Journal articles on the topic 'Poverty – Ontario – Toronto Region'
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Daiski, Isolde, Nancy Viva Davis Halifax, Gail J. Mitchell, and Andre Lyn. "Homelessness in the Suburbs: Engulfment in the Grotto of Poverty." Studies in Social Justice 6, no. 1 (November 1, 2012): 103–23. http://dx.doi.org/10.26522/ssj.v6i1.1071.
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This paper describes findings of a research inquiry into the lived experience of homelessness in Peel, a suburban region located in the Greater Toronto Area in Ontario, Canada. It is based on the data from a collaborative project undertaken by members of the Faculties of Health and Education of York University with two local community organizations. The dominant theme of the narratives was that suburban homelessness is similar to being engulfed in a grotto of poverty, isolated from the rest of the community and invisible to it. Once entrapped in the grotto, it is almost impossible to escape from it. There were four sub-themes: (a) falling into the grotto, (b) living/struggling in the grotto, (c) envisioning escape routes from the grotto, and (d) beauty, community and hope in the grotto. Following a discussion of the findings, researchers describe strategies to address homelessness through promotion of social justice for all.
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Baskin2, Cyndy. "Aboriginal Youth Talk About Structural Determinants as the Causes of Their Homelessness1." First Peoples Child & Family Review 14, no. 1 (August 31, 2020): 94–108. http://dx.doi.org/10.7202/1071289ar.
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This article explores structural determinants as possible causes of the homelessness of Aboriginal youth in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It includes a brief literature review and provides some of the findings of a recent research project, which implemented an Aboriginal research methodology with homeless youth in Toronto. These findings point to a strong link between Aboriginal children growing up in poverty and involvement in child welfare and becoming homeless as a youth. Suggestions for positive change at the policy-level are offered in order to prevent the next generation of Aboriginal children growing up to become homeless youth.
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Baskin, Cyndy. "Aboriginal Youth Talk about Structural Determinants as the Causes of their Homelessness." First Peoples Child & Family Review 3, no. 3 (May 19, 2020): 31–42. http://dx.doi.org/10.7202/1069395ar.
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This article explores structural determinants as possible causes of the homelessness of Aboriginal youth in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It includes a brief literature review and provides some of the findings of a recent research project, which implemented an Aboriginal research methodology with homeless youth in Toronto. These findings point to a strong link between Aboriginal children growing up in poverty and involvement in child welfare and becoming homeless as youth. Suggestions for positive change at the policy level are offered in order to prevent the next generation of Aboriginal children growing up to become homeless youth.
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Robson, Karen, Paul Anisef, Robert S. Brown, and Jenny Nagaoka. "A comparison of factors determining the transition to postsecondary education in Toronto and Chicago." Research in Comparative and International Education 14, no. 3 (July 24, 2019): 338–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1745499919865140.
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We examine how race, sex and poverty contribute to the likelihood of attending two- and four-year colleges in Chicago and Toronto. In each city, we use longitudinal data on high school students and their postsecondary trajectories in order to explore how race and sex may impact differentially upon their educational pathways. Our analyses are informed by an intersectionality perspective, wherein we understand that life chances are shaped by the various traits and identities that individuals possess. In Toronto, Black males are less likely than all other groups to attend four-year colleges. We also find that two-year colleges appear to fulfill a different role in Toronto than they do in Chicago; that is, serving populations who may have been tracked into non-academic course selections in high school. We contextualize our findings within the very different political, cultural, and historical contexts of Ontario and Illinois.
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De Pencier, North, Ian Puppe, Carrie Davis, Drishti Dhawan, Mithila Somasundaram, and Gerald McKinley. "“She is very illusive”: Substance abuse, gender roles and motherhood among the teenage girls of the Sioux Lookout Zone, 1969-1996." University of Western Ontario Medical Journal 87, no. 1 (April 24, 2018): 7–10. http://dx.doi.org/10.5206/uwomj.v87i1.1802.
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From 1969 to 1996, the Indigenous teenage girls of the Sioux Lookout Zone of Northern Ontario grew up surrounded by poverty and rapid societal change. Substance abuse, vandalism, and suicide rates were rising, and families and health care providers were worried about the health of adolescents in their communities.1-3 This paper examines the instances teenage girls were mentioned in the collection of documents about the Sioux Lookout Zone Hospital at the University of Toronto Archives in order to analyze the challenges that these girls faced in gender role negotiations, substance abuse, and teen motherhood.
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Barrett, Suzanne. "Lake Ontario's Waterfront: Realizing a decade of regeneration." Ekistics and The New Habitat 71, no. 424-426 (June 1, 2004): 123–25. http://dx.doi.org/10.53910/26531313-e200471424-426237.
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The author was the principal author of A Decade of Regeneration: Realizing a Vision for Lake Ontario's Waterfront, in collaboration with editor Ron Reid of Bobolink. She was Director of the Lake Ontario Program Waterfront Regeneration Trust from 1992-2002, leading its work on the Waterfront Trail, Greenway Strategy and Toronto and Region Remedial Action Plan. She is currently a freelance consultant specializing in environmental planning, waterfront revitalization and public engagement. The text that follows was originally published in the Ontario Planning Journal, March/April 2002.
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Caragata, Lea, and Maria Liegghio. "Mental Health, Welfare Reliance, and Lone Motherhood." Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health 32, no. 1 (March 1, 2013): 95–107. http://dx.doi.org/10.7870/cjcmh-2013-008.
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This paper explores the life circumstances and mental health experiences of welfare-reliant lone mothers, utilizing data from the Lone Mothers: Building Social Inclusion project, a Canada-wide research program. On the basis of qualitative interviews conducted with 43 welfare-reliant lone mothers living in Toronto, Ontario, we examine the conditions of their lives and the ways in which mental health, poverty, and single motherhood intersect. These intersections reveal the problematic nature of the traditional mental health system's response to these women. Required is a broader understanding of the ways that impoverished lone mothers’ mental health is structurally situated, and requires population-based rather than individualized responses.
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Cambon, G., J. C. Ritchie, and P. Guinet. "Pollen marqueur de transports à longue distance dans l'atmosphère du sud de l'Ontario (Canada)." Canadian Journal of Botany 70, no. 11 (November 1, 1992): 2284–93. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/b92-284.
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An analysis of weekly air samples at four sites in southern Ontario (London, Toronto, Peterborough, Sudbury) provides conclusive evidence for the long-distance transport of pollen of the exotic taxa Entada (Mimosaceae), Dodonaea (Sapindaceae), and Ephedra (Ephedraceae), originating far to the south (at least 1000 km) of the recording stations. The nearest source area for the first two taxa is in the West Indies and Mexico, while Ephedra, previously noted in Late Quaternary sediments from the Great Lakes region, grows commonly in the southwestern region of the United States. Long-distance transport is corroborated by air-mass trajectory analysis and surface-wind patterns at time of exotic occurrences. Key words: aeropalynology, Ontario, airstreams, pollen transport.
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Bernstein, Stacey, Hermine I. Brunner, Richard Summerbell, Upton Allen, Paul Babyn, and Susan E. Richardson. "Blastomyscosis Acquired by Three Children in Toronto." Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases 13, no. 4 (2002): 259–63. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2002/906757.
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Three paediatric cases of blastomycosis, apparently acquired in or near Toronto, Ontario, a region not known to be endemic for this disease, are described. Blastomycosis was not suspected clinically in any of the three cases, and the diagnosis was established only when the diagnostic net was broadened to include fungal and mycobacterial cultures. All three patients were diagnosed after significant delays, which is consistent with the rarity of the disease in children and its acquisition outside previously accepted geographical boundaries. Pulmonary involvement was present in all three children, while one also had multifocal osteomyelitis. Drug therapy was successful in all three cases, either with amphotericin B followed by itraconazole, or itraconazole alone. Blastomycosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of a patient from the Toronto area who presents with a compatible history despite a negative travel history to known endemic zones.
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Mohajer, Arsalan A. "Seismicity and Seismotectonics of the Western Lake Ontario Region." Géographie physique et Quaternaire 47, no. 3 (November 23, 2007): 353–62. http://dx.doi.org/10.7202/032963ar.
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ABSTRACTThe western Lake Ontario region, a traditionally perceived area of low seismic risk, is densely populated and is home to, among other critical facilities, the nuclear reactors of Pickering and Darlington. These and other characteristics of the region call for improved estimates of seismic hazard. Due to a lack of understanding of the causative geological sources and recurrence characteristics of the reported seismic activity, there is considerable uncertainty regarding estimated ground motion parameters, a fundamental component of seismic hazard assessments. To attempt to improve the definition of the seismic source zones and, consequently, seismic hazard assessments, the hypocentres of about 30 local earthquakes were recomputed. A new data compilation, based on the revised locations or those with the least travel-time residuals, shows that local microearthquakes (ML"3.5) generally occur along, or at the intersection of, prominent aeromagnetic or gravity anomalies. A notable seismicity trend extends in a northeast-southwest direction between Toronto and Hamilton, and is bounded by magnetic lineaments. A major geological structure, the Central Metasedimentary Belt Boundary Zone (CMBBZ), coincides with a strong aeromagnetic anomaly which extends to the northeast into the Western Québec Seismic Zone. This magnetic lineament also extends to the south, across Lake Ontario, to join the Akron (Ohio) magnetic boundary that was associated with several historical earthquakes and with a mb=4.9 earthquake in 1986. Most of the seismic events recorded instrumentally in the 20th century have occurred within a depth range of 5 to 20 km. This observation supports the correlation of local earthquakes with deep geophysical and geological features, suggesting contemporary reactivation of basement structures. This may imply that a more conservative deterministic hazard estimate is needed to verify the probabilistic approach currently used to assess seismic hazard in southern Ontario.
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Henry, Frances, Patricia Hastings, and Brian Freer. "Perceptions of race and crime in Ontario: Empirical evidence from Toronto and the Durham region." Canadian Journal of Criminology 38, no. 4 (October 1996): 469–76. http://dx.doi.org/10.3138/cjcrim.38.4.469.
