Her current research focuses on collaborative urban governance and the political economy of restructuring with an emphasis on regional economic development and employment in renewable energy industries. Allison has published studies in various policy areas such as local labour market planning and workforce development, the role of post-secondary institutions in regional economic development, and the interaction effect of innovation, creativity, and economic performance in urban regions. Recent work includes publications in Urban Affairs Review and Research Policy, and her book, Governing Urban Economies: Innovation and Inclusion in Canadian City-Regions (co-edited with Neil Bradford) was published by the University of Toronto Press in 2014.