Article

Statistics Canada's look at the week.

A growing body of evidence is showing that eating a lot of ultra-processed food and drink products—manufactured products such as soft drinks, frozen dinners, deli meats or many breakfast cereals containing few, if any, whole foods and with low nutritional value—can be harmful to health.

A great ice storm brought down over one thousand power transmission lines in Eastern Canada 28 years ago this week, plunging millions of Canadians into darkness and cold for days—and in some cases, several weeks. In 2023, we asked Canadians if they had taken steps to prepare for an emergency. Just over two-thirds of Canadians households (69%) responded that they had.

Cold weather in January is virtually guaranteed in the Great White North. Whether your month ends up being wet or dry in terms of alcohol consumption is a choice some people ponder as the new year begins. For almost one in four Canadian adults, every day is dry.

Legend has it that Santa enters the home through a fireplace chimney, a challenge in today’s modern world of electric baseboards, natural gas furnaces and solar home heating systems. Yet, wood remains a warm presence in Canadian life, whether it’s glowing in a fireplace on a cold winter night or roasting s’mores at a cottage campfire.

Statistics Canada's look at the week.

The festive season is a time of get-togethers with family, friends and community, and an ideal moment to reflect on the importance of belonging. Indeed, a strong sense of belonging to one’s local community is a key sign of social connectedness, which plays a crucial role in an individual’s overall health and quality of life.

While Canadians can enjoy turkey year-round, it is perhaps most famously served at large family gatherings at Thanksgiving and during the festive season. Let’s talk turkey. 

A recently released Statistics Canada study examines what virtual care looked like in 2023. Let’s have a look at some of the main takeaways, along with a snapshot of other health care data, to get a sense of how virtual care has changed post-pandemic.

Statistics Canada's look at the week.