51 Best universities for Public Policy / Administration in Canada

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Canada ranked based on their research performance in Public Policy / Administration. A graph of 610K citations received by 28.7K academic papers made by 51 universities in Canada was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. University of Toronto

Ontario | Toronto

For Public Policy / Administration

#5 in North America

#7 in the World

Enrollment: 102,431
Founded: 1827

2. University of British Columbia

British Columbia | Vancouver

For Public Policy / Administration

#28 in North America

#40 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Enrollment: 71,201
Founded: 1908

3. University of Ottawa

Ontario | Ottawa

For Public Policy / Administration

#38 in North America

#61 in the World

Enrollment: 42,027
Founded: 1848

4. McGill University

Quebec State | Montreal

For Public Policy / Administration

#47 in North America

#76 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Enrollment: 37,888
Founded: 1821

5. University of Alberta

Alberta | Edmonton

For Public Policy / Administration

#55 in North America

#90 in the World

Enrollment: 31,185
Founded: 1908

6. Simon Fraser University

British Columbia | Burnaby

For Public Policy / Administration

#57 in North America

#92 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1965

7. York University

Ontario | Toronto

For Public Policy / Administration

#58 in North America

#93 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 32%
Enrollment: 53,000
Founded: 1959

8. University of Calgary

Alberta | Calgary

For Public Policy / Administration

#71 in North America

#127 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Enrollment: 33,000
Founded: 1966

9. McMaster University

Ontario | Hamilton

For Public Policy / Administration

#72 in North America

#129 in the World

Enrollment: 27,965
Founded: 1887

10. University of Montreal

Quebec State | Montreal

For Public Policy / Administration

#74 in North America

#133 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 41%
Enrollment: 66,972
Founded: 1878

11. Carleton University

Ontario | Ottawa

For Public Policy / Administration

#75 in North America

#135 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Enrollment: 9,109
Founded: 1942

12. Western University

Ontario | London

For Public Policy / Administration

#80 in North America

#150 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Enrollment: 21,836
Founded: 1878

13. Queen's University

Ontario | Kingston

For Public Policy / Administration

#82 in North America

#159 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Enrollment: 35,612
Founded: 1841

14. Ryerson University

Ontario | Toronto

For Public Policy / Administration

#106 in North America

#227 in the World

Enrollment: 38,950
Founded: 1948

15. Dalhousie University

Nova Scotia | Halifax

For Public Policy / Administration

#107 in North America

#228 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Enrollment: 30,867
Founded: 1818

16. University of Victoria

British Columbia | Victoria

For Public Policy / Administration

#108 in North America

#229 in the World

Enrollment: 15,999
Founded: 1963

17. University of Manitoba

Manitoba | Winnipeg

For Public Policy / Administration

#116 in North America

#256 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Enrollment: 29,800
Founded: 1877

18. University of Waterloo

Ontario | Waterloo

For Public Policy / Administration

#129 in North America

#282 in the World

Founded: 1957

19. Laval University

Quebec State | Quebec City

For Public Policy / Administration

#134 in North America

#295 in the World

Enrollment: 56,000
Founded: 1852

20. University of Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan | Saskatoon

For Public Policy / Administration

#142 in North America

#316 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 20,953
Founded: 1907

21. University of Quebec in Montreal

Quebec State | Montreal

For Public Policy / Administration

#153 in North America

#341 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1969

22. University of Guelph

Ontario | Guelph

For Public Policy / Administration

#155 in North America

#344 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Founded: 1964

23. Wilfrid Laurier University

Ontario | Waterloo

For Public Policy / Administration

#175 in North America

#403 in the World

Enrollment: 19,000
Founded: 1911

24. University of Windsor

Ontario | Windsor

For Public Policy / Administration

#184 in North America

#434 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 16,092
Founded: 1857

25. Concordia University

Quebec State | Montreal

For Public Policy / Administration

#192 in North America

#462 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Founded: 1974

26. Brock University

Ontario | St. Catharines

For Public Policy / Administration

#197 in North America

#480 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Founded: 1964

27. Memorial University of Newfoundland

Newfoundland and Labrador | St. John's

For Public Policy / Administration

#221 in North America

#545 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Founded: 1925

28. University of Regina

Saskatchewan | Regina

For Public Policy / Administration

#234 in North America

#581 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Founded: 1911

29. University of New Brunswick

New Brunswick | Fredericton

For Public Policy / Administration

#283 in North America

#726 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Enrollment: 32,036
Founded: 1785

30. University of Northern British Columbia

British Columbia | Prince George

For Public Policy / Administration

#285 in North America

#729 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Enrollment: 28,609
Founded: 1990

31. Trent University

Ontario | Peterborough

For Public Policy / Administration

#291 in North America

#752 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Founded: 1963

32. Royal Military College of Canada

Ontario | Kingston

For Public Policy / Administration

#297 in North America

#774 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1876

33. National School of Public Administration

Quebec State | Quebec City

For Public Policy / Administration

#320 in North America

#852 in the World

Founded: 1969

34. University of Winnipeg

Manitoba | Winnipeg

For Public Policy / Administration

#321 in North America

#856 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Enrollment: 10,000
Founded: 1871

35. University of Lethbridge

Alberta | Lethbridge

For Public Policy / Administration

#330 in North America

#899 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Founded: 1967

36. HEC Montreal

Quebec State | Montreal

For Public Policy / Administration

#333 in North America

#912 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Founded: 1907

37. Lakehead University

Ontario | Thunder Bay

For Public Policy / Administration

#350 in North America

#985 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Founded: 1965

38. University of Sherbrooke

Quebec State | Sherbrooke

For Public Policy / Administration

#388 in North America

#1116 in the World

Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1954

39. Laurentian University

Ontario | Greater Sudbury

For Public Policy / Administration

#397 in North America

#1145 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Enrollment: 9,323
Founded: 1960

40. St. Francis Xavier University

Nova Scotia | Antigonish

For Public Policy / Administration

#418 in North America

#1214 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Founded: 1853

41. Ontario Tech University

Ontario | Oshawa

For Public Policy / Administration

#431 in North America

#1279 in the World

Founded: 2002

42. Saint Mary's University

Nova Scotia | Halifax

For Public Policy / Administration

#453 in North America

#1355 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Enrollment: 7,281
Founded: 1802

43. Mount Saint Vincent University

Nova Scotia | Halifax

For Public Policy / Administration

#466 in North America

#1402 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Enrollment: 4,050
Founded: 1873

44. Mount Royal University

Alberta | Calgary

For Public Policy / Administration

#475 in North America

#1433 in the World

Founded: 1910

45. MacEwan University

Alberta | Edmonton

For Public Policy / Administration

#482 in North America

#1462 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1971

46. Acadia University

Nova Scotia | Wolfville

For Public Policy / Administration

#484 in North America

#1469 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Founded: 1838

47. Kings University in Canada

Alberta | Edmonton

For Public Policy / Administration

#504 in North America

#1567 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1979

48. University of Moncton

New Brunswick | Moncton

For Public Policy / Administration

#514 in North America

#1595 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1864

49. Royal Roads University

British Columbia | Victoria

For Public Policy / Administration

#529 in North America

#1732 in the World

Founded: 1995

50. Thompson Rivers University

British Columbia | Kamloops

For Public Policy / Administration

#533 in North America

#1747 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Founded: 1970

51. University of Prince Edward Island

Prince Edward Island | Charlottetown

For Public Policy / Administration

#535 in North America

#1767 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Enrollment: 4,336
Founded: 1969

The best cities to study Public Policy / Administration in Canada based on the number of universities and their ranks are Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa, and Montreal.