Research and science
Granting councils, research chairs and scholarships, health research, and space and science programs.
Headline figures
Fiscal year 2024–25
$6.0B
1.3% of the $474.4B of federal program spending reported by theme, across 91 programs.
Cost per tax filer uses 29,965,100 tax filers (2023, the latest count published); per person uses a population of 41,162,593 (2024). It is an allocation of cost, not a tax bill.
Spending programs
Actual spending by program in 2024–25: operating costs, capital and payments to others, as reported by each department and reconciled to the Public Accounts. Select a program for its history and cost per taxpayer.
Investigator-Initiated Research
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
$872M
14.6% of list$29.09per tax filer$21.18per personDiscovery Research
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
$790M
13.2% of list$26.36per tax filer$19.19per personResearch Support Fund
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
$467M
7.8% of list$15.60per tax filer$11.35per personResearch Partnerships
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
$453M
7.6% of list$15.12per tax filer$11.01per personResearch in Priority Areas
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
$411M
6.9% of list$13.73per tax filer$9.99per personSpace Exploration
Canadian Space Agency
$388M
6.5% of list$12.96per tax filer$9.44per personInsight Research
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
$300M
5.0% of list$10.01per tax filer$7.29per personResearch Training and Talent Development
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
$201M
3.4% of list$6.70per tax filer$4.88per personResearch Training and Talent Development
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
$191M
3.2% of list$6.38per tax filer$4.65per personNew Frontiers in Research Fund
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
$128M
2.1% of list$4.29per tax filer$3.12per personHerzberg Astronomy & Astrophysics
National Research Council of Canada
$118M
2.0% of list$3.94per tax filer$2.87per personResearch Partnerships
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
$113M
1.9% of list$3.75per tax filer$2.73per personSpace Capacity Development
Canadian Space Agency
$97.7M
1.6% of list$3.26per tax filer$2.37per personTraining and Career Support
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
$93.6M
1.6% of list$3.12per tax filer$2.27per personAerospace
National Research Council of Canada
$82.3M
1.4% of list$2.75per tax filer$2.00per personCanada Biomedical Research Fund
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
$74.0M
1.2% of list$2.47per tax filer$1.80per personSpecial Purpose Real Property (Enabling)
National Research Council of Canada
$69.2M
1.2% of list$2.31per tax filer$1.68per personConstruction
National Research Council of Canada
$68.0M
1.1% of list$2.27per tax filer$1.65per personHuman Health Therapeutics
National Research Council of Canada
$67.0M
1.1% of list$2.23per tax filer$1.63per personSpace Utilization
Canadian Space Agency
$63.1M
1.1% of list$2.10per tax filer$1.53per person
Show the other 66 programs
TRIUMF
National Research Council of Canada
$61.2M
1.0% of list$2.04per tax filer$1.49per personQuantum and Nanotechnologies
National Research Council of Canada
$58.9M
1.0% of list$1.97per tax filer$1.43per personReal Property Management Services
National Research Council of Canada
$57.5M
1.0% of list$1.92per tax filer$1.40per personCanadian Photonics Fabrication Centre
National Research Council of Canada
$56.8M
1.0% of list$1.90per tax filer$1.38per personAutomotive and Surface Transportation
National Research Council of Canada
$54.6M
0.9% of list$1.82per tax filer$1.33per personEnergy, Mining and Environment
National Research Council of Canada
$54.0M
0.9% of list$1.80per tax filer$1.31per personCollaborative Science, Technology and Innovation Program
National Research Council of Canada
$48.7M
0.8% of list$1.63per tax filer$1.18per personInformation Technology Services
National Research Council of Canada
$42.7M
0.7% of list$1.42per tax filer$1.04per personManagement and Oversight Services
National Research Council of Canada
$36.0M
0.6% of list$1.20per tax filer$0.87per personMetrology
National Research Council of Canada
$34.5M
0.6% of list$1.15per tax filer$0.84per personAquatic and Crop Resource Development
National Research Council of Canada
$31.1M
0.5% of list$1.04per tax filer$0.75per personDigital Technologies
National Research Council of Canada
$27.9M
0.5% of list$0.93per tax filer$0.68per personBiologics Manufacturing Centre
National Research Council of Canada
$27.3M
0.5% of list$0.91per tax filer$0.66per personOcean, Coastal and River Engineering
National Research Council of Canada
$25.5M
0.4% of list$0.85per tax filer$0.62per personHuman Resources Management Services
National Research Council of Canada
$22.9M
0.4% of list$0.76per tax filer$0.56per personReal Property Management Services
Canadian Space Agency
$21.3M
0.4% of list$0.71per tax filer$0.52per personManagement and Oversight Services
Canadian Space Agency
$17.6M
0.3% of list$0.59per tax filer$0.43per personMedical Devices
National Research Council of Canada
$16.6M
0.3% of list$0.55per tax filer$0.40per personManagement and Oversight Services
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
$16.1M
0.3% of list$0.54per tax filer$0.39per personNational Science Library
National Research Council of Canada
$15.9M
0.3% of list$0.53per tax filer$0.39per personFinancial Management Services
National Research Council of Canada
$14.5M
0.2% of list$0.48per tax filer$0.35per personDesign & Fabrication Services (Enabling)
National Research Council of Canada
$14.4M
0.2% of list$0.48per tax filer$0.35per personResearch Information Technology Platforms (Enabling)
