Participatory Cities: Every One. Every Day: Toronto seeks to strengthen neighbourhood communities in Regent Park and Alexandra Park in Toronto. This research internship contributes to the project by developing a comprehensive understanding of what supports social cohesion in these neighbourhoods, and what hinders it. In addition, the Covid-19 pandemic has caused new problems for neighbourhoods, making it harder for people to come together as a community.
A computer model will be used to simulate the impacts of sea-level rise on a tidal wetland in the Fraser River that is yet to be constructed. This research will provide project stakeholders with a better understanding of how resilient the proposed tidal wetland may be, given different possible sea-level rise scenarios. Results will be used to develop an adaptive framework that will lay out a course of action to best maintain the tidal wetland given different future sea-level rise scenarios.
Dental procedures generate a large quantity of airborne droplets. With the concern that COVID-19 transmits through respiratory droplets, dental personnel are at high risk of being exposed to the virus if an asymptomatic patient comes to their clinic.
The proposed research will aim on a better understanding of both temporal and spatial distribution of marine mammals in the Western Canadian Arctic, with a main focus on bowhead whales. Compared to other marine areas, the Arctic Ocean currently shows less noise disturbance due to the presence of sea ice throughout most times of the year, however reduction in sea ice caused by climate change is likely to allow for increased underwater noise.
Communities and regions throughout Canada have just been hit with a bomb that is a major threat multiplier: Covid 19. Across the country, rural municipalities that were already struggling economically are now struggling even more with how they should move forward, and support economic recovery and stabilization.
This research project will focus on how to rapidly engage youth in social enterprise, community enterprise and the co-operative model as a means of helping to rebuild and strengthen the economies of their communities in the context of Covid 19 and its aftermath.
Families (i.e. siblings) with children and adolescents with autism often experience demanding stressors and distress associated with providing care to their family member with autism. Distancing requirements imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic have halted many of the programs that parents rely on for respite and support (e.g. interventions, day programs, schools, adapted recreation and leisure, etc.). This means parents have little or no assistance outside of the family to care for their child with autism.
Youth with disabilities and their caregivers are disproportionately affected both by the COVID-19 pandemic and the policy measures that are adopted in response. Given the increased risk for this vulnerable population, intentionally planning and co-designing policy to meet the needs of youth with disabilities in emergency preparedness efforts is critical. Unfortunately, there is inadequate data collection and insufficient COVID-19 emergency planning and response for youth with disabilities.
This proposal details an approach for evaluating a planned project led by SII called Participatory Cities: a new inclusive, system-based approach to stimulating and supporting dense networks of practical ‘participation culture’ in cities around the world. With proof of concept developed and tested in London, UK, by the Participatory City Foundation, the model will now be implemented in Montreal and Halifax, as well as the two Toronto communities at the centre of this proposal: Alexandra Park and Regent Park.
Gaining an understanding of the interacting impacts of human activity and landscape change on wildlife is an important step towards better understanding how to manage and conserve wild areas. The effects of landscape change on mammal communities have been studied, but interacting disturbances are rarely addressed. In Alberta’s Eastern Rockies, human activity is prevalent in the form of various types of recreation and harvesting activities, and landscape features like cutlines and forestry roads allow people increased access to the landscape.
Despite the stigma attached to single-room occupancy (SRO) housing, it can provide good quality, low-cost housing. However, the high cost of upgrading to meet zoning and other regulations, and the low rents that tenants can afford, make it difficult to manage and maintain. As a result, SRO housing is always at risk of gentrification and conversion to other forms of housing. This project will identify examples of successful SRO housing from other cities and will assess the policy frameworks that makes these success stories possible.
