Rob Gillezeau, an assistant professor in the Department of Management at the University of Toronto Scarborough, has been named Canada Research Chair in Institutions, Inequality, and Economic Policy. The appointment gives new recognition to his work on Indigenous economies and historical policy, and it places his research within a federal program meant to support leading researchers in Canada.
Key facts
- Gillezeau is an assistant professor of Economic Analysis and Policy at UTSC Management.
- He also holds cross-appointments to the Rotman School of Management, the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, and the Department of Economics.
- The Canada Research Chairs Program is established by the Government of Canada.
- His chair will support research on Indigenous peoples and nations, including historical policy and contemporary outcomes.
What does this mean for students and researchers at UTSC?
For students, research assistants, and colleagues working in management, economics, and public policy, the appointment signals continued expansion of research capacity around Indigenous economic history and policy. Gillezeau’s work is expected to deepen understanding of how past state policies still shape present-day outcomes for Indigenous communities, while also generating evidence that can inform policy and support Indigenous self-determination.
The practical impact is likely to be strongest for people interested in research training or collaboration in these areas. His program spans six research themes: assimilation policies in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries; the impacts of residential schools; additions-to-reserve, including urban reserves; the causal effects of status on education and labour-market outcomes; repatriating services to Indigenous nations; and programs supporting traditional hunting, fishing, and trapping.
- Relevant audiences: UTSC students, researchers, and those studying Indigenous economic history.
- Research focus: economic, historical, and policy questions affecting Indigenous peoples and nations.
- Scholarly context: Gillezeau has published in the Review of Economic Studies and the American Economic Journal: Economic Policy.
- Professional recognition: he delivered the Purvis Lecture at the Canadian Economics Association in 2023.
Why was Gillezeau selected for the chair?
He was recognized for research that has expanded understanding of Indigenous economies and the long-term effects of historical policy decisions. UTSC says his scholarship combines rigorous quantitative methods with Indigenous knowledge and contemporary policy priorities, and that he is among a small but growing number of economists in North America working on the economies of Indigenous nations.
His past work includes research on the reversal of fortunes experienced by many Indigenous nations after colonization, including the destruction of the bison economy on the Great Plains. He has also studied treaty-making, Indigenous rights and title, transportation infrastructure, and market access in Canada and the United States.
How does the Canada Research Chair connect to Indigenous policy research?
The chair is intended to support research that expands knowledge and contributes to social and economic progress. In Gillezeau’s case, the focus is on evidence that can help explain how historical events continue to shape economic outcomes today and how policy could better support Indigenous self-determination.
The appointment also reinforces an area of scholarship he helped build. UTSC says he helped establish Indigenous economics as a dedicated area of study within the Canadian Economics Association, adding academic visibility to a field that remains understudied.
What will his research examine next?
His chair program will explore six areas: assimilation policies, residential schools, additions-to-reserve, the effects of status on education and labour markets, the repatriation of services to Indigenous nations, and policy design that supports hunting, fishing, and trapping. Together, those topics point to a broad effort to connect historical research with current economic policy questions.
That mix matters because it links archival and historical analysis with present-day policy design. For students and researchers, it also shows where future projects, supervision, and interdisciplinary collaboration may cluster at UTSC and across his cross-appointed departments.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Rob Gillezeau?
Rob Gillezeau is an assistant professor of Economic Analysis and Policy in the Department of Management at the University of Toronto Scarborough, with cross-appointments to the Rotman School of Management, the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, and the Department of Economics.
What is the Canada Research Chairs Program?
It is a Government of Canada program that invests in exceptional researchers whose work expands knowledge, contributes to social and economic progress, and helps develop the next generation of research leaders.
