All posts by Marina Wang

Cosmetic operations on the rise

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Jasmine Cristancho has received breast enhancements, liposuction and a buttock augmentation in Colombia. (Photo| Marina Wang)

Jasmine Cristancho wore a tight white dress that hugged her Kim Kardashian-like curves while she sat in her luxury apartment in Medellin, Colombia. “I just love plastic surgery,” said the 32-year old from London, England. “I’ve had a lot of friends who’ve have operations over here, and the results have been amazing.” A white cardigan hid the bruises on her back from a recent liposuction. Cristancho is one in an increasing number of patients receiving cosmetic surgeries around the world.

According to an analysis of data from the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS), between 2015 and 2016, the global number of cosmetic procedures rose by 9% to a total of over 23 million operations around the world.

Cristancho was in Colombia for the fourth time for plastic surgery. She’s now had breast enhancements, liposuction, and a buttock augmentation. High prices in North America and Europe have driven a medical tourism industry in places like Medellin—a city that’s been colloquially called the ‘silicone valley’. Medical tourists are offered multi-operation packages and post-operative care at a discounted rate. Breast implants, liposuction, and a buttock augmentation often costs less than $10,000 USD.

(Hover over each point to learn more about common cosmetic procedures. Image| Flickr: dou_ble_you)

According to an analysis of ISAPS data, Greece had the highest number of procedures per capita last year at 26 operations for every thousand people. South Korea also had a high rate at 23 people for every thousand in 2015 (South Korea was excluded from the 2016 report due to insufficient data). In Greece, the majority of operations were non-surgical face-tightening procedures and in South Korea, eyelid surgery was the most common operation.

Map: Per capita rate of cosmetic operations based on data from the ISAPS. Click on each country to see a breakdown of the type of procedures performed.

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Dr. Nick Carr, head of plastic surgery at the University of British Columbia, said that figures for the number of operations done in Canada can be estimated using data from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASAPS). According to Carr’s method of estimation, around 1.4 million cosmetic procedures were performed in Canada in 2016.

Carr said that a higher demand for cosmetic operations has been noticeable, with the most dramatic increase in non-surgical procedures such as injectables and laser treatments. According to Carr, social media, pop culture and peer group influence were some of the factors driving the demand. “It’s common that I’ll get people showing me pictures of a celebrity that they want to look like for a breast or buttock augmentation. They’ll often have a picture of Kim Kardashian or whoever…Megan Fox’s nose, you name it.”

Carr also said that more recently, many of the operations he performs are related to a high obesity rate. A growing East Asian population in Vancouver, B.C. has also led to a higher demand in double-eyelid surgery. A small proportion of his clients also seek operations to enhance their professional careers.

Chris Green, a 23-year-old also based in Vancouver B.C., is planning on having upper lip enhancements and a liposuction in the chin next year.  “I want bigger lips because I dance for a living,” he said. “You’ll have agents and stuff that try to push that.”

Green also said that in his field, people usually have operations either for professional reasons or out of insecurity.  “As a dancer we can work out the body, but other things can’t be corrected with exercise,” he said. “You can’t always fix genetics.”

Richie Araish, a 25-year-old hairstylist from Markham Ont., had difficulty with breathing, nosebleeds, and infections from breaking his nose. He decided to give his reconstructive rhinoplasty a cosmetic spin. “I’m in an industry where appearance is everything, so I was so self-conscious about my nose,” he said. “It’s like 300 times better. I think if anybody is really willing to do it then they should. It’s for them and not for anybody else.”

Richie Araish’s rhinoplasty, before and after

Highest rise of visible minority population in Barrhaven

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(Photo| Marina Wang)

Barrhaven in Southern Ottawa has had the highest growth in the visible minority population according to an analysis of census data from Statistics Canada. Between 2011 and 2016, 4260 residents that identify as belonging to a visible minority (persons that are non-white or Aboriginal) have moved in to a census tract area that makes up the southern two thirds of the neighborhood.

Visible minorities now make up 43% of the residents occupying private households in the southern Barrhaven, compared to a city-wide average of 20%. Residents that identify as having a South Asian background made up the highest proportion of the visible minorities at 26%. This is followed by Chinese at 24%, Black at 14%, and Arab at 13%.

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Click on a census tract area to see a demographic break-down

“It’s a very diverse community,” said Andres Leon, a young professional that moved to the neighborhood in 2014 with his family. “On my street you have people from Cuba, you have people from India, you have people from the Middle East. We’re from Colombia.”

