Newsletter
In this edition:
- ICYMI: What stops ocean research from making an impact?
- Where CCA reports meet today’s headlines
- In the News
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ICYMI: What stops ocean research from making an impact?
Ocean research, when done well, has countless impacts that reach far beyond academia. However, Canada’s ocean research strengths often fail to fully translate into benefits for the environment, the economy, and communities.
On June 11th, we released Mobilizing Ocean Research for Canada. The report explores how to better harness the power of ocean research to support Canada’s prosperity, security, and sustainability.
Mobilizing Ocean Research for Canada identifies several strategies to improve impact:
- Centring Indigenous rights and knowledge
- Prioritizing knowledge mobilization
- Advancing a shared vision
Learn more and download the report.
Where CCA reports meet today’s headlines
From fortifying Canada’s food security to keeping children safe online, CCA assessments are informing some of the most important policy conversations of the day. Our reports are intended to give decision-makers the expert-curated knowledge they need to develop policy solutions that work for Canada, and that knowledge is being put to work across the country—by the federal government, provincial governments, industry, and beyond.
Nova Scotia is moving ahead with onshore shale gas exploration after lifting its decade-long fracking moratorium. Our 2014 report, Environmental Impacts of Shale Gas Extraction in Canada remains a key reference on shale gas development in Canada. Our expert panel found that while extraction technologies are well understood, data on environmental impacts—from groundwater to GHG emissions—are neither sufficient nor conclusive. A decade later, there’s still a need for research and monitoring to better understand remaining gaps.
The Government of Canada has released a National Food Security Strategy, which aims to boost domestic food production and build a more independent and affordable food system. One of the objectives of the strategy is to increase the production of fruits and vegetables grown year-round so Canada becomes less dependent on imports. Our report, The Next Course, considers novel technologies that could shape food production and highlights the challenge in directly linking food production to food security. The expert panel found that while novel food technologies have significant promise for Canada, their direct link to supporting food security is more tenuous. Advances and innovation in food production will affect only a small portion of the greater food system and are unlikely to address the root causes of food insecurity in Canada.
A special parliamentary committee is recommending that the federal government “indefinitely exclude” people whose sole underlying condition is a mental illness from applying for medical assistance in dying (MAID). The 88-page report reviews whether the country is ready to expand access to MAID from a clinical, health-system, and regulatory perspective based on expert testimony. In 2018, the CCA was asked to undertake independent reviews of MAID. Our three reports explore the societal, clinical, legal, and practical implications and issues associated with both permitting and prohibiting MAID, including where a mental disorder is the sole underlying condition. The complex issues identified in our reports persist today, as Canada continues to grapple with the multidimensional perspectives and impacts of policy decisions that govern the implementation of MAID.