nationalobserver--2020-05-07--Livingroom Science: What Our Best and Brightest are Pretty Sure is Happening with Wildlife

Salamander Night is a time of cheap thrills for the naturalists of Nova Scotia , requiring only a flashlight on the first rainy evening in April over 9°C .
Under these conditions several of the province ’ s amphibians depart their wintering grounds for the ponds in which they ’ ll soon breed , and no species is more noteworthy in this short , seasonal migration than the Spotted salamander , who , about a decade ago , was caught breaking the rules of biology .
This unassuming salamander , it turns out , hosts photosynthetic algae in the cells @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of having solar panels strapped to one ’ s back .
These algae produce oxygen and carbohydrates metabolized by the cell , and in return the cell provides a wealth of waste nitrogen - microbial miracle grow .
Such symbioses were thought to be impossible among vertebrates , equipped as we are with exceedingly hostile immune systems , primed to pounce on anything not recognized as “ self , ” which is a pretty useful trait during a pandemic .
Not only is the Spotted salamander special in this regard , it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Night , which , this year , began April 13th in southern Nova Scotia .
It was declared over Facebook by retired ecologist and conservation biologist Sherman Boates , a veteran of both Acadia University and the Wildlife Division of Nova Scotia ’ s Department of Natural Resources , forcing enthusiasts into the darkness of rural Nova Scotia where their flashlights fell on these remarkable amphibians , exciting cellular algae with artificial photons .
Populations of the Spotted salamander have been on a steady decline for sometime now , said Sherman , because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ roads where they ’ re routinely crushed .
In fact , cars pose a greater threat to this long lived salamander than any other , some individuals known to live 35 years , their reproductive potential dashed over the asphalt en masse .
But Salamander Night 2020 ( which actually lasts 7-10 days ) turned out differently .
Scanning the roads of rural Nova Scotia , as he has many years prior , Sherman encountered remarkably few fatalities .
• Ontario 's purchase of natural gas plants will cost ratepayers and the environment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were run over , and we saw no cars , ” he said .
“ People aren ’ t going out as much , so there isn ’ t as much traffic density and wildlife isn ’ t being disturbed or killed nearly as often.
” For the first time , Sherman found clear evidence that the Spotted salamander , and in fact all species contending with the iron chariots of humanity , were going to have a very good year .
As Canadians spend an inordinate length of time indoors , satisfying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social media , we ’ ve been inundated with heartening stories of wildlife flourishing in our widespread absence from roads , beaches and city streets , some faked , but many genuine , such as deer and coyotes finding the abandoned heart of some metropolis , or turtles laying their eggs in sands untrampled by tourists .
We can be certain that things are changing out there , even if the people best equipped to interpret those changes are relegated to their living rooms , left with only an educated guess .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trouble at this point , ” said Sherman Boates .
“ Hopefully scientists will get around to evaluating all this.
” `` As Canadians spend time indoors , satisfying our communicative impulses with heavy doses of social media , we ’ ve been inundated with heartening stories of wildlife flourishing in our widespread absence from roads , beaches and city streets . ''
Suzanne MacDonald is a psychology professor at York University who studies animal cognition , from the rabbits in her backyard all the way to Kenya , where she would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Covid-19 , working with lions , elephants , hyenas and a suite of primates .
She ’ s dedicated her career to understanding how animals think , in order that we might better conserve and co-exist .
She has spent a great deal of time studying raccoons in the Greater Toronto Area and how they ’ ve adapted themselves to humanity .
For example , there are several major roads and highways through the city which raccoons will only attempt to cross between 4-5am , not because the species is strictly nocturnal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traffic finds its minimum .
Several species , in fact , have come to respect the comings and goings of humanity , like coyotes following train tracks into the city at night so as to avoid human eyes , or bunnies assaulting backwards when the owners are typically at work .
Suzanne MacDonald has spent a great deal of time studying raccoons in the Greater Toronto Area and how they ’ ve adapted themselves to humanity .
“ What this pandemic has brought home to me is how much we normally limit wildlife @ @ @ @ @ @ @ All it takes is a few weeks of not filling roads and sidewalks for animals to go out and give life a shot.
” Photo credit : yorku.ca “ They get to know our routines , and that ’ s why this pandemic is fascinating because our routines have completely changed , ” she said .
“ There ’ s no traffic , so you ’ re probably going to see raccoons out in the middle of the day , because there ’ s no pressure on them to wait until we go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ known to establish home ranges of about three square blocks , but during Toronto ’ s quiescence , and that of major cities across the country , Suzanne expects they will expand their territory , assuming home ranges similar in size to those they establish in the wild - about 20 square kilometres .
Instead of bumping against traffic and towering primates , they will instead bump into each other , setting off a series of turf wars .
“ If I had to speculate wildly , ” Suzanne said of city ecology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prey population of bunnies and rodents will go up , the predator population will go up , there might be a boom/bust cycle over the next few years as a result , and several animals will be venturing into areas they haven ’ t before.
” But not all species will benefit from the disappearance of human beings .
Some , she explains , are just too far gone .
“ I don ’ t want to be depressing , but turtles are pretty much whipped out anyways , ” she said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ left.
” Turtles , she said , illustrate best the threat posed to long-lived species by the ubiquity of motor vehicles , especially when the species in question prefers to lay its eggs in the loose dirt along roadsides .
The benefits of reduced traffic during Covid-19 will be too short-lived to make a difference for such slow-breeders , and will require longer-term solutions .
Just this April , construction of a turtle corridor was completed on Heart Lake Road in Brampton , Ontario , where many thousands of nesting turtles are killed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turtles might be found in this and similar projects , if not in the temporary quiet of Covid-19 .
Of course MacDonald has yet to visit the new corridor , and will be unable to study its effectiveness until a break in the pandemic .
“ This is going to be the lost year , ” she said of wildlife research .
In the oceans of yore , baleen whales communicated over enormous distances using a range of low-frequency songs which carried quickly and clearly through the watery aether , in particular that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and loudest animal in all of natural history which , it ’ s been suggested , can converse over thousands of kilometres under natural conditions .
Trouble is , those natural conditions haven ’ t existed for many decades now .
By way of shipping traffic , seismic airguns searching for oil and gas , military sonar , fishing , even recreational boating , we have steadily increased the ambient noise of the world ’ s oceans .
It ’ s getting awfully loud down there , and the consequences are only now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dalhousie University , Halifax , has studied underwater acoustics since the early 1990s , beginning with the communicative clicks of Sperm whales , then transitioning to anthropogenic sound and its consequences for marine ecology .
“ It ’ s becoming more and more obvious that almost all ecosystem components , almost all marine life , is adapted to sound , ” she said , and that ’ s no coincidence .
Sound travels much faster and more efficiently underwater than it does in air , and the oceans of the world were murky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , so eyesight has always come second in the arena of evolution .
Whether our contributions to underwater noise are sudden , such as with regular bursts of seismic testing , or drawn out , as with shipping traffic , all this extra noise “ smears ” out over great distances of ocean , causing a steady human roar which , it ’ s believed , drowns out the communication of wildlife , dramatically reducing the distances over which whales can communicate , and it has more pervasive impacts still .
Among other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hearing structures of wildlife and cause developmental delays , behavioural change , decreased reproductive success , lessened immune responses , the deformation of embryos , displacement from habitat , reduced feeding and losses to the fishing industry .
It can also kill plankton , the foundation stone of marine ecology .
Lindy has compiled a list of species for whom the deleterious effects of noise pollution have been demonstrated , a list which , to date , includes 36 species of invertebrate , 66 species of fish and roughly 30 species of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things have gotten over the “ ancient ambient , ” as Lindy describes it , is a very difficult question to answer , because monitoring started relatively recently .
She uses 60-70 decibels as a rough baseline for natural ocean volume , a baseline which is easily exceeded along shipping lanes which can reach 180 decibels , and in the vicinity of seismic tests which surpass 170 decibels .
These are huge spikes , and it doesn ’ t take much to frustrate whale song .
“ They ’ re just not able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she said .
Lindy can ’ t be specific because she doesn ’ t have access to the data , but is confident underwater noise pollution has been tempered by Covid-19 and resulting reductions in human activity on the world ’ s oceans , and that in some form or another , marine ecology is enjoying a respite right now .
There is precedent .
Following the terrorist attack of September 11th , 2001 , there were worldwide reductions in shipping and air traffic , and an unwelcome opportunity for members of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in underwater noise pollution in Canada ’ s Bay of Fundy , feeding ground of the critically endangered Northwest Atlantic Right whale .
What they observed was a 6-decibel decrease in ambient ocean volume and a corresponding drop in stress hormones from the feces of the aforementioned whales .
Their resulting peer-reviewed paper acknowledged that underwater noise pollution causes habitat displacement , behavioural changes and alterations in the intensity , frequency and intervals of whale calls , and that reductions in human noise seem to alleviate the chronic stress we ’ ve imposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , shipping traffic hasn ’ t stopped outright , and institutions like Canada ’ s Department of Fisheries and Oceans have yet to collect the fix hydrophones they employ across the Atlantic Coast and evaluate any change .
This work is expected to commence in fall .
David Barclay , however , of Dalhousie ’ s department of oceanography , has compiled extremely telling data from Canada ’ s Pacific Coast , where he and colleagues have remote access to acoustic monitoring stations maintained by Ocean Networks Canada .
Of the four stations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Strait of Georgia immediately outside the Port of Vancouver , and two were in deep water off the continental shelf .
“ We ’ ve shown that there has been a consistent drop in noise since January 1st , ” said David .
In the Strait of Georgia , from January to April , noise dropped a weekly average of 4-5 decibels - not dissimilar to the Bay of Fundy following 9/11 - and off the Pacific shelf , 3,000 metres underwater , ambient noise has dropped 1.5 decibels , all of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in exports and imports from the Port of Vancouver .
Barclay ’ s data is undergoing peer review with the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America .
It will have important implications for how underwater noise pollution can be managed for the sake of marine ecology , and illustrates clearly the dialing down of decibels during this pandemic .
“ What this pandemic has brought home to me is how much we normally limit wildlife movement , ” said Suzanne MacDonald .
“ All it takes is a few weeks of not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go out and give life a shot.
” This is a sentiment shared by many in the conservation community , and by others admiring wildlife through locked windows around the globe .
Species of bird and mammal and amphibian and reptile have proven themselves remarkably quick on their feet when presented with the vacancies of civilization .
The research and conservation communities have been trapped indoors at a pivotal time , and until their non-essential designation is reevaluated , the true scope of change in the migratory and resident wildlife of Canada will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the moment , at least for some in tune with the needs of the planet , is the extent to which humanity is capable of reinvesting itself , the sort of social engineering which might ultimately be necessary to address both climate change and species extinction in days ahead , empowering us to bike instead of drive , avoid certain roads during breeding seasons , lessen shipping traffic and everything else previous dismissed as impossible .
The evening after he admired his first Spotted salamanders of the season , uncrushed by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Boates had exactly this revelation .
“ All you can say is that there ’ s amazing evidence human beings can change their behaviour if we have a good reason , ” he said .

