Science and technology in Canada

{{Short description|none}} [[File:STS-116 - P5 Truss hand-off to ISS (NASA S116-E-05765).jpg|thumb|right|300px|The Canadian-built Space Shuttle robotic arm (left), referred to as Canadarm, transferred the P5 truss segment over to the Canadian-built space station robotic arm, referred to as Canadarm2.]]

'''Science and technology in Canada''' consists of three distinct but closely related phenomena: * the diffusion of technology in Canada * scientific research in Canada * innovation, invention and industrial research in Canada In 2019, Canada spent approximately {{CAD|40.3 billion}} on domestic research and development, of which over $7 billion was provided by the federal and provincial governments.<ref>{{cite web |date=March 4, 2022 |title=Spending on research and development, 2019 (final), 2020 (preliminary) and 2021 (intentions)|url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/220214/dq220214a-eng.htm |publisher=Statistics Canada |access-date=April 10, 2022}}</ref> In 2018, Canada spent approximately C$34.5 billion on domestic research and development, of which around $2 billion was spent directly by the federal government in-house and an additional $5.7 billion was provided by provincial and federal sources in the form of grants.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/181212/dq181212c-eng.htm |title=The Daily – Spending on research and development, 2018 intentions |website=Statistics Canada |access-date=September 19, 2019 |date=December 22, 2018}}</ref> This investment corresponds to about 1.57% of Canada's gross domestic product, a decline from 1.72% in 2014.<ref name="UNESCO Science Report 2021">{{cite book |editor1-last=Schneegans |editor1-first=S. |editor2-last=Straza |editor2-first=T. |editor3-last=Lewis |editor3-first=J. |title=UNESCO Science Report: the Race Against Time for Smarter Development. |date=11 June 2021 |publisher=UNESCO |location=Paris |isbn=978-92-3-100450-6 |url=https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000377433/PDF/377433eng.pdf.multi }}</ref> Canada was ranked 17th in the Global Innovation Index in 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |title=GII Innovation Ecosystems & Data Explorer 2025 |url=https://www.wipo.int/gii-ranking/en/canada |access-date=2025-10-16 |website=WIPO}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Dutta |first1=Soumitra |url=https://www.wipo.int/web-publications/global-innovation-index-2025/en/index.html |title=Global Innovation Index 2025: Innovation at a Crossroads |last2=Lanvin |first2=Bruno |publisher=World Intellectual Property Organization |year=2025 |isbn=978-92-805-3797-0 |page=19 |language=en |doi=10.34667/tind.58864 |access-date=2025-10-17}}</ref>

{{As of|2020}}, the country has produced fifteen Nobel laureates in physics, chemistry, and medicine,<ref>{{cite web |title=Canadian Nobel Prize in Science Laureates |url=http://www.science.ca/scientists/nobellaureates.php |access-date=December 19, 2020 |publisher=Science.ca}}</ref> and was ranked fourth worldwide for scientific research quality in a major 2012 survey of international scientists.<ref>{{Cite news |last=McIlroy |first=Anne |date=September 26, 2012 |title=Canada ranked fourth in the world for scientific research |work=The Globe and Mail |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/canada-ranked-fourth-in-the-world-for-scientific-research/article4571162/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121004001349/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/canada-ranked-fourth-in-the-world-for-scientific-research/article4571162/ |archive-date=October 4, 2012 |access-date=October 17, 2012}}</ref> It is furthermore home to the headquarters of a number of global technology firms.<ref>{{cite web |year=2014 |title=Top 250 Canadian Technology Companies |url=http://www.branham300.com/index.php?year=2014&listing=1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150315075119/http://www.branham300.com/index.php?year=2014&listing=1 |archive-date=March 15, 2015 |access-date=February 13, 2015 |publisher=Branham Group Inc.}}</ref> Canada has one of the highest levels of Internet access in the world, with over 33 million users, equivalent to around 94 percent of its total 2014 population.<ref>{{cite web |date=June 2014 |title=Internet Usage and Population in North America |url=http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats14.htm#north |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150207003832/http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats14.htm#north |archive-date=February 7, 2015 |access-date=February 7, 2015 |publisher=Internet World Stats}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Global Innovation Index 2021 |url=https://www.wipo.int/global_innovation_index/en/2021/|work=World Intellectual Property Organization|publisher=United Nations|access-date=2022-03-05 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Release of the Global Innovation Index 2020: Who Will Finance Innovation?|url=https://www.wipo.int/global_innovation_index/en/2020/index.html|publisher=WIPO|access-date=September 2, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Global Innovation Index 2019|url=https://www.wipo.int/global_innovation_index/en/2019/index.html|publisher=WIPO|access-date=September 2, 2021}}</ref>

