Jonathan Barr

Jonathan Barr

Senior Director at Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

Jonathan Barr is a Senior Director at Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. Previously, he served as the Director of Policy, Research, Analysis, and Geomatics at Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), where he led a team of researchers and statisticians analyzing emerging labour market and skills trends across Canada.

Before joining ESDC, Jonathan spent nearly a decade as a Deputy Head of Division at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) within the Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions, and Cities. In this role, he led a team of economists examining global employment and economic development issues, publishing over 40 reports across 30 countries.

Earlier in his career, Jonathan held leadership roles within the Ontario government, overseeing policy initiatives related to employment, skills development, and early childhood education. He also contributed to international trade negotiations at the Canadian Mission to the European Union in Brussels, supporting the development of the Canada-European Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).

Jonathan holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada.