--- canonical_url: "https://csls.ca/research/innovation-in-new-brunswick/" title: "Innovation in New Brunswick" author: name: "CSLS" url: "https://csls.ca/author/cslc/" date_published: "2026-07-02T10:23:03+00:00" date_modified: "2026-07-02T10:23:03+00:00" post_type: "research" summary: "" post_tag: - "Atlantic Canada" - "business investment" - "innovation" - "intellectual property" - "New Brunswick" - "patents" - "productivity" - "R&D" country_focus: - "Canada" province_region: - "NB" research_theme: - "Regional Economic Development" - "Technology and Innovation" featured_image: "https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/old-reports_hero_banner_bg.webp" status: "publish" --- # Innovation in New Brunswick Canonical URL: https://csls.ca/research/innovation-in-new-brunswick/ # Innovation in New Brunswick [Download full PDF report](https://csls.ca/pdf/csls2020-08-1.pdf) Cite this report × Cite this report as: Wong, Kimberly. 2020. “Innovation in New Brunswick.” CSLS Research Report 2020-08. Ottawa: Centre for the Study of Living Standards. https://csls.ca/research/innovation-in-new-brunswick/ ## Author: - Kimberly Wong Atlantic Institute for Policy Research, University of New Brunswick ## Report 2020-08 September 2020 94 pages ## Related research [Productivity: Key to Economic Success Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) March 1998 | Report 1998-01 | 99 pages](https://csls.ca/research/productivity-key-to-economic-success/) [Productivity Trends in Natural Resources Industries in Canada Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) February 2003 | Report 2003-01a | 69 pages](https://csls.ca/research/productivity-trends-in-natural-resources-industries-in-canada/) [Productivity in the Forest Products Sector: A Review of the Literature Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) February 2003 | Report 2003-02 | 28 pages](https://csls.ca/research/productivity-in-the-forest-products-sector-a-review-of-the-literature/) [An Analysis of Productivity Trends in the Forest Products Sector in Canada Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) February 2003 | Report 2003-01b | 64 pages](https://csls.ca/research/an-analysis-of-productivity-trends-in-the-forest-products-sector-in-canada/) [Why Are Americans More Productive Than Canadians? 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This report examines the innovation situation in New Brunswick by analyzing the levels and trends of seven indicators of innovation: R&D spending, R&D personnel, patents, firm-based innovation statistics, non-residential fixed investment, investment in intellectual property products, and business entry. This report finds that New Brunswick’s state of innovation was weak compared to the other provinces, but has improved over time. New Brunswick ranked below the national average for all seven innovation indicators, with especially poor results for business R&D spending and personnel, patents, and firm-level innovation. However, New Brunswick enjoyed an absolute and relative improvement in five of seven indicators: R&D spending, R&D personnel, patents, firm-based innovation statistics, and investment in intellectual property products. Results for only two indicators—non-residential fixed capital investment and number of active businesses—deteriorated. Ce rapport s’inscrit dans le cadre d’un projet de recherche sur les liens entre l’innovation et la productivité au Nouveau-Brunswick, préparé pour l’Atlantic Institute for Policy Research de l’Université du Nouveau-Brunswick. Ce rapport examine la situation de l’innovation au Nouveau-Brunswick en analysant les niveaux et les tendances de sept indicateurs d’innovation : les dépenses en R-D, le personnel en R-D, les brevets, les statistiques d’innovation des entreprises, l’investissement non résidentiel en immobilisations, l’investissement dans les produits de propriété intellectuelle, et l’entrée d’entreprises. Ce rapport constate que l’état de l’innovation au Nouveau-Brunswick était faible comparativement aux autres provinces, mais s’est amélioré au fil du temps. Le Nouveau-Brunswick se classait sous la moyenne nationale pour les sept indicateurs d’innovation, avec des résultats particulièrement faibles pour les dépenses et le personnel en R-D des entreprises, les brevets et l’innovation au niveau des entreprises. Cependant, le Nouveau-Brunswick a connu une amélioration absolue et relative pour cinq des sept indicateurs : les dépenses en R-D, le personnel en R-D, les brevets, les statistiques d’innovation des entreprises et l’investissement dans les produits de propriété intellectuelle. Seuls deux indicateurs — l’investissement non résidentiel en immobilisations et le nombre d’entreprises actives — se sont détériorés. [Download full PDF report](https://csls.ca/pdf/csls2020-08-1.pdf)