Some of the most notable scientific developments in Canada include the creation of the modern alkaline battery<ref>{{cite web |title=Lew Urry |url=http://www.science.ca/scientists/scientistprofile.php?pID=277 |website=Science.ca}}</ref> and the polio vaccine<ref name="Farrell">{{cite web |title=Leone N. Farrell |url=http://www.science.ca/scientists/scientistprofile.php?pID=438 |website=Science.ca}}</ref> and discoveries about the interior structure of the atomic nucleus.<ref name="Katz">{{cite web |title=Leon Katz |url=http://www.science.ca/scientists/scientistprofile.php?pID=404 |website=Science.ca}}</ref> Other major Canadian scientific contributions include the artificial cardiac pacemaker, mapping the visual cortex,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Strauss |first=Evelyn |year=2005 |title=2005 Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award |publisher=Lasker Foundation |url=http://www.laskerfoundation.org/awards/2005_b_description.htm |url-status=live |access-date=November 23, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100716192333/http://www.laskerfoundation.org/awards/2005_b_description.htm |archive-date=July 16, 2010}}</ref><ref name="topten">{{cite web |year=2015 |title=Top ten Canadian scientific achievements |url=http://www.science.ca/askascientist/topachievements.php |website=GCS Research Society}}</ref> the development of the electron microscope,<ref>{{cite web |title=James Hillier |url=http://web.mit.edu/Invent/iow/hillier.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130808192011/http://web.mit.edu/Invent/iow/hillier.html |archive-date=August 8, 2013 |access-date=November 20, 2008 |website=Inventor of the Week |publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Pearce |first=Jeremy |date=January 22, 2007 |title=James Hillier, 91, Dies; Co-Developed Electron Microscope |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/22/science/22hillier.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140325113042/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/22/science/22hillier.html |archive-date=March 25, 2014 |access-date=November 20, 2008}}</ref> plate tectonics, deep learning, multi-touch technology and the identification of the first black hole, Cygnus X-1.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Bolton |first=C. T. |year=1972 |title=Identification of Cygnus X-1 with HDE 226868 |journal=Nature |volume=235 |issue=2 |pages=271–273 |bibcode=1972Natur.235..271B |doi=10.1038/235271b0 |s2cid=4222070}}</ref> Canada has a long history of discovery in genetics, which include stem cells, site-directed mutagenesis, T-cell receptor and the identification of the genes that cause Fanconi anemia, cystic fibrosis and early-onset Alzheimer's disease, among numerous other diseases.<ref name=topten/><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Strathdee |first=C.A. |author2=Gavish, H. |author3=Shannon, W. |last4=Buchwald, M. |year=1992 |title=Cloning of cDNAs for Fanconi's anemia by functional complementation |journal=Nature |volume=356 |issue=6372 |pages=763–767 |bibcode=1992Natur.356..763S |doi=10.1038/356763a0 |pmid=1574115 |s2cid=4250632}}</ref>

