July 8, 2026

The Government of Canada has made a $630M investment through NSERC’s Discovery Research Program. The majority of the funds, $613M, were disbursed through 3,161 new awards for researchers across a variety of disciplines. The funds will support projects that include Arctic research, AI, clean technologies, defence and dual-use technologies, and quantum science. “By investing in our world-class researchers and innovators right here at home, we are helping turn Canadian discoveries into new technologies, growing companies, and good jobs,” said Federal Minister of Industry Mélanie Joly.

Toronto Star reporter Janet Hurley recently reported on the breakdown of recipients of the inaugural Canada Impact+ Research Training Awards, which were used to attract international and expatriate researchers. Nearly half of the 659 award recipients are citizens of the United States (101), China (93), Iran (71), and India (53), while 54 recipients were expatriates returning from abroad. Hurley reports that 195 of the recipients were living in the United States at the time of the nomination. A total of 20 institutions secured at least one post through the program, with the greatest numbers of awards granted by the University of Toronto (89 awards worth $11.34M), the University of British Columbia (52; $6.6M), and McGill University (46; $5.86M).

Yorkville University has announced that it intends to acquire Beal University Canada, bringing Beal’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program into Yorkville. Yorkville has been granted a conditional designation under the Degree Granting Act by the Government of New Brunswick, and the program transition is being reviewed by the College of Nurses of New Brunswick. Faculty and staff are expected to be retained during the transition, and students will continue their studies without any changes to curriculum, clinical hours, or academic standards. “This is a strong and exciting step forward for nursing education in New Brunswick,” said Yorkville President Julia Christensen Hughes. “We anticipate the transaction will close in early September in time for the start of the fall semester.”

The Labour Market Information Council has released a guide explaining how to interpret and use labour market indicators. The resource explains how to interpret key labour market indicators such as unemployment rates, vacancy rates, and workforce participation rate within their contexts. The authors outline what the different indicators can share about labour supply and demand, offer scenarios for reporting on and using the examples, and provide insight on how to use multiple indicators to better understand labour market imbalances. The appendices include a list of indicators, along with the sources and Statistics Canada table(s) used to find each indicator.

The Government of British Columbia has announced that it is expanding skilled trades certification requirements to tower and mobile crane operators. BC Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills Jessie Sunner explained that the decision “[recognizes] the skills these workers already demonstrate every day while strengthening safety and training standards across the industry.” Current operators will have one year to register with SkilledTradesBC or to take the skilled trades certification exam to become a journeyperson, with requirements taking effect on July 5, 2027. Those pursuing the certification will be eligible to apply for federal and provincial trades training supports.

In an announcement this week, Government of Canada Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Lena Metlege Diab announced that the Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot (FMCSP) would be extended through August 2027. Over the next year, the program will continue to provide settlement and integration services to eligible international students and their families, with the goal of providing permanent residence status after graduation. The announcement was made alongside additional funding to support Francophone immigration in Manitoba.

Tyndale University has announced that starting in Fall 2026, it will offer a Women and Leadership Doctor of Ministry (DMin) concentration. The concentration will train women and men using a three-pronged approach that provides the foundations for women in leadership roles, teaches students about different leadership models, and identifies the challenges that women face in leadership. Students will also complete a portfolio that includes reflection and a field ministry research project. “We want to see women and men equipped to speak biblically, theologically, and historically to defend and support women’s giftings, strengths, and abilities to lead,” said Tyndale Associate Professor of Practical Theology Dr Marilyn Draper.

A group of hackers have targeted postsecondary institutions in Canada and the United States, according to a report obtained by Radio-Canada. In their report, cybersecurity firm Proofpoint explained that the hack was facilitated through vulnerabilities in Roundcube webmail software. The hackers targeted academics working in the areas of national security, astrophysics, and particle physics. Proofpoint Director of Cyber Espionage Alexis Dorais-Joncas urged departments to keep their software up to date, lamenting that “[w]hen the basis of cybersecurity measures is not respected, we make life very easy for attackers.”

The University of Victoria celebrated the launch of a student-designed CubeSat, which travelled aboard a SpaceX rocket yesterday. The launch marked the second such satellite created by the university’s Centre for Aerospace Research (CfAR) and Satellite Design Team. While MARMOTSat was designed with the goal of collecting data on the Earth’s ionosphere, UVic CfAR electrical designer Blake Baldwin explained that its satellite radio system’s design has also been released to provide others with a foundation to design their own. The UVic team plans to launch its third mission in 2027.

The University of Prince Edward Island will be redeveloping its squash courts and a flexible exercise space into a new high-performance training facility. This facility will have the capacity to support approximately 250 varsity and 200 club athletes. It will help attract new student-athletes, reduce injuries, and enhance training opportunities for the community. Additionally, the facility will enable a formal relationship with the Canadian Sport Institute that will support PEI and UPEI athletes and coaches. Site preparation will begin in August.