The Donald J. Savoie Institute focuses on major public policy issues at the regional, national and international level by conducting research, non-partisan and rigorous analysis, and fostering informed public debate.

The Institute is an autonomous entity; however, it has a special relationship with the Université de Moncton. Its presence on the Moncton campus fosters research with faculty members and contributes to training young researchers. Members of the research team of the Institute regularly teach courses at the Université de Moncton, which enriches the courses curriculum.

The Institute also maintains relationships with multiple partners from various institutions in Atlantic Canada and nationwide.

History

The Institute was founded in 1983 by Donald J. Savoie as the Canadian Institute for Research on Regional Development (CIRRD). Under the leadership of Professor Savoie, CIRRD has earned an enviable reputation nationally and internationally. The CIRRD hosted leading researchers and published a large number of theoretical and applied works on a range of issues related to the economic development of regions and elsewhere.

In 2005, the Institute adopted the name Canadian Institute for Research on Public Policy and Public Administration, which emphasized the central role of quality of governance, public policy and public administration in the welfare and economic development of our communities. The Institute stressed the importance of not only providing research but also assisting in the development of public policies based on a rigorous and objective analysis of major public policy issues.

In 2015, the Institute adopted its new name in honour of its founder.

The Clément-Cormier Research Chair

The Clément-Cormier Research Chair in Economic Development is dedicated to the memory of Reverend Father Clément Cormier, founder of the Université de Moncton and a leading player in the economic and social recovery of l'Acadie. It enables the Donald J. Savoie Institute (DJSI) to contribute significantly to developing a critical mass of expertise and the intellectual capital needed for the establishment of a highly respected research institute, recognized both nationally and internationally. It also acts as a point of convergence for all researchers who have an interest in economic development in Atlantic Canada.

Team

Donald J. Savoie

Donald J. Savoie

Donald J. Savoie holds the Canada Research Chair in Public Administration and Governance at the Université de Moncton, as well as the Clément-Cormier Research Chair in Economic Development. His research achievements are prodigious and his influence on Canadian public policy, Canadian public administration and Canadian society has been evident for years.
Céline Basque

Céline Basque

Céline Basque is DJSI’s Administrative Director. She holds a bachelor’s degree in linguistics from l’Université de Moncton. After her studies, Céline acquired valuable skills in office administration in the health, research and development and legal sectors. She joined the Institute in 2012

Associate Researcher

Gabriel Arsenault

Gabriel Arsenault

Gabriel Arsenault is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the École des hautes études publiques of the Université de Moncton. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Toronto and is the author of L'économie sociale au Québec. Une perspective politique (PUQ, 2018). The book won the Prix Ministère des Relations internationales et de la Francophonie du Québec / Ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires étrangères (2019).
Richard Saillant

Richard Saillant

Richard Saillant is a Moncton-based economist and public policy consultant. He holds a B.A. with double major in economics and political science, a M.A. in economics from the Université de Montréal and an M.B.A. from McGill University. Richard has spent nearly twenty years in government and academia, including as Director General at Industry Canada, as former vice-president of the Université de Moncton and as Director of the Donald J. Savoie Institute. He is the author of a number of publications including A Tale of Two Countries: How the Great Demographic Imbalance is Pulling Canada Apart. Richard was also a columnist for l’Acadie Nouvelle and for the Brunswick News dailies from 2020 to 2023.