Attention: Business Editors, Technology Editors, Education Reporters

Toronto - October 25, 2001 - The University of Toronto (#1), University of Ottawa (#8), University of Western Ontario (#9) and McMaster (#10) are in the top 10 in Fiscal 2000 on Canada's Top 50 Universities List, published by Research Infosource Inc. (www.researchinfosource.com). The listing ranks Canada's leading universities by sponsored research income from government and non-government sources. The Top 50 total was nearly $2.8 billion for Fiscal 2000.

The other Ontario universities on the list are: University of Guelph (#11), Queen's (#12), University of Waterloo (#16), York University (#21), Carleton University (#23), University of Windsor (#27), Trent University (#30), Laurentian University (#31), Lakehead University (#34), Ryerson Polytechnic University (#36), Brock University (#39), Wilfrid Laurier University (#42).

Together these institutions reported sponsored research income of $1.1 billion in Fiscal 2000, up from $876.1 million in 1999.This represents an increase of 20.4% slightly below the Top 50 average of 24%. Five other provinces reported a growth rate below the average: Alberta (20.8%), British Columbia (19.6%), Manitoba (14.4%), New Brunswick (6.5%) and Newfoundland (21.9%). Prince Edward Island was the only province to show a decrease as UPEI's sponsored research income dropped by 24.1% from 1999 to 2000. Nova Scotia's universities reported the largest jump in sponsored research income (67.7%) and Saskatchewan's two universities also showed an impressive increase of almost 42%. Québec came in just above the average figure at 28.2%.

Ontario universities ranked third in research intensity (dollars per full-time faculty), in Fiscal 2000 The 16 institutions reported an average per capita sponsored research income of $86,800. This is above the average for the Top 50 of $85,900. Alberta's universities captured the top spot in this category. These three institutions reported per capita sponsored research income of nearly $117,000. Québec came in second with $108,000, and B.C. was fourth with a disappointing $72,700.

"Research intensity for universities with medicals schools and affiliated research hospitals is higher than those without a medical faculty", says Ron Freeman CEO of Research Infosource. "Although five of the 16 Ontario universities on the list have medical schools, their research activities could not compensate for lower research intensity at other institutions."

With 16 universities, Ontario accounted for 38% (a little over a $1 billion) of the Top 50 sponsored research income in 2000. Quebec, with 13 universities took 30% of the total ($815 million). Alberta's three universities put it in 3rd place with 12%. B.C.is in 4th place with it's four universities accounting for 8%. Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba shared 5th position with 3% each. New Brunswick and Newfoundland both accounted for 1%. PEI, with one university was less than 1% of the total.

The top 10 universities on the Research Infosource List all reported sponsored research income greater than $100 million dollars. Leading the exclusive "$100 Million Club" was the University of Toronto ($372.1 million), followed by the Université de Montréal ($253.1 million), McGill ($234.3 million), University of Alberta ($206.7 million), Université Laval ($168.4 million), UBC ($166 million), University of Calgary ($134.5 million) University of Ottawa ($114.6 million), University of Western Ontario ($109.2 million), and McMaster University ($106.9 million). These 10 universities accounted for 68% ($1.87 billion) of Top 50 sponsored research income in Fiscal 2000.

Canada's Top 50 Research Universities List is available free of charge on the Research Infosource website (www.researchinfosource.com). The data are drawn from Statistics Canada and Reseach Infosource's own Canadian University R&D Database. The complete Canada's Top Research Universities Report will be available in November. Canada's Top 50 Research Universities List is produced in partnership with GlaxoSmithKline.

Research Infosource Inc., publishers of Canada's Top 100 Corporate R&D Spenders List and Report, is a division of The Impact Group, one of Canada's leading consulting firms specializing in science and technology policy, research, communications, marketing and education.

Information: Ron Freedman, CEO, Research Infosource Inc.(416) 481-7070 ext. 31
Janet Sandor, Director of Communications (416) 481-7070 ext. 25