Attention: Assignment Editors, Business Editors, Education Reporters

Toronto - January 15, 2002 - Canadian universities reported $2.8 billion in sponsored research income in fiscal 2000, an increase of 24% over 1999, according to Canada's Top Research Universities Report, published by Research Infosource Inc. (www.researchinfosource.com). Government sources, federal, provincial, municipal and foreign were key to this impressive growth, accounting for nearly $1.8 billion of the overall total. Government funding jumped by 31% from 1999 to 2000, while non-government sources - corporations, foundations, non-profits, investments and individual donations - grew by only 12.8%.

In 2000, the federal government contributed the lion's share to university research with 44% of the overall total. The provinces gave 19%, corporations 16%, foundations and non-profit organizations 13%, while investment income accounted for 5%, foreign sources 2%, and individuals 1%.

Together, the federal government's granting councils, NSERC (Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council), MRC (Medical Research Council, now CIHR, Canadian Institutes of Health Research), SSHRC (Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council) and CFI (Canada Foundation for Innovation), increased their funding to universities by over 38% in fiscal 2000, granting just over $973 million. Much of the rise can be attributed to $138 million in new infrastructure grants that flowed from CFI.

Although the feds are the largest contributors, from 1999 to 2000, provincial government funding of university research grew 4.2% faster than federal spending. While corporate contributions increased by 20.4%, from $375 million to nearly $452 million, and foreign government support increased by 18.8% to over $60 million, donations from individuals dropped by 22.7%, from $29 million to just over $22 million.

"In the wake of a global economic slowdown and the events of September 11th, the federal government has renewed its commitment to funding research in Canada", say Ron Freedman, CEO of Research Infosource Inc. The question for our universities is whether they will continue to attract funds from corporate and other sources in the coming months."

Looking at the provincial rankings for 2000, Ontario with 18 universities recorded the highest amount of total sponsored research income, nearly $1.06 billion. Next came Québec's 16 universities, posting $817 million, followed by Alberta with 5 universities at $345 million. British Columbia, with 7 universities accounted for $229 million, and Nova Scotia's 10 institutions put it in 5th spot with just over $93 million.

Alberta leads the pack when measuring total sponsored research income per capita for Fiscal 2000. Alberta institutions attracted $115 for each Alberta resident. Second place Québec posted $111 per resident, Nova Scotia is in 3rd place with $99, Ontario is 4th at $90 and Saskatchewan rounds out the top five with $80. Surprisingly British Columbia ranked 8th attracting only $56 per B.C. resident.

Canada's Top Research Universities Report contains information on 67 Canadian universities drawn from Statistics Canada and Research Infosource's own Canadian University R&D Database.

Research Infosource Inc., publishers of Canada's Top 50 Research Universities List, 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