R&D tax expenditure and direct government funding of BERD in Canada

Canada: R&D tax expenditure and direct government funding of BERD was 0.4341 Percentage of GDP in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
0.4341 Percentage of GDP
Change on year
down 3.0%
World rank
21st
of 33 countries
All-time high
0.644 Percentage of GDP
in 2009
All-time low
0.4341 Percentage of GDP
in 2023
Years of data
24
2000–2023

R&D tax expenditure and direct government funding of BERD in Canada, 2000–2023

00.20.40.62000201120232000: 0.509 Percentage of GDP2001: 0.57 Percentage of GDP2002: 0.573 Percentage of GDP2003: 0.577 Percentage of GDP2004: 0.569 Percentage of GDP2005: 0.579 Percentage of GDP2006: 0.556 Percentage of GDP2007: 0.58 Percentage of GDP2008: 0.591 Percentage of GDP2009: 0.644 Percentage of GDP2010: 0.622 Percentage of GDP2011: 0.541 Percentage of GDP2012: 0.528 Percentage of GDP2013: 0.527 Percentage of GDP2014: 0.489 Percentage of GDP2015: 0.498 Percentage of GDP2016: 0.504 Percentage of GDP2017: 0.517 Percentage of GDP2018: 0.487 Percentage of GDP2019: 0.495 Percentage of GDP2020: 0.564 Percentage of GDP2021: 0.491 Percentage of GDP2022: 0.448 Percentage of GDP2023: 0.434 Percentage of GDP

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Percentage of GDP.

Analysis

In 2023, r&d tax expenditure and direct government funding of berd in Canada stood at 0.4341 Percentage of GDP. That is the lowest value across all 24 years on record.

The figure is down 3.0% on the previous year and down 17.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, r&d tax expenditure and direct government funding of berd in Canada peaked at 0.644 Percentage of GDP in 2009 and was at its lowest, 0.4341 Percentage of GDP, in 2023.

That places Canada 21st out of 33 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.

R&D tax expenditure and direct government funding of BERD in Canada, year by year

Annual values for R&D tax expenditure and direct government funding of BERD — Government budget allocations for R&D (GBARD) in Canada, 2000 to 2023.
Year Percentage of GDP Change
2000 0.5094 Percentage of GDP
2001 0.5696 Percentage of GDP +11.8%
2002 0.5733 Percentage of GDP +0.6%
2003 0.5768 Percentage of GDP +0.6%
2004 0.5692 Percentage of GDP -1.3%
2005 0.5786 Percentage of GDP +1.7%
2006 0.5557 Percentage of GDP -4.0%
2007 0.5797 Percentage of GDP +4.3%
2008 0.591 Percentage of GDP +1.9%
2009 0.644 Percentage of GDP +9.0%
2010 0.6216 Percentage of GDP -3.5%
2011 0.5407 Percentage of GDP -13.0%
2012 0.5276 Percentage of GDP -2.4%
2013 0.5271 Percentage of GDP -0.1%
2014 0.4895 Percentage of GDP -7.1%
2015 0.4983 Percentage of GDP +1.8%
2016 0.5039 Percentage of GDP +1.1%
2017 0.5169 Percentage of GDP +2.6%
2018 0.4868 Percentage of GDP -5.8%
2019 0.4951 Percentage of GDP +1.7%
2020 0.5641 Percentage of GDP +13.9%
2021 0.4911 Percentage of GDP -12.9%
2022 0.4475 Percentage of GDP -8.9%
2023 0.4341 Percentage of GDP -3.0%

Canada compared with similar countries

  • Canada's 0.4341 Percentage of GDP is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.5515 Percentage of GDP, 79% of the median. (29 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 0.5747 Percentage of GDP 0.5094 Percentage of GDP 0.644 Percentage of GDP 10
2010s 0.5207 Percentage of GDP 0.4868 Percentage of GDP 0.6216 Percentage of GDP 10
2020s 0.4842 Percentage of GDP 0.4341 Percentage of GDP 0.5641 Percentage of GDP 4

Countries ranked near Canada

  1. 18 Israel 0.5176 Percentage of GDP compare
  2. 19 Russia 0.5138 Percentage of GDP compare
  3. 20 Czechia 0.4969 Percentage of GDP compare
  4. 22 Cyprus 0.4332 Percentage of GDP compare
  5. 23 Australia 0.3712 Percentage of GDP compare
  6. 24 Argentina 0.3289 Percentage of GDP compare

See the full ranking of 46 places →

More economy & growth data for Canada

All data for Canada →

Frequently asked questions

What is r&d tax expenditure and direct government funding of berd in Canada?
R&d tax expenditure and direct government funding of berd in Canada was 0.4341 Percentage of GDP in 2023, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
What is the highest r&d tax expenditure and direct government funding of berd recorded in Canada?
The highest recorded value was 0.644 Percentage of GDP in 2009.
What is the lowest r&d tax expenditure and direct government funding of berd recorded in Canada?
The lowest recorded value was 0.4341 Percentage of GDP in 2023.
How does Canada rank for r&d tax expenditure and direct government funding of berd?
Canada ranks 21st out of 33 countries with data for 2023.
Is r&d tax expenditure and direct government funding of berd rising or falling in Canada?
Over the last ten years it is down 17.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Canada data come from?
The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of R&D tax expenditure and direct government funding of BERD — Government budget allocations for R&D (GBARD). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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R&D tax expenditure and direct government funding of BERD in Canada. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 17 September 2026, from https://economy.statizoid.com/stat/r-and-d-tax-expenditure-and-direct-government-funding-of-berd-government-budget/canada/

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About this data

Indicator
R&D tax expenditure and direct government funding of BERD — Government budget allocations for R&D (GBARD)
Unit
Percentage of GDP
Source
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Licence
OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
46 places, 1,055 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

The OECD R&D Tax Incentives database provides a set of indicators that reflect the level and structure of central and subnational government support for business R&D in form of R&D tax incentives and direct funding across OECD member countries and other major economies. This includes time-series indicators of tax expenditures for R&D, based on the latest OECD data collection on tax incentive support for R&D expenditures. Estimates of the cost of R&D tax support at subnational government level are reported whenever such provisions are applicable and relevant data are available. These estimates of the cost of central and subnational R&D tax relief have been combined with data on direct government funding of business expenditure on R&D (BERD), as compiled by National Statistical Offices based on reports from firms, in order to provide a more complete picture of government efforts to promote business R&D. Furthermore, these estimates are combined with data on Government budget allocations for R&D (GBARD) in the broader context of overall budgetary support for R&D activities undertaken by governments. Government budget allocations for R&D include direct funding provided to all sectors, including contributions to R&D programmes abroad. OECD (2019) provides a practical guide to using the OECD R&D Tax Incentives database, describing the R&D tax incentive time series data and highlighting their potential for internationally comparative work through descriptive indicators and econometric analysis.