The NRC at a glance: 2025–2026 Annual Report

 

 

2025–2026 Annual Report

 

A Canadian flag flies proudly atop a flagpole out front of an early 20th century Beaux-art style NRC building.

Our vision

A better Canada and world through excellence in research and innovation.

Our mission

To have an impact by advancing knowledge, applying leading-edge technologies and working with other innovators to find creative, relevant and sustainable solutions to Canada's current and future economic, social and environmental challenges.


Our values

  • Integrity
  • Excellence
  • Respect
  • Creativity

Integrity

Behaving at all times ethically, honestly and objectively; being impartial and transparent with our colleagues, collaborators, stakeholders, clients and the people of Canada; and exercising sound stewardship of our resources.

Excellence

Pursuing excellence in all that we do: in our research and innovation, in our collaborations, in execution of our programs, in our support to firms and in our delivery of our common corporate services.

Respect

Valuing and respecting the knowledge, expertise and diversity of our colleagues, our workplace, our collaborators, our stakeholders and our clients to have an impact on Canada and the world.

Creativity

Harnessing our imagination, passion for excellence, scientific exploration, technology and innovation to generate new knowledge, new technologies, new business processes and new collaborations for a better NRC and a better world.


Our research centres

5 
Divisions

12 
Research centres

1 
Business unit

24 
Locations across Canada

Digital Technologies

Digital Technologies

Emerging Technologies

Canadian Photonics Fabrication Centre

Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics

Metrology

Quantum and Nanotechnologies

Engineering

Clean Energy Innovation

Construction

Ocean, Coastal and River Engineering

Life Sciences

Aquatic and Crop Resource Development

Human Health Therapeutics

Medical Devices

Transportation and Manufacturing

Aerospace

Automotive and Surface Transportation


People

4,533
full-time equivalent staff

2,313
scientists, engineers and technicians

273
NRC IRAP industrial technology advisors

470
students, postdoctoral fellows and research associates (hires)

96
nationalities in our workforce

41%
women in our workforce
(relative to Canadian market availability: 39.5%)

123
NRC IRAP points of service


Scientific achievements

1,414
peer-reviewed publicationsFootnote 1

61
publications per 100 scientists, engineers and technicians

1.42
citation score relative to world averageFootnote 2

88%
co-authorship rate with external partnersFootnote 1

12.7%
with the UK

12.8%
with Germany

6.8%
with Japan


Patents

248
patent applicationsFootnote 3, including 35 first formal filings

1,647
active patents

416
active patents currently licensed

458
patent families


Clients and collaborators

93%
of clients report positive impactsFootnote 4
as a result of working with the NRC

687
active collaborative R&D projectsFootnote 5
with 198 funded collaborators

1,117
R&D clients


NRC IRAP

10,807
total businesses assisted

3,393
businesses funded

7,414
businesses received advisory services only

16,416
total jobs supported

28%
total revenue growth of 
businessesFootnote 6

9%
employee growth of businessesFootnote 6


FinancialFootnote 7

$1,985 million
total expenditures (operating, capital, grants and contributions)

  • $1,266 million
    research centres
  • $719 million
    NRC IRAP

$226 million
total revenue

  • 32%
    industry
  • 9%
    other (e.g. academia, not-for-profits)
  • 59%
    other government departments

$810.9 million
funding programs (grants and contributions expenditures)

  • $590.4 million
    NRC IRAP
  • $75.8 million
    TRIUMF
  • $42.2 million
    Collaborative Science, Technology and Innovation Program (CSTIP)
  • $75.0 million
    telescopes
  • $25.9 million
    Biologics Manufacturing Centre
  • $1.7 million
    other grants and contributions