Kirstin Appelt
UBC Decision Insights for Business & Society

Stephanie Papik
Moose Hide Campaign Society

Behavioural Science for Functional Policy & Practice

Elizabeth Linos
Harvard Kennedy School

Moderator: Kerri Buschel
WorkSafeBC

How do we build governments and systems that truly work? Based on over a decade of research in and with various governments, Elizabeth Linos (Harvard Kennedy School) will draw on new behavioural science research to examine the people, processes, and feedback loops that sustain effective policy and practice—and the big questions that remain unanswered. She will explore how to strengthen the workforce, design interactions that deliver, and overcome the bottlenecks that limit the adoption of evidence. By surfacing these critical questions, the talk will chart a shared agenda for researchers and policymakers alike.

Elizabeth Linos is the Emma Bloomberg Associate Professor for Public Policy and Management, and Director of The People Lab at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Her research uses insights from behavioural science and evidence from public management to improve government by considering how to recruit, retain, and support the government workforce, how to improve resident-state interactions, and how to better integrate evidence-based policymaking into government. Elizabeth previously served as VP and Head of Research and Evaluation at the Behavioural Insights Team in North America, and policy advisor to the Greek Prime Minister focusing on social innovation and public sector reform.

1. Behavioural Insights Policies in Canada: Support for Nudges vs Nudging
   Vincent Hopkins* (University of British Columbia) & Andrea Lawlor* (McMaster University)
   Behavioural insights have become an established part of Canada's policy toolkit, but how do citizens view their use? Drawing on two large national surveys, this project finds strong public support for behaviourally informed policies while also highlighting concerns about fairness, ethics, and government overreach.
   
   

2. Flexibility and Deep Work in a Hybrid Workplace: Evidence from a Government Context
   Greg Lockwood*, Anna Vanderkooy, & Poya Saffari (Global Affairs Canada)
   What strategies can improve in-office experience and employee well-being in a hybrid work environment? This initiative evaluated two randomized controlled trials that explored scheduling flexibility and deep work in a complex government setting.
   
   

3. Misinformation is Social: The Causal Impact of Social Consensus Information on Policy-Related Misinformation Belief
   Justin Savoie*, Nicholas Diamond, Annamarie Grant, Arvin Jagayat, David Donovan, & Lauryn Conway (Impact Canada, Privy Council Office, Government of Canada)
   Whereas most previous research on policy-related mis/disinformation has focused on individual information consumers, the present project devised a new methodological approach to consider the socially networked property of mis/disinformation. We test a new intervention leveraging social consensus perceptions.

Track 1: New BI Tools for Policy & Process

1. Removing Barriers to Inclusion: Behavioural Science Solutions for a Smoother Accommodation Process  
   Maria Peddle*, Can Fenerci, Sarah Wall, Christine Kormos, & Luke Babad (Impact Canada, Privy Council Office, Government of Canada)
   As part of the Government of Canada's Better Accommodation Project (BAP), a sludge audit methodology identified and reduced "sludge" in the workplace accommodation process in the federal public service. The results offer practical insights into what worked, what didn't, and why. Lessons learned can improve timely, inclusive access to accommodations for employees with disabilities across organizations.
   
   

2. Integrating Behavioural Systems Mapping into Policy Processes 
   Anna Burrowes* & Isabel Chew (BC Behavioural Insights Group)
   The BC Behavioural Insights Group (BC BIG) will share key benefits we've seen from integrating system mapping into our work with government partners addressing complex policy challenges. We'll also offer practical tips for those looking to apply system mapping in their own change or policy initiatives.
   
   

Track 2: Humans & the Natural World

1. Nudging Coexistence: Testing Behavioral Interventions for Human-Bear Safety 
   Sima Khanal*, Sumeet Gulati, David Hardisty, & Rumi Naito (University of British Columbia)
   This project uses a quasi-randomized field experiment in BC Parks to evaluate whether simple behavioural nudges (information cards, stickers, and small gift card incentives) can reduce unsafe camper practices and promote safer coexistence between people and bears.
   
   

2. Behavioural Systems on Board: An Integrated Approach to Riverine Populations’ Health
   Caroline Reis*, Flora Pfeifer, & Claudio Meilman (Brazilian Institute of Behavioral Sciences) & Luciane Wandermurem (Oswaldo Cruz Foundation)
   The NAVIO Project combines healthcare delivery and pathogen surveillance in remote riverine communities of the Brazilian Pantanal. By applying behavioral systems mapping, we aim to link behaviors with environmental and structural dynamics, ensuring that future interventions are both behaviorally informed and systemically grounded.
   
   

Track 3: Healthy Choices

1. Using Behavioural Science to Improve Antibiotic Stewardship in Canadian Long-Term Care Homes 
   Tyler Good* & Jorida Cila (Behavioural Science Office, Public Health Agency of Canada), Barbara Catt (Antimicrobial Resistance Task Force, Public Health Agency of Canada), Rhiannon Mosher, Catherine Guo, & Mark Morrissey (Behavioural Science Office, Public Health Agency of Canada)
   This study aimed to promote antimicrobial stewardship in Canadian long-term care homes by improving adherence to guidelines for urinary tract infection testing. From behavioural and systems mapping to intervention development, implementation, and evaluation, this presentation will share lessons learned and key takeaways from this multi-center, mixed-methods quality improvement project.
   
