BREAKING NEWS

Prime Minister Mark Carney called the 2025 election, sending the country into an early campaign six months ahead of the fixed date. With a five-week campaign, Canadians will head to the polls on April 28.

GOVERNMENT FUNDING

Ottawa picks Australia to develop over-the-horizon radar, ignoring a leading Canadian producer of the technology

The Government of Canada plans to spend $6 billion in partnership with the Government of Australia to develop Over-the-Horizon Radar (OTHR) technology, which Ottawa said will be critical to strengthening Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) domain awareness in Canada’s Northern approaches.

Collaboration on OTHR technology will help advance the rapid establishment of Canada’s planned Arctic Over-the-Horizon Radar (A-OTHR) system, to be based in Southern Ontario.

As a key component of Canada’s NORAD modernization plan, A-OTHR will provide advanced early warning and long-range surveillance, enabling faster CAF detection and tracking of a wide range of threats in our Northern air and maritime approaches, while strengthening NORAD domain awareness in the defence of Canada and North America.

Australian industry partners will work with Canadian companies to build expertise and capacity in Canada, grow this country’s domestic defence industry, support high-paying Canadian jobs, and help Canada scale up its radar system, the government said.

But Dipak Roy, chairman of Ottawa-based D-TA Systems, said the Canadian company has been a leader in producing over-the-horizon radar systems for the U.S. Department of National Defence (DND) and for companies that supply the U.S. military.

Ottawa choosing a foreign supplier “was a slap in the face,” said Roy, the Ottawa Citizen reported. “We seem to have a problem in this country buying our own, made-in-Canada solutions. It’s a lack of national pride.”

D-TA Systems was established in 2007 and has been involved in defence projects in the U.S., Canada and other NATO nations as well as Japan. The firm has been working on over-the-horizon radar since 2011 for various DND and U.S. military projects.

DND has already spent $30 million with the firm to successfully create the capability, Roy said. A number of systems have already been delivered.

Roy pointed out that the Australian government will own the intellectual property rights for the system that Canada will purchase. In the case of the D-TA radars, Canada has full control over such rights.

Benjamin Bergen, president of the Council of Canadian Innovators, noted in a LinkedIn post that the federal government, in recent allocations from the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF), has directed $110 million of the nearly $229 million disbursed in the past two weeks toward supporting foreign multinationals, investing in their outputs and capacity.

“This should spark a debate in Canada, especially given the trade tensions we face with the Trump administration and the shifting geopolitical landscape. ​How is this acceptable?” Bergen said.
While these investments aim to stimulate innovation, directing substantial funds to foreign multinational corporations overlooks the potential of our home-grown tech companies, he said. “Every dollar funnelled to foreign entities is a missed opportunity to empower Canadian innovators to become global leaders.​”
“In an era defined by economic challenges, it cannot be business as usual,” Bergen said.

It's crucial that SIF investments prioritize domestic ownership and the commercialization of Canadian innovations, he said. “Our future economic resilience depends not just on labour but on owning the technologies and products the world needs.”

“To navigate out of this universe of economic and sovereignty vulnerability, we must recommit our efforts not only to buy local but also to have our governments use Canadian tax dollars to invest in us.”

To maintain and exert Canada’s sovereignty over its Northern territories, the CAF is planning to expand its Northern and Arctic operations, which the federal government said will cost an additional $420 million.

This expansion anticipates including more CAF personnel and the potential for increased inclusion of forces from Allied nations with an Arctic interest.

New activities aim to support a near year-round military presence through exercises and training to assert Canada’s presence and sovereignty as well as refine information-sharing processes. Enabling increased Northern and Arctic operations will allow the CAF to better detect, deter and defend against threats to Canada and North America, the government said. Prime Minister of Canada’s Office, Ottawa Citizen

********************************************************************************************************************************The Trump administration’s threatened and imposed tariffs have called into question the validity of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) signed in 2018, Prime Minister Mark Carney said. During a visit to Iqaluit last week, Carney was asked by media whether he shared the opinion of predecessor Justin Trudeau that U.S. President Donald Trump’s conduct toward Canada is economic warfare designed to bring about a “total collapse of the Canadian economy because that’ll make it easier to annex us.” Carney declined to say whether he agreed with Trudeau and spoke in a conciliatory manner about how he understood Trump’s rationale for his actions. “He wants to end the fentanyl crisis in the United States. I respect that,” Carney said. “He wants good, high-paying jobs in America. He wants more investment in America. He wants repatriation of many American industries and firms to the United States. And I fully respect that.” Asked what he would say in a future phone call with Trump, Carney said the U.S.’s behaviour in recent months has "called into question the validity of the USMCA. That means that we should have a broader conversation about our commercial relationship, which also involves a conversation about our security relationship, with the United States,” Carney said. In a Fox News interview, Trump accused Canada of “cheating” on the treaty and maligned both Carney and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. The Globe and Mail

Canada’s economic growth would slow to 0.7 percent (a net loss of about $40 billion to Canada’s GDP) this year and next – below the two percent previously forecast for both years – if U.S. President Donald Trump goes through with imposing 25-percent tariffs on nearly all Canadian and Mexican goods in April, according to the OECD Economic Outlook, Interim Report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. If bilateral tariffs are raised further on all non-commodity imports into the U.S, with corresponding increases in tariffs applied to non-commodity imports from the U.S. in all countries, global output could fall by around 0.3 percent by the third year and global inflation could rise by 0.4 percentage points per year on average over the first three years, the OECD warned. “The impact of these shocks would be magnified if policy uncertainty were to increase further or there was widespread risk repricing in financial markets.” OECD

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that the Government of Canada will cancel the proposed hike in the capital gains inclusion rate. “Canada is a country of builders. Cancelling the hike in capital gains tax will catalyze investment across our communities and incentivize builders, innovators and entrepreneurs to grow their businesses in Canada, creating more higher paying jobs,” he said. In addition, the government will maintain the increase in the Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption limit to $1.25 million on the sale of small business shares and farming and fishing property. The government will introduce legislation affecting the increase in the Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption limit “in due course.” Benjamin Bergen, president of the Council of Canadian Innovators (CCI) welcomed the move but said the damage from the initial proposal has already been felt. “The signal it sent – to investors, founders and global partners – was that Canada was becoming a harder place to succeed. That kind of uncertainty carries real consequences” Bergen said. The CCI has for 11 months led a sustained national effort to mobilize business leaders, shape the public conversation, and press for a full reversal of the proposed hike. Prime Minister’s Office

The Government of Alberta is investing $800 million over eight years in a cancer innovation value partnership with Siemens Healthineers and the Alberta Cancer Foundation. This investment will help replace and update oncology treatment equipment, leverage artificial intelligence, create two centres of excellence in cancer care, and establish a medical research and innovation fund to attract and retain global talent in Alberta. With the value partnership in place, visits to emergency departments for oncology-related cases could be reduced by 30 percent and wait times to receive cancer care and treatment could be reduced by 50 percent, the government said. Siemens Healthineers, headquartered in Germany, will replace Alberta’s existing equipment at the end of its life cycle and introduce new technologies that are more effective and could significantly reduce wait times for patients. In addition, Siemens Healthineers will invest $175 million to support the establishment of the centres of excellence and advance research initiatives. The Learning Centre of Excellence in Cancer Care, which will be based at the Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre in Calgary, will be the first global oncology training, learning and reference site in Canada. The Artificial Intelligence Centre of Excellence in Cancer Care, based in Edmonton, will create a cancer-focused AI and machine learning program. Also, Siemens Healthineers and the Alberta Cancer Foundation will each provide $24 million for the medical research and innovation fund, for a total of $48 million. Govt. of Alberta

The Government of Canada, the Government of New Brunswick and the Government of Nova Scotia are each contributing $325 million to support a project (valued at $650 million) to protect the Chignecto Isthmus from climate change impacts. The dykeland system in the Chignecto Isthmus between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia will be raised to decrease the risk of flooding and protect agriculture in the region and surrounding communities, including Sackville, N.B. and Amherst, N.S. against sea level rise and storm surges. The isthmus is also a transportation corridor including the TransCanada Highway and the Canadian National Railway, connecting New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. An estimated $100 million of goods and services crosses the corridor each day. The corridor also contains 138 kilovolt (kV) and 345 kV electrical transmission lines and fibre-optical cables, both of which are essential to providing electricity and telecommunication capabilities within and across communities. The project will have two major components: a minimum of 13 kilometres of dyke system and three to five large aboiteaux and the replacement or addition of new small aboiteaux. Aboiteaux are culverts with gates that stop seawater from flowing inland past the dykes while allowing water behind the dykes to flow out. The entire project is expected to take approximately 10 years to complete with the preliminary engineering studies, design and land acquisition occurring during the first half of the period and most of the construction occurring during the last half. Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) announced that the Government of Canada finalized its investment of up to $240 million in Toronto-based Cohere Inc.’s-$725 million project to bring domestic compute capacity to Canada and support the development and scaling of AI capabilities here at home. This federal investment will incentivize new cutting-edge AI compute infrastructure with the development of a new multi-billion-dollar AI data centre, located in Canada, that will come online this year. This will enable Cohere to accelerate the commercialization of its large language models at a new domestic data centre, driving growth and allowing Cohere to compete for global market share against other well-funded international competitors. Access to additional domestic compute capacity will support the expansion of other Canadian firms developing AI technologies in this rapidly growing sector. Cohere is the first funding recipient of the AI Compute Challenge, announced in December 2024 under the federal Canadian Sovereign AI Compute Strategy. ISED

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) announced a contribution, from the Strategic Innovation Fund,  of up to $200 million toward a $5.96-billion project with Cedar LNG Partners LP. The project is expected to generate $275 million in GDP contributions over the construction phase and $85 million in annual GDP contributions during the operations phase. Cedar LNG is a partnership between the Haisla Nation on B.C.’s northwest coast and Calgary-based Pembina Pipeline Corporation. This four‑year project consists of the construction, commissioning and operation of a new Indigenous majority-owned floating liquefied natural gas processing facility and marine export terminal in Kitimat, B.C. The facility will be powered by clean hydroelectricity from B.C.’s grid and will produce ultra-low-carbon LNG that has the potential to displace the use of higher-emitting forms of energy in Asia. Once operational, the facility will have the capacity to process and liquefy 400 million standard cubic feet of natural gas per day and produce 3.3 million tons of liquefied natural gas per year for international markets. ISED

Transport Canada announced an investment of $175 million over five years to support operations and maintenance of the Hudson Bay Railway (HBR) and pre-development activities at the Port of Churchill, owned by the Arctic Gateway Group (AGG). The following funding starting in 2025-26 will be shared between Transport Canada and Prairies Economic Development Canada:

• In total, $125 million will go towards the continued operations and maintenance of the HBR over five years through Transport Canada’s Remote Passenger Rail Program. This funding is to be offset by $43.8 million previously announced in the Fall Economic Statement 2024.
• $50 million for the pre-development activities at the Port of Churchill over five years will be administered by Prairies Economic Development Canada.

