Inventory of federal business innovation and clean technology programs

Government of Canada programs supporting business innovation

The following section describes the data collected from federal departments and agencies regarding programs that support business innovation and clean technology. The graphs show the estimated total program financial support and estimated attribution to innovation and clean technology, as provided by departments, and the breakdown of financial support, whether grants, salary or operational. Also shown are the key instrument used, the key recipients of program support and inputs supported.

Figure 1 - Text version

POLAR	1
INAC	5
CanNor	5
PCH	14
SSHRC	16
PSPC	23
CIHR	40
CSA	51
WD	53
NRCan	79
CED	88
ACOA	126
FedDev	145
NRC (R&D	145
GAC	159
AAFC	306
IRAP (NRC)	316
NSERC	391
ISED	420

Displayed per federal organization is the total financial support attributed to business innovation for fiscal year 2016 to 2017. The estimated total expenditure was approximately $2.379 billion. Of the 19 organizations listed, the top 5 organizations in terms of financial support for business innovation are as follows:

1. Innovation, Science and Economic Development with $420 million
2. Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada with $391 million
3. National Research Council’s Industrial Research Assistance Program with $316 million
4. Agriculture and Agri-food Canada with $306 million
5. Global Affairs Canada with $159 million.

Figure 2 - Text version

Operating (Excluding Salary)	8%	180,248
Salary	21%	455,486
Grants & Contributions	70%	1,517,839
Capital	1%	21,574
Total	100%	2,175,147

Of the expenditures dedicated to business innovation in fiscal year 2016 to 2017, 70% of the total support for business innovation and clean technology was provided through grants and contributions. 21% of the support involved the expenditure of salary dollars, for example support involving the provision of advisory services, and less than 10 % of the support involved operating or capital expenditures.

Figure 3 - Text version

Non clean technology programs	24%
Total clean technology implicated programs	76%

76 % of programs indicated that they provide some support to clean technology innovation, although this may not be the primary focus of the program. The extent to which clean technology innovation is supported within these programs ranges from eligible, to targeted, to an exclusive focus. Further analysis will be undertaken to understand clean technology innovation support.

Figure 4 - Text version

Client engagement/ advisory services	Other transfer payment	Legislative/ regulatory	Grant	Contribution	Othertable 4 note *
Table 4 Notes Table 4 Note 1 Other instrument includes: research services; specialised services; direct to client; procurement) Return to table 4 note * referrer
17	0	1	19	38	9

The majority of programs, 37 in total, use contributions as the delivery instrument, with another 18 programs using grants and 17 others using advisory services.  

Figure 5 - Text version

Businesses	Academic researchers	Canadian non-profits	Students	Universities/ colleges	Other
47	20	32	3	37	27

When looking at the key recipients of programs supporting business innovation, 47 programs identified businesses as a key recipient. Allowing for overlap, that is, the ability to identify multiple key recipients, another 37 identified universities and colleges, 31 identified Canadian non-profits, and some 20 identified academic researchers.

Figure 6 - Text version

From the programs identified as supporting business innovation, a determination was made as to what input, or inputs, to innovation they supported. The following 4 inputs to business innovation were identified: ideas and knowledge; talented, educated and entrepreneurial people; networks, collaborations and linkages; and capital and financing. Many programs supported more than one area, with a total of 50 aligning with ideas and knowledge, 50 supporting talented and educated people, 55 supporting networks, collaborations and linkages, and 29 supporting capital and financing.

Figure 7 - Text version

Federal institution	# of program streams
AAFC	6
ACOA	2
CanNor	1
CED	5
CIHR	3
CSA	3
DND	1
ECCC	1
FedDev	9
GAC	5
INAC	1
ISED	15
NRC	18
NRCan	8
NSERC	3
PCH	2
POLAR	1
PSPC	1
WD	2
Tri-Council (CIHR/NSERC/SSHRC)	3
Total	89

The inventory identifies 90 program streams across 20 different federal organizations that support business innovation.

Horizontal innovation and clean technology review

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by the President of the Treasury Board, 2017,
ISBN: 978-0-660-09486-1