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GOVERNMENT FUNDING AND NEWS

Prime Minister Mark Carney launched the new Major Projects Office (MPO). Created as part of the One Canadian Economy’s Building Canada Act, which came into force on June 26, 2025, the MPO is headquartered in Calgary and will have offices in other major Canadian cities. Its mandate is to serve as a single point of contact for nation-building projects to be built faster. It will do so in two principal ways. First, by streamlining and accelerating regulatory approval processes. Second, by helping to structure and coordinate financing of these projects as needed. The MPO will help to identify projects that are in Canada’s national interest and will help fast-track their development. The MPO will accelerate projects by creating a single set of conditions, thereby reducing the approval timeline for projects of national interest to a maximum of two years. To that end, it will work with provinces and territories to achieve a “one project, one review” approach for environmental assessments. Leveraging its expertise, the MPO will also help streamline approvals for all major projects across government, not just those designated under the Building Canada Act. Carney announced the appointment of Dawn Farrell to spearhead this mission as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the MPO. Farrell brings four decades of experience in Canada’s energy sector, including as President, CEO, and Board Chair of Trans Mountain Corporation, President and CEO of TransAlta Corporation, and as a senior executive at BC Hydro. Her extensive executive experience, deep expertise in implementing large projects, and wide-ranging understanding of regulatory processes and industry relations will be invaluable to the effectiveness of the MPO. Prime Minister of Canada

Public Safety Canada announced $1,361,900 in funding to St. Francis Xavier University for their three-year project entitled Closing the Gaps: Addressing Critical Challenges in Arctic Ground Search and Rescue. The initiative will receive funding through the Search and Rescue New Initiatives Fund (SAR NIF), which annually provides funding for projects that will improve Canada’s search and rescue system. With this new funding, St. Francis Xavier University, along with other researchers from Dalhousie and Memorial Universities, will work with government and community search and rescue responders from Nunavut and the Nunavik region to improve ground search and rescue prevention, preparedness and response. Public Safety Canada

Natural Resources Canada announced nearly $22.7 million for eight projects aimed at improving electric vehicle (EV) charging availability in British Columbia. The investment, delivered through The Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVIP), will install more than 480 EV chargers along main travel routes, in public places, at workplaces and in multi-unit residential buildings. This funding is delivered in collaboration with partners in provincial utilities and municipalities to improve access to charging stations for existing EV drivers and address range anxiety for Canadians considering purchasing an EV in the future.  

Funding recipients include:

• British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority ($5,000,000) – to install 65 fast chargers (50–99 kW), 18 fast chargers (100–199 kW) and four fast chargers (200 kW+) in community and corridor locations that have high demand for EV charging services.
• British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority ($4,985,000) – to install two Level 2 EV chargers, 74 Level 3 (50–99 kW) EV chargers and 17 Level 3 (100–199 kW) EV chargers.
• British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority ($4,980,000) – to install 67 EV fast chargers (50–99 kW) and 22 EV fast chargers (100–199 kW) in community and corridor locations that have high demand for EV charging services.
• British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority ($4,950,000) – to install 63 Level 3 EV chargers (50–99 kW) and 24 Level 3 EV chargers (100–199 kW) in community and corridor locations that have high demand for EV charging services.
• British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority ($1,880,000) – to install 38 EV chargers on main travel corridors in urban areas for public use throughout British Columbia. The project will deploy 33 Level 3 EV chargers (50–99 kW) and five Level 3 EV chargers (100–199 kW).
• City of Victoria ($395,000) – to support the City of Victoria’s on-road vehicle fleets, the proponent will install 26 Level 2 EV chargers, one 20–49 kW Level 3 EV charger, two 50–99 kW Level 3 EV chargers and one 320kW Level 3 EV charger at and near municipal workplaces in Victoria, BC.
• The Corporation of the District of Saanich ($350,000) – to install 40 Level 2 EV chargers and 2 EV fast chargers (100–199 kW) to support municipal operations and fleet electrification in Saanich, BC.
• City of Victoria ($122,500) – to install 22 Level 2 EV chargers and one Level 3 EV charger (20–49 kW) in community village centres in Victoria with a high density of multi-unit residential buildings where residents do not have at-home access to charging. Natural Resources Canada

Women and Gender Equality Canada announced the achievements of the Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan, which continues to advance equality and address the challenges faced by these communities.

Key initiatives receiving focus are: 

• 2SLGBTQI+ Entrepreneurship Program – $25 million to help 2SLGBTQI+ entrepreneurs overcome barriers to starting and growing their businesses,
• Over 160 projects and capacity-building 2SLGBTQI+ initiatives – up to $75 million to promote inclusion and benefit everyone in Canada, and
• Unity – a public awareness campaign designed to help Canadians actively break down stigma against 2SLGBTQI+ communities through education, reflection and practical actions.

The 2SLGBTQI+ Entrepreneurship Program is a $25 million initiative funded by the Government of Canada and administered by Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ Chamber of Commerce (CGLCC). The program includes the Business Scale-Up program to build the CGLCC’s capacity to help 2SLGBTQI+ entrepreneurs across Canada, an Ecosystem Fund to help 2SLGBTQI+ entrepreneurs access the resources, mentorship and networks they need to start or grow their businesses, and a Knowledge Hub to enhance research and data on the 2SLGBTQI+ entrepreneurship community and the challenges its members face. Women and Gender Equality Canada

The federal government is working in partnership with the George Gordon First Nation through Wicehtowak Solar Ltd. to accelerate the development of clean and reliable power for Canadians. Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced over $33 million in new resources that will help the George Gordon First Nation, through Wicehtowak Solar Ltd., build the Wicehtowak Solar Project, an Indigenous-owned solar power farm near Regina, Saskatchewan. Funded through the Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program, this project will deploy a 32MW solar power farm consisting of bi-facial solar panels. Owned by the George Gordon First Nation through Wicehtowak Solar Ltd., the project showcases Indigenous leadership in building Canada into a clean energy superpower, creating lasting economic opportunities for the region. Natural Resources Canada

Environment and Climate Change Canada announced an investment of $2.5 million, through the Low Carbon Economy Fund, to support Metro Vancouver’s Waste-to-Energy District energy project. Burnaby’s Waste-to-Energy Facility is a key part of Metro Vancouver’s approach to managing residual waste and recovering energy. The facility will capture steam generated by its existing process to supply clean heating and hot water to up to 50,000 homes across Metro Vancouver. This project is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 70,000 tonnes per year and aligns with Metro Vancouver’s goals for a resilient and sustainable region. Environment and Climate Change Canada

The Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario (FedNor) is investing $1,050,000 in support of two important NORCAT initiatives: $700,000 will support NORCAT in delivering the Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative, which aims to provide advisory services and funding to innovative small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The project will support the adoption, integration, and commercialization of AI tools, products, and services. This project will help companies address skill and productivity gaps related to AI technologies and foster in-house expertise in Northern Ontario, and support SMEs to enhance efficiency, innovation and competitiveness. The remaining $350,000 will support the renewal of NORCAT’s Innovation Acceleration Program (IAP) for an additional three-year period. The IAP provides financial assistance to SMEs to support access to technical and business resources. This initiative enables SMEs to invest in impactful growth activities such as materials and equipment acquisition, labour expansion and training, research and development, commercialization and market expansion, and other business expenses related to the development and commercialization of new technology. FedNor

