The Policy Readiness Tool (PRT) is a self-administered tool that can be used to assess a community’s or organization’s readiness for policy change.
The PRT includes a brief checklist that can be used to identify readiness for policy change. Included with the checklist are a series of strategies specifically tailored for working with organizations and municipalities at different stages of readiness. There is also a resource list for those interested in reading more information to support their use of these strategies.
Check out the full Policy Readiness Tool.
- Policy, Location and Access in Community Environments (PLACE) Research Lab (2020). Support the Adoption of Healthy Public Policy in Your Community or Organization. Policy Readiness Tool Infosheet. Edmonton, AB: PLACE Research Lab, School of Public Health, University of Alberta.
- Nykiforuk, C.I.J., Nieuwendyk, L.M., & Atkey, K.M. (2026). Development of the policy readiness tool to increase capacity for healthy public policy change. Discover Public Health, 23, 286. https://doi.org/10.1186/
s12982-026-01514-z
- Nykiforuk, C.I.J., Atkey, K.M., & Nieuwendyk, L.M. (2019). Policy Readiness Tool: Understanding a municipality’s readiness for policy change and strategies for taking action (2nd). Edmonton, AB: PLACE Research Lab, School of Public Health, University of Alberta.
- Nykiforuk, C.I.J., Atkey, K.M., & Nieuwendyk, L.M. (2019). Outil de préparation en matière de politiques: Comprendre le niveau de préparation pour les changements de politiques et strategies pour passer à l’action (2nd). Edmonton, AB: PLACE Research Lab, School of Public Health, University of Alberta.
- Policy, Location and Access in Community Environments (PLACE) Research Lab (2019). General Strategies for Encouraging Policy Change. Edmonton, AB: PLACE Research Lab, School of Public Health, University of Alberta.
- Policy, Location and Access in Community Environments (PLACE) Research Lab (2019). Stratégies Générales pour Promouvoir le Changement en Matière de Politiques. Edmonton, AB: PLACE Research Lab, School of Public Health, University of Alberta.
- Profiled in the Alberta Health Services, Healthier Together, Foundational Strategies: Healthy Public Policy information
- Profiled by Alberta Health Services as a Knowledge Translation Tool
- Profiled by Active Neighbourhoods Canada as a resource in What is Healthy Public Policy and How Do We Influence It?
- Profiled by Alberta Urban Municipalities Association as a resource
- Profiled by PEN: The Global Resource for Nutrition Practice as a resource
- Profiled by Alberta Health Services in the Healthy School Policy guide
- Profiled on Canadian Partnership Against Cancer’s website in the Prevention Policies Directory
- Profiled on National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools website in the Registry of Methods and Tools
- 2013-2014 Canadian Institutes of Health Research: Dissemination Events
- 2012-2013 Killam Research Fund: Cornerstone Operating Grant, University of Alberta
- 2009-2011 Alberta Policy Coalition for Chronic Disease Prevention (formerly Alberta Policy Coalition for Cancer Prevention, an initiative funded by Alberta Health Services – Alberta Cancer Prevention Legacy Fund)
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