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Mohajer, A., N. Eyles, and C. Rogojina. "Neotectonic faulting in metropolitan Toronto: Implications for earthquake hazard assessment in the Lake Ontario region." Geology 20, no. 11 (1992): 1003. http://dx.doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1992)020<1003:nfimti>2.3.co;2.
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Stratton, J., D. L. Mowat, R. Wilkins, and M. Tjepkema. "Income disparities in life expectancy in the City of Toronto and Region of Peel, Ontario." Chronic Diseases and Injuries in Canada 32, no. 4 (September 2012): 208–15. http://dx.doi.org/10.24095/hpcdp.32.4.05.
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Introduction To understand the lack of a gradient in mortality by neighbourhood income in a previous study, we used individual-level data from the 1991–2001 Canadian census mortality follow-up study to examine income-related disparities in life expectancy and probability of survival to age 75 years in the City of Toronto and Region of Peel. Methods We calculated period life tables for each sex and income adequacy quintile, overall and separately for immigrants and non-immigrants. Results For all cohort members of both sexes, including both immigrants and non-immigrants, there was a clear gradient across the income quintiles, with higher life expectancy in each successively richer quintile. However, the disparities by income were much greater when the analysis was restricted to non-immigrants. The lesser gradient for immigrants appeared to reflect the higher proportion of recent immigrants in the lower income quintiles. Conclusion These findings highlight the importance of using individual-level ascertainment of income whenever possible, and of including immigrant status and period of immigration in assessments of health outcomes, especially for areas with a high proportion of immigrants.
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Jamal, Alainna, Brenda Coleman, Jennie Johnstone, Kevin Katz, Matthew P. Muller, Samir Patel, Roberto Melano, et al. "512. Healthcare-Acquired (HA) Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacteriales (CPE) in Southern Ontario, Canada: To Whom Are We Transmitting CPE?" Open Forum Infectious Diseases 6, Supplement_2 (October 2019): S247—S248. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofz360.581.
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Abstract Background Though CPE in Canada are mainly acquired abroad, outbreaks/transmission in Canadian hospitals have been reported. We determined the incidence of HA CPE in southern Ontario, Canada, to inform prevention and control programs. Methods Toronto Invasive Bacterial Diseases Network (TIBDN) has performed population-based surveillance for CPE in the Toronto area/Peel region of southern Ontario, Canada, since CPE were first identified in October 2007. Clinical microbiology laboratories report all CPE isolates to TIBDN; annual lab audits are performed. Incidence calculations used first isolates as numerator; denominator (patient-days/fiscal year for Toronto/Peel hospitals) was from the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. Results The incidence of HA CPE has risen from 0 in 2007/2008 to 0.45 and 0.28 per 100,000 patient-days for all and clinical cases, respectively, in 2017/2018 (Figure, P < 0.0001). 190/790 (24%) incident cases of CPE colonization/infection in southern Ontario from October 2007 to December 2018 were likely HA (hospitalized in Ontario with no history of hospitalization abroad/high-risk travel). Eighty (25%) were female and the median age was 73 years (IQR 57–83 years). 157 (83%) had no prior travel abroad and 33 (17%) had prior low-risk travel. 122 (64%) had their CPE identified >72 hours post-admission (of which 83 also had ≥1 other prior Ontario hospitalization); 68 (36%) had their CPE identified at admission but had recent prior Ontario hospitalization. HA cases vs. foreign acquisitions were significantly more likely K. pneumoniae (48% vs. 38%, P = 0.02) and Enterobacter spp. (20% vs. 7%, P < 0.0001) and less likely E. coli (20% vs. 48%, P < 0.0001). Genes of HA vs. foreign acquisitions were significantly more likely blaKPC (34% vs. 12%, P < 0.0001) and blaVIM (12% vs. 2%, P < 0.0001) and less likely blaNDM±OXA (38% vs. 56%, P < 0.0001) and blaOXA (13% vs. 27%, P = 0.0001). 36 (19%) HA cases had a negative CPE screen before their first positive CPE test (10/36 (28%) were on admission). The median incidence of HA CPE per 100,000 patient-days at each hospital was 0.44 (IQR 0.15–0.68) (P < 0.0001). Conclusion A quarter of CPE cases in southern Ontario were HA and the incidence of HA cases is increasing. Most cases were admitted to >1 Ontario hospital. Strategies to control transmission are critical. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.
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M. Lancaster, Monica, and David P. Thow. "Care Coordination: A Case Study Linking Primary Health Care." Australian Journal of Primary Health 7, no. 1 (2001): 82. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/py01013.
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The purpose of this project is to demonstrate, through a case study, how York Community Services (YCS) is a leader in the delivery of primary health care through its integration of health, legal and social services. YCS is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. YCS's mandate is to serve populations that have traditionally been on the margins of society and therefore have had difficulty accessing the health care system. These include victims of domestic violence, the isolated senior, those with severe mental illness and children living in poverty. Care coordination is a unique model developed by YCS whose main goal is to provide a forum for the client's providers to meet, discuss and coordinate relevant information. Care coordination is used to maintain continuity of care among providers.
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Fairchilds, C. "Poverty in Eighteenth-Century Spain: The Women and Children of the Inclusa. By Joan Sherwood (Toronto, Ontario: University of Toronto Press, 1988. xv plus 239 pp. $35.00)." Journal of Social History 24, no. 2 (December 1, 1990): 402–4. http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/jsh/24.2.402.
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Nistor, Adela, and Diana Reianu. "Determinants of housing prices: evidence from Ontario cities, 2001-2011." International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis 11, no. 3 (June 4, 2018): 541–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/ijhma-08-2017-0078.
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Purpose This paper aims to present a panel data econometric model of the main determinants of house prices in the ten largest census metropolitan areas (CMA) in Ontario, Canada, for the years 2001, 2006 and 2011. The impact of immigration on the housing market in Canada is little researched; however, immigration plays an important role into the economy of Canada. According to Statistics Canada, not only is immigration key to Canada’s population growth but also without immigration, in the next 20 years, Canada’s population growth will be zero. The motivation for this study is the bursting of housing bubbles in some developed countries (e.g. USA). The authors analyze variables that are related to the immigration policy in Canada, accounting also for the impact of the interest rate, income, unemployment, household size and housing supply to analyze housing price determinants. The study investigates the magnitude of the impact of the top three leading categories of immigrants to Canada, namely, Chinese, Indian and Filipino, on the housing prices in Ontario’s largest cities. The results show the main factors that explain home prices over time that are interest rate, immigration, unemployment rate, household size and income. Over the 10-year period from 2001 to 2011, immigration grew by 400 per cent in Toronto CMA, the largest receiving area in Ontario, while the nonimmigrant population grew by 14 per cent. For Toronto CMA, immigrants, income, unemployment rate and interest rate explain the CA$158,875 average home price increase over the 2001-2011 time period. Out of this, the three categories of immigrants’ share of total home price increase is 54.57 per cent, with the corresponding interest rate share 58.60 per cent and income share 11.32 per cent of the total price growth. Unemployment rate contributes negatively to the housing price and its share of the total price increase is 24.49 per cent. Design/methodology/approach The framework for the empirical analysis applies the hedonic pricing model theory to housing sales prices for the ten largest CMAs in Ontario over the years 2001-2011. Following Akbari and Aydede (2012) and O’Meara (2015), market clearing in the housing market results in the housing price as a function of several housing attributes. The authors selected the housing attributes based on data availability for the Canadian Census years of 2001, 2006 and 2011 and the variables that have been most used in the literature. The model has the average housing prices as the dependent variable, and the independent variables are: immigrants per dwelling (Chinese, Indian, and Filipino), unemployment rate, average employment income, household size, housing supply and the interest rate. To capture the relative scarcity of dwellings, the independent variable immigrants per dwelling was used. Findings This study seems to suggest that one cause of high prices in Ontario is large inflows of immigrants together with low mortgage interest rate. The authors focused their attention on Toronto CMA, as it is the main destination of immigrants and comprises the largest cities, including Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton and Oakville. Looking over the 10-year period from 2001 to 2011, the authors can see the factors that impact the home prices in Toronto CMA: immigration, unemployment rate, household size, interest rate and income. Over the period of 10 years from 2001 to 2011, immigrants’ group from China, India and the Philippines account for CA$86,701 increase in the home price (54.57 per cent share of the total increase). Income accounts for CA$17,986 increase in the home price (11.32 per cent share); interest rate accounts for CA$93,103 of the average home price increase in Toronto CMA (58.60 per cent share); and unemployment rate accounts for CA$38,916 decrease in the Toronto average home prices (24.49 per cent share). Household size remain stable over time in Toronto (2.8 average household size) and does not have a contribution to home price change. All these four factors, interest rate, immigrants, unemployment rate and income, together explain CA$158,875 increase in home prices in Toronto CMA between 2001 and 2011. Practical implications The housing market price analysis may be more complex, and there may be factors impacting the housing prices extending beyond immigration, interest rate, income and household size. Finally, the results of this paper can be extended to include the most recent census data for the year 2016 to reflect more accurately the price situation in the housing market for Ontario cities. Social implications The fact that currently, in 2017, the young working population cannot afford buying a property in the Toronto CMA area means there is a problem with this market and a corresponding decrease in the quality of life. According to The Globe and Mail (July 2017), a new pool in 2017 suggested that two in five Canadians believe housing in this country is not affordable for them. Further, 38 per cent of respondents who consider themselves middle or upper class believe in no affordability of housing. The Trudeau Government promised Canadians a national housing strategy for affordable housing. Designing a national housing strategy may be challenging because it has to account for the differential income ranges across regions. Municipal leaders are asking the government to prioritize repair and construct new affordable housing. Another reason discussed in the media of the unaffordability of housing in Toronto and Vancouver is foreign buyers. The Canadian Government recently implemented a tax measure on what it may seem the housing bubble problem: foreign buyers. Following Vancouver, in April 2017, Ontario Government imposed a 15 per cent tax on foreign buyers who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents. This tax is levied on houses purchased in the area stretching from Niagara Region and Greater Toronto to Peterborough. Originality/value Few studies use Canadian data to explain house prices and analyze the effect of immigration on housing prices. There is not much research on the effect of the immigrants and immigrants’ ethnicity (e.g., Chinese, Indian and Filipino immigrants), on the housing prices in Canada cities. This study investigates the impact of the most prevalent immigrant races (e.g., from China, India and the Philippines) on housing prices, using data for Canadian major cities in Ontario within a panel data econometric framework. This paper fills this gap and contributes to the literature, which analyzes the determinants of housing prices based on a panel of cities in the Canadian province of Ontario.
