From increasing disasters, wildfires, record-breaking rainfall, warming lakes, invasive species and a struggling circular economy, York researchers are taking the measure of our planet

TORONTO, April 20, 2026 – As the climate changes and the risk of wildfires, earth quakes, floods and landslides increase, this Earth Day 2026 (April 22) is about taking back power – . żě˛ĄĘÓƵ experts research how environmental and climate stressors are affecting our planet’s ecosystems and how that affects humans and wildlife.

The following experts are available:

, a York Research Chair in Global Change Biology, is a professor in the Faculty of Science. Her research focuses on the impacts of human-caused environmental stressors, including the effects of climate change and invasive species on freshwater lakes.

She can comment on:

• How human-induced environmental stressors increase lake temperatures, disrupt delicate ecosystems, and can affect fish species, lake health, cyanobacteria growth and drinking water
• Effects of freshwater browning, from an increase of organic matter and carbon being washed into lakes, on fish growth, populations and species
• Impact of climate change on Arctic ice conditions
• Invasive species, water quality and freshwater fisheries

, associate professor of atmospheric science at the Lassonde School of Engineering, studies climate, atmospheric, ocean and sea ice dynamics. He uses a combination of models, observations, and mathematical analysis to investigate how motions in Earth’s atmosphere and ocean influence climate.  He can speak to:

• Processes driving long-term temperature and precipitation changes, including increasingly record-breaking rainfall
• Factors leading to changes in Arctic sea ice
• Variability of the ocean circulation and its relationship to other aspects of climate change

,  director of York’s Emergency Mitigation, Engagement, Governance, Response Institute (Y-EMERGE), is an associate professor in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies and an expert in disaster and emergency management areas, specifically wildfire and forest fire management. He has done extensive work on wildfire mitigation, fire decision-making, use of prediction in fire management, and fire management in Canada and globally. He can discuss:

• How climate changes - and other changes - increase the threat, intensity, and impact of wildfires
• How wildfires are managed in Canada and globally
• Wildfire decision-making, like how agencies make response decisions and how community members decide
• How to mitigate wildfire risk for individuals and communities

and , both professor and atmospheric chemists in the Faculty of Science who have been part of several large campaigns to better understand the air we breath in Toronto and across North America in summer and winter. Their most recent research found that the tinniest forever chemical declined in Toronto after everyone went home during the pandemic which means scientists should be able to figure out how to minimize these particular emissions and control the formation of it in the future. They can discuss:

• What is in the air Torontonians breath and what is contributing to it
• How so many per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) remain undetected in the atmosphere and how they figured out how to test for them
• How these forever chemicals developed in the first place
• The risk to the environment, humans and wildlife of PFAS and how far they travel

Calvin Lakhan is co-investigator of the Circular Innovation Hub, a research project devoted to advancing the understanding of waste management research and policy in Canada, in the Faculty of Environmental Studies and Urban Change. He can discuss:

• The grey area of going green and the dangers of green washing and misleading environmental claims
• The circular economy and the adoption or resistance to it, such as reusable and zero-waste systems and consumer reaction to shared reusable food and beverage containers
• How recycling policy and environmental outcomes may be doing more harm than good and is no longer sustainable
• The socio-economic inequality that prevents poor and marginalized groups from participating in sustainable waste management practices

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Oct. 13 marks the United Nations’ International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, a global call to action to prevent and lessen the impact of disasters. This year’s theme, “Fund Resilience, Not Disasters,” highlights the urgent need to shift from costly crisis response to smarter investments in risk reduction. As Canada faces increased risks from wildfires, floods, extreme weather and other hazards, experts from York’s Disaster & Emergency Management (DEM) program are available to provide insight on disaster preparedness, risk mitigation, climate resilience, and how evidence-based planning can strengthen communities and reduce disaster impacts.

is an associate professor of DEM and director of York’s Emergency Mitigation, Engagement, Governance, Response Institute (Y-EMERGE). He is also editor-in-chief of the Canadian Journal of Emergency Management.

Kennedy’s research focuses on wildfire management and the human and social dimensions of fire, particularly the use of data and evidence in fire decision-making. His lab group focuses on a central question: how might we help people, communities, and agencies live in better relationship with wildland fire by integrating evidence and values?

Current projects include enhancing the use of predictive services in fire management, increasing the uptake of wildfire mitigation by local governments, and building linkages between research users and producers in fire.

Key areas of focus:

• Wildfire management in Canada and around the world
• Wildfire response
• Fire risk mitigation

is an associate professor of DEM, and the graduate program director handling the University’s master’s and doctoral programs in DEM.

Her areas of interest include social vulnerability and capability in the disaster context; hosting and resettlement; international responses to natural-hazard disasters; and risk assessment. Mamuji’s research aims to capture the lived experience of various priority groups facing disasters across Canada. She is currently researching international aid transfer and the provision of humanitarian assistance in the context of mass violence.

