Health

The federal government announced new permanent-residence streams for researchers with Canadian work experience, transportation workers, and skilled military recruits. A separate Express Entry stream for foreign-trained doctors with Canadian work experience will begin accepting applications this week.

Vaccines train adaptive immune cells to recognize pathogens without causing disease and can create long-term immune memory; mRNA vaccines provide instructions for a small part of a virus rather than the whole virus.

Nova Scotia is launching the first phase of a specialized menopause clinic as part of a planned Menopause Centre of Excellence, with an RFP for clinic space issued and an expected opening in winter 2026–2027.

Quebec has approved more than 2,100 advance medical assistance in dying (MAID) requests since October 2024, allowing some people with illnesses such as Alzheimer’s to arrange MAID after loss of capacity; federal criminal-law rules still require capacity immediately before MAID and federal and international bodies have raised concerns.

St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton launched the Pegasus palliative care team to bring palliative specialists into other clinic areas; the pilot began in February 2025 and the team has served about 40–50 patients.

Health officials warn measles is spreading internationally and are urging Canadians to check vaccination status before March Break; Canada has reported more than 5,000 cases since early 2025 while outbreaks continue in Mexico and the U.S.

B.C. Cancer has started a cancer physiatry program in Kelowna to provide integrated rehabilitation and exercise from the time of diagnosis, and Dr. Lauren Capozzi says the team received about 100 referrals in five months; the program cites a New England Journal of Medicine study linking structured exercise with improved colon cancer survival.

Casey House released Big Fucking Deal, a short film by Hubert Davis that examines how stigma compounds for people living with HIV; a hospital-commissioned study found 54% of Canadians say they do not feel they understand what it means to live with HIV today.

Casey House has released a short film titled Big Fucking Deal that examines how stigma compounds for people living with HIV; a Casey House–commissioned study found 54% of Canadians say they do not feel they understand what it means to live with HIV today.

Nature Medicine has published Helus Pharma's randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 2a trial of SPL026 in major depressive disorder; the company's news release also includes forward-looking statements about other development programs and plans, including an anticipated topline readout for HLP004 in Q1 2026.

Researchers sequenced a bacterial strain, Psychrobacter SC65A.3, from Romania's Scarisoara Ice Cave and reported genes for resistance to multiple modern antibiotic classes in a paper in Frontiers in Microbiology; the team says the strain also produces antimicrobial compounds and will pursue biochemical analysis.

A mother and medical groups are urging Newfoundland and Labrador to publicly fund RSV prevention for all infants; the province currently limits nirsevimab coverage to high‑risk infants and says it is exploring options but has no concrete plans.

Teva Canada recalled specific lots of Seasonique and Seasonale birth control pills after a user reported a missing blister card; a public advisory warns users not to skip doses and reports replacement packs or alternatives are recommended.

A 43-year analysis of 131,821 US health professionals published in JAMA found that higher intake of caffeinated coffee and tea was associated with lower dementia risk and modestly better cognitive scores; the study is observational and does not prove causation.

A national online arts hub led by Rebecca Barnstaple at the University of Guelph will launch in April to link Canadians living with Parkinson's to programs such as dance and singing, and the article reports that research and practitioners say dance can support balance, cognition and mood.

A reported mass shooting hit a Tumbler Ridge school and a residence last week; after a period of intense media and political attention, many residents say the town is quieter and beginning to grieve.

Researchers and community groups in Alberta report that Black women face earlier breast cancer diagnoses and higher mortality, and grassroots outreach, conversation circles and peer navigators are being used to address gaps in culturally informed care.

The Peace River South superintendent says students are not expected to return to the Tumbler Ridge high school after recent shootings; a letter to families said further plans that prioritize emotional and physical safety will be shared next week.

Police say the Tumbler Ridge suspect had previously been apprehended under B.C.'s Mental Health Act; the law allows police to bring someone for assessment and permits doctors to detain a patient initially for up to 48 hours, with renewals possible.

The death of actor James Van Der Beek at 48 has renewed discussion of rising colorectal cancer among Canadians under 50; a Toronto colorectal surgeon described screening options and common risk factors.

The Northern Lights School Division reached out to Tumbler Ridge after a recent shooting that left nine people dead, drawing on its experience following a 2016 La Loche shooting that killed four and injured seven.

Manitoba reported 44 confirmed measles cases in the first week of February and listed a Feb. 4 Winnipeg Jets game as an exposure site.

Psychologists say parents should talk with children and teens after the Tumbler Ridge school shooting and watch for changes in behaviour and mood as the community mourns.

The estranged father of the Tumbler Ridge shooter said he feels profound sorrow after an attack that left nine people dead and 25 injured.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women worldwide, but symptoms in women are often less typical and under-recognized, the article reports. The piece highlights risk factors such as PCOS, pregnancy complications and hormonal changes around menopause.

Officials say asbestos was removed from some high-priority areas at Kings County Memorial Hospital, but the material will not be fully removed and the timeline for a replacement facility remains unclear.

An attack in Tumbler Ridge killed nine people, including the alleged shooter and two family members, and left several others injured and evacuated.

A McMaster psychiatry professor urged sustained, in-person mental health supports for Tumbler Ridge after a recent tragedy; police said the suspect had been previously apprehended under the Mental Health Act.

Reports say Catherine O'Hara and James Van Der Beek died after dealing with colorectal cancer; Canada expected about 26,400 cases in 2025 and roughly 25 deaths per day.

An author with personal experience of being bullied says the Tumbler Ridge shooting has focused attention on gaps in support for bullied people and reports the person identified in news accounts had prior RCMP mental‑health checks.