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Borisko, Jeff P., Bruce W. Kilgour, Les W. Stanfield, and F. Chris Jones. "An Evaluation of Rapid Bioassessment Protocols for Stream Benthic Invertebrates in Southern Ontario, Canada." Water Quality Research Journal 42, no. 3 (August 1, 2007): 184–93. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wqrj.2007.022.
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Abstract In this study, we sampled stream benthos using rapid bioassessment methods (i.e., D-nets, coarse taxonomy) from sites in and around Toronto, Ontario that represented a range of stream characteristics (e.g., drainage areas). The protocols were developed by or adapted from: (1) Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, (2) Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, (3) Ontario Benthos Biomonitoring Network/Ministry of the Environment, and (4) Canadian Aquatic Biomonitoring Network/Environment Canada. Summary indices (Hilsenhoff's modified Biotic Index [HBI]; percent of fauna as Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera [% EPT]; number of taxa [S]; and Shannon's Diversity Index [H']) calculated from the resulting data were used to evaluate differences between protocols in a series of analyses including analysis of variance and variance components analysis. The study found that sampling method was an unimportant source of variation in summary index values relative to other factors such as the stream or year sampled. The largest percent variance amongst stream or year factors (main and interactions) was at least three times greater than the corresponding method related percent variances. The results of this study suggest that these four bioassessment methods are interchangeable within the context of large geographic scales or for the detection of major impacts. In cases where impacts to the benthic community are subtle, protocols should include one or more of discrete habitat sampling, replication, and lower taxonomic resolution. The data and findings here may help agencies integrate different sampling protocols into their biomonitoring and assessment programs.
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Pugliese, Stephanie C., Jennifer G. Murphy, Felix R. Vogel, Michael D. Moran, Junhua Zhang, Qiong Zheng, Craig A. Stroud, Shuzhan Ren, Douglas Worthy, and Gregoire Broquet. "High-resolution quantification of atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> mixing ratios in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 18, no. 5 (March 8, 2018): 3387–401. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-3387-2018.
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Abstract. Many stakeholders are seeking methods to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in urban areas, but reliable, high-resolution inventories are required to guide these efforts. We present the development of a high-resolution CO2 inventory available for the Greater Toronto Area and surrounding region in Southern Ontario, Canada (area of ∼ 2.8 × 105 km2, 26 % of the province of Ontario). The new SOCE (Southern Ontario CO2 Emissions) inventory is available at the 2.5 × 2.5 km spatial and hourly temporal resolution and characterizes emissions from seven sectors: area, residential natural-gas combustion, commercial natural-gas combustion, point, marine, on-road, and off-road. To assess the accuracy of the SOCE inventory, we developed an observation–model framework using the GEM-MACH chemistry–transport model run on a high-resolution grid with 2.5 km grid spacing coupled to the Fossil Fuel Data Assimilation System (FFDAS) v2 inventories for anthropogenic CO2 emissions and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) land carbon model C-TESSEL for biogenic fluxes. A run using FFDAS for the Southern Ontario region was compared to a run in which its emissions were replaced by the SOCE inventory. Simulated CO2 mixing ratios were compared against in situ measurements made at four sites in Southern Ontario – Downsview, Hanlan's Point, Egbert and Turkey Point – in 3 winter months, January–March 2016. Model simulations had better agreement with measurements when using the SOCE inventory emissions versus other inventories, quantified using a variety of statistics such as correlation coefficient, root-mean-square error, and mean bias. Furthermore, when run with the SOCE inventory, the model had improved ability to capture the typical diurnal pattern of CO2 mixing ratios, particularly at the Downsview, Hanlan's Point, and Egbert sites. In addition to improved model–measurement agreement, the SOCE inventory offers a sectoral breakdown of emissions, allowing estimation of average time-of-day and day-of-week contributions of different sectors. Our results show that at night, emissions from residential and commercial natural-gas combustion and other area sources can contribute > 80 % of the CO2 enhancement, while during the day emissions from the on-road sector dominate, accounting for > 70 % of the enhancement.
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Westgate, J. A., F. J. Chen, and L. D. Delorme. "Lacustrine ostracodes in the Late Pleistocene Sunnybrook diamicton of southern Ontario, Canada." Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 24, no. 11 (November 1, 1987): 2330–35. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/e87-219.
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Two opposing interpretations have been made on the depositional origin of the Late Pleistocene Sunnybrook diamicton in the Metro-Toronto region of southern Ontario. The traditional view holds this deposit to be a till, but more recent arguments advocate a glaciolacustrine origin by suspension deposition and ice rafting.The discovery of a low-diversity ostracode fauna consisting of Candona subtriangulata, Candona caudata, and Darwinula stevensoni in the Sunnybrook diamicton suggests a lacustrine origin. Excellent preservation of thin, fragile shells and a mixture of juveniles and adults in sediments of varying texture—clayey silt to silty clay—indicate that there has been little winnowing or selective sorting and that the ostracodes are in situ. Indications are that the Sunnybrook diamicton was deposited in a large, deep, and cold lake.These new palaeontological observations call for a reassessment of the Quaternary stratigraphy of the Ontario Basin and suggest that the Laurentide Ice Sheet in the eastern Great Lakes region was less extensive during the early part of the Wisconsin Glaciation than previously assumed.
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McMullin, Richard Troy, Katherine Drotos, David Ireland, and Hanna Dorval. "Diversity and conservation status of lichens and allied fungi in the Greater Toronto Area: results from four years of the Ontario BioBlitz." Canadian Field-Naturalist 132, no. 4 (July 11, 2019): 394–406. http://dx.doi.org/10.22621/cfn.v132i4.1997.
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Bioblitzes are typically 24-hour biological surveys of a defined region carried out by taxonomic specialists, citizen scientists, and the general public. The largest in Canada is the Ontario BioBlitz, an annual event held in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Between 2013 and 2016, we examined the feasibility of including lichens and allied fungi in the Ontario BioBlitz. These taxa are often overlooked, understudied, and taxonomically difficult. We completed a bioblitz in each of the four major watersheds in the GTA and recorded 138 species in 72 genera which, combined with all previous collections, totals 180 species in 88 genera in the area. Thirteen of the species we collected are provincially ranked as S1 (critically imperilled), S2 (imperilled), or S3 (vulnerable). We collected Lecanora carpinea for the first time in Ontario. Our results provide a baseline list of GTA lichens that can be used for monitoring. This is one of the first detailed lichen surveys of a major North American urban area and it demonstrates that rapid bioblitz surveys are proficient in capturing lichen diversity despite their inconspicuous nature and the advanced microscopy and chemical analyses required for their identification.
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Adams, J., L. Dredge, C. Fenton, D. R. Grant, W. W. Shifts, A. A. Mohajer, N. Eyles, and C. Rogojina. "Neotectonic faulting in metropolitan Toronto: Implications for earthquake hazard assessment in the Lake Ontario region: Comment and Reply." Geology 21, no. 9 (1993): 863. http://dx.doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1993)021<0863:nfimti>2.3.co;2.
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Palmer, R. M., C. Jones, and M. Walters. "Environmental monitoring initiatives to sustain growth in Ontario, Canada." Water Science and Technology 38, no. 11 (December 1, 1998): 113–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wst.1998.0449.
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Sustainability, which attempts to balance environmental preservation and economic growth, includes puzzling problems such as better managing the world's water resources and enhancing the quality of life. Municipalities within the Nottawasaga Valley and Lake Simcoe Watersheds, north of Toronto, are now considered to have a high potential for significant growth. Both watersheds form part of the Georgian Bay ecosystem, within the Great Lakes Basin. Integrated watershed management planning by the Nottawasaga Valley and Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authorities is protecting water resources and ensuring the availability of water servicing for controlled development. This includes the maintenance of streamflows for the assimilation of treated sewage effluent from headwater basins and protection of unimpaired aquatic habitat at the same time. Monitoring the performance and success of the watershed plans is a vital component to sustain a healthy ecosystem pulse while accommodating growth. The comprehensive GIS based, multi-partnered monitoring program being used is unique. This low-cost, transferable approach for watershed monitoring includes a biological method known as BioMAP. The monitoring program has a proven track record for pre-design and post-construction stages of new development. Various case studies are presented.
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Milne, Robert J., Lorne P. Bennett, and Paul J. Harpley. "Contributions of landscape ecology, multifunctionality and wildlife research toward sustainable forest management in the Greater Toronto Area." Forestry Chronicle 82, no. 3 (May 1, 2006): 403–11. http://dx.doi.org/10.5558/tfc82403-3.
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Forested lands in southern Ontario are threatened by a myriad of demands. In order to capture the multi-scale, multi-use and multifunction reality of forests within such intense human-nature interdependent landscapes, an integrative approach to sustainable forest management is necessary. Such forest management may be possible by combining the framework of landscape ecology with an understanding of forest multifunctionality. Within the Greater Toronto Area, the management of forests is provided by several agencies; some are responsible for 1) geological landscapes (e.g., the Niagara Escarpment), 2) for watersheds (e.g., Conservation Authorities) and 3) for political regions (e.g., York Region). In this paper, case studies reflecting important management issues are introduced. Wildlife research is then presented to link these issues to landscape ecology and forest multifunctionality in order to illustrate a means of enhancing sustainable forest management. Key words: landscape ecology, multifunctionality, multifunctional approach, sustainable forest management, Greater Toronto Area, wildlife function, integrative forest management
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Dreimanis, Aleksis, Elsbet Liivrand, and Anto Raukas. "Glacially redeposited pollen in tills of southern Ontario, Canada." Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 26, no. 9 (September 1, 1989): 1667–76. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/e89-143.
