Current Research

In 2012, Mowat established a research hub to provide evidence-based research and analysis on systemic issues facing the non-profit sector in Canada. In 2019, Mowat NFP joined the Public Policy Forum. In its final year of operation (2019-2020), Mowat NFP published four reports that focus on implementing the recommendations of the Special Senate Committee on the Charitable Sector and exploring the future of finance and funding in the sector.

Over the past year, PPF's Prime Ministers of Canada Fellow, Sean Speer has been exploring urban and rural differences in Canada and how policymakers, business and community leaders, and the public can work to bridge the growing cultural, political and socio-economic characteristics of the urban-rural divide.

Building off of last year’s seminal report on the rise of the intangibles economy, PPF’s newest contribution to Canada’s economic conversation proposes an industrial plan to “rebuild Canada” post COVID-19. New North Star II presents a plan that accounts for the technological push-and-pull of today’s global economy and finds common ground between opposite ends of the political spectrum, in an effort to jump-start Canada's economy.

Past Event

A Public Policy Forum Learning Program

The Digital Democracy Project (DDP) is a joint initiative led by the Ottawa-based Public Policy Forum and the Max Bell School of Public Policy at McGill University. The project will study the media ecosystem in the run-up to and during Canada’s October 2019 federal election by monitoring digital and social media and by conducting both regular national surveys and a study of a metered sample of online consumption.

How can small communities and rural areas in Canada attract and retain newcomers, most of whom prefer to settle in a few large metropolitan areas? This report examines the experiences of five communities that have looked to immigration to help reverse declining populations and boost economic prospects, and proposes short and long-term solutions.

Why don’t a quality education, strong language skills and an open work permit guarantee success in Atlantic Canada? Fewer international graduates stay in this region after graduation than any other. Students and their advocates tell KELLY TOUGHILL what can be done to counter the trend.

Global events are creating unprecedented opportunities for Canada to attract capital, talent and companies. In an age of disruptive technological advances, Canada must focus on research, talent and innovation to strengthen its innovative capacity, global competitiveness, and economic and social fabric.  

How can Canada align financial policies and practices to climate change and sustainable development goals? This report summarizes five roundtables hosted by PPF and the Ivey Foundation with experts across Canada.

Get the whole Canada Next series in one document. Choose the complete collection of full reports, a collection of summaries only, or a recap of recommendations for provinces, territories and municipalities.

Decision makers in all fields face intense challenges to keep up with geopolitical transformation, the sweeping innovations of the digital age, the impacts on work sparked by artificial intelligence, and the catastrophic effects of climate change. Edward Greenspon and Drew Fagan introduce the challenges that Canada Next addresses.

PPF’s three-year future of work initiative will bring government, employers, education providers, individuals and labour together to find pathways for Canadians and Canadian firms to prosper in a changing world of work.

Past Event

Atlantic Canada faces profound demographic changes that challenge its future prosperity and economic sustainability. With a new email newsletter, the Public Policy Forum will keep you up to date on our three-year research project on immigrant retention and labour market revitalization in the region and share other timely research and articles.

More than 3,000 job offers had been made through the program by the end of October 2018, but only 1,202 workers, spouses and children were granted permanent residency through the program in the same period. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is trying to speed up the pace of permanent residency admissions.