Latest Policy Bytes

Thornloe Cheese Inc.

May 1, 2019 - Thornloe Cheese Inc., has produced a respected brand of cheese products in Northern Ontario for over 75 years! Their secret to success is old-fashioned cheese making techniques and fresh milk produced in Temiskaming Shores’ unique agricultural area.

Improving Health Outcomes in Indigenous Communities

April 22, 2019 - The field of immunology is an ever-evolving landscape. For example, several studies have found that the incidence rates of allergies in the Indigenous population of Canada report lower than the average of the non-Indigenous population; yet allergies and asthma are considered to be the second-highest health concern within the Indigenous population. Why is this the case? To answer this question, we will begin by exploring the current landscape for allergies in Canada followed by an analysis of how social determinants impact health outcomes, specifically allergy rates, in Canada’s Indigenous population.

Policies, Priorities, and NPI

April 15, 2019 - At Northern Policy Institute, we have over 780,000 bosses. Over the past six years, we’ve conversed with communities and players across Ontario’s northern regions, and engaged in knowledge sharing by hosting events such as Data 101 and our annual State of the North conference. As a result of these discussions, we have drilled down into policy so that we can provide evidence-based analysis for effective decision making. As well, it has afforded us the opportunity to educate young individuals about the cut and thrust of public policy in Ontario’s northern regions.

Increasing Visibility: Female Representation in Northern Ontario Municipal Politics

March 25, 2019 - How can we, as Northern Ontarians, support female representation in municipal politics and leadership positions across our collective regions? It is increasingly recognized that having diverse perspectives in both politics and professional management settings is an asset. Diversity can enhance the decision making process, strengthen innovation, smash conventional and insular thinking, and allow for a range of new perspectives to shed light on what might otherwise go unnoticed. If we want to continue to support strong, resilient and forward thinking leadership in the North, then it is important to have structures and institutions that closely reflect the diversity and makeup of the North.