The Short Report: September 25, 2024

GOVERNMENT FUNDING

Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) announced up to $60 million for two critical minerals infrastructure developments in B.C.’s Golden Triangle (shown on map at right) and  Yukon. This funding would be provided through the Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund. Smithers, B.C.-based Galore Creek Mining Corporation, a 50-50 partnership between Colorado-based Newmont Corporation and Vancouver-based Teck, is planning to construct a 43-kilometre access road to support the development of its copper mine located in Tahltan Territory in northwest B.C. The Galore Creek deposits contain nearly 5.5 billion kilograms of copper and, once in production, will significantly increase Canada’s annual copper supply. The construction of the Galore Creek Access Road would link the mine project to existing road infrastructure, provide ground access to the proposed mill and processing facilities, and provide the electricity transmission corridor allowing the Galore Creek mine to operate using BC Hydro’s low-emission electricity grid. Pending final due diligence, NRCan has conditionally approved an investment of up to $20 million for this project. The Government of Yukon is seeking to undertake pre-feasibility activities to advance a 765-kilometre, high-voltage transmission line network that would connect the Yukon electrical grid to the North American grid in B.C. This regional project has proposed energy infrastructure located in priority regions for critical minerals development – Yukon’s Cassiar and Tanana regions and B.C.’s Golden Triangle. The transmission line could support projects producing critical minerals such as cobalt, copper, molybdenum, nickel, platinum group metals, tungsten and zinc in Yukon and northern B.C. Pending final due diligence, NRCan has conditionally approved an investment of up to $40 million for this project. NRCan

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) announced $76 million for 50 projects under the Great Lakes Freshwater Ecosystem Initiative, for which the Government of Canada in 2023 announced $420 million over 10 years in new resources. This recent round of allocated funding in 2024-2025 will support 50 projects over the next four years with a focus on these priorities:

• Restoring water quality and ecosystem health in Great Lakes areas of concern.
• Preventing toxic and nuisance algae.
• Restoring and protecting critically important coastal areas, including wetlands.
• Reducing releases of harmful chemicals.
• Supporting community-based science.
• Increasing participation of Indigenous peoples in governance, stewardship and monitoring.
• Advancing Great Lakes governance, accountability and reporting mechanisms. ECCC

The Government of British Columbia is providing 65 communities with approximately $56 million for 78 projects, from the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund through the Disaster Risk Reduction – Climate Adaptation stream. This funding will help communities tackle current vulnerabilities, minimize the risk of future disasters and support communities to make informed decisions. Funding includes approximately $1.2 million through the program’s October 2023 intake to tackle drought conditions in the Sunshine Coast Regional District by supporting the shíshálh Nation’s Lower Crown Reservoir project. The reservoir will capture water from Chapman Creek to improve access to water and increase water security for people living in the region. Other projects include:

• creating a green corridor by installing rain gardens, planting trees and native plants around Tillicum Elementary school in Saanich to reduce heat, help mitigate flooding and cut carbon emissions for the entire Tillicum community.
• designing disaster-risk and policy-assessment models in Gibsons to inform planning and policy around risks from climate-related issues such as flooding, erosion and salt-water intrusion to lessen future emergency costs and adapt to climate change.
• protecting essential wastewater infrastructure in the northern Village of Lumby by reinforcing riverbanks near the treatment lagoons to improve the longevity of flood mitigation and better serve the local area.
• preventing soil erosion and protecting riverbanks in Vanderhoof by planting willow saplings along the Nechako River and Stoney Creek to reduce damage downstream, preserve nearby communities and protect the eco-sensitive area to safeguard water systems from climate-related threats. Govt. of B.C.

The Government of Canada and the Government of Nova Scotia agreed to negotiate a loan guarantee for up to $500 million, to reduce the costs of refinancing of the Maritime Link electricity transmission line. The Maritime Link is a critical element of the Lower Churchill projects, enabling clean power to flow from Newfoundland and Labrador to Nova Scotia. This support is in addition to the Nova Scotia government’s recent actions to purchase $117 million of the fuel adjustment mechanism balance to address costs associated with the delays in electricity delivery from Muskrat Falls. Also, the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) notified the market that it is working with the Nova Scotia government on its Green Choice Program procurement, aimed at providing large electricity customers with access to 100-percent renewable electricity. Once successful wind energy projects are selected through the procurement process, the CIB could be in a position to provide  project level investments and Indigenous equity loans for up to 40 percent of costs for projects up to 500 megawatts. Natural Resources Canada

The Government of Ontario is investing more than $34 million to bring reliable high-speed internet access to more than 3,000 homes and businesses in hard to reach areas across southwestern Ontario. In partnership with Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology, the province is implementing third-party agreements with 12 internet service providers to deliver high-speed internet projects to 14 communities and four First Nations communities. Ontario is investing nearly $4 billion to help bring access to reliable high-speed internet to every community across the province by the end of 2025. This is the largest single investment in high-speed internet in any province, by any government in Canadian history. Govt. of Ontario

The Government of Manitoba is providing a repayable loan of up to $10.75 million to Sapphire Springs Inc. to support development of a new $145-million Arctic char facility. The Sapphire Springs char aquaculture and fish processing facility will be Canada’s largest Arctic char facility. The facility is located at the former site of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ Rockwood Experimental Fish Hatchery in the Rural Municipality of Rockwood, approximately 30 kilometres north of Winnipeg. Sapphire Springs is on track to open the Manitoba facility in 2026 and begin producing 5,000 tonnes of Arctic char per year, which would increase the current global supply by up to 50 percent. Govt. of Manitoba

Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) announced $9.25 million through the Energy Innovation Program for two projects led by Net Zero Atlantic (NZA). These projects aim to develop offshore wind energy and bring forward more clean technologies in the Atlantic region to decarbonize the region’s electricity grid and supply the affordable, reliable and clean energy needed. Of this funding, $6 million will support the Atlantic Canada Offshore Wind Integration and Transmission Study. In partnership with the Atlantic provinces, NZA is managing the delivery of a comprehensive electricity system integration study that will evaluate how electricity produced from Atlantic Canada’s offshore wind resources can help clean up the regional electricity grid. Secondly, the study will identify opportunities to export made-in-Canada renewable electricity and clean hydrogen. Additionally, $3.25 million will fund the Net Zero Emerging Concepts and Technologies Research Program, which will invest in research and development for new clean technologies and support measures in Atlantic Canada to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reach emission targets. NRCan

The Government of Ontario is providing $9.2 million in grants and funding to Indigenous entrepreneurs, businesses, communities and organizations to support lasting economic prosperity. The Indigenous Economic Development Fund (IEDF) and the Indigenous Community Capital Grants Program (ICCGP) are annual funds that support recipients across the province to develop infrastructure, create growth plans and provide employment services to help strengthen Indigenous communities and local economies. For 2024-25, Ontario is supporting 48 initiatives across the province with a total commitment of $3.2 million for the IEDF and a total commitment of $6 million for ICCGP. These investments are part of Ontario’s commitment to economic reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. Govt. of Ontario

The Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario are investing an additional $9 million in the Ontario Agricultural Sustainability Initiative, through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, to help farmers enhance the sustainability and competitiveness of their farms. Funding will be used to help with the adoption of new technologies and best management practices to support soil health, water quality and energy efficiency while increasing on-farm productivity. The initiative will also help Ontario farmers improve the long-term environmental resilience of their farms. Farmers will be able to submit up to two applications to the program, depending on their needs, with successful recipients receiving up to $90,000 depending on the project category. The Agricultural Stewardship Initiative is being delivered by the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

The Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario (FedNor) announced an investment of nearly $6.9 million in 18 Indigenous-led projects across Northern Ontario. The projects reflect economic reconciliation in action, and will support Indigenous communities across the region in self-determined economic development through locally driven initiatives. These projects include the expansion and development of locally led community and business support services and the creation of locally driven economic development corporations. They will also see new construction and renovation initiatives involving community infrastructure and land development and the completion of several critical studies and strategic plans. The funding includes support for infrastructure development and training to support resource extraction, including purchasing specialized mining equipment. These projects are anticipated to create a wide range of economic and community benefits, including the creation of new jobs, the maintenance and development of strategic alliances across sectors, and new and upgraded community and business assets. FedNor

The Government of Canada and Government of British Columbia announced $1.5 million to support 16 projects aimed at farmers improving soil health, water supply and management, greenhouse gas emissions and the impact from drought and wildfire. Program funding is from the province’s CleanBC initiative and the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership. The regional projects will take place in communities throughout the province in the coming year. Several of the 16 projects supported by the first round of funding involved helping regions prepare for and adapt to drought. For example, one project focused on drought preparation was launched in the Koksilah River watershed on Vancouver Island. Funding was used to support producers with an irrigation-scheduling project to help them be better prepared for drought conditions. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

The Government of Alberta announced a $900,000-grant, awarded through the Workforce Strategies Grant, to Nisku, Alta.-based Elevate Aviation, to benefit aviation training efforts across the province. This funding will support the development of Elevate Aviation’s Virtual Reality (VR) Aviation Maintenance Training System. This state-of-the-art system uses immersive VR technology to create life-like training environments, enabling trainees to perfect their skills in a risk-free setting. This dynamic approach will accelerate learning and give graduates the experience they need to be industry-ready from day one, the government said. The Alberta government also proudly supports Elevate Aviation Learning Centre’s current Aviation Readiness Training programs through a $5-million grant awarded in 2023. Govt. of Alberta

