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Harvesting triple wins

University of Saskatchewan-led research and technology applications enhance environmental, social and economic outcomes in farming systems

The new Future of Good and QuakeLab annual ranking assessed the country’s largest grantmakers on DEI performance, transparency and commitment to socially responsible investing.

he community foundation of Canada’s most populous city has been crowned the country’s most equitable funder, according to a new annual ranking created by Future of Good and QuakeLab.

About 700,000 of the four million Canadians working in trades are set to retire by the end of this decade, according to Employment and Social Development Canada.

Public-private partnership investing in research and training to strengthen cybersecurity protections for Canadians

Whether we’re a consumer worried about a suspected scam email or a corporation safeguarding its confidential business information from a breach, we all have a stake in robust cybersecurity. And on the national scale, cybersecurity products and services are an increasingly important component of the technology industry driving Canada’s economic growth.

A life-long advocate for physical activity, Sandra Hartley found it difficult to follow her own advice as she reached advanced age with numerous joint and back problems.

Canada’s airports are challenged to adapt to a quickly changing world. They need to upgrade aging infrastructure, invest in innovative technology and apply new solutions to serve the growing population of air travellers – all while minimizing environmental impact.

Inspiring reflections on what trees mean to us

Canada is widely known as a forest nation, but do Canadians really value this abundance? Or does it take news like the devastating forest fires for people to consider the critical role forests play – not only in our daily lives but also in addressing climate change?

The college implemented a program in 2011 to reduce carbon emissions, which included changing lightbulbs to LED and working with students, faculty and staff to establish composting programs and community gardens. Local companies such as ArcelorMittal-Dofasco, Canada’s leading manufacturer of steel, became partners in the effort to make the city cleaner. In 2018, Mohawk opened the award-winning Joyce Centre for Partnership & Innovation, which is entirely off the grid. It houses the Centre for Climate Change Management, which has applied research opportunities around decarbonization and works with the Bay Area Climate Change Council looking at ways to green the environment.

Higher education has the power to change lives, build communities and drive economic growth. And it’s time for the model to change.

For years, education has followed the same approach to delivery: students enroll in a program, take a set of courses and earn a credential. This approach assumes that every student follows the same pathway to graduation.

As the Canadian Organic Regime (COR) organic standards mark their 15th year,  Canada-based company Sunrise Foods International reflects on its history of sourcing and distributing organic-certified agri-food ingredients. Founded by Saskatchewan organic farmers in 1997, Sunrise Foods is now the largest organic grain-trading company worldwide. 

Charities and nonprofits change lives

Creating a secretariat would enable the sector to be stronger and more effective

An Ipsos poll conducted for CanadaHelps last fall showed that nearly a quarter of Canadians – 9.6 million people – expected to call on charities to support their basic needs within the following six months, but even that high number may have under-estimated the actual demand on the charitable sector.

Top 5 myths about addiction and treatment

isconceptions about addiction continue to persist even as experts have gained effective new treatment tools and research advances. Ongoing “myths” about the lives and motivations of individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) can cause considerable harm, says Dr. Yelena Chorny, Chief of Addiction and Trauma Services at Homewood Health Centre (HHC), in Guelph, Ontario.

The past two months marked two very different but equally significant marine conservation milestones in the 30-by-30 quest, Canada’s ambition of conserving 30 per cent of marine habitat by 2030.

On the west coast, the Gitdisdzu Lugyeks marine protected area was awarded a blue park designation, the first in Canada

Innovation and talent key to solving societal challenges

It’s easy to come away impressed when a startup is able to take an idea and turn it into an innovation that addresses critical societal needs. It’s even more remarkable when a city attracts a cluster of companies in one field, each recognized globally for ground-breaking work.

Thermal energy waste has been a long-burning issue for the companies that make the products consumers and businesses use every day. It’s a significant obstacle in the global race to meet carbon-neutral goals, given that this type of energy – essentially heat that’s produced by burning fuel – accounts for an estimated 90 per cent of industrial energy use.

Research insights informing policy and care

It’s hard to think of many activities humans undertake that don’t require using arms and hands. From work-related motions to household chores, caregiving, driving and sports, much of the movements that define our daily routines rely on the proper functioning of our upper body.

‘A really cool map’ – providing tools for farmers, plant breeders and policymakers

Imagine a map of every field under agricultural production across Western Canada, showing detailed information about what crops are currently grown and whether they represent an optimal use for local conditions

The quest to achieve UN net-zero emissions targets by 2050 has been embraced by more than 120 countries worldwide, including Canada. The challenge for organizations large and small is often how to translate greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction ambitions into action, especially in the realm of ever-changing regulations and competing priorities.

Solar panels, heat-exchange systems and green roofs may come to mind when people think of green real estate, yet sustainability solutions can take myriad shapes and forms, says George Carras, founder and CEO of R-LABS, a Canadian venture builder and partnership structure dedicated to unlocking industry innovation.

Viable pathways leading to systems change

Reaching net zero is no longer just an environmental imperative. It is an economic one – and Canada’s major trading partners and competitors are aggressively positioning themselves to win in the emerging net-zero economy.

Real-world learning experiences – and a resulting network of connections with mentors from academia and industry – help set University of Guelph students on the path to success.

Although they have different backgrounds, interests and passions, fourth-year students Karen Reymer (BSc Agriculture, majoring in crop science) and Krupa Thakkar (BSc, majoring in food science) report a common thread shaping their student experience: applied learning has enriched their understanding of their chosen field and helped define a vision for the future.