Close X
Wednesday, November 13, 2024
ADVT 
National

Wanted: Ideas to prepare for next major calamity

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 16 Mar, 2021 06:20 PM
  • Wanted: Ideas to prepare for next major calamity

The federal government is looking beyond COVID-19 to prepare for the next large-scale calamity — be it another pandemic, a tsunami or cyberattack.

In a notice posted today, Defence Research and Development Canada seeks proposals for studies, technology trials and demonstrations to identify promising ideas to lessen the severity of potential catastrophes.

The agency, an arm of National Defence, is interested in ways of addressing "high impact, low frequency" events — disasters that don't happen often but have deep and long-lasting effects when they do occur.

The notice says these fall somewhere between relatively common events such as seasonal floods and highly improbably risks such as an asteroid hitting Earth.

They include a major earthquake, industrial disaster or large-scale terrorist attack but also unforeseen threats posed by adoption of new technologies.

The notice flags interest in two issues highlighted by COVID-19 — the desire for contactless and virtual services, and the need to bolster fragile supply chains, including the movement of goods across international borders.

MORE National ARTICLES

Judge in Meng case hears arguments on evidence

Judge in Meng case hears arguments on evidence
Meng is accused of misrepresenting Huawei's control over technology company Skycom in a presentation to HSBC, putting the bank at risk of violating U.S. sanctions against Iran.

Judge in Meng case hears arguments on evidence

Police-involved shooting investigated in Victoria

Police-involved shooting investigated in Victoria
Police say the victim is believed to have non-life-threatening injuries and no officers were hurt.

Police-involved shooting investigated in Victoria

Canada-U.S. border will open 'eventually': Trudeau

Canada-U.S. border will open 'eventually': Trudeau
Trudeau says Canadians are looking forward to the day when incidental cross-border travel can "eventually" resume.

Canada-U.S. border will open 'eventually': Trudeau

Kielburger brothers to appear at ethics committee

Kielburger brothers to appear at ethics committee
The brothers' appearance had been in doubt after an extraordinary back and forth with MPs last week over their conditions for responding to the committee’s summons.

Kielburger brothers to appear at ethics committee

Trudeau offers reassurance on AstraZeneca safety

Trudeau offers reassurance on AstraZeneca safety
Trudeau said Health Canada regulators are constantly analyzing all the available information about vaccines and have guaranteed those approved in Canada are safe for use.

Trudeau offers reassurance on AstraZeneca safety

New COVID outbreak at Vancouver General Hospital

New COVID outbreak at Vancouver General Hospital
A statement from Vancouver Coastal Health says two patients have tested positive for COVID-19 on an in-patient unit in the hospital's Jim Pattison Pavilion.

New COVID outbreak at Vancouver General Hospital