50 Best universities for Public Policy / Administration in Canada

Updated: March 02, 2025

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 584K citations received by 27.9K academic papers made by 50 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

#7 in North America

#9 in the World

Enrollment: 27,651
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

#41 in North America

#63 in the World

Enrollment: 42,027
Founded: 1848

4. McGill University

Quebec State | Montreal

For Public Policy / Administration

#47 in North America

#73 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. York University

Ontario | Toronto

For Public Policy / Administration

#57 in North America

#92 in the World

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

7. Simon Fraser University

British Columbia | Burnaby

For Public Policy / Administration

#58 in North America

#93 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1965

8. McMaster University

Ontario | Hamilton

For Public Policy / Administration

#71 in North America

#124 in the World

Enrollment: 27,965
Founded: 1887

9. University of Calgary

Alberta | Calgary

For Public Policy / Administration

#72 in North America

#125 in the World

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

10. Carleton University

Ontario | Ottawa

For Public Policy / Administration

#74 in North America

#128 in the World

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

11. University of Montreal

Quebec State | Montreal

For Public Policy / Administration

#75 in North America

#129 in the World

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

12. Western University

Ontario | London

For Public Policy / Administration

#81 in North America

#151 in the World

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

13. Queen's University

Ontario | Kingston

For Public Policy / Administration

#83 in North America

#154 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Enrollment: 30,386
Founded: 1841

14. Dalhousie University

Nova Scotia | Halifax

For Public Policy / Administration

#103 in North America

#206 in the World

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

15. Ryerson University

Ontario | Toronto

For Public Policy / Administration

#108 in North America

#224 in the World

Enrollment: 38,950
Founded: 1948

16. University of Victoria

British Columbia | Victoria

For Public Policy / Administration

#109 in North America

#226 in the World

Enrollment: 15,999
Founded: 1963

17. University of Manitoba

Manitoba | Winnipeg

For Public Policy / Administration

#117 in North America

#258 in the World

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

18. University of Waterloo

Ontario | Waterloo

For Public Policy / Administration

#130 in North America

#287 in the World

Founded: 1957

19. Laval University

Quebec State | Quebec City

For Public Policy / Administration

#136 in North America

#295 in the World

Enrollment: 45,000
Founded: 1852

20. University of Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan | Saskatoon

For Public Policy / Administration

#143 in North America

#318 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

#342 in the World

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

22. University of Guelph

Ontario | Guelph

For Public Policy / Administration

#158 in North America

#351 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Founded: 1964

23. Wilfrid Laurier University

Ontario | Waterloo

For Public Policy / Administration

#174 in North America

#396 in the World

Enrollment: 19,000
Founded: 1911

24. University of Windsor

Ontario | Windsor

For Public Policy / Administration

#184 in North America

#430 in the World

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

25. Concordia University

Quebec State | Montreal

For Public Policy / Administration

#191 in North America

#456 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Founded: 1974

26. Brock University

Ontario | St. Catharines

For Public Policy / Administration

#205 in North America

#498 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Founded: 1964

27. Memorial University of Newfoundland

Newfoundland and Labrador | St. John's

For Public Policy / Administration

#227 in North America

#549 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Founded: 1925

28. University of Regina

Saskatchewan | Regina

For Public Policy / Administration

#235 in North America

#583 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Founded: 1911

29. University of Northern British Columbia

British Columbia | Prince George

For Public Policy / Administration

#283 in North America

#721 in the World

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

30. University of New Brunswick

New Brunswick | Fredericton

For Public Policy / Administration

#285 in North America

#729 in the World

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

31. Trent University

Ontario | Peterborough

For Public Policy / Administration

#293 in North America

#751 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Founded: 1963

32. Royal Military College of Canada

Ontario | Kingston

For Public Policy / Administration

#297 in North America

#769 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1876

33. University of Winnipeg

Manitoba | Winnipeg

For Public Policy / Administration

#324 in North America

#863 in the World

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

34. National School of Public Administration

Quebec State | Quebec City

For Public Policy / Administration

#327 in North America

#870 in the World

Founded: 1969

35. University of Lethbridge

Alberta | Lethbridge

For Public Policy / Administration

#331 in North America

#896 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Founded: 1967

36. HEC Montreal

Quebec State | Montreal

For Public Policy / Administration

#339 in North America

#919 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Founded: 1907

37. Lakehead University

Ontario | Thunder Bay

For Public Policy / Administration

#352 in North America

#978 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Founded: 1965

38. University of Sherbrooke

Quebec State | Sherbrooke

For Public Policy / Administration

#393 in North America

#1126 in the World

Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1954

39. Laurentian University

Ontario | Greater Sudbury

For Public Policy / Administration

#401 in North America

#1150 in the World

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

40. St. Francis Xavier University

Nova Scotia | Antigonish

For Public Policy / Administration

#413 in North America

#1200 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Founded: 1853

41. Ontario Tech University

Ontario | Oshawa

For Public Policy / Administration

#434 in North America

#1281 in the World

Founded: 2002

42. Saint Mary's University

Nova Scotia | Halifax

For Public Policy / Administration

#451 in North America

#1343 in the World

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

43. Mount Saint Vincent University

Nova Scotia | Halifax

For Public Policy / Administration

#464 in North America

#1380 in the World

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

44. Mount Royal University

Alberta | Calgary

For Public Policy / Administration

#478 in North America

#1434 in the World

Founded: 1910

45. Acadia University

Nova Scotia | Wolfville

For Public Policy / Administration

#488 in North America

#1484 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Founded: 1838

46. MacEwan University

Alberta | Edmonton

For Public Policy / Administration

#495 in North America

#1502 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1971

47. University of Moncton

New Brunswick | Moncton

For Public Policy / Administration

#510 in North America

#1569 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1864

48. Kings University in Canada

Alberta | Edmonton

For Public Policy / Administration

#519 in North America

#1621 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1979

49. Thompson Rivers University

British Columbia | Kamloops

For Public Policy / Administration

#528 in North America

#1723 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Founded: 1970

50. University of Prince Edward Island

Prince Edward Island | Charlottetown

For Public Policy / Administration

#530 in North America

#1735 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.