Lakes and reservoirs affect regional weather but their influence on the average environmental conditions in the remote, sparsely monitored, northwest of Canada has seldom been investigated. This study examines the climatic influences of lakes and reservoir impoundment on two First Nations territories in southern Yukon and northern British Columbia, using an atmospheric model alongside a […]

The maritime provinces are currently facing questions around how to create more resilient coastal communities in the face of a changing climate, specifically due to impacts of sea level rise and increasing severity and frequency of storm events. One option for adapting to climate change is to move away from hard infrastructure towards softer/greener approaches, […]

To address the increasingly important problem of global insect pollinator declines, this project will investigate the relationship between three different natural habitat types (hedgerow, forest patch and restored prairie grass) and their impacts on wild pollinator biodiversity in Canada. This will be studied through the use of Malaise traps place on agricultural land adjacent to […]

The availability and reliability of public transit has been a long standing equity issue for residents living in rural communities. This issue significantly impacts those who have lower incomes, the elderly, children, and people with disabilities. Access to of consistent and secure funding has been the main factor challenging the sustainability of rural transit. This […]

Environmental scientists examining large-scale ecosystem processes (e.g., climate change, contaminant effects) are increasingly charged with collecting high-quality data on a more rapid timeline and extending the application of that data spatially and temporally. IISD Experimental Lakes Area (IISD-ELA) is a field research station comprised of 58 pristine lakes and their watersheds. This area has been […]

Solid biomass, of which Canada has plenty, is the lowest cost, and greatest employment generating, renewable heat source available but to date but is not often considered as a low carbon heating option for deployment on a large scale in Canadian cities. For solid biomass to reach a high market share, a key enabling infrastructure […]

The risks of natural hazards in Canada are increasing, and studies have shown many disaster risk reduction projects have benefits greater than their costs. However, municipal climate adaptation projects face limited resources that support implementation. This Project will research and write two books of case studies about successful municipal climate adaptation projects in Canada, extending […]

Many rural regions do not have a sufficient labour force providing the skills that rural businesses need. Many job vacancies go unfilled or are filled by less than ideal candidates. This research looks at strategies to attract and retain the workers that Ontario rural communities need to generate economic development and vitality. By engaging local […]

This project will investigate the impacts of historical land use on Langley Bog to better understand how these unique ecosystems are affected by cranberry farming and fill roads. Bogs require a high water table and high acidity to maintain conditions suitable for bog-specific vegetation to grow. To determine whether the site is moving away from […]

In today’s landscape, it is important for businesses to acknowledge the complex histories of the land on which they operate and engage with truth and reconciliation within their policies and practices. The goal of this project is to support Helicat Canada (HCC) with its reconciliation efforts with local Indigenous Peoples by developing a strategic engagement […]

Resident killer whale populations in British Columbia (BC) are listed under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) as “threatened” and “endangered” for the northern and southern populations, respectively. Common pollutants such as PCBs and PBDEs, are considered a significant impediment to the recovery of resident killer whales. These chemicals bioaccumulate throughout the food web and […]

There are growing concerns over the cumulative hydrological effects of forest disturbance on hydrology in the Duteau Creek community watershed. The objectives of this proposed study are: 1) to calibrate and validate the hydrological model SWAT; 2) to assess the cumulative hydrological effects of proposed forest harvesting under future climate change impacts; and 3) to […]