Key areas of focus:

• International response to natural-hazard disasters
• Risk assessment
• Social vulnerability

is a professor and a founding faculty member of York’s DEM program. She holds a PhD in Water Resources from Kyoto University and has over 35 years of professional experience in her field. Her textbook, Natural Disasters and Risk Management in Canada: An Introduction, published by Springer, is one of the most used textbooks in emergency management.

Her wide-ranging research includes: threat assessment from potential natural, intentional, and technological hazards; public safety; disaster resilience in a changing climate; and the use of geospatial technologies for decision-making.

Agrawal is an adjunct professor at the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health and a co-director of the CDSN-MINDS project on domestic operations.

Key areas of focus:

• Climate change and natural hazards
• Flood risk mitigation and adaptation
• Disaster risk, risk perceptions and disaster resilience
• Early warning systems and response strategies

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Benedict Weobong and Godfred Boateng head international team exploring climate-related heat, sleep and mental-health issues with funding from leading global charity Wellcome

TORONTO, Oct. 2, 2025 – HEATSCAPE-Africa, a new international collaboration led by researchers in the Faculty of Health at żě˛ĄĘÓƵ, will look at the relationship between climate-related heat and mental health. Supported by a $5.5 million grant by , a global charitable foundation that supports science to solve urgent health challenges, the York-led project also involves partners from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) in the U.K. and community partners in Africa, including Navrongo Health Research Centre, Kintampo Health Research Centre and Kgotso Development Trust. University of Ghana and BasicNeeds Ghana are also key collaborators.

“Thanks to this generous grant from Wellcome, we hope to answer questions on the potential impact of climate change on mental-health issues such as anxiety and depression, particularly in Africa,” says project lead Benedict Weobong, associate professor in the School of Global Health at żě˛ĄĘÓƵ. “Furthermore, we will explore the underlying factors that explain the relationship and why individuals exposed to extreme heat may suffer from mental-health issues.”

With a strong focus on involving those with lived experience, the project will zero in on a contextual understanding of heat and mental health, methodological advances to identify causal mechanisms through a two-year prospective cohort study and community and health-system readiness.

“żě˛ĄĘÓƵ is honoured to partner with Wellcome on this pioneering research that has the potential to transform how the world understands the impacts of climate change on mental health,” says Amir Asif, Vice President of Research and Innovation at York. "Through York’s Global Research Excellence (GRE) Fund, we were happy to support Professor Weobong develop the Wellcome Trust proposal with international partners. By leading collaborations that span continents and disciplines, we are shaping solutions that not only advance scientific discovery, but also inspire a healthier, more equitable future for generations to come.”

Weobong and his colleagues, including żě˛ĄĘÓƵ School of Global Health Associate Professor Godfred Odei Boateng, believe the connection may lie with sleep health and cognitive function being affected by extreme temperatures, with many mental-health issues coming after a period of poor sleep, and many mental health conditions affecting the quality of sleep. The relationship with high temperatures and poor sleep is also well known, with ideal temperatures for most adults being between 15 - 19C. The research will take place in Ghana, which has a hot climate year-round with typical temperatures ranging from 19 - 34C, and Zimbabwe, which experiences more seasonal variability, with temperatures dipping as low as 8C in the winter.

“This grant offers us a remarkable opportunity to explore the complex mechanisms behind mental-health challenges across selected life stages,” says Boateng. “Additionally, it will help us identify key intervention points that have the potential to alleviate the long-term impacts of climate change and poor sleep, while informing the development of adaptive strategies for low-resource settings.”

Adolescents, women of reproductive age and older adults are the focus of the five-year project. Weobong says there is good evidence supporting the vulnerability of each of these groups to climate-related heat.

“Pregnant women are already at higher risk of poor sleep and research shows they and their babies are vulnerable to adverse impacts of poor heat and sleep,” says Weobong, adding that little of the research has been conducted in Africa. “We also know that adolescent brain development is affected by sleep and 50 per cent of mental-health conditions in adults started when they were adolescents.”

Weobong says this cohort focus will also allow them to examine household and intergenerational linkages and explore coping strategies within family systems.

Co-applicants include Boateng, LSHTM quantitative epidemiologist assistant professor Seyi Soremekun and sleep specialist Professor Helen Anne Weiss, Zimbabwe lead Dr. Newton Matandirotya and Ghana leads Dr. Raymond Aborigo and Dr. Kenneth Ae-Ngibise.         

“Mental health problems are universal, although the ways these challenges are expressed might be different,” says Weobong, who is originally from Ghana and pursued research opportunities in the U.K. and India before coming to Canada. “There used to be a time where there was an assumption that depression was only a challenge of the Global North, and while we’ve moved past that, there are many outstanding challenges, especially when looking at access to treatment in the Global South.”

