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During the COVID-19 pandemic, public health measures were implemented, yet it is unknown whether these measures affected medication access in those with schizophrenia (SCZ). This study aimed to assess whether the antipsychotic utilization in SCZ changed during the pandemic. We used dispensed prescription drug data from the Canadian province of Manitoba in individuals with SCZ using linked administrative data from the Manitoba Population Research Data Repository. The quarterly incident and prevalent dispensation of antipsychotics at two periods were compared with the expected trend (April 1, 2015 to April 1, 2020 and 2021) using linear autoregression. We stratified the primary results by age and sex and examined multiple subgroups. There were 9045 individuals with SCZ in the first fiscal quarter of 2020. The prevalent use of the most common antipsychotics were: olanzapine (206.7/1000), risperidone (190.8/1000), quetiapine (174.4/1000), and clozapine (100.9/1000). The overall prevalent use of antipsychotics remained stable during the pandemic compared with the expected trend. A significant decrease in the incident use in April–June 2020 (estimate: -1.3, 95%CI:-2.2,-0.3) was noted compared with the expected. A significantly higher incidence of atypical antipsychotics (estimate: 1.4, 95%CI: 0.2,2.5) and risperidone separately (estimate: 1.8, 95%CI: 0.2,3.3) was noted in 2021 compared with expected. This study found a decline in the receipt of antipsychotics for people with SCZ during the initial implementation of COVID-19 public health measures, particularly on the overall incidence. Future work on investigating the impact of these trends on SCZ outcomes is needed to inform future pandemic-related policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Canadian E-waste recycling data from 2012 to 2020 are systematically assessed. • Regression and Mann-Kendall analyses are used to quantify the temporal trends. • Both collection points and stewardship organizations have grown exponentially. • The role of public awareness on e-waste recycling varied between provinces. • Operational expenditure and revenue on stewardship resilience should be monitored. Electronic waste recycling companies have proliferated in many countries due to valuable materials present in end-of-life electronic and electrical equipment. This article examined the business characteristics and management performance of Electronic Products Recycling Association (EPRA), a Canadian nationwide electronic product stewardship organization. The organization's annual performance reports, from 2012 to 2020, for nine Canadian provinces in which it currently operates were aggregated and analyzed. Temporal analysis using regression and Mann-Kendall tests were employed, and five characteristics of EPRA's business were analyzed, including e-waste products collected, number of drop-off locations, efforts to build public awareness, operating expenses, and growth of e-waste stewardship. Results show a decline in the amount of e-waste collected across the provinces, except in New Brunswick, which started its program in 2017. The Mann-Kendall test revealed declining temporal trends in most provinces. Although the collection/drop off sites and stewardship organizations increased astronomically over the study period in Canada, the amounts of e-waste collected decreased. We found that public awareness generally did not increase the amount of e-waste collected, and these campaigns only appeared to be effective in jurisdictions with good accessibility of e-waste recycling. Processing cost accounted for the majority of the e-waste management budget in Canada, and different factors affected the financial success of the stewards differently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 19A is a highly diverse, often antimicrobial-resistant Gram-positive bacterium which can cause invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). In 2021, public health authorities in the Canadian province of Québec observed an increase of serotype 19A IPD in children <5 years. The purpose of this study was to determine the clonal composition of serotype 19A isolates collected from this age group in Québec, from 2016 to 2021. Forty-one and 37 IPD isolates from children <5 years from Québec and the remainder of Canada, respectively, were sequenced using the Illumina NextSeq platform. Phylogenetic analysis using SNVPhyl identified three clusters, corresponding to three common clones of serotype 19A: CC199, CC320 and ST695. CC199, predominantly represented by ST416, accounted for similar proportions of serotype 19A isolates collected from children in Québec (19.5 %) and other Canadian jurisdictions (OCJs, 21.6 %), with significant presence of ermB (62.5 % and 60 % of ST416 isolates, respectively). CC320 was more commonly identified from OCJs in comparison to Québec (18.9 % vs. 7.3 %, respectively), but were highly antimicrobial-resistant regardless of region. ST695 was the most common clone of serotype 19A collected in Québec from children <5 years, representing 65.9 % of isolates collected over the study period (40.5 % of isolates collected in OCJs). Phylogenetic analysis identified geographical differences in ST695 across Canada; including a large clade specific to Québec (with both susceptible and macrolide-resistant [ ermB ] subclades), and a separate macrolide-resistant (mefA) clade associated with OCJs. The Québec-specific ermB -ST695 clone represented 48.1 % of ST695 collected from the province. Continued genomic surveillance of S. pneumoniae serotype 19A is required to: i) track the prevalence and clonal composition of serotype 19A in Québec in future years; ii) characterize the clonal distribution of serotype 19A in adult populations; and iii) monitor whether the currently geographically restricted ermB -ST695 clone observed in Québec expands to OCJs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged traditional vaccine guidance infrastructure. • NACI made many strategic adaptations to facilitate timely vaccine advice in Canada. • The pandemic highlighted critical roles for NITAGs in vaccine program design. • Learning from COVID-19 pandemic adaptations, we see a roadmap for future pandemics. The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged traditional vaccine guidance infrastructure and frameworks, and added urgency and complexity to the operation of National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups (NITAGs). Canada's National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) provides immunization guidance to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) who publicly shares expert and evidence-informed guidance with Canadian provinces and territories. Throughout the pandemic, NACI and PHAC implemented many adaptations to meet urgent needs for pandemic vaccine guidance. In this paper, we describe: structural adaptations in response to the accelerated pace and amount of work required to issue recommendations that were timed around product authorizations and dynamic epidemiology; technical adaptations in response to rapidly evolving evidence of variable quality which required close monitoring, and which promoted reliance on basic vaccine principles due to incomplete direct evidence; the need to provide nimble advice (e.g., off-label recommendations, preferential recommendations); communications adaptations (e.g. identify sustainable spokespeople for the committee, receive stakeholder feedback, and ensure urgent nuanced advice was communicated to a diverse audience); and research adaptations focussing on solutions to constrained supply (e.g. prioritisation, extended intervals, and heterologous schedules). The early pandemic vaccine experience has created a roadmap of lessons and adaptations that should be leveraged in future pandemic vaccine programs, and has highlighted the essential role of NITAGs to complement regulatory structures during pandemics to ensure timely, impactful, and evidence-informed public health vaccine guidance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infections with antimicrobial resistant pathogens are a major threat to human and animal health worldwide. Further, reduction of livestock-associated antimicrobial use (AMU) is often identified as an area of focus. Selective dry cow therapy (DCT) warrants consideration as an important way to decrease AMU on Canadian dairy farms. In addition, teat sealants (TS) are a nonantimicrobial alternative for prevention of intramammary infection during the dry period. Therefore, objectives of this study were to determine how antimicrobials and TS are used at dry-off on Canadian dairy farms to determine selective DCT uptake and enacted selection protocols. It was expected that these data will provide a baseline understanding of DCT practices and highlight areas for future intervention to further reduce AMU. An observational study was conducted utilizing 2 in-person questionnaires conducted between July 2019 and September 2021 on 144 participating dairy farms in 5 Canadian provinces (British Columbia = 30, Alberta = 30, Ontario = 31, Québec = 29, and Nova Scotia = 24). Overall, 45 farms (31%) reported adopting selective DCT, 95 (66%) enacted blanket DCT, and 4 (3%) did not provide antimicrobial DCT. Farms enacting selective DCT had approximately 50% less intramammary antimicrobials used at dry-off compared with blanket DCT farms. Cow somatic cell count history was the most common criterion for selective DCT decision-making, followed by previous clinical mastitis history, bacteriological culture, and milk production. A slight majority of farms (56%) applied TS to all cows at dry-off, whereas 17 farms (12%) used TS selectively, and 46 farms (32%) did not use TS. Larger herds more often used TS, and farms with an automatic milking system more often used TS selectively than applied to all cows. Results highlighted the variability in antimicrobial treatment and TS use protocols at dry-off on Canadian dairy farms, and the potential for further antimicrobial reduction with increased adoption of selective DCT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlike other high-income countries, Canada has no national policy for drugs treating rare diseases (orphan drugs). Nevertheless, in 2022, the Canadian government committed to creating a national strategy to make access to these drugs more consistent. Our aim was to study whether recommendations made by the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technology in Health (CADTH) translated into coverage decisions for orphan drugs in Ontario, the largest Canadian province. This study is the first to look at this question for orphan drugs, which are at the center of policy attention. We included 155 orphan drug-indication pairs approved and marketed in Canada between October 2002 and April 2022. Cohen's kappa was used to test the agreement across health technology assessment (HTA) recommendations and coverage decisions in Ontario. Logistic regression was used to test which factors, relevant to decision-makers, might be associated with funding in Ontario. We found only fair agreement between CADTH's recommendations and coverage decisions in Ontario. Although a positive and statistically significant association between favorable HTA recommendations and coverage was found, more than half of the drugs with a negative HTA recommendation were available in Ontario, predominately through specialized funds. Successful pan-Canadian pricing negotiations were a strong predictor of coverage in Ontario. Despite efforts to harmonize access to drugs across Canada, considerable room for improvement remains. Introducing a national strategy for orphan drugs could help increase transparency, consistency, promote collaborations, and make access to orphan