Close X
Saturday, November 23, 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

Homeless in Victoria parks to get shelter spaces

Homeless in Victoria parks to get shelter spaces
Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps says her council is poised to amend its current bylaw that permits 24-hour camping in the park during the pandemic to allow only overnight camping.

Homeless in Victoria parks to get shelter spaces

B.C. to allow 10 to gather outdoors

B.C. to allow 10 to gather outdoors
Dr. Bonnie Henry says restrictions on indoor gatherings and rules for restaurants, bars, retail stores and other venues remain in place.

B.C. to allow 10 to gather outdoors

2 schools close in region South of the Fraser due to COVID19 exposures

2 schools close in region South of the Fraser due to COVID19 exposures
In addition, Fraser Health is working closely with Bibleway Christian Academy, an independent school in Surrey, to manage an exposure of COVID-19 at that location.

2 schools close in region South of the Fraser due to COVID19 exposures

20 year old driver with 'L' designation sends 3 people to hospital

20 year old driver with 'L' designation sends 3 people to hospital
The driver, a 20-year-old man, had accelerated to estimated speeds of 120-140 km/hr (posted 60 km/hr zone) and had attempted to “drift” through a hairpin turn. 

20 year old driver with 'L' designation sends 3 people to hospital

BC real estate market remains hot for month of February

BC real estate market remains hot for month of February
The average MLS residential price in BC was $889,584, a 17.3 per cent increase from $758,382 recorded in February 2020.

BC real estate market remains hot for month of February

Vancouver Police seeking witnesses in a Walmart related incident

Vancouver Police seeking witnesses in a Walmart related incident
VPD investigators believe the incident occurred at around 8:15 p.m. on Sunday night in a parking lot outside the Walmart on Grandview Highway near Boundary Road.

Vancouver Police seeking witnesses in a Walmart related incident