Blog posts from 2024

Nearly 6.1 million people live within 20 kilometres from the marine coasts of Canada. Funding from the Canadian Safety and Security Program (CSSP) is helping Canadian communities better understand risks from storm surge, sea-level rise and tsunamis to develop mitigation strategies.

The Arctic can be a challenging place for technology, with remoteness, harsh weather and freezing temperatures adding a layer of complexity.

World AIDS Day, observed every year on December 1, is a time to honour the lives of those affected by HIV and AIDS, remember those lost, and reflect on the ongoing efforts to address HIV.

Generally speaking, we don’t think much about radiological emergencies because we don’t often experience them in Canada. Should one happen though, the potential effects could be quite serious.

When it comes to pin-pointing sources of food-borne illness, tracking detections of a new invasive plant pest, or studying the spread of an animal disease, geographic data is a powerful tool that helps the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) respond effectively to challenges and emergencies.

Canada’s agriculture and agri-food system employs about 2.3 million people and generates over $150 billion of Canada's gross domestic product (GDP). It is a complex system that is safeguarded by Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) employees and is known as one of the best food safety systems in the world.

Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) is adding a new subsatellite to the Redwing space domain awareness project, through a partnership with the United Kingdom’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), Magellan Aerospace, and the University of Manitoba.

Silicone bakeware has gained popularity as a replacement for traditional non-stick bakeware due to its versatility and ease of use. However, as with anything purchased for use in the kitchen, we want to be confident that harmful chemicals aren’t being released into food or the air through their use.

Chemicals are everywhere – in air, soil, water, products and food. And they can enter our bodies when we eat, breathe, and through our skin. Every day, we are exposed to a myriad of chemicals, whether they are human-made or occur naturally in the environment.

In late August 2022, Ontario public health authorities notified the Public Health Agency of Canada of 12 cases of an unknown foodborne illness in York, Ontario. Early observations from local public health authorities identified symptoms consistent with aconitine poisoning.

Over time, plants can become hosts to many viruses that cause serious plant diseases. This is especially true for long-lived perennial fruit plants like apples, cherries, or blueberries. That is why it is important to rapidly detect new viruses before they can become a threat to our food production.

With just 10 microlitres (one drop) of blood and five minutes for results, Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) is advancing health and safety monitoring at the annual NATO training event, Exercise PRECISE RESPONSE.

Generally, when thinking of stress, the causes are often school, work, finances, or other personal challenges. But what if the air we breathe contributes to the stress our body feels? Most of us are exposed to air pollutants everyday, both inside and outside our homes, and what is in the air we breathe has an impact on our health.

Chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) threats are constantly evolving. To be able to tackle them efficiently and effectively, it’s important to coordinate efforts with allies and across government.

During a recent counter-drone demonstration event, Canada became the fifth NATO country to test above-the-horizon lasers to defeat drone threats without a mountain or other geographic backdrop to stop the laser.

Thirteen NATO Allies are gathered in southeastern Alberta for interoperability training during Exercise PRECISE RESPONSE 2024, with scientific support from Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC)’s Suffield Research Centre.

Technology needs to keep pace to detect and defeat drones that are faster, smaller, and less detectable every year. Innovators are developing counter drone technologies, but they need a safe space to test their technologies against a wide variety of drones, swarm attacks, and variable conditions.

International scientific collaboration on animal disease prevention, diagnosis, response and management must keep pace with the globalization of our economies and societies. Increased trade, population growth and climate change lead to new challenges in managing the spread of animal diseases.

The Canadian Safety and Security Program (CSSP) acts as a bridge between the safety and security needs of all levels of government, with science and technology solutions developed in partnership with industry and academia.

Science, technology and innovation issues have become so complex that countries around the world need to collaborate more to solidify their research strategies. Countries are working together in developing innovative and inclusive science and technology policies to address the challenges facing the global population.

Firefighters put their lives on the line every day to protect us from wildfires, house fires and everything in between. Evidence shows that they are more likely to develop certain types of cancer, as well as chronic conditions such as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Researchers are working to better protect these modern-day heroes while they do their job.

My name is Mike Reid and I am a proud L’nu Mi'kmaq. I embarked on my career with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) back in 2009 as a laboratory technician at the (former) St. John's Laboratory in Newfoundland. Drawn to new opportunities, I transferred to Ottawa in 2011 and joined the Ottawa Laboratory (Carling), where I focused on food diagnostic testing.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) monitors the levels of pesticide residues in food to ensure that any residues detected do not exceed levels considered safe for human health. The challenge for regulatory agencies like the CFIA is how to monitor as many of these compounds as possible while also maintaining efficiency and accuracy. Modern technology offers new strategies to achieve this balance.

Have you ever wondered about the air you breathe? From city streets to countryside valleys, air quality can impact your health. Thanks to advancements in technology, monitoring air quality is becoming easier and more accessible than ever before.

Researchers are investigating topics to assess, adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change for NATO militaries. For example, developing green energy technologies for the North reduces the use of fossil fuel in the Arctic. Reducing dependence on fossil fuels reduces greenhouse gas emissions, saves money, and reduces the logistical burden of transporting fuel to the Arctic.

Scientists at the Public Health Agency of Canada’s (PHAC) National Microbiology Laboratory encourage students to get involved in a new citizen science project monitoring the tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus), an invasive species first detected in the Windsor/Essex region of Ontario in 2016. These mosquitoes can spread infectious diseases that pose risks to people’s health.

Potato wart is a disease of potatoes caused by the fungus Synchytrium endobioticum – a particularly hardy and persistent pest. While potato wart does not pose a risk to human or animal health, the disease can deform potato tubers, making them unmarketable, and reduce crop yields.

Powerful systems can create realistic simulations that bring new worlds to life in video games and animation, but Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) is using these systems to simulate the real world and address a variety of military needs.

When it comes to illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, it’s important that Canada is not in the dark. IUU fishing contributes to marine habitat destruction and declining fish stocks, representing up to 26 million tonnes of fish caught annually.

Virtual reality can make you feel like you’re really in the cockpit of an airplane and new research is showing it can be used effectively in training Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) pilots, according to defence scientist Dr. Ramy Kirollos.

Could you identify a plant seed out of hundreds of thousands of species, or tell the difference between the seed of a crop and an invasive species?

When an emergency such as a natural disaster, or terrorist attack occurs, cellular networks in proximity to the incident can experience disruptions or possibly outages.

Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) experimented with two artificial intelligence (AI) enabled technologies to improve sensing and surveillance, in the multinational experiment Project Convergence CAPSTONE 4, held from February 18 to March 20, 2024 in Fort Irwin, California.

Surviving a plane crash in the Arctic is dependent on having the right equipment and skills to withstand the extreme temperatures and avoid cold weather injuries until rescue.

Dr. Heather Coatsworth is passionate about bugs.

So much so, she has made it part of her life’s work. An entomologist by training, she has brought this passion to her role as Chief of the Field Studies program at the Public Health Agency of Canada’s (PHAC) National Microbiology Laboratory (NML), where part of her job is researching Lyme disease.

Best before dates get a lot of attention these days, including being subject to misinformation (spoiler alert: they are about freshness, not safety, and are not being eliminated). So what's the real tea on best before dates?

If you’ve fallen behind on nutrition labelling news, no worries, we’ve got you covered! In August 2021, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Health Canada published a food labelling coordination policy.

Shaved skin used to be the only way to get a good seal and adequate respiratory protection wearing a gas mask, but research trials on a new respirator, called the C5B, promise a “breath of fresh air” during training drills for Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members who have beards, long hair, headdresses or uniquely shaped faces.

The first step of addressing any sickness is figuring out the cause. Whether its for treatment or to avoid spreading it, diagnoses are necessary for dealing with illness.

When given the chance to serve her country and make a difference in the world, time and time again, Marie-Pierre Raymond has enthusiastically said yes.

We all know that fresh fruits and vegetables are an important part of a healthy, balanced diet. These crops are also used to make foods like juices, cereals and pasta, and feed the animals that add eggs, meat and dairy to our diets.

What do we all do when purchasing products like perfumes, candles, dish soaps, or herbal teas? Make sure we like the scent, of course!

Defence scientist Inbal Marcovitch is working to ensure that standardization is part of the process as Canada and its allies work to rapidly adopt new green military technologies to respond to the climate crisis.

Augmented reality offers potential advantages for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) to be able to visualize in three dimensions the battlespace both above and below the surface of the water.

Alexandra McLeod, a mechanical engineering technologist and leader of the maritime information systems and technology (MIST) group at the DRDC Atlantic Research Centre, explains how they use a high-pressure tank to ensure underwater equipment can withstand the pressure of the ocean depths.

Almost everything we do depends on electricity - cooking, cleaning, working, you name it! The way in which electricity is generated can impact our environment, our economy, and our health.

Dalhousie University electrical engineering student Tristan Batchelor describes his experiences during a co-op term with Defence Research and Development Canada's Atlantic Research Centre in the fall of 2023.

The internet is widely used as a tool for entertainment, to connect with friends and family, and to learn new skills. However, it can also be a battlespace, and just like on land, sea and in aerospace, it’s important that Canada is prepared to face threats online.

As I write this, it is hard to believe that my time at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is coming to an end! Looking back on my career at the Agency in several different roles, I can honestly say that it has been both a privilege and a pleasure.