CCPA — Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

Data centres are coming. Communities will pay Local residents could face higher power bills, water shortages and constant noise

Data centres are moving in. Communities should read the fine print By @simonenoch.bsky.social and Rachel Pettigrew @policyalternatives.ca troymedia.com/technology/d...

BC Should End Costly Deals with Private Health Staffing Agencies | The Tyee Growing use of the contractors has pushed up costs and hurt morale.

BC Should End Costly Deals with Private Health Staffing Agencies. By @alonghurst.bsky.social @policyalternatives.ca #bcpoli thetyee.ca/Opinion/2026...

There’s a long way to go to closing the gender pay gap in Canada - CCPA On International Women's Day, a reminder of the work that remains to be done

International women's day is a reminder that there is still more work to be done by @kjscott.bsky.social @policyalternatives.ca #canfem www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...

Ontario students need smaller classes, not another EQAO review - CCPA Instead of chasing explanations for low test scores the government should reduce and cap class sizes in Ontario

Ontario students need smaller classes, not another EQAO review. By @ricardotranjan.bsky.social @ccpa-on.bsky.social #onted www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...

There’s a long way to go to closing the gender pay gap in Canada - CCPA On International Women's Day, a reminder of the work that remains to be done

This International Women’s Day, many women workers are struggling in low-waged sectors of the economy while those working in public services have watched their wages stagnate. So where are we in closing the wage gap? Here’s an update. 1/9 bit.ly/4bot6E9

Ontario students need smaller classes, not another EQAO review - CCPA Instead of chasing explanations for low test scores the government should reduce and cap class sizes in Ontario

A new @policyalternatives.ca analysis provides a breakdown of actual class sizes for grades 4 to 8 across Ontario - all boards and all schools.

Nearly 1,100 classes have more than 30 students!

Ontario students need class-size caps, not an EQAO review

www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...

Will Canada govern AI for the public good? - CCPA Beyond the AI race, Canada must take real steps to create a sovereign and democratic AI—and do so in coordination with other middle powers

Beyond the AI race, Canada must take real steps to create a sovereign and democratic AI—and do so in coordination with other middle powers. By Rachel Pettigrew @policyalternatives.ca
www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...

Is the U.S. coming for Canada’s dairy supply management? - CCPA Trade reforms pushed by U.S. producers and large retailers in the CUSMA review could further compromise domestic industry

Trade reforms pushed by U.S. producers and large retailers in the CUSMA review could further compromise domestic industry. By Jieyi Qin @policyalternatives.ca #CanadaUSTradeWar
www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...

"[T]he government should be making evidence-based decision-making to help everyone in Canada prevent health care problems, rather than cut budgets that will only worsen health outcomes." By @davidmaccdn.bsky.social @policyalternatives.ca www.southasianpost.com/article/8817...

Unpacking Alberta’s anti-immigrant and anti-constitutional referendums - CCPA Alberta is aiming to use anti-migrant xenophobia to promote an agenda of deregulation and privatization

Alberta is aiming to use anti-migrant xenophobia to promote an agenda of deregulation and privatization. By Marco Luciano #MigranteAlberta @policyalternatives.ca
www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...

The Province Took Over Ontario’s Biggest School Boards to Fix Their Finances. The Numbers Tell a Different Story | The Local Analysis by The Local shows Ontario’s largest boards receive some of the lowest per-pupil funding in the province—raising questions about whether the real problem is mismanagement or the funding formu...

The #Ontario government has repeatedly emphasized that it is making record-breaking investments in public education...but...school boards, on average, received $260 less per student in 2024/25 than they did in 2018/19, according to @policyalternatives.ca. #onted thelocal.to/ontario-scho...

Union asks Ontario education minister to start renegotiating contract now Canadian Union of Public Employees sends out messages provincewide urging Ontario government not to wait to start contract negotiations.

In 2025, @policyalternatives.ca said in a report on funding that the #Ontario government has underfunded education by a cumulative $6.35 billion since 2018-19. www.napaneeguide.com/news/union-o...

AI data centres are coming to Sask., and there are questions | This is Saskatchewan | CBC Podcasts | CBC Listen Bell Canada announced it plans to build an AI data centre campus south of Regina. A flurry of questions are now being asked: What kind of data centre? How will it be powered? Will it use a ton of wate...

Bell Canada announced it plans to build an AI data centre campus south of Regina. A flurry of questions are now being asked: What kind of data centre? How will it be powered? Will it use a ton of water? @simonenoch.bsky.social weighs in. @policyalternatives.ca www.cbc.ca/listen/cbc-p...

More Than 100 Organizations Urge Countries to Resist Trump’s Trade Attacks, Protect Access to Affordable Medicines - Public Citizen WASHINGTON, D.C. — Public Citizen, Health GAP, and 99 expert organizations from around the world are calling for an approach…

Read the Principles for Access to Medicines and Trade: www.citizen.org/news/more-th...

World Trade Organization strikes down climate industrial strategy again - CCPA Long-standing conflict between trade disciplines and economic support measures plague global green new deals

The WTO is at the centre of a long-standing conflict between trade and economic support measures for green new deals. By Jieyu Qin @policyalternatives.ca

www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...

Health Canada’s drug approval process is not actually broken - CCPA Looking at actual rates of new drug approvals shows the Canadian regulator does better than critics claim, although there is still room for improvement

Looking at actual rates of new drug approvals shows the Canadian regulator does better than critics claim, although there is still room for improvement. By Joel Lexchin
www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...

The case for a wealth tax is stronger than ever in Canada - CCPA An excerpt from “Cancelling Billionaires Before They Cancel Us: The Urgent Case for a Wealth Tax” by Linda McQuaig & Neil Brooks

The issue of wealth inequality is one of the most pressing social and economic problems of our time. States must take action to rein in the power of billionaires—and one key tool for doing so would be a wealth tax. By @lindamcquaig.bsky.social + Neil Brooks.
www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...