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According to published opinion based on analytical data, the secondary pollen of subglacial till in the eastern Baltic region of Europe reflect the pollen assemblages of the preceding interstadial or interglacial sediment, including abundant thermo-philous pollen. Tills and glaciolacustrine sediments from 10 sites in southern Ontario, including the Don Valley Brickyard section at Toronto, where polynologically investigated to compare the pollen content in glacigenic deposits of various ages. Only one site (upper Bradtville till) contained a secondary pollen assemblage with abundant deciduous pollen, like those found in a Yarmouthian interglacial deposit in Indiana. In all the others, pine (Pinus) pollen dominate. This phenomenon is explained by glacial incorporation of sediments enriched in overproduced Pinus pollen, which had accumulated during either (i) a lengthy cool transitional period between the warm phase of the Sangamonian Interglacial and the first major Early Wisconsinan glacial advance, (ii) the interstadial Middle Wisconsinan, or (iii) the cool nonglacial episode of Illinoian and pre-Illinoian time. Therefore, the northern European model for distinguishing tills of different ages by their secondary pollen assemblages is applicable to southern Ontario only in exceptional cases. Pollen in the glaciolacustrine Early Wisconsinan Sunnybrook Drift sediments resembles those of Sunnybrook till, but are more variable in their preservation and composition and contain more pre-Quaternary palynomorphs.
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Kerr-Lawson, L. J., P. F. Karrow, T. W. D. Edwards, and G. L. Mackie. "A paleoenvironmental study of the molluscs from the Don Formation (Sangamonian?) Don Valley Brickyard, Toronto, Ontario." Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 29, no. 11 (November 1, 1992): 2406–17. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/e92-188.
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The Don Formation comprises 8–9 m of fossiliferous stratified sand and clay, lying between glacial deposits of Wisconsinan and presumed Illinioan age. It has yielded a diverse fossil flora and fauna indicating a climate as warm as or warmer than present and is considered to be of last, or Sangamonian, interglacial age. About 2 t of sediment were processed from the type section of the Don Formation at Toronto, Ontario, and yielded approximately 18 000 identifiable mollusc shells, representing 45 taxa. Previously unpublished taxa include 11 freshwater gastropod species, 12 pelecypod species (Sphaeriidae), and 7 terrestrial gastropod species. The molluscs are mainly concentrated in the lower two-thirds of the formation and are dominated by Valvata perdepressa, with abundant Valvata sincera, Probythinella lacustris, Amnicola limosa, Amnicola walkeri, Pleurocera acuta, Elimia livescens, Pisidium casertanum, Pisidium compressum, Pisidium fallax, and Sphaerium striatinum. All the mollusc species are modern inhabitants of the Great Lakes region. Their known ecological tolerances suggest deposition in relatively shallow waters of a large temperate lake having substantial fluvial input nearby. Stratigraphic variations in the relative abundance of different aquatic taxa may reflect variations in water depth or fluvial activity. Stable isotope data from several mollusc species and a single wood specimen, together with taxonomic paleoenvironmental interpretation, are consistent with deposition during the climatic optimum of the Sangamonian interglaciation. Environmental conditions and faunas are similar to those of the Nipissing phase (Hypsithermal) of the eastern Great Lakes.
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Kirkpatrick, Sharon I., and Valerie Tarasuk. "Assessing the relevance of neighbourhood characteristics to the household food security of low-income Toronto families." Public Health Nutrition 13, no. 7 (March 3, 2010): 1139–48. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1368980010000339.
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AbstractObjectiveAlthough the sociodemographic characteristics of food-insecure households have been well documented, there has been little examination of neighbourhood characteristics in relation to this problem. In the present study we examined the association between household food security and neighbourhood features including geographic food access and perceived neighbourhood social capital.DesignCross-sectional survey and mapping of discount supermarkets and community food programmes.SettingTwelve high-poverty neighbourhoods in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.SubjectsRespondents from 484 low-income families who had children and who lived in rental accommodations.ResultsFood insecurity was pervasive, affecting two-thirds of families with about a quarter categorized as severely food insecure, indicative of food deprivation. Food insecurity was associated with household factors including income and income source. However, food security did not appear to be mitigated by proximity to food retail or community food programmes, and high rates of food insecurity were observed in neighbourhoods with good geographic food access. While low perceived neighbourhood social capital was associated with higher odds of food insecurity, this effect did not persist once we accounted for household sociodemographic factors.ConclusionsOur findings raise questions about the extent to which neighbourhood-level interventions to improve factors such as food access or social cohesion can mitigate problems of food insecurity that are rooted in resource constraints. In contrast, the results reinforce the importance of household-level characteristics and highlight the need for interventions to address the financial constraints that underlie problems of food insecurity.
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Faheem, Amna, Alainna Jamal, Hassan Kazi, Brenda Coleman, Lubna Farooqi, Jennie Johnstone, Kevin Katz, et al. "501. Risk of Infection in Persons Colonized with Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacteriales (CPE) in Ontario, Canada." Open Forum Infectious Diseases 6, Supplement_2 (October 2019): S243. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofz360.570.
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Abstract Background We aimed to assess the risk of subsequent infection among patients colonized by CPE. Methods The Toronto Invasive Bacterial Diseases Network (TIBDN) has conducted population-based surveillance for CPE colonization/infection in Toronto and Peel region, Ontario, Canada, since CPE were first identified (2007). All laboratories report all CPE isolates to TIBDN. Clinical data are collected via patient interview and hospital chart review. Initially colonized patients are followed for 5y; subsequent CPE infection is defined as an episode with onset >3 days after initial detection of CPE colonization that meets National Healthcare Safety Network criteria for infection with a clinical isolate of CPE. Results From 2007 to 2018, 790 persons with CPE colonization/infection were identified. Among 364 cases colonized at identification, 42 (12%) subsequently had at least one clinical isolate, and 23 (6%) had an infection: 8 with bacteremia (primary or secondary), 7 UTI, 5 pneumonia, and 3 other. The median time from identification of colonization to infection was 21 days (IQR 7–38), with a probability of developing an infection of 7% at 3 months, and 18% by 3 years (figure). In 305 cases with data available to date, older persons, those admitted to the ICU, and those with current/recent invasive medical devices were more likely to develop infection (table). Gender, underlying conditions and other procedures were not associated with risk of infection. There was a trend to infections being more likely in patients colonized with K. pneumoniae (52% vs. 35%, P = 0.13). Conclusion The risk of subsequent infection in our cohort was 18%, with highest risk in the first 3 months; most infections occurred in patients requiring intensive care unit admission and invasive medical devices. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.
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Zhong, Zoe, Amna Faheem, Lubna Farooqi, Irene Armstrong, Emily Borgundvaag, Brenda Coleman, Karen Green, et al. "1205. Emergence of Carbapenemase Producing Enterobacteriaceae in South Central Ontario, Canada." Open Forum Infectious Diseases 5, suppl_1 (November 2018): S365. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofy210.1038.
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Abstract Background The spread of CPE is an increasing global threat to patient safety. We describe the introduction and evolution of CPE in south-central Ontario, Canada. Methods The Toronto Invasive Bacterial Diseases Network has performed population based surveillance for CPE in metropolitan Toronto and Peel region from first identified isolates in 2007. All laboratories test/refer all carbapenem non-susceptible Enterobacterial isolates for PCR testing for carbapenemases. Demographic and medical data and travel history are collected from chart review and patient/physician interview. Results Since 2007, 659 patients have been identified as colonized/infected with CPE; 362, 57%) have at least one clinical isolate. Annual incidence has increased from 0 in 2006 to 1.3 per 100,000 in 2016/17 (Figure 1). First bacteremia occurred in 2010, the incidence in 2017 was 0.14 per 100,000 population. 388 (59%) patients were male, median age was 70 years (range 3 months–100 years). Most common genes among first isolates were NDM (306, 46%), OX48 (149, 23%), KPC (122, 19%). Most common species were K. pneumoniae (268, 41%) and E. coli (259, 39%). Over time, second species/same gene were identified in 113 (16%) patients. In addition, 34/xxx patients with isolates with NDM and/or OXA-48 subsequently had a second isolate with a different gene/gene combination. Of 518 patients whose travel and hospitalization history are available, patients with VIM were less likely than other patients to have a foreign hospitalization or travel history (9/28 vs. 341/490, P < 0.0001). Patients with KPC were more likely to have a hospitalization history outside Canada and the Indian subcontinent (25/70, 36%), in Canada (47/164,29%) than to have no hospitalization in the last year (13/93, 14%), or a history of hospitalization in the Indian subcontinent (2/191, 1%) (P < 0.001). The number of incident patients with different hospitalization and travel history over time is shown in Figure 2. Conclusion CPE is increasingly recognized in southern Ontario, both in patients with a history of exposure in healthcare in other countries, and to healthcare in Canada. Intensification of control programs is urgently needed. Disclosures S. Poutanen, MERCK: Scientific Advisor, Speaker honorarium. COPAN: Speaker(but not part of a bureau), Travel reimbursement. Accelerate Diagnostics: Investigator, Research support. Bio-Rad: Investigator, Research support. bioMérieux: Investigator, Research support.
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Stroud, Craig, Shuzhan Ren, Junhua Zhang, Michael Moran, Ayodeji Akingunola, Paul Makar, Rodrigo Munoz-Alpizar, et al. "Chemical Analysis of Surface-Level Ozone Exceedances during the 2015 Pan American Games." Atmosphere 11, no. 6 (June 1, 2020): 572. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/atmos11060572.