The AGG is a partnership of 29 First Nations and 12 isolated communities served by the HBR in northern Manitoba. The HBR is critical to Indigenous reconciliation, connecting communities and economic development, including the development of critical minerals and tourism, in northern Manitoba. Both the HBR and the Port of Churchill play an important role in ensuring supplies reach northern Manitoba and Nunavut. Transport Canada

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) announced investments of nearly $150 million from Canada’s Output-Based Pricing System (OBPS) Proceeds Fund in 38 Decarbonization Incentive Program projects in the four provinces where the federal OBPS applied in 2019 to the present. This funding will help Canadian companies and organizations deploy cutting-edge clean technologies which cut pollution, enhance energy efficiency, create jobs and strengthen Canada’s economic footing, ECCC said. The investments will support a range of initiatives, such as replacing expensive oil- and gas-fired boilers with more efficient electric ones, producing cleaner and stronger Canadian fibreglass, deploying advanced carbon-management technologies, and enhancing the durability of galvanized steel sheets, all of which help drive down costs for Canadian manufacturers and consumers across the supply chain. Projects funded by the Proceeds Fund will also help unlock new opportunities and markets for made-in-Canada clean technology and innovation, strengthening the Canadian economy while reducing an estimated 544,100 tonnes of greenhouse gas pollution in the year 2030. ECCC

The Government of Canada announced a contribution, under the Arctic Energy Fund, of $94 million to the Qulliq Energy Corporation, to support the replacement of aging diesel power plants in Cambridge Bay, Gjoa Haven and Igloolik, as well as the installation of a new diesel generator in Iqaluit. These upgrades aim to enhance energy efficiency, operational reliability and environmental performance, ensuring that Nunavut communities have access to safe and dependable power. The government also will contribute $20 million to the Nunavut Nukkiksautiit Corporation (NCC) for the Iqaluit Nukkiksautiit Project. This proposed hydroelectricity facility has the potential to replace 100 percent of Iqaluit’s diesel-generated electricity with clean hydro power. The funding will help the NNC complete the development phase of the project and take it to a near shovel-ready state. Prime Minister’s Office of Canada

Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) announced more than $67 million across 10 projects to help equip approximately 29,300 tradespeople with high-demand skills as industries shift to greener, low-carbon alternatives. This funding will run from 2025 to 2030.
These projects, funded by the Sustainable Jobs funding stream of the Union Training and Innovation Program under the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy, complement the investment in the Sustainable Jobs Training Fund that helps thousands of workers to upgrade or gain the new skills required for a green economy. ESDC

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) announced a contribution, from the Strategic Innovation Fund, of $62 million to support Entos Pharmaceuticals’ $198.5-million project. This contribution will help Entos build a 103,000-square-foot facility consisting of a biomanufacturing facility and a research and development centre. The facility will be used to produce genetic medicines with the potential to treat infections, cancer, rare diseases and neurodegenerative diseases. The company’s innovative technology platform overcomes a key challenge related to delivering genetic medicines by targeting specific parts of the body where disease originates. This means the company could potentially treat challenging conditions such as cystic fibrosis. With this contribution, Entos will be able to produce leading-edge therapeutics and vaccines in Edmonton. The project will support the scale up of this Canadian biotechnology company and its platform, strengthen the supply chain for genetic medicines and significantly enhance Canada’s ability to produce essential next-generation medicines for international markets. ISED

Transport Canada announced an investment of up to $57.8 million for 15 projects through the Oceans Protection Plan’s Safety Equipment and Basic Marine Infrastructure in Northern Communities Initiative. This funding will allow Arctic and Northern coastal communities to expand storage facilities and upgrade sealift area infrastructure to improve the safety and efficiency of local sealift and resupply operations. An estimated 47 Northern communities will benefit from this investment, creating local jobs, building stronger supply chains, improving marine safety and reducing environmental risks. The 47 communities benefiting are in:

• Newfoundland and Labrador (up to four communities).
• Quebec (up to 13 communities).
• Nunavut (up to 23 communities).
• Northwest Territories (up to seven communities). Transport Canada

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) announced a $49.9-million investment, from the Strategic Innovation Fund, in Vancouver-headquartered STEMCELL Technologies Canada Inc. This investment will support the company’s $222-million project to establish two new biomanufacturing facilities with large-scale production of essential inputs used to develop and manufacture vaccines, therapies and diagnostic technologies, as well as other innovative technologies, like tissue engineering, immunotherapy, and cell and gene therapies. These products are used by researchers and industrial partners here in Canada and around the globe, integrating Canada into global supply chains. ISED

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) announced a $49-million investment, from the Strategic Innovation Fund, in HTEC. The investment will support the company’s $472-million project to build and operate a facility that will capture and liquefy 15 tonnes per day of industrial by-product hydrogen in North Vancouver, turning waste into a valuable, clean fuel. The facility will allow for the cost-effective distribution of low-carbon hydrogen to HTEC’s refuelling station network in British Columbia and Alberta. The refuelling station is a key component of HTEC’s H2 Gateway program, which includes up to 20 hydrogen refuelling stations, three hydrogen production facilities and a fleet of 100 hydrogen heavy-duty fuel cell electric trucks. The Gateway program has also received $337 million from the Canada Infrastructure Bank. Once completed, the North Vancouver project will be the first full value chain ecosystem for heavy-duty fuel cell electric trucks in Canada. Over the next three decades, global demand for clean hydrogen is expected to increase tenfold. Matching supply and demand for hydrogen will facilitate the large-scale adoption of zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles. ISED said this will not only decarbonize commercial trucking but also help position Canada as a leader in hydrogen technologies and sustainable practices. ISED

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) announced that the Government of Canada is working with Slemon Park, P.E.I.-based MDS Coating Technologies Corporation, through the Strategic Innovation Fund, to support the company’s proposed $100 million project to expand its facility on Prince Edward Island, doubling its capacity. The amount of federal funding wasn’t specified. The Government of Prince Edward Island is also providing a $7-million loan. These investments will enable the company to manufacture environmentally friendly nano‑coating technologies for aircraft engine compressor blades and fan blades. MDS’s coating technologies are designed to improve performance and reduce fuel consumption and engine degradation, resulting in reduced maintenance costs and lower carbon emissions. ISED

Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) announced a total investment of over $20 million for 67 projects to help to boost the competitiveness and resiliency of British Columbia’s forest sector while growing wood product exports. The investments include:

• over $11.3 million in funding through the Investments in Forest Industry Transformation program for six projects that will facilitate the adoption and commercialization of new technologies, focusing on the production of innovative, low-carbon products that result in new or diversified revenue streams.
• over $7 million in funding through the Indigenous Forestry Initiative (IFI) program for 50 projects that will advance economic development opportunities in the forest sector for Indigenous communities while strengthening Indigenous leadership and participation in forest stewardship.
• over $1.6 million in funding under the Green Construction through Wood program for nine projects that will promote the adoption and commercialization of wood-based products in the construction sector.
• over $600,000 in Global Forest Leadership program funding for two projects that will strengthen international partnerships with like-minded organizations by sharing Canadian expertise and decreasing market barriers for sustainable forest products. NRCan

Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) announced a $16.3-million investment over the next three years, starting in 2024-25, to support 25 projects through the Government of Canada’s Fighting and Managing Wildfires in a Changing Climate Program (FMWCC) – Training Fund. Through this investment, over 2,800 youth and community members in remote, rural and Indigenous communities across Canada will receive wildland firefighting training to enhance community capacity for responding to and managing wildfires. This investment will also help address employment barriers by equipping people with the necessary skills, and opportunities to pursue employment in wildland firefighting. NRCan

Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) announced a total investment of over $13.3 million for 28 projects that will help to boost the competitiveness and resiliency of Quebec’s forest sector while growing wood product exports. The investments include:

• Nearly $10.8 million in funding through the Investments in Forest Industry Transformation program for six projects that will facilitate the adoption and commercialization of new technologies, focusing on the production of innovative, low-carbon products that result in new or diversified revenue streams.
• Over $2.5 million in funding through the Indigenous Forestry Initiative program for 22 projects that will advance economic development opportunities in the forest sector for Indigenous communities while strengthening Indigenous leadership and participation in forest stewardship. NRCan

Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) announced over $12.1 million for 13 projects in the North and across Canada under NRCan’s Climate Change Adaptation Program (CCAP) and the Climate-Resilient Coastal Communities (CRCC) Program. These projects aim to support regions and sectors in the North and across Canada in adapting to a changing climate by developing tools and resources and implementing actions to reduce climate change risks and build adaptation capacity. Some projects will also work with rural, remote and Indigenous communities, First Nations, and stakeholders to facilitate knowledge sharing and develop adaptation actions and pathways. The funding comes from a total investment of over $46 million for 63 projects through the CCAP and the CRCC Program to reduce climate change risks and build more resilient communities across the country in support of the National Adaptation Strategy. NRCan

Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) announced over $11 million in funding, mainly from the Clean Energy for Rural and Remote Communities, program, for 15 clean energy projects in Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, Ontario, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Quebec. This funding will support the development of a range of community-led clean energy initiatives in Northern and remote Indigenous communities, such as:

• forest biomass and bioenergy systems.
• solar photovoltaics and battery energy storage systems.
• capacity building, feasibility and front-end engineering and design studies.
• energy efficiency and building retrofits. NRCan

The Government of Canada and the Government of Québec are jointly investing a total of over $8.5 million for four projects that will promote green construction in Quebec, including the use of low-carbon Canadian wood to accelerate new building projects. The federal government is investing more than $4.7 million, while the Quebec government is contributing $3.83 million. The funding includes:

