For the first time in three years, Canada’s industrial R&D spending is expected to rise, increasing 0.9% to CAD 15.5 billion ($15.9 billion) in 2012. Spending by the manufacturing sector is estimated to increase 3.1% to account for 49% of total industrial R&D investment. Spending on aerospace products and parts, and drug manufacturing is expected to comprise 17% and 9% of manufacturing industrial R&D investment, respectively. Scientific R&D services spending is predicted to decline 1.3% to 26% of industrial R&D spending by the services sector, which in total will slip 0.2% to comprise 44% of total industrial R&D spending. Mining, and oil and gas extraction investment is predicted to account for 5% of total industrial R&D spending. Canadian businesses plan to invest 5% of R&D expenditures this year on land, facilities and equipment purchases. Compensation for R&D employees in 2012 is expected to account for 61% of industrial R&D spending in Canada. In 2010, the number of full-time industrial R&D employees slipped 11.5% to 136,000.

Source: Statistics Canada