Charging onward: Canadian expertise helping to revolutionize how energy is used, created, and redirected
It’s hard to deny that the Earth’s climate is changing. We’re seeing warming temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns, and more severe weather events. The science is clear that if we continue to burn fossil fuels at the same rate we are now, we’re going to heat the planet to death. This has made managing and developing […]
COVID-19 driving change in Canada’s urban centres
Cities are the economic engines of the country. As such, they are also centres of innovation: places to test out new ideas, spaces to combine new ways of thinking and doing, and sites to advance new technologies. COVID-19 has temporarily turned our urban worlds upside down and has made dense urban life seem dangerous rather […]
Pandemic highlights needed change in broadband funding regime, says critic, access expert
As the COVID-19 pandemic approaches its one-year anniversary, with Canadians flocking to Zoom, Call of Duty, and Netflix to manage work and life under lockdown, an internet policy expert and the NDP’s industry critic say the way Canada approaches bridging the digital divide is not working, and is falling hardest on rural and remote communities. […]
We must ensure that innovation leaves no Canadian behind
As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention. For instance, back at the beginning of the pandemic, we never imagined that the world would produce several effective COVID-19 vaccines in less than a year. Whether it is telemedicine, vaccines, rapid tests, or automation, the urgent needs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have given […]
The time for innovation in higher education is now
This month, Concordia University is launching its Innovation Lab, a bold move to support students to become skilled and confident innovators who can turn ideas into solutions that make the world a better place. The Lab is one response to the era of profound changes arriving at dizzying speeds, prompted by the growth and spread […]
Collaborative effort needed to bridge the digital divide
Many Canadians in remote northern communities cannot depend on the internet for essential tasks for school or work, or for leisure activities like entertainment or social media. There is, in short, a deep digital divide between remote communities and the rest of the country. Historically, internet service providers (ISPs) have been the primary stakeholders tasked […]
Indigenous connectivity and federal funding: a priority or hope deferred?
In the Sept. 23, 2020, Throne Speech, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised to invest $1.75-billion into internet connectivity for all Canadians, with a focus on rural and Indigenous communities as part of that priority. “The prime minister said the government is now on track to connect 98 per cent of Canadians to high-speed by 2026, […]
Asking ‘Isaac Pewton’ to innovate out of a crisis
With Canadians’ mounting frustration and the dwindling prospects of exiting this pandemic any time soon, it is vital that we unite as a nation to innovate. How Canada continues to respond to the pandemic will also define how we respond to future global challenges. Leading the development of new vaccines, more effective personal protective equipment, […]
Dedicated B.C. regional development agency to bring bigger focus to tech sector, innovation: MPs and stakeholders
Parliamentarians and stakeholders from British Columbia are welcoming the government’s efforts to establish a new regional development agency for the Pacific province, saying it represents a shift from viewing the West as a “monolith,” will benefit the province’s flourishing tech sector, and will help spur innovation in more traditional resource-based industries. “The tech sector has […]
Canadians cannot continue to wait for high-speed broadband everywhere
The past several months have taught us a lot. One thing we know now, more than ever before, is how essential reliable and affordable high-speed broadband internet is for Canadians. With people sheltering at home, and with schools and businesses closed, Canadians need a fast and reliable internet connection to communicate for work and school […]