drugs a national priority. • Recommendations by the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technology in Health do not always translate to provincial coverage decisions for new drugs. • We explored whether Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technology in Health's recommendations are aligned with coverage decisions for orphan drugs in Ontario. • Negative health technology assessment recommendations did not necessarily translate to no pan-Canadian pricing negotiations. • More than half the drugs with negative health technology assessment recommendations were available in Ontario through specialized funds. • A national strategy for orphan drugs could prioritize access to these treatments at a national level and harmonize access, at least to some extent, across Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The enactment of COVID-19 policies in Canada falls under provincial jurisdiction. This study exploits time-series variation across four Canadian provinces to evaluate the effects of stricter COVID-19 policies on daily case counts. Employing data from this time-period allows an evaluation of the efficacy of policies independent of vaccine impacts. While both OLS and IV results offer evidence that more stringent Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs) can reduce daily case counts within a short time-period, IV estimates are larger in magnitude. Hence, studies that fail to control for simultaneity bias might produce confounded estimates of the efficacy of NPIs. However, IV estimates should be treated as correlations given the possibility of other unobserved determinants of COVID-19 spread and mismeasurement of daily cases. With respect to specific policies, mandatory mask usage in indoor spaces and restrictions on business operations are significantly associated with lower daily cases. We also test the efficacy of different forecasting models. Our results suggest that Gradient Boosted Regression Trees (GBRT) and Seasonal Autoregressive-Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) models produce more accurate short-run forecasts relative to Vector Auto Regressive (VAR), and Susceptible–Infected–Removed (SIR) epidemiology models. Forecasts from SIR models are also inferior to results from basic OLS regressions. However, predictions from models that are unable to correct for endogeneity bias should be treated with caution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2021, the ten provinces in Canada enacted COVID-19 vaccine mandates that restricted access to non-essential businesses and services to those that could provide proof of full vaccination to decrease the risk of transmission and provide an incentive for vaccination. This analysis aims to examine the effects of vaccine mandate announcements on vaccine uptake over time by age group and province. Aggregated data from the Canadian COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage Surveillance System (CCVCSS) were used to measure vaccine uptake (defined as the weekly proportion of individuals who received at least one dose) among those 12 years and older following the announcement of vaccination requirements. We performed an interrupted time series analysis using a quasi-binomial autoregressive model adjusted for the weekly number of new COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths to model the effect of mandate announcements on vaccine uptake. Additionally, counterfactuals were produced for each province and age group to estimate vaccine uptake without mandate implementation. The times series models demonstrated significant increases in vaccine uptake following mandate announcement in BC, AB, SK, MB, NS, and NL. No trends in the effect of mandate announcements were observed by age group. In AB and SK, counterfactual analysis showed that announcement were followed by 8 % and 7 % (310,890 and 71,711 people, respectively) increases in vaccination coverage over the following 10 weeks. In MB, NS, and NL, there was at least a 5 % (63,936, 44,054, and 29,814 people, respectively) increase in coverage. Lastly, BC announcements were followed by a 4 % (203,300 people) increase in coverage. Vaccine mandate announcements could have increased vaccine uptake. However, it is difficult to interpret this effect within the larger epidemiological context. Effectiveness of the mandates can be affected by pre-existing levels of uptake, hesitancy, timing of announcements and local COVID-19 activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Detailed municipal and island-wide flood maps were developed for PEI using the HEC-RAS 2D model. • The IDF curves were used to present rainfall intensity under 10, 25, 50, and 100 years. • Food inundation is expected to increase from 19% to 22% in the future. It has been increasingly understood that pluvial flooding poses a substantial risk to numerous communities across the globe. This is especially relevant for the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island (PEI), which is susceptible to a compound flood consisting of both inland and coastal flooding. Despite various studies, a comprehensive pluvial flood model still lacks that addresses the complex interplay of compound floods. Therefore, this research aims to bridge the gap in flood mitigation by developing a pluvial flood model for PEI's coastal communities. The Intensity-Duration-Frequency (IDF) curves under current and future climatic conditions were used to portray rainfall intensity over the study area corresponding to 10-year, 25-year, 50-year, and 100-year return periods. In addition, a hydraulic model (HEC-RAS 2D) was used to drive pluvial flood maps based on two configurations, including detailed flood maps for major municipalities and an island-wide level. The validated results showed consistency in model simulation when compared to observations. The high-resolution flood maps produced by this study can support the development of flood mitigation and adaptation strategies in PEI and other parts of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Post-marketing surveillance of sotrovimab in Canada is limited. • Sotrovimab was not associated with improved outcomes. • Study results were consistent across different analytic methodologies. • Study findings need to be confirmed in other Canadian provinces. Post-marketing surveillance of sotrovimab's effect during implementation in the Canadian population is limited. The study used a propensity score–matched retrospective cohort design. Follow-up began between the periods of December 15, 2021 and April 30 2022. The study assessed any severe outcome defined as all-cause hospital admission or mortality within 30 days of a confirmed COVID-19–positive test. Covariate-adjusted odds ratios between sotrovimab treatment and the severe outcome was conducted using logistic regression. There were 22,289 individuals meeting the treatment criteria for sotrovimab. There were 1603 treated and 6299 untreated individuals included in the analysis. The outcome occurrence in the study was 5.49% (treated) and 4.21% (untreated), with a median time from diagnosis to treatment of 1.00 days (interquartile range 2.00 days). In the propensity-matched cohort, sotrovimab was not associated with lower odds of a severe outcome (odds ratio 1.20, 95% confidence interval 0.91-1.58), adjusting for confounding variables. After adjusting for confounding variables, sotrovimab treatment was not associated with lower odds of a severe outcome within 30-days of COVID-19–positive date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ca. 3.75 Ga gneiss developed a gneissosity prior to ca. 3.3 Ga. • Ferroan, calc-alkaline ca. 3.3 Ga granitoids formed by remelting of Eoarchean crust. • Ca. 3.3 Ga granitoids were intruded by ca. 2.7 granite and by 2.5 Ga granitic dyke. • The magmatic history of the Saglek Block is similar to that of the SW Greenland. The Saglek Block in the Nain Province of northeast Canada is part of the North Atlantic Craton. It comprises Archean gneisses that record magmatic and metamorphic ages between ca. 3.9 and 2.5 Ga. In this study, a grey banded gneiss from Maidmonts Island records an age of 3.72 Ga, which is equated with Uivak I gneisses reported from across the Saglek Block, and contains 3.8 Ga xenocrysts. These rocks were deformed and metamorphosed prior to the intrusion of augen gneiss protoliths on both Maidmonts and Mentzel islands that record U-Pb zircon ages of 3.33 Ga. These rocks are composed of ferroan calc-alkaline granite and granodiorite and were likely generated by partial melting of pre-existing quartzo-feldspathic crust, as attested by the presence of ca. 3.8 Ga xenocrysts. Such augen gneiss was previously classified as ca. 3.6 Ga 'Uivak II gneiss', a term we argue should now be abandoned. The final magmatic events recorded on Maidmonts and Mentzel islands took place in the Neoproterozoic with the emplacement of granitic stocks at ca. 2.72 Ga, and sills and dykes at ca. 2.57 Ga. This sequence of magmatic events from the Eoarchean to Neoarchean is very similar to that recorded in the Itsaq Gneiss Complex of southwest Greenland, where, based on the Hf signature, it has been suggested that a change in tectonic environment resulted from the initiation of subduction at ca. 3.2 Ga. Although Lu-Hf and Sm-Nd isotopic signatures from the ca. 3.33 Ga gneisses have been interpreted in the literature as due to partial melting of Hadean mafic crust, alternatively, they can be generated by partial melting of Eoarchean continental crust in a continental arc setting. We argue this is more consistent with the non-TTG geochemistry of the augen gneisses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

North American studies find that geographic indicators of disadvantage, such as concentrated poverty, significantly increase the risk of child protection involvement. Despite having one of the most extensive family support systems and progressive income redistribution policies in North America, the Canadian province of Québec still faces geographic variations in socioeconomic conditions that remain a major risk factor for child protection involvement. This study asks how child protection involvement is distributed across socioeconomically distinct geographic areas of the province. Drawing from prior literature, we hypothesize that the highest level of child protection involvement across childhood (age 0–17) is found in the lowest socioeconomic areas. This is a population-based prevalence study using administrative child protection data spanning the years 2000 to 2017 across Québec. We constructed cumulative risk life tables of first instances of child protection events (report confirmation, compromised security or development, and out-of-home placement). Prevalence rates were mapped onto 10,650 Census dissemination areas divided into three tiers according to a validated socioeconomic status (SES) index. The highest childhood prevalence of confirmed child protection reports, finding of compromised security or development, and out-of-home placement was found in the lowest SES areas. Rates in low SES areas can be over twice the rates in high SES areas. Area-level socioeconomic vulnerability remains a robust predictor of child protection involvement even in a socially progressive context. Our findings underscore that without targeted pediatric and family services, as well as poverty-alleviation programs for high-need families in high-need areas, even well-intentioned systems may fall short of reaching the families most in need. • Geographic indicators of socioeconomic vulnerability are highly significant risk factors for child protection involvement. • Rates of substantiated reports are double in areas with the highest SES. • Extensive family support and progressive tax redistribution policies, may not be adequately