The report identified gaps in the provinces mechanisms for doing and using good science in government decision-making and outlines several recommendations. As a result, E4D and PEA have launched the campaign Spotlight on Integrity to call on BC MLAs to take steps to strenghten scientific integrity in the province. Read the full report.

Scientific professionals in the provincial government play a fundamental role in protecting public health, preserving natural resources, contributing to our economy, and ensuring the safety and prosperity of the people of British Columbia. In BC, these professionals include foresters, engineers, researchers, environmental scientists, and health professionals, among others.

In the midst of a pandemic, the importance of government science is especially clear. Scientific professionals in our public service are leading the way in the COVID-19 response, and will play a critical role in rebuilding our communities. The success of BC in responding to this crisis would not be possible without their work and effective mechanisms for science to be used in government decisions. Public service science is always important, but this crisis amplifies the way dedicated professionals serve the people of BC.

In order to protect public sector science now and into the future, and to ensure science continues to serve the public, government science must be well supported, completed without interference, communicated effectively, and used transparently in government decision-making. Together these create a strong culture of science integrity in the public service.

This science integrity is at risk in BC.

In our newly released research report Spotlight on Integrity, we found that these necessary steps for science integrity are all at risk at the provincial level. Survey data indicates that many of BC’s scientific professionals don’t have the resources they need to meet their scientific mandates, and have identified barriers to the effective use of science and evidence in government decision-making.

While strong science and research are always important, the COVID-19 pandemic lays bare the need for strong capacity for doing and using science in our government processes. Now is the time to be investing in science to build our resilience and strengthen our preparedness.

That’s why, as our decision-makers tackle the important task of rebuilding our communities and safeguarding our futures, we are writing to remind them of the important role scientists have played both through this critical time and before, building up bodies of knowledge upon which evidence-based decisions are being made.