Issues and Experts 2025

The 2025 holiday season is upon us, bringing a host of both celebrations and unique stresses. From the science of happiness and family dynamics to health, affordability, food waste, and deep fakes/holiday scams, SFU experts are available to comment throughout the winter break.

A new policy paper from an SFU climate research group has raised doubts about the financial and environmental value of carbon capture and storage in Canada.

Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith are expected to announce a memorandum of understanding today in support of a new pipeline from Alberta to B.C.’s West Coast, despite concerns raised by B.C. Premier David Eby and the province’s ban on oil tankers. The agreement also includes changes to the industrial carbon price. SFU experts are available to comment.

Canadians are making their lists and checking them twice ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday —the proverbial starting gun to the hectic holiday shopping season. SFU experts are available to about consumer psychology and marketing, ethical buying, pricing and Black Friday/Cyber Monday as an economic barometer for consumer confidence and buying power heading into the holiday season.

Against the backdrop of US tariffs, trade negotiations and global economic uncertainty, Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to unveil the government’s much-anticipated federal budget tomorrow. SFU experts are available to give their insight on a range of issues.

Against the backdrop of US tariffs, trade negotiations and global economic uncertainty, Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to unveil the government’s much-anticipated federal budget tomorrow. SFU experts are available to give their insight on a range of issues.

Against the backdrop of US tariffs, trade negotiations and global economic uncertainty, Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to unveil the government’s much-anticipated federal budget tomorrow. SFU experts are available to give their insight on a range of issues.

Family violence against seniors in Canada has reached a new record high, according to a Statistics Canada report released this week. In its report, Statistics Canada says 72 per cent of senior victims of family violence were victims of physical assault, while 17 per cent were victims of threats. A slightly higher proportion of senior men victims (74 per cent) experienced physical assault compared to 71 per cent of senior women victims. More senior women were victims of sexual offences, criminal harassment, indecent or harassing communications, or other offences.

Can cinema be sustainable? This weekend’s lo-fi Small File Media Festival says yes, showing great cinema doesn’t have to mean great big files. The two-day Small File Media Festival celebrates small-file ecomedia, showcasing low bandwidth movies compressed to just 1.44 megabytes per minute — a tiny fraction of the 60 to 350 megabytes per minute for high-def video.

The Museum of Vancouver (MOV), in collaboration with Simon Fraser University’s Faculty of Health Sciences, unveils a compelling new exhibition this weekend, bringing visibility to the lived experiences of those navigating the lasting effects of COVID-19. Titled Living with Long COVID, the exhibit features powerful photos and reflections from 46 Canadian “Longhaulers”—people living with persistent symptoms following a COVID-19 infection. An estimated one in nine Canadians have experienced Long COVID.

As students embark next week on a new academic year, faculty at Simon Fraser University are available to share their expertise on various related topics.

Canada is experiencing its second worst wildfire season on record with hundreds of wildfires currently active across the country, including here in British Columbia where a major wildfire on Vancouver Island continues to grow rapidly.

More than two in five people in Canada will be diagnosed with cancer, but advancements in treatment are helping more people with certain types of cancer survive past the five-year mark. Experts from Simon Fraser University are available to comment on the latest cancer survival statistics report released today by Statistics Canada.

The staycation continues, with huge implications for winter-getaway planning. New data from Statistics Canada released today shows continued declines for travel to and from Canada. May 2025 travel numbers reveal more year-over-year declines, with U.S.-Canada border crossings by car dropping by more than 37 per cent compared to May 2024. Air travel from Canada to the U.S. also fell by more than 17 per cent. On the flip side, US-resident trips to Canada also declined year over year for a fourth consecutive month, down 5.6 per cent from May 2024. SFU experts are available to talk about what this means for Canadian snowbirds planning their winter escapes — and for U.S. destinations that will suffer quantifiable social and economic losses. “Shifts in where older Canadians choose to spend their winter months will have significant implications for economies and health systems,” says SFU professor Valorie Crooks. “Last year we heard of communities in the southern United States reaching out to these Canadians and encouraging them to still travel, and surely that messaging will continue. Many other destinations are excited about the opportunities opened by this shift, with popular places in Mexico and the Caribbean eager to host Canada’s snowbirds.” "There are many reasons that Canadian snowbirds have long chosen the U.S. as their preferred destination, including safety, proximity, and cultural connections,” adds professor Jeremy Snyder. “But we're now seeing that politics and changes to border policies can have a big impact on where Canadian retirees choose to spend their winter months."

Men’s Health Month (June) may be coming to an end, but a leading heart disease researcher at Simon Fraser University is sharing his personal story to keep men's mental health awareness in the spotlight.

A wildfire has triggered a state of local emergency in the District of Squamish, north of Vancouver. It is one of 89 wildfires currently active across the province, according to the BC Wildfire Service (as of June 9).

Dubbed the “Glastonbury for geeks” by The Guardian, Web Summit Vancouver kicks off today, drawing thousands of leading tech innovators, entrepreneurs, and investors from around the world. Hosted in Vancouver for the first time, Web Summit is a nod to B.C.’s flourishing tech community connecting across the Pacific Northwest, Canada, the Asia-Pacific and beyond. B.C. is home to over 11,000 tech companies working at the edges of understanding to develop new technologies, products and services with the potential to change the world and power the economy. Canadian research universities, such as Simon Fraser University, are driving homegrown innovation to support a thriving Canadian economy in emerging fields—from artificial intelligence (AI) to agritech to clean energy to quantum computing and much more. SFU experts are available to comment on Web Summit and related issues.

King Charles will deliver the throne speech tomorrow in what is a highly symbolic visit to Canada. As the country awaits the details of the speech, which opens a new session of Parliament and sets out the government’s priorities, experts from Simon Fraser University are available to give their take on proceedings and the content of the speech.

Wildfires are an essential ecological process. However, recent years have seen a significant increase in the number and intensity of wildfires in British Columbia, causing unprecedented ecological, social and economic damage.  

After weeks of campaigning, election day is finally here. As people across Canada cast their vote, SFU experts are available to comment on a range of key federal election issues, including international relations, tariffs and interprovincial trade, health care, affordability and housing, climate policy, energy and infrastructure.

As federal party leaders prepare to take part in two televised election debates this week, SFU experts are available to comment on key election issues and the debates themselves.

The latest batch of U.S. tariffs is due to come into effect tomorrow. As Canada and nations across the world await details from the White House, SFU experts are available to provide insight into the economic impacts we can expect, which sectors are most affected, what Canada can do to mitigate the effects, how Canadians can help by buying domestically produced goods, and more

With the Canadian federal election set for April 28, the countdown to the ballot box is on. SFU experts are available to comment on a range of key federal election issues, including international relations, tariffs, and interprovincial trade, health care, affordability and housing, and climate, energy and infrastructure.