Federal government spending on science and technology

The federal government will spend an anticipated $9.9 billion on science and technology in the fiscal year 2008/2009.

This will be a decline of about 3% (in current dollars) from the previous fiscal year, and the first decline after five years of increases.

About 63% of this total will go to research and development, and the remaining 37% to related scientific activities.

Of the total, natural sciences and engineering will receive just under $7.5 billion, most of which will go to research and development. Social sciences and humanities will get an anticipated $2.4 billion.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 4212.

The service bulletin Science Statistics, Vol. 32, no. 7 (88-001-XWE, free), is now available from the Publications module of our website.

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Marc Nadeau, (613-951-2541; marc.nadeau@statcan.gc.ca) or Louise Earl (613-951-2880; louise.earl@statcan.gc.ca), Science, Innovation and Electronic Information Division.

Table(s).