When Rick Powless learned that Health Sciences North in Sudbury launched its first Indigenous hospital menu, he felt a shift happen.

The third-year doctoral student at 91亚色's Faculty of Education is a Red Seal-certified Indigenous chef, an Ontario College of Teachers-certified educator and a member of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, Oneida Nation of the Thames, Bear Clan.

He was also the primary consultant on an initiative led by Compass Group Canada to bring Indigenous meals into Ontario hospitals 鈥� a project that recognizes the role of traditional and cultural food in healing.

His contributions also serve as a testament to his work to advance meaningful cross-cultural engagement.

"It was emotional for me," he says of the menu鈥檚 launch in Sudbury. At 91亚色, his PhD research draws on Indigenous food sovereignty, food insecurity in urban centres and strategies to integrate traditional foods and land-based knowledge into Kindergarten to Grade 12 education.

Much of Powless's work focuses on how traditional foods and land-based knowledge support well-being, identity and learning for Indigenous people living in urban communities. His research explores the impact of food and cultural disconnection on mental health while also examining how Indigenous knowledge is taught 鈥� or overlooked 鈥� in Ontario鈥檚 Kindergarten to Grade 12 classrooms. For Powless, that means pushing beyond superficial, checkbox-driven approaches and creating space for stories, reciprocity and food-based learning rooted in Indigenous ways of knowing.

鈥淚f you give somebody a recipe to cook Indigenous food but don't have the stories or the history behind those recipes then the students aren't getting anything out of it,鈥� he says. 鈥淏eyond mere sustenance, our food is also a form of cultural transmission.鈥�

Part of what makes his work distinct is its attention to access. Indigenous ingredients 鈥� such as sun chokes, wild rice, butternut squash 鈥� have been more commercialized, driving up prices and making them less accessible.

"We're being priced out of our own ingredients," he says.

That tension shapes his approach to teaching. During cooking demonstrations and teaching kitchens across Ontario 鈥� including at 91亚色, Hart House and the University of Toronto 鈥� Powless shows students how to prepare traditional dishes using affordable, accessible ingredients. For example, Three Sisters Soup 鈥� made from corn, beans and squash 鈥� becomes a lesson in both food sovereignty and practical food literacy.

The collaboration with Compass Group Canada is a clear example of how his teaching has translated into real-world institutional change. In January 2025, Powless was approached to develop traditional Indigenous recipes for hospital menus across Ontario 鈥� including Brantford, Cornwall, Brockville, Newmarket, Niagara Regional Health and Health Sciences North.

He curated and vetted the recipes, wrote the cultural stories to accompany each dish and worked within Health Canada guidelines and hospital food requirements to preserve the recipes' Indigenous identity while adapting them for institutional settings.

For Powless, the menus are about more than nutrition; they reflect what happens to an Indigenous patient when they see their culture represented on a hospital food tray.

"If I can offer a piece of bannock and Three Sisters Soup and our people get that, they're going to instantly recognize the food," he says. "It's going to warm them up inside. It's going to take them back to the territory, back to community, back to family again. When that happens, mental health begins to heal."

Early responses to the menu have confirmed what he hoped for. In September 2025, a man from Akwesasne territory had an extended hospital stay in Cornwall. When the menu appeared, he recognized the dishes immediately.

"He had this smile on his face," Powless recalls. "He said, 'I get to have my food.'"

Looking ahead, Powless hopes to expand the Compass One menus into seniors' homes, correctional facilities and offshore operations focusing on areas with Indigenous populations.

He is also offering teaching kitchens to outpatients at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health鈥檚 Shkaabe Makwa, Canada's first Indigenous-led hospital-based centre. A second recipe menu featuring traditional Indigenous food tied to ceremony and seasonal changes is also in development.

91亚色, he says, has been central to his path as an advocate and educator. When Powless introduced Indigenous dishes to 91亚色's student dining halls, he recalls being stopped by nursing students who shared that their entire class had been coming down for the soup.

Those conversations reinforce what he already believed: that food is the most direct route to cross-cultural understanding.

"If it wasn't for 91亚色, I don't think I would be where I am today," he says. "91亚色 gave me a voice. It gave me a purpose. It gave me real value to what I think the world should look like through an Indigenous lens."

With files from Mzwandile Poncana

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An associate professor of math education at 91亚色鈥檚 Faculty of Education, Osibodu focuses her research on how Black students experience math and how education systems can better support equity.

鈥淚 want Black learners who enter a mathematics classroom to be fully, completely themselves instead of feeling like they don鈥檛 belong,鈥� says Osibodu, who is keenly aware of the persistent and unfounded stereotypes about Black learners鈥� abilities in math 鈥� and how those beliefs intersect with Canada鈥檚 colonial legacy and history of immigration.

Osibodu鈥檚 teaching experience across three continents has fuelled her interest in and passion for addressing challenges faced by Black students in Canada. Before joining 91亚色, she taught secondary school mathematics in South Africa and later taught mathematics and mathematics education courses in the U.S. and Canada. Her research has since documented a range of obstacles faced by Black students in Canadian classrooms.

鈥淚t鈥檚 impossible to look at course syllabi without realizing that it鈥檚 important for equity to be at the core of the teaching practice,鈥� she says. 鈥淢y ultimate goal is to create math education where Black learners are thriving.鈥�

A key aspect of her work is understanding how Black students experience math, which, in Canada, requires knowledge of the population鈥檚 demography. As her colleague Carl James, the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora at 91亚色, has long emphasized, the Canadian Black community is diverse 鈥� including descendants who arrived via the Underground Railroad, families who immigrated from the Caribbean decades ago and more recent immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa 鈥� leading to a variety of educational experiences.

鈥淚t鈥檚 something I hope to explore,鈥� Osibodu says. 鈥淚n the United States, many scholars in mathematics education have studied the racialized experiences of Black learners and can trace these experiences through generations. In Canada, that isn鈥檛 the experience of most Africans, who are largely first-generation immigrants with a fairly young population.

African-born parents tend to be trusting of education systems, she notes. 鈥淚 want to understand how these parents navigate the mathematics education of their children in the Canadian system. I want to collaborate with and support these parents with more tools to advocate for their children better.鈥�

Osibodu is also examining how math education can address broader social and economic realities. Together with Alexandre Cavalcante at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, she has findings from their Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council of Canada Insight Development Grant exploring critical financial literacy among Black youth. The work highlights the importance of teaching financial literacy in response to Ontario鈥檚 2020 mathematics curriculum, which introduced financial literacy expectations.

The research emphasizes that financial literacy should be taught through a systemic lens (e.g. discussing barriers to financial systems) rather than focusing exclusively on personal responsibility (e.g. budgeting).

Osibodu鈥檚 scholarship often draws on decoloniality as a theoretical and analytical lens, particularly for work directly connected to sub-Saharan Africa. One of her examined the impact of coloniality through the widespread use of the British-developed Cambridge Assessment International Education curriculum throughout anglophone Africa.

Across her work, Osibodu returns to the same principle for math education worldwide.

鈥淚t is imperative for equity to be at the core of a mathematics education practice and to constantly challenge deficit narratives about who belongs and who doesn鈥檛,鈥� Osibodu says. 鈥淲e need to be very intentional in pushing against those narratives.鈥�

With files from Elaine Smith

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Led by Parmeet Singh Channe, a student, Enactus 91亚色 is empowering students to tackle social and environmental challenges through award-winning entrepreneurship and ventures.

When Channe, a third-year computer science student, was growing up, he was exposed early to stark inequalities. He recalls seeing children his age working in extreme conditions instead of attending school. Those experiences instilled in him a drive to make a difference that evolved into a desire to pursue socially minded entrepreneurship and build projects to create the change he wanted to see in the world.

That motivation led him to 91亚色 and, in April 2024, to a LinkedIn post by Enactus Canada, a registered charity. Channe learned the organization empowers post-secondary students to use innovation and entrepreneurship to advance social impact. Through a network of teams at more than 78 campuses across Canada 鈥� and a global network spanning 35 countries 鈥� participants develop projects aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and compete by pitching their ventures and demonstrating outcomes on a national and international stage.

鈥淒iscovering Enactus felt like finding a platform that perfectly aligned with what I had already been trying to build: using entrepreneurship as a tool for real-world impact,鈥� says Channe.

After learning that a previous Enactus 91亚色 chapter had dissolved during the COVID-19 pandemic, Channe became determined to resurrect it. Within a few months, he relaunched the chapter, which was officially ratified in September 2024. The group started small, with only two members. In those early days, Channe took on several roles: pursuing partnerships and funding, overseeing project development and working to recruit new members to grow the team into a thriving entrepreneurial community.

