Newfoundland ($80 million/+33.3%), New Brunswick ($62 million/+8.8%), and PEI ($37 million/ +105.5%)

Higher ed R&D

In 2005, higher education accounted for $4.758 billion in R&D. Ontario, as expected, accounted for the largest single share with $1.793 billion, essentially unchanged from the previous year. Quebec received $1.180 billion, up 4.5% from 2004.

The other provinces were:Alberta ($396 million/+14.1%), British Columbia ($377 million/+8.3%), Manitoba ($149 million/+21.1%), Saskatchewan ($115 million/-5.7%), Nova Scotia ($158 million/+12.1%), New Brunswick ($80 million/+14.3%), Newfoundland ($76 million/+24.6%) and PEI ($16 million/+6.7%).

Of the $2.6 billion in foreign R&D, Ontario received $1.373 billion while Quebec received $526 million. British Columbia received $499 million compared to just $60 million for Alberta.

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