The proposed research project will assess the insect fauna present associated with prairie wetlands, as well as those found in adjacent fields of crop plants (canola, barley, wheat) and restored grasslands. Insects will be collected using various trapping methods to sample taxa exhibiting different lifestyles. Collected specimens will be identified as specifically as possible to […]

Mitigating climate change will need to decrease the demand on fossil fuels and developing low carbon fuels. Co-processing biogenic feedstocks in existing oil refineries could provide significant amount of low carbon fuels as well as displacing the demand on fossil fuels. The proposed research work with an oil refinery who is commercialising co-processing oleochemical feedstocks […]

Canola is one of the world’s most important oilseed crops and is the most profitable commodity for Canadian farmers. It has applications in production of cooking oil, bio diesel and animal feed. The value of this crop will be enhanced by optimizing methods for sorting, dehulling and further processing. Sorting the seeds will streamline seed […]

This study aims to produce a feasibility report on establishing a district energy system in Toronto, Ontario. The district energy system will be powered by wood chips sourced by a local, privately held forest and transported by rail to the proposed combined heat and power facility. Areas that will be examined in this study include […]

MetaMixis, Inc., is a Canadain company undertaking a global effort dedicated to decreasing our reliance on petrochemicals by transitioning to engineered microbial processes or biocatalysts for the production of sustainable products. In the past few years MetaMixis has successfully developed a functional screen to recover metagenomic scaffolds sourced from various proprietary bacterial communities. They have […]

This project recognizes the significant business challenges First Nations forestry enterprises face which have the effect of limiting the benefits to First Nations from forests (Wellstead and Stedman 2010). There is limited awareness of the conditions that affect the success and failure of Aboriginal enterprises in the forest sector (Trosper et al 2008). Research on […]

The Ulkatcho First Nation is being empowered by the provincial government to take more control over its socio and economic affairs. One critical parts of the transitioning is for the Ulkatcho First Nation to manage their forest resources and operate forest related, manufacturing and energy businesses. The Yun Ka Whu’ten Development LP will be an […]

This research project will explore what barriers — economics, policy, or otherwise — exist to restoring unhealthy Douglas-fir forests in central British Columbia. These forests have reached a state where it is currently not feasible for timber companies to make any profit from harvesting timber in those stands, which only serves to worsen the problem. […]

The proposed research project is around conducting feasibility studies on the purification and conditioning of industrial hemicellulosic C5 sugars from a number of potentially commercial wheat straw liquor fractions. The research will propose experiments where data for the ultimate evaluation of enzymatic hydrolysis vs. a selected comparative list of acid hydrolysis can be included. The […]

The annual return of sockeye salmon to the Fraser River is a vital part of British Columbia’s environment, economy, and First Nations heritage. However, sockeye salmon can face numerous challenges during their migration including fisheries, warm water temperatures, and dams. Recent population declines in sockeye salmon have prompted concerns over the challenges salmon face during […]

Throughout Canada, modern forestry practices have introduced rapid changes in Aboriginal livelihoods and natural ecosystems. This proposal is an effort to conserve and promote Algonquin traditional ecological values (TEV) within modern forest management practices with the objective of initiating new ‘social contracts’ and economies in co-existence. The research takes place in the context of recent […]

Although the benefits of using timber in mid- and high-rise construction (namely reducing the environmental footprint by sequestering carbon and cost savings through reduced construction time) are undisputed, there are perceived shortcomings with respect to a corresponding lack of appropriate design guidance for seismic loads. Overcoming these perceived shortcomings will allow timber, and its wood […]