At Evidence for Democracy (E4D), we believe that transparent usage of evidence in decision-making is crucial for creating policies that serve the public interest. Over the past few years, our Eyes on Evidence series has highlighted the gaps and opportunities in the use of evidence by governments across Canada. Today, we are excited to launch the Eyes on Evidence: Best Practices Toolkit (available in English and French), an actionable resource designed to help policymakers enhance transparency in their decision-making processes. This toolkit builds on insights from the Eyes on Evidence reports, turning our findings into practical recommendations for improving evidence use and communication in policy-making.

The Eyes on Evidence series began as a multi-year project aimed at evaluating how evidence is used and communicated in policy-making in Canada. Here are some of the key takeaways from the reports and how the toolkit can aid in fixing the gaps outlined in Eyes on Evidence series.

1. The Transparency Gap in Evidence Usage

In the Eyes on Evidence report, a framework to evaluate the transparency of evidence underlying policy decisions, originally developed by Sense About Science in the United Kingdom, was adapted and tested in the Canadian context.Eyes on Evidence II and III applied this framework to evaluate the transparency of evidence usage in over 200 policies announced by the federal government and the provincial governments of Ontario, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan. The findings were clear: Candians face significant challenges when trying to access the evidence behind policy decisions. In fact, the majority of policies lacked clear documentation of how evidence was used, leaving the public unable to understand the rationale behind many decisions (Figure 1).

How the toolkit helps:

The Best Practices Toolkit directly addresses these concerns by offering tools to increase transparency. Policymakers will find guidance on how to clearly document and communicate the evidence behind their decisions, ensuring that policies are backed by data that is accessible to the public. By improving transparency, policymakers can rebuild trust and demonstrate accountability.

2. Barriers to Evidence-Informed Decision-Making

In our Eyes on Evidence: What We Heard report, we brought these results back to  federal and provincial public servants, elected officials, and political staff to understand internal challenges to using and sharing evidence. Many policymakers expressed frustration over the barriers they face, including a lack of time, resources, and structural incentives to incorporate evidence into their work. Public servants were often motivated to use evidence, but they may lack the frameworks and tools to do so effectively. 

How the toolkit helps:

The Best Practices Toolkit offers solutions to overcome these barriers. It includes practical strategies to integrate evidence usage at every stage of policy-making, from diagnosis to evaluation, and encourages the use of internal structures such as data analysis units and science advisory offices. By equipping policymakers with the right tools, the toolkit and its companion guides makes it easier to embed evidence into the decision-making process.

3. Public Desire to Greater Evidence Transparency

This lack of transparency is not just a technical problem – it impacts public trust in government. The public wants to see that decisions are backed by credible data, but when evidence is hidden or unclear, it fuels mistrust and disengagement. We surveyed Canadians to gain insights about their perceptions of the use of evidence in decision-making. Polling revealed that eight out of ten Canadians want to see the evidence behind government decisions (Figure 2), yet only less than 25% felt satisfied with the level of transparency on factors that influence policy decisions.

Canadians’ demand for transparency reflects a growing desire for governments to be more accountable. From navigating public health crises to addressing climate change, public trust depends on understanding the evidence that shapes critical policies.

How the Toolkit Helps:

The Best Practices Toolkit and its companion guides provide policymakers with methods to improve evidence communication. It includes practical strategies for creating pain-language summaries, linking evidence sources, and ensuring that evidence can be easily accessed by those outside of the government. These resources empower governments to respond to public demand for greater transparency.

The Eyes on Evidence series provided a clear roadmap of the challenges facing evidence-informed decision-making in Canada. The Best Practices Toolkit takes these findings and transforms them into a user-friendly guide designed to:

• Improve transparency at each stage of policy-making. Policymakers can follow step-by-step guidance on how to document, assess, and communicate the evidence they use.
• Foster collaboration between governments, stakeholders, and the public. By creating accessible evidence summaries and proactively sharing data, the toolkit encourages a more open and participatory approach to policy-making.
• Strengthen the use of evidence in various situations. Whether responding to crises or planning long-term strategies, policy-makers can use the toolkit’s frameworks to ensure evidence is front and center in decision-making.

In addition to the Eyes on Evidence: Best Practices Toolkit, we have also designed companion guides to complement the toolkit to provide deeper insights into key areas of evidence-informed policy-making. These guides will offer targeted support for policymakers and provide practical solutions to foster more transparent, evidence-informed policies.

The Eyes on Evidence: Best Practices Toolkit is more than just a resource – it’s a commitment to building a culture of transparent, evidence-informed decision-making in Canada. By leveraging the lessons from the Eyes on Evidence reports, the toolkit and its companion guides equip policymakers with the tools they need to create more accountable and effective policies.