Lucaiah Smith-Miodownik

Illustration of janitors mopping next to a cleaning cart with a question mark on the front
4 min 0 2053

SFU to retain contract worker model for cleaning, despite calls for in-house employment

Peak Web August 3, 2026

Content warning: mention of death.  For the last 15 years, SFU has outsourced its janitorial services through BEST Service Pros, meaning cleaning staff are not directly employed by the university. This decision to outsource labour has been met with notable and continued pushback. The SFU coalition, Contract Worker Justice (CWJ), organized a rally in late 2024 to advocate for in-house contracting of janitorial and food service work. SFU food service workers, employed by Compass Group Canada, led bargaining efforts in 2025 for livable wages by their employer. These organized protests call for the university to in-source and directly employ these…

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Four T-cells coloured in neon greens, blues, and reds, some may be cancerous. Center cell is round with a clear cell wall but the other three are irregularly shaped.
3 min 0 1673

New immunotherapy treatment provides hope for aggressive cancer

Peak Web July 19, 2026

Surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy are often recognized as the three most common forms of cancer treatment. Sometimes, the latter two approaches become no longer effective when cancers become drug resistant, allowing the cells to further spread. At the University…

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Woman activist holding a sign, covered in paint by other women who've experienced violence at the hands of male partners at the Vancouver International Women's Day March
5 min 0 1770

New laws enshrine latest sexual violence protections into criminal code

Peak Web July 19, 2026

Content warning: mentions of sexual violence, femicide, and child sexual abuse. On June 19, the Department of Justice announced “one of the most consequential updates to Canada’s Criminal Code in generations to better protect victims and survivors.” Bill C-16, also…

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3 min 0 1805

Canada West votes to include volleyball in SFU’s reinduction to U SPORTS

Peak Web July 5, 2026

On June 4, SFU announced that it was officially accepted to rejoin U SPORTS, departing from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Starting in the 2027/28 season, the university will resume its place in the Canadian organization, becoming its 59th…

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5 min 0 1464

Canada announces updates to Men and Boys Health Strategy

Peak Web July 5, 2026

Content warning: mentions of suicide and impacts of colonialism on Indigenous Peoples. In most of Turtle Island (specifically in Canada and the US), June is designated as Men’s Health Month. In Canada, this year’s iteration was marked by an update…

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Four Good Night Out Vancouver volunteers pose together in front of FIFA soccer-ball-decorated Science World, dressed in pink t-shirts with white hearts embossed with various messages including “drink water.” Streamers and people are in the background, indicating a festival environment.
4 min 0 946

Expanding public safety to include gender-based violence during FIFA

Peak Web June 29, 2026

Across Turtle Island (North America), the FIFA World Cup is well underway. While host cities have prepared for this major event by increasing police presence, two local groups are leading the effort to expand community-based safety services during Vancouver’s football…

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Large red chinook fish swimming near the river bed
4 min 0 989

SFU study tracks chemical exposure for juvenile Chinook salmon

Peak Web June 23, 2026

The diet of a juvenile Chinook salmon doesn’t normally contain cocaine. But in the Lower Fraser River, these fish are being exposed to a myriad of chemicals, toxins, and substances such as cocaine, alongside other “pharmaceuticals and personal care products,…

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Portrait shot of Councillor Pete Fry next to wide photo of City Hall
5 min 0 1176

Motion to support Vancouver’s sex workers faces dramatic reduction

Peak Web June 15, 2026

Content warning: mentions of disappearance, murder, and serial killer Robert Pickton. At the Standing Committee on City Finance and Services on May 20, Vancouver Green Party councillor Pete Fry introduced a motion aiming to uphold “the City’s responsibility to maintain…

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An illustration of a robot with an Iced Capp making its way up the mountain via the gondola. The AQ is illustrated in the distance
3 min 0 2878

SFU debuts virtual reality for snow days

Peak Web March 31, 2026

At SFU, a movement years in the making, built on generations of student advocacy, has finally paid off. Well . . . sort of. The university recently unveiled the new campus gondola. Only, it doesn’t exist in the physical realm.…

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The outside of BC Place and False Creek are pictured on a bright sunny day.
3 min 0 2279

Human rights calls for Canada Soccer to condemn the Israel Football Association

Peak Web March 17, 2026

This summer may prove to be unlike any other for local soccer fans. Beginning in June, the 2026 men’s FIFA World Cup will commence, with games held across North America. Vancouver will host seven matches, including at least two featuring…

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