Statistics Canada has launched the Canadian Research and Development Classification (CRDC). The CRDC allows for common categorization of research and development by type of activity, field of research and development, and socio-economic objectives. The CRDC will ultimately allow researchers and research to be identified more accurately; furthermore, it will enable better identification of interdisciplinary research and will reduce burden and confusion, especially to researchers applying to multiple agencies. It will also improve information and support to the research community and Canadians by providing consistent, coherent and relevant statistical information about Canada’s contribution in specific fields of, and overall, research and science.

Due to different priorities and limitations with legacy systems, the granting agencies (CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC – Tri-agencies) have no immediate plans to implement the CRDC in the current systems, but are intending a full implementation in the new Tri-Agency Grants Management System.

Despite the fact that the Tri-Agencies are not in a position to immediately implement it, they fully support the CRDC and the benefits that it will bring to the overall research community. 

The CRDC was jointly developed by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) and Statistics Canada.