Opportunity Index

Canada's future depends on whether Canadians have real opportunities to succeed.

Yet Canada lacks a clear, unified framework for measuring opportunity across the country.

This initiative will develop an Opportunity Index to measure Canada's opportunity to succeed.

[Fund this initiative]

The past

Canada has long been built on the promise that hard work and ambition can create a better future.

The problem

Housing affordability, employment prospects, education, access to essential services, and financial pressures increasingly shape Canadians' ability to build secure lives.

These challenges are often measured separately, making it difficult to understand the overall state of opportunity in Canada.

If nothing changes: Canada risks losing sight of whether opportunity is improving or deteriorating.

Why existing approaches fall short

Existing reports measure individual economic and social outcomes, but Canadians lack a common framework for understanding how these factors interact and how opportunity changes over time.

Our initiative

Develop the Opportunity Index, an annual initiative measuring Canadians’ opportunities to succeed.

The index will bring together credible data and research to assess economic opportunity, affordability, education, health, family well-being, and future readiness.

It will identify barriers, track progress, compare outcomes where reliable data permit, and recommend practical policy improvements.

Metrics:

• National opportunity indicators and trends
• Provincial comparisons where feasible
• Research reach, media engagement, and policy engagement

Outputs:

• Annual Canadian Opportunity Report
• Public data visualizations and policy briefs
• Research briefings, webinars, and public events

What funding enables: Research, data analysis, independent review, publication, and public engagement.

Timeline: Develop the framework and research partnerships, validate indicators, and prepare the first release based on available resources and research readiness.

Two futures

Positive: Canada gains a clearer understanding of where opportunity exists, where barriers persist, and what can be done to improve outcomes.

Negative: Important barriers remain fragmented across separate measures, making progress harder to assess and policy priorities harder to establish.

Why this organization

Opportunities for Canadians Institute is committed to research and public policy that improve Canadians' prospects.

The Opportunity Index will establish a lasting national resource to measure progress, inform public debate, and help identify opportunities to build a stronger future.

Please support this initiative and help make the Opportunity Index a reality.

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