reducing socioeconomic risk for families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rates of child removal by child protective services (CPS) in Manitoba are the highest in Canada with a profoundly disproportionate impact on First Nations families. Despite infants constituting the highest proportion of children affected, no research has examined population-level rates of infant contact with CPS. We examined the incidence of infant contact with different levels of CPS, including termination of parental rights (TPR), according to First Nations status. We identified 217,261 infants (47,416 First Nations; 169,845 non-First Nations) born between 1998 and 2014 in Manitoba, Canada and residing in the province until at least age 5. We used linked administrative data to calculate population-level rates of contact with different levels of CPS by First Nations status, including an open file before age 1, out-of-home placement before age 1, and TPR before age 5. Overall 35.8 % of First Nations infants had an open file, 8.5 % experienced out-of-home placement, and 5.4 % experienced TPR. Among other infants, 8.5 % had an open file, 1.3 % experienced out-of-home placement and 0.7 % experienced TPR. The rate of early-stage contact increased the fastest among First Nations infants, with a rise of 22.4 % in our study period, compared to a rise of 1.7 % among all other infants. CPS contact was exceptionally high among First Nations infants compared to other infants, with early-stage contact accelerating most dramatically over time. Findings support calls to greatly reduce the disruption of system contact in the lives of First Nations families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although a transition to zero-emissions vehicles is needed to meet climate change targets in the road transportation sector, there is relatively less understanding regarding fleet buyers. We contribute to this literature via qualitative application of a broad framework. Through semi-structured interviews with 27 participants from 24 organizations in the Canadian province of British Columbia, we identify barriers and motivators regarding alternative-fuel fleet vehicle adoption, including electric, hydrogen, and natural gas vehicles. The most frequently mentioned motivators include: internal support for environmental sustainability, operations and maintenance savings, positive impact on reputation, vehicle purchase incentives, and a positive history of alternative fuel vehicle use. The most commonly mentioned barriers include: high capital cost of vehicles, the limited market availability of AFVs, vehicle range concerns, and a lack of charging or fueling infrastructure. Results also demonstrate that barriers and motivators tend to vary by fleet size, and organization type, namely private versus public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Non-zero I/(Ca + Mg) values were detected in Archean and Paleoproterozoic shallow marine carbonates. • The samples are from several locations and range in age from 2.93 to 2.31 Ga. • These non-zero values indicate the original localized presence of dissolved marine oxygen. Marine oxygenation during the Archean and Paleoproterozoic is poorly constrained. Iodine in carbonate is a possible oxygen indicator. We obtained molar ratios of iodine to calcium-magnesium [I/(Ca + Mg)] for 2.93–2.31 Ga from shallow marine Ca-carbonate (limestone, dolostone) platform sediments at several locations in the southern Superior Province in Canada and the USA. Maximum I/(Ca + Mg) ratios obtained are 0.13, 0.26, 0.05 and 0.22 μmol/mol, for 2.93, 2.86, 2.80 and 2.31 Ga samples, respectively. These non-zero carbonate I/(Ca + Mg) ratios indicate localized oxygen in Archean and Paleoproterozoic shallow marine environments. These data support an early origin for biological oxygen-production and, specifically, the idea that mid-late Archean oxygenation was sufficient to facilitate Ca-carbonate precipitation in shallow marine 'oxygen oases' adjacent to anoxic iron-rich seas [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deploying negative emission technologies has become crucial for limiting the global temperature rise to approximately 1.5 °C above preindustrial levels. DAC technologies are being explored as one of the prospective options. These technologies have been thoroughly investigated as a potential project to capture CO 2 emissions and provide purified air, natural gas, or fuel oil. An applied approach, on the other hand, was not taken into consideration while evaluating the influence that this technology has on emissions. For this reason, British Columbia provides a substantial chance to examine emissions that were produced after the DAC actions were put into place in 2015. In this study, the difference-in-differences methodology is employed for the very first time to compare the emissions that are produced by the transport sectors in British Columbia with those emitted by other provinces in Canada. The role that GDP and population play in the release of emissions is also taken into consideration in this paper. Based on the research results, it can be observed that the implementation of DAC initiatives has yielded notable effects. Evidence shows that the DAC effort has led to an average reduction of 0.08 in logarithmic CO 2 emissions in the transport sector. By accounting for GDP and population, the empirical results indicate that DAC technology reduced CO 2 emissions in British Columbia compared to provinces without DAC facilities. DAC initiatives are expected to become increasingly prevalent between the mid-2030s and 2040s. Overall policy implications suggest that there is a need for DAC technologies to collaborate with alternative mitigation technologies, or alternative technologies should collaborate with DAC technologies that are more efficient to achieve the targeted goals in a short time. • The study offers empirical evidence of DAC technology's impact, providing insights beyond theoretical conjectures. • Based on the research results, it can be seen that the implementation of DAC facilities has yielded notable effects. • DAC technology in British Columbia has led to a significant and negative impact on CO 2 emissions compared to other provinces without DAC facilities. • The study highlights the differential effectiveness of DAC across transport sectors, pointing toward a need for tailored implementation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calf rearing practices differ among farms, including feeding and weaning methods. These differences may relate to how dairy producers view these practices and evaluate their own success. The aim of this study was to investigate perspectives of dairy producers on calf rearing, focusing on calf weaning and how they characterized weaning success. We interviewed dairy producers from 16 farms in Western Canada in the following provinces: British Columbia (n = 12), Manitoba (n = 2), and Alberta (n = 2). Participants were asked to describe their heifer calf weaning and rearing practices, and what they viewed as successes and challenges in weaning and rearing calves. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and subjected to qualitative analysis from which we identified the following 4 major themes: (1) reliance on calf-based measures (e.g., health, growth, and behavior), (2) management factors and personal experiences (e.g., ease, consistency, and habit), (3) environmental factors (e.g., facilities and equipment), and (4) external support (e.g., advice and educational opportunities). These results provided insight into how dairy producers view calf weaning and rearing, and may help inform the design of future research and knowledge transfer projects aimed at improving management practices on dairy farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• All-cancer radiotherapy utilization ratios (RTUR) varied across Canada by 9%, and up to 28% by cancer type. • RTURs were below Ontario benchmarks for many provinces and cancer subsites. • RTURs can be a reasonable surrogate for linked (patient-specific) utilization. Access to radiotherapy (RT) is a key component of a cancer control strategy. However, radiotherapy utilization (RTU) rates fall short of desired benchmarks in certain Canadian provinces. We aimed to describe provincial variations in RTU across Canada. We calculated radiotherapy utilization ratios (RTUR) for each Canadian province from 2016 (RT case counts divided by incidence counts), by cancer type (all cancers, lung, breast, rectal, prostate) and treatment intent (curative, palliative) where data were available. Data were extracted from each provincial RT data repository, cancer registry and/or RT department. We compared RTURs descriptively across provinces and to Ontario benchmarks, and calculated an estimated national RTUR. In provinces with capacity for data linkage, RTURs were compared to a linked (patient-specific) method of calculating utilization, by linking each incident case to whether RT was received within 1 year of diagnosis (RTU-1 yr). Excluding three provinces that included re-treatments, all-cancer RTURs ranged from 0.31 in Manitoba to 0.40 in Nova Scotia. The national all-cancer RTUR was 0.35, which was comparable to Ontario benchmarks (0.34). Larger variations were seen by cancer type, with an absolute difference in RTURs of 28% for lung cancers, 27% for breast cancers, 21% for rectal cancers, and 18% for prostate cancers. RTURs for nearly all provinces were below established Ontario benchmarks for each cancer type, except prostate cancer. RTURs over-estimated RTU-1 yr by at most 5%, except for prostate cancers where they over-estimated RTU-1 yr by up to 15%. RTU varies by province in Canada, and most notably by cancer subsite. More granular data at the regional level and by healthcare facility is required to further tailor strategies aimed at improving RT access. RTURs also serve as a reasonable surrogate for linked RTU, and both methods can contribute meaningfully to measure RTU depending on the context and data availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of concerns about human health, the environment, and animal welfare, meat is a highly contentious food. Accordingly, a broad range of alternative, small-scale practices for raising livestock and producing non-industrial meat are in the spotlight. While scholars have examined consumer perspectives on "ethical" meat, less is known about producers' perceptions of how small-scale meat production fits into the broader food system, and how their perceptions relate to broader sustainability debates surrounding meat. We explore producer perspectives on small-scale "ethical" meat production and its role in a sustainable food system. We do so through interviews and site visits with 74 people working within alternative meat production in four Canadian provinces, a sample that includes farmers, ranchers, butchers, and meat-focussed chefs. We find that, in the face of practical challenges linked to small-scale production, producers are passionately committed to the project of small-scale animal rearing that they regard as humane and sustainable. Despite these similarities, producers have radically different ideas about the purpose and potential of ethical meat. We observed major differences among producers' cultural imagination of meat, exemplifying varied ideas for fitting meat into a sustainable food system. Our findings underscore the importance of charting not only producers' practices, but also their cultural orientations. • We interview producers and distributors of "ethical" meat to understand their perspectives about the role of their products in the broader food system. • Producing ethical meat was seen as meaningful work, but interviewees were also acutely aware of the limits of small-scale operations. • We