NRCan deals primarily with Canada's landmass and geomatics, and the sustainable development and responsible use of the country's energy, mineral and forest resources and the competitiveness of those industries.

NRCan has two core competencies -- science and technology and policy. These activities are integrated -- policies are based on sound science and scientific activities are directed by policy priorities.

Natural Resources Canada is organized into five sectors, four of which are science-based:

1. Canadian Forest Service (CFS)
2. Earth Sciences Sector (ESS), comprised of the Geological Survey of Canada, Geomatics Canada, and the Polar Continental Shelf Project
3. Energy Sector (ES)
4. Minerals and Metals Sector (MMS)
5. Corporate Services Sector (CSS).

NRCan concentrates its science and technology on four priorities related to the resource industries: sustainable development, jobs and economic growth, competitiveness and public health and safety. The unifying theme is "the public good" -- that is, S&T activities that contribute to the economic, environmental and social values of Canadians as a whole.

Partnerships and licensing

NRCan has a history of bringing stakeholders together to achieve common goals. The following are examples of successful partnerships:

Canadian Forest Service

• The leading work by the Canadian Forest Service (CFS) in biological pest control has contributed to the sales of hundreds of millions of dollars of Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.) in the global pesticide market. CFS is presently collaborating with several Canadian and multi-national firms in developing insect virus products for use as control agents. Furthermore, collaborative research agreements have been established with Canadian universities and firms for the development and commercialization of bio-herbicides and pheromone based products.
• The Canadian Forest Service (CFS) was the pioneer in the development of tree improvement in Canada with research programs initiated over 50 years ago. The knowledge and technologies were transferred to the private sector and the provinces throughout the development of their programs that are now providing an increase share of the trees being used for reforestation. Although there are no direct commercial benefits from this work, it was key in ensuring the Canada retains its competitiveness on the regeneration side of the forest sector.

Earth Sciences Sector

• The Earth Sciences Sector, through the Geological Survey of Canada's Industrial Partners Program, fosters close working relations with the private sector through jointly-supported collaborative research and development projects. An independent evaluation of 26 geoscience research projects carried out under this program estimated that a departmental investment of $2 million will create industry benefits and savings totaling more than $130 million over five years.
• The Energy Sector, through its Industry Energy Research and Development Program, works with the private sector to develop energy-efficient industrial technologies and encourages the formation of research consortia among industry and scientific and professional organizations.

Energy Sector

• CANMET's Western Research Centre is a member of the Canadian Oil Sands Network for Research and Development (CONRAD), bringing together nine oil companies, two universities, three research organizations and a provincial agency to undertake research in environment, in situ recovery, upgrading, and mining and extraction.

Minerals and Metals Sector

• The Aquatics Effects Technology Evaluation (AETE) Program is a cooperative government-industry initiative established in 1994 by CANMET/Mining and Mineral Sciences Laboratories to review appropriate technologies for assessing the impacts of mine effluents on the aquatic environment. Major benefits of the program will include reduced environmental monitoring costs for Canadian mines and more effective tools for assessing environmental impact. Total estimated savings are $10 million per year for all active mine sites in Canada and an additional $8 million per year if applied to all inactive mine sites.
• NRCan provides the secretariat for the Mine Environment Neutral Drainage (MEND) Program, a consortium established in 1988 to coordinate Canadian research into ways of reducing the environmental impact and associated financial liabilities of acidic drainage from tailings, waste rock and mine openings. Other participants are 20 companies from the Canadian mining industry, eight provinces and four federal departments.