Institute for Research on Public Policy

Canadian Federalism

Since the 1970s, the IRPP has been a recognized authority on the complex and thorny issues surrounding the Canadian federation. This research program contributed to the ongoing federalism debate through research and activities on the social union framework agreement, the Council of the Federation, health care reform, fiscal federalism (reform of equalization and social transfers) and changes to the federal spending power, among other topics.

For current work on Canadian Federalism, check out the IRPP’s Centre of Excellence on the Canadian Federation.

Latest Research

Clearing the Air on Federal and Provincial Climate Change Policy in Canada

Clearing the Air on Federal and Provincial Climate Change Policy in Canada

Tracy Snoddon and Randall Wigle

Defining the Federal Government’s Role in Social Policy

Defining the Federal Government’s Role in Social Policy

The Spending Power and Other Instruments

Hamish Telford, Peter Graefe and Keith Banting

Reflections on the Federal Spending Power

Reflections on the Federal Spending Power

Practices, Principles, Perspectives

Thomas J. Courchene

More on this topic

Global Futures for Canada’s Global Cities

Thomas J. Courchene (June 19, 2007)

Energy Prices, Equalization and Canadian Federalism

Comparing Canada's Energy Price Shocks

Thomas J. Courchene (August 28, 2006)

Accountability and Federalism in the Era of Federal Surpluses

The Paul Martin Legacy, Part II

Thomas J. Courchene (February 15, 2006)

Resource Revenues and Equalization

Five-Province vs. National-Average Standards, Alternatives to the Representative Tax System, and Revenue-Sharing Pools

Thomas J. Courchene (August 31, 2005)

Citistates and the State of Cities

Political-Economy and Fiscal-Federalism Dimensions

Thomas J. Courchene (June 21, 2005)

Fiscal Gaps and Imbalances

The New Fundamentals of Canadian Federalism

France St-Hilaire (May 26, 2005)

Vertical and Horizontal Fiscal Imbalances

An Ontario Perspective

Thomas J. Courchene (May 4, 2005)

An Examination of the Interaction between Natural Resource Revenues and Equalization Payments

Lessons for Atlantic Canada

Wade Locke and Paul Hobson (October 22, 2004)

The Changing Nature of Quebec-Canada Relations

From the 1980 Referendum to the Summit of the Canadas

Thomas J. Courchene (September 7, 2004)

Federal-Provincial Transfers for Social Programs in Canada

Their Status in May 2004

Stephen Laurent and François Vaillancourt (July 21, 2004)

Constructive and Co-operative Federalism?

A Series of Commentaries on the Council of the Federation

Tom Kent, Frances Abele and Michael J. Prince, Bob Rae, Douglas M. Brown, André Burelle, Roger Gibbins, Gregory P. Marchildon, J. Peter Meekison, Alain Noël, Claude Ryan, Hamish Telford, Ronald L. Watts (October 31, 2003)

Governance in a World Without Frontiers

Edited by Thomas J. Courchene and Donald J. Savoie (February 1, 2003)

L’union sociale canadienne dans le miroir des politiques sociales de l’Union européenne

Bruno Théret (July 30, 2002)

Le modèle québécois de politiques sociales et ses interfaces avec l’Union sociale canadienne

Yves Vaillancourt (January 31, 2002)

Restoring the Federal Principle

The Place of Quebec in the Canadian Social Union

Christian Dufour (January 29, 2002)

SUFA and Citizen Engagement

Fake or Genuine Masterpiece?

Susan D. Phillips (December 18, 2001)

Power and Purpose in Intergovernmental Relations

Alain Noël (November 14, 2001)

Exploring the Political Foundations of SUFA

Roger Gibbins (July 31, 2001)

Collaborative Federalism with a Footnote?

Alain Noël (April 5, 2000)