Today, Enactus 91亚色 has grown to more than 90 members, supporting innovative initiatives 鈥� each driven by a purpose that reflects what first inspired Channe. 鈥淥ur goal is to create ventures that benefit lives at scale while improving people鈥檚 standard of living,鈥� he says.

In its first year, the group demonstrated its mission through award-winning projects, such as: AR Home Builder, an augmented reality app that helps rural communities to construct sustainable, resilient housing; Modular Homeless Shelters, which redesigns existing shelters with factory-built units to provide housing solutions; and Energent, an intelligent energy management platform that helps property managers reduce consumption and costs while promoting sustainability.

Three more ventures are underway this year. LiftAID connects students with non-profits, helping communities access volunteer support while providing opportunities to develop applicable skills. Easysim helps professors teach economics through realistic simulations, making education more engaging and accessible. Dragoncure is exploring ways to support triple-negative breast cancer treatment 鈥� especially in low-income countries 鈥� by developing solutions that are affordable, low-risk and aimed at reducing relapse.

Earlier this year, Enactus 91亚色 took these projects to competition with team members Prabhkrit Singh (co-president of Enactus 91亚色), Mohammad Areeb (vice-president) and Samashi Munaweera (project manager of Dragoncure).

In its first appearance at the Enactus Canada Regional Exposition, the chapter earned three podium finishes: Easysim placed second in the TD Entrepreneurship Challenge, Dragoncure placed second in the Innovation & Impact Challenge and LiftAID placed third in the Desjardins Community Empowerment Challenge.

In addition to its Enactus achievements, Dragoncure also earned first place at the Hult Prize Qualifiers at 91亚色 鈥� part of a global competition that challenges student teams to pitch business ideas addressing major global problems. The qualifiers feed into national and international rounds, offering the team a chance to move on to the competition鈥檚 final stages and compete for seed funding.

While venture creation and competitions are the chapter's focus, it also serves as a hub. It organizes workshops, networking events and collaborative initiatives that provide opportunities to gain skills in market research, pitching and storytelling, project development and building partnerships. 鈥淭hese experiences not only support venture creation but also prepare students for careers in entrepreneurship and innovation,鈥� says Channe.

Looking ahead, Channe says Enactus 91亚色 will participate in the Hult Prize Nationals in Montreal in April, followed by the Enactus Canada National Exposition in May, where teams compete for a chance to advance to Enactus Global.

Channe envisions the chapter growing into one of Canada鈥檚 leading student venture ecosystems. It boasts more than 10 active projects creating measurable change for thousands of individuals internationally, with Enactus 91亚色 alumni leading startups and driving innovation across industries.

鈥淲e aim to contribute meaningfully to the SDGs while building a generation of students who see themselves not just as learners, but as problem-solvers and changemakers,鈥� he says.

By inspiring others to take action, Enactus 91亚色 aims to create a ripple effect one person at a time. 鈥淛ust one tree can provide shade to hundreds of people in its lifetime,鈥� Channe says.

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鈥淔or many people, the experience of TB is debilitating physically, emotionally, socially and financially,鈥� says Nancy Bedingfield, a postdoctoral research fellow at the Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research, who works with Associate Professor Amrita Daftary at the School of Global Health. The way these effects are typically studied is through a unifying framework. 鈥淨uality of life (QoL) is a single concept capable of capturing these wide-ranging impacts,鈥� she explains.

To measure QoL, researchers often use an internationally recognized questionnaire called the World Health Organization Quality of Life 鈥� BREF (WHOQOL-BREF). But while working on a larger study called MISSED OUTCOMES, which explores the causes and effects of high TB rates in South Africa鈥檚 Eastern Cape province, Bedingfield realized that standardized measures might miss something vital.

鈥淪tandardized questionnaires yield very valuable information, but cannot capture the cultural and individual complexity that really matter when it comes to an outcome as personal as quality of life,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e can鈥檛 truly understand the impacts of TB unless we look at the experience holistically. We need a nuanced understanding in order to do that.鈥�

To address this, Bedingfield pursued a stand-alone study within MISSED OUTCOMES which has now been published in . The study was co-designed with Andrew Medina-Marino鈥檚 team at the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation, University of Cape Town, and engaged a recent graduate of 91亚色鈥檚 School of Global Health, Mahilet Girma.

The team conducted open-ended interviews with individuals at different stages of treatment, giving participants space to share their own experiences of how TB affects their daily lives.

Participants described how TB didn't just damage their lungs, but disrupted routines, limited their independence and reshaped how they saw themselves and their roles within families and communities. Many described a decline leading up to a diagnosis, as unmanaged symptoms made work and everyday tasks increasingly difficult. Treatment was not an automatic remedy. In fact, early treatment was often the most challenging stage, marked by medication side effects, fatigue and mounting financial strain. Even after treatment ended, many participants continued to experience those challenges.

Participants judged their well-being on what mattered most to them: the ability to work, support family or pursue personal goals. Physical recovery wasn鈥檛 enough; without income or social assistance, many still felt the quality of their daily lives was poor. Through those personal perspectives, the study will add nuance to how well-being is understood in TB patients and highlight gaps in social and economic services, pointing to the systemic changes needed to improve outcomes.

鈥淧eople experiencing TB, especially in low- and middle-income countries such as South Africa, require financial assistance and personalized counselling to achieve a fulfilling quality of life and recover from the setbacks imposed by TB,鈥� says Bedingfield.

The study recommends more support during early treatment, when well-being is often at its lowest, as well as after treatment ends when people are considered "cured." This could include income assistance, counselling, education and programs to help people return to work.

Recovery from TB is about eliminating infection as much as it is about restoring stability, independence and dignity 鈥� something medicine alone cannot achieve.

鈥淲e hope our study comes to the attention of international and national decision-makers who can increase prioritization and funding for social protection programs 鈥� such as cash transfers, nutrition programs and personalized counselling 鈥� for people affected by TB,鈥� Bedingfield adds. 鈥淭he needs of people affected by TB are great, but the resources available for person-centred supports are lacking.鈥�

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For 91亚色 student Sadia Tasnim, that moment came while completing her second co-op work term at Food Banks Mississauga as a data administrator. During a shift, Tasnim encountered a client asking for menstrual products. The food bank, however, didn鈥檛 have any available.

鈥淚 felt terrible that I could not help her in that moment,鈥� says Tasnim, an international student from Bangladesh who struggled with the idea of women who do not have access to essential products.

Tasnim knew her expertise in data science could help the organization respond to this need. Through her studies at the Faculty of Science, she has become adept at gathering, interpreting and presenting data 鈥� including using statistical methods, computational skills and data analysis techniques 鈥� and wants to apply that knowledge to create positive change.

鈥淎t 91亚色, I鈥檝e learned a variety of unconventional ways to extract and organize data,鈥� says Tasnim, a fourth-year student. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important to me to use this skill for a meaningful purpose.鈥�

During her Fall 2025 placement at Food Banks Mississauga, Tasnim worked on the agency relations team, helping to coordinate organizations that distribute food and essential items to roughly half a million visitors per year. When she was asked to analyze the organization鈥檚 historical data on female clients between the ages of 18 to 55 in response to the gap in feminine hygiene products available, she was thrilled.

She drafted a report of her findings, which was shared with Food Banks Canada 鈥� the parent organization that provides supplies to community sites. Tasnim says it was rewarding to see her data analysis shared with decision makers and help make a meaningful impact.

鈥淭hat is what pushed me to take on this project 鈥� making sure this need gets met,鈥� says Tasnim.

Addressing real-world challenges has long been a priority for Tasnim. As a teen, she co-founded her own environmental non-profit to plant trees in her home city of Dhaka, Bangladesh, to improve its air quality. She also volunteered for a social enterprise that delivers clean drinking water to underserved rural communities.

Thinking about her future, Tasnim is considering career roles in social finance 鈥� an investing approach that centres societal and environmental impact.

鈥淚 believe we have to use our talents for humanitarian causes,鈥� Tasnim says. 鈥淒ata can help drive smart decision-making in these important matters.鈥�

For Daisy Dang, a fourth-year environmental studies student, housing access is the issue that drives her commitment to work for change. She is completing a full-time paid co-op placement at the Toronto Region Real Estate Board (TRREB), a non-profit organization serving 70,000 realtors in the Greater Toronto Area.

In her role as a policy analyst in TRREB鈥檚 government relations unit, she contributed to the organization鈥檚 2026 Market Outlook and Year in Review event. As part of that work, she conducted extensive research on the efficacy of the current private and rental housing supply in the city. She also gathered data on trends and metrics related to housing affordability, residential zoning practices and homelessness.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a need for a greater variety of the right types of housing and more density,鈥� Dang says. 鈥淲e should be building more up than outwards and building more units with two and three bedrooms.鈥�

As a student at 91亚色鈥檚 in the Cities, Regions, Planning (CRP) program, Dang is well-positioned to understand and address Toronto鈥檚 diverse urban planning challenges. This interdisciplinary program teaches sustainable, inclusive practices to manage growth, adapt infrastructure, welcome newcomers and mitigate environmental impacts. She has critically examined urban planning through courses exploring sustainable design, regional governance, migration patterns and political ecology.

Dang is also applying her growing knowledge at TRREB in other ways. A core part of her job involves researching housing-related programs offered by the municipal, provincial and federal governments to include as resources on the organization鈥檚 website. Her research also helps shape TRREB鈥檚 advocacy responses in its interactions with government representatives.

Through her combined co-op and academic experiences, Dang has a deeper understanding of the complex dynamics driving urbanization in Toronto and is particularly interested in its impacts on residents who live at the margins of society.

After completing her degree in 2027, she hopes to support municipal government decision-making in addressing housing issues affecting the unhoused and low-income citizens.

鈥淚 think a city works when you put people first,鈥� Dang says.

With files from Sharon Aschaiek

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Drawing from lived experience shaped by conflict, displacement and homelessness, he is working to drive meaningful change and elevate youth leadership.

A global accelerator for youth-led initiatives, the Youth Impact Council brings leaders aged 18 to 35 together to advance projects on climate change, social justice and innovation. Through resources and facilitation, the council supports and scales the ideas of emerging changemakers.

In his role, Timotewos can propose new initiatives and evaluate those that are brought forward, contributing a thoughtful, community-centred perspective to global decision-making.

The council reviews and votes on projects, then accelerates selected initiatives by connecting them with partners, mentors and networks that support growth and real鈥憌orld impact. The initiative was conceived during New 91亚色 Climate Week 2023 after youth advocate Anna-Grace Millward recognized that young people are often most affected by major decisions, yet rarely included in the rooms where those decisions are made.

鈥淭he council鈥檚 model prioritizes action over theory, supporting youth-driven solutions that demonstrate traction and potential for growth,鈥� says Timotewos, who studies global politics, human rights and equity, and public administration and law at 91亚色's Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies. 鈥淲hen young people are given meaningful responsibility, they rise to the moment. My goal is to ensure that more young people are not only welcomed into leadership spaces, but trusted to help shape their direction.鈥�

Each quarter, members present their initiatives and vote to shortlist high-impact projects. From there, one initiative is selected to receive strategic guidance, media amplification and ecosystem support to help scale its real-world impact.

Born in Hawassa, Ethiopia, Timotewos鈥� path to global leadership began in circumstances marked by loss and instability. After the passing of two older brothers in infancy and his father鈥檚 resignation from local government, his family faced financial hardship. They later relocated to Yemen where, as a seven鈥憏ear鈥憃ld, he lived through the war. His home and school were bombed, yet his father worked with colleagues to keep the Ethiopian embassy operational, helping evacuate more than 6,000 people to safety. The family received Ethiopia鈥檚 National Hero Award in 2015 for their contribution.

Subsequent moves to Ireland and Canada brought new challenges. His family spent seven months in a homeless shelter where he experienced the stigma faced by many unhoused youth. These experiences later shaped his commitment to community service.

In 2024, Timotewos fulfilled a promise he made while living in the shelter by launching a hygiene鈥慿it drive for unhoused youth. This initiative evolved into Communities Care, a youth鈥憀ed organization that has supported more than 3,000 youth across Canada and over 300 in Ethiopia.

He founded Brothers4Brothers, a mentorship and mental health program that raises awareness of men鈥檚 mental health, particularly for Black and racialized youth. More than 75 participants have graduated from the program, with many returning as peer mentors, extending the cycle of support and leadership, says Timotewos.

He is also behind the creation of The Kindness Loop, a platform highlighting youth鈥憀ed kindness, resilience and community action.

Beyond his grassroots work, Timotewos serves as the youngest member of the TELUS Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area Community Board. He is also one of 20 Black youth selected nationwide for the 1834 Fellowship and represents 91亚色 as a president鈥檚 ambassador, University senator, BE YU student success mentor lead, Department of Equity Studies representative, and leadership, equity and education ambassador.

