At Evidence for Democracy, we believe that science should help inform decisions at every level of government, not just in Ottawa or provincial legislatures, but also in the places closest to our daily lives: our cities, towns, and communities.

That’s why we’re excited to launch our newest resource: 

A Researcher’s Guide to Municipal Advocacy: Tools and Tactics for Engaging Local Governments with Science.

This toolkit, available in both French and English, was developed with support from the Chief Scientist of Québec and the Fonds de recherche du Québec, and in collaboration with municipal leaders and researchers across the country.

Our goal: to equip YOU with the tools needed to engage in advocacy with your local municipal governments. 

Why municipalities?

Believe it or not, municipalities manage over $500 billion in public assets and make daily decisions that affect how Canadians live, work, and move every day. From housing to transit, climate change to public health, local governments are on the frontlines of our biggest challenges.

Yet, municipal governments often have fewer mechanisms for accessing scientific advice than their federal or provincial counterparts. This toolkit helps close that gap by equipping scientists and researchers with the tools to engage directly with city councils, mayors, and municipal staff — ensuring that evidence plays a central role in local decisions that matter to you.

Who it’s for

This guide is built for scientists, researchers, and students who want to see their expertise put into action in their own communities. Whether you’re attending your first council meeting, running a social media campaign or already advising on local projects, the toolkit is designed to help you engage with confidence, clarity and impact.

What you’ll find inside

The toolkit offers practical guidance, real-world examples, and quick tips to help researchers connect with local governments. Highlights include:

• Why scientists should engage: Four key reasons, from influencing local policy with evidence to building public trust in science.
• Understanding municipal governments: A primer on how municipalities are structured, what services they deliver, and how they interact with provinces and the federal government.
• Tools for engagement: Step-by-step advice for attending council meetings, submitting briefs, meeting with representatives, or joining advisory bodies.
• Effective communication strategies: How to frame your message in plain language, tailor it to local priorities, and use storytelling to make your evidence resonate.
• Spotlights and success stories: From citizen science projects to Canada’s first municipal Chief Science Advisors, see how science and research are already making an impact.

Ready to dive in?

We’re proud to share this resource as part of our mission to bring evidence into every corner of decision-making in Canada.

Together, we remain committed to strengthening the bridge between science and policy, building communities that are healthier, more sustainable, and more resilient. Thank you for being part of this journey, we hope our toolkit helps you build the society you’d want to live in.