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żě˛ĄĘÓƵ is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change, and prepare our students for success. York's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. York’s campuses in Costa Rica and India offer students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future.

Media Contact:

Emina Gamulin, żě˛ĄĘÓƵ Media Relations, 437-217-6362, egamulin@yorku.ca

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A defining feature of the ongoing federal election campaign has been the of the environment and climate change as top-of-mind issues due to threats by the United States against Canadian sovereignty, security and trade.

But how Canada responds to U.S. President Donald Trump’s actions will also have profound implications for its future greenhouse gas emissions and its economy.

The current federal election is very different from those held in 2015, 2019 and 2021. In those elections, the environment and climate were central issues. , more than 60 per cent of Canadian voters chose parties (Liberal, NDP, Bloc Québécois and Green) that advocated for strong climate action, including some form of carbon pricing.

The increasing evidence of the consequences of a changing climate had placed the environment and climate change in the minds of Canadians for nearly two decades. The political landscape since then.

The role of inflation

Although Trump’s second presidency is often cited as the trigger point for a decline of the environment as a top-of-mind concern for Canadians, the a year earlier, in the fall of 2023.

Despite the record wildfire season that summer, the , triggered in large part by the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, moved economic concerns to the forefront of the public’s mind. Government stimulus programs needed to counter the impacts of the pandemic contributed to inflationary pressures, prompting the to hike interest rates in response, adding to Canadians’ economic distress.

Amid high inflation and high interest rates, the Liberal government’s climate strategies — especially consumer carbon pricing — became an easy political target, particularly for a with little apparent concern for the climate challenge.

But even though climate change is no longer top of mind for Canadians, it remains a significant and caused by human activity. And perhaps surprisingly, despite the criticism levelled at the consumer carbon tax, between of non-Conservative leaning voters (those intending to cast their ballots for Liberal, NDP, Bloc and Green candidates) continue to support the concept of carbon pricing.

Focus on fossil fuels

Despite this, many and leaders have responded to Trump’s actions by focusing on natural resource exports, especially fossil fuels and , to bolster the Canadian economy.

This has been accompanied by environmental review and approval processes for resource extraction and export projects like pipelines, and to expand their subsidization by taxpayers.

Discussions about the climate implications of these initiatives have been noticeably absent. So have conversations about the long-term economic viability and desirability of expanding Canada’s dependency on resource commodity exports to increasingly uncertain global markets.

On fossil fuels, the and others are predicting that global consumption will peak within the next decade. This will reflect the falling costs of renewable energy, improving energy productivity and the by mid-century.

The peak will likely happen before any new major export infrastructure can be built in Canada, regardless of what review and approval requirements they might be subjected to.

In a world of declining fossil fuel consumption, Canada — increasingly reliant on high-cost and high-carbon production like and fracked and liquified — seems more likely to be among the earliest producers to fall than among the last standing. Public investments in new export infrastructure look like dubious propositions in this scenario.

International markets for critical minerals are likely to remain in as the in renewable energy and energy storage accelerates to on costly and difficult-to-access materials.

Mining operations also continue to have substantial environmental impacts with significant implications

Backwards approach

All of this means there must be continued of projects in terms of their implications for climate change, environmental sustainability and reconciliation, as well as their economic viability and potential for taxpayers — not a further streamlining of review processes.

Falling back on fossil fuels in response to Trump is a fundamentally backwards approach. It ignores the implications of the climate challenge. As recently noted by at least one Canadian , it also overlooks the need to not just diversify Canada’s markets, but to diversify Canadian products as well.

Canada must design and implement strategies that transform its industries from producers of low-value raw materials into producers of higher-value products and services for a world that must decarbonize and advance sustainability.

As a recently pointed out, climate change remains a real threat to Canadians and their communities. It’s not going away regardless of what might say.

As they campaign to lead the country, the situation requires more substantive responses from Canada’s would-be prime ministers than Canadians are getting right now.

By Professor Mark Winfield, Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, żě˛ĄĘÓƵ

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żě˛ĄĘÓƵ experts are available to comment on the upcoming Canadian federal election from party strategies and polling to campaign issues, including immigration, border security and trade relations.

Electoral strategy, polling and voter sentiment

, a professor of political science and Chair of the Department of Politics in the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies (LA&PS), is focused on issues of democratization and democratic reform in Western countries. In 2007 he published The Politics of Voting: Reforming Canada’s Electoral System, in 2009 he co-edited British Columbia Politics and Government, and in 2013 he published Wrestling with Democracy: Voting Systems as Politics in the Twentieth Century West. Pilon has acted as a consultant on election issues for legal firms, political parties, trade unions, community groups, and the Auditor General of Canada. He is a member of the National Advisory Board of Fair Vote Canada, a citizens’ group focused on gaining more proportional methods of voting for Canadian elections, and sits on the editorial board of Canadian Dimension magazine.

