Program directory · National Defence
Science, Technology and Innovation
- Department
- National Defence
- Program code
- BUQ08 (ND)
- Core responsibility
- Future Force Design
- In Departmental Plans
- 2018-19 – 2026-27 · New since an earlier plan
What it does
The Science, Technology and Innovation Program provides the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces with an advantage in knowledge, technologies and solutions for mission success while enabling a robust innovation base for Defence excellence and security.
Source: the department's Program Inventory, via GC InfoBase.
History and lineage
First appears in GC InfoBase's actual spending by program in 2018-19. The data does not record when a program was created; it may be older than its first appearance here, which is limited by the sources (program spending starts in 2010-11, Departmental Plans in 2018-19).
| Program | Relation | Years with data | Actual spending over those years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Science, Technology and Innovation | This program | 2018-19 – 2028-29 | $2.98B |
No earlier or later program in the same department has a similar name.
Significant changes in scope and budget
Detected from the data: renames between plans, programs it appears to replace, merge with or split into (matched by name), year-over-year changes in spending of at least 25% and $5M, or in employees of at least 20% and 25 FTEs, linked budget measures, and results indicators added or dropped.
| Year | What changed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 | Indicators added: % of Science & Technology (S&T) investment expended on non-Department of National Defence partners | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
| 2019-20 | Indicators dropped: % of S&T investment expended on non-DND partners. | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
| 2019-20 | Renamed from “Science Technology and Innovation” to “Science, Technology and Innovation”. | GC InfoBase program names by year |
| 2022-23 | Indicators added: % of DND/CAF strategic initiatives and projects that are supported by Defence Science and Technology; % of Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) projects that resulted in useful advice, adoption, integration or eventual procurement of a new defence and security capability | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
| 2024-25 | Indicators dropped: Ratio between Science & Technology (S&T) investment aimed at 1-5 years to S&T investment aimed at longer term (6 years +) | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
| 2024-25 | Spending $599M, against $455M in 2023-24 (+32%). | Actual spending (GC InfoBase) |
Success criteria
The program's indicators from its department's Departmental Results Framework: the target set in each year's plan, and the result reported the following year. Source: GC InfoBase.
Historical: targets against results
% of DND/CAF strategic initiatives and projects that are supported by Defence Science and Technology
Expected result: Current and future military capabilities and related areas of scientific investigation are established and fulfilled
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | ≥ 90% | 2023 | 0% No results are available as this indicator has not been tracked or reported. | Not met |
| 2023-24 | ≥ 90% | 2024 | — No Results Available Data has been unavailable to adequately assess this indicator as SSE has now been superseded by Defence Policy "Our North, Strong and Free". This indicator was amended in the DRF Amendment Process FY 2024-25 and will be re-initiated with ONSAF initiatives. | No result reported |
% of Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) projects that resulted in useful advice, adoption, integration or eventual procurement of a new defence and security capability
Expected result: A robust Canadian innovation base that can support Canada's defence and security needs is established and enabled
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | ≥ 20% | 2023 | 79% | Met |
| 2023-24 | ≥ 20% | 2024 | 79.5% | Met |
| 2024-25 | ≥ 20% | 2025 | 81.6% | Met |
% of Science & Technology (S&T) investment expended on non-Department of National Defence partners
Expected result: A robust Canadian innovation base that can support Canada's defence and security needs is established and enabled
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-21 | — | — | 49.8% Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) is continuing to advance its Defence and Security Science and Technology (DSST) Program to fully integrate Science and Technology (S&T) Innovation and Strategic Partnerships. As this occurs, DRDC will be better positioned to establish an achievable target and timeline. | No result reported |
| 2021-22 | — | — | 37.1% Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) is continuing to advance its Defence and Security Science and Technology (DSST) Program to fully integrate Science and Technology (S&T) Innovation and Strategic Partnerships. As this occurs, DRDC will be better positioned to establish an achievable target and timeline. | No result reported |