This appointment reflects the growing presence of 91亚色 students in global leadership spaces, says Timotewos. 鈥淚t speaks to the power of youth-led action in building systems that are more inclusive, more responsive, and better equipped to serve communities around the world.鈥�

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As 2026 begins, many are looking ahead and wondering how the economic environment will evolve. 91亚色 experts say there will be challenges, but point towards positive trends for the year ahead.

For instance, households and investors with keen eyes may find further opportunities to grow wealth this year.

Daniel Richards, an associate professor in the School of Administrative Studies, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS), notes that even amid some geopolitical volatility, last year鈥檚 stock market returns were consistent and strong. That trend has carried into 2026, he says, noting 鈥渢he news does not reflect what happens in the market.鈥�

On a broader scale, Richards points out that contrary to expectations, the number of jobs in the economy increased at the end of 2025. This may suggest strength in the labour market and some support for household income and expenditures.

Irene Henriques, a professor of strategic management at 91亚色' University's and senior business strategist, also sees positives signs of support coming from the Canadian government. Activity in recent months has seen Canada foster resilience and opportunity through international engagement. 鈥淐anada鈥檚 push to diversify trade and deepen international partnerships is fundamentally about risk reduction and stability,鈥� she says.

By spreading trade across a wider range of partners and supply chains, Canada can reduce its vulnerability to disruptions.

Other steps, such as Canada鈥檚 trade agreement with China on electric vehicles and agricultural goods, illustrate how diversified engagement can open new markets and ease trade tensions. 鈥淔or everyday Canadians, this translates into more stable prices over time due to more resilient supply chains, stronger job security as Canadian firms get access to more export markets and long-term financial resilience which supports economic growth,鈥� explains Henriques.

Meanwhile, the continued 鈥渂uy Canadian鈥� mindset among consumers is predicted to continue its positive impact throughout 2026. 鈥淏uying Canadian is not just symbolic; it has practical economic spillovers,鈥� she says.

Spending at home keeps money circulating in local economies, supports jobs and strengthens small- and medium-sized businesses. Over time, this reduces reliance on volatile global supply chains and helps stabilize pricing and availability.

Businesses, she adds, are reinforcing this shift by expanding interprovincial trade and lowering internal barriers, making it easier for Canadians to buy and sell domestically.

Even with these encouraging signals, some uncertainty will shape the year ahead.

Greg Albo, associate professor in the Department of Political Science, LA&PS, suggests that economic unpredictability will continue to be fuelled by shifting global geopolitical tensions and changing trade dynamics 鈥� much like in 2025.

鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to suggest that this year will be any calmer than last year,鈥� he says.

Renewed political and trade friction between the United States and the European Union has already surfaced in 2026, as well as volatility linked to instability in Venezuela and its effects on global energy markets. Albo says developments like these are leading to 鈥渋nternational institutions predicting slower economic growth that鈥檚 lower than the last couple years,鈥� with Canada鈥檚 GDP growth projected to remain in the low to mid single digits.

To maintain financial resilience, Canadians should prepare for the potential of ongoing inflation and the rising cost of living 鈥� especially for day-to-day staples. 鈥淐ore goods have been running higher inflation than other items,鈥� Albo says, noting this trend is expected to influence prices on essentials like food, transportation and education throughout the year.

That inflation will partly be driven by the impacts of last year鈥檚 tariffs, and survey data from Statistics Canada shows that many exporters and importers expect tariff-related cost pressures and higher selling prices in 2026.

According to Albo, Richards and Henriques, there are ways to navigate the unpredictable landscape ahead.

While it may be almost clich茅, says Albo, careful financial planning and decision-making will be required. 鈥淏e a little bit more cautious on overall spending because of the general uncertainty 鈥� particularly if you鈥檙e personally leveraged,鈥� he says.

In some cases, holding back altogether may be called for. Although the stock market has demonstrated positive momentum, Henriques suggests that for some, it may be best to wait to invest. 鈥淗olding cash or low-risk assets provides liquidity, optionality and psychological stability,鈥� she says. 鈥淲hile it may limit upside, it also reduces downside risk during uncertain periods. For many households, that trade-off is rational, not fear-based.鈥�

Preserving liquidity can also help bolster a suggestion from Richards: maintaining an emergency fund for unexpected costs or risks.

鈥淚f Canadians have that emergency fund, that bit of money set aside specifically for situations of sudden or urgent need, they can build financial resilience,鈥� he says.