But Salamander Night 2020 (which actually lasts 7-10 days) turned out differently. Scanning the roads of rural Nova Scotia, as he has many years prior, Sherman encountered remarkably few fatalities.
Populations of the Spotted salamander have been on a steady decline for sometime now, said Sherman, because this local migration takes them across rural roads where they’re routinely crushed. In fact, cars pose a greater threat to this long lived salamander than any other, some individuals known to live 35 years, their reproductive potential dashed over the asphalt en masse.
Not only is the Spotted salamander special in this regard, it’s difficult to spot outside of Salamander Night, which, this year, began April 13 th in southern Nova Scotia. It was declared over Facebook by retired ecologist and conservation biologist Sherman Boates , a veteran of both Acadia University and the Wildlife Division of Nova Scotia’s Department of Natural Resources, forcing enthusiasts into the darkness of rural Nova Scotia where their flashlights fell on these remarkable amphibians, exciting cellular algae with artificial photons .
This unassuming salamander, it turns out, hosts photosynthetic algae in the cells of its skin, the biological equivalent of having solar panels strapped to one’s back. These algae produce oxygen and carbohydrates metabolized by the cell, and in return the cell provides a wealth of waste nitrogen - microbial miracle grow. Such symbioses were thought to be impossible among vertebrates, equipped as we are with exceedingly hostile immune systems, primed to pounce on anything not recognized as “self,” which is a pretty useful trait during a pandemic.
Salamander Night is a time of cheap thrills for the naturalists of Nova Scotia, requiring only a flashlight on the first rainy evening in April over 9°C. Under these conditions several of the province’s amphibians depart their wintering grounds for the ponds in which they’ll soon breed, and no species is more noteworthy in this short, seasonal migration than the Spotted salamander, who, about a decade ago, was caught breaking the rules of biology.
For the first time, Sherman found clear evidence that the Spotted salamander, and in fact all species contending with the iron chariots of humanity, were going to have a very good year.
“Only a couple were run over, and we saw no cars,” he said. “People aren’t going out as much, so there isn’t as much traffic density and wildlife isn’t being disturbed or killed nearly as often.”
She has spent a great deal of time studying raccoons in the Greater Toronto Area and how they’ve adapted themselves to humanity. For example, there are several major roads and highways through the city which raccoons will only attempt to cross between 4-5am, not because the species is strictly nocturnal, but because that’s when traffic finds its minimum. Several species, in fact, have come to respect the comings and goings of humanity, like coyotes following train tracks into the city at night so as to avoid human eyes, or bunnies assaulting backwards when the owners are typically at work.
Suzanne MacDonald is a psychology professor at York University who studies animal cognition, from the rabbits in her backyard all the way to Kenya, where she would be right now if it weren’t for Covid-19, working with lions, elephants, hyenas and a suite of primates. She’s dedicated her career to understanding how animals think, in order that we might better conserve and co-exist.
“Finding evidence is going to be the trouble at this point,” said Sherman Boates. “Hopefully scientists will get around to evaluating all this.”
As Canadians spend an inordinate length of time indoors, satisfying our communicative impulses with heavy doses of social media, we’ve been inundated with heartening stories of wildlife flourishing in our widespread absence from roads, beaches and city streets, some faked, but many genuine, such as deer and coyotes finding the abandoned heart of some metropolis, or turtles laying their eggs in sands untrampled by tourists. We can be certain that things are changing out there, even if the people best equipped to interpret those changes are relegated to their living rooms, left with only an educated guess.
“They get to know our routines, and that’s why this pandemic is fascinating because our routines have completely changed,” she said. “There’s no traffic, so you’re probably going to see raccoons out in the middle of the day, because there’s no pressure on them to wait until we go to bed.”
Urban raccoons have been known to establish home ranges of about three square blocks, but during Toronto’s quiescence, and that of major cities across the country, Suzanne expects they will expand their territory, assuming home ranges similar in size to those they establish in the wild - about 20 square kilometres. Instead of bumping against traffic and towering primates, they will instead bump into each other, setting off a series of turf wars.
“If I had to speculate wildly,” Suzanne said of city ecology, “I’d say the prey population of bunnies and rodents will go up, the predator population will go up, there might be a boom/bust cycle over the next few years as a result, and several animals will be venturing into areas they haven’t before.”
But not all species will benefit from the disappearance of human beings. Some, she explains, are just too far gone.
“I don’t want to be depressing, but turtles are pretty much whipped out anyways,” she said. “There are so few of them left.”
Turtles, she said, illustrate best the threat posed to long-lived species by the ubiquity of motor vehicles, especially when the species in question prefers to lay its eggs in the loose dirt along roadsides. The benefits of reduced traffic during Covid-19 will be too short-lived to make a difference for such slow-breeders, and will require longer-term solutions.
Just this April, construction of a turtle corridor was completed on Heart Lake Road in Brampton, Ontario, where many thousands of nesting turtles are killed, devastating local populations. Hope for turtles might be found in this and similar projects, if not in the temporary quiet of Covid-19. Of course MacDonald has yet to visit the new corridor, and will be unable to study its effectiveness until a break in the pandemic.
“This is going to be the lost year,” she said of wildlife research.
Dialing Down the Decibels
In the oceans of yore, baleen whales communicated over enormous distances using a range of low-frequency songs which carried quickly and clearly through the watery aether, in particular that of the Blue whale, the largest and loudest animal in all of natural history which, it’s been suggested, can converse over thousands of kilometres under natural conditions. Trouble is, those natural conditions haven’t existed for many decades now.
By way of shipping traffic, seismic airguns searching for oil and gas, military sonar, fishing, even recreational boating, we have steadily increased the ambient noise of the world’s oceans. It’s getting awfully loud down there, and the consequences are only now dawning on us.
Lindy Weilgart of Dalhousie University, Halifax, has studied underwater acoustics since the early 1990s, beginning with the communicative clicks of Sperm whales, then transitioning to anthropogenic sound and its consequences for marine ecology.
“It’s becoming more and more obvious that almost all ecosystem components, almost all marine life, is adapted to sound,” she said, and that’s no coincidence.
Sound travels much faster and more efficiently underwater than it does in air, and the oceans of the world were murky even before the human enterprise complicated things, so eyesight has always come second in the arena of evolution. Whether our contributions to underwater noise are sudden, such as with regular bursts of seismic testing, or drawn out, as with shipping traffic, all this extra noise “smears” out over great distances of ocean, causing a steady human roar which, it’s believed, drowns out the communication of wildlife, dramatically reducing the distances over which whales can communicate, and it has more pervasive impacts still.
Among other things, underwater noise pollution can damage the hearing structures of wildlife and cause developmental delays, behavioural change, decreased reproductive success, lessened immune responses, the deformation of embryos, displacement from habitat, reduced feeding and losses to the fishing industry. It can also kill plankton, the foundation stone of marine ecology. Lindy has compiled a list of species for whom the deleterious effects of noise pollution have been demonstrated, a list which, to date, includes 36 species of invertebrate, 66 species of fish and roughly 30 species of marine mammal.
Exactly how much louder things have gotten over the “ancient ambient,” as Lindy describes it, is a very difficult question to answer, because monitoring started relatively recently. She uses 60-70 decibels as a rough baseline for natural ocean volume, a baseline which is easily exceeded along shipping lanes which can reach 180 decibels, and in the vicinity of seismic tests which surpass 170 decibels. These are huge spikes, and it doesn’t take much to frustrate whale song.
“They’re just not able to communicate like they used to,” she said.
Lindy can’t be specific because she doesn’t have access to the data, but is confident underwater noise pollution has been tempered by Covid-19 and resulting reductions in human activity on the world’s oceans, and that in some form or another, marine ecology is enjoying a respite right now.
There is precedent. Following the terrorist attack of September 11th, 2001, there were worldwide reductions in shipping and air traffic, and an unwelcome opportunity for members of the New England Aquarium to monitor drops in underwater noise pollution in Canada’s Bay of Fundy, feeding ground of the critically endangered Northwest Atlantic Right whale.
What they observed was a 6-decibel decrease in ambient ocean volume and a corresponding drop in stress hormones from the feces of the aforementioned whales. Their resulting peer-reviewed paper acknowledged that underwater noise pollution causes habitat displacement, behavioural changes and alterations in the intensity, frequency and intervals of whale calls, and that reductions in human noise seem to alleviate the chronic stress we’ve imposed on them.
But then as now, shipping traffic hasn’t stopped outright, and institutions like Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans have yet to collect the fix hydrophones they employ across the Atlantic Coast and evaluate any change. This work is expected to commence in fall.
David Barclay, however, of Dalhousie’s department of oceanography, has compiled extremely telling data from Canada’s Pacific Coast, where he and colleagues have remote access to acoustic monitoring stations maintained by Ocean Networks Canada. Of the four stations they consulted, two were in the Strait of Georgia immediately outside the Port of Vancouver, and two were in deep water off the continental shelf.
“We’ve shown that there has been a consistent drop in noise since January 1st,” said David.
In the Strait of Georgia, from January to April, noise dropped a weekly average of 4-5 decibels - not dissimilar to the Bay of Fundy following 9/11 - and off the Pacific shelf, 3,000 metres underwater, ambient noise has dropped 1.5 decibels, all of this corresponding with a 20 per cent drop in exports and imports from the Port of Vancouver.
Barclay’s data is undergoing peer review with the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. It will have important implications for how underwater noise pollution can be managed for the sake of marine ecology, and illustrates clearly the dialing down of decibels during this pandemic.
Lessons From A Difficult Time
“What this pandemic has brought home to me is how much we normally limit wildlife movement,” said Suzanne MacDonald. “All it takes is a few weeks of not filling roads and sidewalks for animals to go out and give life a shot.”
This is a sentiment shared by many in the conservation community, and by others admiring wildlife through locked windows around the globe. Species of bird and mammal and amphibian and reptile have proven themselves remarkably quick on their feet when presented with the vacancies of civilization.
The research and conservation communities have been trapped indoors at a pivotal time, and until their non-essential designation is reevaluated, the true scope of change in the migratory and resident wildlife of Canada will remain mostly obscure. The clearest lesson at the moment, at least for some in tune with the needs of the planet, is the extent to which humanity is capable of reinvesting itself, the sort of social engineering which might ultimately be necessary to address both climate change and species extinction in days ahead, empowering us to bike instead of drive, avoid certain roads during breeding seasons, lessen shipping traffic and everything else previous dismissed as impossible. The evening after he admired his first Spotted salamanders of the season, uncrushed by the tires of a restless humanity, Sherman Boates had exactly this revelation.
“All you can say is that there’s amazing evidence human beings can change their behaviour if we have a good reason,” he said.


