Blueprint creates the Better Evidence Council to action the best ways to use evidence to drive social change and improve outcomes for people in Canada

Press Release

TORONTO, Oct. 28, 2022 – The Better Evidence Council, which had its first meeting on September 23rd 2022 brings together leaders from public, private, non-profit and academic sectors to strengthen Canada’s evidence ecosystem. Established by the non-profit evidence-generation firm Blueprint, the Better Evidence Council will advise Blueprint to help improve the lives of Canadians. They will do this by contributing to the systems-change needed to ensure that policy, programs, and services respond to, and learn from, what people in Canada want and need.

Meeting quarterly, the Better Evidence Council will focus on the barriers to using evidence effectively and the opportunities to use evidence to improve conditions for Canadians. The Better Evidence Council will help Blueprint map Canada’s evidence ecosystem, explore how to build networks in support of evidence, and advise on key findings’ communications.

“This Council will explore and refine evidence challenges and opportunities in Canada to improve policy making and program design. The Council provides a forum to exchange views, ideas, and advice. I’m excited to focus on how data and evidence can support the right strategic investments,” says Better Evidence Council Chair, Louise Levonian, former Executive Director for Canada, Ireland, and the Caribbean at the International Monetary Fund and former federal Deputy Minister, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC).

The Council’s work will be forward-looking, considering how evidence can go beyond assessing what has worked in the past to focus on learning and continuous improvement. They will look at not only ways to support better policy and design but also the best ways to implement and support ongoing learning and adaptation.

“Blueprint is honoured to have the expert advice of this Council to guide us on the best ways to use actionable data and evidence to create more equitable outcomes. With the right evidence, better decisions can be made, to enable continuous improvement and innovation, to be more inclusive and effective in the way programs are delivered. This is our best chance to improve outcomes for Canadians,” says Blueprint CEO, Karen Myers.

The members of the Better Evidence Council are:

Catherine Adam: Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic and Service Policy Branch, ESDC

Sarah Doyle: Chief of Staff to Dr. Mariana Mazzucato, Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose, University College London

Kelly Fitzsimmons: Founder and CEO, Project Evident

Winston Gee: Counsel, Environment, Social & Governance (ESG), TD Bank, and Chair of Blueprint

Sahir Khan: Executive Vice President, Institute for Fiscal Studies and Democracy

Louise Levonian, Chair, Better Evidence Council and Former Executive Director for Canada, Ireland, and the Caribbean at the International Monetary Fund; Former federal Deputy Minister, ESDC

Alastair MacFadden: Director of Executive Education and Interim Academic Director (University of Saskatchewan Campus), Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy

Karen Myers: CEO, Blueprint

Alan Richardson: Senior Vice President, Talent Strategy and Solutions RBC

Ruth Stephen: Director of the Behavioural Finance Lab at the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada

Peter Wallace: Senior Fellow, Munk Institute of Global Affairs and Public Policy, and Senior Advisor, Boston Consulting Group; Former Secretary, Treasury Board of Canada

Judy Whiteduck: Former Senior Director, Economic Development & Infrastructure and the Rights & Justice Branch, Assembly of First Nations

Stay tuned for more insights from the Better Evidence Council in the months to come.

Blueprint works with policymakers and practitioners to create and use evidence to solve complex policy and program challenges. Blueprint’s team brings together a multidisciplinary group of professionals with diverse capabilities in policy research, data analysis, design, evaluation, implementation and knowledge mobilization.

For further information: Anne Matthews, Director of Communications and Knowledge Mobilization, Blueprint, Anne.matthews@blueprint-ade.ca, 647-241-6251

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