While Canada remains a key contributor to global scientific research, flat investment levels of R&D entrepreneurs and the departure of researchers from the country to pursue commercialization and research opportunities is negatively affecting the Canadian economy. Canada has been faltering in rankings for R&D investments and in an effort to combat this, the Council of Canadian Academies assembled an expert panel to examine the fundamental processes for R&D, innovation and commercialization in Canada. In the panel’s report, findings confirmed that Canada’s position as a key performer in R&D is at risk due to low levels of public and private funding for R&D.

Canada has the highest level of education attainment of all OECD countries and, according to 60% of top-cited scientific researchers in 2017, houses leading infrastructures or programs in their field of study. Canada’s publication output has been comparable to other developed countries in recent years,  and ranks sixth in the world in research publications, excelling in fields such as clinical medicine, and public health and health services. However, the country’s investment in R&D has been falling since 2001 and is now below the OECD’s average. Canada ranks 33rd out of 40 countries, after Greece and before Spain, when measuring R&D growth, intensity and magnitude.

The report states that Canada’s broad talent and diverse research fields make the country appealing to researchers and entrepreneurs, but  recommends that policy changes are needed throughout public and private sectors to improve the systemic lack of support for R&D.