Institute for Research on Public Policy

The Institute for Research on Public Policy (IRPP; French: Institut de recherche en politiques publiques) is an independent, national, bilingual, not-for-profit organization based in Montreal, Quebec. Its mission is to "improve public policy in Canada by generating research, providing insight and informing debate on current and emerging policy issues facing Canadians and their governments." It publishes peer-reviewed research and acts as a convenor of policy debates by organizing conferences, round tables and panel discussions among stakeholders, academics, policy-makers and the general public. It is also the publisher of Policy Options magazine and the home of the Centre of Excellence on the Canadian Federation.^[1]

The institute's current research agenda is focused on five issues: Canadian federalism, the social safety net for working-age adults, unlocking demand for Canadian innovation, skills development and adult learning, and the challenges of an aging population.^[2]

The IRPP was created as a result of a commitment the government of Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau made in a Speech from the Throne in 1968 to establish an "independent and autonomous" institute for public policy research, whose work would be "available to all governments.^[3]

The IRPP is financed by an endowment fund, to which federal and provincial governments and the private sector contributed in the early 1970s. The Institute is a registered charity under the Income Tax Act, and is incorporated under Part II of the Canada Corporations Act.^[1]

Elizabeth Roscoe is the current Chair of the Board of Directors and Jennifer Ditchburn is the current President and CEO.