investigate producers' cultural imagination: how do they imagine meat can fit into a sustainable food system? • We identify three producer positions on the role of ethical meat in the food system: 1) support for the status quo, 2) a vision for "less meat, better meat", and 3) a challenge to the cultural centrality of meat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Canada, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions continue to remain high despite the federal government's commitment to reduce GHG emissions. Environmental policy across Canadian provinces has largely lacked consistency with some provinces implementing targeted policy such as carbon taxes while others have strongly resisted the federal government's attempts to encourage such policy. This study examines the impact of environmental policy on GHG gas emissions across Canadian provinces with policy uniquely measured by public and business sector spending on environmental protection as well as notable province-specific policies. An extended STIRPAT model is specified with the inclusion of proxies for environmental policy using panel data from Canada's ten provinces from 1995 to 2019. The cointegration and the error correction modelling approaches are employed to estimate the non-stationary panel data. A pooled mean group estimation is applied to provide short run and long run coefficients. The findings indicate that although per capita GDP is the main driver of GHG emissions in Canada, environmental policy has a significant mitigating effect, as shown by the negative association between emissions and private and public sector spending on environmental protection in the long run. Furthermore, provinces with targeted policies, such as Ontario's coal phase-out and British Columbia's carbon tax, experienced significant emissions reductions. The theoretical implication is the successful addition of policy variables to the STIRPAT model, providing the model a new application for future research. [Display omitted] • Assess the impact of environmental protection policies on per capita greenhouse gas emissions in Canada. • Utilize public and private expenditures on environmental protection, along with provincial policies. • Extend the STIRPAT model to incorporate environmental protection policies in an empirical model. • Demonstrate a significant negative relationship between environmental protection policies and GHG emissions. • Offer insights with implications for global environmental sustainability efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We report on a family with Carney complex harboring left atrial myxomas. • Carney complex includes skin lesions, cardiac myxoma, and endocrine disorders. • Approximately 1% of patients with cardiac myxoma have Carney complex with autosomal dominant inheritance. • In Carney complex, cardiac myxomas do not necessarily occur at fossa ovalis. • Early recognition is essential for patients with cardiac involvement. Carney syndrome is an autosomal dominant complex involving endocrinopathy, mucocutaneous hyperpigmentation, and different tumors, including cardiac myxomas. We report on a single family with several members affected with Carney syndrome. Family and individual medical histories were investigated in several Canadian provinces. The histology slides were also reviewed. Four family members (two young women, both sisters, their mother, and maternal grandmother) were found to harbor Carney syndrome. Everyone was presented with multiple and recurrent atrial myxomas of the heart, requiring multiple open cardiac surgeries. Breast myxomas and cutaneous hyperpigmentation were also revealed in one of the sisters and their mother. Interestingly, genetic testing was positive for the female family members and negative for the father and brother. We cannot rule out that the brother may have had a new mutation or harboring a mosaic. The young woman's brother did not have cardiac myxoma but developed a unilateral Sertoli cell tumor of testis. Carney syndrome is a rare complex multisystemic genetic disorder, including multiple and recurrent cardiac myxomas. We strongly suggest that reporting familial Carney syndrome is still critical in the 21st century to augment the awareness of this situation among clinicians and pathologists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study empirically investigates whether targeted government spending and environmental policies promote green growth, as measured by greenhouse gas productivity. Government spending for pollution abatement (GEPA) represents non-market environmental policies encompassing both enforcement regulations and stakeholder incentives, while policy dummy represents province specific targeted environmental policies. Using panel data from 1995 to 2020 across ten provinces of Canada, an empirical model based on STIRPAT has been developed and estimated, addressing various econometric issues to ensure the robustness and consistency of the results. The findings confirm that both GEPA and targeted environmental policies are crucial determinants in achieving green growth. Additionally, variables such as business sector expenditures for R&D, the share of renewable energy, per capita GDP, and population also contribute to green growth. These results highlight the importance of the stick-and-carrot approach as a key strategy and policy tool for sustainable development. The implications of these findings extend beyond Canada and hold valuable lessons for emerging and developing countries that predominantly rely on command-and-control regulations without adequate support. To effectively address the challenge of achieving green growth, a coordinated approach that combines targeted government spending and environmental policies, supported by innovation and renewable energy exploration, is essential. Overall, this study's findings have significant implications for environmental sustainability on a global scale. [Display omitted] • Examines the effect of targeted government spending and environmental policies on green growth in Canada. • Uses greenhouse gas productivity as an index of green growth. • Estimates the empirical model developed addressing advanced econometric issues related to panel data for 1995–2020. • Controls renewable energy, innovation, per capita income, population. • Have significant implications for environmental sustainability on a global scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through survey and focus groups in two provinces in Canada misunderstanding and confusion surrounding Low-Dose Ionizing Radiation (LDIR) is explored specifically surrounding medical procedures, risk, and benefits. Generally people associated the word radiation with harm, but when asked participants were not concerned about LDIR. Approximately equal numbers (40%) thought LDIR was 'difficult' as those that thought it was 'easy' but research results reveal confusion about the definition of and sources of LDIR. Most people believed the benefits of LDIR outweighed the risks. Further, many had inaccurate views of 'high' dose radiation. Scientists and the Canadian regulator were determined to be the most trusted sources of information while elected officials and industry representatives the least trusted. Participants wanted more information on whether LDIR was a problem in Canada, what the risks were associated with it, as well as the applicable protections, rules and regulations. Focus group participants expressed a preference for face-to-face exchange of information, but mass media remains an important source of information as the first-place people check for answers. Future research surrounding behavioural science and LDIR communications, and deep LDIR science communication will be important in addressing this issue. • People do not have high levels of knowledge of low dose ionizing radiation (LDIR). • Most people respond well to the term LDIR and believe benefits outweigh negatives. • Scientists are most trusted communicators followed by the regulator. • Some participants wanted more information surrounding radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Proterozoic evolution of Laurentia involved intermittent orogens and arc-related crustal growth along a modern-style convergent margin, termed the Great Proterozoic Accretionary Orogen (GPAO). The major lithotectonic provinces of the GPAO in the United States are exposed as telescoped equivalents within the thrust stack of the Grenville Province in Canada. We report zircon U Pb and Lu Hf isotope analyses for two orthogneisses and one quartzite from Archean and Paleoproterozoic domains in the gneiss belt of the SW Grenville Province, Canada. The data constrains Paleoproterozoic crustal growth and sedimentation for this part of the Laurentian margin. The orthogneisses have similar zircon U Pb and Lu Hf isotope systematics that reflect igneous reworking (ca. 1700–1660 Ma) of a Penokean aged (ca. 1.9 Ga) depleted mantle derived source, along with metamorphic reactivation at both ca. 1.45 Ga and during the Grenville Orogeny (1.2–1.0 Ga). The quartzite has a bimodal Paleoproterozoic (2.1–1.8 Ga) and Archean (> 2.5 Ga) detrital zircon age spectrum. The Paleoproterozoic detrital zircon grains have a wide range of Hf(t) compositions (εHf(t) = −12.5 to 10) reflecting co-eval interaction of Archean and depleted Paleoproterozoic sources, contrasted by a more restricted range for the Archean population (εHf(t) = −7 to 4). The new data support the presence of reworked ca. 1.9 Ga depleted mantle sources in the Paleoproterozoic Parautochthon, which extend further east than previously thought. They also identify correlations amongst detrital zircon age spectra and Hf isotope compositions in quartzites from different locations of the Archean Parautochthon. • Juvenile Penokean sources (∼1.9 Ga) extend into the SW Grenville Province. • Penokean (∼1.9 Ga) crust-mantle mixing recorded by detrital zircon Lu Hf isotopes. • Erosion and redeposition of sedimentary sinks can mask orogen detrital systematics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New whole-rock Sr-Nd-Pb-O isotope data are combined with previously published results for Sr and Nd isotopes and major and trace element chemistry to examine the petrogenetic and tectonic environments of a suite of ca. 980 Ma potassic to ultrapotassic dykes (PUD) from the Canyon domain, central Grenville Province in Canada. The PUD suite can be divided into two geochemically distinct groups that exhibit characteristic source mineralogy, depth of partial melting, and multi-stage metasomatism of heterogeneous mantle sources. Major and trace element data suggest involvement of both fertile and depleted sources involving spinel and garnet peridotite, while trace element and isotope data indicate long-term LREE and LILE enrichments and HFSE depletions in ancient subduction settings. Low time-integrated Rb/Sr, Sm/Nd, and U/Pb ratios suggest enriched mantle EM-I metasomatized by ancient subduction of continental upper crust and/or carbonate sediments. A latest phase of fluid/melt metasomatism is attributed to a late-Grenvillian intracontinental subduction and limited lithospheric extension. The late-Grenvillian tectonic setting is proposed here to be characterized by shallow-angle underthrusting of the foreland beneath the Grenvillian hinterland, where SCLM, initially of Proterozoic age and eventually of Late Archean age, became transported beneath the orogenic core. The intracontinental collision was short-lived and probably terminated because of buoyancy constraints related to the refractory character of the subducted Archean lithospheric mantle. • Late Grenvillian potassic to ultrapotassic dykes from the orogenic hinterland in Canada are geochemically and isotopically characterized. • Late Archean and Proterozoic lithospheric mantle sources record ancient subduction metasomatism and late fluid metasomatism prior to dyke emplacement. • Tectonic setting characterized by shallow-angle or flat underthrusting of the foreland lithosphere beneath the hinterland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme events, including tsunamis, storm surges and hurricanes, affect the western North Atlantic coast, threatening communities and impacting ecosystems. Although these extreme coastal events (ECEs) are currently thoroughly monitored in the area, older ECEs are known only from short historical evidence. Therefore, establishing a reliable ECE history that extends more than several decades into the past requires data from geological records. This study aims to refine the existing record of ECEs on the southern Burin Peninsula (Newfoundland, Canada) that extends back to the mid-18th century by providing the first lake-sediment-based reconstruction of the event history of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. We investigated short sediment cores collected from four shallow coastal lakes. The identification of ECEs relied mainly on lithostratigraphic evidence and peak detection of sand grain counts. Diatoms, dry bulk density, and loss-on-ignition were also analyzed. The age-depth models of the cores were based on 210Pb and 137Cs dating. The correlation of our records with major historical events confirmed that statistically significant sand count peaks, sand layers, and redeposited peat clasts are indicative of major ECEs. We found that the type and characteristics of ECE records depended mainly on the availability of sediment, distance from the seashore, and magnitude of the event. Although some of our ECE markers are associated with marine inundations, only slight diatom community changes were observed, contrary to what is commonly expected from the disturbance of brackish and freshwater ecosystems by major saltwater intrusions. Combined, our records indicate that at least eight ECEs occurred since the late 17th century, three of which might correlate with historically documented events, namely the 1755 CE Lisbon tsunami, the 1775 CE Great Independence Hurricane, and the 1929 CE Newfoundland tsunami. Although further investigations are required to better constrain the type and magnitude of particular ECEs, our study confirms the suitability of geological archives for improving hazard assessment in coastal regions. • We show the northernmost reconstruction of extreme coastal events for Eastern Canada. • The lake sediment records, spanning up to 350 yrs, evidenced 8 extreme coastal events. • Our sediment markers correlate well with three known historical events. • The 1929 CE Grand Banks tsunami was likely the most catastrophic event in the area. • First sedimentary evidence of the 1755 CE tsunami impacts in NW Atlantic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brachytherapy (BT) target dose and coverage are critical to the cure of locally advanced cervical cancer (CC). Advances in imaging, volumetric definitions, and BT planning aims/constraints have collectively been associated with improved tumor control outcomes over traditional practices. But some historic conventions remain in BT, such as applying uniform radiobiological parameters (RbP). Having previously generated a/b and T 1/2 from CC cell lines, we explored the potential impact of differing RbP against population-based outcomes in an era of MR-BT boost. All CC patients seen 1/2013 - 12/2015 in the Canadian province of Alberta (AB), and treated with radical (chemo)radiotherapy (external beam (EBRT) + BT), were identified. From health records, demographic, clinicopathologic, treatment and outcomes data were abstracted. Descriptive and Kaplan-Meier methods were supplemented by Cox-regression multivariable analysis (MVA), factoring in experimentally derived (exp) RbP for BT tumor doses (in addition to treated doses using conventional a/b and T 1/2 (10 Gy, 1.5 h)). 127 women (median age 50.5 y [23-82]) received curative (chemo)EBRT+BT in AB's 2 tertiary cancer centers (2:1), after exclusions (such as n=12 oligometastatic). Over half (73/125) were smokers. Squamous (SCC) predominated (76.4%) over adenocarcinoma-containing (ADC, 16.5%) or higher-risk (3.1%) histologies, with 3.9% incompletely characterized carcinoma. Primaries were mainly FIGO(2009) clinical stage IIB (37.8%, with the remainder IB 29.9%, IIA 10.2%, IIIA 2.4%, IIIB 15.0%, and IVA 3.9%); 61.4% were node(LN)-positive (pelvic and/or para-aortic (PA)) on imaging. Most (n=102) had weekly cisplatin (median 5 cycles [1-6]) with usual pelvic±PA EBRT (45-50.8 Gy EQD2 in 25-28 fx) and image-based intracavitary BT (67.7% PDR 1-2 fx, vs HDR 1-3 fx; 96.9% MRI; 15% hybrid interstitial). N=12 had initial hemostatic 1-2 fx (5-7.2 Gy); EBRT boost was sequential (3.6-21 Gy in 1.8-4 Gy/fx, to LN/parametria/pelvis) in n=26, simultaneous integrated in n=2. Median overall treatment time (OTT) was 48 days [38-112]. 9 of 127 had no chemotherapy. At BT, median HR-CTV volume was 29.8 cm3 [9.6-212.1], with median treated D90, 88.3 Gy EQD2 [53.4-122.1] (Point A 79.6 [56.3-146.2]). Applying a/b 5.6 Gy and T 1/2 3.4 h for SCC (4.3 Gy and 1.0 h for ADC), exp HR-CTV D90 and Point A medians were 102.0 [54.6-177.9] and 86.9 [57.7-225.8] Gy EQD2. Median follow-up was 83 months [4-115], with 5y-OS of 69.3% and pelvic LC, 79.9%. Clinical stage group (p=0.001) and OTT (p=0.008) were associated with OS (LN or chemotherapy status did not reach statistical significance). Exp target dose (Point A, p=0.029; D90, p=0.028) but not treated HR-CTV D90 or volume (trend only) also showed association. For ADC (not SCC), 5y-OS varied by exp, not treated, dose (Point A 79.5% vs 61.2%, p=0.013; D90 54.7% vs 80.3%, p=0.006). On MVA, OTT and exp Point A dose were significant predictors of OS after adjusting for age, chemo, stage, HR-CTV volume and smoking status. Pelvic LC differed, on univariate analysis, by stage (p=0.025), LN status (p=0.021), and exp D90 (p=0.022), with trends observed for OTT and HR-CTV volume but not histology, chemotherapy, BT imaging or center. 5y-LC of ADC also differed by exp Point A (93.2% vs 72.4%, p=0.062) and exp D90 (68.5% vs. 92.3%, p=0.019) doses, but not on MVA. Real-world late outcomes for a province-wide CC cohort are reflective of treatment factors, more so than disease burden. Further understanding of RbP is needed for optimum application in CC and outcomes-informed EBRT+BT dosing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel bridge weigh-in-motion method is presented using parametric dynamic bridge-vehicle interaction formulation. • Modal parameters extracted from ambient vibration tests are used to accurately simulate the bridge structures. • The formulation offers superior computational efficiency since it eliminates the need for calibrated finite element models. • The proposed method resulted in accurate estimations even when the vehicle travel path differs from calibrations. • The Proposed method was validated using a full-scale case-study arterial highway bridge in Canada. Dynamic bridge weigh in motion systems use models that can simulate the dynamic behaviour of a bridge subjected to moving traffic. Currently available models use complex and computationally expensive Moving Force Identification (MFI) methods that utilize finite element models to estimate the bridge torsional and transverse dynamic behaviour. This paper presents a novel dynamic parametric BWIM method that utilizes the experimentally estimated modal parameters for simulating the response of a bridge structure to moving loads. The estimated modes of an in-situ structure inherently capture the true bridge behaviour for any generalized geometry, boundary conditions and load position. Therefore, it enables the complex torsional and transverse bending behaviour of the bridge to be captured. In this paper, the mathematical derivation of the analytical model is presented in detail, then model calibration and weighing procedures are outlined, followed by the validation of the proposed method using a full-scale case study arterial highway bridge in the Canadian Province of New Brunswick. The proposed dynamic BWIM method offers a novel solution for the development of real-time BWIM systems that is efficient to calibrate and accurate in vehicle identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study addresses a gap that exists in studying waste business characteristics and the performance of a waste management system (WMS). Temporal and spatial analyses of the WMS in four Western Canadian provinces are systematically assessed over a 16-year period. The average waste business size in Canada ranged from 13.4 to 22.1 employees per business. Jurisdictions with lower disposal rates generally have larger waste companies. An average employee handled 1098 to 1426 t of waste annually. The diversion rates tended to be higher when less waste is managed per employee, suggesting total employee count may be important to improve WMS sustainability in Canada. Waste transfer costs are substantial during the study period, totaled $1276 million annually, or about 40.7% of the total government waste spending. BC only spent an average of 2.5% of the budget on operation of recycling facilities, but has the highest waste diversion rate. Expenditure distribution alone is unable to explain BC's superior waste diversion performance. Capital expenditures have been increasing from $15.7/t to $26.2/t. In this study, a business with more full-time employees correlates well with higher operating revenues. Part time workers were more predominant in SK, and may be responsible for the subpar diversion rate and operating revenue. More research is needed to determine waste business characteristics given increasing interest in circular economy and WMS efficiency. • Waste management systems (WMS) in Canada are examined over a 16-year period • Capital expenditures increased gradually, with an average of $22.7/t • Total employee count may be vital to improve WMS sustainability in Canada • A business with more full-time employees correlates with higher operating revenues • Studies on business characteristics and their effect on WMS performance are limited [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon dioxide (CO 2) emissions from community-based consumption are a major contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions. However, little is understood about how demographic, socioeconomic, and household factors may contribute to community CO 2 emissions variation. Using traditional regression methods to model community emissions does not discriminate which of these factors are responsible for CO 2 emissions in high carbon emitting communities versus low carbon emitting communities, leading to policy development that does not consider emission variation across communities. To address this issue, we used quantile regression to model these effects on different quantiles of community emissions for 1451 communities across Canada and each province in 2015, respectively. The results showed that population, followed by affluence, were the most important variables affecting total community emissions, while affluence was the most important factor affecting per capita community emissions. However, the effect sizes were not consistent across quantiles, decreasing for population and increasing for affluence from low to high emission communities. Population density was significant across all communities except the lowest quantile communities, with the effect size increasing from smaller to larger communities. Additionally, our measure of poverty was significantly associated with increases in total and per capita emissions for all quantiles at the national level. Our finding that factors responsible for CO 2 emissions varied across