New Canadian Tax Observatory seeks visionary founding CEO

May 21, 2025| News release

May 21, 2025, Toronto (ON) – Canada’s tax system is contributing to economic inequality and an increased concentration of wealth, but there is a widespread misunderstanding of how our tax system works and who it serves. Many well-funded interests falsely suggest that tax fairness would undermine economic growth.

Recognizing the need for more balance in publicly available information, Social Capital Partners and other funders are incubating a new, non-partisan, nonprofit Canadian institution to lead an informed national conversation on the links between taxation, economic fairness and a thriving democracy.

“There is a global groundswell of interest in economic systems that deliver equitable benefits across society. Our vision for a more democratic capitalism in Canada requires well-regulated markets and policy changes that provide real opportunities for people to build economic security. And it also requires fair taxation,” says the Canadian Tax Observatory’s founding board chair, Matthew Mendelsohn. “We are seeking a visionary leader who can shape and grow the Observatory into a permanent, influential Canadian institution connected to global networks identifying better, more effective ways to achieve tax fairness.”

The organization’s mission is to support a more equitable tax system that advances shared prosperity and economic growth through rigorous research, collaboration, advocacy and public education. The board has secured seed funding of approximately $550,000 per year over three years and is in the foundational stages of building the incorporated nonprofit organization into a registered charity. The board is open to adapting the Observatory’s operating structure to suit the preferred leadership model of the chosen leader.

To learn more about the Founding CEO position and how to submit a Statement of Ambition expressing interest in this transformative role, please visit: www.socialcapitalpartners.ca/ObservatoryFoundingCEO

About the Canadian Tax Observatory

The Canadian Tax Observatory is an essential voice in Canadian tax policy. A non-partisan nonprofit established in 2025, the new organization supports a more equitable tax system that advances shared prosperity and economic growth through rigorous research, collaboration, advocacy and public education. The Canadian Tax Observatory’s founding board of directors is comprised of Chief Executive Officer of Social Capital Partners Matthew Mendelsohn (Board Chair), Professor of Political Management at Carleton University Jennifer Robson and Executive Director of Euphrosine Foundation Niamh Leonard.

About Social Capital Partners

Who owns the economy matters. Social Capital Partners believes working people deserve a fighting chance to build economic security and wealth. A Canadian nonprofit organization founded in 2001, we undertake public policy research, invest in initiatives and advocate for ideas that broaden access to wealth, ownership and opportunity, and that push back against extreme economic inequality. To learn more, please connect with us on LinkedIn or Bluesky or visit socialcapitalpartners.ca.

For more information, please contact:

Katherine Janson
Director of Communications
Social Capital Partners
647-717-8674
katherine@socialcapitalpartners.ca

Tax policy

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