is a strong and inclusive Canadian economy that thrives within nature’s limits.
is to connect problem-solvers to generate solutions to the most complex challenges at the nexus of environment, economy, and society.
Today, Canadians, and particularly young adults, have serious doubts about whether complex and often polarized sustainability challenges can be solved at all. Fears about housing and affordability, food security, pollution, and the impacts of climate change are more acute than ever before. But optimism is in short supply.
We work at the intersection of these issues, and on changing the systems that underpin them, to bend the curve toward progress. We believe a future that is progressively better for people’s lives is worth solving for – and we believe that future is possible.
In 2020, the Smart Prosperity Institute and Generate Canada officially allied our energy and talent in recognition of our shared vision for a strong and inclusive Canadian economy that thrives within nature’s limits.
The Smart Prosperity Institute’s world-leading research and policy expertise across diverse fields–including carbon markets, natural climate solutions, sustainable agriculture, conservation finance, affordable housing, and workforce development–helps to inform and achieve Generate Canada’s mission to generate actionable solutions. At the same time, by engaging in our Solution Spaces alongside problem-solvers from industry, governments and civil society, Smart Prosperity gleans critical insights that can only come from working at the frontlines. Our partnership creates a “virtuous circle” that empowers us to accomplish more together than we could alone.
Learn MoreWe are a Canada-wide team of industry leaders and practitioners, academic researchers and policy experts, highly-trained convenors, facilitators, and program designers. What do we have in common? We’re as clear-eyed about the complex sustainability challenges of our time as we are committed to the conviction that significant change is possible.
Sue O’Reilly
Finance & Administrative Coordinator
I’m here because it’s important for me to do as much as I can to make the world a better place for my grandchildren.
Moojan Haidari
Manager of Communications, Canada Plastics Pact
I’m here because we need to find solutions that enable us to coexist harmoniously with nature.
Chinweizu Okeke
Research Associate, Smart Prosperity Institute
I want to do work that positively impacts people. Skills&labour are people focused because they don’t exist in a vacuum, but are attached to real people.
Brian Nicholson
Director, Government Relations, Energy Futures Lab
While it’s too true today that ‘good policy’ does not always make good politics, together we’re approaching the work in new and innovative ways to help encourage ‘great policy.’
Creating the space and conditions where the hard work of change can get done requires a deliberate and thoughtful approach. These principles guide how we work and make decisions.
We provide unambiguous leadership on the tough sustainability issues where we are best positioned to shape outcomes. Our relentless focus on solutions that are good for both the economy and our environment means not shying away from challenging conversations or unconventional partners.
We foster collaboration and inclusivity to generate innovative solutions, respectfully surfacing divergent views and remaining vehemently non-ideological. We create the space where the best and most workable ideas can arise and get done.
We will draw on and generate credible evidence, from academic research and people’s lived experiences, to ensure our decisions and recommendations are balanced and well-informed.
Achieving our vision requires an organization-wide commitment to two different, but related, journeys: JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) and Reconciliation. We will build our internal and external capacity to make progress on both journeys with humility, respect, and a willingness to listen, learn, improve, and transform.
Read our full commitmentWe will focus our impact on driving systems-level change. By definition, this means steering away from band-aid fixes and pursuing interventions that challenge, rather than reinforce, the status quo.
We can only achieve a strong, inclusive, and sustainable Canadian economy by embracing, internalizing and acting on the principles of JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion) and Reconciliation. We recognize that this requires an organization-wide commitment to two different, but related, journeys.
Read Our CommitmentOur Solution Space teams, advisory councils, platforms, and partnerships are all custom designed to address the specific problems we are working to solve. We invite you to learn more, get inspired, and consider what role you or your organization can play in solving these challenges—whether with us or with others.
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