The Government of Canada is investing $6,225,000 to support Graphite Nordique’s Lac-des-Îles expansion project that will extend the mine’s life and sustain its operations by seven to ten years. This funding will be provided by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and delivered by Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED). This federal investment will contribute to maintaining an annual domestic production of approximately 20,000 tonnes of graphite, protecting a strategic asset for Canada’s national security interests while strengthening Canada’s role in global critical minerals value chains. CED

Through Canada’s defence policy, Our North, Strong and Free, the Government of Canada is providing members of the Royal Canadian Navy with the equipment they need to keep Canadians safe and maintain current and future operational readiness. The Royal Canadian Navy requires a new submarine fleet that will be deployable in the Arctic with extended range and endurance that will provide stealth, persistence and lethality as key capabilities. The future Canadian Patrol Submarine will employ a unique combination of these attributes to ensure that Canada can detect, track, deter, and, if necessary, defeat adversaries in all three of Canada’s oceans. It will enable the Government of Canada to contribute to international security through deployments alongside allies and partners, while creating opportunities to strengthen Canada’s defence and marine sectors. CED

In a recently-released statement, The Department of Natural Resources (NRCan) and the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) of Germany have jointly recognized the strategic importance of critical minerals to the economic and national security of our countries, including defense applications, the energy transition, clean technology manufacturing, and advanced manufacturing, as well as the growing need for diversified and resilient critical mineral supply chains that reduce reliance on any single source and strengthen economic security. The statement acknowledges the significance of critical minerals midstream technologies, including smelting, processing, refining, and recycling capacity, to ensure a secure and sustainable supply, with a mutual interest in fostering innovation, rules-based trade, investment, and collaboration in the critical minerals space. Building on existing commitments under the Canada-Germany Energy Partnership, the Canada-Germany Hydrogen Alliance, the EU-Canada Strategic Partnership on Raw Materials, and the G7 Critical Minerals Action Plan to strengthen sustainable supply chains, the statement establishes the following common objectives:

• Promote and strengthen cooperation and trade in the critical minerals value chain, with a focus on midstream technologies, including mineral processing, refining, and recycling;
• Focus coordinated efforts around Lithium, Rare Earth Elements, Copper, Tungsten, Gallium, Germanium, and Nickel;
• Strive to facilitate public investments by governments to advance projects of mutual interest, in addition to promoting private capital investment in priority projects;
• Coordinate support and de-risking of strategic projects through active participation in joint International Initiatives on Critical Minerals; and
• Encourage commercial partnerships and research collaborations between Canadian and German companies, financial institutions, research organizations, and Indigenous partners.  Natural Resources Canada 

RESEARCH, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION

Markham, Ont.-based aerospace startup NordSpace announced via social media the failure of its initial rocket launch on August 29th. The company attributed the failure to an erroneously triggered safety system. “It happens! It’s literally rocket science,” NordSpace CEO Rahul Goel told BetaKit. The company’s Taiga rocket was primed for takeoff from the company’s Atlantic Spaceport Complex just outside of St. Lawrence, Nfld. NordSpace said the launch would have marked both the first liquid rocket launch in Canadian history and Canada’s first operational spaceport. NordSpace via X, BetaKit

Ontario-based Baxter Canada has introduced the Volara oscillation and lung expansion therapy system to the Canadian healthcare market, providing significant benefits for respiratory patients. The Volara system, initially launched in the U.S. in 2020, is now being used at the Southern Alberta Adult Cystic Fibrosis Clinic, part of the University of Calgary. The system offers a more efficient alternative to traditional manual techniques, reducing treatment time and patient fatigue. It features a digital touchscreen for customizable treatments and an integrated nebulizer for medication delivery. The system is anticipated to expand its usage to other respiratory conditions and patient populations, potentially reducing hospital stays and healthcare costs. With increasing air quality issues and an aging population, Baxter’s Volara system aims to address the growing need for effective respiratory care in Canada. Startup Ecosystem Canada

Adoption rates for Electric Vehicles EVs remain drawn according to  the Energy Futures Institute, which released a report earlier this year titled “Are EV Mandates and Market Reality on a Collision Course?” This year, the provincial government is pushing for 10 percent of new vehicle sales to be electric, even as the province’s own data shows that adoption is slowing. “It’s been clear for some time that BC’s EV mandates are unrealistic,” says Barry Penner, a former B.C. Minister of Environment and Attorney General, who now functions as Chair of the Energy Futures Institute. Currently, EVs make up about 13 percent of total vehicle sales in BC, which is down markedly from 22 percent last year. “The government’s own documents show EV sales are declining, just as the EV mandates kick in,” Penner said. Yet, in 2026, BC’s mandate will increase from 10 percent to 26 percent. By 2030, that figure climbs to 90 percent, and then 100 percent by 2035. Canada’s federal mandates also require 100 percent of vehicle sales to be zero-emission within a decade. Building on the Energy Futures report, a recent Ipsos poll of British Columbians revealed strong opposition to the unrealistic mandates. The survey found that 56 percent oppose the government mandates versus just 34 percent in support – a gap that has widened since last year (53 percent vs. 38 percent). And those strongly opposed to the mandates outnumber those strongly in favour by more than a three-to-one ratio (36 percent versus 10 percent). Techcouver

As of Friday, August 29th, Canada's small businesses can no longer ship small packages to the U.S. duty-free, posing problems for on-line sellers. The nearly century-old de minimis exemption, which in recent years allowed goods under USD$800 to enter the U.S. without extra fees, is ending as a July executive order by U.S. President Donald Trump takes effect. That means those shipments will now be subject to duties of up to USD$200, depending on the country of origin, and Canadian small businesses with American customers will be smacked with extra costs that eat into their profits. Canada has its own de minimis exemption for goods from the U.S. and Mexico up to $150 for customs duties. But the end of the U.S. de minimis for the rest of the world, including Canada, will impact mom-and-pop shops "disproportionately," according to John Boscariol, a trade expert and partner at McCarthy Tetrault in Toronto. CBC News

Canadian tech job postings on job search site Indeed plunged after a post-pandemic boom and weakened since mid-2023. As of early August 2025, job postings were down 19 percent from their early-2020 levels, though the decline has been somewhat milder than in several other advanced economies, including the US and UK. The timing of Canada’s plunge mainly correlates with a hangover from the earlier tech boom.  Roughly half of the net decline in tech postings from their peak occurred before ChatGPT became public, and tech postings have evolved similarly to the rest of the economy since mid-2023. However, AI could be a factor in why tech postings haven’t rebounded from their low levels. The AI revolution is apparent in the types of tech jobs still in demand. Jobs directly related to AI, such as machine learning engineers, as well as roles supporting its infrastructure (such as data engineers and data center technicians), are among the tech job titles with postings still above their early-2020 levels. Postings for senior and manager-level tech jobs have fallen off sharply from their 2022 peak, but as of early 2025, they were still up five percent from their pre-pandemic levels. Conversely, standard and junior tech titles were down -25 percent, highlighting how the job market is particularly tough for early-career professionals Hiring Lab.