Pilon is available to comment on:

• election administration
• electoral strategy
• political parties, including party branding and strategies
• voter reactions
• ±č´Ç±ô±ôľ±˛Ô˛µĚý
• election results from the perspective of voters

Public policy proposals and Canada-U.S. relations

is a professor in the School of Public Policy and Administration in LA&PS. His research interests are public administration and public policy, including bad policy and digital public administration as well as financial services sector policy. He previously worked on anti-money laundering and terrorism financing policy, and foresight in government. He is the co-editor of the forthcoming book at Bristol University Press (April 2025), as well as the recently released .

Roberge is available for interviews in both English and French. He can offer political analysis and comment on:

• federal politics
• federal-provincial relations
• the federal election campaign
• Canada-U.S. relations

National identity and regional tensions in the election

, professor of Canadian Studies at York’s Glendon College, is an expert on the history of nationalism in Canada. He received the Governor General's International Award for Canadian Studies from the International Council for Canadian Studies (ICCS) in recognition of his work in the field, as well as a Certificate of Merit from the ICCS. He has researched the trade of dairy products between Canada and the United Kingdom in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, when American tariffs restricted Canadian access to southern markets. 

Coates is available for interviews in English and French. He can comment on:

• the role national identity is playing in the election campaign
• how regional identities and tensions could influence the federal election
• the history of Canadian attempts to expand into other markets when Americans have raised tariffs in the past

Employment and labour policies, retirement, pensions and income insecurity

is a professor in the School of Public Policy and Administration in LA&PS. His focus is on Canadian social and labour policy, including employment, and income security (unemployment insurance and pensions). A particular area of expertise is labour market policy, including the transition from school to work and the role of training and education. 

He is available to speak on:

• employment and labour in Canada, including labour market and income security policies
• retirement and pensions
• dynamics of the upcoming federal election
• Canada-U.S. relations

Energy, environment and climate change: policy and Canada-U.S. relations

is a professor in the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, co-chair of the Faculty's Sustainable Energy Initiative, and coordinator of the Joint Master of Environmental Studies/Juris Doctor program offered in conjunction with Osgoode Hall Law School. He has published articles, book chapters and reports on a range of topics from climate change and environment to energy law and policy in Canada and North America. He is a co-editor of the book . He has taught U.S. Government and Politics in the past, and is currently co-editing a volume on carbon federalism in Canada, the U.S., Australia and the European Union.

Key areas of expertise:

• energy and climate change policy
• environment and natural resources policy
• critical minerals and impact assessment
• Canada-U.S. energy trade and relations
• electricity, nuclear energy and Ontario politics

Patriotism and immigration, and changes in U.S. policy

is an assistant professor in the Department of Equity Studies in LA&PS and the director of the Centre for Refugee Studies at żě˛ĄĘÓƵ. Su is a specialist in forced migration, climate change-induced displacement and queer migration. She has worked extensively with vulnerable communities in Southeast Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean, including refugees, asylum seekers, undocumented migrants, trans sex workers, indigenous communities, and 2SLGBTQIA+ folks. She has published 26 peer-reviewed works in journals like Third World Quarterly, Journal of Gender Studies, and International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction as well as more than 40 opinion pieces, newspaper articles and academic blogs in The Washington Post, The Conversation, and The National Observer.

Su is available to comment on:

• Canadian patriotism and immigration issues
• the Canada-U.S. border
• immigration, temporary migration and refugees
• politics related to international students, and the issues facing them
• changes in U.S. policy, including mass deportations

Border security and surveillance, and migration

is a lawyer and anthropologist specializing in border technologies. She is the associate director of the Refugee Law Lab at żě˛ĄĘÓƵ and is a faculty associate at Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society. She is the author of , which was a finalist for the 2024 Governor General’s Literary Awards in Nonfiction.

Molnar is available for interviews in both English and French. She can comment on:

• border security and surveillance
• the role of private companies
• migration issues in general

For experts available to comment on trade, tariffs and the economy, see: /news/2025/03/13/york-experts-trump-tariffs-trade-agreements/

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Several students are participating in SWAPIT, a large winter air quality study, run by Environment and Climate Change Canada

Who would imagine a bright, sunny winter day could have higher concentrations of some air pollutants than a hazy summer day?

Not only is it uncommon for people to consider air quality during the coldest months of the year, but scientists rarely conduct winter air quality testing, says chemistry PhD student Daniel Persaud of żě˛ĄĘÓƵ’s Faculty of Science. This is likely especially true during a polar vortex like Toronto, and the rest of Canada, is currently experiencing.

