What is Policy?

Policy refers to those plans, positions and guidelines of government, which in turn influence decisions by governments on economic development, social development, the use of natural resources and issues of national interest (e.g., policies in support of sustainable economic development, Arctic sovereignty  or policies to enhance access to government services by persons with disabilities).

There are various types and forms of policy.  Among the range of policy types are:

• broad policy which enunciates government-wide direction;
• more specific policy which may be developed for a particular sector (the economy) or issue-area (child welfare);
• operational policy which may guide decisions on programs, and
• project selection.

With respect to the forms that government policy can take, it is reflected most typically in legislation, regulations, and programs.

These are often referred to as policy instruments.

Policy Development

The activity of developing policy generally involves research, analysis, consultation and synthesis of information to produce recommendations. It should also involve an evaluation of options against a set of criteria used to assess each option.