Hospital SR&ED Spend Has Increased Over Previous Year

In the 2016 fiscal year, Canada’s leading research hospitals spent a total of nearly $2.5 billion on research, which represented a 4.1% increase in spend over 2015. The data was released by Research Infosource Inc. and stated that the total number of the health researchers rose to 8,511 nationwide.

In the R&D spending list, Toronto’s University Health Network topped the list with $332 million of research spending, followed by the Hospital for Sick Children ($201.5 million), McGill University Health Centre ($178.8 million) and Hamilton Health Sciences ($171.5 million). Eight organizations reported over $100 million of research spending in Fiscal 2016 alone. Out of the top 40 health institutions engaged in R&D, 20 of them were located in Ontario, making up 54.6% of the total. Quebec followed with 12 organizations (24.9%) and two British Columbia groups (12.3%).

The strongest research spending growth occurred at CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale – site IUSMQ (23.5%), Provincial Health Services Authority (20.9%) and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (19.1%). For large institutions, the highest research spend per researcher was London Health Sciences Centre – St. Joseph’s Health Care London ($562,500 per researcher). Sinai Health System spent $716,600 per researcher and topped the medium institution group, while Institut de Cardiologie de Montrial ($601,600 per researcher) led the small institution group.

Ron Freedman, the CEO of Research Infosource Inc. stated that the Fiscal 2016 expenditure increase was, “A welcome turnaround from the previous year’s retrenchment.” He added that research spending increased at 24 hospitals and declined at 15, with nine out of the top 10 organizations reporting an increase in spending. The expenditure growth of 4.1% shows that Canada’s health institutions are keen to engage in research and development in order to strengthen the sector.