After the Throne Speech set the scene for big boosts in funding to innovation and technology in the federal budget, observers say that's not exactly what Canadians got.

Short of two major investments in a Vancouver-based nuclear physics research facility and the production of the Canadian Space Agency's next-generation satellites, the Conservatives are offering a smattering of smaller investments in things like post-doctoral research, the development of medical isotopes and regional development agencies -- a plan that one economist calls "short of vision and ambition."

While the goverment promised to re-evaluate its spending on research and development that will "inform the future decisions regarding federal support for R&D," Peter MacLeod, a fellow at the Centre for the Study of Democracy at Queen's University, says much of the funding promised to various agencies will do little more than "keep the lights on."

"The government has chosen not to increase taxes and it has chosen not to make any hard decisions either. People had been anticipating a big innovation agenda. I don't see it here," he said.

For example, the National Research Council will receive $135-million over two years to develop 11 "technology clusters" across the country, which breaks down to just over $6-million per cluster per year.

The government will dole out a one-time payment of $75-million for research at Genome Canada, as well as increase the combined annual budgets of Canada's research granting councils (the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research) by an additional $32-million per year. But the majority of funding for innovation will go to two projects: Vancouver's TRIUMF research facility, which will see $222-million over five years for nuclear and particle physics resarch, and the Canadian Space Agency's RADARSAT Constellation Mission satellites, which will receive $497-million over five years.

Another beneficiary of the budget will be colleges. The budget of the College and Community Innovation Program is to be doubled to $30-million a year to encourage local businesses and colleges to work together in developing new technologies.

"Compared to university research funding, this is a drop in the bucket, but the fact that they're expanding it is good news," said Trish Dryden, a vice president of research and corporate planning at Toronto's Centennial College.

"Anything helps, but there's always more to be done. We can do better."

According to the Conference Board of Canada, more investment in innovation is something this country desperately needs. A recent Board ranking put Canada 14th out of 17 countries for innovation.

Stephen Murgatroyd, chief of Edmonton's Murgatroyd Communications & Consulting, called the innovation spending in the budget "largely cosmetic," saying the government is moving to restore cut funds to granting councils and propping up agencies they have cut funding from in the past.

"At best, this is a touch up job -- painting over the cracks in the existing innovation system caused by past decisions."

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