Nancy Olewiler

Olewiler was the first female professor, from 1976-1990, in the economics department at Queens University in Kingston, Ontario. She taught in their economics department for a number of years before she was later announced as the first female professor to receive tenure.[1] Olewiler has also taught at institutions such as the University of Colorado, University of California, Berkeley, and the University of New South Wales.[2] She later went onto creating the environmental economics field of studies at two Canadian universities; Queens and Simon Fraser University. Along with creating these subjects, Olewiler authored two textbooks for the courses economics of natural resource and environmental economics, both of which are commonly used today.[1] Olewiler arrived at Simon Fraser University in 1990 and has continuously served on the Board of Governors for a number of years. She was the first and thus far, only chair of the Economics department at Simon Fraser University, from 1995-2000. She served in their economics department from 1990-2004.[3] As of 2019, Olewiler continues her work as a professor at the School of Public Policy in Simon Fraser University.

A defining component in Nancy Olewiler’s career is her work as the founding director of the School of Public Policy at the Simon Fraser University. Established in 2003, Olewiler remained the director for 11 years up until 2014. Olewiler was a crucial element in raising recognition of the school and the development of their graduate programs. The Simon Fraser School of Public Policy has been consistently ranked as one of the top school in Canada, outranking other notable Canadian schools such as University of Ottawa and University of Calgary.[4] According to the ranking process done by Macleans, the school was the top school four times out of the previous seven years for the field of public policy. The school consists of graduate programs for a Masters of Public Policy and the Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR). These programs have a goal of development in public policy analysis as well as planning for public, private and non-governmental organizations. Students that take part in this program receive a solid foundation in economics and political science as well as specialized field courses and capstone research projects.[5] Major employers for graduates from the Masters of Public Policy program include the federal government of Canada, not-for-profit organizations and private-sector firms. Students from this program continuously support communities in public service, specifically in climate change and improvements in public transit.[6]

Nancy Olewiler speaking on behalf of the Climate Leadership Team about real climate action

On top of the work Olewiler did in university education system, she served on multiple committees and boards. Olewiler was on the Board of Directors at BC Hydro and Powerex Corp since Sept. 25th, from 2001-2010. She also served on the board at Translink from 2008-2013 as well as held positions as the director of Powertech Labs Inc. and as the managing editor of Canadian Public Policy.[1] As a member of these boards, Olewiler was responsible for overseeing affairs and providing recommendations on the policies that effect the B.C lower mainland.[7]

Olewiler has written a number of reports for the federal and provincial government in Canada regarding issues pertaining to the environment and natural resource. Many of Olewiler's reports on sustainability and federal business tax policies were also used in the Energy Options Task Force, National Roundtable on the Environment and Economy's Ecological Fiscal Reform Program.[1] Olewiler was invited as an expert panelist for GreenPAC, a Canadian environmental organization, for their political endorsement campaigns in 2015, 2016, and 2017. By sharing her expertise, Olewiler was able to contribute to addressing challenging environmental issues and turn them into political concerns that were utilized by GreenPAC to recruit passionate leaders in working toward these challenges.[8]

Olewiler is on the Climate Solution and Clean Growth Advisory Council in British Columbia. This council consists of leaders representing First Nations, environmental organizations, academia, labour and the local government. The purpose of this council is to provide the provincial government with strategic advice and information on the development of the provinces' climate action and clean economic growth. They acknowledge that the road to combating climate change is a steady but committed approach. Actions to drive down emissions and increase economic opportunities are continuously being discussed. Shared principles of this council include respecting indigenous perspectives in all decisions and creating prosperity and jobs.[9]

Olewiler is currently the advisor for the Environment and Economy Program for Southeast Asia(EEPSEA) and Latin American and Caribbean Environmental Economics Program (LACEEP). LACEEP is a capacity building initiative that aims to provide financial support in the form of grants to research specializing in environmental and resource economics in Latin America and the Caribbean. In addition to the grants provided for researchers, supervision, advising, and access to academic resources is also available.[10] Olewiler acts as a supervisor and an educator in energy economics to the researchers in these areas.[1]

Olewiler has produced numerous academic papers, texts, and policy studies in areas such as taxation, natural resources, and environmental economics. Key areas of research for Olewiler were in natural resource, environmental policy, the effects of environmental regulation on the economy, and environmental tax policy. Her recent studies were done on the effects of economic integration on the environment and impacts of environmental policy on the economy.[11]