• $1 million for Les Chantiers Chibougamau Ltée from Natural Resources Canada’s (NRCan) Green Construction through Wood program and $1.33 million from the Programme d’innovation en construction bois of Quebec's Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests. The project will develop a four-storey, 20-unit residential mass timber building using prefabrication and modular construction techniques.
• An additional $2 million for Les Chantiers Chibougamau Ltée from NRCan’s Investments in Forest Industry Transformation program and $2.5 million from the Programme Innovation Bois of Quebec's Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests. This project will modernize production processes of finger-jointed lumber, glue-laminated, I-joists and cross-laminated timber through the innovative use of artificial intelligence.
• $500,000 for Samcon Stanley Properties from NRCan’s Green Construction through Wood program. This project will develop the design for a 21-storey multi-unit residential building built from mass timber.
• $1.2 million for the Cree First Nation of Waswanipi from NRCan’s Green Construction through Wood program. This project will build a two-storey low-rise community building with wood building technology. NRCan

Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) announced more than $8.3 million in federal funding for 13 projects aimed at advancing clean technologies in Alberta's energy and natural resource industries. The funding includes:

• $2 million will enable the scaling up of the Energy Transition Centre in Calgary to increase the number of clean tech businesses receiving support, expand programming and enhance collaboration among industry, academia and investors.
• $1.5 million will help establish the Calgary Region Hydrogen Hub to grow the hydrogen economy in the Calgary area while better connecting existing hydrogen hubs in Vancouver and Edmonton.
• $50,000 will support a study to investigate opportunities related to a regional hydrogen hub in the Grande Prairie area.
• Six projects totaling over $1.6 million will contribute to the study of suitable alternative energy sources, including large-scale solar photovoltaic farms and battery storage systems, to supply power to Indigenous communities across Alberta.
• Repayable funding of $1.8 million will enable Calgary-based FulcrumAir to expand operations into U.S., Australian and European markets. FulcrumAir’s innovative robotic devices increase safety, productivity and efficiency when installing or maintaining power lines.
• More than $1.3 million for three projects that will advance clean technology innovations for use in the natural resource sector. PrairiesCan

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) announced a contribution of $8 million, from the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF), for Teledyne DALSA toward a $42-million project to upgrade equipment. This investment will help Teledyne develop the next generation of image sensors and expand semiconductor capabilities at its Bromont, Que., facility. The SIF contribution will enable Teledyne to sustain its competitive edge in specialized, high-value imaging components, systems and custom image sensors. Teledyne will also provide Canadian businesses and research centres with access to a unique infrastructure for innovative product development and prototyping. ISED

Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) announced a federal investment of approximately $7.9 million toward the Oil to Heat Pump Affordability program (OHPA) to support climate action in Manitoba and help low- to median-income homeowners reduce their energy bills. Including funds from Efficiency Manitoba, the Government of Manitoba is contributing up to $2.6 million toward the co-delivery of the OHPA program. Eligible homeowners can receive an up-front payment of up to $20,000 toward the purchase and installation of a high-efficiency heat pump in homes currently heated with oil, plus a one-time $250 heat pump bonus payment to further help participants with the costs associated to transition from oil heating. More information, including details on eligibility and how to apply, is available at Canada.ca. NRCan

The Government of British Columbia is contributing  $6.6 million in grant funding to seven food and beverage manufacturing firms across the province, aimed at creating jobs and bolstering domestic food security. Kelowna-based Farming Karma Fruit is receiving $2 million to support the purchase of advanced manufacturing equipment, increase production and expand product lines. Fraser Valley-based One Degree Organic Foods is also receiving $2 million to consolidate its four smaller locations into one larger, centralized facility in Mission, B.C., and purchase new equipment that will double production capacity and establish new product lines. Food in Canada

The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) announced a $5-million, non-repayable contribution to Neptune BioInnovation Inc. to establish a multi-user bio-innovation hub and contract manufacturing organization. The funding will help transform an underutilized facility in Dartmouth, N.S. into a fully-equipped multi-user space for innovation and industry that will enable Canada to compete globally, strengthen domestic supply chains, and foster biotechnology advancements across critical sectors. The 51,000-sq-ft facility will provide shared industrial space, contract manufacturing, spray drying and precision fermentation up to 100,000 litres, enabling companies to scale locally instead of leaving Canada. A one-of-a-kind facility in Canada, the Neptune BioInnovation Centre will encourage biotechnology advancements in areas such as smart materials, bioplastics, functional foods, green chemicals, therapeutics and alternative proteins. ACOA

The Government of British Columbia is providing 12 First Nations in B.C., from the First Nations Clean Energy Business Fund, with a total of $1.49 million in capacity and equity funding to develop clean-energy projects that will help provide energy options that are affordable, reduce emissions, protect the environment and bolster local economies. Projects range from installing 24 residential solar photovoltaic systems on Cayoose Creek homes to developing a comprehensive community energy plan for the Nazko First Nation. The Yekooche First Nation will receive $50,000 to assess the viability of solar and wind power projects exploration in its territory, where frequent climate-related hazards, such as wildfires and severe storms, have started to impact the local electricity supply. Govt. of B.C.

The Regina-based Protein Industries Canada global innovation cluster announced the $3- million Strengthening the Canadian Supply Chain Program to support Canadian companies in the development or reformulation of products for the domestic market. The program aims to help ingredient manufacturers and food processors remain competitive amidst ongoing trade uncertainties with the U.S. The Strengthening the Canadian Supply Chain Program will reimburse up to 75 percent of eligible costs to a maximum project cost of $200,000. To be eligible, projects must include at least one of the following:

• reformulating products with domestically produced ingredients.
• scale up and commercialization work to increase the supply of domestically produced food products to Canadian consumers.
• scale up and commercialization of domestically produced ingredients to Canadian manufacturers.

The projects are required to use Canadian feedstocks or ingredients derived from Canadian crops such as wheat, oats, barley, peas, soy or fava beans. Other emerging crops, such as lupin or hemp, will also be considered. Companies interested in applying to the Strengthening the Canadian Supply Chain Program may send an email to projects@proteinsupercluster.ca Protein Industries Canada

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) announced the federal government will support (no funding amount was specified) Siemens Canada’s proposal to establish a Global AI Manufacturing Technologies R&D Centre for Battery Production in Oakville, Ont. This centre will focus on pioneering research and development aimed at advancing battery efficiency and production methods, ensuring Canada remains competitive in the race to lead the clean energy revolution. ISED said this project will foster collaboration between academia, industry leaders and researchers to accelerate battery innovations, solidifying Canada’s role as a key player in the green economy. ISED

Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) announced federal funding for MTC Mass Timber Company to support its move to technology-driven manufacturing that will create high-value mass timber products in Nova Scotia. Through an investment of $500,000, MTC will advance the detailed design of Canada’s first large-scale, clear-span mass timber manufacturing structure that would house a new industrial plant. Once constructed, MTC will be Canada’s first vertically integrated mass timber manufacturer in Atlantic Canada, allowing further growth of the region’s offsite building construction sector and improving access to housing for Nova Scotians. MTC was also conditionally approved for $10 million in federal support, subject to the required due diligence measures and the negotiation of a final agreement by both parties, to: 

• Work with local forest sector partners and First Nations to integrate their operations into a high-specification manufacturing business.
• Use technology-driven manufacturing to open a facility that can use eastern spruce –  currently undervalued in the lumber industry – to create high-value products such as cross-laminated timber panels and glue-laminated beams and columns.
• Diversify the company’s product lines by maximizing the value of wood fibre products, which will contribute to the local economy by increasing income per unit and growing operations. (NRCan)

RESEARCH, TECH NEWS & COLLABORATION

CEOs of Canada’s largest oil and gas companies call on Ottawa to declare an “energy crisis” to get projects built

Fourteen heads of Canada’s largest oil and gas companies, in an open letter, called on federal political leaders to declare an “energy crisis” and designate key projects – including new oil and gas pipelines and LNG terminals – in the national interest to ensure they get built.

The signatories also call on federal political leaders to create an environment that will:

• Simplify regulation. The federal government’s Impact Assessment Act and West Coast tanker ban are impeding development and need to be overhauled and simplified. Regulatory processes need to be streamlined and decisions need to withstand judicial challenges.
• Commit to firm deadlines for project approvals. The federal government needs to reduce regulatory timelines so that major projects are approved within six  months of application.
• Grow production. The federal government’s unlegislated cap on oil and gas industry emissions must be eliminated to allow the sector to reach its full potential.
• Attract investment. The federal carbon levy on large emitters is not globally cost- competitive and should be repealed to allow provincial governments to set more suitable carbon regulations.
• Incentivize Indigenous co-investment opportunities. The federal government needs to provide Indigenous loan guarantees at scale so industry may create infrastructure ownership opportunities to increase prosperity for communities and to ensure that Indigenous communities benefit from development.

Signatories include Murray Edwards, executive chairman of Canadian Natural Resources Limited; Brad Corson, chairman, president and CEO of Imperial Oil Limited; Rich Kruger, president and CEO of Suncor Energy Inc.; Greg Ebel, president and CEO of Enbridge Inc.; François Poirier, president and CEO of TC Energy Corp.; and Adam Waterous, executive chairman of Strathcona Resources and a contributor to Build Canada, a group of mostly tech CEOs seeking to boost Canada’s productivity.

Jonathan Wilkinson, federal minister of Energy and Natural Resources, responded on X to the open letter, calling it disappointing and that it included statements “I find quite difficult to square with previous public statements a number of you have made” about environment and climate policies.

“While improvements certainly can and are being made, gutting the assessment process – something you folks seem to be suggesting – would only take us backwards to the Harper years, where good projects were held up in court and nothing got built,” Wilkinson said.

“In the past, there were some who questioned the sincerity of you and other oil and gas sector executives when they said they were truly committed to addressing carbon emissions,” he said.
“These observers will be emboldened today as a result of your letter’s call to eliminate the industry carbon price – a price which originated in Alberta under a Conservative government – and a price which many of the authors of your letter have long and publicly supported.”