nationalobserver--2020-05-07--Exploring the World post-COVID: A Digital Agricultural Renaissance?

Over the last two months , our food system has faced unprecedented challenges .
Almost overnight , the food service industry , which usually consumes one third of produced , shuttered .
Not only is this likely to destroy tens of thousands of small businesses , the supply chains that fed these bars , restaurants and cafeterias have gone through wrenching shifts .
Potato farmers have learned that we eat very few french fries when dining at home .
At the moment , there are 200 million pounds of Canadian potatoes stuck in storage with no one to buy them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to keep up with our new-found passion for baking .
Consumers emptied grocery store shelves in their rush to stock up on non-perishables , while millions of Canadians now find themselves out of work .
And the livestock industry is reeling after the closure of major-meat packing plants all over North America due to COVID-19 outbreaks , throwing the supply of meat into question .
Despite all this , on the surface at least , our food system looks remarkably normal — especially given the scale of the disruption we ’ ve just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food banks are now supported by Ottawa , and industry has worked with government to ensure temporary foreign workers are coming to our farms .
The picture isn ’ t perfect , of course , but there have been more successes than failures .
It seems that many aspects of the food system — which means the men and women who farm , process , transport and sell food — have quietly pulled off one of the greatest logistical feats in human history .
That said , the next period is going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unemployment is driving up food insecurity to catastrophic levels while the UN predicts major parts of the world will tip towards a COVID-induced famine of “ biblical proportions.
” Farmers struggle to obtain basic inputs such as sanitizer ( essential to keep dairy parlours clean and workers safe ) .
Experts even worry about fertilizer supplies .
• Ontario 's purchase of natural gas plants will cost ratepayers and the environment , critics say We should make no mistake , for all the successful adaptations of the last eight weeks , COVID-19 presents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we must learn from .
We must also remember that COVID-19 is something of a vanilla virus — with a mortality rate of about one per cent , it pales in comparison with the truly terrifying pathogens like Ebola or even Avian Influenza .
In short , the next pandemic could be worse .
Much worse .
Meanwhile , climate chaos still waits to unleash the full extent of Mother Nature ’ s fury .
It may be that history views COVID-19 as a sort of dress rehearsal , or warm up act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Century of Disruption .
Set against this apocalyptic nightmare scenario , however , COVID-19 has the potential to usher in an Agricultural Renaissance that will drive economic recovery , make us healthier and heal our planet .
The convergence of data science , robotics and genomics is poised to herald a new agricultural revolution that will be as significant as the Green Revolution was almost 100 years ago .
These changes were already beginning .
COVID-19 speeds up these trends .
For instance , we already knew that the world ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a radical transformation due to new products coming on the market ( e.g .
Impossible and Beyond ) , an awareness of the environmental impact of traditional livestock , and changing consumer demands .
COVID-19 is driving us to embrace shorter-supply chains , greater decentralization and more regional self-sufficiency , which will accelerate this process .
Animal protein systems have been optimised to produce very cheap products in quantity , and we are now paying for that optimization with sick workers and supply chain bottlenecks .
After COVID-19 , expect meat to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in stores .
Canada will be a winner in this arena as our prairies pump out protein alternatives from peas , soybeans and oats .
The changes that we are starting to see in protein will spread to other sectors .
Horticulture , fruits and vegetables are also on the verge of major change , moving to indoor , controlled and labour-free systems that are integrated into the built urban environment .
Better e-commerce , technologies to drive food system transparency , and AI controlled food systems are set to follow .
What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and opportunity is an occasion unprecedented in human existence : by applying digital technology we may soon have the ability to produce practically any crop , practically anywhere , and in practically any season .
In the relatively near future , a techno-optimist ’ s vision is that we should be able to sustain society in the harshest terrestrial environments and beyond .
But as we contemplate this future , tough questions need to be asked .
After all , food is not just a series of molecules our bodies use for nutrition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Food is culture .
And producing , processing and transporting food is one of the biggest employers in the world today .
For all the transformative power of technology , nothing will change the fact that food is a commodity to which we all have the most intimate of relations .
In this , food is unlike any other sector of the economy .
As we race to consider how technology can enable a post-COVID world , we also need to reflect on the impact of all this for farmers .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ technologies ?
Will these trends simply accelerate the decline of small and midsize producers all over the world ?
Most of the world ’ s ~570 million farms are both small-scale and family-run .
What will these people do when novel disruptive technologies become wide-spread ?
To some extent , consumers can support small farmers through passionate buy-local programs .
But this is unlikely to be enough , and economic transition programs need to be adopted by governments everywhere .
`` COVID-19 has the potential to usher in an Agricultural Renaissance that will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and heal our planet . ''
Another tough question to answer involves the long-term prospects for families currently dependent on incomes that come from agricultural labour .
In places like Canada and the US , hundreds of thousands of people migrate as temporary farm workers each year .
The money they earn is a vital source of remittances that helps reduce poverty and promote food security back in their homes .
While these temporary jobs are generally poorly compensated , this supply of hand labour is the cornerstone of vast parts of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who need it .
Reducing our reliance on temporary foreign workers could build a safer food system while also improving labour practices , but what about families who depend on this for their livelihoods ?
Next , are there health and food security implications linked with these technologies ?
Many of these new approaches to agriculture may result in highly processed foods becoming more available for consumers , which may have unintended negative consequences in terms of nutrition .
We need consumers and governments to demand the highest nutrition and flavour standards as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canada ’ s moment .
We have the infrastructure , the technological base , the innovation culture and the workforce .
The ag-food sector had already been identified as a strategic area for Canada before the COVID-19 crisis .
Now , ag-food can be a key part of our economic and social recovery strategy .
We can be global leaders and if we help lead these changes , we can build an agri-food partnership that draws industry , government and academy together to shape our new food future .
The crisis of COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provides an impetus to pivot food systems into the 21st century .
Food systems were already on the verge of major technological change before COVID-19 and the current pandemic shortens timelines .
To ensure that this change promotes a cleaner environment , promotes better nutrition for all , and allows agri-food to emerge from COVID as an engine of innovation and economic opportunity , we need to exert national and global leadership .
Being a leader in the Digital Agricultural Renaissance must be an urgent priority as we pivot to recovery .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a billion people in thirty developing countries will face famine without help .
Canada is positioned to provide food , but we can also provide the technologies and know-how needed to establish food sovereignty in all regions .
The post-COVID world can be different .
It can correct many of the problems and vulnerabilities that COVID reveals .
We can invest and deploy the right technologies .
We can be a global leader in global food systems .
We can feed the future .

