Help Update Canada's Research Classification System
Official title: Participate in the permanent consultation for the revision of the Canadian Research and Development Classification (CRDC)
Statistics Canada wants feedback on how research and development activities are categorized across the country. The Canadian Research and Development Classification (CRDC) is the standard system used by federal funding agencies to organize research by field and purpose. If you work in research or use R&D data, you can suggest changes to make the classification more accurate and useful.
Why This Matters
This is mainly for researchers, academics, and people who work with R&D data. The classification affects how research funding is tracked and reported across Canada. If you've ever struggled to categorize your research project or found gaps in how R&D is measured, this is your chance to fix it.
What Could Change
The CRDC 2026 Version 1.0 will be released in December 2026. New research fields could be added, outdated categories removed, and confusing definitions clarified. Changes will affect how federal agencies like SSHRC, NSERC, and CIHR classify and report on research funding.
Key Issues
- Are there R&D activities that don't fit well into current classification categories?
- Are any research fields or socioeconomic objectives missing from the classification?
- Are classification descriptions vague, confusing, or outdated?
- Should new or emerging R&D activities and technologies be added?
How to Participate
- Review the CRDC 2020 Version 2.0 to understand the current classification structure.
- Prepare your proposal with your contact information, the specific change you're suggesting, and your rationale with supporting evidence.
- Submit your proposal by email to statcan.crdc-ccrd.statcan@statcan.gc.ca. For inclusion in CRDC 2026, submit by the end of August 2025.
Submit Your Input
Tips for Your Submission
- Read the CRDC 2020 Version 2.0 before submitting changes
- Clearly identify the specific classification item you want to change
- Include supporting data on empirical significance when possible
- Ensure proposals are consistent with classification principles like mutual exclusivity
- You don't need to cover every topic - focus on your specific area of concern
Questions Being Asked (7)
- Are there research and development (R&D) services or activities for which you cannot find a satisfactory CRDC code?
- Are there R&D activities or services that you find difficult to place in the CRDC?
- Are there any classification elements in the CRDC that you find difficult to use because their descriptions are vague or confusing?
- Are any R&D activities or services missing in the CRDC? If so, which ones and where would you place them in the classification structure?
- Are there R&D or combinations of R&D that have significant economic value and analytical interest that you would like to see with a specific or separate CRDC classification item?
- Are there pairs of classification items you find difficult to distinguish from each other? Are there boundaries that could be clarified?
- Is the language, terminology or definitions used in CRDC in need of updating to be consistent with current usage in the research and experimental development field?