Farm productivity is subject to a complex web of conditions. On the economic side of the balance sheet, there are factors like supply chain woes, inflationary pressures and supply-and-demand imbalances. On the environmental side, there are the impacts of climate change, including severe and unseasonal weather events, and ever-evolving disease pressures.
Read MoreAnn Speak’s relationship with Cuso International began in the 1980s, when she spent two years as a volunteer in Nigeria. The experience was life-changing, she says, and it was the foundation of a strong bond with Cuso International that hasn’t wavered. Ever since, Ms. Speak has continued to be an active volunteer and donor, and she worked as a member of the organization’s staff as a fundraiser for 12 years.
Read MoreVisitors to Kelowna may be familiar with summer water sports and outdoor activities on and around the beautiful Okanagan Lake. They may have flocked to the area’s ski hills in the winter and attended wine tastings in the fall. But what can they expect in spring?
Read MoreAs the world races towards a low-emissions future, businesses are struggling to deliver on their ambitious net-zero targets. A Toronto-based company, Carbon Neutral Club, is helping organizations achieve their climate commitments by mobilizing the most powerful but often ignored force for climate action: their employees.
Read MoreWhen it comes to stabilizing our climate, few solutions can match the powerful potential of forests. Beyond helping to regulate ecosystems and protecting biodiversity, forests play a key role in the carbon cycle. Globally, approximately 2.6 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide – one-third of the CO2 released from burning fossil fuels – are absorbed by forests every year, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Read MoreOf the deep snow and fallen trees make the going tough for Bear Mustus, he gives no indication. He pauses knee-deep in the fluffy snow and points skywards to a break in the trees. The newer growth of trees creates a line through the almost impenetrable bulwark of old growth black spruce. Despite the harsh weather, thick forest and trailless features, Mustus finds the old wagon trail.
Read MoreHigh inflation and deepening systemic inequalities are forcing an increasing number of Canadians to turn to food banks for groceries they can no longer afford, says Kirstin Beardsley, CEO of Food Banks Canada.
Read MoreFaranak Farzan is a mechatronic systems engineering professor and Chair in Technology Innovations for Youth Addiction Recovery and Mental Health at Simon Fraser University and founder and head of SFU’s CFI-funded eBrain Lab.
Read MoreAs a mentor and teacher with the Peel District School Board (PDSB) in Ontario, Kim Thomas has worked with children and youth from marginalized and equity-deserving communities for almost 30 years. These students, says Thomas “have faced some of the greatest barriers” in accessing educational opportunities. And while the PDSB “has been very intentional around dismantling anti-Black racism,” she is excited about new program partnerships with corporations and organizations that “open up doors for Black and Indigenous students.” These learning initiatives have the potential to “bring the kids from the back of the line to the front,” says Thomas.
Read MoreWhat does it mean to have cancer? How does a cancer diagnosis impact the lives of patients and their families? While the experiences of the 1.5 million people who live with – and beyond – cancer in Canada are as unique as the individuals themselves, World Cancer Day presents a chance to come together in support of a common goal: access to world-class cancer care for everyone.
Read MoreIt was a milestone celebrated throughout Canada’s diabetes community. The Framework for Diabetes (the Framework), tabled in Parliament on October 5, 2022, capped more than six years of collaborative work by Diabetes Canada and more than 100 allied organizations and individuals. Here was a policy roadmap for all sectors of society to take concrete actions to stem the surge in diabetes across the country – a direction endorsed by parliamentarians of all parties.
Read MoreDental hygienists see the impacts of poor oral health first-hand and have long called for expanded access to preventive oral care services for Canadians. Ensuring proper dental hygiene care for children is especially important, given the consequences for their healthy growth and development if children’s oral health is neglected early in their lives.
Read MoreIt’s a skin condition experienced by up to 17 per cent1 of Canadians at some point in their lives, with consequences that can have a significant psychological impact on sufferers and their families. For people with atopic dermatitis (AD), the most common type of eczema, challenges with managing the condition can leave people feeling anxious, stressed and depressed.2
Read MoreThere are many mysteries about humanity, but we know at least one thing is true: people need food and water to survive. Canada is a land of tremendous bounty, especially when it comes to our food supply. With so much growing land and places to raise livestock, the agricultural possibilities, in the southern part of the country at least, have traditionally felt seemingly endless. But climate change is throwing a wrench into agricultural practices around the world, with drought, flooding and disease threatening the security of our food systems. With consistently ballooning populations and unstable growing conditions, the future of food security is a pressing concern for academics and the general population alike.
Read MoreFarmers face social isolation, financial uncertainty and other pressures that can bring mental-health challenges, but they are also known for self-reliance and pride. Yet when it comes to getting help, they often lack access to local resources.
Read MoreResearch into the state of mental health in Canada confirms what our own experiences tell us – many Canadians’ mental health has deteriorated since the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.
Read MoreKingston, Ontario: A small place with big-city features
There must be something in the water – or the air – in Kingston, Ont., a 450-square-kilometre city that spans east to west along the shores of the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario, near-equidistant from Toronto and Montreal.
Read MoreDespite ongoing challenges that have been made worse by the pandemic, Canadians have many reasons to be proud of our health systems. Our hospitals are among the best in the world. Our doctors, nurses, surgeons and specialists are dedicated professionals who consistently deliver the highest standards of care. Our universities produce ground-breaking research that supports and improves lives every day.
Read MoreRetinopathy is a serious complication of diabetes that can develop in anyone with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. One in three people with diabetes has retinopathy, and one in 10 will develop a vision-threatening form of the disease.
Read MoreWhen he was only eight years old, Andrew Mac Isaac was living in what he can only describe now, at the age of 26, as “hell.”
Severe stomach cramps, which meant a constant run to the washroom, 10 plus times a day, either to throw-up or because of diarrhea, left him in the fetal position on the floor.
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