Smart Prosperity Institute

Smart Prosperity Institute
Name	Smart Prosperity Institute
Formation	2017
Type	Think tank
Headquarters	Ottawa, Ontario
Leader title	Director
Leader name	Mark Jaccard

Smart Prosperity Institute is a Canadian research think tank focused on market-based solutions for environmental challenges and sustainable growth. It links policy analysis with applied research to advise on carbon pricing, innovation, and fiscal instruments across provincial and federal jurisdictions. The institute interfaces with academic centers, international organizations, and business associations to translate evidence into policy options.

Overview

The institute operates at the intersection of climate policy, energy systems, and industrial strategy, engaging with actors such as the Government of Canada, Premier of Ontario, Alberta Ministry of Environment and Parks, European Commission, and World Bank. Its work touches on topics relevant to stakeholders including the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Business Council of Canada, UNEP, International Energy Agency, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Researchers often cite comparative studies involving the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (Ontario), Bank of Canada, Assembly of First Nations, and provincial regulatory bodies like the Alberta Energy Regulator.

History and Founding

Founded in 2017 with ties to academic units and policy networks, the institute emerged amid debates following the Paris Agreement and federal-provincial dialogues such as those involving the Council of the Federation. Founders and early directors drew on experience from institutions like Simon Fraser University, University of British Columbia, University of Toronto, and policy groups including the Pembina Institute, Canadian Institute for Climate Choices, C.D. Howe Institute, and David Suzuki Foundation. Early funding and advisory inputs referenced frameworks used by the Green Climate Fund, Global Green Growth Institute, and think tanks such as the Brookings Institution and Resources for the Future.

Mission and Objectives

The institute’s mission emphasizes pragmatic policy design to accelerate low-carbon innovation, competitiveness, and inclusive prosperity, aligning with international commitments under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and mechanisms like the Green New Deal debates. Objectives include designing carbon pricing mechanisms akin to models from British Columbia, informing industrial policy seen in Germany's Energiewende, and supporting technological diffusion comparable to initiatives by the European Investment Bank, Asian Development Bank, and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation-backed programs.

Research Programs and Initiatives

Programs span carbon pricing analysis, clean innovation policy, and transition strategies for sectors such as oil and gas, forestry, and transportation. Projects cross-reference methodologies from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, modeling approaches used at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and scenario analysis paralleling the International Renewable Energy Agency. Notable initiative themes are just transition planning engaging with unions like the Canadian Labour Congress, indigenous consultation practices with the Assembly of First Nations, and fiscal instruments studied alongside the OECD Environment Directorate and the World Economic Forum.

Policy Impact and Advocacy

The institute contributes to policy debates through briefings to entities such as the House of Commons of Canada committees, submissions to the Canada Energy Regulator, and participation in consultations by the Environment and Climate Change Canada. Its recommendations have been discussed in provincial policy reviews similar to the Alberta Climate Leadership Plan and federal programs influenced by the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change. Engagements include testimony before parliamentary panels, collaborations with municipal bodies like the City of Toronto, and input into procurement strategies inspired by the United Kingdom Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy.

Governance and Funding

Governance comprises an advisory board with academics and industry leaders affiliated with institutions including McGill University, Queen's University, York University, University of Calgary, and organizations like the Royal Bank of Canada and Export Development Canada. Funding sources historically mirror patterns seen in foundations such as the Sustainable Development Technology Canada, corporate philanthropy models used by Suncor Energy and Enbridge, and grants from provincial agencies comparable to the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade.

Partnerships and Collaborations

The institute partners with universities, think tanks, and international organizations including Natural Resources Canada, the University of Ottawa, Carleton University, and policy networks like the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy. Collaborative research has involved datasets and practices aligned with Statistics Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada, and international collaborators such as Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the University of Cambridge.

Publications and Communications

Outputs include policy briefs, technical reports, and commentary disseminated through channels similar to academic presses at the University of British Columbia Press and policy outlets like The Globe and Mail, National Post, CBC News, Policy Options, and journals comparable to Energy Policy and Climate Policy. Communications engage stakeholders via events modeled on forums like the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, webinars in partnership with the Canadian Climate Institute, and workshops emulating formats used by the Royal Society.

Category:Think tanks based in Canada