Academic research and policymaking in Ontario needs to have stronger connections, write Trent assistant professors Nick Cristiano, Yana Berardini, and Arun S Moorthy. The authors reflect on their participation in Ontario’s first Science Meets Parliament program—an event that brought together researchers and Members of Provincial Parliament to explore how academic research can inform policymaking on urgent social issues, such as equity and diversity, Indigenous knowledge systems, and science communication. Cristiano, Berardini, and Moorthy argue that fostering enduring science-policy relationships will help Ontario strengthen mental health supports, address complex social issues, and build more resilient communities. “Great policy requires great research, and breakthroughs in social progress begin when scholars and policymakers collaborate with purpose,” the authors conclude.
