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Gross domestic expenditures on research and development (GERD), 2013 Intentions
Gross domestic expenditures on research and development (R&D) are anticipated to total $30.4 billion in 2013, a 0.9% decrease from 2012.
While 2013 GERD intentions are below the $30.8 billion peak recorded in 2008, they are 23.3% higher than the $24.7 billion spent in 2003.
R&D expenditures by performing sectors
In 2013, business enterprises expect to spend $15.6 billion on R&D, down 2.8% from the previous year, and 6.8% below the pre-recession peak of $16.8 billion in 2007. This anticipated expenditure accounts for 51% of total spending on R&D by all performing sectors.
The higher education sector’s R&D spending intentions are $11.9 billion, maintaining its position as the second largest R&D performing sector. This sector does not anticipate a significant change between 2012 and 2013 spending levels.
The federal government, the third largest performing sector, anticipates R&D spending at $2.5 billion, up 1.4% from 2012. However, between 2011 and 2012 federal R&D spending fell 8.0% reflecting the conclusion of federal science and technology stimulus spending.
The remaining R&D performing sectors – provincial governments, provincial research organizations and private non-profit organizations – intended to spend about half a billion dollars in combined R&D for 2013. That total would be a 2.1% increase over 2012.
R&D funding by sector
For R&D funding, the business enterprise sector is expected to finance $14.4 billion in 2013, followed by the federal government sector at $6.0 billion and the higher education sector at $5.3 billion.
R&D funding also includes the foreign sector, which is anticipated to finance $1.8 billion in 2013, relatively unchanged from 2012.
Internationally comparable science and technology data for 2011 are currently available from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Main Science and Technology Indicators (MSTI). In 2011, Israel had the highest gross domestic expenditures on research and development as a proportion of its gross domestic product at 4.38, while the OECD average was 2.37 (Volume 13/1 OECD MSTI). This indicator for Canada is now updated to 1.74 for 2011 and 1.69 for 2012.
Note to readers
Provincial government R&D expenditures were obtained from provincial government participants to the 2010 Provincial Scientific Activities Survey. 2012 and 2013 provincial government data are based on an estimation model. Provincial research organization data are collected by a survey.
GERD data presented are performance based, this means funding sector data are derived from the source of funds indicated by the performing sectors. As a result GERD funding sector values will not equal funding data collected and released by individual sectors.
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