Even more unusual, though, is the possibility that Toronto’s cold winter air could be worse than in summertime, adds York’s Lassonde School of Engineering master’s degree student Samir Singh.

Researchers won’t know for sure which pollutants are worse until all measurements and analysis are done for the (SWAPIT), led by (ECCC). That data analysis is currently underway for last year’s campaign and SWAPIT scientists plan to meet next week to share initial results with each other to generate new insights and plan the release of the findings publicly.

“The unique thing about this study is that it's occurring during the winter months when there are different sources of pollutants from indoor heating to the de-icing of highways, which could have impacts. It is now evident that the levels of some pollutants are elevated in the winter months,” says Persaud. “Most of the other studies focused on smog, which normally occurs during the summer months.”

Persaud and Singh are two of several York grad students taking part in the SWAPIT study to better understand the mix of pollutants in Toronto’s urban winter air and why known pollutants haven’t declined as expected over the years. Persaud is under the supervision of Professor with Associate Professor , both atmospheric chemists in the Faculty of Science, while Singh is supervised by Associate Professor , director of the Graduate Program in Earth and Space Science at Lassonde and the Air Pollution Lab.

, air quality research scientist at ECCC, is leading the study, with York as one of the collaborators. “Studies like this can lead to improved tools for testing air quality and provide better information about our urban cities across the country,” she says.

ECCC calls it the largest urban study of its kind in Canada with more than 90 scientific and technical experts with some 44 sub-projects. The winter phase of the study took place over an intensive six-week field measurement campaign last winter.

“There is a need to understand what pollutants are most prevalent in the air in the winter as different sources of contaminants become more prevalent during that time compared to the summer, things like high particulate matter from forest fires which is unlikely during winter,” says Young.

It’s not the first time York has been a partner in large atmospheric projects. A couple of summers ago, Young and VandenBoer led (Toronto Halogens, Emissions, Contaminants and Inorganics Experiment) in collaboration with the (AEROMMA) project organized by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

SWAPIT, like THE CIX, uses York’s rooftop Air Quality Research Station to monitor air quality, but this time it also included another York research station perched on the east edge of the Keele Campus, plus several other non-York stations spread out across the GTA.

“In both of these studies, we are looking at the mix of pollutants and their source. It’s one thing to know there is a particular level of a toxic gas in the atmosphere, but how that might combine with another pollutant to create a whole new contaminant is one of the things we’re working on,” says VandenBoer.

As part of the instrumentation used to gather air quality data for this study, Singh and Gordon installed a spectrometer on the roof of one of York’s administrative buildings to measure the distribution of particle sizes, along with a particulate matter sensor, an anemometer to measure wind speed and direction, and two cameras to measure the amount of traffic. In addition to particulate matter, some of the pollutants measured are per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS), ozone and , such as benzene, as well as trace contaminants like flame retardants and plasticizers. Given the sheer number of pollutants to be measured, it is considered the largest study of its kind globally.

“It will be interesting to see the variation over time, spatially, as well as how the pollutants vary throughout the city, from one testing site to another,” says Singh, who routinely checks on the York sites and collects initial raw data along the way to gauge how things are progressing or if there is anything significant.

“Until we investigate what kind of pollutants and in what amounts are circulating at various times throughout the year and where they are coming from, whether that’s vehicle emissions in the country’s major cities or emissions from the oil sands facilities in the west, we don’t know what effect they may be having,” says Gordon. “This type of information has not been readily available, which makes combating air quality issues difficult.”

The York students involved in the study also worked with ECCC scientists at additional locations, including Pearson International Airport, High Park, and the Evergreen Brickworks. Both Singh and Persaud say they appreciate the opportunity to be involved in this study and to collaborate with external partners.

“It’s a unique opportunity to use our skills, resources and data with various groups, not only here at York, but with Environmental Canada, and hopefully we get some good data out and it can lead to changes that would benefit human health and air quality,” says Persaud, who adds it gives him the opportunity to gain hands on experience in environmental monitoring and data analysis.

The goal, he adds, is to hopefully influence policy in the end, but for now they need to identify what’s responsible for pushing up the air quality index whether that’s in the winter or summer months. In addition to human health, it’s also important for the health of the environment, including the Great Lakes.

As Singh points out, the data they collect can help understand what pollutants are in the air and the direction they’re coming from, which the wind sensor they installed will help to do. The results will hopefully illuminate some of the impacts these pollutants might have on people’s health during the winter. They can be also be an indicator of the influence of a changing climate and be compared to similar research to give them a bigger picture of the issues.

Persaud not only helped deploy custom built wet deposition samplers for this study, but also went on to co-author a paper, , with VandenBoer, Young and others, about the instrument in the peer-reviewed journal Atmospheric Measurement Techniques. (See the .)