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Surface-level ozone (O3) continues to be a significant health risk in the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area (GTHA) of Canada even though precursor emissions in the area have decreased significantly over the past two decades. In July 2015, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) led an intensive field study coincident with Toronto hosting the 2015 Pan American Games. During the field study, the daily 1-h maximum O3 standard (80 ppbv) was exceeded twice at a measurement site in North Toronto, once on July 12 and again on July 28. In this study, ECCC’s 2.5-km configuration of the Global Environmental Multi-scale (GEM) meteorological model was combined with the Modelling Air-quality and CHemistry (MACH) on-line atmospheric chemistry model and the Town Energy Balance (TEB) urban surface parameterization to create a new urban air quality modelling system. In general, the model results showed that the nested 2.5-km grid-spaced urban air quality model performed better in statistical scores compared to the piloting 10-km grid-spaced GEM-MACH model without TEB. Model analyses were performed with GEM-MACH-TEB for the two exceedance periods. The local meteorology for both cases consisted of light winds with the highest O3 predictions situated along lake-breeze fronts. For the July 28 case, O3 production sensitivity analysis along the trajectory of the lake-breeze circulation showed that the region of most efficient O3 production occurred in the updraft region of the lake-breeze front, as the precursors to O3 formation underwent vertical mixing. In this updraft region, the ozone production switches from volatile organic compound (VOC)-sensitive to NOx-sensitive, and the local net O3 production rate reaches a maximum. This transition in the chemical regime is a previously unidentified factor for why O3 surface-level mixing ratios maximize along the lake-breeze front. For the July 12 case, differences between the model and observed Lake Ontario water temperature and the strength of lake-breeze opposing wind flow play a role in differences in the timing of the lake-breeze, which impacts the predicted location of the O3 maximum north of Toronto.
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Gharabaghi, B., A. Fata, T. Van Seters, R. P. Rudra, G. MacMillan, D. Smith, J. Y. Li, A. Bradford, and G. Tesa. "Evaluation of sediment control pond performance at construction sites in the Greater Toronto Area." Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering 33, no. 11 (November 1, 2006): 1335–44. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/l06-074.
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Receiving water quality concerns associated with increased construction activities in recent years in the Greater Toronto Area has prompted the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) to evaluate design criteria for sediment control ponds employed during the construction period. Stormwater management ponds located in the towns of Richmond Hill and Markham were monitored to obtain stormwater runoff quantity and influent-effluent quality data during site development. The ponds were designed and constructed in accordance with the Ontario Ministry of the Environment Stormwater management planning and design manual 2003 for an enhanced level of protection (i.e., 80% total suspended solids removal). A hydrodynamic and sediment-transport model was used to examine the effect of pond geometry on sediment removal efficiency under varying storm events. The monitoring data and the modelling results clearly demonstrate the importance of proper pond size and geometry design. This paper focuses on the effect of the ratio of pond length to pond width in minimizing the short-circuiting effect and improvement of the sediment removal efficiency of stormwater management ponds. The results of this study will be useful in updating the design criteria for stormwater management ponds.Key words: stormwater, management, pond, design, sediment.
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Sayani, Ambreen, Mandana Vahabi, Mary Ann O’Brien, Geoffrey Liu, Stephen Hwang, Peter Selby, Erika Nicholson, Meredith Giuliani, Lawson Eng, and Aisha Lofters. "Advancing health equity in cancer care: The lived experiences of poverty and access to lung cancer screening." PLOS ONE 16, no. 5 (May 6, 2021): e0251264. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0251264.
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Background Individuals living with low income are more likely to smoke, have a higher risk of lung cancer, and are less likely to participate in preventative healthcare (i.e., low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) for lung cancer screening), leading to equity concerns. To inform the delivery of an organized pilot lung cancer screening program in Ontario, we sought to contextualize the lived experiences of poverty and the choice to participate in lung cancer screening. Methods At three Toronto academic primary-care clinics, high-risk screen-eligible patients who chose or declined LDCT screening were consented; sociodemographic data was collected. Qualitative interviews were conducted. Theoretical thematic analysis was used to organize, describe and interpret the data using the morphogenetic approach as a guiding theoretical lens. Results Eight participants chose to undergo screening; ten did not. From interviews, we identified three themes: Pathways of disadvantage (social trajectories of events that influence lung-cancer risk and health-seeking behaviour), lung-cancer risk and early detection (upstream factors that shape smoking behaviour and lung-cancer screening choices), and safe spaces of care (care that is free of bias, conflict, criticism, or potentially threatening actions, ideas or conversations). We illuminate how ‘choice’ is contextual to the availability of material resources such as income and housing, and how ‘choice’ is influenced by having access to spaces of care that are free of judgement and personal bias. Conclusion Underserved populations will require multiprong interventions that work at the individual, system and structural level to reduce inequities in lung-cancer risk and access to healthcare services such as cancer screening.
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McGeer, Allison, Agron Plevneshi, Kazi Hassan, Wayne Gold, Larissa Matukas, Tony Mazzulli, David Richardson, et al. "1309. Incidence and Epidemiology of Invasive Pneumococcal Disease due to Serotype 3 in South-Central Ontario." Open Forum Infectious Diseases 8, Supplement_1 (November 1, 2021): S743. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofab466.1501.
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Abstract Background In our population, the most common serotype (ST) of S. pneumoniae causing invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) is now ST 3. We undertook an analysis of population based surveillance for IPD to examine the incidence and epidemiology of ST 3 disease over the last 25 years. Methods The Toronto Invasive Bacterial Diseases Network has performed population-based surveillance for IPD in Toronto/Peel region (pop’n 4.5M) since 1995. All sterile site isolates of S. pneumoniae are reported to a central study laboratory, isolates are serotyped, and clinical and vaccination data are collected via patient and physician interview and chart review. Population data are obtained from Statistics Canada. Results From 1995-2020, 11032 episodes of IPD occurred; 10015 had STs available, and 10484 clinical data. Overall, ST 3 comprised 9.2% of cases (N=931). Compared to other patients with IPD, those with ST 3 IPD were older (median age 65 vs. 58.5, P< .001), more likely to have underlying lung (22.7% v 16.0%, P< .0001) and cardiac (21.7 v 18.4, P=.02) disease and less likely to be immunocompromised (IC) (23.1% v 29.0% P< .0001). ST3 episodes were more likely to be pneumonia (81% v 65%), less likely to be bacteremia without focus (7.6% v 18.9%), and more likely to require ICU admission (42.3% v 25.1%) and to die (27.1% v 16.6%). In multivariable analysis, patients with ST 3 disease remained more likely to die (OR 1.65; 95%CI1.3-2.0). Over time, the proportion of patients with ST 3 IPD who were nursing home (NH) residents (18/171 in 1995-2000 vs. 4/215 in 2016-2020, P=.0002), and who were IC (46/169 in 1995-2000 vs 39/204 in 2016-2020, P=.007) decreased significantly; in IPD due to other STs, the proportion who were NH residents declined, but the proportion IC increased significantly. The case fatality rate (CFR) declined significantly in IPD due to ST3 but not other STs (Figure 1). Changes in incidence are shown in Figure 2. Figure 2: Incidence of serotype 3 IPD over time, Toronto/Peel, 1995-2020 The incidence of ST3 IPD in children and adults under 65 did not change significantly from 1995/96 to 2019/20. In older adults, the annual incidence of disease declined from 4.98 per 100,000 per year in 1995-2000 to 3.53 per 100,000 per year in 2001-2010 (IRR 0.71, 95%CI 0.56-0.90), then to 2.23 per 100,000 per year in 2011-2020 (IRR compared to 2001-2010 0.63, 95%CI 0.50-0.79) FIgure 2: Case fatality rate of IPD due to serotype 3 and other serotypes over time, 1995-2020, Toronto-Peel The case fatality rate of IPD due to ST3 declined from 37.6% (56/149) in 1995-2000 to 50/235 (21.3%) in 2015-2020 (P<.0001). The CFR in other serotypes did not change. Conclusion The epidemiology of IPD due to ST3 has changed significantly over time and the CFR has declined. The incidence of ST3 disease in children and younger adults has not changed significantly, although the power to detect change is low in children. In older adults the incidence of ST3 disease declined significantly after PPV23 introduction in 1995/6 and again after PCV13 introduction for children. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures
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Jost, M. A., J. Hamr, I. Filion, and F. F. Mallory. "Forage selection by elk in habitats common to the French River - Burwash region of Ontario." Canadian Journal of Zoology 77, no. 9 (November 15, 1999): 1429–38. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z99-136.
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A study of two herds of Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) introduced into the French River - Burwash regions of Ontario in the 1940s was undertaken to assess forage selection and availability. Studies in western North America have shown that the diets of elk vary seasonally, spatially, and in response to forage availability, palatability, plant phenology, plant species diversity, and habitat type. These studies have concluded that grasses, browse, and forbs were preferred forage items and that indigenous grass was used most. In an attempt to obtain a more detailed understanding of forage use in relation to habitat type, selection and availability of forage in ridge, mixed-forest, and grassland habitats was analyzed by tracking elk during a 2-year period. More than 1000 forage occasions were recorded from approximately 60 animals. It was hypothesized that Rocky Mountain elk in the French River - Burwash region would select forage species similar to those found in western North America. The results of this study support the following conclusions: (i) elk in the French River - Burwash regions of Ontario use ridge, mixed-forest, and grassland habitats for foraging; (ii) most forage consumed by elk in this region is woody species, grasses, or forbs, common in mixed-forest habitats; (iii) open grasslands increased forage diversity minimally and appeared to be the least important for foraging; (iv) uncultivated grasslands dominated by Old World agricultural gaminoid species, such as timothy (Phleum pratense), quack grass (Elymus repens), wire grass (Poa compressa), and redtop (Agrostis gigantea), or by indigenous graminoid species, such as white-grained mountain rice (Oryzopsis asperifolia), Canada blue joint (Calamagrostis canadensis), poverty oat grass (Danthonia spicata), and (or) fringed brome grass (Bromus ciliatus), may provide little nutritional support for elk in this region; (v) habitats containing large amounts of willow (Salix spp.), red maple (Acer rubrum), and common hairgrass (Deschampsia flexuosa) provide a significant forage base for elk in the Great Lakes - St. Lawrence ectone; and (vi) relocated Rocky Mountain elk in Ontario use forage classes similar to those utilized by elk in western North America; however, woody browse is the dominant forage used.
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Ganguli, Poulomi, and Paulin Coulibaly. "Does nonstationarity in rainfall require nonstationary intensity–duration–frequency curves?" Hydrology and Earth System Sciences 21, no. 12 (December 18, 2017): 6461–83. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-6461-2017.
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Abstract. In Canada, risk of flooding due to heavy rainfall has risen in recent decades; the most notable recent examples include the July 2013 storm in the Greater Toronto region and the May 2017 flood of the Toronto Islands. We investigate nonstationarity and trends in the short-duration precipitation extremes in selected urbanized locations in Southern Ontario, Canada, and evaluate the potential of nonstationary intensity–duration–frequency (IDF) curves, which form an input to civil infrastructural design. Despite apparent signals of nonstationarity in precipitation extremes in all locations, the stationary vs. nonstationary models do not exhibit any significant differences in the design storm intensity, especially for short recurrence intervals (up to 10 years). The signatures of nonstationarity in rainfall extremes do not necessarily imply the use of nonstationary IDFs for design considerations. When comparing the proposed IDFs with current design standards, for return periods (10 years or less) typical for urban drainage design, current design standards require an update of up to 7 %, whereas for longer recurrence intervals (50–100 years), ideal for critical civil infrastructural design, updates ranging between ∼ 2 and 44 % are suggested. We further emphasize that the above findings need re-evaluation in the light of climate change projections since the intensity and frequency of extreme precipitation are expected to intensify due to global warming.
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Blumenberg, Evelyn, Miriam Pinski, Lilly A. Nhan, and May C. Wang. "Regional differences in the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food sufficiency in California, April–July 2020: implications for food programmes and policies." Public Health Nutrition 24, no. 11 (April 30, 2021): 3442–50. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1368980021001889.
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AbstractObjective:To evaluate regional differences in factors associated with food insufficiency during the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic among three major metropolitan regions in California, a state with historically low participation rates in the Supplementation Nutrition Assistance Program, the nation’s largest food assistance programme.Design:Analysis of cross-sectional data from phase 1 (23 April–21 July 2020) of the US Census Household Pulse Survey, a weekly national online survey.Setting:California, and three Californian metropolitan statistical areas (MSA), including San Francisco–Oakland–Berkeley, Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim and Riverside–San Bernardino–Ontario MSA.Participants:Adults aged 18 years and older living in households.Results:Among the three metropolitan areas, food insufficiency rates were lowest in the San Francisco–Oakland–Berkeley MSA. Measures of disadvantage (e.g., having low-income, being unemployed, recent loss of employment income and pre-pandemic food insufficiency) were widely associated with household food insufficiency. However, disadvantaged households in the San Francisco Bay Area, the area with the lowest poverty and unemployment rates, were more likely to be food insufficient compared with those in the Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim and Riverside–San Bernardino–Ontario MSA.Conclusions:Food insufficiency risk among disadvantaged households differed by region. To be effective, governmental response to food insufficiency must address the varied local circumstances that contribute to these disparities.
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Hossain, R., I. Burcul, J. Dai, R. Hossain, S. Strobel, Z. Ma, and S. Jamani. "LO70: Emergency department use and migration patterns of people experiencing homelessness." CJEM 22, S1 (May 2020): S33. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/cem.2020.125.
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Introduction: Understanding how homeless patients interact with healthcare systems can be challenging. The nature of the population is such that identifying and following these persons can be severely limited by data. Previous studies have used survey data which relies on self-reporting and selected samples such as those persons admitted to homeless shelters (Gray et al. 2011). Other studies have been able to leverage administrative data but only for selected local geographic areas (Somers et al. 2016, Tompkins et al 2003). It is possible that the current literature has not examined a large proportion of homeless persons and their healthcare use. This is concerning because this population can have higher associated medical costs and greater medical resource utilization especially with regards to psychiatric and emergency department (ED) resources (Tulloch et al. 2012, Forchuk et al, 2015). Methods: Administrative health data (2010 to 2017) is used to analyze ambulatory care records for homeless individuals in Ontario, Canada. Uniquely, we are able to use ED contacts as a way of identifying homeless migrations from region to region within Ontario. Using a network analysis we identify high impact ED nodes and discrete hospital networks where homeless patients congregate. We are also able to more fully characterize this population's demographics, health issues, and disposition from the ED. Results: We provide a more complete understanding of migration patterns for homeless individuals, across Ontario and their concomitant ED use and hospitalizations. The three most frequented regions in Ontario (n = 640,897) were Toronto Central (35.96%), Hamilton Niagara Halimand Brant (8.9%) and Champlain (7.84%). In subsequent visits, the majority of patients presented to different EDs, however a subgroup who always presented to the same site was present. Over the 7 year period, migration between visits occurred most often between urban areas, and increased as a whole. Conclusion: The results of the study allow for the enhancement care coordination for vulnerable populations and enhance the availability and delivery of services for sub-groups of homelessness whose care needs may differ based on migration patterns. Services can be coordinated between jurisdictions for homeless individuals, and appropriate referrals can be made across the health care system. Further evidence is provided for a novel method of mapping migration among the homeless and its associations and effects on ED use.
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Chan, T. W., J. R. Brook, G. J. Smallwood, and G. Lu. "Time-resolved measurements of black carbon light absorption enhancement in urban and near-urban locations of southern Ontario, Canada." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 11, no. 20 (October 20, 2011): 10407–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/acp-11-10407-2011.
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Abstract. In this study a photoacoustic spectrometer (PA), a laser-induced incandescence instrument system (LII) and an Aerosol Mass Spectrometer were operated in parallel for in-situ measurements of black carbon (BC) light absorption enhancement. Results of a thermodenuder experiment using ambient particles in Toronto are presented first to show that LII measurements of BC are not influenced by the presence of non-refractory material thus providing true atmospheric BC mass concentrations. In contrast, the PA response is enhanced when the non-refractory material is internally mixed with the BC particles. Through concurrent measurements using the LII and PA the specific absorption cross-section (SAC) can be quantified with high time resolution (1 min). Comparisons of ambient PA and LII measurements from four different locations (suburban Toronto; a street canyon with diesel bus traffic in Ottawa; adjacent to a commuter highway in Ottawa and; regional background air in and around Windsor, Ontario), show that different impacts from emission sources and/or atmospheric processes result in different particle light absorption enhancements and hence variations in the SAC. The diversity of measurements obtained, including those with the thermodenuder, demonstrated that it is possible to identify measurements where the presence of externally-mixed non-refractory particles obscures direct observation of the effect of coating material on the SAC, thus allowing this effect to be measured with more confidence. Depending upon the time and location of measurement (urban, rural, close to and within a lake breeze frontal zone), 30 min average SAC varies between 9 ± 2 and 43 ± 4 m2 g−1. Causes of this variation, which were determined through the use of meteorological and gaseous measurements (CO, SO2, O3), include the particle emission source, airmass source region, the degree of atmospheric processing. Observations from this study also show that the active surface area of the BC aggregate, which is measured by the LII as the PPS, is an important parameter for inferring the degree of particle collapse of a BC particle. In addition, PPS could be a useful measurement for indicating the importance of recently emitted BC (e.g. from gasoline or diesel engines) relative to the total measured BC in the atmosphere.
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Boberg, Charles. "The Dialect Topography of Montreal." English World-Wide 25, no. 2 (December 22, 2004): 171–98. http://dx.doi.org/10.1075/eww.25.2.02bob.
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A new survey of variation and change in Canadian English, called Dialect Topography, has been extended from Southern Ontario, where it was conceived and originally implemented, to Montreal. In the tradition of earlier questionnaires investigating Canadian English, the new data contribute to our knowledge of Canadian English at several levels of structure, including phonology, morpho-syntax, and lexicon. In this paper, the Montreal data are compared to those from the Toronto region and to earlier studies of Quebec English, in order to examine differences between the varieties of English spoken in Canada's two largest cities from a diachronic perspective. Contrary to the conclusion of an earlier study, variables involving a contrast between British and American forms show similar frequencies in both cities. The data on these variables also show the frequency of American forms in Montreal speech to be increasing over time. Another set of variables displays wide discrepancies between the two regions. Some of the differences are explained in terms of settlement history and language contact; others are not so easily explained and are presented as a challenge for future research.
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Ellis, Christopher. "The Cummins Site Complex and Paleoindian Occupations in the Northwestern Lake Superior Region. Patrick J. Julig. Ontario Archaeological Reports No. 2. Ontario Heritage Foundation, Toronto, 1992. xiii + 236 pp., figures, tables, bibliography. $20.00 (Canadian) (paper)." American Antiquity 62, no. 1 (January 1997): 173. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/282413.
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Slowik, J. G., D. J. Cziczo, and J. P. D. Abbatt. "Analysis of cloud condensation nuclei composition and growth kinetics using a pumped counterflow virtual impactor and aerosol mass spectrometer." Atmospheric Measurement Techniques Discussions 4, no. 1 (January 17, 2011): 285–313. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/amtd-4-285-2011.
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Abstract. We present a new method of determining the size and composition of CCN-active aerosol particles. Method utility is illustrated through a series of ambient measurements. A continuous-flow thermal-gradient diffusion chamber (TGDC), pumped counterflow virtual impactor (PCVI), and Aerodyne time-of-flight mass spectrometer (AMS) are operated in series. Ambient particles are sampled into the TGDC, where a constant supersaturation is maintained, and CCN-active particles grow to ~2.5±0.5 μm. The output flow from the TGDC is directed into the PCVI, where a counterflow of dry N2 gas opposes the particle-laden flow, creating a region of zero velocity. This stagnation plane can only be traversed by particles with sufficient momentum, which depends on their size. Particles that have activated in the TGDC cross the stagnation plane and are entrained in the PCVI output flow, while the unactivated particles are diverted to a pump. Because the input gas is replaced by the counterflow gas with better than 99% efficiency at the stagnation plane, the output flow consists almost entirely of dry N2 and water evaporates from the activated particles. In this way, the system yields an ensemble of CCN-active particles whose chemical composition and size are analyzed using the AMS. Measurements of urban aerosol in downtown Toronto identified an external mixture of CCN-active particles consisting almost entirely of ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfate, with CCN-inactive particles of the same size consisting of a mixture of ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, and organics. We also discuss results from the first field deployment of the TGDC-PCVI-AMS system, conducted from mid-May to mid-June 2007 in Egbert, Ontario, a semirural site ~80 km north of Toronto influenced both by clean air masses from the north and emissions from the city. Organic-dominated particles sampled during a major biogenic event exhibited higher CCN activity and/or faster growth kinetics than urban outflow from Toronto, despite the latter having a higher inorganic content and higher O:C ratio. During both events, particles were largely internally mixed.
