The Evolving Market for Systematic Evaluation in Canada: The Evolving Market for Systematic Evaluation in Canada

The professionalization of evaluation and the need for educational programs and accreditation has taken on increasing importance in Canada over the 2000s. Central to these issues is the need to understand the nature of the evaluation industry, both from the “supply” and “demand” side. While there have been fragmented discussions about the nature of evaluation in the federal government (e.g., Lahey, 2010; Segsworth, 2005) and the provinces and territories (e.g., Gauthier et al., 2009), there remains a dearth of information about the nature and behavior of the evaluation industry in Canada as a whole. This chapter offers an exploratory investigation into the evaluation industry in Canada, examining both the demand and the supply side, along with a historical context that serves as a backdrop in understanding the current structure of the Canadian industry. The study examines how various factors affect market behavior, and reflects on considerations for the future of the Canadian evaluation industry.