Wet deposition includes rain, sleet and snow, which can all carry contaminants. He will collect and analyze those samples for things like PFAS, which don’t break down in the environment and can travel thousands of kilometres away from their source and accumulate in soil, water and snow. Traces can even be found in wildlife, including fish, and even people.

“We hope to understand, to get an idea of the concentration and spatial distribution of these compounds,” says Persaud, who has been studying atmospheric deposition for the past six years. “We look for trends, we correlate them with atmospheric tracers, and we hope that we can compare our measurements to measurements that other groups are making in the study so we can truly understand the big picture with atmospheric transport and deposition.”

A different project Persaud participated in with Young was investigating the presence of these compounds in ice cores, which were collected and analyzed from Ellesmere Island, Nunavut in Canada’s High Arctic – – published in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Science: Processes and Implications. They were able to date perfluoroalkyl acids going back to about 1967.

“We could see a gradual increase as more industrial revolution happened,” says Persaud, who has always been interested in chemistry and interactions with the environment.

Persaud realized during his undergrad that he wanted to pursue a career investigating contaminants in the environment. That passion led him to York where he is now part of the group run by Young, one of the few research groups that use and develop analytical techniques to understand environmental issues, he says. “I'm fortunate to be a part of Dr. Young’s group. We use and develop analytical techniques to solve environmental issues. PFAS is a hot topic in environmental chemistry.”

For Singh, he saw York as having the best professors and programs in atmospheric science, which made the decision to move to this University for his graduate work easy. As part of Gordon’s Air Pollution Lab, students like Singh can study emissions and the mixing of pollutants caused by city and highway traffic, emissions from oil sands production facilities, and how pollutants interact with forest environments and mix within the forest canopy.

It's the kind of academic work both students are excited about and eager to apply their new knowledge to the real world, such as participating in the SWAPIT project, toward making a difference in the health of people and the environment.

“This can generate meaningful insights and develop evidence-based solutions for improving air quality,” says Persaud.

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Professor Dennis Pilon weighs in on the sudden resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland who clashed with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over the appropriate response to stiff tariffs threatened by President Donald Trump. The crisis has prompted questions over the appropriate diplomatic response for Canada and other countries bracing for a second Trump term. " The more he gets, the more he wants. He doesn’t respect people who give into him, he only respects absolutely loyal followers," Pilon tells The Guardian.

Professor Mark Winfield writes about Canada's response to Donald Trump's threat to impose 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian and Mexican exports to the U.S. in an op-ed for The Conversation. "," writes Winfield. "Canada's premiers would be smarter to focus on engaging with their sub-national counterparts in neighbouring states rather than conducting their own freelance diplomacy."

In an op-ed for The Globe and Mail, Professor Michael Barutciski writes about why Canada should look at closing a loophole in its border agreement with the U.S. that could be incentivizing illegal migration. Barutciski says the inclusion of the 14-day rule (or loophole) in the amended Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) is an example of Ottawa’s tendency to favour laxness and administrative expediency. "," writes Barutciski.

Associate Director of the Refugee Law Lab Petra Molnar comments on Canada and the U.S. turning to technology to keep migrants out. Canada will soon boost investments in drones, sensors, and other tech, including its own surveillance towers. Advocates and experts say the deployment of new technologies risks endangering migrants. "... where Canada perhaps feels like it has to acquiesce to what the United States is asking for," Molnar tells CBC. She says the technology being deployed on borders dehumanizes people who are trying to cross the border as well as posing privacy concerns about data collection for those who live or travel near borders.

Professor Palma Paciocco talks to CTV News about legal delays making it increasingly difficult for people to have their day in court. Judicial and court staff vacancies, limited courtroom space and increasingly complicated legal processes all contribute to delays in the justice system. "," says Paciocco.

Professor David Doorey weighs in on the federal government directing the Canadian Industrial Relations Board to order Canada Post workers back to their jobs and to extend their existing collective agreement until May of 2025. Doorey says that the degree of power that a union holds might have determined the speed of government intervention in a strike. "," says Doorey, speaking to The Globe and Mail.

Professor Sapna Sharma talks to CBC about cities losing weeks' worth of winter ski, skate, and snow days each year due to climate change. In Canada, some cities and regions have lost more than two weeks of winter weather. Sharma's research has found that, leading to problems such as toxic algae blooms that follow in the summer.

Professor Zac Spicer comments on eastern Ontario mayors pointing out that recent provincial funding to help cover policing costs has left municipalities with their own police forces searching for financial support. The year-over-year increase in OPP billing was between 20 and 30 per cent and, in response, the provincial government announced $77 million to ease policing costs in those communities. , and they don't have any provincial support to show for it.