“It is disappointing to see the CEOs of major Canadian energy companies looking to profit from actions taken south of the border – to the long-term detriment of our shareholders and Canadians generally,” Wilkinson said. TC Energy Corporation

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Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said his government would scrap the industrial carbon tax and focus instead on tax incentives to encourage emissions-reduction technologies. During a press conference last week in L’Orignal, Ont., Poilievre said his government would repeal the entire federal Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act and scrap both the consumer and the industrial carbon pricing schemes. “There will be no taxes on consumers, no taxes on Canadian industries. Instead, provinces will continue to have the freedom to address this issue how they like, but there will be no federal obligation to impose the tax,” Poilievre said. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith released a statement supporting the move. The Canadian Climate Institute said in a statement that the industrial carbon pricing system contributes to three times more emissions reductions than the consumer carbon tax and does not directly raise prices for the public. Poilievre also said he’ll commit $1 billion to co-fund roads into the Ring of Fire in northern Ontario and speed up permitting for new critical mineral mines. The Ontario government has already promised about $1 billion for the new roads. National Post

The Government of Alberta tabled legislation that will set the provincial government as gatekeeper of emissions information about Alberta’s energy industry and ban federal workers’ “interference” in collecting Alberta emissions data. The Critical Infrastructure Defence Amendment Act, 2025 would make amendments to the act to update the definition of essential infrastructure to include facilities where oil and gas production and emission data and records are held, as well as a two-kilometre-deep border zone north of the Alberta-U.S. border. “These amendments would further assert Alberta's exclusive provincial jurisdiction to develop its natural resources and ensure our southern border remains secure,” Premier Danielle Smith said in a statement. The amendments would include denying federal workers access to oil and gas production sites and facilities and the information they contain, she said. The Alberta government said the amendments are in line with the Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act motion, passed in December 2024, which stated that all emissions data be exclusively owned by the province, and if the federal government’s proposed oil and gas industry emissions cap is found to be unconstitutional, federal enforcement officers would have no reason to conduct emissions cap inspections or collect data. The Critical Infrastructure Defence Act protects essential infrastructure by creating offences under the act for trespassing, interfering with operations or causing damage. Proposed amendments would also explicitly state the act applies to the federal government. Govt. of Alberta

The Government of Saskatchewan, following the Government of Alberta’s lead, has joined the U.S. Governor's Coalition on Energy Security. Premier Scott Moe joins 11 U.S. governors and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith in the coalition. Saskatchewan exports 21 million cubic metres of oil to the U.S. annually. "Saskatchewan is abundant in oil, high-grade uranium, and critical minerals, which are vital to both our local economy and North American energy security. As a stable and dependable partner, Saskatchewan plays a crucial role in securing energy resources, strengthened by the strong relationship we maintain with our neighbors to the south,” Moe said in a statement. Govt. of Saskatchewan

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, after meeting Prime Minister Mark Carney at his request, issued a statement with a specific list of demands that the next prime minister, “regardless of who that is,  must address within the first six months of their term to avoid an unprecedented unity crisis.” The demands include:

• Guaranteeing Alberta full access to unfettered oil and gas corridors to the north, east and west.
• Repealing Bill C-69 (the federal Impact Assessment Act, which Smith called the “no new pipelines act”).
• Lifting the oil tanker ban off the B.C. coast.
• Eliminating the oil and gas industry emissions cap, “which is a production cap.”
• Scrapping the Clean Electricity Regulations.
• Ending the prohibition on single use plastics.
• Abandoning the federal net-zero car mandate.
• Returning oversight of the industrial carbon tax to the provinces.
• Halting the “federal censorship” of energy companies (which refers to the “greenwashing” provisions in the Competition Act).

Smith said she “made it clear that Albertans will no longer tolerate the way we've been treated by the federal Liberals over the past 10 years. I also made it clear that Alberta, as owner of the resource, will not accept an export tax or restriction of Alberta’s oil and gas to the United States, and that our province is no longer agreeable to subsidizing other large provinces who are fully capable of funding themselves.” Smith said she also made it clear that “federal mismanagement of Jasper and Banff national parks resulted in last year’s tragic wildfire in Jasper and is endangering Banff, and the situation must be rectified immediately.” Carney confirmed last week that his government would keep the emissions cap on oil and gas emissions if elected, but would fast-track investments in carbon capture and storage and other technologies to meet those emissions-reduction targets. Govt. of Alberta

Calgary Economic Development (CED) launched the Calgary Region Hydrogen Hub (CRH2), aimed at attracting investment, creating jobs and positioning the region as a leader in clean hydrogen development. Initial partners in CRH2 include CED, the Transition Accelerator and Wheatland County, with over $3 million in funding from Alberta Innovates, CED the City of Calgary and Prairies Economic Development Canada. Managed by the Transition Accelerator, the hub builds on the region’s long-standing strengths in the energy sector. CED said with Calgary’s skilled workforce, growing innovation ecosystem and strategic location as Western Canada’s inland port, CRH2 will leverage Alberta’s existing hydrogen production capabilities and drive large-scale adoption by businesses, industrial operations and transportation networks. CRH2 aims to facilitate $75 million in private sector project development and create more than 100 skilled jobs in the near term. Companies and institutions that are demand centres for hydrogen will work with researchers and startups at the hub to de-risk key projects and test new applications. Initially, the hub will focus on key sectors primed for hydrogen adoption, including airports, industrial and municipal fleets, hydrogen corridors, power generation and trains. Hydrogen is expected to play a critical role in the future economy, with the global market projected to reach $700 billion annually by mid-century. CRH2 builds on the successful model of the Edmonton Region Hydrogen Hub, aligns with the Hydrogen Strategy for Canada and Alberta’s Hydrogen Roadmap, and is a key component of Calgary’s climate strategy, which targets a 60-percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and net-zero by 2050. Calgary Economic Development

See also: Creating a hydrogen hub in Calgary region will require government funding and significant private sector investment 

The Pierre Lassonde Family Foundation donated $50 million to Polytechnique Montréal to enable the creation of a  world-class research and development institute/hub with the dual mission of developing breakthrough technological innovations for society and educating talented people for the high-tech sector. The new facility will focus on disruptive innovations that radically transform existing technological models, giving rise to new classes of products and solutions that redefine entire industries, create new markets and offer new opportunities to strengthen the socio-economic impacts of academic research. Pierre Lassonde, an entrepreneur and philanthropist, is a graduate of Polytechnique Montréal and chair of its board of directors. Polytechnique Montréal 

TELUS, in collaboration with NVIDIA, announced plans to build Canada’s leading Sovereign AI Factory – a powerful and super-secure facility that will give Canadian businesses and researchers access to cutting-edge technology – helping them develop smarter AI products, streamline operations and stay competitive in a fast-changing world. The $65-million facility will provide the supercomputers and software needed to train AI while keeping data safe within Canada’s borders. NVIDIA’s latest Hopper- and Blackwell-based supercomputers will power the AI Factory, enabling faster AI model training, fine-tuning and advanced inference capabilities. TELUS plans to deploy NVIDIA’s latest-generation, industry-leading graphics processing units at TELUS’ data centre in Rimouski, Que., by summer 2025, with expansion planned at its Kamloops facility in British Columbia. The Sovereign AI Factory will leverage TELUS’ high-speed, ultra-low-latency, fibre-optic network with sustainable data centres powered by 99 percent renewable energy sources. TELUS’ data centres also rely on natural cooling, cutting water consumption by more than 75 percent compared with traditional data centres. TELUS

Nvidia and Elon Musk's xAI joined a consortium backed by Microsoft, investment fund MGX and BlackRock to expand AI infrastructure in the U.S. The Global AI Infrastructure Investment Partnership (AIP), formed last year with a goal to initially invest more than $30 billion in AI-related projects, is one of the biggest efforts to bankroll data centres and energy facilities needed to power AI applications such as ChatGPT. GE Vernova and NextEra Energy have agreed to collaborate with AIP to accelerate the scaling of critical and diverse energy solutions for AI data centers. GE Vernova will also work with AIP and its partners on supply chain planning and delivering innovative and high-efficiency energy solutions. AIP’s investments will primarily focus on the U.S. as well as OECD and U.S. partner countries. BlackRock

Bombardier CEO Éric Martel said he worries the United States could retaliate against the Montreal aircraft manufacturer if Canada scraps a contract to buy U.S. fighter jets, but he played down concerns about the impact of tariffs on the company. Defence Minister Bill Blair has said Canada will review a $19-billion deal to buy 88 F-35 fighter jets, made by U.S. defence giant Lockheed Martin, amid the trade conflict between the two countries. “Effectively, we could be targeted. That’s my fear,” Martel told reporters after addressing the Canadian Club of Montreal last week. Bombardier, which has focused on growing its defence business, has two contracts with the U.S. military: one to supply communications planes to the air force and the other to supply spy planes to the army. Both deals involve converting Bombardier business jets for military use. The deal with the U.S. Army, announced in early 2024, is worth up to $465 million. In a separate development, Alan Williams, a former assistant deputy minister at the Department of National Defence, pointed out that Lockheed Martin controls the source code of the F-35s – the foundation of the software that helps run the aircraft – and hasn’t shared it with foreign buyers. Williams said Canada needs to assess the risks that Trump may withhold software updates from Canada if he was unhappy with Ottawa or how Canada decided to use the planes. Montreal Gazette, The Globe and Mail

Elon Musk’s Telsa firm was removed from the Vancouver International Auto Show, held March 19 to 23, due to safety and security concerns, show executive director Eric Nicholl said in a statement. Earlier this month, in a move to give preference to Canadian goods and exclude U.S.-produced goods, the B.C. government announced that Tesla products were no longer eligible for CleanBC’s and BC Hydro’s electric vehicle charger rebate programs for single-family homes. Recent weeks have seen a slew of targeted acts against Tesla, ever since Elon Musk was put in charge of the Department of Government Efficiency by U.S. President Donald Trump shortly after he took office. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi called “violent attacks” against Tesla “nothing short of domestic terrorism,” and said the U.S. Department of Justice has charged several alleged perpetrators, including some with charges carrying minimum sentences of five years. Global News

Swiss miner and commodities trading giant Glencore PLC has approached teetering Canadian electric vehicle battery recycling company Li-Cycle Holdings Corp. to discuss a possible acquisition. In a letter to Li-Cycle chair Jacqueline Dedo, Glencore senior legal counsel Adam Luckie wrote that a transaction could help the company solve its operational and capital structure problems, and maximize value. Louie Diaz, vice-president, corporate affairs with Li-Cycle, said in an e-mail to The Globe and Mail that the company had set up a board committee to review the Glencore letter, but there is no guarantee a deal will materialize. Glencore is one of Li-Cycle’s biggest debt holders and its financings have helped keep the company afloat. Glencore has invested US$275 million into Li-Cycle since 2022. Toronto-based Li-Cycle’s future has been in doubt after it paused construction in 2023 on its flagship recycling project in Rochester, N.Y., owing to spiralling costs. The Globe and Mail

