Category Archives: Technology

Energy, Indigenous Nations, Politics

Federal minister gets cool coastal welcome in BC after pipeline pact

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter 

British Columbia Premier David Eby kept his cards close about Friday’s meeting with federal Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson — a day after Ottawa struck a pipeline deal with Alberta.

It’s Eby’s first federal face-to-face meeting after being shut out of talks between Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith around a possible pipeline crossing BC to the north coast — which would also involve carve-outs to the legislated oil tanker ban in provincial waters. 

Days before the Alberta-Ottawa memorandum of understanding (MOU) was revealed, Eby told Carney it was “unacceptable” the deal was brokered without input from BC. 

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Communications

Now That Most Web Traffic is Non-Human

In 2024, more than half of all web traffic came from bots — a shift most people didn’t notice until this year.

The word ‘bot’ is short for ‘robot,’  which originates from the Czech term “robota,” meaning “forced labour” or “drudgery.” It was popularized by Czech writer Karel Čapek in his play ‘Rossum’s Universal Robots,’ which premiered in 1921.

Most bots are helpful, unless they unintentionally overwhelm a small website with sudden bursts of requests. When you watch videos online (on platforms like YouTube or Netflix), recommendation bots suggest content based on your preferences. When you shop online, bots help with customer support, product suggestions, and even process your orders. These systems make experiences smoother, faster, and more personalized. Every time you interact with a website, app, or service, there’s a good chance a ‘helpful bot’ is working behind the scenes.

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Communications, Community

Launch of the new Cortes Island Map Series

The Cortes Community Mapping Project recently launched its Cortes Island Map Series in Linnaea’s Lakeview Room. This morning’s program consists of gleanings from the three speakers: Sabina Leader Mense, David Shipway and Eve Flager. 

Sabina Leader Mense: “I want to give you a little bit of background on how we got this project started. In a nutshell, the project is best described as putting community maps into community hands. That’s been our goal. I’m just one of the team members working on this project.

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Energy

BC Hydro’s Peak Savings Program and Beyond

A growing number of countries are experimenting with ways to integrate electric vehicle batteries and rooftop solar systems into their energy grids to enhance stability. While BC Hydro is conducting trials with EV batteries in the Lower Mainland, the utility’s current emphasis is on rewarding customers who reduce their energy consumption during evening peak periods. In today’s interview, Brandon Young, Director of Energy Efficiency and Innovation at BC Hydro, discusses the Peak Saver program and possible next steps for integrating residential customers into grid-stability initiatives.

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Cost of Climate Change, Energy

Call for Wind & Solar in Canadian Cities as Average Global Temperatures Rise

There have been thousands of scientific studies warning about global warming, but one of the most chilling is a new report advocating the adoption of a combined rooftop solar and wind turbine energy in Canadian cities. Professors You Wu and Lexuan Zhong from the University of Alberta aren’t warning anyone about climate change. They base their projections on the assumption global temperatures could rise to 2.°C above pre-industrial levels in as little as fifteen years and to 3.5°C sometime between 2070 and 2090.

Continue reading Call for Wind & Solar in Canadian Cities as Average Global Temperatures Rise →