communities of different quantiles suggests that successful emission reduction policies must account for the diversity of community characteristics, particularly considering variation in population and affluence. Our study also shows poverty alleviation is an effective means for CO 2 emission reduction and should be considered when adopting emission reduction policies. • We used quantile regression to model the variation in community CO 2 emissions. • Factors responsible for CO 2 varied greatly from low to high CO 2 emission quantiles. • Population and affluence affected CO 2 most but were inconsistent across quantiles. • Emission reduction policies must account for these community emission variations. • Poverty alleviation could have the co-benefit of limiting community CO 2 emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The heavy reliance on information and communication technology (ICT) has prompted the importance of cyber security more than ever in history. Although there are various studies that explored the importance of cybersecurity solutions, the impact of production and usage of these solutions on the natural environment and their economic impact has been rarely researched. The objective of this research is to investigate the environmental and economic impact of cybersecurity solutions. An extensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has been performed on three cybersecurity solutions to assess and compare their environmental impact. Based on global warming potential, the embodied carbon footprint was determined. Carbon footprint and operational costs were used to calculate Life Cycle Cost (LCC) analysis and these data were then used to compare the eco-efficiency of the three cybersecurity solutions. This research compares three cybersecurity solutions: Next Generation DataGuard (NGD), Current State of Art Solution (CSAS), and a Generic Cybersecurity Solution (GCS), to identify an economically viable and environmentally friendly cybersecurity solution. The result of the analysis indicated that NGD was approximately 58% and 88% more energy-efficient than CSAS and GCS, respectively. Also, the LCC of NGD was approximately 6%- 12% lower than CSAS and 22%- 40% lower than GCS in selected provinces in Canada. The eco-efficiency of CSAS was approximately 60% less than NGD. Next Generation DataGuard is found to be a successful solution in this research among the three solutions. This study will be useful to researchers, cybersecurity industries, and policymakers to develop informed decisions on cybersecurity solutions. [Display omitted] • The life cycle environmental and economic performance of three cybersecurity solutions were compared. • Next Generation DataGuard (NGD) was approximately 58% and 88% more energy-efficient than current state of art solution and generic cybersecurity solution, respectively. • The NGD displayed superior environmental and economic performance for all Canadian cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vast coastline provides Canada with a flourishing seafood industry including bivalve shellfish production. To sustain a healthy bivalve molluscan shellfish production, the Canadian Shellfish Sanitation Program was established to monitor the health of shellfish harvesting habitats, and fecal coliform bacteria data have been collected at nearly 15,000 marine sample sites across six coastal provinces in Canada since 1979. We applied Functional Principal Component Analysis and subsequent correlation analyses to find annual variation patterns of bacteria levels at sites in each province. The overall magnitude and the seasonality of fecal contamination were modelled by functional principal component one and two, respectively. The amplitude was related to human and warm-blooded animal activities; the seasonality was strongly correlated with river discharge driven by precipitation and snow melt in British Columbia, but such correlation in provinces along the Atlantic coast could not be properly evaluated due to lack of data during winter. • Sparse fecal pollution data were collected across ~15,000 sites along Canada's coast. • Longitudinal geospatial distributions of bacterial levels over decades were studied. • Functional Principal Component Analysis revealed two major annual patterns. • Human and wild-life activities related to the geospatial bacterial amplitudes. • River discharge and precipitation related to the temporal changes of fecal bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of in-feed anti-sea lice drugs and their relationship with organic enrichment is poorly understood in sediment surrounding salmon farms. Using data from an aquaculture monitoring program (2018–2020), we describe this relationship at ten sites in four Canadian provinces. Three anti-sea lice pesticides (lufenuron, teflubenzuron, emamectin benzoate and metabolite desmethyl emamectin benzoate), and one antibiotic (oxytetracycline) were detected. Concentrations were often below limits of quantification. Values are also lower than those reported in other aquaculture salmon-producing countries. Highest concentrations, along with organic enrichment, were observed ~200 m of cages with lower concentrations detected up to 1.5 km away. Most samples had at least two drugs present: 75.2 % (British Columbia), 91.4 % (Newfoundland), and 54.8 % (New Brunswick/Nova Scotia) highlighting the potential for cumulative effects. Emamectin benzoate and oxytetracycline were detected four and three years respectively after last known treatments, demonstrating the need for research on overall persistence of compounds. [Display omitted] • Sediment data collected through an aquaculture monitoring program were used. • Three anti-sea lice drugs and one antibiotic were detected at ten salmon sites. • The highest concentrations and organic enrichment were observed within 200 m of cages. • Most sediment samples had at least two drugs present. • There is a significant patchiness in drug presence and organic matter enrichment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the first decade of the twenty-first century the Canadian province of Alberta was enjoying vigorous economic and demographic growth. To address concerns with cumulative impacts on the landscape and rising user conflicts the provincial government introduced a policy that articulated the need for regional planning and the greater use of market-based instruments to incent land stewardship. This was followed by enabling legislation called the Alberta Land Stewardship Act (ALSA). The policy instruments of conservation easements, conservation offsets, and transfer of development credits were identified as being of special interest and were enabled by ALSA. We review the development of policy for each of these instruments subsequent to the legislation and suggest that implementation has faltered in marked departure from the initial enthusiasm for the policy direction. • In 2008-2009 the Canadian province of Alberta introduced new policy and legislation for regional planning and the use of market-based instruments (MBIs) for land stewardship. • MBIs of interest include conservation easements, conservation offsets and transfer of development credits • Despite years of discussions and consultations, there has been little progress made on implementation of the MBIs. • The laggard implementation of MBIs in Alberta may be explained by recent economic and political turns as well as obstacles previously described in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is strong evidence for climate change leading to a rise in temperatures and a change in precipitation trends. These environmental changes pose a threat to pavement infrastructure worldwide. Therefore, it is necessary to modify pavement design procedures to consider climate change. In addition, it is necessary to consider suitable pavement materials for future climate. The objective of this study is to develop a framework for selecting an appropriate adaptation strategy to mitigate climate change impact. To fulfill this, the influence of climate change on long-term pavement performance in Canada has been quantified over sixteen Canadian pavement sections located over various provinces in Canada. In addition, the fundamental causes of pavement deterioration due to climate change were determined using ten different climate change models. Various adaptation strategies such as upgrading asphalt binder grade, increasing the thickness of asphaltic concrete layer, increasing the base layer thickness, and using stabilized base layers were analyzed to reduce pavement deterioration and to extend the service life of the pavement. Unlike the other studies, pavement temperatures were determined using Enhanced Integrated Climate Model (EICM) to determine the change in binder grade for the future climate in the adaptation process. The study found that by 2070 all examined locations will require an upgrade in binder grade and the majority will require an upgrade in mixture gradation. Furthermore, the east and west coast will be more vulnerable to climate change and require additional measures in comparison to Central Canada. Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island are the only locations that will need to consider a change in asphalt thickness while British Columbia is the only location eventually requiring a stabilized base. This study emphasizes the necessity of climate change adaptation strategies for Canadian asphaltic concrete pavements. [Display omitted] • Different combinations of adaptation strategies are necessary at each location. • The Canadian coasts generally require more adaptation measures than Central Canada. • By 2070, all Canadian provinces will require an upgrade in asphalt binder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • An innovative method for prion recovery from swabs was developed. • Recovery of prions decreased as swab-drying time was increased. • Recovery of CWD prions from stainless steel and glass was approximately 30%. • RT-QuIC enhanced CWD prion detection by 4 orders of magnitude. • Surface-recovered CWD prion was sufficient for efficient RT-QuIC detection. Chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been identified in 30 states in the United States, four provinces in Canada, and recently emerged in Scandinavia. The association of CWD prions with environmental materials such as soil, plants, and surfaces may enhance the persistence of CWD prion infectivity in the environment exacerbating disease transmission. Identifying and quantifying CWD prions in the environment is significant for prion monitoring and disease transmission control. A systematic method for CWD prion quantification from associated environmental materials, however, does not exist. In this study, we developed an innovative method for extracting prions from swabs and recovering CWD prions swabbed from different types of surfaces including glass, stainless steel, and wood. We found that samples dried on swabs were unfavorable for prion extraction, with the greatest prion recovery from wet swabs. Using this swabbing technique, the recovery of CWD prions dried to glass or stainless steel was approximately 30% in most cases, whereas that from wood was undetectable by conventional prion immunodetection techniques. Real-time quake-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) analysis of these same samples resulted in an increase of the detection limit of CWD prions from stainless steel by 4 orders of magnitude. More importantly, the RT-QuIC detection of CWD prions recovered from stainless steel surfaces using this method was similar to the original CWD prion load applied to the surface. This combined surface swabbing and RT-QuIC detection method provides an ultrasensitive means for prion detection across many settings and applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meeting commitments to the Paris Agreement will necessitate a transition in Canada's power system including increased generation from renewable sources. This study analyzes the Canadian electricity system in terms of its readiness to operationalize decarbonization strategies. More specially, this paper evaluates potential of Canada's electricity system in terms of the flexibility required to integrate variable renewable energies (VREs). To do so, the SILVER production cost model (PCM) is refined to improve its representation in terms of hydro resources, demand response programs and price-setting mechanism. Next, a network-constrained unit commitment (NCUC) of SILVER is built for each of Canada's ten provinces for a one-year period based on 2018 data. The results are used to assess the system flexibility and transmission network sufficiency as well as operational aspects including costs and emissions. The results indicate the SILVER's improved hydro modelling enhances the result of operation model by 4% on average. Also, the results demonstrate high flexibility of Canada's hydro-dominated network side along with free capacity in the transmission network can realize 54% VREs penetration rate on average for VREs curtailment less than 10%. In addition, implementation of demand side programs improves the VREs penetration rate by 2%–6% on average. • A Canadian electricity network operation model, SILVER, is improved. • The first suite of operation model of Canada's provinces is built. • Flexibility of Canada's electricity system is assessed. • Potential of Canada's electricity system for VREs integration is analyzed. • Impact of demand response programs on VREs integration is evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Waste collection and landfill siting are concurrently optimized at regional level. • Two original performance indicators, ACC and LMI, are proposed and implemented. • Road length is one of the most important optimization parameters in Saskatchewan. • Divisions that share provincial or international borders generally optimized better. • Indigenous communities in border sharing divisions need better landfill siting plan. Landfilling continues to be one of the most popular waste treatment methods in Canada or abroad. NIMBYism has forced waste facilities to be sited further from populated centers, meaning that increases in waste management efficiency result in considerable cost savings. Concurrent optimization of waste collection and disposal siting on a regional scale is of practical importance. This study combines collection route optimization and landfill siting using GIS methods to design a regional waste management system in Saskatchewan, Canada. Two original performance indicators are proposed based on route optimization and landfill siting, namely the accessibility (ACC) and Landfill Minimization Index (LMI). The result suggest that the accessibility was able to be improved by between 15.4 and 794.7%, and the optimization methods was always effective in providing higher resident accessibility. Improvements in the LMI yielded less improvement, ranging from -13.9% to +422.2%. Correlation analysis showed that road length is a key optimization parameter. This finding is important to Indigenous communities who suffer from a lack of intensified road network. Divisions that share provincial or international borders generally have higher improvements in ACC and LMI. Strategic placement of landfills and road networks are key to improve waste management system efficiency in Saskatchewan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the dynamic causal relationship between renewable energy prices and economic growth in the cases of Norway, New Zealand, and two Canadian provinces. A Markov-switching vector autoregression (MS-VAR) model is used with model parameters being governed by a hidden Markov chain, allowing the causal relationship to vary amongst different states of the economy. A unidirectional causal link, running from economic growth to renewable energy is found in the case of New Zealand, Alberta, and Ontario. The causality emerges in the cases of New Zealand and Ontario, during periods of high economic growth, whilst it materializes in the cases of Alberta during periods of low economic growth. Our empirical results document the existence of a time-dependent causal relationship between renewable-energy prices and economic growth. • Causality link between renewable-energy (RE) prices & economic growth (EG) is probed. • The cases of Norway, New Zealand (NZ) and two Canadian provinces are presented. • Oil prices & interest rate are control variates in a Markov-switching VAR model. • There is a unidirectional causality (EG to RE) at high EG period for NZ & Ontario. • A unidirectional causality is found from EG to RE at low EG period for Alberta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We examined self-harm death counts during COVID-19 in four Canadian provinces. • Observed self-harm death counts were generally lower than predicted self-harm death counts. • Differences between observed and predicted self-harm death counts were not statistically significant. • Lockdown stringency and COVID-19 case numbers were not associated with observed self-harm death counts. Governments implemented lockdowns and other physical distancing measures to stop the spread of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). Resulting unemployment, income loss, poverty, and social isolation, coupled with daily reports of dire news about the COVID-19 pandemic, could serve as catalysts for increased self-harm deaths (SHD). This ecological study examined whether observed SHD counts were higher than predicted SHD counts during the pandemic period in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and Québec. The study also explored whether SHD counts during the pandemic were affected by lockdown severity (measured using the lockdown stringency index [LSI]) and COVID-19 case numbers. We utilized publicly available SHD data from January 2018 through November 2020, and employed AutoRegressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) modelling, to predict SHD during the COVID-19 period (March 21 to November 28, 2020). We used Poisson and negative binomial regression to assess ecological associations between the LSI and COVID-19 case numbers, controlling for seasonality, and SHD counts during the COVID-19 period. On average, observed SHD counts were lower than predicted counts during this period (p < 0.05 [except Alberta]). Additionally, LSI and COVID-19 case numbers were not statistically significantly associated with SHD counts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Late Archean granitic plutons in northeastern Superior Province have diverse sources. • Four granitic suites record transition from plume-dominated regime to plate tectonics. • The ∼2730–2700 Ma subduction-related plutonism is the major crustal growth event. • The transition between tectonic regimes occurred over a short time span of 30 My. • The transition was markedly diachronous across the Superior Province. The Superior Province in Canada represents an excellent natural laboratory to test various models of crustal growth and evaluate tectonic regimes during the late Archean. Here, we present new geochemical and geochronological data for ca. 2.8–2.7 Ga plutons intruding different lithotectonic units of the north-eastern part of the Superior Province that demonstrate a complex nature and evolution of magma sources in relation to a changing tectonic setting. Four distinct plutonic suites were newly identified: (1) sodic tonalite–diorite (TD) with a composition resembling low-pressure TTG-like melts, (2) sodic tonalite–granodiorite–diorite (TGD) with medium/high-pressure TTG-like signatures, (3) Mg–K-rich monzogranite to monzodiorite (sanukitoids; MMD), and (4) K-rich granodiorite–granite–monzogranite (GGM). These suites are interpreted as recording a temporal evolution from plume-assisted melting of lower mafic continental crust through melting of a subducted oceanic slab at different depths to large-scale re-melting of the previously formed and amalgamated crustal units. In this evolutionary scheme, the ∼2730–2700 Ma subduction-related plutonism is the most voluminous addition of the juvenile arc material and thus represents the most significant crustal growth event. Altogether, the above inferences and published data suggest that the late Archean plutonism in the Superior Province formed during a transitional regime from plume-dominated to plate-tectonic over a short time span between ∼2730 and ∼2700 Ma and that this transition was markedly diachronous across the Province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We constructed presence and abundance model for invasive species buckthorn. • Zero-inflated negative binomial fit the best among other examined models. • Probability of presence is positively related to solar radiation and species diversity. • Abundancy is positively related with stem density, housing density and mean diameter. • We characterized the ecology of buckthorn distribution in Wisconsin. • Our model can help land managers in their effort to mitigate buckthorn invasion. Common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) and glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus) are two species of invasive shrubs causing extensive environmental harm across multiple states of the US and Canadian provinces. One important consideration when managing invasive plants is understanding their habitat preferences. Knowing where the species is most likely to occur can allow monitoring and management activities to focus in those areas. In Wisconsin, factors affecting the presence and abundance of buckthorn have been described for small regions but never at the State level. Therefore, the objective of this study was to develop a predictive model for occurrence and abundancy of buckthorn. Data were collected by establishing 616 sample plots across Wisconsin school forests. We constructed five types of models; logistic regression, regular Poisson and negative binomial regression, and zero-inflated Poisson (ZIP) and negative binomial regression (ZINB) using several plot and stand level model explanatory variables. The ZINB, as the best model among them, indicated that stem density, species diversity, and mean diameter at breast height of woody species (not including buckthorn) as well as distance to nearest house, housing density within 1 km, solar irradiation, percent silt, and latitude were important for estimating buckthorn presence and abundance. The models developed in this study can guide land managers on where to target mitigation actions by identifying areas invaded by buckthorn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Despite the proven benefit of adjuvant androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for patients receiving primary radiation, there are few studies evaluating adjuvant ADT after prostatectomy. In the absence of evidence, opinions and practice patterns vary. We surveyed Canadian prostate cancer surgeons about their use of adjuvant ADT and their opinions on the design of a potential adjuvant ADT trial.Methods: An electronic survey was devised and distributed using a modified Dillman approach. The survey was sent to 38 Canadian urologists that perform radical prostatectomy and representing all 17 major academic institutions in Canada and all 10 Canadian provinces. Reminders were sent three and four weeks following the original request. In addition to demographic information, we asked surgeons about their current use of postoperative adjuvant ADT and their opinion about the need for a clinical trial. To inform trial design, we asked respondents their opinions about which patients should be eligible, what duration of ADT was most appropriate, and which outcomes are clinically meaningful. The survey was sent in February 2020 and all responses were received by March 2020.Results: All 38 (100%) invited urologists completed the survey. Only 3 (7%) respondents currently offer postoperative adjuvant ADT as an option for patients without metastases. 