The NASA Space Apps Challenge returns to Toronto on October 4 and 5, 2025, as part of the world’s largest annual hackathon. The event brings together students, developers, designers, scientists, and creative minds to tackle real-world challenges using NASA’s open data. In 2024, the event drew over 300 participants, making it the largest Space Apps gathering in Canada. With its hybrid format, participants had the opportunity to collaborate in person or virtually. This year, NASA aims to build on that success by uniting passionate innovators from across Toronto. The event will be in-person, and registration is open now. International Space Apps Challenge

Canadian AI firm Cohere announced Command A Translate, a state-of-the-art model specifically designed for high-quality translation tasks.  According to the firm, this new translation model outperforms competitors, including GPT-5, DeepSeek-V3, DeepL Pro’s LLM, and Google Translate. The model also features Deep Translation, an agentic approach that uses a multi-step process to refine translations. Command A Translate delivers industry-leading performance while offering enterprises full control of their data through private deployment options. Translation frequently involves handling sensitive business documents, such as contracts, financial reports, and materials with confidential customer information that shouldn’t be exposed to consumer services. For global companies operating across multiple languages, it ensures translations remain precise, reliable, and highly secure. Cohere

Calgary-based BioOilSolv is developing an innovative biogenic solvent from renewable agroforestry biomass that could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions while improving bitumen production efficiency in Alberta's Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) operations. The patent-pending technology offers a sustainable alternative to conventional solvents, with expected results including a 35 percent reduction in steam requirements and annual carbon reductions of 7,000-9,000 tonnes of CO2e. If scaled across Alberta's oil sands, this breakthrough could reduce provincial SAGD emissions by 1.6 million tonnes per year while creating new economic opportunities in the low-carbon transition. Emissions Reduction Alberta

Montreal startup Opalia has achieved a groundbreaking milestone by securing what it claims is the world's first commercial supply agreement for cell-based dairy with Dutch dairy giant Hoogwegt. Using proprietary technology that produces whole milk from bovine mammary cells without requiring cows, the company can create butter, cream, cheese, and other dairy products with 95 percent lower emissions than conventional dairy. The two-year agreement starting in 2026, combined with Opalia's ongoing $4M fundraise for regulatory approval, represents a major step forward for sustainable food innovation. Green Queen

The Ontario Agri-Food Research Initiative (OAFRI) Commercialization Stream opens for proposals on September 4th, 2025, offering Ontario-based organizations funding to advance agriculture, agri-food, and agri-based innovations to market. The program provides two funding streams: Market Validation Grants up to $30,000 for market research, and Product Development Grants of $50,000-$150,000 for prototype creation and field trials. With proposals due October 30th and projects starting March 2026, this initiative supports Ontario's Grow Ontario strategy to enhance sector competitiveness and innovation adoption. More information, including how to apply, is available here. BioEnterprise

An Ontario survey run by public opinion research firm Liaison Strategies for Ontario-based govtech startup Publicus shows that only 23 percent of SMBs have increased their adoption of AI in 2025, with two-thirds showing no growth at all. Additionally, 70 percent of SMBs are unaware of government AI support programs. When it comes to trust in AI, 89 percent of universities show a negative outlook, followed by insurance firms (58 percent) and the healthcare industry (47 percent). Liaison Strategies

Toronto and Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont.-based AI software startup Astrus says it has closed USD$8 million (Cdn$11 million) in seed funding to help semiconductor companies automate the design of analog circuits for advanced microchips.“Every breakthrough in human progress, from curing diseases to exploring space, depends on faster, more efficient computation.” While Astrus is still in research and development mode at the moment, Moon says the company is already engaged in discussions with several Tier-1 semiconductor companies, and is gearing up to run its first paid pilots in early 2026. BetaKit

VC, PRIVATE INVESTMENT & ACQUISITIONS

Montreal-based Desjardins Group announced that it has signed a definitive agreement for a take-private acquisition of Guardian Capital Group Limited, a publicly traded global investment management company that serves institutional, retail and private clients through its subsidiaries. The announcement follows the acquisition of Guardian's life insurance, mutual fund and investment distribution networks, which closed in 2023. Desjardins will acquire Guardian for Cdn$68.00 per share in an all-cash transaction valuing Guardian at approximately Cdn$1.67 billion. The transaction is subject to court, shareholders and regulatory approvals, as well as other customary closing conditions. The deal is expected to close in Q1 2026. Cision

Toronto-based Bench IQ, the AI-powered judicial intelligence platform,  announced it has raised a $5.3 million seed round led by Battery Ventures and Inovia Capital, with participation from CIBC Innovation Banking, MVP Ventures, Maple VC and Haystack VC. The new funding will fuel Bench IQ’s growth, with a focus on expanding its proprietary dataset, advancing its AI agents, and expanding the team in the U.S. and Canada. BusinessWire

Toronto-based financial management firm Wealthsimple announced the acquisition of Fey, an investing platform with advanced tools for traders. Founded in 2021 in Montreal, Fey has built a reputation for leveraging thoughtful design and powerful AI tools that simplify financial analysis. Fey’s trader-focused design, along with earnings analysis, natural language stock screening, and a real-time personalized news feed, is coming to Wealthsimple. Together, these features will deliver an even more powerful trading experience for millions of clients. Wealthsimple

Montreal-based startup Mechasys has successfully raised $23 million in a Series A funding round led by Idealist Capital, with additional investments from Fondaction. This funding will be used to scale production of Mechasys’s patented XR Projector, a laser projector designed to enhance construction site efficiency by projecting layout plans with millimetre accuracy. The company, founded in 2018, aims to make $2.5 million in sales this year and $13 million by 2026. Despite tariff-related challenges, Mechasys is committed to manufacturing in Montreal, with plans to triple its workforce and expand its international market reach. The startup’s technology is already in use at 200 construction sites globally and has shown significant potential in improving construction processes. Startup Ecosystem Canada, BetaKit

 Human capital management technology firm Dayforce announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with Thoma Bravo, a software investment firm, to become a privately held company in an all-cash transaction with an enterprise value of USD$12.3 billion.

