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Are Trends in Patenting Reflective of Innovative Activity in Canada?

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  • Jacob Greenspon & Erika Rodigues

Abstract

This report sheds light on trends in Canadian innovation as indicated through patenting. Central to these recent trends is an apparent paradox: the number of patents granted to Canadians, an output indicator of innovative activity, has increased substantially between 2000 and 2014 despite decreased business sector expenditures on research and development, a crucial input to innovation, in the same period. This report examines this issue an provides several potential explanations as to why this is the case, the strongest being that the divergence between trends in patenting and R&D expenditures is caused by greater efficiency of research processes and an increase in strategic filings of patents. Furthermore, this report documents recent trends in patenting activity in Canada from several sources and compares trends across different technologies. Patenting trends are also used to give a regional perspective on innovation by tracking the level of innovative activity occurring in provinces and census metropolitan areas.

Suggested Citation

  • Jacob Greenspon & Erika Rodigues, 2017. "Are Trends in Patenting Reflective of Innovative Activity in Canada?," CSLS Research Reports 2017-02, Centre for the Study of Living Standards.
    • Handle: RePEc:sls:resrep:1702
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    File URL: http://www.csls.ca/reports/csls2017-02.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Andrew Eckert & Corinne Langinier & Long Zhao, 2022. "Determinants of locational patenting behavior of Canadian firms," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(4), pages 268-291, May.
    2. Nancy Gallini, 2017. "Do patents work? Thickets, trolls and antibiotic resistance," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 50(4), pages 893-926, November.
    3. Daniel Schwanen, 2017. "Innovation Policy in Canada: A Holistic Approach," C.D. Howe Institute Commentary, C.D. Howe Institute, issue 497, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Patenting; Research and Development; Innovation; Trends; Technology; Measurement; Canada;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D
    • Q55 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Technological Innovation
    • D70 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - General

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