35 (92%) urologists believed that a trial is needed before short-term adjuvant treatment should be offered to prevent recurrence. 15 (45%) urologists believed an adjuvant ADT trial was most appropriate for patients with an estimated PSA recurrence risk of >25% and 16 (42%) believed a recurrence risk of >50% was most appropriate. 25 (66%) respondents believed 12-month was the optimal duration of treatment with adjuvant ADT for a randomized trial. 37 (97%) respondents felt that prolonging the time to PSA recurrence and/or pelvic radiation was a clinically important outcome. The majority (20; 53%) of respondents would recommend 12 months of adjuvant ADT in their practice if a randomized trial showed a 50% relative risk reduction in PSA recurrence at 5-year postoperative.Conclusion: The vast majority of Canadian prostate cancer surgeons do not offer adjuvant ADT following prostatectomy in patients without metastases. Based on the results from this survey, a randomized trial was considered warranted and feasible, and would influence patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Life cycle inventory (LCI) data gaps present a crucial challenge in research and development using life cycle assessment (LCA). The present study addresses this challenge by using optimized Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs). ANN's adjustable parameters (i.e. topology and hyperparameters) significantly affect prediction capability. Thus, the optimality of those parameters is of paramount importance. However, performing an optimization on the entire ANN's adjustable parameters is computationally demanding, which may result in an intractable problem. To tackle this challenge, the present study proposes a hybrid approach using heuristics and Genetic Algorithm to systematically design optimal ANNs in a tractable fashion. The proposed approach is then assessed through the prediction of data gaps in the Canadian fuel LCI database, GHGenius (an open-access tool for modeling Canadian fuel pathways). This is achieved using an automation workflow that extracts LCI data from GHGenius at the fuel/province/unit process level. It is found that the resulting optimal ANNs not only are accurate in predicting data to fill CO 2 -eq emissions data gaps for unit processes present in the Canadian fuel life cycles but also possess shallower hidden topologies. These salient results are ascribed to the impacts of the input layer on the optimal network. In particular, input layers comprised of categorical and numerical features lead to enhancement of network prediction and/or shallower hidden topology for optimal ANNs. Taken altogether, the present study proposes, implements, and validates a systematic framework to tractably design optimal ANNs for predicting data to fill data gaps in LCI databases. In addition, this study quantifies average contributions of each unit process present in the Canadian fuel life cycles, including fossil-based and renewable pathways, to total CO 2 -eq emissions, which is of particular interest in cut-off analysis. [Display omitted] • Contributions of unit processes of fuel pathways to net emissions are determined. • A tractable approach is proposed to optimally design ANNs to fill data gaps. • The combination of categorical and numerical attributes improves ANNs' optimality. • Emission data gaps are estimated using optimal Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Recurrent neural networks can effectively identify dairy cows with mastitis. • Including additional variables improves detection over milk characteristics alone. • Within-day changes in behaviour and milk are key indicators of mastitis onset. • Between-farm variability is likely a major limiter for model generalizability. Mastitis is the most important disease in the dairy industry. With widespread adoption of automated milking systems (AMS) in Canada, there is an increasing need for automated detection of mastitis in AMS farms. The main objective of this study was to develop a recurrent neural network (RNN) model for the detection of clinical mastitis (CM) in dairy cows on farms using AMS. Producer-recorded treatment records and AMS data were collected over 3 time periods from a total of 89 dairy farms in 7 provinces across Canada. In addition to developing effective models for the detection of CM, our study also evaluated different windows around the day of diagnosis when the cow would be considered CM-positive to guide practical implementation of models. We also compared numerous subsets of variables including milk and behavioural characteristics, cow traits and farm-level/environmental variables to determine their importance and impact on model performance. Data were randomly divided into a training and a hold-out test set, consisting of all records from 66 and 23 farms, respectively. A 10-fold internal cross-validation was also employed on the training set for model development. When comparing different windows of time around diagnosis, considering animals as CM-positive for 3 d prior to recorded diagnosis resulted in the most timely and effective detection of CM with a per-case sensitivity of 89.8% (range: 83.3–96.0%), and per-day specificity of 84.3% (range: 83.4–85.8%) over the validation folds. These levels of sensitivity and specificity were achieved when using all recorded variables and their daily variances, although the inclusion of behavioural variables and farm-level/environmental variables provided marginal performance improvement over using milk traits alone. Performance of the model was worse on the hold-out test set with a per-case sensitivity of 83.5% (range: 77.9–86.3%) and a per-day specificity of 80.4 % (range: 78.1–82.4%), likely due to farm-specific heterogeneity not encountered in the training data. Over 90% of cases of severe CM (defined by an increase in milk temperature over the pre-CM baseline) were identified by the model, indicating effective performance for the detection of CM requiring the most immediate treatment. Somatic cell count, daily variance in milking interval and milk temperature were identified as the 3 most important variables defined by their impact on model predictions. In addition to milking traits, 8 of the top 20 variables were behavioural measurements, suggesting they can play a role in the detection of CM. Daily variances also represented 8 of the 20 most important variables indicating that CM onset may be associated with sudden, within-day changes in the animal. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that RNNs are able to effectively detect CM by integrating a number of variables that are regularly measured on AMS farms but have typically been excluded from CM detection models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Annexation is the most common form of municipal boundary adjustment in Canada, yet a systematic analysis of annexations is missing from the academic literature. This begs two key questions: Why do Canadian municipalities annex land? What are the land use outcomes of annexation? This qualitative and quantitative case study of Alberta, a Canadian prairie province, reveals that trends in annexation activity, motivations, and land use outcomes are broadly informative, but every instance of annexation is a story of local ambitions and outcomes. Through a series of examples, we illustrate a growth-driven, inherently political and economic process of annexation that is sometimes complex, and one in which the outcomes of annexation may not always match the motivations for it. We find that multiple motivations (that may be intertwined) prompt municipal annexations; furthermore, development in the annexed area occurred at the expense of the non-annexed parts of annexing municipalities, particularly in small towns and villages. This leads us to believe that annexation is perhaps a contributing factor to urban sprawl and land fragmentation. The study calls into question the efficacy of annexation as a policy tool for municipal boundary adjustment or as a substitute for conducting regional planning. • Annexation is a contributing factor to urban sprawl and land fragmentation. • Multiple motivations (that may be intertwined) prompt municipal annexations such as expand municipal revenues, and expect large-scale development. • development in the annexed area occurs at the expense of the non-annexed parts of annexing municipalities, particularly in small towns and villages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study estimated the relationships between increases in legal cannabis stores, legal cannabis sales, and cannabis prevalence in Canadian provinces between 2018 and 2020.Method: Government data were used to calculate changes in licensed store numbers, retail sales dollars, and past-three-month users in 10 provinces across six time periods. The resulting N = 60 observations were standardized per million residents aged 15 and up, and then analyzed via linear regression.Results: Store growth explained 46.3% of the variation in provincial sales growth; each added store was associated with added quarterly sales of $305 (95% CI: $208 to $402) thousand. By contrast, store growth explained only 7.7% of the variation in provincial user growth; each added store was associated with 696 (95% CI: 58-1334) added users.Conclusion: From 2018 to 2020, Canada's rapid cannabis retail expansion was strongly related to legal sales growth but only weakly related to prevalence growth. This implies prevalence growth during that period was related more to legalization's other aspects and/or to the continuation of already-existing trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On-site carbon capturing, storage, and utilization (CCSU) has proven its' potential to reduce CO 2 emissions from large-scale fossil fuel combustion systems. However, the integration of CCSU in community-scale on-site energy generation applications such as district energy systems has not been comprehensively explored in literature. This study aims to propose a life cycle thinking-based framework to compare and prioritize emission reduction strategies that include CCSU and renewable energy technologies to develop zero-emission community energy systems. The framework incorporates multi-criteria decision-making approaches to rank and prioritize community energy emission mitigation strategies. A scenario-based method was employed in assessing the performance of CCSU technologies along with other compatible alternative energy choices. The framework was demonstrated for all the provinces in Canada. Results show that CCSU is more favorable for regions with high dependence on fossil fuel-based energy sources. CCSU could reach the commercial scale if the cost of emission avoided drops below the cost of CO 2 emissions.. The findings of this study are geared towards providing practical decision-support tools for stakeholders who hold responsible for policy and investment decisions in community energy. The developed framework is a generalized technique that provides the flexibility to be employed in any location across the globe. • Emission planning based on techno-economic and environmental performance. • Prospect of CCSU rises if cost of emission reduction drops below cost of emissions. • Cost of infrastructure takes up more than 70% of overall CCSU project costs. • Energy mix, carbon tax, and infrastructure impact emission planning decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]