| 2022-23 | — | — | No results available. Data is being collected through Federal Science Expenditure and Personnel Survey (FSEP), where each L1 reports $ expended in support of Research & Development and RSA including funds to Business Enterprises, Higher Education, Canadian Non-Profit institutions, Provincial/Municipal Governments, Foreign Performers and Other Canadian Performers. It can be challenging to set a target since R&D and RSA… | No result reported |
| 2023-24 | To be determined | 2024 | 51.1% To be determined. | No result reported |
| 2024-25 | To be determined | 2025 | 39.24% | No result reported |
Ratio between Science & Technology (S&T) investment aimed at 1-5 years to S&T investment aimed at longer term (6 years +)
Expected result: Current and future military capabilities and related areas of scientific investigation are established and fulfilled
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 | To be determined by 31 Mar 2019 | 2020 | — Due to internal program transition activities, a result is not available for FY 2019-20. The organization is working on formulation the new program with applicable data points to ensure that the indicator can be measured consistently into the future. | No result reported |
| 2020-21 | — | — | — DND/CAF will modify this Program Outcome Indicator in the upcoming review cycle. Data has been unavailable to adequately assess this indicator. | No result reported |
| 2021-22 | — | — | — DND/CAF will modify this Program Outcome Indicator in the upcoming review cycle. Data has been unavailable to adequately assess this indicator. | No result reported |
| 2022-23 | — | — | No results available. Data has been unavailable to adequately assess this indicator. As a result, it was submitted for amendment (and subsequent deletion) for the DRF Amendment Process FY 2024-25. | No result reported |
| 2023-24 | To be Determined | 2024 | No Results Available This indicator was deleted as per request in the DRF Amendment Process FY 2024-25. Data has been unavailable to adequately assess this indicator. | No result reported |
Current: the 2026-27 plan's targets
% of Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) projects that resulted in useful advice, adoption, integration or eventual procurement of a new defence and security capability
Expected result: A robust Canadian innovation base that can support Canada's defence and security needs is established and enabled
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | ≥ 20% | 2027 | — | Planned |
% of Science & Technology (S&T) investment expended on non-Department of National Defence partners
Expected result: A robust Canadian innovation base that can support Canada's defence and security needs is established and enabled
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | ≥ 50% | 2027 | — | Planned |
Future goals: targets due after 2026-27
% of DND/CAF strategic initiatives and projects that are supported by Defence Science and Technology
Expected result: Current and future military capabilities and related areas of scientific investigation are established and fulfilled
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | ≥ 75% | 2028 | — | Planned |
Spending and employees: planned against actual
Spending
Show the numbers
| Fiscal year | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | $294M | $323M |
| 2019-20 | $341M | $374M |
| 2020-21 | $379M | $388M |
| 2021-22 | $402M | $419M |
| 2022-23 | $396M | $424M |
| 2023-24 | $427M | $455M |
| 2024-25 | $368M | $599M |
| 2025-26 | $730M | — |
| 2026-27 | $868M | — |
| 2027-28 | $798M* | — |
| 2028-29 | $727M* | — |
Employees (FTEs)
Show the numbers
| Fiscal year | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | 1,431 | 1,357 |
| 2019-20 | 1,416 | 1,372 |
| 2020-21 | 1,387 | 1,392 |
| 2021-22 | 1,369 | 1,500 |
| 2022-23 | 1,437 | 1,481 |
| 2023-24 | 1,385 | 1,466 |
| 2024-25 | 1,406 | 1,538 |
| 2025-26 | 1,481 | — |
| 2026-27 | 1,310 | — |
| 2027-28 | 1,306* | — |
| 2028-29 | 1,295* | — |
Planned spending, plan by plan
Each row is one year's Departmental Plan and its forecast for the next three fiscal years; read a column down to see how the forecast for one year changed. The last row is what was actually spent. Click an amount for its source. Biggest changes in federal spending plans
| Plan | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | 2025-26 | 2026-27 | 2027-28 | 2028-29 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 plan | $294,147,475 | $338,317,575 | $340,247,273 | ||||||||
| 2019-20 plan | $340,750,717 | $354,098,188 | $366,676,518 | ||||||||
| 2020-21 plan | $379,326,315 | $386,539,584 | $399,127,498 | ||||||||
| 2021-22 plan | $402,395,171 | $413,230,790 | $423,706,405 | ||||||||
| 2022-23 plan | $396,033,530 | $391,905,155 | $396,492,827 | ||||||||
| 2023-24 plan | $426,841,078 | $434,661,090 | $438,879,064 | ||||||||
| 2024-25 plan | $368,118,242 | $370,743,516 | $371,507,712 | ||||||||
| 2025-26 plan | $729,647,413 | $830,416,953 | $744,213,305 | ||||||||
| 2026-27 plan | $868,136,446 | $797,633,163 | $726,578,828 | ||||||||
| Actual | $322,745,210 | $373,859,833 | $388,357,368 | $418,620,911 | $424,350,282 | $455,123,187 | $598,815,171 |
Actual spending is from Departmental Results Reports and the Public Accounts, as published in GC InfoBase. FTEs are full-time equivalents.
