Incidents of violence in public transit systems are on the rise across Canada, according to a collaborative report from CBC and the Investigative Journalism Foundation. The report says that between 2016–2024, transit systems in eight of the country’s 10 largest cities have seen the number of assaults double. Rates have tripled in Winnipeg. The highest number of assaults took place in Toronto.
McGill experts are available to comment on this topic:
The CMHC reported an increase in vacancy rates across Quebec this summer, and since then, there increasingly have been reports of landlords struggling to find tenants. However, questions regarding the availability of affordable housing remain. (Radio-Canada)
McGill experts are available to comment:
Canadian cancer statistics for 2025 show that while cancer deaths are declining overall, the rate of new cases continues to rise, and that Quebec has the highest cancer incidence rate in the country.
Quebec is weighing new rules that would impose French-language quotas on global streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple, Netflix and YouTube. The bill would require apps to default to French, set quotas for French audio and video, and spotlight francophone content on smart TVs.
The 30th annual Conference of Parties (COP30) is underway in Belem, Brazil, bringing together diplomats, scientists and stakeholders from around the world to discuss the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The meeting continues until Nov. 21.
National delegations, with the notable exception of the United States, are attempting to reach an agreement on how to continue to address climate change at the planetary level.
Experts from McGill University are available to comment:
Canada has lost its measles elimination status after nearly three decades, amid an ongoing outbreak involving over 5,000 cases across nine provinces and one territory. In a statement on Monday, the Public Health Agency of Canada urged renewed vaccination efforts to curb transmission.
A McGill University expert is available to comment on this topic:
As part of a new partnership with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra (MSO), member doctors of Médecins francophones du Canada can now prescribe tickets to live performances.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney met with Chinese President Xi Jinping Friday. A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said the leaders agreed to direct their officials to move quickly to resolve outstanding trade issues and irritants.
These McGill experts are available to discuss Canada-China trade relations:
Food bank use in Quebec in 2025 has hit record numbers, surpassing 3 million assistance requests, according to Food Banks Canada's HungerCount 2025 recent report. Employed people and students are among the fastest growing user groups, with food banks struggling to keep up with demand.
McGill experts are available to comment on this topic:
The city of El Fasher in Darfur has recently been captured by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a Sudanese militia that had besieged the city for 18 months. Since then, reports of civilian massacres along ethnic lines have emerged, as inhabitants attempt to flee.
In early 2025, the UN called the current civil war in Sudan, which began in 2023, the world’s biggest humanitarian crisis.
With voting already underway for the Nov. 2 municipal elections in Montreal and more than 1,000 other Quebec municipalities, McGill University experts can comment on key urban issues.
Hurricane Melissa, now a Category Five tropical cyclone, has made landfall in Jamaica. It is the strongest storm to hit the island country in at least 150 years and the most powerful recorded anywhere in 2025. It has caused severe flooding and mass evacuations across Jamaica and along the storm’s projected path, which includes Cuba and the Bahamas.
McGill experts are available to comment on this topic:
On Nov. 4, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney tabled his government’s first budget. Carney leads a Liberal minority government, so for the budget to pass he will need to garner support from some members of other parties. Budget votes are confidence votes, meaning that defeat of the budget could trigger new elections.
These McGill experts are available to comment:
On Sunday, Nov. 2, Canadians in most of the country will set their clocks back to standard time. (Those in Yukon, most of Saskatchewan and some other places remain on standard time year-round.) A Private Member’s Bill to end the biannual time change was introduced in the House of Commons earlier this month, reigniting the age-old debate.
Topics McGill University experts can address:
The company that makes Tylenol is pushing back against a proposed safety warning on labels for all drugs containing acetaminophen. A petition filed with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration calls for labels to state that, if taken during pregnancy, the medication may increase a child’s risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism.