Over the last two months, our food system has faced unprecedented challenges. Almost overnight, the food service industry, which usually consumes one third of produced, shuttered. Not only is this likely to destroy tens of thousands of small businesses, the supply chains that fed these bars, restaurants and cafeterias have gone through wrenching shifts. Potato farmers have learned that we eat very few french fries when dining at home. At the moment, there are 200 million pounds of Canadian potatoes stuck in storage with no one to buy them. Meanwhile, flour mills work overtime to keep up with our new-found passion for baking. Consumers emptied grocery store shelves in their rush to stock up on non-perishables, while millions of Canadians now find themselves out of work. And the livestock industry is reeling after the closure of major-meat packing plants all over North America due to COVID-19 outbreaks, throwing the supply of meat into question. Despite all this, on the surface at least, our food system looks remarkably normal — especially given the scale of the disruption we’ve just experienced. Supply chains are adapting, food banks are now supported by Ottawa, and industry has worked with government to ensure temporary foreign workers are coming to our farms. The picture isn’t perfect, of course, but there have been more successes than failures. It seems that many aspects of the food system — which means the men and women who farm, process, transport and sell food — have quietly pulled off one of the greatest logistical feats in human history. That said, the next period is going to be difficult. In Canada, skyrocketing unemployment is driving up food insecurity to catastrophic levels while the UN predicts major parts of the world will tip towards a COVID-induced famine of “biblical proportions.” Farmers struggle to obtain basic inputs such as sanitizer (essential to keep dairy parlours clean and workers safe). Experts even worry about fertilizer supplies.
We should make no mistake, for all the successful adaptations of the last eight weeks, COVID-19 presents our food system with unprecedented challenges that we must learn from. We must also remember that COVID-19 is something of a vanilla virus — with a mortality rate of about one per cent, it pales in comparison with the truly terrifying pathogens like Ebola or even Avian Influenza. In short, the next pandemic could be worse. Much worse. Meanwhile, climate chaos still waits to unleash the full extent of Mother Nature’s fury. It may be that history views COVID-19 as a sort of dress rehearsal, or warm up act, for what will almost inevitably be the Century of Disruption. Set against this apocalyptic nightmare scenario, however, COVID-19 has the potential to usher in an Agricultural Renaissance that will drive economic recovery, make us healthier and heal our planet. The convergence of data science, robotics and genomics is poised to herald a new agricultural revolution that will be as significant as the Green Revolution was almost 100 years ago. These changes were already beginning. COVID-19 speeds up these trends. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions For instance, we already knew that the world’s protein systems were on the cusp of a radical transformation due to new products coming on the market (e.g. Impossible and Beyond), an awareness of the environmental impact of traditional livestock, and changing consumer demands. COVID-19 is driving us to embrace shorter-supply chains, greater decentralization and more regional self-sufficiency, which will accelerate this process. Animal protein systems have been optimised to produce very cheap products in quantity, and we are now paying for that optimization with sick workers and supply chain bottlenecks. After COVID-19, expect meat to be more expensive and more non-animal protein options in stores. Canada will be a winner in this arena as our prairies pump out protein alternatives from peas, soybeans and oats.
The changes that we are starting to see in protein will spread to other sectors. Horticulture, fruits and vegetables are also on the verge of major change, moving to indoor, controlled and labour-free systems that are integrated into the built urban environment. Better e-commerce, technologies to drive food system transparency, and AI controlled food systems are set to follow. What will emerge from the convergence of crisis and opportunity is an occasion unprecedented in human existence: by applying digital technology we may soon have the ability to produce practically any crop, practically anywhere, and in practically any season. In the relatively near future, a techno-optimist’s vision is that we should be able to sustain society in the harshest terrestrial environments and beyond. "COVID-19 has the potential to usher in an Agricultural Renaissance that will drive economic recovery, make us healthier and heal our planet." But as we contemplate this future, tough questions need to be asked. After all, food is not just a series of molecules our bodies use for nutrition. Food brings communities and families together. Food is culture. And producing, processing and transporting food is one of the biggest employers in the world today. For all the transformative power of technology, nothing will change the fact that food is a commodity to which we all have the most intimate of relations. In this, food is unlike any other sector of the economy. As we race to consider how technology can enable a post-COVID world, we also need to reflect on the impact of all this for farmers. In particular, how will farmers afford such technologies? Will these trends simply accelerate the decline of small and midsize producers all over the world? Most of the world’s ~570 million farms are both small-scale and family-run. What will these people do when novel disruptive technologies become wide-spread? To some extent, consumers can support small farmers through passionate buy-local programs. But this is unlikely to be enough, and economic transition programs need to be adopted by governments everywhere. Another tough question to answer involves the long-term prospects for families currently dependent on incomes that come from agricultural labour. In places like Canada and the US, hundreds of thousands of people migrate as temporary farm workers each year. The money they earn is a vital source of remittances that helps reduce poverty and promote food security back in their homes. While these temporary jobs are generally poorly compensated, this supply of hand labour is the cornerstone of vast parts of the agricultural sector and provides incomes to people who need it. Reducing our reliance on temporary foreign workers could build a safer food system while also improving labour practices, but what about families who depend on this for their livelihoods? Next, are there health and food security implications linked with these technologies? Many of these new approaches to agriculture may result in highly processed foods becoming more available for consumers, which may have unintended negative consequences in terms of nutrition. We need consumers and governments to demand the highest nutrition and flavour standards as technology shapes supply chains.


nationalobserver--2020-05-07--Use pandemic to 'future-proof' against climate crisis, academic group urges

More Canadians are working from home , ordering online and practising physical distancing outdoors , and a cross-country network of scholars wants to take advantage of that to “ future-proof ” a post-pandemic recovery from the climate crisis .
A group of 50 academics , formed out of the Canadian research team Sustainable Canada Dialogues , says it sent an open letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and three ministers on May 7 that sets forth “ key principles ” for any coronavirus recovery plan so that it will be both “ health-enhancing ” and economically resilient .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hardship , and there will be more economic hardship in the next few years , ” said Catherine Potvin , Canada Research Chair in Climate Change Mitigation and Tropical Forest , and a biology professor at McGill University , who organized the initiative .
“ We wouldn ’ t want that to be compounded by additional climactic hardship .
You ’ re taking a population that ’ s been suffering this year , and then you don ’ t want to put that population more at risk .
So it ’ s future-proofing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in how many Canadians live and work , and the measures adopted by provinces and territories to slow the spread of the virus are also “ opening new investment opportunities serving health and environmental goals , ” the letter states .
• Ontario 's purchase of natural gas plants will cost ratepayers and the environment , critics say For instance , there are reports about evidence of an explosion in online ordering , as many storefronts have closed and Canadians are urged to stay home as much as possible .
This has led @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Christmas-level ” parcel volumes .
It ’ s an opportunity to change for the better how Canadians get their goods delivered , the group said .
“ Small-truck delivery fleets are well-suited to electrification , ” reads the letter , meaning replacing delivery vans with electric vehicles .
It also recommends “ consolidating deliveries , coordinating logistics , improving the filling rates of trucks and offering flexible delivery hours ” in order to crack down on Canada ’ s gas-fuelled delivery dependence .
Even before the pandemic , transportation represented the second-largest share @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to Environment and Climate Change Canada 's National Inventory Report , not far behind the oil and gas industry .
Pollution from driving jumped by six million tonnes of greenhouse gas equivalent from 2017 to 2018 , the most recent year figures are available .
The idea already has the backing of Canada ’ s postal union .
While Canada Post has committed to buying hybrid vehicles , in March , Julee Sanderson , first national vice-president at the Canadian Union of Postal Workers , told National Observer that the union @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climate-friendly delivery , ” including a fleet of fully electric vehicles .
The letter also notes that some cities have temporarily closed streets to traffic to allow for better physical distancing .
Vancouver , for example , closed the eastbound lanes of Beach Avenue and roads within Stanley Park , making pedestrian access to the seawall easier , while Ottawa has closed Queen Elizabeth Driveway , allowing a wider space along the Rideau Canal .
Meanwhile , many indoor gyms across the country have closed to stop the spread of COVID-19 .
Fraser @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facilities in those regions to close , while the GoodLife Fitness chain closed all locations across Canada .
“ The recovery is thus a great time to fund complete streets and roads , with wide sidewalks , green infrastructure and bicycle lanes , ” reads the letter .
It said this will allow for more outdoor mobility , like walking , cycling , jogging or rollerskating , allowing people to be healthy and active while still respecting physical distancing .
More Canadians are working from home , ordering online and practicing physical distancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scholars wants to take advantage of that to “ future-proof ” a post-pandemic recovery from the climate crisis .
Universal access to high-speed internet , too , is now a “ necessity , ” the letter states , with 4.7 million Canadians now working from home as a result of the pandemic who wouldn ’ t normally be doing so , according to a Statistics Canada survey .
Potvin said the group has been discussing the issue for several weeks as a way to provide friendly advice to the government .
But she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news last month that Infrastructure Minister Catherine McKenna was preparing to launch unspent infrastructure funds to stimulate the economy with smaller , “ shovel ready ” projects .
The letter points to the government ’ s “ climate lens ” at Infrastructure Canada — meant to apply “ climate impacts into the planning of infrastructure projects ” in order to help Canada achieve its goal of net-zero carbon pollution by 2050 — as a good place to leverage existing programs .
McKenna ’ s director of communications David Taylor said the minister would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The scholars also pointed to other “ no-regrets investment , ” such as accelerating the transition to renewable energy sources , boosting green spaces like wetlands and conservation areas , launching a national home energy retrofit program , and creating a “ climate-literate construction workforce ” versed in low-carbon construction techniques .
“ If climate literacy is an integral part of workers ’ training , the industry can establish new skill requirements to ensure that newly trained workers can find the good-quality jobs they expect and have the capacity to effectively contribute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” reads the letter .
These priorities were informed by Sustainable Canada Dialogues ’ previous work on energy transition , said Potvin .
During the 2015 federal election , the group pushed for a “ national dialogue on climate change policy.
” “ We look at what are investment possibilities that would sustain more employment , because that ’ s what people need now , they need to work , ” said Potvin .
“ This seems to be a really good time where we can upskill workers , construction workers , because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will never be able to reach the level of building retrofits we need unless we train the people to do that .
”