Droits de scolarité : le coût des études au Canada Le premier ministre de l’Ontario, Doug Ford, défend le dégel des droits de scolarité, même s’ils dépassent déjà ceux du Québec et de la Colombie-Britannique.

"Ce qu'on est en train de faire ici, c'est de priver une partie de la population de l'accès à l'éducation dans un contexte où l'économie change, les technologies changent, on a des menaces de Donald Trump." @ricardotranjan.bsky.social @policyalternatives.ca ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/223...

Nova Scotia's latest budget fails those most in need, critics say A public policy leader says the government's Defending Nova Scotia, Planning for the Long Term budget isn't working for the people who need it the most.

“I truly do not know what this budget is defending Nova Scotia against...” said @csaulnier.bsky.social, director at @ccpanovascotia.bsky.social. ...it is short-sighted, with a view to do the same thing that hasn’t helped most people...for the last 40 years.” www.saltwire.com/nova-scotia/...

Saskatchewan child poverty rate hits nation’s highest Saskatchewan’s child poverty rate has climbed to the highest in the country, according to a new report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. The study shows that 78,000 children in the pro...

#Saskatchewan’s child poverty rate has climbed to the highest in the country, according to a new report from @policyalternatives.ca...27.1 % of all children [in #SK], nearly ten points above the national rate of 18.3% www.discoverestevan.com/articles/sas...

Opinion: Child poverty is deepening in Saskatchewan The Saskatchewan Party government has not really made an attempt to seriously address poverty for more than a decade.

In 2023, 78,050 children under the age of 18 in Saskatchewan were in poverty, a child poverty rate of 27.1% This is well above Canada’s national child poverty rate of 18.3% and is the highest child poverty rate of all the provinces. By @simonenoch.bsky.social #skpoli leaderpost.com/opinion/lett...

Un projet de centre de données pour l’IA suscite des inquiétudes sur l’eau et l’énergie Dès l'annonce du projet, les demandes de transparence ont afflué.

Interrogé par CBC, @simonenoch.bsky.social a martelé : Je veux des détails, car nous ne pouvons pas vraiment évaluer l'impact et l'effet de ce centre de données tant que nous n'avons pas plus de précisions. @policyalternatives.ca ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/223...

One data centre or one million homes? Mapping Ontario's proposed hyperscaler boom Canada’s National Observer found and drew from multiple sources to put together a map of planned data centres in Ontario, and found at least 15 projects with a combined capacity of 2,202 MW currently ...

Senior researcher @simonenoch.bsky.social of @policyalternatives.ca said Ontario is actually “ground zero for the data investment boom in Canada...Data centres are coming to Ontario...what does that mean? What are the costs? What are the benefits?” #onpoli www.nationalobserver.com/2026/03/02/n...

Confusion and questions surround proposed AI data centre near Regina | CBC News One expert said some councils are now being asked to consider and approve data centres when they have limited understanding of what is in front of them.

"I want details because we can't really size up the impact and effect of this data centre [near #Regina] until we have more details," said @simonenoch.bsky.social , a researcher with @policyalternatives.ca #skpoli www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

‘Sounding the alarm’: Advocates express concern about austerity budget impacts on poverty and affordability in Nova Scotia  - Halifax Examiner CCPA-NS hosted Friday event called "Communities Respond: What the Budget Means for Nova Scotians: A public forum on poverty, affordability, and the road ahead"

“This [#Nova Scotia budget] will deepen inequality, whether you look at it by income, by gender, by race, by rural community,” @csaulnier.bsky.social said.
“Women actually make up 63% of public sector jobs. They will be disproportionately affected by cuts.” www.halifaxexaminer.ca/dismantling-...

Pourquoi le Yukon a le taux de pauvreté infantile le plus bas? | OHdio | Radio-Canada Écoutez l’extrait de l’émission Phare Ouest : Pourquoi le Yukon a le taux de pauvreté infantile le plus bas?

Parmi les provinces et territoires, c’est le Yukon qui affiche le taux de pauvreté infantile le plus bas, avec 12 %, contre 18,3 % en moyenne au Canada. @ricardotranjan.bsky.social, explique pourquoi le taux est moins élevé au Yukon. ici.radio-canada.ca/ohdio/premie...

Masters in our own house: Foreign ownership and investment trends in Canada - CCPA How much does foreign capital own in the Canadian economy—and how much Canadian capital do we export abroad?

How much does foreign capital own of the Canadian economy—and how much Canadian capital do we export abroad? By @marclee.bsky.social @policyalternatives.ca #cdnecon
www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...

Provincial budget does little to address Alberta health care chaos - CCPA Following decade of hospital cuts and privatization, Alberta is blaming the system’s failures on immigrants

Our take on the Alberta budget by @alonghurst.bsky.social:

www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...

NDP calls for affordability measures as child poverty persists in Saskatchewan A recent report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives is shedding light on Saskatchewan's child pov...

A recent report from @policyalternatives.ca is shedding light on #Saskatchewan’s child poverty situation...the highest child poverty rate of all the provinces. @simonenoch.bsky.social www.cjwwradio.com/2026/02/25/2...

Saskatchewan’s child poverty rate highest of any province: Report A new report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, presented by the NDP in a media conference, found Saskatchewan’s child poverty rate was nearly 9 per cent higher than the national averag...

The rate of child poverty is worse in Saskatchewan than any other Canadian province, says new report from @policyalternatives.ca. More than 78,000 children under the age of 18 in Saskatchewan were living in poverty in 2023....an increase of 1% from 2022. www.ckom.com/2026/02/26/s...