Caledon Institute of Social Policy
| Formation | 1992 |
|---|---|
| Type | Public policy think tank |
| Headquarters | 1354 Wellington Street, 3rd Floor |
| Location |
|
President | Ken Battle |
| Website | www.caledoninst.org |
The Caledon Institute of Social Policy, also Caledon Institute, is a private Canadian think tank focused on social policy. It was founded in 1992.
It is primarily funded by the Maytree Foundation.
The Caledon Institute has some public visibility and garners media attention through coverage of its publications and through op eds and letters to the editor. However, its influence on public policy stems more from its significant role behind the scenes, as is evident by frequent contact with government departments relative to more visible Canadian think tanks.
Operations
Caledon does not depend on government funding and is not affiliated with any political party. It welcomes charitable donations and occasionally undertakes contract projects for governments and nongovernmental organizations on the basis that such work advances Caledon’s research agenda, but does not define it.
The Institute does rigorous, high-quality research and analysis. It seeks to inform and influence public opinion and to foster public discussion on poverty and social policy. It develops and promotes concrete, practicable proposals for the reform of social programs at all levels of government and of social benefits provided by employers and the voluntary sector.[1]
Research Areas
Caledon’s work covers a broad range of social policy areas including income security (e.g., pensions, welfare, child benefits, Employment Insurance, benefits for Canadians with disabilities), community capacity-building, taxation, social spending, employment development services, social services, disability supports and health. While Caledon focuses on Canadian issues, it draws upon international experience and innovations in social policy. Caledon also seeks to inform social policy experts and policy makers in other countries on issues and developments in Canadian social policy.
The Caledon Institute produces brief commentaries and both popular and technical reports and books. It contributes articles to the op ed pages of major newspapers, to journals and to books. In addition to work done by staff and consultants, Caledon publishes papers and commentaries written by other leading thinkers in the fields of social and economic policy.[2]
Awards
Caledon’s work has been recognized by several awards to the organization and members of its staff and board: the 2000 Policy Research Initiative’s Canadian Policy Research Award (Knowledge Broker), the 2004 Arthur Kroeger College Award for Public Affairs (Public Discourse) and the 2009 Parks and Recreation Ontario President’s Award of Distinction. In 2000, Caledon’s President, Ken Battle, was awarded the Order of Canada for his work on the National Child Benefit and on social policy reform in Canada. In 2001, Alan Broadbent, the chairperson of the Caledon Institute’s board, was named to the Order of Canada. In 2010, Caledon Vice-President Sherri Torjman was named to the Top 25 Canadians Award by the Canadian Association of Retired Persons.[3]
Caledon Papers
- Reconstructing Social Assistance in New Brunswick: Vision and Action, 2010
- Canada at 150, The Social Agenda, 2010
- The Déjà Vu Budget All Over Again, 2010
- The Red-Ink Budget, 2009
- The Three Ghosts of Poverty, 2009
- Why We Need a First Nations Education Act, 2009
- Canada's Shrunken Safety Net: Employment Insurance in the Great Recession, 2009
- The federal role in poverty reduction, 2009
- The Forgotten Fundamentals, 2008
- Make Work Pay, 2008
- A Bigger and Better Child Benefit: A $5,000 Child Tax Benefit, 2008
- Tax Fairness According to Canada's New Government, 2006
- Towards a New Architecture for Canada's Adult Benefits, 2006
- More Than a Name Change: The Universal Child Care Benefit, 2005
- A Working Income Tax Benefit That Works, 2005
- Disability Tax: The Budget's Quiet Little Secret, 2005
- Measuring child benefits: Measuring child poverty, 2005
- Disability Tax Fairness, 2005
- Relentless Incrementalism: Deconstructing and Reconstructing Canadian Income Security Policy, 2001
- Reclaiming Our Humanity, 2001
- Lest We Forget: Why Canada Needs Strong Social Programs, 1995
- Federal Social Programs: Setting the Record Straight, 1993
...and many more (See: www.caledoninst.org)
Caledon Books
- Shared Space: The Communities Agenda, 2007, ISBN 1-55382-257-9
- Minimum Wages in Canada: A Statistical Portrait with Policy Implications, 2003, ISBN 1-55382-035-5
(For other titles and order information, visit: www.caledoninst.org)