Under the terms of the agreement, Dayforce stockholders will receive USD$70.00 per share in cash. The transaction includes a significant minority investment from a wholly owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. Dayforce

Canada Post recorded a loss before tax of $407 million in the second quarter of 2025 as parcels declined sharply due to labour uncertainty. The second-quarter loss of $407 million marked its largest loss before tax in a single quarter, with profitability deteriorating by $453 million compared to a profit before tax of $46 million in the same period a year earlier. The segment’s loss before tax in the first half of 2025 was $448 million, compared to a loss before tax of $30 million in the same period of the prior year. Over 50 per cent of year-to-date losses occurred in June, when labour uncertainty was at its peak. During the second quarter, the company continued to operate without new collective agreements with its largest union, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW). On May 23, CUPW initiated strike action by refusing to work overtime across the company, producing more uncertainty for Canada Post’s customers following CUPW’s 32-day national strike in late 2024. While Transaction Mail improved in the second quarter largely due to one-time federal election mailings, Parcels results declined sharply as the strike activity and labour uncertainty drove customers to other carriers for their deliveries. Parcels revenue fell by nearly half a billion dollars in the first half of 2025. Canada Post

Frontier has facilitated offtake agreements with Planetary, a company that removes atmospheric CO₂ and reduces local ocean acidity by adding dissolved alkaline minerals to seawater. With this deal, Planetary is expanding on the pilot project that recently delivered the world’s first verified Ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) tons, and initiating the next phase of operation with deliveries starting in 2026. Frontier buyers will pay Planetary $31.3 million to remove 115,211 tons of CO₂ between 2026 and 2030. OAE, particularly through approaches like alkaline mineral addition, has the potential to remove several billion tons of CO₂ with a credible path to under $100 per ton. Frontier has supported the deployment of alkaline materials across a range of environments to help clarify the efficacy, scalability and safety of each approach: on land (Lithos, Eion, Terradot), in freshwater systems like rivers and wastewater treatment (CarbonRun, CREW), and now in a coastal environment with Planetary. Frontier

REPORTS AND POLICIES

Urgent action needed to stem the tide of systematically produced, fraudulent “scientific’ papers

Systematic scientific fraud,is a growing threat to the integrity of the scientific enterprise, according to an international study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Typically carried out by “research paper mills” that mass-produce low-quality and fabricated research, scientific fraud is expanding. The study found “footprints of activities” that extend beyond paper mills to brokerage roles in a widespread network of editors and authors who cooperate to achieve the publication of scientific papers that escape traditional peer-review standards.

The study included scientists at Northwestern University in Illinois and the University of Sydney in Australia.

Due to the increasing scale and scope of the scientific enterprise, evaluators of stakeholder contributions to the system rely increasingly on potentially misleading proxies such as the h-index, journal impact factor, university rankings, and scientific prizes, the study authors say. Nonetheless, these proxies have quickly become targets for evaluation of institutional and personal impact, resulting in increasing competition and growing inequality in how resources and rewards are distributed, “which could leave the scientific enterprise more susceptible to defection.”

Scholarly defection occurs when there is a failure to make genuine contributions to the production of knowledge or to the training of an expert workforce while still benefiting from the contract.

A 2002 survey of scientists funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health reported that 0.2 percent of mid-career researchers and 0.5 percent of early-career researchers admitted to falsifying research data in the previous three years.

A systematic analysis of more than 20,000 articles published between 1995 and 2014 reported that 3.8 percent of these articles [or 760 articles] contained inappropriately duplicated images, with at least half of these cases suggestive of deliberate manipulation.

In a 2022-2023 survey of medical residents at tertiary hospitals in southwest China, 46.7 percent of respondents self-reported buying and selling papers, letting other people write papers, or writing papers for others.

Some journal publishers report that up to one in seven of their submissions are of probable “paper mill provenance.”

There is a perception among many practicing scientists that scientific fraud is a rare phenomenon resulting from the actions of isolated actors, the PNAS study says. “Mounting evidence, however, suggests the possibility that fraud is a more pervasive phenomenon; that defectors target journals to facilitate the publication of fraudulent science at scale.” 

The study found that publication patterns are consistent with a modus operandi where paper mills cooperate with brokers – or act, themselves, as brokers – who control at least some of the decisions at target journals and can guarantee the simultaneous publication of batches of fraudulent articles in a single journal.

The successful implementation of this strategy can be accomplished with the aid of even a small number of defectors at the journal level, the study notes.

Paper mills, predatory journals, and brokers likely operate under several author procurement models, including models where local scholars are targeted (resulting in a lack of international collaboration in authorship lists) and models where authorship slots are sold to scholars worldwide (resulting in implausible international collaborations), according to the study.

“Our results show that networks of individuals and entities act to produce fraudulent manuscripts, to select journals and publishers for targeting, and to facilitate their publication in journals indexed by aggregators such as WoS and Scopus.” 

The study also found that the number of retracted articles has been increasing exponentially over the last 30 years.

“Remarkably, and testifying to the enormous impact of post-publication review efforts, we find the number of articles with PubPeer comments has also been increasing exponentially.” PubPeer is a website that facilitates post-publication peer review of scientific research and aims to improve the transparency and integrity of scientific literature.

The number of retracted articles and PubPeer-commented articles has been doubling every 3.3 years and every 3.6 years, respectively, while the total number of publications has been doubling every 15 years.

However, suspected paper mill products have been doubling every 1.5 years. “Notably, suspected paper mill products now outnumber annually retracted articles and are projected to soon outnumber the number of PubPeer-commented articles.”

The PNAS study points out that competition for limited funding and jobs pushes scientists and the organizations that employ them to continually strive toward increasing scale, efficiency, impact, and the growth of the metrics by which these are evaluated.

Research suggests that perceived injustice is associated with research misbehaviour and that lack of opportunity and training are often cited as drivers of misconduct. “Thus, increasing inequality in resource accessibility may be contributing to the increasing scale of scientific fraud.”

Many different stakeholders believe that systematic fraudulent science occurs only in the periphery of the “real” scientific enterprise, that is, outside Organisation for Economic Development and Co-operation countries. However, according to the study’s authors, “Accumulating evidence shows that systematic production of low-quality and fraudulent science can occur anywhere. The trends we expose forecast serious risks for the scientific enterprise.”

Large groups of editors and authors appear to have cooperated to facilitate publishing fraud. Networks of linked fraudulent articles suggest an industrial scale of production.

Organizations selling contract cheating services anticipate and counter deindexing [the process of removing a webpage or website from a search engine’s index] and other quality control interventions by scientific literature aggregators.

The scientific literature in some fields may have already been irreparably damaged by fraud, the study’s authors note.

Moreover, the scale of activity in the enterprise of scientific fraud already exceeds the scope of current punitive measures designed to prevent fraud, the study says.

First, papers published in deindexed journals remain a part of the record of the scientific literature in some literature aggregators.

Second, retractions are still a relatively infrequent occurrence, “far below what one would reasonably expect for clearly fraudulent papers.”

Extrapolating from current trends, the study’s authors estimate that only around 25 percent of suspected paper mill products will ever be retracted and that only around 10 percent of suspected paper mill products will ever reside in a deindexed journal.

“Collectively, these findings show that the integrity of the extant scientific record and of future science is being undermined through the shortcomings in the very systems through which scientists infer the trustworthiness of each other’s work.”

