Impact Canada

Impact Canada is a Canadian government initiative based out of the Privy Council Office's Impact and Innovation Unit in Ottawa, Ontario. It has been described as the Government of Canada's “behaviour-nudging team”.¹⁾

Impact Canada was established in 2017.^{2) 3)}

Starting in April 2020, Impact Canada conducted a “scientific experiment”, mostly “under the radar”, using behavioural science in which “ordinary citizens were the laboratory subjects.”⁴⁾ The study is called COVID-19 Snapshot Monitoring (COSMO), and captures the “attitudes and behaviour on all things pandemic-related” of about 2,000 participants while implementing the “WHO Behavioural Insights tool on COVID-19 to inform response efforts, including policy, interventions and communications.”⁵⁾

On February 5, 2021, Theresa Tam acknowledged that such studies were being “carried out by the Privy Council Office, where there is a behavioural insight team,” which had contributed to “the intention for Canadians to get the vaccine” increasing since the beginning of Canada's COVID-19 vaccine rollout.⁶⁾ She then stated that the government planned to “work with the internet and social media companies and that has been happening with Facebook, Google, YouTube and others.”

From March 11-30, 2021, Impact Canada ran their fourth study on COVID-19 vaccines titled “Messaging in Response to Adverse Events Following Immunization”. The study tested seven possible messages, delivered randomly by the “Government of Canada, a top Canadian medical professional, or a spokesperson for the vaccine manufacturer.” Impact Canada concluded that “behaviourally-informed messages” “significantly outperformed the status quo communications strategy” when publicly addressing reports of adverse events related to COVID-19 vaccines.⁷⁾

A May 2021 memo titled “Testing Behaviourally-Informed Messaging In Response To Severe Adverse Events Following Immunization” disclosed via an Access to Information (ATIP) request describes messaging guidance very similar to Impact Canada's study, including recommending “that any COVID vaccine-related injuries or deaths be carefully managed with 'winning communication strategies' as to not 'shake public confidence.'”⁸⁾

Partners of the Impact Canada Initiative include:¹²⁾

• Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
• Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
• Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
• Canadian Space Agency
• Department of Fisheries and Oceans
• Employment and Social Development Canada
• Environment and Climate Change Canada
• Indigenous Services Canada
• Infrastructure Canada
• Global Affairs Canada
• Health Canada
• Natural Resources Canada
• Public Health Agency of Canada
• Public Safety Canada

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