Startup Taara is being spun out of X, a subsidiary of Alphabet, to become an independent company focused on high-speed, affordable and abundant connectivity using beams of light. The wireless optical internet unit will leave X’s Moonshot Factory division after raising an undisclosed round led by Series X Capital. Taara Lightbridge brings fast, fibre-like internet access to areas where it’s too difficult or expensive to install traditional fibre, like in dense city neighborhoods, over rivers and seas, or across rugged terrains and national parks. In the same way fiber optic cables in the ground use light to carry data, Taara uses narrow, invisible light beams to transmit information through the air, at speeds as high as 20 gigabits per second and across distances up to 20 kilometres. Taara

Cuts to the U.S. agency responsible for weather forecasting and climate science have left Canadian scientists concerned about the reliability of data Canada needs to predict dangerous weather events, conduct accurate flood forecasts and understand broader changes to the climate. In late February, the Donald Trump administration cut more than 1,000 jobs in two rounds – one of 500 and one of 800 – at the National Weather Service and its parent organization the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). That's about 10 per cent of NOAA's workforce. Danny Blair, a climatologist who is co-director of the Prairie Climate Institute and a geography professor at the University of Winnipeg, called the cuts "astonishing and discouraging." While the loss of capacity to predict blizzards, tornadoes, thunderstorms and tsunamis "will almost certainly result in more people being put in harm's way" in the U.S., Canada will also be affected, he said. "The production and dissemination of accurate and timely forecasts requires an army of skilled and experienced personnel, as does the data collection and research that is behind the development and improvement of these forecasts," Blair said. Trump also ordered NOAA scientists to seek prior approval before communicating with their Canadian counterparts. Blair said with climate change making weather even more dangerous, the U.S. should be expanding, not reducing, its complement of weather forecasters and climate scientists. CBC News

President Donald Trump signed an executive order calling for the dismantling of the U.S. Education Department, advancing a campaign promise to take apart an agency that has been a longtime target of conservatives. Trump has derided the Education Department as wasteful and polluted by liberal ideology. However, completing its dismantling is most likely impossible without an act of Congress, which created the department in 1979. Republicans said they will introduce legislation to achieve that, while Democrats have quickly lined up to oppose the idea. Trump’s order says the education secretary will, “to the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law, take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return authority over education to the States and local communities.” The order offers no detail on how that work will be carried out or where it will be targeted, though the White House said the agency will retain certain critical functions. Trump said his administration will close the department beyond its “core necessities,” preserving its responsibilities for Title I funding for low-income schools, Pell grants and money for children with disabilities. Associated Press

Trump administration is undermining integrity and independence of academic research in Canada: CAUT

The Donald Trump administration is undermining the integrity and independence of academic research conducted in Canada, warns the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT).

Researchers working on projects funded wholly or in part by U.S. federal agencies have been sent a lengthy questionnaire to determine how their work aligns with the Trump administration’s political agenda, CAUT said in a statement.

In the questionnaire, Canadian researchers are asked to confirm that their research:

• Does not include a climate or “environmental justice” component.
• Does not contain diversity, equity and inclusion elements.
• Does not ascribe to “gender ideology.”
• Increases American influence globally.

In addition, the questionnaire asks whether a researcher’s institution has a policy prohibiting collaboration with entities contrary to U.S. government interests and prevents partnerships with “communist, socialist, or totalitarian parties.”

 “Our institutions and the federal government need to push back in the strongest possible way against this blatant attempt to interfere in academic research and trample upon academic freedom,” David Robinson, executive director of CAUT, said in a statement. “The integrity and independence of research is necessary to protect the public interest. We need to make it clear that there is no room for political interference in research in Canada.”

Robinson urged the federal government to take steps to protect Canadian researchers who may lose funding because of the U.S. government’s actions. “We simply can’t allow any government to direct research in this way,” he said.

CAUT is the national voice of 72,000 academic and professional staff at over 125 universities and colleges.

Evidence for Democracy (E4D) said that many Canadian scientists who rely on U.S. funding, particularly from agencies like the National Institutes of Health (NIH), are now facing uncertainty and potential loss of critical research support.

These new restrictions have already begun jeopardizing cross-border projects and limiting funding opportunities, with some Canadian researchers reporting frozen U.S. research funds totalling hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Additionally, the restrictions “will certainly work to discourage and defund areas of research deemed unacceptable by the Trump administration, including climate change and gender studies, as well as hinder research projects that overlap with these fields, such as medicine and energy,” E4D said.

E4D said since taking office on January 20, 2025, the Trump administration has launched an “all-out assault on science,” with mass firings, research funding cuts, censorship and withdrawal from international collaborations. The actions include:

• Crackdown on the federal science workforce– Ongoing mass layoffs at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NIH, the National Science Foundation, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) threaten thousands of Canada/U.S. research collaborations, especially in climate and environmental science. These crackdowns have extended not only to low-level scientists, but now to well-established senior scientists. The Trump administration recently expressed plans to lay off hundreds of scientists and researchers from federal agencies, including a potential 65-percent staff reduction at the EPA.
• Threats to universities– The Trump administration has initiated a harsh crackdown on U.S. universities, slashing $400 million from Columbia University over alleged antisemitism and threatening similar action against 59 other institutions, causing widespread hiring freezes and layoffs. The administration issued an ultimatum to Columbia that unless the university agrees to all its demands, it will slash millions more in funding. Columbia agreed on March 21 to Trump’s demands, including overhauling its protest policies, security practices and Middle Eastern studies department, The New York Times reported. Legal scholars and advocates for academic freedom expressed alarm over what they described as Columbia’s dangerous surrender to Trump at a perilous moment for higher education. 
• Suppression of evidence– The U.S. government is dismantling NOAA weather reporting, removing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention datasets, and censoring key research terms –  data crucial for Canada’s disaster preparedness, climate modelling and public health research. Over 8,000 web pages and 3,000 datasets have been removed or modified across multiple federal agencies, particularly affecting content related to equity diversity and inclusion, gender identity, public health and environmental policy
• Research funding cuts–  The Trump administration has made repeated efforts to freeze federal research funding. These cuts threaten thousands of cross-border projects, as the NIH alone provided Cdn$57.3 million to Canadian researchers last year – funding which is now at risk. A new spending agreement has agreed to more cuts to U.S. science funding, including a 3.5-percent overall reduction in research and development, and a 67-percent cut to NIH funding.
• Muzzling of scientists– Restrictions across multiple U.S. science agencies, including NOAA, prevent American researchers from communicating with foreign colleagues, threatening critical joint climate and environmental initiatives with Canada.
• Withdrawal from global science efforts – The U.S. has pulled out of the Paris Climate Agreement and the World Health Organization, which significantly weakens international collaboration on pressing global challenges. Additionally, the administration recently cut ties with international health initiatives at Johns Hopkins University, as well as Canada-relatedinstitutes and think tanks. CAUT, Evidence for Democracy

VC, PRIVATE INVESTMENT & ACQUISITIONS

Toronto-based accounting software company FreshBooks secured $179 million in debt financing from Morgan Stanley. The company also announced the appointment of Shaheen Javadizadeh as its new CEO. Javadizadeh has previously held executive leadership positions at Texas-based legal software company Wolters Kluwer, California-based library management software Innovate Interfaces, and California-based printing company 4over. Mara Reiff, who’d served as interim CEO since former president Mark Girvan and former CEO Don Epperson departed in November 2023, transitioned to the role of chief operating officer. Startup Ecosystems Canada

New York-based AI startup Graphite raised US$52 million in a Series B funding round led by Accel with participation from Ottawa-based Shopify, Menlo Ventures, and the Anthology Fund jointly run by Menlo Ventures and Figma Ventures, as well as Andreessen Horowitz and other investors. AI developers use Graphite’s tools to get feedback and tweaks for the code they’ve written or AI-generated, then integrate the changes into their firms’ software. The company also announced that its AI reviewer, Diamond, is now a standalone product. Graphite

Calgary-based Summit Nanotech raised $36.5 million in a funding round led by Evok Innovations, BDC Capital’s Climate Tech Fund, Xora Innovation, and Capricorn Investment Group. The company will use the funding to reach full-scale commercial production of its technology, which extracts lithium necessary for batteries. Summit’s innovative direct lithium extraction technology, denaLi™, combines system and fully integrated water recycling. Data analytics and AI are harnessed for advanced process control that ensures reduced water use, maximum sorbent lifespan, maximum lithium recovery, and leading on-stream reliability, driving levelized lithium costs down, the company said. Global Mining Review

Toronto-based Doormat, which connects clients with its real estate lawyers in Ontario to facilitate a purchase or mortgage renewal, rebranded to Ownright and raised $4.5 million in seed funding in a round led by Alate and Relay Ventures. Launched in 2023 by Robert Saunders, Joel Fox and Benjamin Berry, the company has grown from a team of three to 19 full-time employees. Ownright said it has facilitated over 1,000 transactions with over $750 million in transaction value. The company is introducing a modernized digital experience with improved features that prioritize client experience, ensuring more efficient and transparent real estate transactions. BusinessWire

Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont.-based startup Page raised $4.1 million in a seed funding round led by Twelve Below and supported by Go Global Ventures, Canaan Partners, Ripple Ventures, and Garage Capital. Page is developing an AI-powered platform to track government activity and policy changes, positioning itself as a leading government-relations tool. Page said the funding will be used to expand its platform to the U.S. and U.K. markets. Page’s AI platform, described as an “AI lobbyist,” aims to help organizations monitor, analyze and influence governments in real time. Startup Ecosystem Canada

Toronto-based healthtech startup Sprout Family raised $1.7 million in an all-equity pre-seed funding round led by StandUp Ventures, with participation from Blue Collective, MaRS IAF, The51, Boon Fund, and several Canadian angel investors. Sprout Family enables employers to integrate comprehensive family-building benefits into workplace health plans, including access to fertility clinics and surrogacy agencies; unlimited telehealth consultations with specialists; educational resources on fertility and adoption; and Sprout Pay, which helps cover out-of-pocket costs like fertility medications, treatments and surrogacy-related expenses. Sprout Family plans to use the funding to expand its care team and partners and enhance personalization and transparency. FoundersToday

