DataNB
The latest from the New Brunswick Institute for Research, Data and Training

As New Brunswickers, we value what makes our home unique – tight-knit communities, natural resources, bilingualism and Maritime culture. However, being different from other provinces means that New Brunswick cannot expect the programs and policies that have boosted prosperity and growth elsewhere will do the same for us. New Brunswick is often overshadowed in federal legislation by Canada’s larger, wealthier provinces, and Canadian policies don’t always reflect the challenges facing New Brunswick. We are unique, as are the challenges we face, and we require unique policy solutions. One of the key figures we have to thank for giving us the tools to inform these solutions is Dr. Ted McDonald. 

Created by IPAC New Brunswick, with the Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick as its patron, the Donald G. Dennison Award for Public Administration recognizes champions in public service for their significant contributions and embodying the values of public service. We are proud to announce that the recipient for the 2022 Donald G. Dennison Award for Public Administration is none other than NB-IRDT founding director, Dr. Ted McDonald. 

Dr. McDonald undertook the task of building a research facility that could securely host data, ensure user background checks and privacy training, vet data access requests, prepare the necessary data for research and monitor access, as well as perform research at arm’s length from government to inform public policy at a fraction of the cost of private consulting groups. NB-IRDT's ability to link information from multiple sources – government, regional health authorities, non-governmental organizations, and more – has revolutionized data availability for research in the province. 

Dr. McDonald has researched and published on a wide variety of issues in health and labour economics, with more than 70 refereed publications, over 100 conference presentations and almost 5700 research citations of his work. The guiding force behind NB-IRDT, Dr. McDonald is also the Academic Director of the NB Statistics Canada Research Data Centre. In addition, he has held numerous leadership roles in the Faculty of Arts at UNB and on regional and national committees, particularly those focused on increasing data access to support policy-relevant research. To say that New Brunswick has benefitted from his stalwart commitment would be an understatement. We are pleased to congratulate Dr. McDonald on this achievement and look forward to his future contributions.