Compiled by Oleksandr (Sasha) Kondrashov
Updated September 2021
Think tanks, policy and research institutes are organizations or groups of people who are involved in research and advocacy in a range of fields, including but not limited to social policy, political strategy, environment, economics, technology, industry, business, agriculture, and national defense.
Many think tanks are non-profit organizations; their funding may come from governments, businesses, private advocacy groups, or from consulting and research work and might reflect the ideology of the funders. Below is a compilation of more than 130 Canadian think tanks.
The list was compiled from McGill Canadian think tanks list and On Think Tanks website.
You can read doctoral dissertation the study of Canadian think tanks from McMaster University Library: McLevey, V. P. (2013). Producing and promoting policy ideas: A study of think tanks in Canada (Doctoral dissertation).
Some useful videos to learn more about think tanks and their role in social policy:
- What do Think Tanks Do? (YouTube video)
- The Agenda with Steve Palkin. (2014, November 18). Do think tanks matter? . Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RC-yCcQbRyA
- John de Boer UNU Center for Policy Research (Producer). (2015, January 21). Think tanks: What are they good for?, A conversation with Rohinton Medhora. . Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KthteXzerfc
- Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars (Producer). (2013, December 12). Thinking about think tanks: What are they and what do they do? . Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOWc_p-VmK4
| Organization | Location | Website |
|---|---|---|
| APEC Atlantic Canada | Halifax, NS | APEC Atlantic Canada website |
| Arctic Institute of North America | Calgary, AB | Arctic Institute of North America website |
| ArcticNet | Quebec, QC | ArcticNet website |
| Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada | Vancouver, BC | Toronto, ON | Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada website |
| Atlantic Institute for Market Studies | Halifax, NS | Atlantic Institute for Market Studies website |
| Atlantic Provinces Economic Council | Halifax, NS | Atlantic Provinces Economic Council website |
| Broadbent Institute | Ottawa, ON | Broadbent Institute website |
| Brookfield Institute | Toronto, ON | Brookfield Institute website |
| Business Council of Canada | Ottawa, ON | Business Council of Canada website |
| Business Council of Canada (Canadian Council of Chief Executives) | Ottawa, ON | Business Council of Canada (Canadian Council of Chief Executives) website |
| C.D. Howe Institute | Toronto, ON | C.D. Howe Institute website |
| Caledon Institute | Archive Only | Caledon Institute website |
| Canada 2020 | Ottawa, ON | Canada 2020 website |
| Canada Strong and Free Network (Manning Centre) | Calgary, AB | Canada Strong and Free Network (Manning Centre) website |
| Canada West Foundation | Calgary, AB | Canada West Foundation website |
| Canada’s Ecofiscal Commission | Montreal, QC | Canada’s Ecofiscal Commission website |
| Canada’s Public Policy Forum | Ottawa, ON | Canada’s Public Policy Forum website |
| Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute | Ottawa, ON | Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute website |
| Canadian Association for Refugee and Forced Migration Studies | Toronto, ON | Canadian Association for Refugee and Forced Migration Studies website |
| Canadian Centre for Economic Analysis (CANCEA) | Toronto, ON | Canadian Centre for Economic Analysis (CANCEA) website |
| Canadian Centre for Health Economics | Toronto, ON | Canadian Centre for Health Economics website |
| Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives | Ottawa, ON | Offices across Canada | Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives website |
| Canadian Chamber of Commerce | Ottawa, ON | Offices across Canada | Canadian Chamber of Commerce website |
| Canadian Constitution Foundation | Calgary, AB | Canadian Constitution Foundation website |
| Canadian Council on Social Development | Kanata, ON | Canadian Council on Social Development website |
| Canadian Economics Association | Ottawa, ON | Vancouver, BC | Canadian Economics Association website |
| Canadian Energy Research Institute | Calgary, AB | Ottawa, ON | Canadian Energy Research Institute website |
| Canadian Global Affairs Institute (Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute) | Calgary, AB | Ottawa, ON | Canadian Global Affairs Institute (Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute) website |
| Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) | Toronto, ON | Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) website |
| Canadian Institute for Climate Choices | Kitchener, ON? | Canadian Institute for Climate Choices website |
| Canadian Institute for Identities and Migration | Montreal, QC | Canadian Institute for Identities and Migration website |
| Canadian Institute of Advanced Research | Toronto, ON | Canadian Institute of Advanced Research website |