Winnipeg-based advertising technology startup Taiv acquired Kingston, Ont.-based Local Reach. The acquisition involves bringing on board Local Reach’s co-founders, Evan Ferreira and Joseph Liao, and some of the startup’s technology in a cash-and-stock transaction. This marks Taiv’s first acquisition and aims to integrate Local Reach’s AI expertise into Taiv’s operations. Both companies have been independently developing AI solutions to optimize content delivery on business TVs, targeting bars, restaurants and small businesses. Taiv, founded in 2018, plans a broader expansion across Canada by 2026. Startup Ecosystem Canada

Ottawa-based Shopify acquired generative AI search startup San Jose, Calif.-based Vantage Discovery for an undisclosed amount. Vantage Discovery uses large language models to deliver more personalized, relevant results to shoppers searching on a retailer’s website. The company will integrate its technology with Shopify’s ecommerce platform, CEO Lance Riedel said in a LinkedIn post, “to empower millions of merchants with smarter, more engaging product discovery.” EMarketer

Calgary Economic Development announced that the Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund (OCIF) is investing up to $675,000 over the next three years in QAI Ventures to accelerate the development of quantum talent and local startups. QAI Ventures is an advanced computing-focused venture capital fund and quantum AI ecosystem builder headquartered in Switzerland. OCIF’s investment is structured into two key phases: a pre-accelerator and an accelerator. The investment will train 54 individuals and support three Calgary-based companies graduating from the accelerator and receiving capital investment. For the pre-accelerator phase, local teams will work together to develop prototype solutions for industry-related challenges. The accelerator program is a five-month industry-sponsored initiative and will equip participating teams with access to the global quantum-AI ecosystem, networking opportunities, commercialization support, intellectual property advice, expert mentorship and cutting-edge software tools. QAI Ventures also will award three Calgary-based companies that participated in the accelerator program with initial capital investment to jumpstart their applied quantum solutions. As part of this expansion, QAI Ventures is setting up operations at Quantum City at the University of Calgary, further integrating into Calgary’s growing quantum ecosystem and strengthening collaborations with academia and industry. Calgary Economic Development

Cambridge, U.K.-based AstraZeneca is acquiring Belgium-based biotech firm EsoBiotec, for $1 billion. The deal includes an initial payment of $425 million on deal closing and up to $575 million in contingent consideration based on development and regulatory milestones. The EsoBiotec Engineered NanoBody Lentiviral (ENaBL) platform empowers the immune system to attack cancers and could offer many more patients access to transformative cell therapy treatments delivered in just minutes rather than the current process which takes weeks. ENaBL uses highly targeted lentiviruses to deliver genetic instructions to specific immune cells, such as T cells, which program them to recognize and destroy tumour cells for cancer treatment or autoreactive cells for potential use in immune-mediated diseases. This approach enables cell therapies to be administered through a simple IV injection without the need for immune cell depletion. AstraZeneca

REPORTS & POLICIES

Canada should hire the scientists Donald Trump fires

OPINION

By Lawrence Zang

Lawrence Zang is head of policy at the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation’s Ottawa-based Centre for Canadian Innovation and Competitiveness. This commentary first appeared here.

For decades, Canada has watched its brightest minds head south in search of better funding and career-defining opportunities. But now, the tables have turned. Donald Trump’s assault on science with mass layoffs, gutted research budgets and political interference is throwing America’s scientific community into turmoil. A wave of world-class talent is now searching for new opportunities, and Canada has a rare chance to turn its long-standing brain drain into a brain gain.

Trump and Elon Musk have destabilized key scientific institutions in just weeks, slashing budgets and disrupting research. Agencies like the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and National Institutes of Health (NIH) face devastating cuts and freezes of research grants, amounting to billions, that will have immense consequences for university researchers and graduate students. Meanwhile, unstrategic, uncoordinated firings at the U.S. Department of Energy, Centers for Disease Control, and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency paint an even bleaker picture.

This is Canada’s moment to roll out the welcome mat for these displaced professionals. To attract these minds, Canadian policymakers should implement three key policies.

First, the federal government should establish a research funding initiative to help U.S. scientists relocate. Many of these researchers are losing funding mid-project. A dedicated fund would allow them to transfer their work – covering equipment, lab setup and research team retention. Scientific continuity is crucial, and bridging these gaps would help ensure Canada reaps the rewards of this research with minimal interruption.

Canada must also provide funding for these researchers to commercialize and launch new cohorts of startups in cutting-edge fields like quantum computing, nuclear energy and biotechnology.

Without building out the crucial link between universities and the private sector, facilitated by policy and government programs, importing these researchers would simply continue to result in Canadian research being commercialized elsewhere.

Second, an expedited work permit stream tailored for researchers leaving U.S. government agencies and universities would be an easy win, attracting the very people likely googling “how to move to Canada” right now. Canada has successfully fast-tracked visas for tech talent before, and a similar expedited pathway for scientists could help them transition smoothly into Canadian institutions. The existing Global Talent Stream for tech professionals provides a model that could be easily adapted.

Finally, Canada should expand the Canada Research Chairs program to accommodate this influx of high-caliber scientists and researchers. The program was launched in 2000 to attract world-class talent and has proven successful. Expanding it would secure key positions for incoming scientists and further strengthen Canadian research.

Attracting these minds isn’t just about academic prestige – it’s an economic opportunity. Scientific research fuels innovation, leading to new technologies, medical breakthroughs and advancements in clean energy and AI, sectors where Canada can lead globally. Positioning Canada as a safe haven for science in an era of political instability will bolster our global reputation.

Indeed, Canada’s very own Nobel Prize-winning Geoffrey Hinton moved here from the United States in 1987 as a direct result of his distaste for the Reagan administration. He laid the groundwork for Canada to become a global AI frontrunner, and dozens of his former students have become leaders in tech giants, startups and academia. Now, imagine hundreds more like him.

Of course, as some have already pointed out, most Canadian universities currently operate on significant deficits and lack the funds to take on displaced American researchers en masse. At this point, provincial governments don’t appear confident enough in universities to provide the necessary funding for laboratories, research grants and postdoctoral researchers. And federally, the Canadian Institute of Health Research has an annual expenditure of just under $1.4 billion per year – about 48 times less than its U.S. equivalent, the National Institutes of Health.

These concerns shouldn’t be mistaken as a reason to retreat. Rather, they highlight the need for strategic ambition. Canada’s current research funding gaps are not a reason to turn away top global talent; they’re the strongest argument for why we must act now. The arrival of displaced U.S. scientists presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to secure federal reinvestment in R&D by tying it directly to economic growth, innovation leadership and geopolitical relevance. Canada doesn’t need to absorb thousands overnight or provide a home for every relocating U.S. PhD, but it must compete for the best. That means creating space, reallocating resources and thinking nationally. The choice isn’t between fixing underfunding or welcoming talent. We must do both.

For too long, we have watched Canadian talent move south in pursuit of U.S. funding and opportunity. Now, history has given us a rare second chance. This isn’t just about welcoming displaced researchers; it’s about seizing the moment to make Canada a global innovation powerhouse.

Of course, as ITIF has pointed out, there’s much more Canada must address to truly become such a powerhouse. Still, this moment provides a unique circumstance to accelerate that process dramatically.

The brilliant minds shaping humanity’s future are looking for new homes. While other nations scramble to attract them, Canada’s stability, quality of life and research excellence position us as the natural choice, but only if we act quickly and decisively.

This decision could reverberate for decades in laboratories, classrooms and boardrooms across our nation. Let’s reverse the brain drain, fuel innovation, and cement our place at the forefront of global discovery. Information Technology & Innovation Foundation

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Ottawa should order nuclear industry-led private corporation to reconsider its decision to locate nuclear waste disposal site in northwest Ontario

The federal government should order the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) to revisit its decision to locate a $26-billion underground nuclear waste disposal site in northwest Ontario, according to an op-ed published by Policy Options.

The NWMO, a nuclear industry-funded private corporation, has not obtained the consent of all potentially affected First Nations for the so-called deep geological repository (DGR), in keeping with Ottawa’s legal duty to consult all affected Indigenous Peoples and with the NWMO’s public commitments, Warren Bernauer and Elysia Petrone say in their op-ed.

Bernauer is an assistant professor in the Department of Environment and Geography at the University of Manitoba. Petrone is a lawyer and community organizer from Fort William First Nation.

In December, Eagle Lake First Nation applied for judicial review of the NWMO’s decision to locate the DGR in northwestern Ontario. The lawsuit alleges there were serious flaws in the process used to select the site.

While the NWMO claimed it used a “consent-based” approach to making the decision, some First Nations whose rights could be affected were excluded from the process of selecting the site, Bernauer and Petrone say.

The duty to consult flows from Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982. According to a series of landmark rulings by the Supreme Court of Canada, Ottawa has a legal obligation to “consult and accommodate” Indigenous Peoples before taking actions that could negatively affect their inherent Aboriginal and treaty rights. 

The extent of the required consultation and accommodation varies from case to case. In terms of nuclear waste disposal, Bernauer and Petrone say, it must also be informed by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which was recently incorporated into Canadian law through the federal United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. 

Article 29 of the declaration states that hazardous waste should not be stored or disposed of on Indigenous Peoples’ territories without their free, prior and informed consent. 

The NWMO committed to finding a “willing host” for the DGR. In its reconciliation policy, the NWMO committed to seeking the free, prior and informed consent “of impacted Indigenous Peoples before proceeding with the development of a deep geological repository.” 

In late 2024, the NWMO announced that it had selected a site for the repository near Revell Lake in northwestern Ontario. Both the Township of Ignace and Wabigoon Lake First Nation had previously supported the proposed waste repository moving forward into impact assessment and licensing. Wabigoon Lake First Nation stressed this did not mean final approval but only agreement to begin the process. 

In a statement announcing the selection of the site, NWMO CEO Laurie Swami claimed the decision was “consent-based” and “led by Canadians and Indigenous Peoples.” 