Many of the stakeholders whose engagement is necessary for change are those benefiting from the status quo, the report points out. “However, in our view, the severity of the situation requires urgent action.” 

The accountability efforts aiming to identify scholarly defection have been spearheaded by courageous but isolated individuals, the study says. Some have been accused of vigilantism and dismissed, while others have been threatened with legal action.

“We need to create a system that is more robust and systematic and where it is harder to dismiss or bully those providing evidence of fraud.”

“First and foremost, we need to separate the different tasks required of a just accountability system: detection, investigation, and sanctioning.” Each of these tasks also needs to be removed from the hands of parties with potential conflicts of interest.

Journal editors have been offered substantial payments for rapid publication of selected manuscripts, and coordinated editorial action has been implicated in efforts to increase the impact factor of journals, the study says. Likewise, research institutions have a conflict of interest when investigating their own scientists. 

Further, detection at the scale the problem demands cannot be left to a small number of isolated volunteers. It needs resources, both human and technological, commensurate with the threat.

At the very least, significantly more research is needed toward both characterizing the diverse entities governing systematic scientific fraud as well as developing a unified and comprehensive vocabulary for describing them.

A major challenge is the lack of a comprehensive framework for the types of behaviours reported in the PNAS study.

Unethical behaviour in science is often viewed as a character failure of an individual, not something perpetrated, enabled and promoted by a cohort of individuals and entities.

It is important to explicitly highlight the risk posed by large-scale fraudulent science to emerging cutting-edge approaches, the study says. 

Both “machine scientists” and large language models hold the promise to help encapsulate the knowledge in the scientific literature for the use of scientists and the lay public.

“However, such approaches are not yet able to distinguish quality science from poor quality or fraudulent science, and this task only becomes more difficult as the number of fraudulent scientific publications increases.” PNAS

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 Digital technologies, health innovations and sustainability to build a better Canada: NRC report

The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) has released its 2024-2025 Annual Report, titled "Delivering results for a stronger Canada."

 The report focuses on key areas including:

• Realizing the potential of AI, quantum and digital technologies.
• Improving the health of people in Canada through research and innovation. 
• Building national resilience to climate change and leading in sustainability.
• Furthering Canada's leadership in foundational research.
• Helping Canadian businesses innovate and lead.

The NRC maintains a focus on technological innovation with projects seeking to deliver key quality of life benefits to Canadians. Healthcare and biochemical research are among the most promising areas where AI tools and quantum technologies can better the lives of people across Canada and around the world.

For example, by using AI to detect abnormalities in computed tomography (CT) scans, x-rays, ultrasounds and other medical imaging, doctors can diagnose diseases faster and more accurately. In the past year, NRC has partnered with University of Waterloo and McGill University researchers to design an AI system for medical image analysis, furthering opportunities for preventative care and improved medical diagnostics. 

The AI framework, known as the Trustworthy Deep Learning Framework for Medical Image Analysis (TRUDLMIA), was originally developed for COVID-19 diagnosis, but the team has since applied it to diseases such as pneumonia and melanoma.

AI researchers rely on sufficient compute capacity to continue delivering AI-based solutions for Canadians. As part of the Government of Canada's new Canadian Sovereign AI Compute Strategy, a $25-million investment was announced to expand the NRC's Beatrix Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) cluster facility, which is purpose-built for AI-based research and innovation. 

Quantum offers additional opportunities for technological innovation in Canada. With funding and support through the Quantum Sensors Challenge program, a team of researchers introduced a new technique that uses quantum sensor technology to monitor brain activity safely and non-invasively at the bedside, by beaming a laser through the skull. The quantum biosensor is sensitive enough to measure light down to a single photon, making it safer for patients. It also works faster and across a wider range of frequencies than a PET scan while costing at least 10 times less. Testing is currently underway on this new method of bedside neuromonitoring, which will one day allow physicians to immediately detect potential issues during interventions like cardiac surgery, so they can act faster to prevent potential damage.

A full list of digital technologies can be found here. 

The 2024-25 report maintains a focus on health-based innovations, including new treatments entering clinical trials: a vaccine for Haemophilus influenzae type a (Hia) and a new chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy.

The Hia vaccine, which began in 2012 as a joint development effort between the NRC and the Public Health Agency of Canada, entered clinical trials in 2024–2025, in collaboration with Dalhousie University and McGill University and with the support of the NRC’s licensee, InventVacc Biologicals Inc. Hia is a bacterial infection that can lead to pneumonia, lethal meningitis, septic arthritis and bloodstream infections. This milestone brings us closer to a new vaccine that can protect people in Canada and around the world from this dangerous infection.

The other therapy that entered clinical trials in 2024–2025 was the first fully made-in-Canada CAR T-cell therapy, which modifies a specific type of white blood cell, the T-cell, so it can target and destroy cancer cells in the body. Infused with the CAR gene, T-cells can recognize and bind to a specific protein on the surface of cancer cells, killing those cells while sparing healthy ones. The highly targeted nature of this therapy significantly increases efficacy against difficult-to-treat cancers, and CAR T-cell therapies targeting the CD19 protein on leukemia and lymphoma cells have already helped patients worldwide.

Additionally, the NRC continues its efforts to advance global cancer research by employing digital-based solutions like bWell, an AI tool for studying brain health and wellness, and the VitalSeer software – developed by the NRC’s Medical Devices Research Centre – making it possible to measure heart rate, respiratory rate and oxygen saturation through the camera on a computer or mobile device. 

Other health-related digital solutions mentioned in the report include the PowerBlade platform,  a compact centrifuge that uses lab-on-a-chip technology to rapidly detect pathogens like E. coli, Salmonella and Listeria to help Indigenous communities in Canada’s North combat the growing threat of food contamination. The project is a collaboration with Health Canada, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, and Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, which represents 26 First Nations in northern Manitoba. Working directly with First Nations communities, the team will co-develop training and support programs to further refine the platform to better meet specific community needs. 

Additional technologies include combining machine learning algorithms with digital biomarkers from wearable devices to identify heart failure more quickly than conventional methods.

The report also highlights additional partnerships promoting pandemic preparedness in Canada through several Biomedical Research Fund Proposals geared towards pandemic response. Globally, the NRC has collaborated with the United Kingdom on a joint initiative with UK Research and Innovation addressing global challenges in biomanufacturing and pandemic preparedness. 

With increasing reliance on technological advancements, low-carbon tech innovations are becoming increasingly popular for strengthening climate resilience and economic prosperity. 

On the supply chain side, minerals and metals like lithium and nickel are needed to make the batteries that power electric vehicles and other green technologies. Hosted by the NRC’s Clean Energy Innovation Research Centre, the Critical Battery Materials Initiative is dedicated to solving this challenge through R&D projects aimed at accelerating the discovery and synthesis of new battery materials, as well as projects to improve material recycling and recovery. This work will also help close gaps between mineral mining and battery manufacturing in Canada's supply chain, establishing one of the world's most effective networks for critical battery materials.

