BIG Difference BC 2025:
Changing Behaviour in Complex Systems

DRAFT PROGRAM || ABSTRACTS


Friday, November 7, 2025

9:00am to 4:00pm Pacific Time
Zoom webinaR

Register now to reserve your free spot!


9:00am - 9:30am welcome remarks

 

Kirstin Appelt
UBC Decision Insights for Business & Society

Stephanie Papik
Moose Hide Campaign Society

9:30am - 10:30am    Keynote Address

 

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

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.

10:30am - 10:45am Break

10:45am - 11:50am      Lightning Talks

 
  1. Behavioural Insights Policies in Canada: Support for Nudges vs Nudging
    Vincent Hopkins* (University of British Columbia) & Andrea Lawlor* (McMaster University)

  2. Flexibility and Deep Work in a Hybrid Workplace: Evidence from a Government Context
    Greg Lockwood*, Anna Vanderkooy, & Poya Saffari (Global Affairs Canada)

  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)

Moderator: Jeff Mackey-Murdock (City of Vancouver)

11:50am - 12:30pm Lunch BREAK

12:30pm - 1:00pm      Micro-Presentations

 

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)

  2. Integrating Behavioural Systems Mapping into Policy Processes 
    Anna Burrowes* & Isabel Chew (BC Behavioural Insights Group)

    Moderator: Tim Hannan (WorkSafeBC)

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)

  2. Behavioural Systems on Board: An Integrated Approach to Riverine Populations’ Health in the NAVIO Project
    Caroline Reis*, Flora Pfeifer, & Claudio Meilman (Brazilian Institute of Behavioral Sciences) & Luciane Wandermurem (Oswaldo Cruz Foundation)

    Moderator: Dave Hardisty (University of British Columbia)

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)

  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)

    Moderator: Stina Grant (BC Behavioural Insights Group)

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)

  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)

    Moderator: Jordana Composto (University of British Columbia)

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)

  2. Promoting Tax Compliance Amidst Five Layers of Complexity 
    Hamilton Carvalho* (Sao Paulo State Tax Agency)

    Moderator: Will Wang (University of British Columbia)

1:00pm - 2:30pm     Special Session

 

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.

2:45pm - 3:50pm     Lightning Talks

 
  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)

  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)

  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

Moderator: Christine Kormos (Impact Canada, Privy Council Office, Government of Canada)

3:50pm - 4:00pm Closing Remarks

 

Carl Jensen
BC Behavioural Insights Group


*indicates presenter.
Draft program subject to change.
All listed times are Pacific Time (UTC−07:00).