Growth of federal S&T spending in national capital region slowing

Guest Contributor
February 7, 2005

The Ottawa region continues to be home to the largest single concentration of federal S&T expenditures but its rate of increase between FY96-97 and FY02-03 is lower than all other provincial jurisdictions except Nova Scotia. Federal expenditures in the national capital region (NCR) increased 32.6% during that seven-year period to $2.6 billion, compared to a 67.1% increase in British Columbia to $580 million, the province that experienced the highest rate of growth.

Total federal S&T expenditures for FY02-03 (the most recent year for which a geographical breakdown is available) were $8.0 billion. In addition to the NCR, $4.7 billion was spent in the provinces and territories. The remainder ($692 million) is not identified by region as it was either paid to foreign performers ($284 million) or cannot be assigned geographically ($408 million).

In spite of the slower growth of federal S&T spending in the NCR, it dwarfs any other jurisdiction, including its two closest rivals — Ontario and Quebec (see chart). When the NCR is excluded, the rate of growth for the period between FY96-97 and FY02-03 is 48.9%.

The federal government is the largest performer of federal S&T expenditures, accounting for $4.6 billion of the $7.3 billion accounted for geographically in FY02-03. Of that amount, $2.0 billion or 43.6% is spent outside the NCR. The higher education sector performed $1.7 billion, followed by business enterprise ($790 million) and other Canadian performers ($218 million).

Of the $7.3 billion in S&T accounted for geographically, $4.65 billion or 63.7% is spent on R&D. Not surprisingly, the lion’s share (71%) is performed in the NCR ($1 billion), Ontario ($1.3 billion) and Quebec ($1 billion). Other provincial shares are: British Columbia ($433 million), Alberta ($267 million), Nova Scotia ($163 million), Manitoba ($139 million), Saskatchewan ($117 million), Newfoundland ($77 million), New Brunswick ($76 million) and Prince Edwards Island ($176 million).

Of the total R&D spending, $2.2 billion is spent in-house, followed by higher education ($1.6 billion), businesses ($701 million) and other Canadian performers ($172 million).

The geographical distribution of in-house R&D spending varies widely according to the performer. Agriculture Canada, for instance, spends at $20 million or more in six different provinces and the NCR for a total of $215 million. The largest amounts spent by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans are spent in British Columbia ($33 million), Nova Scotia ($26 million) and Newfoundland ($17 million). Lesser but significant amounts are spent in Quebec ($15 million), Manitoba ($13 million) and Ontario ($12 million).

R&D spending by several other performers are largely confined to a single province, such as the Canadian Space Agency (Quebec — $144 million, and a nominal $10 million in the NCR) and Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd (Ontario — $120 million and $8 million in the NCR).

The bulk of the $570 million spent by the National Research Council in FY02-03 was conducted in the NCR ($400 million), followed by Quebec ($73 million), British Columbia ($21 million), Nova Scotia ($14 million), Saskatchewan ($14 million), Ontario ($12 million). Manitoba, Newfoundland and New Brunswick received $11 million each.

NATURAL SCIENCES DOMINATE

Federal expenditures on the natural sciences dominate with $5.75 billion or 78.7% of the FY02-03 total. As with the S&T total, the bulk of natural sciences S&T is spent in the NCR ($1.4 billion), Ontario ($1.4 billion) and Quebec ($1.2 billion).

Social sciences spending accounts for $1.6 billion, and takes place largely in the NCR ($1.2 billion).

The largest recipients of $697.1 million in federal R&D grants and contracts to industry in the natural sciences are Ontario ($297.8 million) and Quebec ($239.2 million), accounting for 77% of the total. Also receiving significant shares were businesses in British Columbia ($63.6 million), Alberta ($21 million), Newfoundland ($17 million) and Manitoba ($13.6 million).

A similar geographical distribution is found with the $1 6 billion in federal R&D grants and contracts to the higher education sector.

R$

R&D grants and contracts to industry — FY02-03
Natural Sciences

($ millions)
GRANTS
Technology Partnerships Canada297.4
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency25.4
Canada Economic Development (Quebec)20.5
Industry Canada23.5
Industrial Research Assistance Program75.8
Western Economic Diversification Canada7.2
Other62.9
Total Grants512.7
CONTRACTS
Canadian Space Agency88.1
National Defence69.8
Natural Resources Canada3.0
Other23.5
Total Contracts184.4
Grand Total697.1

Federal expenditures on S&T, by province & territories

($ millions)
Province and territories96-9797-9898-9999-0000-0101-0202-03
National Capital Region* 1,967 1,819 1,942 1,981 2,130 2,603 2,608
Ontario 1,077 1,141 1,143 1,309 1,347 1,644 1,576
Quebec 824 787 788 833 1,017 1,382 1,243
British Columbia 347 373 446 528 479 526 580
Alberta 248 247 254 301 327 475 393
Nova Scotia 199 175 200 197 220 226 256
Manitoba 184 149 136 161 190 211 217
Saskatchewan 93 120 122 131 148 164 151
Newfoundland and Labrador 79 71 86 87 101 95 117
New Brunswick 67 65 75 72 68 82 102
Yukon, NWT and Nunavut 17 16 15 20 28 33 35
Prince Edward Island 17 14 17 20 29 26 24
Canada (Excluding NCR*) 3,152 3,158 3,282 3,659 3,954 4,864 4,694
Canada (Including NCR) 5,119 4,977 5,224 5,640 6,084 7,467 7,302
* Federal intramural expenditures only.



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