25 years of informing the debate: A tribute to the Caledon Institute of Social Policy
The Caledon Institute of Social Policy is winding down its operations after 25 years on the Canadian policy landscape.
The Caledon Institute was created by Alan Broadbent and Ken Battle in 1991 to do effective work in fighting poverty in Canada. It would produce high quality work, starting with data and working towards implementable conclusions. It would be independent and nonpartisan, open to all across the political spectrum. And it would be solutions-oriented, moving beyond describing problems and assigning blame to crafting policy-ready ideas.
Twenty five years later, Caledon has changed the way we approach social policy in Canada, and produced an impressive body of work comprising over 800 publications. It has helped shape the public agenda by writing about complex issues accessibly, introducing concepts like the “welfare wall” and “social policy by stealth.” And it has had a direct impact on millions of Canadians through its recommendations and advocacy on a variety of issues pertaining to income security, work, housing, and care, including landmark policy changes like the Canada Child Benefit.
Ken Battle, Michael Mendelson, and Sherri Torjman, with the support of Anne Makhoul and Melanie Burston, have made an indelible contribution to Canada. On the occasion of Caledon’s closing, we bring you 25 years of informing the debate, a special collection of tributes to the Caledon Institute from those influenced by its work, including prime ministers, government officials, researchers, policy analysts, and academics.