More Canadians are working from home, ordering online and practising physical distancing outdoors, and a cross-country network of scholars wants to take advantage of that to “future-proof” a post-pandemic recovery from the climate crisis. A group of 50 academics, formed out of the Canadian research team Sustainable Canada Dialogues, says it sent an open letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and three ministers on May 7 that sets forth “key principles” for any coronavirus recovery plan so that it will be both “health-enhancing” and economically resilient. “I think citizens are experiencing a lot of hardship, and there will be more economic hardship in the next few years,” said Catherine Potvin, Canada Research Chair in Climate Change Mitigation and Tropical Forest, and a biology professor at McGill University, who organized the initiative. “We wouldn’t want that to be compounded by additional climactic hardship. You’re taking a population that’s been suffering this year, and then you don’t want to put that population more at risk. So it’s future-proofing Canada.” COVID-19 has forced a shift in how many Canadians live and work, and the measures adopted by provinces and territories to slow the spread of the virus are also “opening new investment opportunities serving health and environmental goals,” the letter states.
For instance, there are reports about evidence of an explosion in online ordering, as many storefronts have closed and Canadians are urged to stay home as much as possible. This has led to stories about Canada Post reporting “Christmas-level” parcel volumes. It’s an opportunity to change for the better how Canadians get their goods delivered, the group said.
“Small-truck delivery fleets are well-suited to electrification,” reads the letter, meaning replacing delivery vans with electric vehicles. It also recommends “consolidating deliveries, coordinating logistics, improving the filling rates of trucks and offering flexible delivery hours” in order to crack down on Canada’s gas-fuelled delivery dependence. Even before the pandemic, transportation represented the second-largest share of Canada’s carbon pollution profile, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada's National Inventory Report, not far behind the oil and gas industry. Pollution from driving jumped by six million tonnes of greenhouse gas equivalent from 2017 to 2018, the most recent year figures are available. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Canada Post has committed to buying hybrid vehicles, but in March, Julee Sanderson, first national vice-president at the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, told National Observer that the union had developed a plan that envisions “climate-friendly delivery,” including a fleet of fully electric vehicles.
The letter also notes that some cities have temporarily closed streets to traffic to allow for better physical distancing. Vancouver, for example, closed the eastbound lanes of Beach Avenue and roads within Stanley Park, making pedestrian access to the seawall easier, while Ottawa has closed Queen Elizabeth Driveway, allowing a wider space along the Rideau Canal. More Canadians are working from home, ordering online and practicing physical distancing outdoors, and a cross-country network of scholars wants to take advantage of that to “future-proof” a post-pandemic recovery from the climate crisis. Meanwhile, many indoor gyms across the country have closed to stop the spread of COVID-19. Fraser Health and Interior Health have ordered fitness facilities in those regions to close, while the GoodLife Fitness chain closed all locations across Canada. “The recovery is thus a great time to fund complete streets and roads, with wide sidewalks, green infrastructure and bicycle lanes,” reads the letter. It said this will allow for more outdoor mobility, like walking, cycling, jogging or rollerskating, allowing people to be healthy and active while still respecting physical distancing. Universal access to high-speed internet, too, is now a “necessity,” the letter states, with 4.7 million Canadians now working from home as a result of the pandemic who wouldn’t normally be doing so, according to a Statistics Canada survey. Potvin said the group has been discussing the issue for several weeks as a way to provide friendly advice to the government. But she said the conversation was invigorated with the news last month that Infrastructure Minister Catherine McKenna was preparing to launch unspent infrastructure funds to stimulate the economy with smaller, “shovel ready” projects.
The letter points to the government’s “climate lens” at Infrastructure Canada — meant to apply “climate impacts into the planning of infrastructure projects” in order to help Canada achieve its goal of net-zero carbon pollution by 2050 — as a good place to leverage existing programs. McKenna’s director of communications David Taylor said the minister would have to review the letter before responding. The scholars also pointed to other “no-regrets investment,” such as accelerating the transition to renewable energy sources, boosting green spaces like wetlands and conservation areas, launching a national home energy retrofit program, and creating a “climate-literate construction workforce” versed in low-carbon construction techniques.


nationalobserver--2020-05-07--So what does Harvard's ‘net-zero’ pledge mean?