Professor Vijay Setlur talks to Global News about the owners of the Vancouver Whitecaps FC announcing that they have started the process to sell the club. This has left local soccer fans that just celebrated its 50th anniversary.

Professor Emeritus Paul Delaney weighs in on the Geminid meteor shower that peaked Friday night, bringing bright shooting star-like streaks to the sky in one of the best displays of the year. Delaney says the debris ranged from the size of a grain of sand to the size of a basketball. " with this material hitting the Earth's atmosphere and disintegrating," Delaney tells Toronto Star.

Recent research by Professor Ela Veresiu and co-authors reveals a complex moral landscape underlying everyday consumption practices. They discovered that people often unknowingly hold different meanings for concepts central to their consumption such as "self" and "care," reports Florida State University News. The study identified four primary strategies consumers use to justify their self-care choices: .

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żě˛ĄĘÓƵ researchers say warmer temperatures will create more unsafe
white ice conditions, ice that’s more like a snow cone than ice cube.

TORONTO, Dec. 11, 2024 – Sports and recreational activities on frozen lakes across the Northern Hemisphere are a popular pastime for millions, but according to new research out of żě˛ĄĘÓƵ, the safety of that ice is becoming more precarious and shorter in duration.

As winter and early spring temperatures continue to rise with a warming world the quality of lake ice is changing and that prompted the researchers to delve into available data to project how many fewer days of safe ice there could be in the future. That number could be upwards of 29 days depending on the condition of ice cover and whether the world reaches 1 C, 2 C or even 4 C of warming.

Although their previous work looked at ice thickness and duration, important indicators of ice safety, they are quick to point out that that is only part of the equation. Equally important and potentially as dangerous is the quality of the ice, which also helps determine whether it is safe, especially early and late in the season when the ice is either forming or melting.

“Quality and thickness need to be weighed together when deciding if the ice is safe to go out on. Our research found there will be fewer safe ice days and the formation of safe ice during the transition period in early winter will take longer, creating a higher risk for accidents and drownings,” says Professor of York’s Faculty of Science and senior author of the paper.

Led by York Postdoctoral Fellow Joshua Culpepper, the study tracked historical shifts in ice thickness and quality to determine how global temperature rises will affect the number of safe days on the ice.

“We used a lake ice model to examine changes in ice thickness of the Northern Hemisphere between 1850 and 2100,” says Culpepper. “We show that although many lakes are still forecasted to freeze, as warmer temperatures become the norm, they will be unsafe to use for a longer time especially if more white ice, than black ice forms.”

The quality of ice, how strong it is and how much weight it can hold, differs depending on whether it’s predominantly white or black ice.

“White ice conditions increase the risk of falling through the ice as white ice has a lower load bearing capacity compared to black ice at the same thickness,” says Culpepper, who cautions that as the climate heats, white ice conditions are expected to increase.

Shoulder seasons is when it is most unsafe

Lake ice formation in the Northern Hemisphere could be delayed anywhere from Nov. 15 to Jan. 18, dictated by how high average temperatures climb – 1 C, 2 C or 4 C – and it is during this transition that white ice is most likely to form.

“We found lake ice will likely be unsafe longer at the beginning, than the end, of the ice season. Although the lakes will be frozen, they could be unsafe to use for three to four weeks at the beginning of winter and for an extra week at the end when ice is predicted to decay rapidly,” says Sharma.

“This rapid break up of safe ice conditions suggests that the end of the ice season will offer some of the most dangerous conditions, but the beginning of the season is also highly risky. The greatest number of drownings through ice occur at the beginning and end of the ice season and this risk is expected to be higher with climate change.”

How does white ice differ from black ice?

Even though the ice might measure the right thickness to venture out for a skate or snowmobile ride, if it is comprised mainly of white ice, it likely won’t hold. This has already resulted in dozens of drownings, say the researchers.

White ice is more likely to form when temperatures are warmer than usual or there are warm rainy days following very cold days. It is usually opaque, like snow, and filled with more air bubbles, smaller ice crystals, and holds less weight than black ice. At temperatures close to 0 C, it could be more than 50 per cent weaker. Steady cold temperatures are needed for black ice formation, which is clear and dense, has few air pockets and larger ice crystals, making it able to hold heavier loads.

Guidelines on ice thickness for people, snowmobiles, cars and transport trucks on the ice are based on black ice. If people are measuring the ice thickness without accounting for the type of ice, that could lead to life-threatening plunges through the ice.

Lake ice is unsafe when it thins to less than 10 cm of black ice, less than 15 cm of equal parts black and white ice, or less than 20 cm of white ice. The formation of white ice is expected to increase as temperatures climb increasing the unsafe transition period.