Low housing prices is part of the reason Leon’s family decided to settle in Barrhaven. “We used to live in Kanata. It’s almost fully developed so the prices were higher for the houses but since Barrhaven is just developing there’s no real estate,” said Leon. “There’s more opportunities to get houses in that area for good value.”

The suburban neighborhood is around 20-kilometres from downtown which has posed challenges for Leon who doesn’t own his own car. However, being far from the Ottawa core provides opportunities for peace and tranquility, said Leon. “The thing that I love about the neighborhood is that I feel like there’s nothing better than being away from the city itself. It’s so quiet. It’s so safe.”

(Photo: Andres Leon was born in Colombia and moved to Barrhaven in 2014 | Marina Wang)

According to Alison Stirling, assistant to Barrhaven city councillor, many of the new residents are young families drawn to the neighborhood’s many local amenities, convenient location, and low cost of housing.

“There’s just an incredible amount of green space in the area,” said Stirling.  “The number of different parks is just astonishing.” Stirling also said that the ward has a high number of community associations, recreational sports teams and activities for children.

The ward contains 26 schools and five community recreation centres including the Minto Recreation Complex which contains a pool, ice rinks, and outdoor turf fields. The Barrhaven Town Centre, a shopping complex, includes a movie theatre and stores like Wal-Mart, Best Buy, and Cosctco.

Barrhaven city councillor Jan Harding is also working towards bringing more businesses to the area so that residents won’t have to commute long distances for work. For example, the Tomlinson Group, a construction company, will be moving their new headquarters to Barrhaven.

Another appeal to living in Barrhaven is that it can be easy to access other areas of Ottawa and is located close to highway 416 and close to the Fallowfield VIA Rail station for those that frequently commute to Toronto or Montreal. “It’s a cheaper way of life,” said Stirling. “Not everyone can afford living in Toronto.”

Stirling said that the diversity in Barrhaven isn’t immediately obvious, but that “for sure we are a multicultural community and a very welcoming community.”

(Photo: Barrhaven’s many schools and relatively affordable housing is attracting new residents to the area | Marina Wang)

“Barrhaven probably represents what Canada aspires to become on a national level: a true and thriving multicultural community,” wrote Andre Lefrancois in an email. Lefrancois runs a community news website called The Barrhaven Blog.

“Many different things attract people from various ethnic backgrounds to Barrhaven. Our new mosque and synagogue have certainly played an important role, as have the quality of our schools and growing business sector. But I think that at a certain level, people who come from different ethnic backgrounds want to live in a multicultural community – one where residents respect each other based on values, not religion or race,” wrote Lefrancois.

Quality Inn Orleans has the highest number of public health infractions of any hotel in Ottawa

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(Photo| Marina Wang)

Quality Inn Orleans in northeastern Ottawa has the highest number of public health infractions of any hotel in the city, according to an analysis of data from Ottawa Public Health. Between February 2012 and October 2017, the two-star hotel had a total of 131 public health infractions.

The majority of the infractions pertained to the hotel’s pool and hot tub. The most common types of infractions included not signing or completing daily records, not maintaining required chlorine or pH levels, and not having well maintained emergency and first aid equipment, as outlined by Regulation 565 under Ontario’s Health Protection and Promotion Act.

Inspections by Ottawa Public Health are done on both a routine and complaint basis to ensure that facilities comply “with safety and injury prevention standards, as well as to reduce the risk of waterborne illness,” according to their website. Pool regulations prevent the growth and spread of illness-causing bacteria such as E. coli and Shigella.

Quality Inn Orleans, a branch of the Choice Hotels franchise, offers guests a continental breakfast and has had 17 infractions pertaining to their food services. Infractions include not using thermometers to verify food preparation and storage temperatures, and improper kitchen sanitation.

The number of infractions peaked in 2016, with a total of 56. However, as of October 2017, the number of infractions decreased to 18. Farzana Reza, General Manager at Quality Inn, said that last year they had issues with one of the pool’s pumps. “Everything has been replaced, everything is now fine,” she said. “I don’t think we had any major issues.”

The hotel has a rating of 3 out of 5 on TripAdvisor and ranks #61 out of 68 hotels in Ottawa, according to the travel website. “The general disregard for cleanliness, safety and comfort will make your homecoming all the more special,” reads one review from October 2017. Other poor reviews have commented on inadequate front desk service, dirty rooms, and the pool and hot tub temperature being too cold.

