Canada’s Source of R&D Intelligence
Toronto - December 18, 2002 - Canada's top research universities took in $3.4 billion in sponsored research income in fiscal 2001 - a jump of 22.5%, according to Canada's Top Research Universities Report 2002 released today by Research Infosource Inc. (www.researchinfosource.com). Fourteen universities reported sponsored research income of over $100 million in fiscal 2001. This "$100 Million Club" grew by four universities from 2000 to 2001, and together they accounted for 81% of all university research income received.
In fiscal 2001, the federal government was the source of 43% of the total sponsored research income received at Canada's top universities. Provincial governments contributed 19%, corporate support was 17%, and foundations and not-for-profits accounted for 14% of the total.
"Given the increased activity of the various granting councils, including CFI, it is surprising that in 2001, the growth in non-government funding actually grew faster than government funding", says Ron Freedman, CEO of Research Infosource Inc. "Non-government sources (corporate, individuals, foundations, not-for-profit organizations, investments/endowments) grew by 25.6% from 2000 to 2001, faster than the 20.8% growth of government support."
Provincial government funding continues to surpass federal funding growth. From 2000 to 2001, provincial support for research at Canadian universities grew by 23.9% while the federal contribution increased by 20.2%.
Fiscal 2001 also saw a significant decline of research income funding from foreign sources decreasing from $61.1 million in 2000 to $55.9 million in 2001, a drop of 8.5%.
Research intensity - sponsored research income per full-time faculty - showed a healthy increase, rising from $82,000 per faculty in 2000 to $98,800 in 2001, a jump of 20.4%.
Looking at the performances of individual provinces, Ontario's 19 universities posted just over $1.3 billion of sponsored research income. This represents 40% of all sponsored research income nation-wide. Québec's 16 universities accounted for $983 million or 29% of all funding. Alberta's 5 institutions attracted 12%, and British Columbia's 7 universities took in 8% of the total.
Canada's Top Research Universities Report 2002 contains information on 65 Canadian universities drawn from Statistics Canada and Research Infosource's own Canadian University R&D database. Canada's Top 50 Research University List was published in October and is available on the Research Infosource website, www.researchinfosource.com. Research Infosource Inc., also 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