Innovation Saskatchewan is investing $400,000 in the Sylvia Fedoruk Canadian Centre for Nuclear Innovation at the University of Saskatchewan to support and expand nuclear research in Saskatchewan. The funding will support up to eight research projects led by Saskatchewan-based scientists through the Fedoruk Centre’s 2024 call for proposals. The projects will focus on areas of nuclear science, such as nuclear energy and nuclear medicine, with priority consideration for those linked to workforce development for the deployment of nuclear technologies in Saskatchewan. This funding will build on the province’s commitment to advance nuclear energy priorities and leverage the Fedoruk Centre’s experience as a major production facility of nuclear materials for the global supply chain. Govt. of Saskatchewan

The Regina-based Protein Industries Canada global innovation cluster launched a new call for projects under its Capacity Building programming stream. The call, themed around the stream’s priority area of “Access to Skills and Talent,” invites skills development and training organizations to propose new approaches to address skills and talent challenges faced by Canada’s ingredient manufacturing, food processing and bioproducts sector. Expressions of interest (EOIs) will be accepted from September 19 to November 13, 2024, and will be reviewed following the call. Protein Industries Canada members are asked to visit the Capacity Building page and fill out the form at the bottom of the page. In addition to a call for Capacity Building projects, Protein Industries Canada is accepting EOIs under its Technology Leadership stream on an ongoing basis. Projects must demonstrate measurable outcomes related to the development, scale-up and commercialization of innovations in the priority areas of germplasm development, ingredient manufacturing, food processing, feed products and co-product development. Protein Industries Canada

RESEARCH, TECH NEWS & COLLABORATION

The University of Toronto ranked first in North America among public universities and fourth globally, according the 2024 National Taiwan University (NTU) ranking, which evaluates universities based on their research output and impact. The other four schools in the top five were Harvard University, Stanford University, University College London and the University of Oxford. The NTU ranking analyzes scholarly papers and research citations, scoring each institution based on productivity, impact and excellence. The top 1,000 universities were ranked this year with more than 1,500 considered. In addition to the overall ranking, NTU ranked universities by six broad fields and 27 specific subjects. U of T ranked among the top 50 institutions worldwide – and first in Canada – in four of the six broad fields. That includes a rank of second globally in medicine, the same as last year, and third globally in social sciences – up three spots. U of T also ranked among the top 10 universities globally in five subject categories: clinical medicine (second); neurosciences and behaviour (third); social sciences (third); psychiatry and psychology (fourth); and biology and biochemistry (sixth). Two other Canadian universities made the top 100 in the main NTU ranking: University of British Columbia (37^th) and McGill University (57^th). University of Toronto

The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat launched public consultations on Canada’s first artificial intelligence strategy for the federal public service. The public consultation process will gather insights from Canadians across the country on how AI should, or shouldn’t, be used in the federal government. Consultations for the strategy began in May 2024 at a roundtable with prominent AI experts and leaders in academia and private and public sectors from across Canada. Consultations with representatives of academia, bargaining agents, civil society, the public service, Indigenous communities and industry have already taken place. So far, the feedback received reinforces that the strategy needs to be human-centered, collaborative, trusted and ready for safe, secure and successful AI adoption across government. Once developed, the strategy will align with and accelerate responsible AI adoption throughout the federal public service, including how the government will leverage AI in technology and operations to enhance productivity of public servants, increase government capacity for science and research, and deliver improved digital services for people in Canada. Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

A federal advisory body is calling on Canada's security agencies to publish detailed descriptions of their current and intended uses of artificial intelligence systems and software applications. In a report, the National Security Transparency Advisory Group also urges the government to look at amending legislation being considered by Parliament to ensure oversight of federal agencies' use of AI. The recommendations are among the latest proposed by the group, created in 2019 to increase accountability and public awareness of national security policies, programs and activities. The government considers the group an important means of implementing a six-point federal commitment to be more transparent about national security. Security agencies are already using AI for tasks ranging from translation of documents to detection of malware threats. The group’s report foresees increased reliance on the technology to analyze large volumes of text and images, recognize patterns, and interpret trends and behaviour. As use of AI expands across the national security community, "it is essential that the public know more about the objectives and undertakings" of national border, police and spy services, the report says. "Appropriate mechanisms must be designed and implemented to strengthen systemic and proactive openness within government, while better enabling external oversight and review." The advisory group also recommended that Ottawa look at expanding the proposed Artificial Intelligence and Data Act, currently before Parliament, to apply to security agencies. CBC News

Public Safety Canada’s Cyber-Physical (Cy-Phy) Capstone exercise encountered problems with coordination, communication and information sharing, according to a post-exercise report. The exercise pilot, held in October 2023, was aimed at increasing Canada’s resiliency to cyber incidents with physical consequences and strengthening collaboration between critical infrastructure sectors and organizations navigating in both the cyber and physical domains. Despite the establishment of working groups aimed at fostering collaboration, there was minimal interaction between players during the exercise, the report said. “This lack of engagement hindered the effectiveness of cross-sector and cross-jurisdictional coordination efforts, highlighting the need for enhanced communication channels and engagement strategies.” Participants encountered difficulties in aligning priorities, exchanging information and coordinating actions, emphasizing the need for enhanced decision-making frameworks. Throughout the exercise, participants frequently underscored the occurrence of delays in information sharing, particularly concerning sensitive information. These delays were noted to occur not only among organizations within the same sector or jurisdiction but also among teams within organizations. Overall, exercise findings identified the presence of federal leadership as crucial in coordinating the critical infrastructure community for continuous and increased knowledge of cyber and physical security requirements, and the need for deeper exploration of cross-sector interdependencies, the report says. Despite the problems, the exercise “achieved its overall goal of helping participants identify opportunities to improve their resiliency and those of the broader Canadian critical infrastructure community when faced with cyber-based attacks with some physical impacts.” Public Safety Canada

Seventy-seven percent of institutions across K-12 and higher education have uncovered a cyber attack on their infrastructure within the past 12 months, according to a new survey from Texas-based cybersecurity company Netwrix. That represents a significant increase from 2023, when 69 percent of education organizations reported the same. For its 2024 Hybrid Security Trends Report, Netwrix surveyed 1,309 IT and security professionals from a variety of industry sectors in 104 countries. Education-specific survey results were released in a separate report, Additional Findings for the Education Sector. The most common attack vectors in education were phishing, user account compromise and ransomware or other malware, the report found. Of the institutions that experienced a security incident, 47 percent reported facing unplanned expenses to fix security gaps, while 42 percent said they experienced no impact. University Business, in a separate article, reported a record-breaking number of ransomware attacks in 2023 with 121 against U.S. K12 schools and higher education institutions, according to a new analysis from U.K.-based Comparitech, a cybersecurity and privacy product review site. That’s 50 more attacks than the total recorded in 2022. Also, the average days of downtime caused by these attacks has increased, from nearly nine days in 2021 to 12.6 days in 2023. On average, it costs schools and universities around US$550,000 per day of downtime. Campus Technology, University Business

An artificial intelligence system called Chartwatch reduced the number of unexpected deaths among hospitalized patients by 26 percent, according to a year-and-half-long study on the AI tool, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. Chartwatch is used at St. Michael’s Hospital in downtown Toronto. The research team looked at more than 13,000 admissions to St. Michael's general internal medicine ward – an 84-bed unit caring for some of the hospital's most complex patients – to compare the impact of the AI tool among that patient population with thousands of admissions into other subspecialty units. “It's not replacing the nurse at the bedside; it's actually enhancing your nursing care,” said Shirley Bell, clinical nurse educator for the hospital’s general medicine program. The Unity Health AI team started developing Chartwatch back in 2017, based on suggestions from staff that predicting deaths or serious illness could be key areas where machine learning could make a positive difference. The technology underwent several years of rigorous development and testing before it was deployed in October 2020. Because the study on Chartwatch was done within one hospital and one ward, more research is required on the AI tool in multiple contexts to see how it works in other facilities. CBC News

Some research shows artificial intelligence is starting to help increase productivity but there’s still a lot of uncertainty about how AI will affect productivity, employment, price-setting behaviour and inflation, said Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem. “We are seeing encouraging early results from firm-level studies on AI adoption,” he said in a talk in Toronto to the National Bureau of Economic Research’s Economics of Artificial Intelligence Conference. Macklem cited one study which found German companies that used AI were more productive. In another study, consultants at a global firm were, on average, able to produce better work and do that work faster when they used AI. A third study found AI helped make call centre employees more efficient by sharing best practices. And some of the biggest gains can be seen in coding – where GenAI has halved the time needed to complete some coding tasks, Macklem said. However, we know from history that it takes years for a general purpose technology to diffuse through the economy, he said. “We also know that the first applications are typically less transformative than the new businesses and new business models that eventually emerge. This all suggests that we won’t see the full effects of this wave of AI anytime soon.” Bank of Canada