The NRC’s Critical Battery Materials Initiative team has also launched a new collaboration with Hydro-Québec's Center of Excellence in Transportation Electrification and Energy Storage to explore the use of Canadian critical minerals to enhance lithium-ion batteries. As a component in many electric vehicles (EVs), lithium-ion batteries are in high demand; however, the insufficient energy density of some battery chemistries is a limiting factor for EV range. This partnership aims to develop solutions for using elements like nickel and manganese to build better batteries, strengthening EV performance and demand for critical minerals.

The NRC is also investigating solid-state lithium batteries as a safer, higher-density energy option compared to lithium-ion batteries.

Other sustainability projects highlighted in the report include accelerating deep-energy retrofits in Northern and remote communities; enhancing the production capacity of wild blueberry plants in Northern communities to bolster economic growth and reduce forest fire risk; studying phytoplankton – microscopic organisms that function as “trees” to absorb carbon dioxide in oceanic ecosystems – as an early indicator of ocean health and climate change prediction; digital simulation software BlowView, which allows manufacturers to run digital simulations of hydrogen permeation during vehicle design and development, and additional projects focused on reducing shoreline erosion, decreasing small boat emissions, furthering advanced material research, increasing building resilience in the face of floods, improving wildfire data across Canada, and increasing bridge safety in Northern and rural communities – where bridges face increased structural risks from climate change. 

NRC is also committed to furthering foundational Canadian research, with key research outcomes outlined in the report.

The first breakthrough relates to an update of the Periodic Table of elements by researchers in the Metrology Research Centre, with a revision to the atomic weight of three elements that are vital to technologies and have applications in healthcare, aerospace and other important sectors. Gadolinium, for instance, is a vital component of MRI technology, where precision is important, but the measurements used to set its standard atomic weight date back to the 1940s.

"What captivates me about this work is the mix of cutting-edge science and international diplomacy required to turn a scientific finding into a globally accepted standard. By aligning Canada with one of the most iconic symbols of science, the Periodic Table of the Elements, we reinforce our reputation as a trusted leader in science and technology, while research into the fundamental properties of lutetium, gadolinium and zirconium strengthens Canada's role in technology-critical mineral research," said Dr. Juris Meija, senior research officer for the Metrology Research Centre.

Other key research outcomes take Canadians into space, where a brown dwarf – a celestial object larger than a planet but lighter than a star – is revealed to actually be two brown dwarf objects orbiting each other, supported by Dr. William Thompson, the Herzberg Instrument Science Fellow at the Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Centre, who was part of the international team that made the observation.

Back on earth, NRC researchers are continuing the development of technology that will allow the first in-field measurements of light absorption by aerosols, without the need for laboratory calibration, something that is especially challenging under real-world conditions, such as during wildfires. 

The annual report also includes examples of NRC-led industry support for 2024-2025, such as:

• Assistance for made-in-Canada AI technologies – NRC IRAP's new AI Assist program is helping Canadian SMEs develop and deploy new AI-based solutions, like generative AI and deep learning, safely and responsibly. 

• Fibre optic sensing and machine vision for safer railways – Experts at NRC’s Automotive and Surface Transportation Research Centre are exploring ways to enhance railcar safety with advanced technologies, efforts that will help keep people safe while also ensuring freight reaches its destination.

• Canadian leadership on the global stage as co-chair of Eureka – Canada served with Germany as co-chair of the global innovation network Eureka from July 2024 to July 2025—the first non-European member to take on that role. Alongside Germany's Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the NRC co-chaired Eureka meetings in late 2024 and early 2025, and led the planning and execution of the Eureka Global Innovation Summit in Hannover, Germany.

• A platform to decarbonize the construction sector at scale – In 2024–2025, the NRC continued to advance research through its Platform to Decarbonize the Construction Sector at Scale initiative, which supports the development of tools and guidelines that can help the industry both accelerate productivity and decarbonize.

• A technology adaptation to support the agriculture industry's sustainability goals – Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy technology, which uses laser pulses to identify elements in matter, was designed for the mining and metallurgy industries. In partnership with Montreal-based agri-environmental firm Logiaq, the NRC adapted the technology for another use: measuring carbon stored in soil, which will help the agriculture industry take steps to reduce its climate impacts.
• Full-scale demonstration of an autonomous flight simulation system – The NRC’s Flight Research Lab continues to develop its autonomous flight and simulation system for vertical takeoff and landing. In 2024–2025, the team demonstrated the system on a full-scale rotorcraft, including new features related to perception, trajectory planning, autonomous traffic monitoring and human-machine interfaces. The autonomous flight system is also capable of communicating with a second autonomous vehicle, marking a key milestone in its progress. NRC

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Canada-South Africa STIK partnership to bolster science diplomacy and innovation: ISED report

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) has released its report titled Canada-South Africa Science, Technology, Innovation and Knowledge (STIK) Cooperation, celebrating the over 30-year relationship between Canada and South Africa in the fields of science, technology, and innovation (STI). In it, report authors Paul Dufour, senior fellow with the Institute of Science, Society and Policy, University of Ottawa, and Michael Kahn, research fellow at CREST-SciSTIP Stellenbosch University, review the evolving Canada-South Africa STIK partnership from its earliest years in the 1990s to its present and offer ideas for future collaboration. The authors outline the outcomes of this partnership through shared domains, strengthened cooperation, and shared best practices guided by a renewed Memorandum of Understanding in 2024.

The report reviews the over thirty-year partnership between Canada and South Africa that emerged through the work of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and South Africa’s Mass Democratic Movement. 

“New challenges have emerged with the rise of disruptive geopolitics, research security concerns, the need for inclusive innovation, and the increasingly critical role of science diplomacy as a tool in enhancing trade and research collaboration.”

Included in the potential list of new and revised policy intersections are:

• Joint developments in talent and skills, joint research proposals, research chairs and centres of excellence.
• Reimagined national systems of innovation which emphasize use-oriented basic research and incorporate Indigenous knowledge as integral to the ecosystem.
• Open science.
• Learning from respective research and development (R&D) tax incentives and intellectual property rights systems.
• Enhanced support for research infrastructures, including the Square Kilometre Array Observatory and space science.
• The long-standing support for the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, as well as developments in science metrics and indicators for knowledge production and innovation.

The report highlights possibilities for greater cooperation in emerging technologies, including green hydrogen, biosciences and vaccine production, new agricultural techniques, as well as ongoing developments in nuclear medicine, mining and critical minerals. Grand societal challenges in the areas of AI, global polar research, and climate change also offer opportunities for collaboration. 

