Ottawa spending on science and technology down

THE CANADIAN PRESS

OTTAWA - The federal government's spending on science and technology will slip to $9.5 billion in the fiscal year 2007-08, $200,000 less than last year.

Statistics Canada says research and development will be the main beneficiary of this federal investment.

A survey of the science and technology activities of federal departments and agencies shows that intended spending on research and development in 2007-08 will be about $6.1 billion.

Related scientific activities, such as scientific and general data collection and information services, will receive $3.5 billion.

As a result, science and technology will account for about 4.5 per cent of the total federal government budget, compared with 5.1 per cent two years ago.

Federal science-and-technology spending was $9.7 billion last year.

Almost half (48 per cent) of federal science-and-technology investment in 2007-08 will be performed outside the federal government with the majority (80 per cent) of this funding directed toward natural sciences and engineering.

The higher-education sector will receive $2.9 billion and Canadian business enterprises $1.1 billion to fund science-and-technology activities in 2007-08.

The higher-education sector will receive $2.6 billion, while federal government departments and agencies will receive $2.3 billion to conduct research and development.

Intentions for direct federal funding of research and development by Canadian business enterprises are down slightly to $733 million in 2007-08 from $791 million in 2005-06.