In an online survey of 1,300 Canadian researchers, responses indicated that basic or fundamental research in Canada has dropped by 93.3% between the 10-year period of 2006 to 2015, from 24% during 2006 to 2010 to just 1.6% for 2011 to 2015. Of G8 nations, which include Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, the UK and the US, Canada is the only country to have its gross expenditure on R&D (GERD) decline over a 10-year period, with R&D accounting for 1.98% of GDP to 1.61% between 2005 and 2014.

Due to the lack of federal support for research, fundamental research was hurt the most, with deep declines in grant application success rates as well as the lack of funding support structures for scientists. Between 2005 and 2015, there was a 35% drop in funding available for fundamental research in the natural sciences and engineering.

By 2015, there was an “accumulated funding gap” for fundamental research of $535 million, offset by $76 million in funding from the federal government for the 2016 budget, leaving $459 million. The report suggests that this amount should be the minimum federal investment in research funding. It also suggests that funding for fundamental research be relative to the number of researchers in Canada to maximize research output.

Source: Global Young Academy