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November 16, 2017RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE HIGHER EDUCATION SECTOR, 2015/2016 
Nova Scotia's higher education sector research and development (R&D) spending increased by 1.1 per cent in 2015/2016. This is lower with the average pace of growth since 2000. Across much of the rest of the country (except for PEI and Saskatchewan), higher education R&D spending slowed or declined last year. Overall, Nova Scotia's higher education sector spent $415.4 million on R&D, up from $411 million in 2014/2015.
On a per capita basis, Nova Scotia's higher education sector has the second largest R&D expenditures in the country. Only Newfoundland and Labrador's higher education institutions spend more on research and development.
When measured as a percentage of GDP, Nova Scotia's higher education R&D is the largest in the country at just over 1 per cent of GDP. Quebec's was the next highest at 0.9 per cent of GDP.
Higher education R&D spending has been trending up in Nova Scotia, growing from under 0.8 per cent of GDP in 2001/2002 to over 1 per cent of GDP in recent years. Over the last 14 years, Canada's higher education R&D spending has fluctuated in a narrow range between 0.63 and 0.70 per cent of GDP.
Source: Statistics Canada. CANSIM Table 358-0162
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