The Okanagan’s technology sector contributed nearly $5 billion of economic impact to the region in 2023, according to a report commissioned by Accelerate Okanagan. Accelerate Okanagan’s fourth economic impact report, done by KPMG shows the region’s economic impact has grown nearly fivefold from $1.02 billion in 2013. The tech sector is composed of 787 tech companies supporting 32,645 jobs, with 65 percent of tech companies preparing to grow their workforce in the coming year, the report said. It found that 61 percent of local tech companies in the Okanagan are under nine years old, and 58 percent have already reached profitability. The report also found that the region’s reputation as a destination for young talent is taking hold, with 46 percent of employees being under the age of 35. Tech startups and established companies alike benefit from the local graduates and highly qualified professionals coming from institutions like Okanagan College and the University of British Columbia Okanagan Campus. The report found that benefits of the region included quality of life, proximity to world-class post-secondary institutions, and a tight-knit tech community. However, the cost of living, access to specialized talent and securing growth capital remain substantial barriers for entrepreneurs looking to scale their tech companies. Accelerate Okanagan

Finance Canada announced a 30-day consultation, from September 10 to October 10, 2024, on the potential application of a surtax on critical mineral products, batteries and parts, solar products and semiconductors made in China, as well as the timing of the coming into force of any potential measures. The consultation follows the federal government implementing a 100-percent surtax on all Chinese-made electric vehicles, effective October 1, 2024. “If left unchecked, China’s intentional, state-directed policy of overcapacity and other non-market practices could lead to an exponential surge of imports, produced with weak labour and environmental standards,” said Chrystia Freeland, minister of Finance Canada. “This would undermine the ability of Canada’s EV industry and related critical manufacturing sectors to compete at home and abroad.” Finance Canada

The Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) announced its rare earth processing facility in Saskatoon is ahead of schedule and produced rare earth metals at a commercial scale this summer – making Saskatchewan the first and only jurisdiction to do so in North America. Using in-house developed, state-of-the-art, automated technology in metal smelting, SRC’s facility is ready to produce 10 tonnes of neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr) metals per month, with purities greater than 99.5 percent and conversions greater than 98 percent. SRC is on track to upscale this production to 40 tonnes of rare earth metals per month by the end of December 2024. Once fully operational in early 2025, SRC's Rare Earth Processing Facility will produce approximately 400 tonnes of NdPr metals per year, enough to power 500,000 electric vehicles. Rare earth metals are also essential components for wind turbines, robotics, HVAC systems, elevators and green technologies. Govt. of Saskatchewan

Toronto-based Electra Battery Materials Corporation announced a joint venture, named Aki Battery Recycling, with Indigenous-owned Three Fires Group to source and process lithium-ion battery waste from manufacturers to produce black mass at a state-of-the-art facility to be established in southern Ontario. The black mass would then be further treated using Electra’s proprietary process at its Ontario hydrometallurgical refinery, to recover lithium, nickel, cobalt and other critical minerals to produce new lithium-ion batteries. The Three Fires Group, an Indigenous-owned economic development agency, will lead the capital resourcing of the joint venture, as well as sourcing and determining the location for the future facility. Electra will provide technical and commercial leadership to the project. By recovering lithium, nickel, cobalt, copper, manganese and graphite through an advanced battery-shredding process, the joint venture partners said they’ll reduce the carbon footprint of the electric vehicle supply chain and decrease reliance on foreign countries for critical minerals. Globe Newswire

The Government of Manitoba has made changes to the Manitoba Affordable Energy Plan that formalizes into government policy Indigenous-owned, utility-scale electricity resource supply, through the creation of government-to-government partnerships with Indigenous nations in wind generation, while ensuring Manitoba Hydro stays public. Other actions in the plan include:

• Creating an Indigenous loan-guarantee program to provide First Nations and Métis the capital support and capacity to participate in the energy transition and finance new partnerships in wind generation.
• Refurbishing Manitoba Hydro generating stations to unlock up to 200 megawatts of power.
• Ending the first-come, first-served approach for large grid connection to better align with Manitoba’s economic development goals.
• Strengthening energy codes for homes and buildings to generate long-term energy savings for Manitoba families.
• Stronger oversight of the oil and gas sector with regular provincial inspections to ensure environmental safety and reliability.
• Installing new Manitoba Hydro-owned and -operated public electric vehicle chargers.
• A renewed focus on energy security with stronger protections in place for procurement and data management to keep Manitoba’s energy supply safe and secure. Govt. of Manitoba

Google announced the 14 startups joining the 2024 cohort of its Canadian accelerator program, and artificial intelligence technology is prominent in this year’s lineup of participants. Now in its fifth year, the Canadian iteration of the Google for Startups Accelerator offers startups a mix of remote and in-person learning over 10 weeks. Founders will also get the chance to connect with mentors and experts who provide guidance on technical and business topics like product design, customer acquisition and leadership development for founders. This year’s cohort of startups represents four Canadian provinces: Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia and Alberta, with half of the companies hailing from Ontario. In addition to AI, the cohort spans sectors like digital health, legaltech, developer tools and fintech. According to Google, more than 100 Canadian companies have participated in the equity-free program since its launch in February 2020. Google said these startups have collectively raised $395 million in funding to date. BetaKit

Google has succeeded in overturning a $1.7-billion antitrust penalty handed down by the European Union in March 2019. The €1.49 billion fine, which Google appealed, was originally issued after the European Commission found the tech giant’s search ads brokering business had violated competition rules between 2006 and 2016 to cement a dominant position. The EU’s General Court upheld the majority of EU’s findings, but annulled the earlier decision in its entirety after finding that the European Commission had failed to take into consideration all the relevant circumstances when assessing the duration of the contract clauses it deemed abusive. The EU can appeal the decision to the bloc’s highest court, the Court of Justice (CJEU), on a point of law. But it has yet to confirm whether it will do so. The new decision comes after the EU netted a couple of major wins at the CJEU, one of which touched another Google decision (Google Shopping). The European Commission still has an ongoing investigation into Google’s adtech stack, instigated back in mid-2021, that’s looking more broadly at its role in the adtech supply chain. TechCrunch

A group of 14 major global banks and financial institutions expressed support for tripling global energy capacity by 2050. Toronto-headquartered Brookfield, the majority owner of nuclear company Westinghouse Electric Co., was among the financial institutions endorsing the Declaration to Triple Nuclear Energy launched at the United Nations’ COP28 climate summit in 2023. Canada was among the 25 nations that endorsed the declaration at COP28. The financial institutions were: Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Ares Management, Bank of America, Barclays, BNP Paribas, Brookfield, Citi, Credit Agricole CIB, Goldman Sachs, Guggenheim Securities LLC, Morgan Stanley, Rothschild & Co., Segra Capital Management, and Société Générale. The financial institutions said they recognized that global civil nuclear energy projects have an important role to play in the transition to a low-carbon economy. Triple Nuclear Declaration

Baltimore, Maryland-based Constellation Energy plans to restart the Three Mile Island nuclear plant and will sell the power to Microsoft, illustrating the immense energy needs of the tech sector as companies build out data centres to support artificial intelligence. Constellation will invest $1.6 billion in restarting the plant through 2028, including on nuclear fuel. The company said it expects the Unit 1 reactor at Three Mile Island near Middletown, Pennsylvania, to come back online in 2028, subject to approval by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Constellation also plans to apply to extend the plant’s operations to at least 2054. Microsoft will purchase electricity from the plant in a 20-year agreement, to match the energy its data centres consume with carbon-free power. Constellation described the agreement with Microsoft as the largest power purchase agreement the nuclear plant operator has ever signed. Three Mile Island’s Unit 1 ceased operations in 2019 as nuclear power struggled to compete economically with cheap natural gas and renewables. The unit is separate from the reactor that partially melted down in 1979 in the worst nuclear accident in U.S. history. Constellation will rename the plant the Crane Clean Energy Center. The facility is named after Chris Crane, who was CEO of Constellation’s former parent company and died in April. While estimates vary, Goldman Sachs has forecast data centres will consume eight percent of total U.S. electricity demand by 2030, compared with three percent currently. CNBC

ETH Zurich in Switzerland officially inaugurated its new “Alps” supercomputer at the Swiss National Supercomputing Centre (CSCS) in Lugano. The Alps supercomputer is one of the fastest computers in the world, and is the result of the combined efforts of science, the public sector and industry. The new supercomputer was developed to meet the extreme data and computing requirements of science, and allows the possibilities of artificial intelligence to be fully utilized. Thanks to its architecture, Alps meets the needs of a wide range of user groups.  The new research infrastructure is based on a Cray Supercomputer EX from Hewlett-Packard Enterprise. In the Top 500 list of supercomputers from June 2024, Alps was ranked 6^th in the first expansion stage. When fully expanded, Alps will have a maximum performance in the order of half an exaflop. One exaflop corresponds to one billion billion floating point operations (flops) per second. The new supercomputer is a central element of the Swiss AI initiative. It was launched by ETH Zurich and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne to position Switzerland as the world's leading hub for the development and implementation of transparent and trustworthy AI solutions. Science|Business

Australian intellectual property services company IPH Ltd. now controls about a third of the Canadian patent and trademark law market following its recent acquisition of Bereskin & Parr. That deal, announced in late August, is IPH’s fourth Canadian acquisition in the past two years. The company’s aggressive push into Canada has raised concerns in some quarters about the impact on the country’s IP market. Some in the sector have warned that this level of consolidation will drive up costs and create conflict of interest headaches, while others warn that the IPH profit-driven business model is going to harm small domestic innovators. But IPH chief executive officer and managing director Andew Blattman told The Globe and Mail that Canadians shouldn’t worry, because “competition is still very strong – probably more so now than it’s ever been.” The Globe and Mail