This story was originally published by Grist and appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration In the lead-up to Earth Day , two wealthy , world-renowned universities made historic decisions about their relationships with fossil fuel companies and commitments to tackling climate change .
Oxford passed a motion to divest its endowment from fossil fuels .
Harvard , meanwhile , decided to skirt divestment in favor of a plan to “ set the Harvard endowment on a path to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas ( GHG ) emissions by 2050.
” Harvard ’ s announcement was both mildly celebrated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campus and beyond , who have put increased pressure on the administration to divest over the last six months .
In November , student activists joined their counterparts at Yale to storm the field in protest at the annual Harvard-Yale football game , disrupting the match for more than an hour .
In February , the Faculty of Arts and Sciences voted 179-20 in favor of a resolution asking the school to stop investing in companies that are developing new fossil fuel reserves .
And a student and alumni climate group collected enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidates to the university ’ s Board of Overseers , which has a say in who manages the endowment , which was valued at $ 40.9 billion last year .
In a letter explaining the net-zero portfolio plan to faculty , University President Lawrence Bacow said that divestment “ paints with too broad a brush ” and vowed to work with fossil fuel companies rather than demonize them .
“ The strategy we plan to pursue focuses on reducing the demand for fossil fuels , not just the supply , ” Bacow wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the decarbonization timeline set by the Paris Agreement — but it ’ s not yet clear what it will entail , and whether the school will be able to fulfill it .
Net-zero emissions promises can mean different things , and in many cases , the entities making the promises haven ’ t figured out how to make good on them .
BP ’ s net-zero pledge accounts for the emissions from some , but not all , of the fossil fuel products it sells to the world , also known as its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the first oil and gas majors to announce a net-zero target , has a plan that relies on technologies like carbon capture that the company has admitted aren ’ t viable yet .
Even entities with more ambitious and transparent plans , like New York State , haven ’ t stopped letting utilities invest hundreds of millions in new natural gas infrastructure .
• Ontario 's purchase of natural gas plants will cost ratepayers and the environment , critics say Despite these discrepancies , the concept of achieving net-zero for a company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consumes energy is relatively tangible : They can invest in renewables , incentivize energy efficiency programs and electrification , try to pull carbon out of the atmosphere .
But how do you reduce — or even measure — the carbon footprint of an endowment , which in Harvard ’ s case is made up of more than 13,000 different funds ?
“ I think the idea is , at the end of the day , all the companies in the portfolio would be net-zero , ” said Georges Dyer , executive director of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that helps endowed institutions make their investments more sustainable .
While he doesn ’ t advocate for or against divestment or any other specific strategy , Dyer pointed out that Harvard ’ s net-zero target has the potential to address the climate crisis across the whole economy , including real estate and natural resources , and not just the fossil fuel sector .
A net-zero portfolio won ’ t be as simple as only investing in companies with net-zero pledges , since different companies have different definitions of net-zero .
Indeed , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Harvard was not yet sure how it would measure or reduce the endowment ’ s footprint , explaining the plan would require “ developing sophisticated new methods ” for both .
In a statement shared with Grist , the Harvard Management Company , which manages the endowment , said it would work to “ understand and influence ” each company ’ s “ exposure to , and planned mitigation of , climate-related risks.
” It plans to develop interim emissions targets to ensure success .
Harvard isn ’ t alone in trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Asset Owner Alliance is a group of institutional investors that was formed at the United Nations Climate Summit last fall .
Its members have committed to net-zero investment portfolios by 2050 , promising to set interim emissions targets in five-year increments and to issue progress reports along the way .
But the group is still looking for answers on how to actually accomplish these goals .
In vowing to work with fossil fuel companies , Harvard ’ s commitment relies , to a certain degree , on shareholder engagement , a strategy that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Timothy Smith , director of ESG ( environmental , social , and governance ) shareowner engagement at Boston Walden Trust , an investing firm , told Grist that investors have made real gains in changing companies ’ behavior , attitudes , and policies around climate .
He pointed to companies like BP that have not only set net-zero targets but also said they will withdraw from trade associations that have lobbied against climate policy .
“ I ’ m not saying we ’ re moving far enough fast enough , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acknowledged there have been some failures , notably with Exxon , which has lagged far behind its peers in climate action .
Last year , Exxon successfully blocked a shareholder resolution that would have forced it to align its greenhouse gas targets with the Paris Agreement .
Harvard didn ’ t divest from fossil fuels .
So what does its ‘ net-zero ’ pledge mean ?
Shareholder engagement is not a new tack for Harvard : In September , it joined Climate Action 100+ , an investor-led initiative pressuring oil and gas companies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But most of Harvard ’ s funds are managed externally , so its ability to participate directly in shareholder initiatives is limited .
Instead , it provides “ proxy voting guidelines ” to its financial managers .
Harvard ’ s voting guidelines for climate change generally instruct managers to vote in support of resolutions that request that companies assess impacts and risks related to climate change .
Other institutional investors have taken a more active stance — the Church of England and the New York State public pension fund , for instance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reelecting Exxon ’ s entire board since it has failed to take action on climate change , as well as filed a resolution asking Exxon to disclose its lobbying activities .
To be clear , no one is implying Harvard should engage with Exxon , since it ’ s actually unclear whether Harvard has any investment in Exxon .
The school only discloses its direct investments — about 1 percent of the total endowment — as required by the Securities and Exchange Commission .
The rest of the school ’ s portfolio , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is invested in fossil fuels , remains shrouded in secrecy .
An analysis of Harvard ’ s 2019 SEC filing by the student activist group Divest Harvard found that of the $ 394 million disclosed , about $ 5.6 million was invested in companies that extract oil , gas , and coal and utilities that burn these fuels .
The Harvard Management Company told Grist that it will report its progress toward the net-zero goal annually , with the first report to be released toward the end of this year , but it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its fossil fuel investments .
Harvard ’ s success will depend , to a large extent , on transparent reporting from the companies it invests in .
As part of its new commitment , Harvard announced its support for the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures , a financial industry group that makes recommendations for how companies should report their climate-related risks to investors .
This piece is significant , as navigating the financial risks of the impending energy transition is likely a key motivating factor in Harvard ’ s decision to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financial risk expert and carbon tax advocate , said this means distinguishing between companies that are well-positioned for the rapid transition to a low-carbon economy — aka a world where policy decisions make emitting carbon a costly endeavor — and those that are not .
“ I have heard a number of investors talk about aligning their portfolios with net-zero emissions by 2050 , ” said Litterman .
“ You know , it ’ s not entirely clear what that means , but if what it means is that they ’ re trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in that scenario , that makes sense to me.
” But for divestment advocates , maximizing returns is beside the point .
In an op-ed for the Crimson , the campus paper , alumnus Craig S. Altemose criticized Harvard ’ s net-zero plan for ignoring the question of responsibility for the climate crisis and the fossil fuel industry ’ s track record of spreading disinformation and lobbying against climate policies .
He also argued that the plan is not aggressive enough to meaningfully help the world avoid the worst effects of climate change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group Divest Harvard argued that “ a good-faith effort to reach carbon neutrality would have acknowledged that divestment is the logical first step.
” Oxford University ran with that concept : After its initial announcement to divest , Oxford instructed its endowment managers work toward net-zero across the rest of its portfolio .
Across the spectrum , divestment advocates and sustainable investing experts agree that Harvard ’ s net-zero endowment pledge represents a step forward .
But how big a step ?
In an interview with the Harvard Gazette , Bacow framed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ If we are successful , we will reduce the carbon footprint of our entire investment portfolio and achieve net-zero greenhouse-gas emissions.
” Harvard has a lot of questions left to answer if it wants to turn that “ if ” into a “ when .
”

This story was originally published by Grist and appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration In the lead-up to Earth Day, two wealthy, world-renowned universities made historic decisions about their relationships with fossil fuel companies and commitments to tackling climate change. Oxford passed a motion to divest its endowment from fossil fuels. Harvard, meanwhile, decided to skirt divestment in favor of a plan to “set the Harvard endowment on a path to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050.” Harvard’s announcement was both mildly celebrated and highly criticized by divestment advocates on campus and beyond, who have put increased pressure on the administration to divest over the last six months. In November, student activists joined their counterparts at Yale to storm the field in protest at the annual Harvard-Yale football game, disrupting the match for more than an hour. In February, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences voted 179-20 in favor of a resolution asking the school to stop investing in companies that are developing new fossil fuel reserves. And a student and alumni climate group collected enough signatures earlier this year to nominate five candidates to the university’s Board of Overseers, which has a say in who manages the endowment, which was valued at $40.9 billion last year. In a letter explaining the net-zero portfolio plan to faculty, University President Lawrence Bacow said that divestment “paints with too broad a brush” and vowed to work with fossil fuel companies rather than demonize them. “The strategy we plan to pursue focuses on reducing the demand for fossil fuels, not just the supply,” Bacow wrote. The school says its commitment matches the decarbonization timeline set by the Paris Agreement — but it’s not yet clear what it will entail, and whether the school will be able to fulfill it. Net-zero emissions promises can mean different things, and in many cases, the entities making the promises haven’t figured out how to make good on them. BP’s net-zero pledge accounts for the emissions from some, but not all, of the fossil fuel products it sells to the world, also known as its scope 3 emissions. Repsol, one of the first oil and gas majors to announce a net-zero target, has a plan that relies on technologies like carbon capture that the company has admitted aren’t viable yet. Even entities with more ambitious and transparent plans, like New York State, haven’t stopped letting utilities invest hundreds of millions in new natural gas infrastructure.
Despite these discrepancies, the concept of achieving net-zero for a company that sells products or a state that consumes energy is relatively tangible: They can invest in renewables, incentivize energy efficiency programs and electrification, try to pull carbon out of the atmosphere. But how do you reduce — or even measure — the carbon footprint of an endowment, which in Harvard’s case is made up of more than 13,000 different funds? “I think the idea is, at the end of the day, all the companies in the portfolio would be net-zero,” said Georges Dyer, executive director of the Intentional Endowments Network, a nonprofit that helps endowed institutions make their investments more sustainable. While he doesn’t advocate for or against divestment or any other specific strategy, Dyer pointed out that Harvard’s net-zero target has the potential to address the climate crisis across the whole economy, including real estate and natural resources, and not just the fossil fuel sector. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions A net-zero portfolio won’t be as simple as only investing in companies with net-zero pledges, since different companies have different definitions of net-zero. Indeed, in his letter to faculty, Bacow admitted that Harvard was not yet sure how it would measure or reduce the endowment’s footprint, explaining the plan would require “developing sophisticated new methods” for both. In a statement shared with Grist, the Harvard Management Company, which manages the endowment, said it would work to “understand and influence” each company’s “exposure to, and planned mitigation of, climate-related risks.” It plans to develop interim emissions targets to ensure success.
Harvard isn’t alone in trying to figure this out. The Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance is a group of institutional investors that was formed at the United Nations Climate Summit last fall. Its members have committed to net-zero investment portfolios by 2050, promising to set interim emissions targets in five-year increments and to issue progress reports along the way. But the group is still looking for answers on how to actually accomplish these goals. Harvard didn’t divest from fossil fuels. So what does its ‘net-zero’ pledge mean? In vowing to work with fossil fuel companies, Harvard’s commitment relies, to a certain degree, on shareholder engagement, a strategy that has seen mixed results thus far. Timothy Smith, director of ESG (environmental, social, and governance) shareowner engagement at Boston Walden Trust, an investing firm, told Grist that investors have made real gains in changing companies’ behavior, attitudes, and policies around climate. He pointed to companies like BP that have not only set net-zero targets but also said they will withdraw from trade associations that have lobbied against climate policy. “I’m not saying we’re moving far enough fast enough,” he said. “We are not.” Smith acknowledged there have been some failures, notably with Exxon, which has lagged far behind its peers in climate action. Last year, Exxon successfully blocked a shareholder resolution that would have forced it to align its greenhouse gas targets with the Paris Agreement. Shareholder engagement is not a new tack for Harvard: In September, it joined Climate Action 100+, an investor-led initiative pressuring oil and gas companies to curb emissions and disclose climate risk. But most of Harvard’s funds are managed externally, so its ability to participate directly in shareholder initiatives is limited. Instead, it provides “proxy voting guidelines” to its financial managers. Harvard’s voting guidelines for climate change generally instruct managers to vote in support of resolutions that request that companies assess impacts and risks related to climate change. Other institutional investors have taken a more active stance — the Church of England and the New York State public pension fund, for instance, recently said they will vote against reelecting Exxon’s entire board since it has failed to take action on climate change, as well as filed a resolution asking Exxon to disclose its lobbying activities. To be clear, no one is implying Harvard should engage with Exxon, since it’s actually unclear whether Harvard has any investment in Exxon. The school only discloses its direct investments — about 1 percent of the total endowment — as required by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The rest of the school’s portfolio, as well as how much of it is invested in fossil fuels, remains shrouded in secrecy. An analysis of Harvard’s 2019 SEC filing by the student activist group Divest Harvard found that of the $394 million disclosed, about $5.6 million was invested in companies that extract oil, gas, and coal and utilities that burn these fuels.
The Harvard Management Company told Grist that it will report its progress toward the net-zero goal annually, with the first report to be released toward the end of this year, but it did not say whether it will disclose its fossil fuel investments. Harvard’s success will depend, to a large extent, on transparent reporting from the companies it invests in. As part of its new commitment, Harvard announced its support for the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures, a financial industry group that makes recommendations for how companies should report their climate-related risks to investors. This piece is significant, as navigating the financial risks of the impending energy transition is likely a key motivating factor in Harvard’s decision to go “net-zero.” Bob Litterman, a financial risk expert and carbon tax advocate, said this means distinguishing between companies that are well-positioned for the rapid transition to a low-carbon economy — aka a world where policy decisions make emitting carbon a costly endeavor — and those that are not.