National Research Council of Canada
$13.8M
0.2% of list$0.46per tax filer$0.33per personCommunications Services
National Research Council of Canada
$12.4M
0.2% of list$0.41per tax filer$0.30per personInformation Technology Services
Canadian Space Agency
$12.3M
0.2% of list$0.41per tax filer$0.30per personFinancial Management Services
Canadian Space Agency
$9.8M
0.2% of list$0.33per tax filer$0.24per personHuman Resources Management Services
Canadian Space Agency
$9.7M
0.2% of list$0.32per tax filer$0.24per personInformation Technology Services
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
$8.9M
0.1% of list$0.30per tax filer$0.22per personManagement and Oversight Services
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
$8.1M
0.1% of list$0.27per tax filer$0.20per personInformation Technology Services
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
$7.7M
0.1% of list$0.26per tax filer$0.19per personFinancial Management Services
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
$7.4M
0.1% of list$0.25per tax filer$0.18per personCommunications Services
Canadian Space Agency
$7.2M
0.1% of list$0.24per tax filer$0.17per personInformation Management Services
National Research Council of Canada
$6.9M
0.1% of list$0.23per tax filer$0.17per personInformation Technology Services
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
$6.4M
0.1% of list$0.22per tax filer$0.16per personAcquisition Management Services
National Research Council of Canada
$6.3M
0.1% of list$0.21per tax filer$0.15per personCommunications Services
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
$6.2M
0.1% of list$0.21per tax filer$0.15per personMateriel Management Services
National Research Council of Canada
$5.5M
0.1% of list$0.18per tax filer$0.13per personManagement and Oversight Services
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
$5.2M
0.1% of list$0.17per tax filer$0.13per personHuman Resources Management Services
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
$4.3M
0.1% of list$0.14per tax filer$0.10per personInformation Management Services
Canadian Space Agency
$3.8M
0.1% of list$0.13per tax filer$0.09per personHuman Resources Management Services
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
$3.5M
0.1% of list$0.12per tax filer$0.09per personHuman Resources Management Services
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
$2.9M
0.0% of list$0.10per tax filer$0.07per personInformation Management Services
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
$2.4M
0.0% of list$0.08per tax filer$0.06per personInformation Management Services
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
$2.4M
0.0% of list$0.08per tax filer$0.06per personReal Property Management Services
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
$2.0M
0.0% of list$0.07per tax filer$0.05per personFinancial Management Services
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
$1.9M
0.0% of list$0.06per tax filer$0.05per personAcquisition Management Services
Canadian Space Agency
$1.9M
0.0% of list$0.06per tax filer$0.05per personCommunications Services
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
$1.9M
0.0% of list$0.06per tax filer$0.05per personLegal Services
National Research Council of Canada
$1.7M
0.0% of list$0.06per tax filer$0.04per personReal Property Management Services
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
$1.6M
0.0% of list$0.05per tax filer$0.04per personLegal Services
Canadian Space Agency
$1.5M
0.0% of list$0.05per tax filer$0.04per personInformation Management Services
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
$1.2M
0.0% of list$0.04per tax filer$0.03per personCommunications Services
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
$1.1M
0.0% of list$0.04per tax filer$0.03per personReal Property Management Services
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
$1.0M
0.0% of list$0.03per tax filer$0.03per personAcquisition Management Services
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
$1.0M
0.0% of list$0.03per tax filer$0.02per personLegal Services
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
$797K
0.0% of list$0.03per tax filer$0.02per personInternational Affiliations
National Research Council of Canada
$773K
0.0% of list$0.03per tax filer$0.02per personFinancial Management Services
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
$699K
0.0% of list$0.02per tax filer$0.02per personMateriel Management Services
Canadian Space Agency
$499K
0.0% of list$0.02per tax filer$0.01per personAcquisition Management Services
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
$478K
0.0% of list$0.02per tax filer$0.01per personAcquisition Management Services
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
$455K
0.0% of list$0.02per tax filer$0.01per personLegal Services
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
$236K
0.0% of list<$0.01per tax filer<$0.01per personMateriel Management Services
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
$181K
0.0% of list<$0.01per tax filer<$0.01per personLegal Services
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
$111K
0.0% of list<$0.01per tax filer<$0.01per personMateriel Management Services
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
$21K
0.0% of list<$0.01per tax filer<$0.01per personMateriel Management Services
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
-$6K
0.0% of list-<$0.01per tax filer-<$0.01per person
Grants and contributions
Payments to provinces, organizations and individuals in 2024–25, by transfer payment program, from the Public Accounts. These are a different cut of the same money as the programs above, so the two lists are not added together. Select one to see its largest recipients.
