Research and development personnel

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In 2008, 242,680 full-time equivalent personnel were engaged in research and development (R&D) activities in Canada, down 1.0% from 2007.

Nearly two-thirds (65%) of R&D personnel were employed by business enterprises in 2008, followed by 26% in the higher education sector, 8% in government (combined federal and provincial) and 1% in private non-profit organizations.

About three-quarters of total R&D personnel worked in two provinces: Ontario (45%) and Quebec (31%). Most of the remaining R&D personnel were engaged in British Columbia (9%) and Alberta (7%).

Researchers accounted for 61% of total R&D personnel, while technicians comprised 25% and support staff 14%. There were 148,980 researchers working in Canada in 2008, this remained relatively flat from 2007 but up 20.8% from five years earlier (2003).

For every 1,000 people employed full time in 2008 in Canada, 8.8 were researchers. In comparison, Japan and Sweden had 10.6 full-time equivalent R&D personnel per 1,000 employed in their respective countries in 2008, while there were 8.0 in the United Kingdom. The United States recorded 9.5 full-time equivalent R&D personnel per 1,000 for 2007 (the latest year of available data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development).

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey numbers, including related surveys, 4201, 4204, 4208, 4209, 4210, 4212 and 5109.

The service bulletin Science Statistics, Vol. 35, no. 1 (88-001-X, free), is now available from the Key resource module of our website under Publications.

For more information, or to enquire about the methods, concepts or data quality of this release, contact Catherine ten Den (613-951-2188; catherine.tenden@statcan.gc.ca) or Louise Earl (613-951-2880; louise.earl@statcan.gc.ca), Business Special Surveys and Technology Statistics Division.