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Slowik, J. G., D. J. Cziczo, and J. P. D. Abbatt. "Analysis of cloud condensation nuclei composition and growth kinetics using a pumped counterflow virtual impactor and aerosol mass spectrometer." Atmospheric Measurement Techniques 4, no. 8 (August 30, 2011): 1677–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/amt-4-1677-2011.
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Abstract. We present a new method of determining the size and composition of CCN-active aerosol particles. Method utility is illustrated through a series of ambient measurements. A continuous-flow thermal-gradient diffusion chamber (TGDC), pumped counterflow virtual impactor (PCVI), and Aerodyne time-of-flight mass spectrometer (AMS) are operated in series. Ambient particles are sampled into the TGDC, where a constant supersaturation is maintained, and CCN-active particles grow to ~2.5 &pm; 0.5 μm. The output flow from the TGDC is directed into the PCVI, where a counterflow of dry N2 gas opposes the particle-laden flow, creating a region of zero axial velocity. This stagnation plane can only be traversed by particles with sufficient momentum, which depends on their size. Particles that have activated in the TGDC cross the stagnation plane and are entrained in the PCVI output flow, while the unactivated particles are diverted to a pump. Because the input gas is replaced by the counterflow gas with better than 99 % efficiency at the stagnation plane, the output flow consists almost entirely of dry N2 and water evaporates from the activated particles. In this way, the system yields an ensemble of CCN-active particles whose chemical composition and size are analyzed using the AMS. Measurements of urban aerosol in downtown Toronto identified an external mixture of CCN-active particles consisting almost entirely of ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfate, with CCN-inactive particles of the same size consisting of a mixture of ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, and organics. We also discuss results from the first field deployment of the TGDC-PCVI-AMS system, conducted from mid-May to mid-June 2007 in Egbert, Ontario, a semirural site ~80 km north of Toronto influenced both by clean air masses from the north and emissions from the city. Organic-dominated particles sampled during a major biogenic event exhibited higher CCN activity and/or faster growth kinetics than urban outflow from Toronto, despite the latter having a higher inorganic content and higher O:C ratio. During both events, particles were largely internally mixed.
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McGeer, Allison, Agron Plevneshi, Karen Green, Brenda Coleman, Sarah Nayani, Wallis Rudnick, Andrew Simor, et al. "2716. Persistence of 13-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV13) Serotypes in Invasive Pneumococcal Disease in Adults in Southern Ontario Canada Despite Routine Pediatric Vaccination." Open Forum Infectious Diseases 6, Supplement_2 (October 2019): S955—S956. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofz360.2393.
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Abstract Background In Ontario, Canada, PCV13 is covered for immunocompromised (IC) adults over 50y. PCV13 programs are thought not to be cost-effective in other adults because it is assumed that herd immunity from pediatric vaccination programs (PCV7 since 2005; PCV13 since 2010) will reduce PCV13 disease burden dramatically in adults. We analyzed data from the Toronto Invasive Bacterial Diseases Network (TIBDN) to ask whether PCV13-type invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in adults persists in our population. Methods TIBDN performs population-based surveillance for IPD in Toronto+Peel Region, Ontario (pop4.1M). All microbiology laboratories receiving specimens from residents report cases of IPD and submit isolates to a central study lab for serotyping; annual audits are conducted. Demographic, medical and vaccination information are obtained from patients, families and physicians. Population data are from Statistics Canada. Results Since 1995, 10,365 episodes of IPD have been identified; detailed medical information was available for 9,801 (95%) and serotyping for 9411 (91%). Among 8658 adult cases, 4,273 (49%) were in those aged 15–64 years, and 4,285 (51%) in those aged >645 years. The most common diagnoses were pneumonia (5,978/8,025, 74%) and bacteremia without focus (1,030, 13%); 470 (4.6%) cases had meningitis; the case fatality rate (CFR) was 21%. The incidence of disease due to STs in PCV13 in adults declined from 7.0/100,000/year 2001 to 2.9/100,000/year in 2015–2018 and was stable from 2015–2018 (Figure 1). The incidence was > 5/100,000/year in non-IC patients over 65 years, and younger patients with cancer and kidney disease (Figure 2). In IPD from 2015 to 2018, adult patients with PCV13 ST disease were younger (median age 64 years vs. 67 years, P = .03) than other patients; there was no significant difference in the proportion with at least one underlying chronic condition (253, 69% PCV13ST, vs. 541,74% other ST, P = 0.08), or in CFR (59, 16% PCV13 vs. 145, 20% other, P = 0.13). The ST distribution of cases due to PCV13 STs is shown in Figure 3. Conclusion A significant burden of IPD due to PCV13 serotypes persists in adults in our population despite 8 years of routine pediatric PCV13 vaccination. This burden needs to be considered in assessing the value and cost-effectiveness of PCV programs for adults. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.
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Gajewski, Rafał, and Iwona Sagan. "Władze regionalne w zarządzaniu metropolitalnym. Polskie doświadczenia w odniesieniu do Kanady i regionu metropolitalnego Toronto = Regional authorities in metropolitan governance. Polish experience in the context of Canada and Toronto city-region." Przegląd Geograficzny 92, no. 4 (2020): 591–607. http://dx.doi.org/10.7163/przg.2020.4.7.
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The article attempts to present dilemmas related to shaping metropolitan policy in Canada, and then relate them to problems occurring in Poland. It is a part of the debate on seeking the right governance configurations and discourses in response to the communities’ needs. Particular attention is paid to the characteristics of the scales of governance and socio-spatial relations in the Toronto metropolitan area. The article has been divided into four main parts. Part one outlines the theoretical framework and the context of the conducted analyses. Part two describes the structures and processes of regional and metropolitan governance in Southern Ontario, with the earlier reference to the institutional conditions and directions of reforms characteristic of the whole of Canada. Part three of the study concerns the governance arrangements that may constitute important reference points for the scientific and political discourse taking place in Poland. Part four is an attempt to capture the similarities and universal premises that have a decisive influence on the processes of forming metropolitan structures and policies, both in Canada and in Poland. The assumption was made that, despite different historical and socio-cultural conditions, comparing Canadian and Polish experiences is justified, necessary and possible. Firstly, due to the reason that socio-spatial relations in various territorial systems are subject to the same development processes and the accompanying processes of transformation and adaptation. Secondly, residents (members of local, metropolitan, regional, national and supranational communities) have similar needs and expect a high quality of life. Decision-makers and actors of political scenes in different geographical spaces have (or may have) the same technologies, ways of information processing, access to knowledge and knowledge of socio-economic processes. They also face challenges related to the inclusion of citizens in decision-making processes. The analysis of metropolitan processes in both countries emphasizes the differences resulting from various historical and economic contexts of development and also makes it possible to identify universal mechanisms and regularities independent of these contexts. The practice of metropolitan policy proves that the process of re-territorialization of power structures and governance is shaped as a resultant of the impact of forces and interests at all levels of territorial authorities: central, regional and local. Based on the analysis of the processes of the formation of metropolitan structures in Canada and Poland, it can be stated that the rank and position of regional authorities play a key role in it. In Canada, strong regional authorities initiate actions for the shaping of metropolitan structures and formulate the scope of their competence and organization. The importance of central authorities for the dynamics of metropolitan processes is secondary in this case. The weakness of regional authorities in Poland leads to the inability to give metropolitan processes the dynamics of development and the legislative rank adequate for the role played by urban regions in the socio-economic development of the country. As evidenced by the example of Toronto, the evolution of the governance system in practice initiates the process of self-learning the system which goes from one to another phase of development, improving the quality of its operation. In Poland, however, the process of creation of governance structures adequate for realistically existing functional metropolitan areas has been stopped, notably, due to the unfavourable political decisions at the central level.
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Tovilla, Edgar. "Mind the Gap: Management System Standards Addressing the Gap for Ontario’s Municipal Drinking Water, Wastewater and Stormwater Ecosystem of Regulations." Sustainability 12, no. 17 (August 31, 2020): 7099. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su12177099.
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The research finds evidence in support of and wide recognition of the practical value of management system standards (MSS) by assisting municipalities in meeting their human health protection, environmental objectives, addressing environmental and property damage risks, and providing an additional mechanism of public accountability and transparency. Semi-structured interviews were applied to assess perceptions with practitioners and environmental non-governmental organizations on whether a similar approach to the legally required drinking water quality management standard (DWQMS) could be applied for the municipal wastewater and stormwater sectors. Twelve Ontario municipalities have adopted or are in the process of adopting an ISO 14001 environmental management system (EMS) standard for their wastewater and/or stormwater systems, which represents 66% of Ontario’s population. With the large urban centres (e.g., Toronto, York Region, Durham Region, Halton Region and Peel Region) adopting the standard, this is likely to influence small to medium-sized cities to follow a similar approach. Although, resources might be a factor preventing the cohort of smaller utilities voluntarily taking this path. Regulations governing Ontario’s municipal drinking water, wastewater and stormwater utilities were compared via gap analysis. Gaps on management of the system, performance monitoring, auditing and having minimum design criteria left the municipal wastewater and stormwater sectors behind in comparison with recently updated (2004–2008) regulatory framework for the drinking water sector. Based on the identification and review of significant gaps in wastewater and stormwater regulation (compared with the drinking water sector), environmental MSS should be incorporated to strengthen the regulatory framework of these sectors. These phenomena also depict a form of sustainable governance with the use of MSS, which are initiated, developed and regulated by non-state actors, recognizing the value of non-state rule instruments in the water, wastewater and stormwater sectors.