Yet the decision to select Revell Lake was made despite significant regional opposition to the disposal of nuclear waste in northwestern Ontario, Bernauer and Petrone note.

Numerous First Nations, regional Indigenous organizations and municipalities have passed resolutions and issued statements opposing the transportation, storage and disposal of nuclear waste in the region.  

Revell Lake is located between Ignace and Wabigoon Lake First Nation. However, there are other First Nations that could be affected.

“While the NWMO has engaged these nations – and in some cases provided them with funds to ‘learn more’ about its proposed repository – it excluded them from the decision to select Revell Lake,” Bernauer and Petrone say.

Eagle Lake First Nation is about 80 kilometres downstream from the proposed repository site, which the First Nation claims lies within its traditional territory. Eagle Lake First Nation members continue to use the Revell Lake area in keeping with their treaty rights. 

According to its legal challenge, Eagle Lake repeatedly notified the NWMO that it should be considered a host community for the site – as Ignace and Wabigoon were – and should therefore have the opportunity to provide or withhold consent.  

However, the NWMO refused to grant Eagle Lake host status. Eagle Lake argues this was unreasonable, in bad faith and is a breach of the Crown’s duty to consult.  

Bernauer and Petrone point out that in a report issued just days before the Revell Lake announcement, the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) urged the NWMO to rethink its approach to Indigenous communities. 

Instead of including only adjacent communities in the formal decision-making process, the AFN argued that consent should be obtained “from all impacted First Nations.” 

The AFN said this consent should be sought “before any critical decisions are made” regarding the DGR site from all First Nations along its proposed transportation corridors, on the same watershed and those “whose rights and responsibilities extend beyond geographic proximity to the DGR site.” The NWMO has yet to publicly respond to the AFN’s recommendations.  

The federal government should issue a ministerial order to the NWMO to revisit its decision, Bernauer and Petrone say. “The project should not proceed to environmental impact assessment unless all affected First Nations give their free, prior and informed consent.” Policy Options

See also: Selecting Canada’s nuclear waste disposal site: world-class public engagement process or flawed and manipulative?

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More use of science diplomacy needed in the face of global disruption on many fronts

Global disruption on many fronts demands a need for more use of science diplomacy as an important tool for the conduct of international relations, according to a report by the Royal Society in the U.K. and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

The report, Science Diplomacy in an Era of Disruption, presents a new science diplomacy framework that addresses new challenges facing science diplomacy today, including increased economic competition, rapid technological advancements like artificial intelligence, and the rise of non-state actors including “tech titans.” 

“We are in an era of disruption,” the report says. “The geopolitical context is increasingly adversarial, power is more widely distributed, and relationships among leading powers have become more competitive.”

“The global scientific and technological landscape is being transformed and has made science and technology even more critical to national governments for economic growth and international competitiveness.”

The new framework builds on the 2010 report, New Frontiers in Science Diplomacy, published by the Royal Society and the AAAS. The new framework, focuses on the different ways that science interacts with diplomatic objectives, and the ways that diplomacy interacts and engages with scientific expertise.

The new framework:

• Emphasizes that science diplomacy is a tool used to achieve a nation or organization’s diplomatic objectives, which can be perceived as positive or negative.
• Delves into the broader landscape of key players, including how industry is using science diplomacy to further their business interests.
• Highlights the need for awareness of national security risks in scientific collaborations and clarity regarding the roles and objectives of scientists and diplomats. 
• Shifts from a theoretical to a more practical framework with two dimensions: how science impacts diplomacy and vice versa.

 The report’s key messages are:

• Science is ever more central to foreign policy and vice versa. Science has been increasingly integrated into many sectors across society (including defence, trade, law and intelligence), which makes the interaction between science and diplomacy more important than ever. National governments and multilateral organizations, such as the United Nations, the G7 and the G20 are increasingly incorporating science into their advisory mechanisms.
• Scientific and diplomatic interests may not coincide. Scientists seek knowledge, while diplomats pursue the interest of their nation (or other entity). There are many examples of scientific and diplomatic interests conflicting. For instance, treaties governing the global commons that theoretically safeguard them for scientific research are increasingly coming into conflict with sovereign national interests.
• Scientific values once thought universal are now being re-examined. The notion that there are universal scientific values, shared by all countries, has been called into question, which has implications for the potential practices of international scientific collaboration and science diplomacy.
• There is a need for awareness of national security risks in scientific collaborations. Scientists must carefully scrutinize the intentions of potential research partners and their networks, while policy makers, who are increasingly concerned with research security, should be as open as possible about the threats they seek to avoid.
• Clarity and transparency are needed regarding the roles and responsibilities of practitioners of science diplomacy. Scientists and diplomats operating in the sphere where their two fields meet should be clear on their respective roles and responsibilities for the benefit of their working relationship, as well as for building public trust.
• Science and science advice face increased scrutiny. Trust in science and the use of evidence in policymaking is under renewed attack across the world. Science advisers must ensure that their advice to policymakers is driven by fair and robust assessments of the best available evidence, and accompanied by clarity about what is not known and what is uncertain. Science diplomacy is distinct from science advice but often incorporates it.
• Non-state actors play increasingly important roles. Major companies, “tech titans,” and philanthropic organizations have growing scientific, economic and political influence, in some cases as much as individual nations. These non-state actors engage increasingly in science diplomacy and the use of “soft power” to promote their own interests.

Advances in artificial intelligence are evolving faster than regulatory and governance regimes can keep pace, the report notes. “A small number of huge multinational companies that develop, manufacture and supply these highly advanced technologies are increasingly becoming diplomatic actors in their own right.”

For example, the proportion of large-scale AI research run by academics has fallen from almost 60 percent in the 2010s to almost zero percent in 2024, the report says. “This divide narrows the diversity of research on this critical emerging technology, allowing for a small number of leading companies to effectively monopolize its development.”

The open system of international scientific collaboration is being exploited to strengthen some national military capabilities, leading to heightened concerns about research security, according to the report.

Previously ungoverned spaces – for example, the deep oceans, the poles, the Moon, and inner and outer space – which were once considered largely as the domain of scientists due to their inaccessibility, are now much more accessible and thus subject to political contestation.

There has been limited progress on preventing, mitigating and adapting to global challenges, including climate change and biodiversity loss, as well as continuing high levels of global poverty, the report says.

“More than eight billion people now inhabit the Earth, and the greatest threats facing present and future generations remain largely unsolved.”

• There is a need for inclusive international scientific collaboration. Scientists from emerging scientific countries and/or early career researchers are advocating for more equitable partnerships in global research collaborations. They and others like them are critical in ensuring there is a wider diversity of voices in science diplomacy, as well as offering important challenges in terms of how best to recognize and reconcile different views and values.

“We are entering an era when the fields of science and diplomacy have changed in fundamental ways, the world is facing significant challenges, and the geopolitical context is becoming increasingly fragmented, contested, and unstable,” the report says.

“Science diplomacy is needed more than ever, as is a renewed framework to ensure its continued utility.” American Association for the Advancement of Science

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Ontario government needs to fund the removal of lead from school drinking water infrastructure: Canadian Environmental Law Association

The Ontario government needs to fund the removal of lead from school drinking water infrastructure to protect children’s health, according to an analysis by the Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA).

The report, Time to Get the Lead Out of School Drinking Water, uses publicly available data to rank the school boards and schools with the highest number of water tests that exceeded  the provincial limit of 10 parts-per-billion (ppb) in the 2023/24 school year.

CELA says analysis shows that too many schools still have a lead problem and illustrates the need for a new approach to protect the health of school children, focusing on the complete removal of lead from school infrastructure.  
“The status quo isn’t good enough because there is no safe dose of lead in drinking water. The province needs to set their sights on permanently removing all lead plumbing components from schools,” said Jacqueline Wilson, counsel with CELA. 

The report recommends the Ontario government provide financial support to school boards to remove lead sources from drinking water infrastructure. It also encourages school boards to voluntarily adopt updated best practices, post water-testing data on their websites, and push the provincial government for the money needed to remove lead-laced infrastructure. 

Fix Our Schools, an advocacy group pushing for infrastructure investment in Ontario schools, has calculated a $16.8-billion repair backlog.

The top three school boards for lead exceedances in 2023/2024 were the Ottawa Carleton District School Board, the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board, and the Toronto District School Board.

The top three individual schools for lead exceedances were St. Joseph’s School in Dryden, Zion Heights Junior High School in Toronto, and l’École Publique in Thunder Bay.
Ontario is one of only three provinces and territories that has not adopted the federal lead concentration guidance of five ppb, which was introduced after new research linked even low levels of lead exposure to negative health effects, CELA notes.

The Government of Ontario, in the minister’s 2024 annual report on drinking water, said comprehensive measures taken to safeguard drinking water include compliance and enforcement activities, lead testing in schools and childcare centres, and thorough training for drinking water operators and inspectors.

Data from schools and child care centres shows that 97.3 percent of the over 21,000 test results (standing and flushed) met the provincial standard for lead (10 micrograms per litre, or 10 ppb) in drinking water. This number increases to 98.6 percent when only looking at flushed samples.

However, provincial test data obtained and analyzed by the Investigative Journalism Bureau, a nonprofit newsroom based at the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health, shows that half of all public schools in Ontario have reported lead levels that have exceeded the federal safety guideline at least once in the last five years.

The Investigative Journalism Bureau said its analysis of 156,000 test results over five years shows elevated levels of lead potentially impacting 800,000 public school students.

In the 2023-24 school year, more than 14 per cent of Ontario public schools that reported lead test results had at least one exceedance of the federal guideline.

