About the Monitor
Founded in 1994, the print edition of the Monitor is the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) bimonthly (six times a year) policy and current affairs magazine, covering issues of critical importance to the intersecting goals of social, economic and environmental justice. In both its print and online editions, the Monitor aims to be a space for researchers, journalists, and organizers to share original perspectives on public policy, social movements, and labour organizing.
Much like the CCPA itself, the Monitor is non-partisan, evidence-based, and does not profess a single point of view. The Monitor publishes articles that advance policy debate, identify new trends, and showcase examples of progressive wins and ideas. We are looking for progressive analysis that is both in-depth and accessible.
We publish feature articles, original research, book reviews, letters to the editor, and illustrations. If you are interested in submitting a pitch, the best way to assess if it is a good fit is to read previous issues of the magazine.
The articles published in the Monitor are written in clear, accessible language and follow the CP style guide. We typically publish articles either 650 words, 1,200 words or 2,500 words in length for the print edition of the Monitor. Online Monitor articles can be up to 1,800 words in length. Articles for both print and online should be written without the use of footnotes/endnotes. Simply reference the author or the publication. For the online edition, please add a link to the source.
How to submit articles
Email pitches to monitor@policyalternatives.ca.
A pitch should be short—one or two paragraphs of description—and outline the broad strokes of what your article would cover. This should include your main argument, why the article is relevant now, and list any supporting sources, including interviews or original research.
When pitching, specify how long you imagine your piece will be and how much time you expect to need to write it. Our print publication has hard deadlines (two months before publication date), but our online edition is more flexible.
We aim to respond to pitches within a week. We receive a large number of pitches and cannot always respond to pitches that we don’t accept. Feel free to pitch a new idea again in the future.