“Indeed, there is an emerging opportunity to strengthen cooperation in the domain of science diplomacy, where both countries have experimented with new policy developments including the appointment of professorial chairs in science diplomacy as well as the development of the Science Diplomacy Capital for Africa initiated by the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.”  The paper points to a recent announcement by the DSTI Minister requesting the National Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI) to convene a summit to discuss a transformation within South Africa's National System of Innovation (NSI), along with Canada's forthcoming changes to its overall research and innovation support and policy apparatus, as an opportunity to reimagine this joint partnership

The Canada-South African STIK partnership goes well beyond bilateral efforts. Canada and South Africa have played a strong role in helping shape a pan-African approach to STI partnerships –  through G7/G8 science ministers meetings and Carnegie Group meetings of science advisors and ministers, among others, the authors note.  The authors suggest these meetings as a platform to discuss new, emerging global issues and partnerships in STI, especially in the Global South.

Examples of more recent partnerships include, in 2017, when the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the National Research Foundation (NRF) joined forces to support the South African Canada Research Initiative (SACRI) through two modalities: the South Africa-Canada Research Chairs Trilateral Partners Initiative; and the South Africa-Canada Research Chairs Mobility Initiative. In May 2021, the NRF entered into an agreement with Canada's Mitacs to kick-start the implementation of the NRF Industry Partnership Strategy to secure and leverage additional resources and promote graduate upskilling in industry settings.

In other multilateral initiatives, the Canadian research councils have undertaken a large-scale, multinational project on climate change under their New Frontiers Research Fund programme that includes South Africa as a key partner. This International Joint Initiative for Research in Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation represents a collaboration among research funders from Brazil, Canada, Germany, South Africa, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States to leverage international expertise in tackling the global challenges caused by climate change. The Trans-Atlantic Platform promotes collaboration between humanities and social science research funders from South America, North America, Europe and Africa.

The report also explores comparative data on whole count articles produced in both countries, as well as their respective categories, to pinpoint areas of potential mutual interest and future collaboration.  

The top five categories of mutual interest are:

1. Biochemistry Molecular Biology
2. Environmental Sciences
3. Materials Science Multidisciplinary
4. Public Environmental & Occupational Health
5. Multidisciplinary Sciences.

The report also notes that during the period (1996-2020), Canadian scientific output increased 2.5-fold; South Africa's output increased fivefold, largely as a result of increased international co-authorship.

The top five categories of co-authorship include:

1. Astronomy Astrophysics (12.4 percent)
2. Physics Particles Fields (10.0 percent)
3. Public Environmental & Occupational Health (6.9 percent)
4. Ecology (4.8 percent)
5. Environmental Sciences (4.4 percent).

The authors include a figure showing the most highly cited paper categories and their respective rank for each category, with the most highly cited field being Clinical Medicine. This also proves meaningful when it comes to areas of collaboration, given that the category of Medicine produced the most articles from 2019-2021 (1,586).

At the institutional level, top collaborations exist between the University of Toronto and the University of Cape Town; the University of British Columbia and the University of the Witwatersrand; and McGill University and the University of Johannesburg. The authors note that growing partnerships exist based on the grants, fellowships and research awards for South African scholars offered by Canada's granting councils that serve to promote new talent and development of key research areas. 

An example includes funding to South Africa's Medical Research Council through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) in the amount of Cdn $2.5 million to the Healthy Life Trajectories Initiative and Cdn $5.2 million toward the work of the Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases. CIHR also provided CAN $0.75 million for training and another CAN $2 million as open grants. South African co-funding for these activities was in the order of Cdn $4.5 million.

Looking ahead, the authors outline key priorities for collaboration between South Africa and Canada as outlined during the 2023 South Africa - Canada Universities Network (SACUN) summit in Ottawa and Toronto:

• Implementation of transformative international joint research and Innovation partnerships: Renewed commitment of bilateral research and Innovation partnerships and multilateral cooperation.
• Build human resources for international mobility: Increased mobility between South Africa and Canada.
• Strengthen and grow the research infrastructure capabilities: Investing in continental and regional large-scale research infrastructures through partnerships with Canada.
• Promote STI capabilities in Africa: Through extensive collaboration with IDRC and the African Institute of Mathematical Sciences (AIMS).
• Stimulate STI and trade synergies: Through, for example, hydrogen or perhaps the ocean economies.

As a result of this summit, SACUN proposed collaboration in research across five prioritized themes:

• Just and Resilient Societies (topics: reconciliation, diversity, gender equality, rule of law, democratization, security, good governance, addressing poverty, ethical environmental practices, quality education, Indigenous knowledge systems)
• One Health (topics: right to a healthy environment, access to health resources, mental health, gender and access to health resources, climate change and health, pandemics)
• Environmental Sustainability (topics: sustainable and climate resilient agricultural systems, food security, pollution, clean energy, renewable energy, energy transitions, clean water, sustainable sourcing)
• Fourth Industrial Revolution (topics: technological futures, smart transport systems, nanotechnology, urbanization – smart cities, informed policy-making, digital economy, digital innovation, digital infrastructure, big data and data science)
• Sustainable Growth (topics: critical minerals and supply chains, innovation in the Blue Economy, infrastructure, green economy, labour supply/skills development)

According to the report, the NRF of South Africa has committed ZAR 9 million (Cdn $705,000) over the next three years to support this initiative. Canadian funding has yet to be confirmed. The paper notes that to move a roadmap and/or high-level complementary study targeting key emerging areas in strategic fields of the sciences, Indigenous knowledge and technology will be required to further the partnership.

“Canada and South Africa are well-poised to grow and strengthen their existing collaboration and STI partnerships. The forthcoming joint consultative meeting offers a strong opportunity to enable a vibrant and constructive dialogue for the future, as well as to explore the need for a strategic complementarity study.”  ISED

THE GRAPEVINE – News about people, institutions and communities

Cohere president Martin Kon is stepping down from his position and moving into an advisory role following the conclusion of the AI firm’s latest US$500-million funding round. Kon joined in February 2023 from YouTube, where he was chief financial officer. Cohere has recently shuffled its leadership team, hiring ex-Meta research head Joelle Pineau as chief AI officer, former Uber executive Francois Chadwick as CFO, and promoting Phil Blunsom to CTO. Kon will remain involved in daily operations and take the new title of senior advisor, the firm said. Globe and Mail 

Canadian luxury fashion retailer SSENSE has said it plans to file for bankruptcy protection, partly citing pressure from US tariffs, including on US-bound low-value parcels, which just came into effect. In an email to staff from CEO Rami Atallah, the Montreal-based firm said it was "surprised" by the elimination of the de minimis exemption for shipments to the US. The de minimis exemption allowed for duty-free shipping to the US on packages worth USD$800 (Cdn $1,100; £592) or less, and was widely used by e-commerce firms and global retailers to ship small packages to the US. President Donald Trump issued an executive order suspending the exemption last month. "In the past year, our landscape has shifted dramatically with tighter liquidity and increased trade pressures," said Mr Atallah in an email, which was quoted by several media outlets and confirmed by a company spokesperson to the BBC. Atallah said SSENSE will file for creditor protection "to protect the company, retain control of our assets and operations, and defend our future". It plans to continue to pay salaries and benefits coverage for employees, and "intends to operate on a business-as-usual basis", he said.This, along with the suspension of the de minimis exemption and the lenders' move to sell the company without its consent, has "created an immediate liquidity crisis no short-term fix could solve.”  BBC