   

2. A Behaviourally-Informed Approach to Shifting Purchases to Local, Organic Food Choices Among Parents of Young Children 
   Lindsey Boyle* (Canadian Centre for Food & Ecology) & Kate White (University of British Columbia)
   In partnership with The Sweet Potato Organic Grocer, Pfenning's Organic Farms, and Healthy Moms, we conducted an RCT to test three message conditions (taste, nutrition and sustainability) to encourage local, organic food choices. The taste condition had significantly lower engagement. While sales did not change during the study period, there was some evidence of increased sales over time.
   
   

Track 4: Energy & Climate

1. Pro-Climate Behaviours in Atlantic Canada 
   Nicolle Jaramillo* (Net Zero Atlantic), Raquel Rosas & Eliza-Jane Stringer (Davis Pier), Mary Beth Doucette (Cape Breton University), Stanley Asah (Dalhousie University), Martin Day (Memorial University of Newfoundland), David Foord (University of New Brunswick), & Lena Liang & Xiao Chen (University of Prince Edward Island)
   This project investigated the role of human behaviour in driving pro-climate actions within key greenhouse gas emission sectors. Through qualitative research and energy system modelling, it aimed to gain a deeper understanding of barriers, motivations, and opportunities, emphasizing the importance of equity, diversity, and accessibility in fostering sustainable behaviour change.
   
   

2. How BC Hydro is Using Behavioural Insights to Balance Supply and Demand for Electricity 
   Arien Korteland* (BC Hydro), Sasha Tregebov & Amna Raza (BIT), & Vicky Rubio (BC Hydro)
   This presentation will share how BC Hydro is using social sciences and behavioural insights to garner customer collaboration in balancing the power grid to better match supply and demand of electricity through its residential Peak Saver demand response program.
   
   

Track 5: Financial Decisions

1. Encouraging Pension Savings: A Nationwide Reminder Megastudy 
   Heidi Reinson* (University of Tartu & Maastricht University), Thomas Post (Maastricht University & Netspar), Nina Mazar (Boston University), Crystal Reeck (Temple University), Stylianos Syropoulos (Arizona State University), Andris Saulitis (Collegio Carlo Alberto), Avni Shah (University of Toronto), & Andero Uusberg (University of Tartu)
   This preregistered national RCT (N = 127,974) tested nine behaviourally informed reminder emails against no reminder in the week before Estonia's year-end tax deadline. Simple reminders increased retirement contributions by €1.2 million in one week, with family-focused messaging showing the strongest effects on contribution amounts.
   
   

2. Promoting Tax Compliance Amidst Five Layers of Complexity 
   Hamilton Carvalho* (Sao Paulo State Tax Agency)
   This project explores how behavioural insights can promote tax compliance in São Paulo, Brazil, revealing five layers of complexity (data, taxpayer behaviour, fraud, legal change, and systemic patterns) that shape the effectiveness of nudges.

Expanding Your BI Playbook

Applied behavioural science is constantly evolving—as a field, we are always learning new things about human behaviour and about how to do better science. Lindsay Miles-Pickup (BC Public Service) will moderate this session exploring tools and perspectives that will advance your practice of behavioural science, including:

• Integrating Systems Thinking: Jennifer Macklin (BehaviourWorks Australia) will share how to use behavioural systems mapping to help incorporate systems thinking principles into behavioural science.

• Including Indigenous Perspectives: Emily Salmon (Unxiimtunaat) (Simon Fraser University) will discuss the importance of understanding our own worldviews and including other worldviews.

• Leveraging Qualitative Methods: Rhiannon Mosher (Public Health Agency of Canada) will explain how and why to use mixed methods throughout behavioural science projects.

• Using Artificial Intelligence Wisely: Sasha Tregebov (BIT) will talk about the ways behavioural science practitioners can use AI to increase their efficiency and efficacy.

1. Can Five Minutes Shift Financial Behaviour? A Behaviourally Informed Intervention to Reduce Credit Card Debt
   Jeannette Benson* (Financial Consumer Agency of Canada) & Nicole Robitaille, Avery Haviv, Ekin Ok, & Tara Rezvan (Queen's University)
   This study evaluates whether a five-minute, behaviourally informed intervention can drive meaningful reductions in credit card debt among Canadians. By embedding behavioural science principles into a gamified mobile platform, the intervention offers a scalable approach to shifting financial behaviour.
   
   

2. Testing Framing and Simplification to Increase Engagement with a Contractor Search Tool
   Julie Wilson (Nudge Vancouver), Alison Schatz (Metro Vancouver Regional District), James McNeill (BC Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction), Monika Spence (B.C.'s Office of the Human Rights Commissioner), and David Hardisty (University of British Columbia)
   Encouraging safer hiring decisions means getting people to use public safety tools. We partnered with Technical Safety BC to test whether email framing and web simplification could nudge more people to use the "Find a Licensed Contractor" tool, finding mixed results across click-through rates and completed searches.
   
   

3. Increasing Organ Donation Registrations at Citizen Services Offices
   Takuro Ishikawa* & Anna Burrowes (BC Behavioural Insights Group), Lindsay Miles-Pickup (BC Public Service), Mikayla Ford, Stephanie Wilkie, & Carl Jensen (BC Behavioural Insights Group), Craig Hutton ((former) BC Behavioural Insights Group), Service BC, and BC Transplant
   Exposing people to a message highlighting that most people support organ donation but few are registered led to an increase in organ donation registrations.

Carl Jensen
BC Behavioural Insights Group