For Canada to be a successful 21st‑century society we need to anticipate the challenges ahead and keep our minds open to the potential futures facing us all. This is the inspiration behind SSHRC’s Imagining Canada’s Future initiative.
SSHRC launched Imagining Canada’s Future in June 2011 to identify future challenge areas for Canada in an evolving global context that are likely to emerge in five, 10 and 20 years and to which the social sciences and humanities research community could contribute its knowledge, talent and expertise.
The project involved a two‑year, cross‑Canada and international consultation process, during which we reached out to more than 13,000 subject matter experts, members of the academic research community, students, and public, private and not-for-profit sector leaders, to seek their insight.
The Six Future Challenge Areas are as follows:
- What new ways of learning, particularly in higher education, will Canadians need to thrive in an evolving society and labour market?
- What effects will the quest for energy and natural resources have on our society and our position on the world stage?
- How are the experiences and aspirations of Aboriginal Peoples in Canada essential to building a successful shared future?
- What might the implications of global peak population be for Canada?
- How can emerging technologies be leveraged to benefit Canadians?
- What knowledge will Canada need to thrive in an interconnected, evolving global landscape?
SSHRC invites all applicants to its funding opportunities to review the future challenge areas, and subquestions, and to consider addressing one or more of these areas in their research proposal.