The Institute for Sustainable Finance (ISF) announced the addition of five new Research Fellows to its growing team, including some of Canada’s leading scholars in the field: Julie Bernard (PhD), School of Environment, Enterprise and Development (SEED), University of Waterloo; Sean Cleary (PhD), Smith School of Business, Queen’s University; Fabio Moneta (PhD), Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa; Kenneth S. Corts (PhD), Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto; and Olaf Weber (PhD), Schulich School of Business, York University. These new additions bring the total to 10 new members of the Research Fellows Program who have joined ISF in 2025. ISF welcomes the support of the sustainable finance community to strengthen this program and bridge the gap between academic insights and industry decision-making. ISF

Parti Québécois critic for higher education, Catherine Gentilcore, is supporting a petition against the Government of Québec’s $151M budget cut to the cégep network for 2025-26. As cégeps experience restricted autonomy and interference from the government, students will pay the price, explains Gentilcore. She further noted that the $151M in cuts is in addition to the hiring freeze and infrastructure investment cap that were imposed over the past year. Gentilcore has invited students, cégep staff, and community members to sign the petition. Mon Joliette

British Columbia Institute of Technology’s Burnaby Campus has opened its newest student residence. The 12-storey building contains 469 beds, a common area, and study spaces. Built using mass timber, the building was designed with efficiency and sustainability in mind, attaining the province’s Energy Step Code 4 and receiving a CaGBC Net Zero certification. According to the Daily Hive, the timber panels were constructed off-site, improving the speed of the project. The residence was funded using a combination of $129M provincial funding and $3M in donations. Construction first began in late 2022, and the project now doubles the number of on-campus student housing beds to roughly 800. Daily Hive

Trent University has launched a new, compressed online support course for college students transferring to the university, with support from the Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer (ONCAT). Trent Teaching Commons Research Assistant Jess Malcolm explained that college-to-university transfer students face unique institutional and logistical challenges when entering university. To help address this, Trent created the course – UNIV-2001 Making the Leap: Foundations for University Success – to guide students through the transfer journey and reduce the experiences of “transfer shock,” a temporary, stress-related decline in academic performance. The course helps students to develop their academic skills, degree planning, and understanding of university life, and connects them with advisors and resources. Trent

Simon Fraser University and the University of Exeter have partnered to create a new international fast track to a career in law. The SFU-Exeter Accelerated Law Program will allow students to graduate in six years with a BA from SFU and an LLB from the University of Exeter, in addition to a certificate in Foundations of Canadian Law. As part of this partnership, students will pay a reduced tuition at Exeter and will not be required to take the Law School Admissions Test or compete for entry. Students will also be given a guaranteed spot in Exeter’s student housing. SFU Dean Laurel Weldon said that this is the first such program in British Columbia, and that students will save at least one year under the accelerated program when compared to a traditional law program. SFU

Simon Fraser University’s iViz research lab has developed a 3D AI avatar named Kia that will appear alongside Professor Steve DiPaola in his course on the ethics, potential, and principles of AI technologies this fall. DiPaola, who leads the iViz lab, plans to engage in live discussions and debates with Kia to provoke thought among students. He emphasized that Kia is not intended to replace instructors, but rather to serve as “a conversational partner and a subject of our inquiry.” DiPaola discussed the reasoning behind the move: “I want to ‘anthropomorphize’ AI by bringing in this talking, emotive 3D character because students see so much of this on social media, and I want to expose AI for what it is and what it isn’t.” SFU 

Red River College Polytechnic expects a near-record level of enrolment, according to President Fred Meier, RRC Polytech President. However, the polytechnic will still struggle to deal with the sharp drop in international student enrolment. Meier told CBC that the near-record enrolment “might be an offset in the amount of students that we’re seeing in total, but it certainly is not an offset in the amount of tuition.” CBC reports that the federal government’s cuts to international study permits are expected to affect schools across Manitoba, with Assiniboine College, Brandon University, Université de Saint-Boniface, and the University of Manitoba anticipating declines in international enrolment. CBC Manitoba

Brock University and Bow Valley College (BVC) have each recently taken steps to ensure ethical, trustworthy usage of technology on their campuses. Brock has released the Ethical Framework for Educational Technologies. The framework is intended to guide faculty and staff in the decision-making process around procuring, developing, and deploying digital tools. BVC has signed Cloud Security Alliance’s AI Trustworthy Pledge, which commits the college to AI safety, ethical accountability, privacy, and transparency. “It’s essentially the public line in the sand that this is how we’re running our AI program,” explained James Cairns, BVC chief information security officer. Brock University, BVC

Université de Saint-Boniface and the Association des professeurs et professionnels de l’Université de Saint-Boniface (APPUSB) recently spent two days negotiating with a mediator present, but did not come to an agreement. APPUSB said that despite its negotiating committee’s efforts, the negotiations are at an impasse. The union says that it is willing to resume negotiations, but Phi-Vân Nguyen, APPUSB’s communications committee lead, commented that the two parties are far from making a deal. Nguyen said that the union’s three demands are salary parity with English-language counterparts, a more balanced teaching load, and student and professor involvement in decision-making at all levels of the university. APPUSB, Radio-Canada

St. Francis Xavier University has received over $1.36M from the Government of Canada’s Search and Rescue New Initiatives Fund for a three-year project focused on improving ground search and rescue efforts in Canada’s Arctic. The project will be led by StFX Professor Peter Kikkert and will involve researchers from Dalhousie University and Memorial University, as well as search and rescue responders from Nunavut and the Nunavik region. Together, the team will find ways to address common challenges faced by rescuers. The funding will also provide research experiences for undergraduate students, who will contribute by organizing and facilitating roundtable discussions with rescuers. StFX

Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Langara College, and Vancouver Community College have each announced adjustments to their staffing numbers and initiatives in response to the ongoing impact of the international student cap. The Vancouver Sun reports that KPU is expecting a nearly 60 percent decrease in international student headcount compared to two years ago and, by extension, a $5M-10 drop in revenue for 2025-26. Similarly, City News says that Langara College’s international student population is down by 2,400 compared to last year. Frank Cosco, VCC Faculty Association President, stated that about 30 employees are expected to receive layoff notices due to the decline in students and called on the Government of British Columbia to dedicate funds to the sector. City News, Daily Hive, Vancouver Sun

The 2025 Canada Games saw youth athletes from across Canada showcasing their skills through sporting events hosted primarily on Memorial University’s campus in St. John’s, Nfld. Vancouver Community College CEO Ajay Patel was inducted into the Hall of Honour – Class of 2025 for his work across more than 20 years in the world of sports, and institutions like Brock University celebrated the accomplishments of members of their community. Canada Games CEO Karen Sherriffs told CBC that despite wildfires and Air Canada job action, organizers were able to successfully adapt to the changing situation. The 2027 Canada Games will take place in Quebec City. Memorial University Gazette, CBC