Canadian industrial spending on research and development has declined for the third straight year, Statistics Canada reported Wednesday. Anticipated spending for 2010 is $14.8 billion, down 6.2 per cent from 2008 and 2.6 per cent from 2009. In 2008, spending was $15.8 billion, which was down 5.1 per cent from the previous year.
According to the report: “43 per cent of industrial R&D spending was performed in the following five industries: scientific research and development services ($1.6 billion), communications equipment industry ($1.3 billion), wholesale trade ($1.2 billion), computer system design and related services industry ($1.1 billion), and information and cultural industries ($1.1 billion).”
Spending in Ontario accounted for 48 per cent of the national total at $7.6 billion while Quebec accounted for 29 per cent or $4.6 billion.