No amount of the neurotoxin is considered safe, according to the World Health Organization. Children are particularly vulnerable. Lead has been linked to behavioural issues, decreased attention span and lowered IQ in children. CELA

THE GRAPEVINE – News about people, institutions and communities

Michael Bonshor was appointed chair of the board of the Canada Indigenous Loan Guarantee Corporation (CILGC). CILGC is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Canadian Development Investment Corporation (CDEV), mandated to deliver the inaugural federal Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program and provide $5 billion for Indigenous loan guarantees to unlock access to the capital needed for Indigenous groups to make major economic investments. CILGC was launched in December 2024 and is open for business, supporting Indigenous groups in benefiting from the economic opportunities of natural resource development. Bonshor (Gixkandzi) is an experienced leader and member of the Dzawada’enuxw First Nation of Kingcome Inlet, B.C. He has 20 years of experience working with First Nations, specializing in Indigenous business development and investment. He is currently the president and CEO of Visions Financial Services and the managing director of the First Nations Business Development Association. CDEV

Paul Roberts, former CEO and board chairman of New York-based digital advertising technology firm Kubient Inc., was sentenced to one year and one day in prison, along with one year of supervised release. Roberts, 48, previously pled guilty to securities fraud for his execution of a scheme to defraud investors and auditors of Kubient, during which he caused Kubient to improperly recognize more than $1.3 million in fraudulent revenue in financial statements at the time of Kubient’s initial public offering and made material misrepresentations about the efficacy of Kubient’s proprietary fraud detection tool, Kubient Artificial Intelligence, said the United States Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York. “Paul Roberts cooked the books. He lied to investors and auditors about his company’s revenue and about his company’s premier product: an AI-powered tool that, ironically, was supposed to detect fraud in the digital advertising industry,” said Matthew Podolsky, acting U.S. attorney. U.S. Attorney’s Office

Killam Trusts announced the recipients of the 2025 Killam Prizes and the Dorothy Killam Fellowships. The Killam Prizes are awarded to active Canadian scholars who have distinguished themselves through sustained research excellence, making a significant impact in their respective fields of engineering, health sciences, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. A prize of $100,000 is awarded to each Killam Prize winner. This year’s recipients are:

• Engineering – Peter Zandstra, University of British Columbia: Zandstra is a professor and director of the School of Biomedical Engineering at the University of British Columbia. He is a globally recognized leader in cell therapy bioprocess engineering, with pioneering contributions that are shaping the future of regenerative medicine and immunotherapy. His work has led to innovative therapeutic strategies, particularly in harnessing blood-forming cells to treat cancer and autoimmune diseases.
• Health Sciences – Marco Marra, University of British Columbia: Marra is a University of British Columbia Killam Professor in Medical Genetics and the Michael Smith Laboratories and is the Terry Fox Leader in Cancer Genome Science. Co-founder and Director of Canada’s Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre for more than two decades, Marra is known for his work in genomics and precision cancer medicine. He led or co-led numerous cancer projects, revealing new mutations, biomarkers and therapeutic targets in ovarian cancers, B cell lymphomas, brain cancers, breast cancers, medulloblastomas, leukemias, rhabdoid tumours and cervical cancers.
• Humanities – Christina Sharpe, York University: Sharpe is a writer, professor, and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Black Studies in the Humanities at York University. Sharpe works on visual and performing art, film, theory, literature and with the evolving ideas, debates and conversations of Black Study. Sharpe’s work in black diaspora literatures, and black visual cultures has made a vital contribution to Canadian, U.S., and international intellectual and cultural life.
• Natural Sciences – René Doyon, Université de Montréal: Doyon is a professor in the Department of Physics at Université de Montréal, Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Experimental Astrophysics and Exoplanetary Science, and director of the Trottier Institute for Research on Exoplanets and the Mont-Mégantic Observatory. A pioneer in infrared, Doyon has developed cutting-edge instruments for detecting and characterizing planets located outside our solar system. He is the principal investigator and coordinator of the overall Canadian contribution to the James Webb Space Telescope, launched by NASA in 2021.
• Social Sciences – David Dyzenhaus, University of Toronto: Dyzenhaus is a professor of Law and Philosophy at the University of Toronto, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and a Corresponding Fellow of the British Academy. Dyzenhaus is the world’s foremost scholar of the role of the rule of law in societies under stress. By developing the idea that the rule of law is an inherently moral idea, he has contributed to an understanding of the rule of law within and beyond academia.

The Dorothy Killam Fellowships (formerly the Killam Research Fellowships) support scholars of exceptional ability by granting them time to pursue research projects of broad significance and widespread interest within the disciplines of the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, health sciences, engineering or studies linking any of these disciplines. Dorothy Killam Fellowships are valued at $80,000 per year for a total of two years, and are paid to the recipients’ institutions to provide relief from teaching and administrative duties. This year’s recipients are:

• Heather Aldersey, Queen’s University. Project: Full inclusion of people with disabilities: Enabling disability-related supports to inform social policy.
• Jeffrey Ansloos, University of Toronto. Project: Exploring the interplay between environmental changes and mental health on Indigenous communities in Canada.
• Jennifer Bruin, Carleton University. Project: Examining how chronic exposure to environmental pollutants contributes to rising global diabetes rates.
• Simon Caron-Huot, McGill University. Project: Deepening our understanding of particle physics.
• Laura Horak, Carleton University. Project: Building a trans-inclusive media culture in Canada.
• David Leitch, University of Victoria. Project: Exploring a new approach to platinum group metal catalysts to develop medicine without depleting non-renewable resources.
• Mark Schmidt, University of British Columbia. Project: Addressing hyper-parameters in machine learning.
• Leyla Soleymani, McMaster University. Project: The next-generation of wearable healthcare devices for early disease detection and prevention. Killam Trusts

The University of Prince Edward Island’s Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC) unveiled its new Foreign Animal Disease Testing Laboratory. The $1.9-million lab – the first of its kind on Prince Edward Island – will strengthen biosecurity measures and improve diagnostic capabilities for diseases such as classical swine fever and highly pathological avian influenza. The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency contributed $1.3 million in funding, and AVC invested an additional $600,000 for the cost of remodelling the suite to a suitable level of security. The laboratory will be operational once it has been inspected by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to certify the biocontainment required for foreign animal disease testing and has been accredited as a Canadian Animal Surveillance Network laboratory. The inspection is expected to be completed by May. University of P.E.I.

The Centre national intégré du manufacturier intelligent (CNIMI) – which is powered by the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR) and Cégep de Drummondville – will receive $500,000 from a $2-million investment from the Government of Québec to support small and medium-sized enterprises in their digital shift. This investment aims to make Industry 5.0 more accessible to improve the productivity of the province’s manufacturing companies. It will help industrial expertise centres, like CNIMI, offer personalized support, training, workshops and technology demonstrations to accelerate digital project development among SMEs. UQTR

Saskatchewan Polytechnic (Sask Polytech) signed a five-year memorandum of understanding with the University Network of Excellence in Nuclear Engineering (UNENE), making it the first polytechnic to partner with the network. Under this MOU, Sask Polytech and UNENE will explore opportunities for the development of training and education curricula related to nuclear engineering technology and the implementation of applied research projects. UNENE, in collaboration with partners, including Electricity Human Resources Canada, is developing targeted micro-credentials to help skilled workers transition into the nuclear industry. Sask Polytech’s Centre for Continuing Education and SURGE micro-credentials already offer timely, industry-specific, relevant training. As part of the MOU, Sask Polytech and UNENE will explore the potential of extending UNENE collaboration to polytechnics and colleges involved in nuclear engineering training. Sask Polytech

Dalhousie University and the University of King’s College announced a new joint chair: the Roper-Hannah Chair in the History of Healthcare and Health Equity. This research chair was created thanks to $3.5 million in combined donations from AMS Healthcare and the J & W Murphy Foundation. The chair will focus on health equity using a critical historical perspective and be appointed to Dalhousie’s Department of History, cross-appointed to Dalhousie’s Faculty of Medicine, and will teach in the U of King’s College History of Science and Technology Honours Program. This tenured or tenure-track appointment will be held by a historian who contributes significantly through teaching and research to the body of scholarship on the history of health care and health equity. The anticipated first appointment for the chair will be in the 2026-27 academic year. Dalhousie University

Brock University and York University – both facing financial deficits – are engaging in projects that will introduce new sources of revenue, find more efficient ways to operate, and grow enrolment in key programs. Brock University in St. Catherines, Ont. is tackling its total shortfall of $39 million by postponing hirings, right-sizing its programming and class sizes, and taking on initiatives to improve student retention and graduation rates, said Arja Vainio-Mattila, provost and vice-president academic. “Budget cuts alone aren’t a long-term solution to our financial challenges. The post-secondary funding model in Ontario needs to change, as noted by the provincial government’s own Blue-Ribbon panel,” Vainio-Mattila said. Toronto-based York University, which has a more than $100-million deficit, highlighted its Forward Action Plan which outlines 17 key projects that will be carried out over from 2024-25 to 2026-27. Brock University, York University

Lambton College expects to operate a deficit in 2025-26 – its first deficit in 20 years – due to an approximate loss of between $30 million and $35 million from declining international enrolment. The Sarnia Observer reported that the college suspended 18 programs – primarily for international students – earlier this year. CK News Today reported that the college is currently working on “employment stability processes” with its unions. Rob Kardas, president of Lambton College, said the federal government policy changes resulted in the college pausing its public-private partnerships with schools in Toronto and Mississauga and international enrolment could fall by as much as 50 percent at the Lambton College’s Sarnia campus for the fall of 2026. CK News Today

Artificial intelligence can create empathetic responses more reliably and consistently than humans – including professional crisis responders who are trained to empathize with those in need, according to a University of Toronto (U of T) study. “AI doesn’t get tired,” said Dariya Ovsyannikova, lab manager in professor Michael Inzlicht’s lab at U of T Scarborough and lead author of the study. “It can offer consistent, high-quality empathetic responses without the emotional strain that humans experience.” The research, published in Communications Psychology, looked at how people evaluated empathetic responses generated by ChatGPT compared with human responses. Across four separate experiments, participants were asked to judge the level of compassion (an important facet of empathy) in written responses to a series of positive and negative scenarios that were created by AI, regular people and expert crisis responders. In each scenario, the AI responses were preferred and rated as more compassionate and responsive, conveying greater care, validation and understanding compared to the human responses. Ovsyannikova points to AI’s ability to pick up on fine details and stay objective, making it particularly adept at crafting attentive communication​ that appears empathetic. Humans also come with their own biases and can be emotionally affected by a particularly distressing or complex case, which impacts their ability to be empathetic. Inzlicht noted that while AI might be effective in delivering surface-level compassion that people might find immediately useful, chatbots such as ChatGPT will not be able to effectively give them deeper, more meaningful care that gets to the root of a mental health disorder. Another issue is a phenomenon known as “AI aversion,” which is a prevailing skepticism about AI’s ability to truly understand human emotion. While participants in the study initially ranked AI-generated responses highly when they didn’t know who – or what – had written them, that preference shifted when they were told the response came from AI. U of T

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