The Canadian Space Agency operates a highly active space program, conducting deep-space, planetary, and aviation research, and developing rockets and satellites.<ref>{{cite web |year=2016 |title=Canadian Space Milestones |url=http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/about/milestones.asp |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091008060654/http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/about/milestones.asp |archive-date=October 8, 2009 |publisher=Canadian Space Agency}}</ref> Canada was the third country to design and construct a satellite after the Soviet Union and the United States, with the 1962 Alouette 1 launch.<ref name="Angelo2009s">{{Cite book |last=Angelo |first=Joseph A. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VUWno1sOwnUC&pg=PA22 |title=Encyclopedia of Space and Astronomy |publisher=Infobase Publishing |year=2009 |isbn=978-1-4381-1018-9 |page=22}}</ref> Canada is a participant in the International Space Station (ISS), and is a pioneer in space robotics, having constructed the Canadarm, Canadarm2 and Dextre robotic manipulators for the ISS and NASA's Space Shuttle.<ref name="Bidaud2012">{{Cite book |last1=Bidaud |first1=Philippe |title=Field Robotics: Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Climbing and Walking Robots and the Support Technologies for Mobile Machines |last2=Dupuis |first2=Erick |publisher=World Scientific |year=2012 |isbn=978-981-4374-27-9 |pages=35–37 |chapter=An overview of Canadian space robotics activities |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TSlqDQAAQBAJ&pg=RA1-PA35}}</ref> Since the 1960s, Canada's aerospace industry has designed and built numerous marques of satellite, including Radarsat-1 and 2, ISIS and MOST.<ref>{{cite web |date=March 11, 2010 |title=The Canadian Aerospace Industry praises the federal government for recognizing Space as a strategic capability for Canada |url=http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/March2010/11/c9200.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609224813/http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/March2010/11/c9200.html |archive-date=June 9, 2011 |publisher=Newswire |access-date=May 23, 2011}}</ref> Canada has also produced one of the world's most successful and widely used sounding rockets, the Black Brant; over 1,000 Black Brants have been launched since the rocket's introduction in 1961.<ref name="Godefroy2017">{{Cite book |last=Godefroy |first=Andrew B. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JVLJDgAAQBAJ&pg=PA41 |title=The Canadian Space Program: From Black Brant to the International Space Station |publisher=Springer |year=2017 |isbn=978-3-319-40105-8 |page=41}}</ref>

==The diffusion of technology in Canada== {{excerpt |Technological and industrial history of Canada}}

==Scientific research in Canada== {{Main|Scientific research in Canada}}

==Innovation, invention, and industrial research in Canada== {{Main|Invention in Canada}}

==Technological and industrial history of Canada== {{Main|Technological and industrial history of Canada}} {{See also|Technological and industrial history of 20th-century Canada}} {{See also|Technological and industrial history of 21st-century Canada}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Further reading== {{Main|Bibliography of Science and technology in Canada}} * {{cite book|author=Council of Canadian Academies|author-link=Council of Canadian Academies|title=The State of Science and Technology in Canada, 2012|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p_LBUhAQHTEC&pg=PP1|year=2012|publisher=Council of Canadian Academies|isbn=978-1-926558-47-9}} * {{cite book|author1=G. Bruce Doern|author2=Peter W. B. Phillips|author3=David Castle|title=Canadian Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy: The Innovation Economy and Society Nexus|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Rr4eDAAAQBAJ&pg=PP1|year=2016|publisher=McGill-Queen's University Press|isbn=978-0-7735-4724-7}} * {{cite book|author1=Edward Jones-Imhotep|author2=Tina Adcock|title=Made Modern: Science and Technology in Canadian History|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=o4x8DwAAQBAJ&pg=PP1|year=2018|publisher=UBC Press|isbn=978-0-7748-3726-2}}

==External links== {{Commons category|Science in Canada}} * [http://www.science.gc.ca/default.asp?Lang=En&n=F1444081-1 Science and Technology for Canadians] - Government of Canada * [http://www.sciencetech.technomuses.ca/english/index.cfm Canada Science and Technology Museum] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120329181525/http://www.sciencetech.technomuses.ca/english/index.cfm |date=2012-03-29 }} - Government of Canada * [http://www.cifar.ca Canadian Institute for Advanced Research: Science] * [https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/science Canadian Encyclopedia: Science] * [http://www.nuclearheritage.com The Society for the Preservation of Canada's Nuclear Heritage, Inc.]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Science And Technology In Canada}} Category:Science and technology in Canada