Latest news with #UniversityOfSaskatchewan
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
How does wildfire smoke affect birds? This researcher is looking to find out
A researcher at the University of Saskatchewan wants to know how birds, particularly songbirds, are being impacted by wildfires and smoke. Catherine Ivy, a bird lover and assistant professor at the University of Saskatchewan college of arts and science, is leading the project. "I've always been interested in how birds are able to conduct their long migratory flights, and was interested in how animals change their breathing to deal with challenging environments," Ivy said. Canada's 2023 wildfire season was the worst on record in terms of area burned. The 2024 season was the second-worst since 1995. Ivy said there is anecdotal evidence that shows birds are being impacted by wildfire smoke, but there has never been research on the effects. One wildfire wouldn't have any adverse effect on birds, but repeated events and repeated exposure could. Ivy said there has been extensive research done on humans and lab animals. "We know from Health Canada and a whole bunch of other health funding bodies that being outside in the smoke is not good for us [humans]," she said. "But the one thing that research is kind of disregarded at the moment is what happens to wildlife that's outside." Ivy said this is important because it could help us be more aware of why bird populations are declining. She said we already know that changes to migratory routes, such as buildings where they didn't used to be, have had an impact. "But we don't know if wildfire smoke also adds on top of that," she said. "If wildfire smoke affects their lungs and affects their ability to migrate, it means that they might get stuck in environments that don't have enough resources for them during their southbound migration." She said the research will track migratory birds who fly long distances, and compare birds who have been exposed to wildfire smoke to those who haven't. "Health Canada tells us to stay inside, only breathe clean air," she said. "But these animals live outside all year round. So unfortunately we have this gap in our knowledge." The project received funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) discovery grant program.
CBC
4 days ago
- Health
- CBC
How does wildfire smoke affect birds? This researcher is looking to find out
A researcher at the University of Saskatchewan wants to know how birds, particularly songbirds, are being impacted by wildfires and smoke. Catherine Ivy, a bird lover and assistant professor at the University of Saskatchewan college of arts and science, is leading the project. "I've always been interested in how birds are able to conduct their long migratory flights, and was interested in how animals change their breathing to deal with challenging environments," Ivy said. Canada's 2023 wildfire season was the worst on record in terms of area burned. The 2024 season was the second-worst since 1995. Ivy said there is anecdotal evidence that shows birds are being impacted by wildfire smoke, but there has never been research on the effects. One wildfire wouldn't have any adverse effect on birds, but repeated events and repeated exposure could. Ivy said there has been extensive research done on humans and lab animals. "We know from Health Canada and a whole bunch of other health funding bodies that being outside in the smoke is not good for us [humans]," she said. "But the one thing that research is kind of disregarded at the moment is what happens to wildlife that's outside." Ivy said this is important because it could help us be more aware of why bird populations are declining. She said we already know that changes to migratory routes, such as buildings where they didn't used to be, have had an impact. "But we don't know if wildfire smoke also adds on top of that," she said. "If wildfire smoke affects their lungs and affects their ability to migrate, it means that they might get stuck in environments that don't have enough resources for them during their southbound migration." She said the research will track migratory birds who fly long distances, and compare birds who have been exposed to wildfire smoke to those who haven't. "Health Canada tells us to stay inside, only breathe clean air," she said. "But these animals live outside all year round. So unfortunately we have this gap in our knowledge." The project received funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) discovery grant program.
CBC
5 days ago
- Science
- CBC
U of S researcher studies impact of wildfire smoke on songbirds
Catherine Ivy is an assistant professor of biology at University of Saskatchewan. Her new research project is examining the impact of wildfire smoke on the songbird population.
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
With an eye to Saskatchewan's growing debt, expert sees 'stormy weather ahead'
That the Saskatchewan government posted yet another deficit is of no surprise to economics professor Keith Willoughby, but he says a critical eye reveals some trouble brewing on the horizon. On Monday, the government published its 2024-25 Public Accounts Volume 1, which details the province's finances and indicated a $249-million deficit, down from the $273 million-deficit projected in March. Willoughby, Dean of the Edwards School of Business at the University of Saskatchewan, had three major take-aways after reading it: the deficit is to be expected, the province is doing well compared to other jurisdictions but the increasing net debt per capita and net debt to the province's growth domestic product (GDP) needs to be addressed. 'I believe that there is some stormy weather ahead to which the province needs to pay special attention,' he said in an interview Wednesday. Net debt per capita is effectively a figure reached by taking the net debt carried by the province then dividing it by every single resident of the province. According the government's public accounts, each citizen is carrying a provincial debt burden of $12,500. 'If you look back a decade ago, it was about $7,000 per man, woman and child in the province,' said Willoughby. 'That speaks to some challenges that the province will need to address as we go forward.' Net debt per capita peaked in 2022 at $13,100 per citizen but the statistic is now trending up again. Coupled with a year-over-year uptick in net debt to the province's GDP coming in at 13.7 per cent, he said there are some headwinds being faced. Saskatchewan is still in a relatively good position compared to other provinces, with Manitoba's net debt to GDP forecast at 36.1 per cent in 2024 and Alberta's forecast at 7.6 per cent. 'How large do you want the debt to grow? Because if it gets unsustainable, in terms of the GDP or the people in the province, that puts the burden back on the taxpayers and citizens of this province,' he said. In an emailed statement, the government touted its position as the province with the second-lowest net debt to GDP in Canada. 