Research, practice and education directs the CPA’s mandate. In support of science, the CPA participates in various advocacy activities, liaises with the granting councils, seeks to develop various tools to foster research networks and collaboration among the membership, provides research and conference support funding, chairs or is a member of research-based alliances, and promotes psychological science and its impact on society.
For information about the CPA’s science activities, please contact Dr. Lauren Thompson, Scientific Affairs Leader, CPA, via email (science@cpa.ca) or by phone (613-237-2144, ext. 1344 or toll-free: 1-888-472-0657 ext. 1344), or see the Scientific Affairs Committee page.
Research News
March 13 (World Sleep Day), 6:30 p.m. Eastern
Sleep experts from across Canada will explain the science behind sleep health, circadian rhythms, and the impact of daylight saving time. The conference will begin with experts based in the Maritimes, then cross the continent to end in British Columbia.
March 1 – 21, 2026
The Canadian Sleep Research Consortium invites members of the public aged 12 and over to take part in a simple personal experiment to track the impact of the time change on their sleep, mood, and alertness. Participants will keep a sleep diary before and after the time change and will receive a personalized report allowing them to observe any changes related to the transition. In the week following the time change, they will also invite people to complete a survey about their experiences and opinions regarding the switch to daylight saving time. Caregivers who look after people with disabling conditions may also complete the survey on behalf of the people they support in order to give them a voice.
The goal is to gather lived experiences and perspectives that can help inform research and future policy discussions on the practice of time change.
The landscape of psychology, both as a profession and a discipline, is changing rapidly.
Via a survey, the CPA is looking to learn about you and what you see as the issues facing the future of psychology in the following areas: science, practice, and education. Results of this survey will be used to inform the CPA’s activities and advocacy over the coming year.
To access the survey, please click one of the links below:
English: https://web2.cpa.ca/membersurveys/index.php/457183?lang=en
French: https://web2.cpa.ca/membersurveys/index.php/457183?lang=fr
The deadline to complete the survey is Friday, March 27, 2026.
The Canadian Psychological Association’s Scientific Affairs Committee (SAC) is currently recruiting new members. The SAC’s primary aim is to advance psychological science by working on matters of importance to the psychological research community, CPA members and affiliates, and groups of researchers. It is also responsible for the policies and practices of the CPA’s journals and other publications.
Yearly activities of SAC members include reviewing student research grant applications, providing input on CPA journal matters (e.g., publishing agreements, open-access wording, publishing standards), and reviewing special issue proposals for the journals. Additional activities will come up throughout the term. For more information on the SAC, or to read the SAC Terms of Reference, click here.
If you are interested in joining the important work of the SAC, please send a letter of intent and updated CV to Dr. Lauren Thompson, CPA’s Science Director at science@cpa.ca. In your letter of intent, please specify whether your research falls primarily within the mandate of SSHRC, NSERC, or CIHR.