 VC, PRIVATE INVESTMENT & ACQUISITIONS

 Toronto-based Brookfield Asset Management Ltd. explored a proposal to launch a fund worth as much as $50 billion that would seek to raise money from major Canadian pension funds and the federal government to invest in Canadian assets. In recent weeks, Brookfield floated the idea for such a fund with some of Canada’s largest pension funds, according to four sources with knowledge of the discussions. Brookfield explored a plan to raise most of the capital for the fund – likely more than $35 billion – from several of Canada’s largest pension funds. Brookfield also was seeking a $10-billion contribution from the federal government, and would pitch in as much as $4 billion of its own capital, according to one of the sources. The proposal is unlikely to get traction as the pension funds have been cool to the idea from the start, three sources told The Globe and Mail. After Mark Carney, the former central banker who is currently board chair and head of transition investing at Brookfield Asset Management, was appointed to lead an economic task force advising Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Liberal Party, the idea is even less likely to gain steam given the potential for perceived conflicts of interest, the sources said. The pension funds’ hesitation to embrace the idea stems in part from the fact that raising such a large fund would not expand the pool of large-scale, investable assets in Canada that meet the funds’ risk tolerance for investing pensioners’ money. The proposal Brookfield explored taps directly into a debate about whether Canada’s largest pension funds invest sufficiently in Canada. Earlier this year, Ottawa appointed another former Bank of Canada governor, Stephen Poloz, to lead a federal working group exploring ways to encourage those funds to invest more of their assets domestically. The Globe and Mail

Toronto-based Brookfield Asset Management Ltd. raised an initial US$2.4 billion for a fund dedicated to investing in clean energy and transition assets in emerging markets – about halfway to the fund’s goal. Investors in the Catalytic Transition Fund include Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC Pte, Prudential, Temasek Holdings and Caisse de Depot et Placement du Quebec, Canada’s second-largest public pension manager. The fund expects to announce its initial investments later in 2024. The fund, which targets $5 billion, was introduced at the COP28 climate change conference with as much as $1 billion of capital provided by United Arab Emirates investment firm Alterra. Brookfield has committed to provide 10 percent of the target. Investments in emerging markets need to increase sixfold from current levels to reach the $1.6 trillion needed annually by the early 2030s to meet global net-zero targets, Brookfield said. BNN Bloomberg

Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont.-based startup ApplyBoard, an international student mobility technology platform, secured a financing deal with RBCx, the technology and innovation arm of Royal Bank of Canada. The $100-million credit facility offered by RBCx is available to accelerate product development, growth and further global expansion plans for ApplyBoard. As one of the first companies to build a technology platform to power student mobility, ApplyBoard said it continuously expands its innovative product offerings in support of the end-to-end study abroad journey, including expansion beyond the application and acceptance phase to language tests, loans, proof of finances and more. The company is targeting a global expansion plan which will include 20 new study destinations by the end of the decade. Globe Newswire

Montreal-based proteomics (protein folding) technology firm Nomic Bio announced raising $42 million in a Series B funding round. The round was led by an undisclosed U.S.-based life sciences-focused investor and saw participation from new and existing investors, including Amplitude Ventures, AVANT BIO, Lux Capital, Real Ventures, and SR One. The funds will enable Nomic to accelerate the expansion of its commercial operations, further invest in advancing its state-of-the-art protein profiling platform, and broaden its transformative offerings to meet growing demand. Nomic was founded as Nplex Biosciences in 2017 by bioengineers at McGill University. BusinessWire

Toronto-based Motion, which offers a creative analytics and research platform used by creative strategists, secured US$30 million in Series B funding led by Inovia, with participation from Threshold Ventures as well as existing investors Headline, Abstract Ventures, and Sugar Capital. Motion said the funding will accelerate its product roadmap and deepen its analytics and creative research capabilities. The company said with its platform, creative strategists can research ad trends, analyze performance and get inspired with new ideas to maximize the revenue impact from creative projects. Private Capital Journal

Toronto-based Mosaic Manufacturing Ltd. raised $28 million in a financing round led by Idealist Capital with follow-on participation by Freycinet Ventures. This funding will be used to further expand the adoption of Mosaic’s automated additive manufacturing platforms on the factory floor. Founded in 2014, Mosaic has expanded its multi-material 3D printing technology, based on fused filament fabrication, into a comprehensive ecosystem of additive manufacturing solutions that manufacturers use to produce custom plastic parts on demand. Mosaic said its flagship product, Array, integrates patented hardware, automation and software into a powerful industrial 3D printing platform that delivers the flexibility, cost efficiency and throughput required for real-world manufacturing applications. Mosaic Manufacturing Ltd.

Toronto-based re-commerce startup Rebelstork raised $24.45 million in a Series A funding round. The round was led by Maveron with participation from Serena Ventures, Marcy Venture Partners and existing seed investor Golden Ventures. Launched in 2020, female-founded Rebelstork's proprietary technology diverts the largest assortment of overstock and retailer-returned baby gear away from landfills and into customers' homes at a fraction of the retail price. Rebelstork plans to use the funding to launch new products, expand operations and grow the team. Rebelstork

New Jersey-based PathPresenter, which offers an AI-enabled image-sharing platform for pathology, raised US$7.5 million in a Series A funding round and will establish a subsidiary in the Kitchener-Waterloo region. The funding was led by AVANT BIO, with participation from Barco NV and Modi Ventures. The funds will be used to advance the features and interoperability of PathPresenter’s vendor-agnostic platform, invest in talent across engineering and commercial functions, and accelerate the achievement of regulatory milestones. Founded by dermatopathologist and digital pathology pioneer Dr. Rajendra Singh, PathPresenter began as a free online platform for pathology education and rapidly became the world’s largest and fastest-growing digital pathology community with more than 50,000 users in 172 countries, the company said. PathPresenter

Toronto-based SecondShop launched its e-commerce platform, aimed at providing high-quality, like-new home goods at significant discounts. To support this initiative, SecondShop secured $2 million in seed financing, led by Harvest Venture Partners with participation from leading angel investors in the space. With the price of goods remaining high and borrowing costs putting pressure on consumers, Canadians are increasingly seeking cost-effective shopping options. SecondShop said it addresses this need by leveraging reverse logistics to breathe new life into over 45 million annually returned goods, offering essential products at up to 70 percent off the manufacturer's suggested retail price. Each year, countless returned products are sent to landfills or incinerated. By diverting these goods to new homes, SecondShop plays a crucial role in reducing waste and promoting sustainability – a factor that over 70 percent of Canadians cite as a primary purchasing driver. SecondShop

Innovate BC’s 24^th annual New Ventures BC competition awarded a collective $250,000 in prize money to nine British Columbia-based startups. The competition gives tech startups based in B.C. access to in-person events, mentorship, workshops and a community of peer support over six months, as they vie for the title of BC’s’ top tech startup. In the final round of the competition, 10 finalist companies pitched to a panel of entrepreneurs and investors. Cleantech and agtech startups stood out among this year’s winners, with three cleantech and two agtech companies making the list. Vancouver-based cleantech startup Timezyx took home $110,000 after winning first place at the competition. Timezyx uses digital twin technology to help cities and infrastructure managers adapt to climate events such as floods and earthquakes. New Ventures BC said it has supported over 4,000 companies in the province to date, which have raised a collective $2.7 billion in financing. BetaKit

REPORTS & POLICIES

 Most Canadians exposed to online deepfakes, hate speech, misinformation, report by the Dais says

More than two-thirds of Canadians say they’ve seen a deepfake online, with 23 percent reporting seeing deepfakes at least a few times a week, according to a report on online harms by the Dais at Toronto Metropolitan University.

Exposures to deepfakes (a digitally manipulated image of a person) is correlated with the use of Facebook, YouTube, X (Twitter), TikTok and ChatGPT, the survey says. Use of these platforms is associated with a higher likelihood of seeing deepfakes and to seeing deepfakes more often.

The most common type of deepfakes reported are generated images or videos of celebrities (27 percent), with political deepfakes close behind (22 percent).

“We are squarely in the age of disinformation – where Canadians are increasingly exposed to deepfakes and politicized content generated from foreign disinformation campaigns, conspiracy theories that are synthetically legitimized, non-consensual and predatory imagery, and hateful content,” say the report’s co-authors: Angus Lockhart, Mahtab Laghaei and Sam Andrey – all with the Dais, a public policy and leadership think tank.

The online survey, conducted by Pollara Strategic Insights, was conducted in April 2024 with a representative sample of 2,500 Canadians aged 16 and older.

When it comes to social media use, Meta-owned platforms are the most used, with more than half saying they use Facebook every day and more than one-third using Messenger (Facebook’s messaging app) and Instagram.

Instagram has continued its growth pattern: in 2019, only 48 percent said they use Instagram. In 2022, that rose to 55 percent and is now 62 percent (+14 percentage points).

For nearly every platform, the youngest cohort is the most likely to be habitual users –  72 percent of those aged 16 to 29 use Instagram daily, 51 percent use YouTube daily, 45 percent use Snapchat daily, and 39 percent use TikTok daily.