nationalobserver--2020-05-07--Feds to unveil agreements with provinces to  build up essential workers' pay

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to announce today cost-sharing agreements with a number of provinces to top up the wages of essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic .
Those agreements are expected to involve a transfer of federal funds to the provinces , each of which will be able to decide for itself which essential workers most need a pay boost .
The flexible agreements are intended to allow provinces to tailor the program to suit their different needs .
However , it was the continuing tragedy in long-term care homes — residents of which account for more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 4,200 deaths so far — that first prompted Trudeau several weeks ago to offer a federal assistance to boost wages .
Specifically , he proposed a pay boost for personal support workers and other front-line health workers in long-term care facilities who earn less than $ 2,500 per month .
• Ontario 's purchase of natural gas plants will cost ratepayers and the environment , critics say The crisis in long-term care has been blamed , at least in part , on the fact that health and personal care workers in those facilities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to work in multiple homes to make ends meet , thereby spreading the deadly virus that causes COVID-19 among the most vulnerable population .
Part of the objective in proposing a federal wage top-up was to encourage more essential workers to stay on job , even at the risk of their own lives , and to compensate them for recent orders in some provinces banning them from working in multiple facilities .
As more workers in long-term care homes have fallen ill , many facilities have been struggling to provide basic care for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where the problem is most acute , have requested help from the military .
Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan and government House leader Pablo Rodriguez are to hold a briefing this morning , updating the number of armed forces personnel who are now helping out in long-term care homes in the two provinces .
Quebec moved to top up essential workers ' pay even before Trudeau 's offer , announcing a $ 4-per-hour pay hike for workers in private long-term care homes , as well as a $ 24.28 per hour salary to attract @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the facilities .
Since then , several provinces , including Ontario , British Columbia and Saskatchewan , have followed suit with similar programs .
Federal cost-sharing agreements with those and other provinces are expected to be unveiled today .
Feds to unveil agreements with provinces to top up essential workers ' pay Ontario , with financial support from Ottawa , has announced a $ 4-per-hour increase for front-line workers at long-term care homes , retirement homes , emergency shelters , supportive housing , group homes , correctional institutions and youth justice facilities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home and community care and some hospital staff .
As well , Ontario 's front-line employees who work more than 100 hours a month will receive bonus payments of $ 250 per month for four months .
Saskatchewan , with $ 53 million in federal support , has announced a temporary wage supplement of $ 400 per month for those who work with seniors , in group homes and in child care .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 7 , 2020

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to announce today cost-sharing agreements with a number of provinces to top up the wages of essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Those agreements are expected to involve a transfer of federal funds to the provinces, each of which will be able to decide for itself which essential workers most need a pay boost. The flexible agreements are intended to allow provinces to tailor the program to suit their different needs. However, it was the continuing tragedy in long-term care homes — residents of which account for more than 60 per cent of Canada's some 4,200 deaths so far — that first prompted Trudeau several weeks ago to offer a federal assistance to boost wages. Specifically, he proposed a pay boost for personal support workers and other front-line health workers in long-term care facilities who earn less than $2,500 per month.
The crisis in long-term care has been blamed, at least in part, on the fact that health and personal care workers in those facilities are typically poorly paid and have had to work in multiple homes to make ends meet, thereby spreading the deadly virus that causes COVID-19 among the most vulnerable population. Part of the objective in proposing a federal wage top-up was to encourage more essential workers to stay on job, even at the risk of their own lives, and to compensate them for recent orders in some provinces banning them from working in multiple facilities. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions As more workers in long-term care homes have fallen ill, many facilities have been struggling to provide basic care for residents. Both Quebec and Ontario, where the problem is most acute, have requested help from the military.
Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan and government House leader Pablo Rodriguez are to hold a briefing this morning, updating the number of armed forces personnel who are now helping out in long-term care homes in the two provinces. Feds to unveil agreements with provinces to top up essential workers' pay Quebec moved to top up essential workers' pay even before Trudeau's offer, announcing a $4-per-hour pay hike for workers in private long-term care homes, as well as a $24.28 per hour salary to attract new workers to fill in as attendants at the facilities. Since then, several provinces, including Ontario, British Columbia and Saskatchewan, have followed suit with similar programs. Federal cost-sharing agreements with those and other provinces are expected to be unveiled today. Ontario, with financial support from Ottawa, has announced a $4-per-hour increase for front-line workers at long-term care homes, retirement homes, emergency shelters, supportive housing, group homes, correctional institutions and youth justice facilities, as well as for those providing home and community care and some hospital staff. As well, Ontario's front-line employees who work more than 100 hours a month will receive bonus payments of $250 per month for four months.


nationalobserver--2020-05-07--Students start looking for summer work

Students start looking for summer work

Adam Brown lined up a job in March with a consulting firm in Edmonton .
He just started there this week .
Brown counts himself among the lucky ones — luckier than many of his friends whose summer-job options , like so many students ' , have been hard-hit ever since pandemic-related restrictions took hold in March .
Statistics Canada reported the youth employment rate dropped to 49 per cent at the outset of the pandemic , the lowest since comparable data began being gathered in 1976 , and the unemployment rate ( the proportion actively looking for work and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per cent , the highest mark since June 1997 .
Job prospects may be different for different students , Brown said , depending what they 're studying .
But `` most students are still probably having difficulties locking down jobs , '' said Brown , the outgoing chair of the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations .
• Ontario 's purchase of natural gas plants will cost ratepayers and the environment , critics say `` We 'll have to see as the summer progresses if job markets are actually going to open with more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in particular , I think , is going to take a lot longer to get back on its feet . ''
On Friday , Statistics Canada will report preliminary jobs figures for April , and a broader data set on students next week .
The reports are n't expected to show the situation improving , but having gotten worse as economic activity contracted further .
BMO is predicting Friday 's labour-force survey will show a loss of 4.5 million jobs in April , and an unemployment rate that could hit 20 per cent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positions , which would include common summer jobs for students like camp counsellors , are all sharply down from last year , said Brendon Bernard , the website 's economist .
`` At the moment , the summer-job market is going to be tough for students , '' he said .
`` That was a key impetus for the government to launch a specific student-oriented supplement to the emergency benefit system that was rolled out for all workers earlier in the month . ''
Students start looking for summer work , with few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aid package includes money for skills training , wage subsidies and work placements , trying to create tens of thousands of positions .
The Liberals also retooled the popular Canada Summer Jobs program , hoping it would help companies put students on their payrolls .
Many small businesses that use the program to help hire students were keen to use it , but have since voiced disappointment after learning the additional funding or positions were only available to those who had already signed up to use the program , said Dan Kelly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Business .
`` One of the biggest challenges many employers have with student employment is a lack of available students for the work they have on offer , '' Kelly said .
`` This year is likely to be somewhat different as many employers have reduced their regular workforce . ''
Federal figures published Wednesday show that there are 7.59 million people who have applied for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit through to Tuesday , with the treasury paying out $ 28.57 billion in benefits .
The program has a budget of $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have lost jobs or work opportunities or now earn less than $ 1,000 per month as a result of the pandemic .
Many students have been able to access the $ 2,000-a-month benefit , Brown said , but there are gaps in the program .
Jamie Woodward fell through one of them .
The 17-year-old started working two part-time jobs in January — one at a grocery store , another at a restaurant in the Ottawa area — only to have his hours cut in March .
He , like other young people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost his restaurant hours when the establishment closed , and the grocery store has cut back .
Friends who lost their jobs have received federal aid , Woodward said .
`` I have someone who 's got $ 3,000 from CERB , which does n't make any sense , '' he said .
Woodward continues to work , but does n't seem to qualify for any federal programs .
He 's also waiting on details of the federal government 's student-aid programs to see if there 's anything there that can help .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday that the government will soon provide more specific information about the design of the student supports .
He said payments to students should be as swift as payments for the CERB .
The $ 1,250-a-month benefit for post-secondary students is targeted at those whose finances are impacted by the pandemic , with payments covering May to August .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 6 , 2020 .

