Our 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.