Richards also stresses the importance of understanding one鈥檚 financial situation and daily purchasing habits. 鈥淩eally understanding how much everything costs, how much you鈥檝e got coming in, how much you鈥檝e got going out 鈥� that daily budgeting tool is a key part of financial resilience,鈥� he says.

And, Canadians are adopting these measures, Richards says, noting that 2025 saw an increase of Canadians seeking fee-for-service financial planners.

鈥淧eople are realizing that financial advice is not just about what investment/product you are recommended, but more about how you apply strategies and organize your finances,鈥� he says.

Financial planners can offer expertise and professional guidance for reviewing budgets, tracking expenses and developing strategies for handling rising costs and uncertainty.

Lastly, Henriques suggests that if Canadians do have to spend money, they should consider spending their dollars at home. She urges households to explore purchasing possibilities across the country.

鈥淲hen Canadians explore new domestic businesses, local services or emerging sectors, their spending supports innovation and competition which improves quality and value; helps new ventures scale creating jobs and alternatives to larger firms; and keeps economic momentum thereby preventing a slowdown driven purely by caution,鈥� she says.

Though challenges, uncertainty and caution may be ahead, it does not mean Canadians need to feel hopeless. 鈥淲hen presented with a problem, if enough focus and attention is given to it, a solution will emerge,鈥� says Richards.

For Henriques that solution lies, in part, in a slight 鈥� but positive 鈥� rethinking of what the story of 2026 will be for most Canadians.

鈥淚n the end, Canada鈥檚 economic story right now isn鈥檛 about rapid growth but about resilience, smarter choices and positioning households and businesses to emerge stronger once uncertainty fades,鈥� she says.

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Published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, the study provides the first population-level evidence of these disparities using national census data.

鈥淗ousing is one of those core human rights we often associate with health,鈥� says Antony Chum, associate professor in 91亚色鈥檚 and Canada Research Chair in Population Health Data Science. 鈥淭his study really aims to shed light on housing as a key social determinant, alongside mental health, food insecurity and other challenges communities are facing.鈥�

examines housing conditions for households led by cisgender, transgender and non-binary people across the country using data from the 2021 Canadian Long Form Census.

鈥淭he Canadian census is actually the first census in the world to include transgender and non-binary people,鈥� says Yihong Bai, co-researcher at 91亚色鈥檚 Population Health Data Science Lab and assistant professor at the University of Manitoba. 鈥淭hat allowed us, for the first time, to look at housing outcomes for transgender and gender-diverse household heads at a national level.鈥�

The findings show that transgender and gender-diverse households are far more likely to experience 鈥渃ore housing need鈥� 鈥� a federal measure that reflects whether housing is unaffordable, in disrepair or overcrowded.

Households led by cisgender men were the least likely to experience this outcome, with an estimated probability of eight per cent. In contrast, cisgender women-led households face a 12.8 per cent risk. Rates were markedly higher for transgender-led households, with probabilities of: 16.5 per cent for transgender men; 21.2 per cent for transgender women; 21.2 per cent for non-binary people assigned female at birth; and 19.4 per cent for non-binary people assigned male at birth.

鈥淎bout 16.5 to 21 per cent of transgender and non-binary household heads are in core housing need, compared to about eight per cent of cisgender men. That鈥檚 one of the biggest findings from the study,鈥� says Gwen Ehi, PhD candidate at 91亚色 who worked on the study. Most previous research, she says, relied on small or targeted samples, limiting the ability to generalize findings to the broader population.

Bai adds that one limitation of the study is that gender identity is self-reported in the Canadian census data. 鈥淲e believe the numbers of gender diverse households are likely underreported,鈥� he says.

Researchers analyzed data from primary household maintainers aged 15 and older, using census questions on sex at birth and gender identity to distinguish between cisgender men, cisgender women, transgender men, transgender women and non-binary individuals assigned male or female at birth.

They assessed whether these households met the criteria for core housing need, while accounting for factors such as age, income, education, region and housing tenure.

鈥淭he numbers were startling,鈥� says contributor and 91亚色 PhD student Kristine Ienciu. 鈥淭he disparities were largest among youth, renters and multi-person households. Those groups consistently showed the highest levels of housing need across gender-diverse populations.鈥�

The implications extend beyond housing alone. When homes are unaffordable or in need of major repairs, residents are more likely to experience poorer physical and mental health which contributes to higher stress, chronic illness and reduced access to care, says Chum.