Adam Brown lined up a job in March with a consulting firm in Edmonton. He just started there this week. Brown counts himself among the lucky ones — luckier than many of his friends whose summer-job options, like so many students', have been hard-hit ever since pandemic-related restrictions took hold in March. Statistics Canada reported the youth employment rate dropped to 49 per cent at the outset of the pandemic, the lowest since comparable data began being gathered in 1976, and the unemployment rate (the proportion actively looking for work and unable to find it) hit 16.8 per cent, the highest mark since June 1997. Job prospects may be different for different students, Brown said, depending what they're studying. But "most students are still probably having difficulties locking down jobs," said Brown, the outgoing chair of the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations.
"We'll have to see as the summer progresses if job markets are actually going to open with more availability for students because the service industry in particular, I think, is going to take a lot longer to get back on its feet." On Friday, Statistics Canada will report preliminary jobs figures for April, and a broader data set on students next week. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The reports aren't expected to show the situation improving, but having gotten worse as economic activity contracted further. BMO is predicting Friday's labour-force survey will show a loss of 4.5 million jobs in April, and an unemployment rate that could hit 20 per cent.
Job postings on Indeed.com for community-services positions, which would include common summer jobs for students like camp counsellors, are all sharply down from last year, said Brendon Bernard, the website's economist. Students start looking for summer work, with few options in usual places "At the moment, the summer-job market is going to be tough for students," he said. "That was a key impetus for the government to launch a specific student-oriented supplement to the emergency benefit system that was rolled out for all workers earlier in the month." The $9-billion aid package includes money for skills training, wage subsidies and work placements, trying to create tens of thousands of positions. The Liberals also retooled the popular Canada Summer Jobs program, hoping it would help companies put students on their payrolls. Many small businesses that use the program to help hire students were keen to use it, but have since voiced disappointment after learning the additional funding or positions were only available to those who had already signed up to use the program, said Dan Kelly, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.
"One of the biggest challenges many employers have with student employment is a lack of available students for the work they have on offer," Kelly said. "This year is likely to be somewhat different as many employers have reduced their regular workforce." Federal figures published Wednesday show that there are 7.59 million people who have applied for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit through to Tuesday, with the treasury paying out $28.57 billion in benefits. The program has a budget of $35 billion, and targets workers who have lost jobs or work opportunities or now earn less than $1,000 per month as a result of the pandemic.


nationalobserver--2020-05-07--B.C. re-opening economy gradually

B.C. re-opening economy gradually

British Columbia has reached the point in the COVID-19 pandemic where it will start a gradual reopening of the economy while also allowing social interactions between families , friends and communities to increase .
The plan to restart the province begins with certain health services , retail outlets , restaurants , salons , museums and parks resuming some operations in mid-May , Premier John Horgan said at a news conference Wednesday .
All of the government 's reopening plans are based on organizations and businesses developing plans that follow provincial guidelines to control the spread of COVID-19 , he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions implemented in mid-March to fight COVID-19 are a result of the steady decline of positive case numbers in recent weeks , but the reopening must be done carefully to prevent a resurgence of the virus , Horgan said .
`` If we lose this discipline , everything we worked for to this point will be lost , '' he said .
`` We need to get it right .
This is not a return to normal .
We 're going to the new normal . ''
• Ontario 's purchase of natural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ environment , critics say Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry reported 23 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday and three more deaths .
The province has had 124 deaths and 2,255 cases of COVID-19 , with 1,494 people having recovered from the illness .
Horgan said B.C .
's reopening will look different than other provinces because much of the economy was not shut down .
The government did close schools , nightclubs , personal services and provincial parks , and cancelled elective surgeries .
Events and gatherings of more than 50 people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distancing , frequent hand washing and staying home if sick .
Horgan said within days , the government will resume elective surgeries , reopen other health services , including dentistry , physiotherapy and counselling .
Under the guidelines , small gatherings of between two and six people among families and friends are allowed , while the prohibition on large social gatherings of more than 50 people is maintained .
Provincial parks will reopen for day-use only and the B.C .
legislature will be recalled , he said .
`` It wo n't be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'll be proceeding carefully , '' Horgan added .
Hotels , resorts and overnight camping in some parks will open in June if virus transmission rates remain low , he said .
Some entertainment venues could follow in July , but not large concerts or sporting events .
`` We ca n't congregate in large groups , '' Horgan said .
`` Some B.C .
parks will be open in time for the May long weekend . ''
Earlier this week , the government released COVID-19 modelling data that suggested B.C .
could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people have with others without causing a spike in COVID-19 cases .
But returning to pre-pandemic lifestyles could be dangerous .
Horgan said he was n't prepared to tell people they could n't hug their mothers this weekend on Mother 's Day , but urged common sense .
`` If my mom was here , I 'd want to hug her on Mother 's Day , '' he said .
`` But these are the choices you have to make .
We 're not prescribing to British Columbians who they interact with and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Horgan said some schools are offering services to students , but a full return to in-classroom teaching is not expected until September .
`` We will continue to prepare for the full resumption of classes in September , '' said Horgan , adding he hoped this year 's graduates will find some way to celebrate in the fall .
He said the government will support businesses to reopen safely .
Retail outlets must consider the safety of employees and customers , which could involve installing protective barriers at tills , suggesting online shopping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks , Horgan said .
`` Everybody has to be confident as we move into the new normal , '' he said .
Horgan said he expects measures like not shaking hands and continuing physical distancing and prohibitions on large groups to be part of regular daily life for the next 12 to 18 months .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 6 , 2020 .
Below : posted by B.C .
Premier John Horgan Thursday afternoon on Twitter .
`` We have to stop finger-pointing , '' Horgan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of anti-Chinese racism , I was angry .
Hate has no place in British Columbia .
Period .
We need to stand together , united against it , whenever we see it .
pic.twitter.com/6C6eSOvBkc — John Horgan ( @ jjhorgan ) May 7 , 2020

British Columbia has reached the point in the COVID-19 pandemic where it will start a gradual reopening of the economy while also allowing social interactions between families, friends and communities to increase. The plan to restart the province begins with certain health services, retail outlets, restaurants, salons, museums and parks resuming some operations in mid-May, Premier John Horgan said at a news conference Wednesday. All of the government's reopening plans are based on organizations and businesses developing plans that follow provincial guidelines to control the spread of COVID-19, he said. B.C.'s plan to lift restrictions implemented in mid-March to fight COVID-19 are a result of the steady decline of positive case numbers in recent weeks, but the reopening must be done carefully to prevent a resurgence of the virus, Horgan said. "If we lose this discipline, everything we worked for to this point will be lost," he said. "We need to get it right. This is not a return to normal. We're going to the new normal."
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry reported 23 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday and three more deaths. The province has had 124 deaths and 2,255 cases of COVID-19, with 1,494 people having recovered from the illness. Horgan said B.C.'s reopening will look different than other provinces because much of the economy was not shut down. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The government did close schools, nightclubs, personal services and provincial parks, and cancelled elective surgeries. Events and gatherings of more than 50 people are prohibited and health offices urged physical distancing, frequent hand washing and staying home if sick.
Horgan said within days, the government will resume elective surgeries, reopen other health services, including dentistry, physiotherapy and counselling. B.C. starts lifting COVID-19 restrictions on surgeries, parks, stores, haircuts Under the guidelines, small gatherings of between two and six people among families and friends are allowed, while the prohibition on large social gatherings of more than 50 people is maintained. Provincial parks will reopen for day-use only and the B.C. legislature will be recalled, he said. "It won't be the flip of a switch. We'll be proceeding carefully," Horgan added. Hotels, resorts and overnight camping in some parks will open in June if virus transmission rates remain low, he said. Some entertainment venues could follow in July, but not large concerts or sporting events.
"We can't congregate in large groups," Horgan said. "Some B.C. parks will be open in time for the May long weekend." Earlier this week, the government released COVID-19 modelling data that suggested B.C. could double the current rate of contact most people have with others without causing a spike in COVID-19 cases. But returning to pre-pandemic lifestyles could be dangerous. Horgan said he wasn't prepared to tell people they couldn't hug their mothers this weekend on Mother's Day, but urged common sense.