AbstractIn March 1987 the federal, provincial and territorial governments of Canada signed the first National Science and Technology Policy. This marked the culmination of a period of cooperation in contrast to the previous diversity of interests; there is a new economic imperative in the formation of S&T policy.Canada's experiments in nation-building through S&T are heavily dependent on the ability to pool the R&D resources within the constituent elements. Both federal and provincial efforts will serve to harness Canada's vast potential for meeting the challenges of international competitiveness.