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Li, James, and Peter McAteer. "Urban Oil Spills as a Non-Point Pollution Source in the Golden Horseshoe of Southern Ontario." Water Quality Research Journal 35, no. 3 (August 1, 2000): 331–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wqrj.2000.023.
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Abstract Being the economic engine of Canada and the home of 5 million people, the environmental health of the Golden Horseshoe is very important. Among various pollution sources into the lake, urban oil spills as a non-point pollution source have not caught the attention of most residents. These spills can cause terrestrial impacts by poisoning animals and plants, groundwater contamination by infiltration, and surface water pollution by algal bloom and fish kills and destruction of freshwater invertebrates and vertebrates. In order to investigate the significance of this pollution source, 10 years of spill records in the Golden Horseshoe have been compiled. On the average, about 1050 L per day of oil escaped to the land, water and air environment in this region. About one-third of these spills eventually entered Lake Ontario. Among various types of spilled oil, gasoline, diesel fuel, aviation fuel and furnace oil accounted for the highest reported volume. The former Metropolitan Toronto led the frequency and volume of spills, while Hamilton-Wentworth followed closely. Spills frequently occur on roads, at service stations and at electrical transformers, while the highest spill event volumes occur at bulk plants/terminals/depots and at refineries. The predominant causes of spills are related to leaks from containers, pipes and hoses, and cooling systems. However, the principal reasons for oil spills are human error and equipment failure. The transportation, public and petroleum sectors are responsible for 60% of the reported spill cases, while the petroleum sector alone accounts for nearly 50% of the reported spill volume. Given the significant volume of spilled oil, it is important that all levels of government and private industries increase their effort to promote pollution prevention such as preventive maintenance, improved employee training and/or retraining, and proper vigilant supervision. Additionally, control devices such as oil-water interceptors should be sized properly and implemented at strategic location across the Golden Horseshoe.
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Aery, Anjana, Anne Rucchetto, Alexander Singer, Gayle Halas, Gary Bloch, Ritika Goel, Danyaal Raza, et al. "Implementation and impact of an online tool used in primary care to improve access to financial benefits for patients: a study protocol." BMJ Open 7, no. 10 (October 2017): e015947. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2017-015947.
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ObjectivesAddressing the social determinants of health has been identified as crucial to reducing health inequities. However, few evidence-based interventions exist. This study emerges from an ongoing collaboration between physicians, researchers and a financial literacy organisation. Our study will answer the following: Is an online tool that improves access to financial benefits feasible and acceptable? Can such a tool be integrated into clinical workflow? What are patient perspectives on the tool and what is the short-term impact on access to benefits?MethodsAn advisory group made up of patients living on low incomes and representatives from community agencies supports this study. We will recruit three primary care sites in Toronto, Ontario and three in Winnipeg, Manitoba that serve low-income communities. We will introduce clinicians to screening for poverty and how benefits can increase income. Health providers will be encouraged to use the tool with any patient seen. The health provider and patient will complete the online tool together, generating a tailored list of benefits and resources to assist with obtaining these benefits. A brief survey on this experience will be administered to patients after they complete the tool, as well as a request to contact them in 1 month. Those who agree to be contacted will be interviewed on whether the intervention improved access to financial benefits. We will also administer an online survey to providers and conduct focus groups at each site.Ethics and disseminationKey ethical concerns include that patients may feel discomfort when being asked about their financial situation, may feel obliged to complete the tool and may have their expectations falsely raised about receiving benefits. Providers will be trained to address each of these concerns. We will share our findings with providers and policy-makers interested in addressing the social determinants of health within healthcare settings.Trial registration numberClinicaltrials.gov:NCT02959866. Registered 7 November 2016. Retrospectively registered. Pre-results.
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de la Cerda, K., T. Hsiang, and V. Joshi. "First Report of Waitea circinata from Turfgrass in British Columbia, Canada." Plant Disease 94, no. 2 (February 2010): 277. http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/pdis-94-2-0277a.
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In Canada, Waitea circinata was first identified from buckwheat (Fagopyrum sp.) in 1965 in Ontario (4). In 2004, the fungus was found on diseased putting greens of Poa annua and Agrostis stolonifera near Toronto, Ontario (2). In late July 2009, symptoms on A. stolonifera resembling those of brown ring patch were seen at a golf course in Kelowna, British Columbia. Brown rings with light-colored, cottony growth were observed on a putting green with mixed P. annua and A. stolonifera, originally seeded with A. stolonifera cv. Penncross. Following a short incubation of the diseased grass at 25°C, hyphae of a Rhizoctonia-like fungus, not matching the characteristics of R. cerealis or R. solani, were seen. Symptomatic leaves were surface sterilized in 1% hypochlorite and plated onto potato dextrose agar (PDA) amended with streptomycin. After 1 week at 23°C, the plates contained white colonies that were 5 cm across. DNA was extracted and amplified with primers ITS1/ITS4 and sequenced with ITS1. The 600-bp sequence (deposited in GenBank as GU176409) from the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of ribosomal DNA showed a 100% match in the overlapping range with sequence FJ755879 from GenBank, which is annotated as W. circinata var. circinata. Pathogenicity was tested at 23°C by inoculating 3-week-old A. stolonifera ‘Penncross’ plants grown in Magenta boxes and incubated for 15 days after inoculation with ground wheat seed inoculum of W. circinata. Within 1 week, significant blighting of leaves and sheaths was observed as well as spherical orange brown sclerotia that were 2 to 5 mm in diameter on sheaths. These sclerotial features match characteristics of W. circinata var. circinata (1). Symptomatic leaves were plated on PDA and fungal growth characteristic of W. circinata was recovered. W. circinata was previously reported as the causal agent of brown ring patch on A. stolonifera in Japan (3), as a pathogen of P. annua in the United States (1), and as a pathogen of both species in Ontario, Canada (2). To our knowledge, this is the first report of W. circinata from turfgrass in western Canada. References: (1) C. M. Chen et al. Plant Dis. 93:906. 2009. (2) T. Hsiang and P. Masilamany. Plant Pathol. J. 56:350, 2007. (3) T. Toda et al. Plant. Dis. 89:536, 2005. (4) O. Vaartaja. Bi-Mon. Progr. Rep. Can. Dep. For. 21(5):2. 1965.
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Mendolia, D., R. J. C. D'Souza, G. J. Evans, and J. Brook. "Impact of NO<sub>2</sub> horizontal heterogeneity on tropospheric NO<sub>2</sub> vertical columns retrieved from satellite, multi-axis differential optical absorption spectroscopy, and in situ measurements." Atmospheric Measurement Techniques Discussions 6, no. 1 (January 25, 2013): 825–66. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/amtd-6-825-2013.
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Abstract. Tropospheric NO2 vertical column densities were retrieved for the first time in Toronto, Canada using three methods of differing spatial scales. Remotely-sensed NO2 vertical column densities, retrieved from multi-axis differential optical absorption spectroscopy and satellite remote sensing, were evaluated by comparison with in situ vertical column densities derived using a pair of chemiluminescence monitors situated 0.01 and 0.5 km above ground level. The chemiluminescence measurements were corrected for the influence of NOz, which reduced the NO2 concentrations at 0.01 and 0.5 km by 8 ± 1% and 12 ± 1%, respectively. The average absolute decrease in the chemiluminescence NO2 measurement as a result of this correction was less than 1 ppb. Good correlation was observed between the remotely sensed and in situ NO2 vertical column densities (Pearson R ranging from 0.68 to 0.79), but the in situ vertical column densities were 27% to 55% greater than the remotely-sensed columns. These results indicate that NO2 horizontal heterogeneity strongly impacted the magnitude of the remotely-sensed columns. The in situ columns reflected an urban environment with major traffic sources, while the remotely-sensed NO2 vertical column densities were representative of the region, which included spatial heterogeneity introduced by residential neighbourhoods and Lake Ontario. Despite the difference in absolute values, the reasonable correlation between the vertical column densities determined by three distinct methods increased confidence in the validity of the values provided by each of the methods.
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Mendolia, D., R. J. C. D'Souza, G. J. Evans, and J. Brook. "Comparison of tropospheric NO<sub>2</sub> vertical columns in an urban environment using satellite, multi-axis differential optical absorption spectroscopy, and in situ measurements." Atmospheric Measurement Techniques 6, no. 10 (October 31, 2013): 2907–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/amt-6-2907-2013.
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Abstract. Tropospheric NO2 vertical column densities have been retrieved and compared for the first time in Toronto, Canada, using three methods of differing spatial scales. Remotely sensed NO2 vertical column densities, retrieved from multi-axis differential optical absorption spectroscopy and satellite remote sensing, were evaluated by comparison with in situ vertical column densities estimated using a pair of chemiluminescence monitors situated 0.01 and 0.5 km a.g.l. (above ground level). The chemiluminescence measurements were corrected for the influence of NOz, which reduced the NO2 concentrations at 0.01 and 0.5 km by an average of 8 ± 1% and 12 ± 1%, respectively. The average absolute decrease in the chemiluminescence NO2 measurement as a result of this correction was less than 1 ppb. The monthly averaged ratio of the NO2 concentration at 0.5 to 0.01 km varied seasonally, and exhibited a negative linear dependence on the monthly average temperature, with Pearson's R = 0.83. During the coldest month, February, this ratio was 0.52 ± 0.04, while during the warmest month, July, this ratio was 0.34 ± 0.04, illustrating that NO2 is not well mixed within 0.5 km above ground level. Good correlation was observed between the remotely sensed and in situ NO2 vertical column densities (Pearson's R value ranging from 0.72 to 0.81), but the in situ vertical column densities were 52 to 58% greater than the remotely sensed columns. These results indicate that NO2 horizontal heterogeneity strongly impacted the magnitude of the remotely sensed columns. The in situ columns reflected an urban environment with major traffic sources, while the remotely sensed NO2 vertical column densities were representative of the region, which included spatial heterogeneity introduced by residential neighbourhoods and Lake Ontario. Despite the difference in absolute values, the reasonable correlation between the vertical column densities determined by three distinct methods increased confidence in the validity of the values provided by each measurement technique.