News on TV, news websites and news on the radio remain the top three sources that Canadian residents say they use to stay up to date with news and current events, followed closely by search engines.

For those under 30, Instagram is the number one source of news and current events: 46 percent say they use the platform for news.

Forty-one percent of respondents say that Meta blocking Canadian news as a result of the Online News Act has had a negative impact on their ability to stay current with the news, including 15 percent who say it has had a very negative impact.

Thirty-eight percent of respondents said they fall for false news at least a few times per month, a rate consistent with the survey results for 2022.

The most commonly cited topics of misinformation in 2024 are celebrity news, followed by U.S. politicians (principally Donald Trump), scams or fraud, and the Israel/Palestine conflict.

Trust in social media platforms to act in the best interest of the public continues to fall. For example, 55 percent have low trust in TikTok, compared with just eight percent with high trust.

The least trusted digital service providers are cryptocurrency exchanges – more than half of respondents have a low level of trust in cryptocurrency exchanges, including 29 percent who report having no trust at all.

Canadian residents overwhelmingly trust public libraries (89 percent) and schools (81 percent) as resources to learn about digital literacy and misinformation, a significantly higher trust level than news media and the federal government.

Overall levels of belief in misinformation narratives have remained largely stable since 2022.

Those with a high level of belief in misinformation are more likely to trust social media and less likely to trust mainstream news sources, and this gap has grown since 2022.

Those with a high level of belief in misinformation are more likely to use Facebook, YouTube, X (Twitter), TikTok and messaging apps as news sources.

The most significant differences involve those from across the self-identified political spectrum. Those who place themselves on the left of the spectrum are significantly more likely to correctly identify misinformation: 78 percent identified at least six out of eight statements correctly, while 34 percent of right-leaning respondents did the same.

While only 61 percent of White respondents report having seen hate speech online, 71 percent of those with a visible minority identity have seen it, including 92 percent of Middle Eastern respondents, 75 percent of South Asian respondents and 72 percent of Black respondents.

The result is similarly higher for 2SLGBTQ+ respondents (72 percent) and newcomers to Canada who have been here for less than 10 years (73 percent).

The most common online hate speech topics cited in 2024 are the Israel/Palestine conflict, racism, antisemitism and anti-2SLGBTQ+ hate.

Ten percent of Canadian residents report being targeted by hate speech, a percentage that has been stable since 2022. However, personal experience is far more common for those with visible minority identities: 28 percent of Middle Eastern respondents, 14 percent of Black and South Asian respondents, and 12 percent of East or Southeast Asian respondents report having been targeted by hate speech.

Hate speech is also more pronounced within the 2SLGBTQ+ community, where 27 percent have been personally targeted by online hate speech. Those living with a disability are also affected (19 percent have experienced hate speech personally).

Another eight percent report being targeted by harassment online that caused them to fear for their safety, also stable since 2022.

Youth in Canada in general report higher levels of online harm. From exposure to hate speech and violent content, to personal targets of hate and harassment, levels among those aged 16 to 29 are 30- to 50-percent higher than the overall population.

Approximately two in three Canadian residents are in favour of government intervention in regulating social media platforms.

The most notable changes since 2022 include: an increase in strong support for requiring platforms to develop specific safety measures for child users (an increase of +4, now 68 percent); strong support for requiring the removal of bot accounts (+4, now 68 percent); and strong support for requiring platforms to label deepfakes (+4, now 64 percent).

Familiarity with the Online Harms Act is currently low (only nine percent say they are clearly familiar). Among those who are at least vaguely familiar with the bill, 61 percent say they support the federal government’s proposed Online Harms Act, 20 percent are opposed, and 19 percent are either neutral or unsure.

Forty percent of those in the 16-29 age group believe TikTok should not be banned, while only 15 percent of those aged 60+ believe the same.

A majority of Canadian residents believe that TikTok should be banned in Canada in some form: 33 percent of respondents think it should be banned completely, with another 24 percent believing that it should be banned only for minors.

Most respondents supported the requirement for online platforms to remove child sexual material and report it to the police (92 percent), with support for the removal of non-consensual intimate images (88 percent), followed by  accounts impersonating others (87 percent).

“Canadians remained overwhelmingly in support of policy actions to address harmful content. When introduced to different actions that could be required to mitigate online harms, Canadians’ support for every action was at least 80 percent,” the report’s co-authors say.

The Dais also announced the launch of the Canadian Democracy @ Work initiative, an education initiative, in collaboration with employers across the country, “to reinvigorate civic engagement, combat rising disinformation, and equip Canadians with the knowledge and skills they need to navigate a changing digital world, including better understanding the impact of AI and emergent technologies on the state of democracy.” the Dais

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Conservatives plan to introduce their own online harms bill

Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner says her party will introduce its own bill in the House of Commons to protect people from online harassment.

The Liberals have had "almost 10 years" and tried to pass two bills to address the growing problem of online criminal harm, but failed, Rempel Garner said.

She said her bill will modernize the existing law against criminal harassment so a victim can ask a judge to force social media companies to identify someone who has repeatedly harassed them online.

Rempel Garner’s bill also sets out a requirement for online companies to give parents the tools to keep their kids safe, and introduce algorithms that verify a user's age without requiring a digital ID.

Rempel Garner insisted her approach would not restrict freedom of speech, one of the criticisms of the Online Harms Act introduced by the Liberals last winter.

The government’s legislation would create new requirements for social media companies to protect their users from sexual victimization, hatred and bullying, and establish a new regulator to enforce it.

The federal Justice Department is looking at making major changes to its online harms bill, Bill C-63, to improve its chances of becoming law before the next election, according to a senior government source.

The source told The Globe and Mail that Justice Minister Arif Virani, who’s in charge of shepherding the bill through Parliament, is prepared to amend clauses that would have brought in new criminal offences that civil liberties groups and lawyers have warned are heavy-handed and threaten freedom of speech.

The source said as soon as the bill reaches the stage where amendments can be tabled, there will be a push from Virani’s office to strike out several measures that would have changed the Criminal Code.

Bill C-63 is still at an early stage in the House of Commons and has yet to be brought to a committee, either in the Commons or the Senate, where it would face clause-by-clause scrutiny and amendments.

The bill includes a new penalty of life imprisonment for promoting genocide, and sentences of up to five years in prison for other hate propaganda offences. The bill would also bring in a “peace bond” to deter people planning to carry out hate crimes and hate propaganda offences, with penalties such as house arrest.

Bill C-63 also creates a new hate-crime offence with a penalty of life imprisonment in the most egregious cases.

There is broad support in the House of Commons for measures in the bill to make online platforms swiftly take down child sexual abuse material, as well as content that bullies or sexually victimizes children or induces a child to self-harm. CBC News, The Globe and Mail

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Generative AI’s negative use in elections and broader political sphere outweighs positive uses of the technology: UBC report

Generative artificial intelligence is being used to imitate political figures, harass political candidates and spread incorrect information globally, according to a report from the University of British Columbia (UBC).

GenAI lowers the costs of deploying existing disinformation tactics that already plague social media reports, says the report, Harmful Hallucinations: Generative AI and Elections, by UBC’s Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions.

 “To date, there is little evidence showing that the beneficial uses of GenAI in elections will outweigh these harmful ones,” the report says.

“In the absence of a technological silver bullet to counter threats to democracy, state-led regulation and electoral management oversight are necessary.”

The report advocates for sector-specific recommendations, and urges policymakers to develop a resilient information ecosystem with institutions that not only produce accurate information but also cultivate citizens’ trust in these systems.

The report’s lead authors are: Spencer McKay and Chris Tenove, with co-authors Nishtha Gupta, Jenina Ibañez, Netheena Mathews and Heidi Tworek.

Their report argues that while GenAI technologies currently pose greater risks than benefits to democratic elections, these risks remain manageable. In general, GenAI lowers the costs of some existing threats to democracy rather than creating entirely new ones, according to the report.

“GenAI could contribute to democratic goods by informing citizens, supporting deliberation, and improving representation. There is little evidence that GenAI has effectively advanced these benefits,” the report says.

In recent elections around the world, GenAI has been used to depict political figures that had their voices or likenesses imitated to mislead voters, the report notes.

Some politicians and political candidates have been harassed through deepfakes showing non-consensual intimate content.

The information ecosystem has also seen the proliferation of chatbots that confidently provide incorrect information alongside the mass production of AI-generated low-quality information.

The report includes five brief case studies that examine the recent misuse of GenAI in France, India, Slovakia, the U.K. and the U.S.

“These studies suggest that almost all near-term uses of GenAI are extensions of existing techniques to misinform, manipulate, or misdirect citizens and officials during elections,” the report says.

There is no technological silver bullet to address the risks that GenAI poses to democracy, according to the report.

Changes to AI model design and efforts to develop effective watermarking technologies need to be paired with policy changes and robust interventions by GenAI service providers, social media platforms, journalists, trust and safety professionals, academic researchers, electoral management bodies (EMBs) and political parties, the report says.

“Many current responses by GenAI service providers, social media platforms and political parties are based on voluntary commitments that lack teeth.”

The capacity for independent scrutiny by journalists, academics and trust and safety professionals is constrained by a lack of resources – including access to data – and insufficient independence from GenAI services and platforms. As a result, state-led regulation, including vigorous oversight by EMBs, is necessary.

