Under the supervision of Director Purcell and his cabinet, the six-month project began with an internal review of attitudes, projects, responsibilities and management reporting lines. The work uncovered multiple inconsistencies and inefficiencies. What's more, there were very real risk consequences at the operational level.

To enhance the oversight of cannabis production under its regulatory mandate, the Cannabis Directorate sought expert support in developing a risk-based decision-making framework tailored to its compliance and enforcement responsibilities. The directorate aimed to better assess and respond to non-conformance with Good Production Practices (GPP) as defined in the Cannabis Act and Regulations, using a data-driven approach.

To support its Standards to Support Resilient Infrastructure Program, the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) launched a national consultation campaign to identify and prioritize climate-related standardization needs. SCC required a flexible risk prioritization framework to evaluate the relative urgency and impact of various standardization topics related to climate change adaptation and mitigation, especially in the infrastructure sector.

Facing renewed challenges in securing a reliable domestic plasma supply, Canadian Blood Services sought support to apply a Risk-Based Decision-Making (RBDM) framework. The objective was to assess the value and implications of expanding domestic plasma collection and processing capacity in response to the emergence of commercial plasma operations that export plasma to international markets.

An independent regulatory organization responsible for oversight of Alberta’s safety codes system sought to strengthen its capacity for risk-based decision-making. The organization aimed to ensure that regulatory actions—particularly in the area of petroleum storage tanks—were guided by clear, evidence-based prioritization methods that protect public safety while making effective use of resources. The project began with…

To advance the Government of Canada’s Chemicals Management Plan (CMP), a virtual expert workshop was planned and hosted to refine and evaluate a Canadian framework for the Environmental Public Health Approach (EPHA) to chemicals. The initiative focused on developing case study models that could serve as a foundation for more comprehensive assessments linking chemical exposures…

To support decision-making around modifications to opioid agonist treatment delivery, a detailed risk assessment was requested to evaluate the integration of secure dispensing devices for direct patient access to hydromorphone. Building on a previously conducted preliminary assessment, the work required a structured framework that would articulate hazards, assess likelihoods and risks, and identify mitigation strategies associated with introducing these devices into service delivery models.

A large number of domestic and foreign animal diseases with zoonotic health impacts to humans must be managed carefully to prevent disease transmission and spread. Risk management decisions often involve the comparison of different types of risk and the cost-effectiveness of different control measures for reducing risk. This requires that different types of risk be assessed in a consistent manner to allow cross-comparisons. The use of disability adjusted life years (DALYs) as a measure of the burden of human disease from domestic and foreign animal pathogens was completed for several zoonoses in Canada.

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), through its Spectrum Management Innovation Directorate, sought support in applying risk-based decision making (RBDM) across its compliance and enforcement responsibilities. The department was looking for a structured and data-driven approach to prioritize regulatory actions in a way that reflects risks to the public interest.