What matters for Western Canada matters for all of Canada.

Over the last few years, the Canada West Foundation has made a real difference on important issues that matter: regulations, market access, public perception, infrastructure, climate and energy policies; market access in Asia, North American trade competitiveness, trade infrastructure and trade policy; managing talent, improving workplace safety and putting more Canadians to work in better jobs that best suit their skills. And we know we have had impact. On key issues, decision-makers call us for our opinion – Premiers, federal and provincial Ministers and their staff, Senators, the media, Consuls General, and key industry leaders across all sectors. It is precisely because we are not lobbyists, but rather a non-partisan, evidence-based source of good policy recommendations, that we have the credibility to be listened to.

But we need YOUR help to do our work.

CWF relies on the support of our “family” – donors and corporate supporters like you who recognize the importance of independent, non-partisan public policy to provide evidence-based solutions. Your support will help us to continue our influential research, analysis and recommendations for the policies needed to further the economic and social prosperity of the West – and Canada as a whole.

Join a group of engaged organizations and people who believe that:

• A strong West in a strong Canada needs an independent, respected voice with a long-term view;
• Sound public policy that relies on evidence-based research can make a difference;
• Engaged leadership from civil society, industry, academia and government leads to real change.

Transparency: Our pledge to supporters

As a non-profit think tank, Canada West Foundation relies on donations. We are at our best when funded by a variety of groups: governments, corporations, individuals, and foundations all play a role. We not only acknowledge our supporters as a matter of course, we are proud to do so. Through their commitment, our supporters become part of an engaged public policy community. They tell us that they contribute because they value the work of the Foundation and want that work to continue. We think it’s pretty great that engaged citizens and organizations are willing to open their wallets in pursuit of good public policy.

However, Canada West Foundation’s independence to do our research with “no strings attached” is, quite simply, non-negotiable. All our donors know this.

We do in-depth, evidence-based research and analysis and we work hard to be good at what we do. We do not allow special interests or the opinions of our supporters to dictate the topics, research process, conclusions, or the recommendations we make. This gives us credibility and with credibility, we have impact. And that’s what drives us – the desire to make the world a better place through policy solutions that make a positive difference.

Climate Change

We also feel it is important to be clear about our stance on climate change – one of the dominant issues our society grapples with today. Canada West Foundation firmly believes in the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to minimize the effects of climate change. We support the development of government policies—including carbon pricing and emissions regulations—to achieve this goal. At the same time, we recognize the complexity of both the problem and potential solutions and believe a range of policy and technology solutions is required.

We will continue to work hard to ensure that climate policies and regulations are robust, fair, well-designed and able to drive down emissions and maintain economic competitiveness across the West and the rest of Canada.

Update: As of January 1, 2023, donations made by Albertan residents and organizations will be eligible for an increased charitable tax credit on the first $200 of their donation. The tax credit was raised retroactively from 10% to 60% after the passage of a private members bill in 2022.