The report makes sector-specific recommendations to governments, election management bodies, journalism organizations, political parties, GenAI service providers and social media platforms to reduce the risks posed by GenAI to democratic elections. Key recommendations include:

• Governmental and non-governmental actors should not overstate the dangers that GenAI poses to democracy, since this messaging can itself undermine election legitimacy and participation. Vigilance is needed, not alarmism or despair.
• Policy responses should focus on targeting specific forms of harmful content rather than on assessing whether they are generated by AI. Accountability measures to address these harmful uses need to be clarified and strengthened, both to deter future violations and to reassure the public that GenAI need not lead to a breakdown of election laws and norms. In the short term, particular attention should be given to deepfake content used to harass or intimidate politicians and election candidates, and to synthetic content spreading false information about election participation.
• Governments should enact regulatory frameworks for AI and social media services to ensure transparency, safeguard fundamental rights and promote risk-based mechanisms to address the most harmful uses of GenAI in election contexts. Technical solutions, such as watermarking, should continue to be explored, but they will be challenging to standardize and enforce across jurisdictions and will be vulnerable to evasion by more sophisticated actors.
• Governments should take steps to ensure a robust information ecosystem that is capable of scrutinizing and responding to harmful content, AI-generated or otherwise. This may include enacting and enforcing transparency requirements for AI service providers, incentivizing the development of a trust and safety sector, funding relevant research, and investing in citizen literacy.
• Deceptive uses of GenAI can be partly addressed by high-quality and high-visibility corrective messaging. Several sectors can play critical roles in creating and amplifying high-quality information, including the news media, electoral management bodies, political parties and social media platforms. These organizations need to develop their own capacities and best practices. Government should provide forms of direct and indirect support to enhance the capacity of these actors to do so.
• Several contexts or contributing factors can make the misuse of GenAI more likely to harm democratic elections, such as deepfakes of supposedly private remarks by candidates or election officials immediately prior to voting day. Government agencies and non-governmental actors should conduct red-teaming exercises and develop strategies to address high-risk scenarios.
• The potential for GenAI to produce democratic goods requires further research and experimentation. This will likely require investment and cooperation between AI service providers, electoral management bodies, journalists, and academic researchers. This should be done transparently and cautiously to maintain public trust.

 “While we do not think GenAI presents a doomsday scenario for democratic elections, policymakers should not be complacent,” the report’s authors say.

Ultimately, policymaking should support a resilient information system with institutions capable of producing and disseminating accurate, trusted information, and building citizens’ confidence and capacities to participate in these systems, they say. “Such efforts will build stronger democracies, regardless of the communication technologies we use.” Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions

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Federal government further reduces number of international student permits

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced that the number of international student permits issued will be reduced again in 2025.

The number of study permits issued will be reduced from 485,000 in 2024 to 437,000 in 2025, with that number being held steady in 2026.

The goal of this cap is to reduce the number of temporary residents in Canada from 6.5 percent to five percent by 2026.

“The reality is that not everyone who wants to come to Canada will be able to – just like not everyone who wants to stay in Canada will be able to,” Immigration Minister Marc Miller said in a statement.

The 2025–2026 study permit intake cap will include master’s and doctoral students who will now have to submit a provincial or territorial attestation letter. Approximately 12 percent of allocation spaces for these students will be reserved in recognition of the benefits they bring to the Canadian labour market.

There will also be further restrictions to the open work permits for international student spouses and changes to the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program this fall.

Work permit eligibility will be limited, later this year, to spouses of master’s degree students whose program is at least 16 months in duration.

Graduates from programs at public colleges will remain eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit of up to three years if they graduate from a field of study linked to occupations in long-term shortage.

Work permit eligibility also will be limited later this year, under Canada’s work permit programs, to spouses of foreign workers in management or professional occupations or in sectors with labour shortages.

Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) expressed support for certain parts of IRCC’s announcement, such as the decision to preserve the eligibility of current international students in the country and provide time for planning.

But other measures, such as removing open eligibility for the Post Graduate Work Permit program only for students going through Canada’s public colleges, would do “significant harm, specifically to local communities,” CICan said in a statement.

This creates a fundamental disconnect between the pressing needs of local labour markets and the essential contributions of skilled international graduates from the over 10,000 diploma and degree programs in high demand fields across CICan's network, CICan said.

By making eligibility for the post-graduate work permit dependent on national labour market needs, the federal government will make it fundamentally impossible to align college and institute programs to what communities need, the organization said.

“CICan believes that instead of building a collaborative approach between institutions, provinces and territories, and communities, Ottawa has chosen to implement a counterproductive and one-size-fits-all policy to meeting the country’s labour market needs.”

U15 Canada, which represents 15 leading research universities in Canada, issued a statement expressing its concern with the cap, which it says “risks further damaging Canada’s international reputation and harming our ability to attract and retain [the] talented researchers we need to grow the economy and drive innovation.”

U15 universities together account for 60 percent of all graduate students in Canada. International graduates play a crucial role helping to staff labs and libraries, supporting industry collaborations and facilitating significant research projects here in Canada, U15 said.

“The potential consequences from today’s decision risk Canada losing out on top talent and seriously undermining the capacity of the Canadian research ecosystem,” the organization said.

“This government has repeatedly insisted that it is seeking to return to a system that is more-quality oriented,” said Dr. Chad Gaffield, CEO of U15 Canada. “However, by now also capping graduate students and researchers, today’s changes fail to recognize responsible institutions and add additional burdens for the top students who want to contribute to Canada.”

In a social media post, Universities Canada said cuts to international study permits damage Canada’s reputation as a premier education destination, impacting institutions nationwide.

This must be the final reduction in international study permits, to allow “Canada and its universities to focus on rebuilding our global brand,” Universities Canada said. IRCC

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Return on investment in post-secondary education has shrunk in recent years: RBC economists say

The return on investing in post-secondary education has shrunk in recent years, according to a report by RBC Thought Leadership.

The income earned by graduates has lagged tuition growth, particularly in fields such as engineering, architecture and related sciences, according to the report by RBC economists Rachel Battaglia and Abbey Xu.

Incomes are still positively correlated with attaining higher education, as university degree holders earn the highest median income after graduation compared to certificate and diploma holders, their study says.

Caps on domestic student tuition hikes imposed by some provinces in the last five years may boost the income multiple over tuitions in the future – but many other factors will be at play, they say.

After adjusting for inflation, tuition rose 12 percent between 2012 and 2017 for all undergraduate studies, while the median income for graduates rose just four percent from 2017 to 2022. The gap is more pronounced for engineering, architecture and related science graduates, where final-year tuition increased faster than in other fields.

Median incomes five years after graduation in 2022 were 8.6 times more than tuition costs in the final year of study for architecture and related sciences, according to the report.

This is a sizable decrease from five years earlier when the median wage five years after graduation (2017) was 10.6 times higher than students’ final year of tuition in 2012, the report says.

Engineering undergraduates have experienced the second largest erosion of their tuition investment, with median income five years after graduation declining from 12.3 times final year tuition (for 2012 grads earning in 2017) to 10.2 times final year tuition (for 2017 grads earning in 2022).

“It’s worth noting that median incomes for engineering graduates are still among the highest of undergraduate degree holders – and (relative to final year tuition) provide a more generous return to tuition investment than most programs,” the report says.

University degree holders continue to earn higher wages than individuals with lower education attainment. Respondents with a bachelor’s degree or higher had the highest median income in 2021 at $61,600 – 44 percent higher than the overall median income in the sample.

Earning a high school diploma or equivalency certificate increases median income to $30,200, which is 40 percent higher than the median income of those without any certification.

Individuals with any form of post-secondary education below a bachelor’s degree, including university certificates or diplomas, see a notable increase in median income to $45,600 – 51 percent higher than those with a high school diploma.

However, for those who obtained apprenticeship or trade certificates, the median income is $45,200, just marginally higher than the $44,800 earned by those with a college diploma or CEGEP certificate. “This slight difference speaks to the competitive earning potential of apprenticeship and skilled trades programs.”

Educational attainment isn’t the only factor contributing to an individual’s income, the report notes. Other influences include the general state of the labour market, broad macroeconomic policy, the quality of education, and specific job experiences. Therefore, it’s difficult to predict whether the recent trend on the financial return of investing in higher education will hold in the future.

Still, caps on domestic student tuition hikes imposed by some provinces in the last five years may curb its trajectory, the report says.

Ontario has implemented the most aggressive measure with a 10-percent reduction of tuition introduced in 2019, followed by a freezing of tuition for domestic students.

B.C. also maintains a two-percent cap on tuition increases, first introduced in 2005, that has been expanded to apply to more programs.

Nova Scotia has the highest tuitions in Canada and implemented a two-percent cap on increases for all domestic undergraduate students, taking effect in the 2024-25 school year. These measures may work toward boosting the income multiple over tuition for students.

International students, however, are in a more challenging position since university tuition caps don’t extend to their fees, which have continued to rise. The median income earned five years after graduation for international students has also fallen short of tuition growth. RBC Thought Leadership

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Skills shortages are hampering Canada’s productivity growth: Conference Board of Canada report

Skills shortages hamper productivity growth and explain some of the productivity gaps between Canada and the U.S., according to a report by the Conference Board of Canada (CBoC).