The study, he urges, calls for a more explicit integration of gender identity into housing policy and planning.

Peiya Cao, postdoctoral researcher in 91亚色鈥檚 Faculty of Health says affordable and supportive housing units earmarked for the transgender and gender-diverse community are essential, along with stronger enforcement of anti-discrimination protections in the rental market, and better access to supports like income and mental health services 鈥� especially for youth.

With files from Karen Martin-Robbins

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This designation, awarded by Fairtrade Canada, reflects 91亚色鈥檚 ongoing efforts to foster a socially responsible campus culture through collaboration, education and action. 

Fair Trade-certified products 鈥� such as chocolate, coffee, tea and bananas 鈥� are available at various YU Eats locations including Stong College, Winters College, Central Square (Keele Campus) and Glendon Campus. The initiative also extends to apparel, with the 91亚色 Bookstore offering certified fair trade T-shirts and hoodies though a partnership with Green Campus Co-op, a student- and faculty-founded organization established in 2011. 

Driving these initiatives are Professor John Simoulidis and Tom Watt, senior director, business development, Ancillary Services, who co-lead 91亚色鈥檚 Fair Trade Steering Committee, along with Sasa Nestorovic, director, Bookstore, Printing and Mailing Services.听

Nicole Arsenault, director, sustainability, says the designation "represents years of dedicated work by students, faculty and staff who have championed fair trade and helped integrate it into campus life.鈥� These efforts, she adds, support the United Nations鈥� Sustainable Development Goals, a key component of the 91亚色 Academic Plan.听

To mark this recognition and continue building awareness, 91亚色 will host a Fair Trade Fair in Vari Hall on Tuesday, Oct. 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The event will feature Chartwells, the 91亚色 Bookstore, and Green Campus Co-op, as well as a variety of external vendors offering fair trade products and samples. 聽

Learn more about Fair Trade at 91亚色 here. 

With files from Nicole Arsenault

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A new interdisciplinary paper co-authored by the director of 91亚色鈥檚 City Institute, Professor Harris Ali (Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies), and Professor Emeritus Roger Keil (), along with Creighton Connolly of The University of Hong Kong, shows how infectious diseases like COVID-19 hit communities on the edges of cities hardest. 聽

Published in the journal City, the research 鈥溾�� explores how migrant workers, First Nations reserves and informal settlements faced increased risks during the pandemic. 

The researchers set out to examine how living on the urban periphery 鈥� areas where infrastructure is often limited and marginalization is common 鈥� shapes the way infectious diseases spread. Their goal was to identify practical steps for building more inclusive and responsive urban governance that responds to those most at risk. 

鈥淲e wanted to show that the urban periphery isn鈥檛 just a geographic edge 鈥� it鈥檚 a social and political space where vulnerability is concentrated,鈥� says Keil. 鈥淚gnoring these areas means missing the real story of how pandemics unfold.鈥� 

The study draws on case studies from Canada and the Global South, including interviews and fieldwork in affected communities. It found that people living and working in peripheral areas were more exposed to infection and less protected by public health measures. Poor housing, overcrowding, limited access to health care and weak governance all played a role in the lack of support during COVID-19. 

鈥淒uring COVID-19, we saw how essential workers and marginalized groups were often left behind by policies designed for the urban core,鈥� says Ali. 鈥淭he pandemic exposed deep inequalities that have long existed but are rarely addressed.鈥� 

Outbreak responses often fail to consider the specific circumstances of people living in peripheral communities. For example: migrant workers in Canada faced cramped living conditions and inadequate quarantine options; First Nations reserves had to set up their own checkpoints to protect elders and vulnerable residents; and in informal settlements, grassroots networks became lifelines when formal support systems failed. 

鈥淥ur work shows that local knowledge and community-led responses are vital,鈥� says Ali. 鈥淭op-down approaches alone won鈥檛 work 鈥� especially in places where trust in government is low or infrastructure is missing.鈥� 

The authors argue that urban planning and public health need to move beyond a city-centre focus and include the unique challenges of peripheral communities in planning. That means investing in infrastructure, supporting self-governance and listening to those most affected. 

鈥淚f we want fairer and more resilient cities, we need to rethink how the urban periphery governs itself,鈥� says Keil. 鈥淲e can鈥檛 afford to repeat the same mistakes.鈥澛�

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