Resources, Economic Policy

These resources were put together by the Economic Policy Course Coordinator for students interested in knowing more about the topic. Please refer to this page for more information about the update to ECON 318 and 319.

Policy & Think Tank Websites and Links:

The Hill Times Online - Policy Briefings
The Hill Times is a weekly newsweekly. The Policy Briefings includes an in-depth Q&A interview with the key Cabinet minister responsible along with guest columns from the relevant government and political players involved.

Atlantic Institute for Market Studies
"AIMS is an independent, non-partisan social and economic public policy think tank based in Halifax, NS. It examines such crucial issues as public education, health care, public finances, equalization, natural resources, Atlantica and demographics."

Broadbent Institute
"The Broadbent Institute is Canada’s leading progressive, independent organization championing change through the promotion of democracy, equality, and sustainability and the training of a new generation of leaders."

C.D. Howe Institute
"The C.D. Howe Institute is an independent not-for-profit organization that aims to raise Canadians’ living standards by fostering economically sound public policies."

Caledon Institute of Social Policy
"The Caledon Institute of Social Policy does rigorous, high-quality research and analysis; seeks to inform and influence public opinion and to foster public discussion on poverty and social policy; and develops and promotes concrete, practicable proposals for the reform of social programs at all levels of government and of social benefits provided by employers and the voluntary sector."

Canada West Foundation
"Our mandate is to explore public policy issues of particular interest to western Canadians, to test national policies against regional aspirations and to ensure an effective regional voice in national policy discussions and the national political process."

Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
"The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives is an independent, non-partisan research institute concerned with issues of social, economic and environmental justice. Founded in 1980, the CCPA is one of Canada’s leading progressive voices in public policy debates."

Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute
The Canadian Defence & Foreign Affairs Institute is a charitable, independent, non-partisan research institute with an emphasis on Canadian foreign policy, defence policy, and international aid.

Canadian Energy Research Institute
"The Canadian Energy Research Institute is an independent, not-for-profit research establishment created through a partnership of industry, academia, and government in 1975. Our mission is to provide relevant, independent, objective economic research in energy and related environmental issues."

Canadian Institute for Advanced Research
"Our mission: To lead the world in framing and answering complex questions at the frontiers of understanding. We value knowledge for its own sake. Our research agenda is independent and unbounded by geography or academic discipline."

Canadian International Council
"The Canadian International Council (CIC) is Canada’s foreign relations council. It is an independent, member-based council established to strengthen Canada’s role in international affairs. The CIC reflects the ideas and interests of a broad constituency of Canadians who believe that a country’s foreign policy is not an esoteric concern of experts but directly affects the lives and prosperity of its citizens."

Canadian Tax Foundation
"The Canadian Tax Foundation is Canada’s leading source of insight on tax issues. The Foundation promotes understanding of the Canadian tax system through analysis, research, and debate, and provides perspective and impartial recommendations concerning its equity, efficiency, and application."

Centre for Foreign Policy Studies and Centre for Trade Policy and Law
"We are a non-governmental, non-profit think tank specializing in trade capacity building and institutional support services for public- and private-sector clients and international organizations"

Conference Board of Canada
An independent, non-profit, non-partisan applied research organization. The Conference Board of Canada specializes in a range of issues, notably economic trends, organizational performance, and public policy. Most of their reports are not free on their web site.

EvidenceNetwork.ca
EvidenceNetwork.ca is a non-partisan web-based project funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Manitoba Health Research Council to make the latest evidence on controversial health policy issues available to the media.  This site links journalists with health policy experts to provide access to credible, evidence-based information.

Fraser Institute
The Fraser Institute publishes peer-reviewed research into critical economic and public policy issues including taxation, government spending, health care, school performance, and trade.

Frontier Centre for Public Policy
"The Frontier Centre for Public Policy is an independent, western Canada based public policy 'think tank' with offices in Winnipeg, Regina and Calgary. Our mission is to develop and popularize policy choices that will help Canada's prairie region live up to its vast but unrealized economic potential."

George Morris Centre
Founded in 1990, the George Morris Centre is a Canada-wide, not-for-profit charitable organization. As an independent think tank, the Centre provides industry decision makers with critical information and analysis on issues affecting the Canadian agri-products sector.

Institute for Public Economics
"Our research interests span local, regional, national and international public economics issues. We support research in all areas of public economics including theory, applied and policy research. Our research is critical, non-partisan, openly disseminated and independent of outside influences."

Institute for Research on Public Policy
"The IRPP seeks to improve public policy in Canada by generating research, providing insight and sparking debate on current and emerging policy issues facing Canadians and their governments."

Institute on Governance
"The IOG’s vision is to be the pre-eminent, independent Canadian source of knowledge, research and advice on governance and its continuous improvement."

International Development Research Centre
IDRC is a Crown corporation, and a key part of Canada's foreign aid programming. IDRC helps developing countries to use science and technology to find solutions to local problems.

International Institute for Sustainable Development
IISD is "a non-partisan, charitable organization specializing in policy research, analysis and information exchange. Through its head office in Winnipeg, Manitoba and its branches in Ottawa, Ontario; New York, NY; and Geneva, Switzerland IISD applies human ingenuity to help improve the well being of the world's environment, economy and society."

Macdonald-Laurier Institute
A national public-policy think tank. Its mission os to propose "thoughtful [policy] alternatives through non-partisan and independent research and commentary."

North-South Institute
"The North-South Institute is Canada's oldest independent policy research institution specializing in effective international development. At NSI we focus on identifying policies and practices seeking to reduce poverty and global inequalities thereby contributing to the creation of a more prosperous and stable global community."

Parliamentary Centre
"The Parliamentary Centre is a Canadian not-for-profit, non-partisan organization that supports parliaments around the world. Our assessment, strategic planning and training programs, combined with research products and networking channels, help legislatures measure their performance, build capacity, tackle key issues and promote mutual learning. In short – we help legislatures better serve their people."

Pembina Institute
"The Pembina Institute is a Canadian non-profit think tank that advances sustainable energy solutions through research, education, consulting and advocacy. We promote environmental, social and economic sustainability in the public interest by developing practical solutions for communities, individuals, governments and businesses."

Public Policy Forum
"The Public Policy Forum is an independent, not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of government in Canada through enhanced dialogue among the public, private and voluntary sectors."