The Canadian government plans to spend $11.7 billion on science and technology in 2010-11, it announced Wednesday.

The government said that $5.9 billion will be allocated to departments and agencies within the federal government while other sectors will receive $5.8 billion. These sectors include higher education, business and non-profit and foreign groups.

The plans include spending $7.4 billion on research and development and $4.3 billion on gathering and synthesizing data, information services, museum services, policy studies and education.

Three-quarters of the government's proposed spending will be directed to natural sciences and one-quarter toward social sciences and humanities.

During the 2010-11 period, it is expected that just under 40,000 full-time employees will be involved in science and technology activities, with 11,874 support staff and 9,280 employees engaged in technical endeavours.