Council Of Canadian Academies / Conseil Des Académies Canadiennes

The Council of Canadian Academies is an independent, not-for-profit organization that supports independent, authoritative, and evidence-based expert assessments that inform public policy development in Canada. The Council’s work encompasses a broad definition of science, incorporating the natural, social and health sciences as well as engineering and the humanities. The Council began operation in 2005 and consists of a Board of Governors, a Scientific Advisory Committee and Secretariat. The Council draws upon the intellectual capital that lies within its three Member Academies: the Royal Society of Canada (RSC); the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE); and the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS). Assessments are conducted by multidisciplinary panels of experts from across Canada and abroad. Expert panels directly address the question and sub-questions referred to them by sponsors. Assessments may also consider emerging issues, gaps in knowledge, Canadian strengths, and international trends and practices. Assessments provide government decision-makers, academia and stakeholders with the high-quality information required to develop informed and innovative public policy. Potential assessment questions can be referred to the Council by foundations, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, or any level of government. All assessment questions, regardless of source, and the resulting reports must be approved by the Council’s Board of Governors.