In Canada last December, six people, including a couple of teens in Ontario, died within a week plunging through thin ice. Two more died in Ontario this February. In Finland, four people died from falling through weak ice in January and February alone, where the average is said to be 18 people annually. In Sweden, 16 people drowned from falling through the ice in 2014 and at least nine in 2021, for example.

The researchers hope to get the word out on the increasing precariousness of lake ice today and into the future, and hope people will take precautions before venturing onto the ice, even if it looks solid enough.

The paper, , was published today in the journal PLOS ONE.

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żě˛ĄĘÓƵ is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change and prepare our students for success. York's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. York’s campuses in Costa Rica and India offer students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future.

Media Contacts:

Sandra McLean, żě˛ĄĘÓƵ Media Relations, 416-272-6317, sandramc@yorku.ca

Gloria Suhasini, żě˛ĄĘÓƵ Media Relations, 647-463-4354, suhasini@yorku.ca

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Professor Yvonne Su weighs in on Canada launching a $250,000 global online advertising campaign to caution potential asylum-seekers about the challenges of making a refugee claim. The initiative comes as Canada grapples with a backlog of 260,000 refugee cases amid rising global displacement. Su expresses skepticism about the global ad campaign's effectiveness and its broader implications. "We have people coming from places like Palestine and Lebanon, fleeing violence and instability. Campaigns like this, paired with stricter policies, send a very negative message that Canada is not upholding its humanitarian responsibilities," Su tells OMNI News, adding the campaign's messaging could impact Canada's global image as a compassionate and inclusive country. ""

Professor Pina D'Agostino talks to NPR about five Canadian news outlets suing OpenAI claiming it violated copyright law by using their articles to train its large language model. "We're talking about valuable content and who has the right to access and own that content," says D'Agostino. " Why not license the content?"

Professor David J. Doorey weighs in on the countrywide strike of Canada Post workers as it enters its third week. Negotiations for a new collective agreement were suspended last Wednesday after a government-appointed mediator said that Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) remained too far apart at the bargaining table. Doorey tells The Globe and Mail that under the Canada Labour Code, . Speaking to Benefits and Pension Monitor, Doorey raises concerns about Canada Post's decision to lay off employees amidst a labour action involving over 55,000 workers: "On its face, ."

Professor Dasantila Golemi-Kotra weighs in on data showing that more Manitobans have been vaccinated against the flu than COVID-19 this fall, even though the number of COVID infections recorded in Manitoba this season is well above the number of influenza cases. Golemi-Kotra says while Manitoba's overall vaccination rate didn't shock her, she was surprised the rate for seniors wasn't higher. "People don't see an urgency to get vaccinated [against COVID-19], because ," she tells CBC.

In an op-ed for Financial Post, Professor Fred Lazar discusses COP29, pledges for financial contributions and the need for accountability. "The recent UN climate summit, COP29, ended with rich countries promising to transfer $300 billion a year — a year! — to poor countries," writes Lazar. " None should go to national leaders or NGOs. And transfers should be conditioned on countries improving their score on TI’s corruption index, becoming 'more free,' as measured by Freedom House, and reducing their military spending."

Lazar also speaks with CBC for an article about Air Canada becoming the second major Canadian airline within the past year to from its cheapest fare offering. Other airlines already charging for carry-on luggage include Porter, Flair and Sunwing, which was bought by WestJet in 2023.

Professor Grant Packard weighs in on Mastermind Toys, a beloved 40-year-old retailer known for educational toys that filed for creditor protection a year ago citing increasing competition. The store currently has an 88-square-foot space at Union Station — a pop-up that will be gone shortly after Christmas. Mastermind is now hosting ticketed evenings marketed for date nights or gatherings among friends. Packard says these events accomplish something that should be a goal for Mastermind — .

Professor Vijay Setlur talks to The Globe and Mail about pro athletes supporting charities and causes with their time and money. "It helps build the equity in their brand, and also indirectly allows for promotion of their own initiatives," says Setlur. "It's an opportunity for them to ." Speaking to The Hockey News, Setlur also weighed in on the similarities between the new Toronto Sceptres' logo and a logo appearing on a uniform worn by Taylor Swift during her "Shake It Off" music video. Setlur believes . The reputability of the Professional Women's Hockey League as a women's sports league could dissuade Swift, says Setlur.

Professor Mary Forgarty comments on "The Culture" exhibit at the AGO. "Having a large-scale Hip Hop exhibit at the AGO for the first time like this still underscores Toronto’s role in shaping Hip Hop at a global level, and everyday Torontonians can ," Forgarty tells Now.

Graduate student Elio Iianacci interviews the actor, comedian and social media personality Pete Zias on creating Total Trash Live, his scene-stealing role in the horror movie Ganymede, and his upcoming role in the play Messy White Gays .

Do you have a new research study or an academic achievement to share? Contact media@yorku.ca with details. For daily York in the News highlights, follow on X.

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