Canada’s GDP would be up to 1.8 per cent, or $49 billion, larger today if there had been no skills shortages over the past 20 years, says the report, by the CBoC’s Future Skills Centre.

Over the past 20 years, Canada has experienced three distinct periods where skills shortages in major industrial clusters contributed to weak productivity growth: 2003 to 2012; 2018 to 2021; and 2022–23.

In each of these periods, around seven percent of the gap between U.S. and Canadian productivity growth can be explained by skills shortages, says the report, Skills and Productivity: Which Skill Shortages Are Impacting Canadian Productivity?

“In an increasingly high-skilled, high-value economy, the availability or lack of skills can hinder growth and introduce production bottlenecks that translate into lower productivity,” the report says.

When skills shortages affect a group of related industries, the effect on aggregate productivity can be large, the report notes. It identifies three distinct groupings of industries within the Canadian economy based on the skill requirements of firms in each sector: goods-producing industries; knowledge-based services industries; and technical and manual services industries.

Shortages in one sector can impact other sectors in the same grouping because they share similar skill profiles, according to the report.

Skills shortages reduced productivity growth over 2022 and 2023 in construction, and to a lesser extent in the utilities and mining sectors, explaining eight percent of the overall gap between U.S. and Canadian productivity over this period.

Eliminating shortages in the construction sector alone would have increased GDP by $2.4 billion over the past two years, and GDP would be nearly $4 billion higher if they were eliminated across all three sectors, the report says.

Skills shortages in the goods-producing sector between 2003 and 2012 reduced productivity growth by 0.1 percentage points per year. Eliminating these would have increased GDP by $22 billion and closed the gap between U.S. and Canadian productivity during this period by seven percent.

The current skills shortage in the goods-producing sector largely reflects shortages in the construction sector. The five largest skill gaps are all in the technical skills category: setting up equipment; maintenance; product design of structures and engineering systems; repairing; and operational monitoring of equipment.

Between 2018 and 2021 Canada experienced widespread and severe skills shortages across the knowledge-based services industries. These sectors require high levels of foundational, analytical, and interpersonal skills.

“The longer a skills shortage has persisted, the more likely that it would benefit from policy intervention,” the report notes.

Any potential intervention must consider what skills are specifically in short supply and the mechanisms available for increasing those skills in the workforce, according to the report.

Some skill increases can be achieved quickly. A small increase in more specialized skills might be possible through micro-credentials. Or an increase in a skill widely possessed across the workforce (e.g. foundational or interpersonal skills) may be achievable through on-the-job training.

Conversely, addressing large imbalances in analytical or technical skills may take longer and require encouraging more students and career transitioners to enter specific education pathways, such as undergraduate university study or apprenticeships and college. “In these cases, interventions may take several years to have an impact.”

The report recommends that policymakers:

• Monitor which skills are in short supply, as well as the context of skills shortages, to inform any response to address skills shortages.
• Deploy near-term solutions, such as immigration and streamlined credential recognition, to address skills shortages.

Historically, the immigration system was not set up to select immigrants with the skills and experience in in-demand occupations; rather, it prioritized high levels of education and language proficiency in French and English, the report says. “This appears to be changing.”

Success in addressing skills imbalances through immigration requires not only that programs target in-demand skills and understand the transferability of skills between occupations, but also that these skills and qualifications of new Canadians are recognized and accepted by employers, according to the report.

• Use education and training policy to address persistent imbalances.

While education policy is the responsibility of provincial governments, tweaking education and training programs to address skills imbalances are not solely incumbent on the provinces, the report says. Firms and industry associations have a role to play in articulating their requirements and providing training programs for their existing workforce.

For sectors with persistent skills shortages and strong future growth prospects, longer-term training and education-based solutions are critical to ensure the Canadian workforce has the skills employers require in the future, the report says.

For example, skills shortages in the construction industry are expected to persist over the coming decade as construction workers reach retirement age and demand for home construction accelerates.

“Developing a comprehensive policy response to address technical skills shortages, and any future skills shortage that arises in Canada, would benefit from further work exploring skills shortages at a more granular level.” Conference Board of Canada

THE GRAPEVINE – News about people, institutions and communities

Frank Oberle, a former federal minister of science and technology who pioneered Canada’s S&T efforts, died on September 12 at age 92. Oberle was born in Forchheim, Germany and immigrated to Canada in 1952. He worked as a baker, logger, miner and insurance salesman. In Chetwynd, B.C., he became a business owner and the town’s mayor. For 20 years, he represented the Prince George Peace River federal riding as their M.P. Oberle held many Cabinet positions in Ottawa, including as a member of the Privy Council, Minister of State (Science and Technology), Minister of State (Forestry) and Minister of Forestry. In 1987, he launched InnovAction, a five-track strategy to lead Canada’s science and technology efforts through several specific initiatives introduced by federal departments and agencies, including improving the transfer and application of new technologies, enhancing government-industry cooperation, and supporting post-R&D innovation. Oberle led efforts to appoint a national advisory board for industrial technology, develop a new federal science and technology strategy, and hold a national conference on technology and innovation to define new technology goals for Canada. R$

Sylvain Charbonneau is stepping down as vice-president, research and innovation after seven years in the position at the University of Ottawa. Under Charbonneau’s guidance, the university defined four strategic areas of research in a rigorous, data-driven exercise to structure research and innovation efforts for maximum impact and tangible results. Among the highlights of his tenure was the establishment of uOttawa’s Kanata North satellite campus, in the middle of Canada’s largest technology park. Another major achievement was negotiating strategic agreements with the region’s hospitals to create the Ottawa Academic Health Network, bringing together the teaching, research and innovation activities of uOttawa and its partner hospitals under a single banner. Charbonneau oversaw the construction of new research infrastructure, such as the STEM Complex, the largest building on campus and which doubled the space dedicated to research, experiential learning and entrepreneurship. More recently, he spearheaded the start of work on the Advanced Medical Research Centre, the largest single investment in the uOttawa’s history. uOttawa

Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondeck was selected as the new vice-president of the World Energy Cities Partnership (WECP), an international coalition of cities whose economies are directly tied to the energy sector. Her selection to the post was announced at the WECP’s annual general meeting in Stavanger, Norway’s energy capital. Gondeck succeeds Fahad M. Aljubair, mayor of Dammam, Saudi Arabia, as vice-president, and joins WECP president Jesper Frost Rasmussen, mayor of Esbjerg, Denmark. The WECP includes representation from 18 major energy-centric cities, including: Houston, Texas; Aberdeen, Scotland; Perth, Australia; Halifax, N.S.; St. John’s, N.L.; Cape Town, South Africa; Dammam, Saudi Arabia; and Daqing, China. The WECP president and vice-president are selected by their peers, with their terms starting immediately. Calgary Herald

Charles-Antoine St-Jean, who played a foundational role in establishing the Canadian Sustainability Standards Board (CSSB), is stepping down as chair. St-Jean was the CSSB’s inaugural chair, starting in April 2023. Bruce Marchand, a current board member involved since the inception of CSSB, will serve as the interim chair. This interim appointment will provide stable leadership during a search for a new, permanent chair, ensuring continuity in the CSSB's activities. Under St-Jean’s leadership, the CSSB in its formative year laid the groundwork for the introduction of Canada’s first sustainability standards. The CSSB is responsible for overseeing Canada’s adoption of international sustainability reporting standards. CSSB

Telesat appointed recently retired Brigadier-general G. Michael Adamson as the company’s new senior director of defence strategy and business development. In this role, Adamson will work to expand and execute the government go-to-market and business development strategy for the Telesat Lightspeed low-Earth orbit satellite network. This includes cultivating relationships with both government and industry partners and evolving the strategy and service offerings for Telesat Lightspeed to address key government satellite communications demands of the Canadian government and key allied nations. Most recently, Adamson was the inaugural commander of the Canadian Armed Forces 3 Canadian Space Division and commander of the Joint Force Space Component. Telesat

Thomas Park has left BDC (the venture arm of the Business Development Bank of Canada) after more than eight years, he said on a social media post. Park said during his time with BDC, he was the architect of BDC Capital’s VC strategy, ensured the Venture Capital Catalyst Initiative/Venture Capital Action Plan was renewed when the Liberals were first elected, designed and led the COVID bridge-financing program, and led Canada’s $200-million deep-tech venture fund. Park said he has been “ordered by my wife to take time off.” Park’s departure comes three months after Jérôme Nycz, the head of BDC Capital, abruptly left after 22 years at the Crown corporation. The bank named Geneviève Bouthillier as Nycz’s replacement last week. LinkedIn: Thomas Park

Vancouver-based investment bank Canaccord Genuity Group Inc. has hired a seven-person team of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce financial advisors overseeing $14 billion in client assets. Canaccord said it recruited an entire office of Vancouver-based CIBC advisers known as BPS Wealth Management. The team leaders are Tom Porteous, Eric Southam and Jay Fitch, who collectively have more than 70 years of service at the bank’s Wood Gundy retail brokerage division. BPS advisers focus on managing money for high-net-worth individuals, trusts and foundations. The Globe and Mail

Former Toronto-Dominion Bank executives with entrepreneurial experience joined Forthlane Partners Ltd. Robbie Pryde, former TD Securities head of corporate and investment banking, took over as CEO at Forthlane. Robert Vanderhooft, former chief investment officer at TD Asset Management, joined Forthlane as co-chief investment officer, alongside Wayne Kozun, co-founder of Forthlane. Forthlane, which has $500 million of assets under management, offers individuals and families with $20 million or more in investable assets access to the world’s top asset managers. Forthlane Partners Ltd.