| Canadian International Council (Couchiching Institute) | Toronto, ON | Canadian International Council (Couchiching Institute) website |
| Canadian Research Data Centre Network | Hamilton, ON | Canadian Research Data Centre Network website |
| Canadian Tax Foundation | Toronto, ON | Montreal, QC | Canadian Tax Foundation website |
| Canadian Urban Institute (CUI) | Toronto, ON | Canadian Urban Institute (CUI) website |
| Cardus | Hamilton, ON | Offices across Canada | Cardus website |
| Centre d’Étude et de Cooperation International | Montréal, QC | Centre d’Étude et de Cooperation International website |
| Centre de Recherche en économie de l’Environnement, de l’Agroalimentaire, des Transports et de l’Énergie Centre for Economics Research on the Environment, Agri-food, Transportation, and Energy | Quebec, QC | Centre for Economics Research on the Environment, Agri-food, Transportation, and Energy (CREATE) website |
| Centre for International and Defence Policy | Kingston, ON | Centre for International and Defence Policy website |
| Centre for International Governance Innovation | Waterloo, ON | Centre for International Governance Innovation website |
| Centre for International Policy Studies | Ottawa, ON | Centre for International Policy Studies website |
| Centre for International Sustainable Development Law | Montreal, QC | Centre for International Sustainable Development Law website |
| Centre for Security Governance | Waterloo, ON | Centre for Security Governance website |
| Centre for the Study of Living Standards | Ottawa, ON | Centre for the Study of Living Standards website |
| Chantier de l’économie sociale | Montréal, QC | Chantier de l’économie sociale website |
| China Institute (UAlberta) | Edmonton, AB | China Institute (UAlberta) website |
| Community Research Connections | Victoria, BC | Community Research Connections website |
| Conference Board of Canada | Ottawa, ON | Montreal, QC | Calgary, AB | Conference Board of Canada website |
| Council of Canadian Academies | Ottawa, ON | Council of Canadian Academies website |
| Council of Canadians | Ottawa, ON | Offices across Canada | Council of Canadians website |
| David Suzuki Foundation | Vancouver, BC | Montreal, QC | Toronto, ON | David Suzuki Foundation website |
| Democracy Watch | Ottawa, ON | Democracy Watch website |
| Donald J. Savoie Institute | Moncton, NB | Donald J. Savoie Institute website |
| Ecofiscal Commission | Montreal, QC | Ecofiscal Commission website |
| Environmental Defence | Ottawa, ON | Toronto, ON | Environmental Defence website |
| Fraser Institute | Vancouver, BC | Offices across Canada | Fraser Institute website |
| Frontier Centre for Public Policy | Winnipeg, MB | Frontier Centre for Public Policy website |
| George Morris Centre | Guelph, ON | George Morris Centre website |
| Global Institute for Food Security | Saskatoon, SK | Global Institute for Food Security website |
| Global Network for Africa’s Prosperity (GNAP) | Online? | Global Network for Africa’s Prosperity (GNAP) website |
| GPI Atlantic | Glen Haven, NS | GPI Atlantic website |
| Group of Reflection and Action for a New Haiti | Montreal, QC | Group of Reflection and Action for a New Haiti website |
| Human Rights Research and Education Centre | Ottawa, ON | Human Rights Research and Education Centre website |
| Human Security Report Project | Vancouver, BC | Human Security Report Project website |
| Human Security Report Project (HSRP), Simon Fraser University | Vancovuer, BC | Human Security Report Project (Wikipedia) |
| Institut de politiques alternatives de Montréal | Montréal, QC | Institut de politiques alternatives de Montréal website |
| Institut de Recherche en Économie Contemporaine (IREC) | Montreal, QC | Institut de Recherche en Économie Contemporaine (IREC) website |
| Institut de recherche et d’informations socio-économiques (IRIS) | Montreal, QC | Institut de recherche et d’informations socio-économiques (IRIS) website |
| Institut Donald J. Savoie | Moncton, NB | Institut Donald J. Savoie website |
| Institut national de la recherche scientifique | Québec, QC | Institut national de la recherche scientifique website |
| Institute du Québec (L’IdQ) | Montreal, QC | Institute du Québec (L’IdQ) website |
| Institute for Citizen-Centred Service | Toronto, ON | Institute for Citizen-Centred Service website |
| Institute for Liberal Studies | Ottawa, ON | Institute for Liberal Studies website |
| Institute for Public Economics (Department of Economics. University of Alberta) | Edmonton, AB | Institute for Public Economics (Department of Economics. University of Alberta) website |
| Institute for Research on Public Policy | Montréal, QC | Institute for Research on Public Policy website |
| Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy @uOttawa (IFSD) | Ottawa, ON | Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy @uOttawa (IFSD) website |
| Institute of Health Economics | Edmonton, AB | Institute of Health Economics website |
| Institute of Public Administration of Canada | Toronto, ON | Institute of Public Administration of Canada website |
| Institute on Governance | Ottawa, ON | Toronto, ON | Institute on Governance website |
| Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation | Waterloo, ON | Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation website |
| International Development Research Centre | Ottawa, ON | Offices across the world | International Development Research Centre website |
| International Institute for Sustainable Development | Winnipeg, MB | Offices across regions | International Institute for Sustainable Development website |
| International Migration Research Centre | Waterloo, ON | International Migration Research Centre website |
| Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms | Calgary, AB | Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms website |
| Lawrence National Centre for Policy and Management (Ivey Business School. Western University) | London, ON | Lawrence National Centre for Policy and Management (Ivey Business School. Western University) website |
| Liu Centre for the Study of Global Issues | Vancouver, BC | Liu Centre for the Study of Global Issues website |
| Macdonald-Laurier Institute | Ottawa, ON | Macdonald-Laurier Institute website |
| Mackenzie Institute | Toronto, ON | Mackenzie Institute website |
| Martin Prosperity Institute | Toronto, ON | Martin Prosperity Institute website |
| Maytree | Toronto, ON | Maytree website |
| McGill Institute for Global Food Security (Canada) | Montral, QC | McGill Institute for Global Food Security (Canada) website |
| Montreal Economic Institute / Institut Economique de Montreal (IEDM) | Montréal, QC | Montreal Economic Institute / Institut Economique de Montreal (IEDM) website |
| Mosaic Institute | Toronto, ON | Mosaic Institute website |
| Mowat Centre | Toronto, ON | Mowat Centre website |
| Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy (University of Toronto) | Toronto, ON | Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy (University of Toronto) website |
| Norman Paterson School of International Affairs | Ottawa, ON | Norman Paterson School of International Affairs website |
| Northern Policy Institute | Thunder Bay, ON | Sudbury, ON | Northern Policy Institute website |
| North-South Institute | Ottawa, ON | North-South Institute website |
| Parkland Institute | Edmonton, AB | Parkland Institute website |
| Parliamentary Centre | Ottawa, ON | Parliamentary Centre website |
| Pearson Centre for Progressive Policy | Ottawa, ON | Pearson Centre for Progressive Policy website |
| Pembina Institute | Calgary, AB | Offices across Canada | Pembina Institute website |
| Pollution Probe | North York, ON | Pollution Probe website |
| Program on Water Governance, University of British Columbia | Vancouver, BC | Program on Water Governance, University of British Columbia website |
| Public Policy Forum | Ottawa, ON | Public Policy Forum website |
| Rideau Institute | Ottawa, ON | Rideau Institute website |
| Rotman Institute for International Business (RIIB) | Toronto, ON | Rotman Institute for International Business (RIIB) website |
| Saskatoon Research and Development Centre | Saskatoon, SK | Saskatoon Research and Development Centre website |
| School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary | Calgary, AB | School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary website |
| Second Street | Regina, SK | Second Street website |
| Smart Prosperity Institute | Ottawa, ON | Smart Prosperity Institute website |
| Social Research and Demonstration Corporation | Ottawa, ON | Offices across Canada | Social Research and Demonstration Corporation website |
| The Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute | Ottawa, ON | The Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute website |
| The Institute for 21st Century Questions | Online? | The Institute for 21st Century Questions website |
| The Institute for the Study of Civil Society (CIVITAS) | Online? | The Institute for the Study of Civil Society (CIVITAS) website |
| The Institute of Intergovernmental Relations | Kingston, ON | The Institute of Intergovernmental Relations website |
| The Mackenzie Institute | Toronto, ON | The Mackenzie Institute website |
| The Polaris Institute | Ottawa, ON | The Polaris Institute website |
| The Samara Centre for Democracy | Toronto, ON | The Samara Centre for Democracy website |
| Unisféra International Centre | Montréal, QC | Offices across regions | Unisféra International Centre website |
| Van Horne Insitute | Calgary, AB | Van Horne Insitute website |
| Vanier Institute of the Family | Ottawa, ON | Vanier Institute of the Family website |
| Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence | Toronto, ON | Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence website |
| Water Institute, University of Waterloo | Waterloo, ON | Water Institute, University of Waterloo website |
| Wellesley Institute | Toronto, ON | Wellesley Institute website |
| Work Research Foundation | Hamilton, ON | Offices across Canada | Work Research Foundation website |
| Yellowhead Institute | Toronto, ON | Yellowhead Institute website |
| York Consortium on International and Security Studies (YCISS) | Toronto, ON | York Consortium on International and Security Studies (YCISS) website |