Do you know how the printer at your office was purchased? Or the materials for the road you take to drive home? Or what prompts your city or town to boast about its zero-carbon buses over its old fleet of gasoline buses? From 2022-2023, per capita spending by federal, provincial, territorial and local governments combined…

There are few things more satisfying than seeing young people and older adults interacting with each other and building an effortless sense of community and belonging. Robust communities include all ages. But such spaces need help to develop and thrive. Global Intergenerational Week, a celebration of the power of bringing together younger and older people…

There’s a bill winding its way through Parliament that threatens First Nations’ rights under the guise of promoting reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Bill C-53 proposes legislation that the federal government claims will merely confirm self-government rights for three provincial Métis organization in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario. What could be wrong with that? In fact, what…

When Minister Miller stood up to announce a new cap on international students last week, exemptions were made for Master’s and PhD students because “these are the highly skilled people Canada needs.” Graduates of short-term graduate programs were offered three-year post-graduate work permits, so long as credentials were earned at one of Canada’s universities. To…

A study led by Simon Fraser University researchers finds that mining companies are staking claims on future salmon habitats as glaciers retreat. In the ice-covered transboundary region shared by northern B.C. and Alaska, glacier retreat is creating thousands of kilometers of new rivers that salmon are finding. These emerging rivers represent future habitats for salmon but…

Thanks to advancements in healthcare and public health, Canadians are living longer than ever before and our senior population is rapidly growing. However, increased longevity also means that many people are living longer with multiple chronic diseases resulting in reduced function, reduced quality of life and need for increased support from caregivers and the healthcare…

Artificial intelligence (AI) is making headlines everywhere. Yet AI applications and implications for older adults, particularly older women, have not been adequately contemplated. It’s no longer a moonshot idea from a science fiction movie. AI is already part of our daily lives – Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa, self-driving cars. And now ChatGPT, an AI chatbot…

Canada is growing. In June, our population reached 40 million – but we are not only getting bigger, we are getting older. There are now over 7.3 million Canadians who are 65 years or older and that number is climbing as the Baby Boomers age. By 2051, seniors are expected to make up 25 per…

The rising trend of “fake news” came to prominence over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic as people turned to social media channels to read and distribute information that often fell far short of offering reliable information or verifiable data. The unchecked spread of misinformation led to serious harm for many individuals, especially those who…

Building ecosystem and community resilience amid the climate crisis Negotiators representing federal, provincial and First Nation governments gathered recently in Seattle, Washington to continue efforts to modernize the Columbia River Treaty in an 18th round of negotiations. Further talks are expected in the months ahead. Much has changed since the original Treaty was ratified in…

Banning e-cigarette flavours and restricting the marketing of unhealthy food and beverages to children are vital to making our kids healthier adults. The short and long-term health consequences of what people consume are dramatically different. In the short term, indulge in something a little too much and you are likely to suffer for a day…