Statscan - Spending intentions on research and development (R&D) in the health field amounted to $6.2 billion (current dollars) in 2008, an increase of about $53 million over the previous year.

This spending will account for about one-fifth of the anticipated $29.1 billion in total gross domestic expenditure on R&D.

The higher education sector continues to lead both the amount of health R&D performed, and the amount of funding. This sector is expected to perform 62% of total health R&D, representing $3.8 billion, and fund $1.7 billion, or 27% of total spending.

Business enterprises are expected to continue in second place, performing $2.0 billion or one-third of total health R&D, and funding $1.6 billion, around one-quarter, of the total.