Grants for research projects and personnel support
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
$1.2B
29.1% of list$39.47per tax filer$28.73per personGrants and scholarships
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
$1.1B
27.0% of list$36.72per tax filer$26.73per personResearch Support Fund
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
$466M
11.5% of list$15.57per tax filer$11.33per personGrants and scholarships
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
$396M
9.7% of list$13.22per tax filer$9.63per personNew Frontiers in Research Fund
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
$124M
3.0% of list$4.12per tax filer$3.00per personCollege and Community Innovation Program
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
$104M
2.6% of list$3.47per tax filer$2.53per personCanada Graduate Scholarships
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
$89.9M
2.2% of list$3.00per tax filer$2.18per personCanada First Research Excellence Fund
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
$78.6M
1.9% of list$2.62per tax filer$1.91per personCanada Biomedical Research Fund
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
$72.5M
1.8% of list$2.42per tax filer$1.76per personCanada Graduate Scholarships
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
$64.5M
1.6% of list$2.15per tax filer$1.57per personCanada First Research Excellence Fund
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
$59.8M
1.5% of list$1.99per tax filer$1.45per personCanada First Research Excellence Fund
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
$58.4M
1.4% of list$1.95per tax filer$1.42per personCanada Graduate Scholarships
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
$52.6M
1.3% of list$1.75per tax filer$1.28per personContributions to the Canada/European Space Agency Cooperation Agreement
Canadian Space Agency
$40.6M
1.0% of list$1.35per tax filer$0.99per personClass Contribution Program to Support Research, Awareness and Learning in Space Science and Technology
Canadian Space Agency
$25.7M
0.6% of list$0.86per tax filer$0.62per personCanada Brain Research Fund Program
Department of Health
$25.2M
0.6% of list$0.84per tax filer$0.61per personCanada Excellence Research Chairs
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
$24.4M
0.6% of list$0.81per tax filer$0.59per personInstitute Support Grants
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
$16.7M
0.4% of list$0.56per tax filer$0.41per personClass Grant Program to Support Research, Awareness and Learning in Space Science and Technology
Canadian Space Agency
$13.2M
0.3% of list$0.44per tax filer$0.32per personCanada Excellence Research Chairs
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
$13.1M
0.3% of list$0.44per tax filer$0.32per person
Show the other 12 grant and contribution programs
College and Community Innovation Program
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
$9.8M
0.2% of list$0.33per tax filer$0.24per personLab-to-Market
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
$8.4M
0.2% of list$0.28per tax filer$0.20per personVanier Canada Graduate Scholarships
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
$8.3M
0.2% of list$0.28per tax filer$0.20per personVanier Canada Graduate Scholarships
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
$8.3M
0.2% of list$0.28per tax filer$0.20per personVanier Canada Graduate Scholarships
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
$8.3M
0.2% of list$0.28per tax filer$0.20per personCanada 150 Research Chairs
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
$7.8M
0.2% of list$0.26per tax filer$0.19per personCanada Excellence Research Chairs
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
$5.3M
0.1% of list$0.18per tax filer$0.13per personCanada 150 Research Chairs
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
$2.7M
0.1% of list$0.09per tax filer$0.07per personCanada 150 Research Chairs
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
$1.8M
0.0% of list$0.06per tax filer$0.04per personEnvironmental Health Research Contribution Program
Department of Health
$937K
0.0% of list$0.03per tax filer$0.02per personMobilizing Insights in Defence & Security
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
$602K
0.0% of list$0.02per tax filer$0.01per personLab-to-Market
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
$400K
0.0% of list$0.01per tax filer<$0.01per person
Sources and basis
- GC InfoBase - Open Datasets, retrieved 2026-11-03. Open Government Licence - Canada. Program spending is reconciled to Public Accounts expenditures by vote for every organization and year. It excludes Employment Insurance benefits, the Canada Child Benefit and other items that are not appropriated, so it differs from the budget tables.
- Detailed information on Transfer Payments, as per the Public Accounts of Canada, retrieved 2026-11-03. Open Government Licence - Canada.
- Themes group programs by purpose, not by department. Each program is assigned to one theme by a published, reviewable rule set.