A policy is a “statement by government of what it intends to do or not do, such as a law, regulation, ruling, decision, or order, or a combination of these”(p. 242, Birkland, “An introduction to the policy process”.) Social policies are specific types of “public policies that address the social (including the sociopolitical, sociocultural, and socioeconomic) conditions of a country’s citizenry. In Canada, the primary focus of legislation aimed at addressing the social condition of Canadians has tended to focus on issues of minority status, income inequality, labor market attachment, housing, child care and support, immigration, and health care.” (Social Policy in Canada, Encyclopedia of Social Work, 2014).
Learn how to:
Canadian social policies are found at the federal/national, provincial, and municipal levels of government. It is important to understand which jurisdiction is primarily responsible for implementing a policy (although there may be some overlap between the two levels of government).
Click on the Federal Government and the Ontario Government tab for more information on each jurisdiction’s responsibility, and links to policy directives, departments/ministries, and legislation.
Federal Responsibilities include:
Need more? See the full list of Canadian federal department and agencies.
Looking for Canadian federal law and legislation? See the Justice Laws website.
Provincial responsibilities include:
Need more? See the full list of Ontario Government’s ministries.
Need to find Ontario legislation/laws? See Ontario Laws.
Information about Canadian social policies can be found from different sources, including the government, academics/scholars, advocacy groups and policy research institutes. It is important to understand these different perspectives, their potential biases, and the limitations of these sources.
Click the tabs above to learn more about finding policy information from:
Government websites (federal and provincial) will provide a description and background information on their policies/programs, including any policy directives.
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Government websites (departments or ministries) |
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Academic researchers and scholars publish original research, critiques and analysis of policies from academic perspectives.
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| Academic journal Articles |
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Think tanks are research institutes and policy institutes that review, evaluate, and research various policies, including public and social policies, as well as provide critical analysis of policies, often providing and advocating for policy alternatives.
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Policy Analysis Reports
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The source of information may have political biases/ideologies (left leaning, centre, right leaning etc.) |
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