About
the Dais
The Dais is where ideas meet action.
We are a public policy and leadership institute at Toronto Metropolitan University, connecting people to the ideas and power we need to build a more inclusive, innovative, prosperous Canada.
Another think tank? Think again.
To us, bold ideas plus deliberate actions create positive change.
That’s why we bring together people confronting big challenges, put our research and solutions into the hands of decision-makers, and equip leaders with the knowledge and skills to act on the issues.
Since 2015, our team has worked across Canada and internationally to develop new ideas and better leaders, resulting in measurable change in economic, education and technology policy, and thousands of people whose lives have been changed through our leadership programs.
From our home at TMU, we have direct access to scholars, students, entrepreneurs, leaders and networks who can develop new ideas and challenge old assumptions — with national and global reach.
What we stand for
Our shared values are our strength
Belonging
We are all in. We bring an equity lens to everything we do.
Hope
We believe that people have the power to make a better future.
Truth
We challenge perception with rigorous data and evidence.
Curiosity
We marvel at each opportunity to learn something new and innovate.
Courage
We don’t back down from hard questions, thorny problems or entrenched interests.
Care
We fight for progress, but not at any cost. Our health is our wealth.
Our roots
The Dais brings together two organizations at Toronto Metropolitan University: the Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship (BII+E) and the Leadership Lab.
Founded in 2015, the Brookfield Institute became the leading policy think-tank developing data-informed research to prepare Canadians for the opportunities and risks in the shift to an innovation-driven economy.
The Leadership Lab was created in 2017 to develop people and solutions to make progress on our most pressing civic challenges, and mobilize a new generation of skilled and adaptive leaders to build a more trustworthy, inclusive society.
In 2023, with a mutual desire to amplify our impact, the two organizations combined our talents to begin a new era of putting leading policy research into action and developing leaders for a more inclusive innovation economy and thriving democracy in Canada.
Today, we are the Dais, Canada’s platform for bold policies and better leaders.