Strengthening Public Policy Through Research
This research program aims to enhance the use of research and evaluation evidence in policymaking within the Canadian federal government.
Scoping review of evidence-based policymaking
A scoping review of evidence-based policymaking in public organizations is currently underway to gain new knowledge about the sources of evidence and research most used in policymaking, their perceived trustworthiness, and the role that they play in the policy development process. Articles included in the scoping review will focus on the uptake and use of academic research throughout the policy cycle.
Survey of federal policy analysts
An online survey of federal policy analysts will be conducted in 2026 to create a general portrait of evidence use in policymaking across the federal government. The survey instrument will be developed based on the findings of the scoping review and will also include a section on the use of uOttawa research in policymaking. Policy analysts across the federal government will be recruited via email; their coordinates will be generated through a searchable web-based directory of federal government employees; positions with the term “policy” will be included in the sample (e.g., policy analyst, officer, advisor), which is currently estimated at approximately 225 individuals. This stream will enable the development of clear guidelines for researchers in terms of the types of sources that are most useful to policymakers, and how researchers can best disseminate their work to effectively influence the policy development process; this will result in an annual workshop for new researchers as well as a new short course offered to policy analysts. It will also provide uOttawa with an overview of the extent to which research produced by its academic staff has been used by federal policymakers in recent years to inform future promotion and knowledge mobilization activities.