Biotechnology spending by the federal government

The federal government spent $791 million on biotechnology in the fiscal year 2004/05, up 6.3% from $744 million the previous year. Over half of the money went to the higher education sector.

Spending on biotechnology represented 9% of all federal spending on science and technology in 2004/05.

The majority (96%) of biotechnology spending was devoted to research and development.

Two-thirds (67%) of biotechnology science and technology activities were performed outside the federal government. The largest recipient was still the higher education sector, which received $403 million, or just over half of the total.

There were 1,656 full-time equivalent person-years devoted to biotechnology science and technology activities in the federal government, down from 1,727 during 2003/04.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 4212.

The service bulletin Science Statistics: "Biotechnology scientific activities in federal government departments and agencies, 2004/05," Vol. 30, no. 2 (88-001-XIE, free) is now available online. From the Our products and services page under Browse our Internet products, choose Free and then Science.

For more information, or to enquire about the methods, concepts of data quality of this release, contact Michèle Lanoue at (613-951-4534; lanomic@statcan.gc.ca) or Christine Delorey (613-951-2675; christine.delorey@statcan.gc.ca), Science, Innovation and Electronic Information Division.