Roberto Cipriani, co-founder, chief technology officer and chief operation officer of Montreal-based edtech firm Paper, stepped down from his day-to-day role. Cipriani announced the leadership change in an internal email, obtained by BetaKit, sent out to employees. In the email, the outgoing executive said he would instead focus his efforts as a board member and advisor to the company. Cipriani’s departure follows a tumultuous summer for the edtech startup, which replaced co-founder and CEO Phil Cutler with Silicon Valley edtech veteran Rich Yang, before cutting 45 percent of its headquarters staff last month. Paper went on to cut the entirety of its Canadian tutor workforce. BetaKit

The Regina-based, federally funded Protein Industries Canada global innovation cluster announced new members to its board of directors. The new members are: Brian Conn (Louis Dreyfus Company); Graham Markham (New Protein International); and Ron Hyggen (Kitsaki Management Limited Partnership). Kathryn Bulmer Matheson (PepsiCo) received a renewed term with the board. Protein Industries Canada

Montreal-based Bel Group Canada, a major player in the food industry. named Jo-Annie Tétreault as senior manager of sustainability. Tétreault has worked as an account lead for organizations such as Hydro-Québec and the Quebec Tourism Alliance. She recently led sustainable growth at LG2. Her mission is to be an agent of change, strengthening Bel Group’s leadership in Canada with a sustainable business approach. She will position the company in terms of sustainability with business partners, clients and consumers. Food in Canada

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) announced the 12 finalists of its 2024 Impact Awards. The winners in each award category – Talent, Insight, Connection and Partnership, in addition to the Gold Medal recipient – will be announced on November 25, 2024. The annual SSHRC Impact Awards recognize the highest achievements by outstanding researchers and students in social sciences and humanities research, research training, knowledge mobilization and outreach activities funded by SSHRC. The finalists are selected by a jury composed of renowned experts from academia, as well as the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. This year’s finalists are:

Talent Award:

The Talent Award recognizes outstanding achievement by an individual who, on April 1, 2024, held a SSHRC doctoral scholarship or fellowship or postdoctoral fellowship. The Talent Award is given to an individual who maintains academic excellence, has a talent for research and knowledge mobilization and has demonstrated clear potential to be a future leader within and/or outside the academic sector.

• Louis Busch, University of Toronto
• Mckelvey Kelly, University of Saskatchewan
• Kristie Poole, Brock University

Insight Award:

The Insight Award recognizes outstanding achievement arising from a single or multiple SSHRC-funded initiatives. It is given to an individual or a team of six people maximum (including the nominee) whose initiative has significantly contributed to knowledge and understanding about people, societies and the world.

• Sandra Bucerius, University of Alberta
• Lynette Ong, University of Toronto
• Susanne Soederberg, Queen’s University

Connection Award:

The Connection Award recognizes an outstanding SSHRC-funded initiative that facilitates the flow and exchange of research knowledge within and/or beyond the social sciences and humanities research community. It is given to an individual or team of six people maximum (including the nominee) whose initiative has engaged the campus and/or wider community, and has generated intellectual, cultural, social and/or economic impacts.

• Reena Kukreja, Queen’s University
• Erica Lehrer, Concordia University
• Marcia Ostashewski, Cape Breton University

Partnership Award:

The Partnership Award recognizes a SSHRC‑funded formal partnership for its outstanding achievement in advancing research, research training or knowledge mobilization, or developing a new partnership approach to research and/or related activities. It is awarded to a formal partnership that, through mutual co-operation and shared intellectual leadership and resources, has demonstrated impact and influence within and/or beyond the social sciences and humanities research community.

• Jason Lewis, Concordia University
• Peter Newman, University of Toronto
• Pierre Noreau, Université de Montréal

Gold Medal:

The Gold Medal is SSHRC’s highest research honour. It is awarded to an individual whose sustained leadership, dedication and originality of thought have inspired both students and colleagues. Finalists are not selected for the Gold Medal category; the recipient will be announced on November 25, 2024. SSHRC

Volkswagen named Mustafa Bulut as chief operating officer and interim Canadian CEO for the company’s battery subsidiary PowerCo. Bulut previously was senior vice-president at Bosch's office in the Republic of Türkiye from September 2019 to January 2024. LinkedIn: Mustafa Bulut

Bulgarian Ekaterina Zaharieva was named as the new commissioner for startups research and innovation, after returning European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen assigned top jobs and mandates. Part of Zaharieva’s role will be to implement many of the recent recommendations from former Italian prime ministers Enrico Letta and Mario Draghi, who delivered stark warnings about Europe’s failure to keep up with global competition. However, the absence of education within Zaharieva’s revamped portfolio has worried universities, which fear that splitting the mandate could risk disjointed policy. Von der Leyen’s mission letters to commissioners also have no mention of Draghi’s top research recommendation – that the EU create its own disruptive innovation agency along the lines of the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Instead, Zaharieva will work “to expand the European Innovation Council and the European Research Council.” Science|Business

The British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), Cambrian College, Ontario College of Art & Design University (OCAD) and Thompson Rivers University (TRU) recently opened new labs and training spaces – including TRU’s mobile training unit. BCIT and the Canadian Alliance for Skills and Training in Life Sciences, in partnership with the Government of British Columbia and the Government of Canada, opened the BC Biomanufacturing Training Facility in Richmond, B.C. It is a first-of-its-kind training facility focused on the biopharmaceutical industry and with state-of-the-art pilot-scale manufacturing equipment. Cambrian College in Sudbury, Ont., officially opened its Vale Electric Vehicle Lab, named for mining company Vale Base Metals in recognition of a $750,000-contribution made to the lab. The lab is set up to test battery-electric vehicles, from the batteries themselves to the powertrain. OCAD University in Toronto launched a Sustainable Colour Lab, where faculty, staff and students can experiment with and explore sustainable colour materials such as pigments, dyes and inks. Kamloops, B.C.-based TRU’s School of Nursing unveiled its mobile health-care training unit, which will bring in-person clinical training to rural communities in B.C. The retrofitted RV unit received a $200,000-donation from TD Bank Group. BCIT, CBC News

The University of Manitoba (UManitoba) Rady Faculty of Health Sciences’ College of Rehabilitation Sciences and Riverview Health Centre announced a new research chair focused on rehabilitation and telerehabilitation technology. The inaugural Research Chair in Telerehabilitation will be held by UManitoba professor of physical therapy Dr. Ruth Barclay, appointed for a five-year term starting September 2024. In this role, Barclay will lead development of a rehabilitation research program that focuses on new technologies that improve access to rehabilitation care for those who might otherwise struggle to receive it. “Telerehabilitation and the use of new technology improves access to care in rural and remote communities, but we need the research and evidence to support that,” said Riverview CEO Kathleen Klaasen. UManitoba

University of Waterloo researchers have designed an energy-efficient device that produces drinking water from seawater using an evaporation process driven largely by the Sun. Roughly 2.2 billion people worldwide have no access to clean water, emphasizing the urgent need for new technologies to generate fresh water, according to the UN World Water Development Report 2024. Current desalination systems pump seawater through membranes to separate salt from water, but this process is energy-intensive and salt often accumulates on the device’s surface, obstructing water flow, reducing efficiency and requiring frequent maintenance. To solve this problem, Dr. Michael Tam, PhD, a professor in UWaterloo’s Department of Chemical Engineering, and his team drew inspiration from the natural water cycle to create a device that mirrors how trees transport water from roots to leaves. The new technology induces water to evaporate, transports it to the surface and condenses it in a closed cycle, effectively preventing the accumulation of salt that reduces the efficiency of the device. The device is also solar-powered and can convert about 93 percent of sunlight into energy, five times better than current desalination systems. It can also produce about 20 litres of fresh water per square metre, the same amount that the World Health Organization recommends each person needs every day for basic drinking and hygiene. The team’s research was recently published in Nature Communications. The UWaterloo researchers plan to build a prototype of their device that can be deployed at sea to test the technology on a larger scale. EurekAlert!

University of Calgary (UCalgary) Schulich School of Engineering researcher Dr. Seiran Heshami, PhD is using cooperative game theory approaches to solve major transportation infrastructure issues and create “smart” cities. She first employed game theory to address problems, such as traffic jams, in transportation information management. “Game theory is the mathematical modelling of strategic interaction among rational (and irrational) players,” Heshami said. “Beyond what we call ‘games’ in common language – such as chess, poker and soccer – it includes the modelling of conflict among players while trying to achieve a balanced payoff for everyone.” Her solution for traffic jams was found in dynamic bargaining “games,” where roadway ramp controllers are able to “talk” with each other and exchange information to find solutions that balance the traffic situation at each ramp. Her postdoctoral research has focused on “coalition game theory” – a branch of game theory that focuses on understanding how groups of players can work together, rather than competing, to achieve common goals. Heshami said the benefits of working together are numerous, including equitable benefit distribution, enhanced cooperation, decision-making flexibility and improved stability and predictability in cooperative endeavours. She said she is inspired to help build communities with high-functioning, smart urban systems and more equitable, resilient and sustainable urban infrastructure. UCalgary

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