'The Government of Saskatchewan continues to make investments that deliver on what the people of Saskatchewan have said is important to them – affordability, health care, education, community safety and fiscal responsibility,' read the statement. But not all debt is made equal. Spending on infrastructure, health care, education, etc. are touched on in the accounts document but for Willoughby, citizens should take stock of how the government's spending is impacting them in their day-to-day lives. 'Are we getting access to better services? Are our health-care wait times dropping? Are the roads improved? Are we seeing access to better services in terms of teacher contracts?' he said. When the province released its 2025-26 budget in March, a slim surplus of $12.2 was forecast. Oil trading well below projections, wildfire expenses, suspensions of the provincial output based carbon pricing regime and increased drought pressure throughout the province are all making the likelihood of that surplus low, argued NDP finance critic Trent Wotherspoon. According to the province, total revenues in 2024-25 were $20.9 billion, up $994 million from targets, in part due to $400 million from a national tobacco settlement. At the same time, expenses came in at $21.1 billion. Wotherspoon said without the settlement the deficit would have been $600 million, adding the province 'squandered' the settlement. 'They overspent by a billion dollars, they failed to balance the budget and failed to properly address the real, big challenges that Saskatchewan people face,' he said at a media availability Wednesday. Wotherspoon also took issue with the timing of the release of public accounts, which happened the day before the Canada Day holiday. He likened it to the recent release of Crown earnings reports. Historically, they are released in a staggered manner over the course of an entire week with opportunities for technical briefings and interviews with media at the legislative building. This year, all the reports were simultaneously on June 23 in Saskatoon. 'They don't like accountability, they don't like scrutiny,' said Wotherspoon. Scott Moe pauses Saskatchewan carbon tax, promises balanced budget despite $431.5M revenue loss 2025-26 Sask. budget: Province forecasts $12.2M surplus, no contingency fund for Trump's U.S. tariffs alsalloum@ The Regina Leader-Post has created an Afternoon Headlines newsletter that can be delivered daily to your inbox so you are up to date with the most vital news of the day. Click here to subscribe. With some online platforms blocking access to the journalism upon which you depend, our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed. Click here to subscribe.
CTV News
01-07-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Sask. Catholic schools renew partnership with U of S on nursing practicum
The following story originally ran in the Prince Albert Daily Herald. It's paid for through federal Local Journalism Initiative funding and shared under a Creative Commons licence. A Prince Albert Catholic School Division nursing agreement with the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) will continue for another year. Last school year, the division hosted 12 nurses completing their practicum with the U of S College of Nursing. In a report presented at the board's regular meeting on June 16, the division confirmed the program would continue for another year. Next school year the division will have eight students and each student will complete 216 hours, two days a week from September until December of 2025. Prince Albert Catholic Director of Education Lorel Trumier said administrators at schools that hosted the practicum students saw the value they brought. 'They bring a rich element to support curriculum delivery and areas of support,' Trumier said 'We know that those young nurses need to see what community nursing looks like and what that involves. It certainly involves educating people around them about the different aspects (of health) so it's very important,' she added. Nursing students will be involved in creating health teaching, health promotion and disease prevention strategies. The nursing students will also develop resources for staff and students according to school needs. Nurses will also be able to do presentations about health-related subjects. St. John Community School, Ecole St. Anne School, Ecole Holy Cross School, and St. Catherine School will each have two nursing students assigned. 'It's been very successful, so we're very grateful for the University of Saskatchewan Prince Albert and the nursing students that we receive,' Trumier said. Catholic School Division trustees receive year-end mental health report Prince Albert Catholic School Division trustees received an outline of mental health and well-being initiatives and supports in the division at their regular meeting on June 16. Superintendent Charity Dmytruk provided the update. Following the presentation, Director of Education Lorel Trumier reflected on how much work was done in this area in the past year. 'I'm very many years into my career and what I appreciate is how much intentionality there is to mental health and well-being,' she said. 'That's changed considerably over the last 30 years.' Trumier said they also appreciate the school division staff who support different work on mental health in the division. Another example is the Mental Health Capacity Building partnership with the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) at St. John Community School. 'I think it is just speaking to that intentionality, whether it's the mental health capacity, building opportunity that we have at St. John, and we're going to endeavour to have that at St Francis next year,' Trumier said The MHCB initiative focuses on prevention, health promotion, early identification and intervention by helping youth better manage their feelings and find help if they become overwhelmed. The MHCB pilot started at St. John Community School in September, 2022. The initiative operates 12 months a year and focuses on community outreach in the summer. The division is also part of the working group on the Mental Health Priority, the new Provincial Education Plan. The Division also utilizes the Red Cross Beyond the Hurt Bully Prevention Program but has brought the faith-based perspective into it. 'We do a lot of work with that. That's really changed the dialogue for students in schools and we've made it our own. We've made it a Catholic focus. We know Jesus as a model, gospel values guide what we do, where we respect each person as a child of God, and that's the foundation of the work,' she explained. She explained that seeing all the work in the area made her reflect on how things have changed. 'I was reflecting on how beautiful it is that there is attention to these matters now, much more than in the beginning of my career. I think it's putting everyone in a much better place to support our students today,' Trumier said.
