Science & Research

Little Rouge River Lookout, Toronto

Ontario Won’t Hand Over Rouge Park Lands, Citing Weak Federal Protection

A standoff is brewing east of Toronto in the Rouge Valley between Queen’s Park and the federal government over the proposed Rouge National Urban Park. Ontario Infrastructure Minister Brad Duguid made it clear to federal Environment Minister Leona Aglukkaq that the province would not hand 5,400 acres of land it […]

reclaimed barnboard toronto

Salvaging Beetlemania

The mountain pine beetle has arrived in western Canada in what Canadian Geographic has described as “a slow-moving tsunami,” and Canada’s boreal forest is at risk of potential obliteration if the destruction continues to spread. An unfortunate perfect storm of climate change and decades of improved fire suppression have given […]

Lufa Farms Ahuntsic at sunset

Are Rooftop Greenhouses the Food Solution We’ve Been Waiting For?

Imagine a city that produces enough food to feed its population, a city that grows food without monopolizing more land; imagine a city of rooftop farms. This vision is precisely what the founders of Lufa Farms are aiming to make reality. In 2011, Lufa built the world’s first commercial rooftop […]

2014 Arctic Adaptations Venice Biennale Exhibit

Lateral Thinking in the Arctic

How can contemporary design adapt to the unique physical climatic conditions, tectonic traditions and rich local cultures of Canada’s Arctic? And how can the fragile threads of indigenous knowledge and tradition entwine with our collective modern lust for seductive new technologies, shiny objects and addictive processed foods without long-term damage […]

Gray spruce looper moth, family Geometridae

Midsummer Moth Magic

One question I am frequently asked in my work at Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory is “what’s the difference between a butterfly and a moth?” From my perspective, the most noticeable difference is that butterflies are more popular. While butterflies are celebrated symbols of freedom, peace and beauty, moths tend to be […]