Our priorities

Universities Canada prioritizes key areas such as funding for research and innovation, promoting equitable access to education, and enhancing global engagement. By working closely with policymakers, industry leaders, and academic institutions, Universities Canada ensures that its member universities are well-supported to deliver world-class education, drive economic growth and address the pressing challenges facing society today.

Priorities

By the numbers

$19B

in R&D

The higher education sector performed $19 billion in research and development in 2024, accounting for 33 percent of total Canadian research and development.
909

startups

As of 2024, 909 startups dedicated to commercializing technologies from Canadian universities and their affiliated institutions were operational.
$48.6B

in economic impact

As a $48.6 billion enterprise in direct expenditures, universities are one of Canada's most vital economic sectors, comparable in size to the agricultural sector and significantly larger than the aerospace, steel and aluminum industries.
5.3M

jobs

By 2033, the Government of Canada projects more than 5.3 million jobs will require a university degree, increasing at an average rate of 1.5% per year.
24%

more earnings

Graduates with a bachelor’s degree earn on average $68,300 thousand dollars per year, 24% more than the national average income.
24K

students in work-integrated learning programs

An average of 24,000 students were placed in a work-integrated learning program, including co-ops, apprenticeships and internships, for each term in 2024.
4.6%

funding drop

When adjusted for inflation, public funding for universities dropped 4.6% between 2010 and 2024, despite enrolment growing by 21.1% during this period.
12%

total revenue

Federal funding made up roughly nine to 12 percent of total university revenues from 2010 to 2023. Because it's usually targeted, it accounts for around 0.25% of university operating budgets in 2023-24.
410K

employees

The university sector employs over 400,000 workers across Canada, more than triple the direct employment of the automotive manufacturing sector.

Publications

Building Canada’s competitive advantage through universities

May 19, 2026

Canada’s long-term economic strength will depend on whether it can build the talent, research capacity and innovation base needed to compete in a more uncertain global environment. Universities are central to that effort. They prepare Canadians for the jobs of today and tomorrow, attract global talent and generate the research and innovation that support productivity, resilience and sovereignty. But universities’ ability to deliver at the scale Canada requires is under increasing strain. Years of constrained funding, rising costs and aging infrastructure are putting pressure on capacity. Unlocking that full potential...
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