Other guests have found their stays satisfactory. Melissa Levy, who recently stayed at the hotel for a business trip, said her room wasn’t ready after her late arrival, but hotel staff then quickly prepared her room. “The room was nice–not the fanciest but had everything you needed and a very comfortable bed,” said Levy. “The hot tub was great, but the pool’s a little cold and shallow for my liking.” Levy also said that the receptionist was “amazing”.

Keith Bonnell, a Carleton University student who occasionally stays with his father at the hotel, stayed for four nights in October and has been in three different rooms over his previous visits. “It really depends,” said Bonnell “In some rooms, some things are falling apart, but the room we have now is good.” Of the three rooms he’s been in, one had a faulty bathroom door lock and a chair was “falling apart”.

“It’s a good hotel,” said Bonnell. “I think the reason why we keep coming back here is because it’s cheap.” Quality Inn Orleans costs around $114 per night.

 

 

Peterborough Hate Crimes on a Decline

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On a November night, 2015, a window at Masjid Al-Salaam Mosque shattered as an arsonist doused the building with an accelerant and set Peterborough’s only mosque ablaze. The incident was a “wake-up call” for the community, according to Charmaine Magumbe, chairperson for the Community and Race Relations Committee of Peterborough.

The rate of hate crimes in Peterborough have been among the highest in the country, according to Statistics Canada and the Peterborough Police Service. However, hate crime incidents have been decreasing since 2015.

“If you’re looking at the statistics you’d have to say there’s something’s not right,” said Magumbe. “Look at the hate crimes—we are in the top five and it’s consistent. Having said that, there is a good group of people in Peterborough who are inclusive and welcoming.”

According to an analysis of Statistics Canada data, in 2015 Peterborough had the fourth highest rate of hate crimes in Canada at 7.4 crimes per 100,000 people, an 18% drop from the previous year. Data from the Peterborough Police Service, which covers a smaller jurisdiction than the Statistics Canada area, showed that the number of hate-motivated incidents dropped from 25 to 16 between 2015 and 2016. Nine incidents have occurred so far in 2017. Other cities with high hate crime rates include Thunder Bay, Hamilton, Kitchener/Waterloo/Cambridge, and Ottawa.

The majority of incidents in Peterborough targeted victims based on race. According to an analysis of 2011 census data, Peterborough is 97% white, and Magumbe said that notions exist among some people to  keep Peterborough a white majority. “People are not used to seeing people of other nationalities,” she said.

Magumbe’s family was the target of a hate crime when her children, the only visibly black students, went to their elementary school to find “I hate Black people, please leave..haha” graffitied onto the building exterior. “My kids came home from school, and they were really hurt. They were in tears,” said Mugambe. After talking with the school principal, the offender was found, and Magumbe held a healing circle.

Despite xenophobic sentiments, Shegufa Merchant, a member of the Muslim community and organizer for the interfaith Abraham Festival, said that not enough attention has been drawn to the people and organizations working to build an inclusive community.

There was an outpour of public support following the 2015 mosque fire, as local churches and synagogues offered their spaces for prayer. Community members quickly raised enough funds to cover the $80,000 worth of damages. “The response of the community far surpassed that hate crime,” said Merchant. “I was so proud to be part of the community at that time.”

Merchant and Magumbe work towards improving race relations and inclusivity in the city. The Abraham Festival celebrates acceptance and tolerance between religious groups, and the Community and Race Relations Committee works to make minorities feel socially included and holds vigils in solidarity against racism. “We need to have discussions as to anti-racism and creating an inclusive society,” said Magumbe.

Race relations will be brought to the forefront next weekend as an anti-immigration rally will be hosted by the Canadian Nationalist Front, an organization that “would like to see the return to Canada’s predominantly White-European and Native-Aboriginal ethnic make-up,” according to their website. A peaceful counter-protest called Chalk Out Hate has been planned in response.

First Nations legal clout in stopping Kinder Morgan

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The topic: First Nations legal rights in stopping Kinder Morgan

What’s new: First Nations rights can cause a legal quagmire when it comes to the construction of the Kinder Morgan Trans-mountain Expansion.

Why it’s important:  A controversial decision to approve the Kinder Morgan Trans-mountain Expansion by the Liberal government was made in November last year. The new pipeline would more than double the amount of existing diluted bitumen being transported from Alberta oil sands to a tanker terminal in Burnaby, B.C. Tanker traffic in the Burrard Inlet is estimated to increase seven-fold.

Prior to the government’s announcement, the National Energy Board conducted a review of the pipeline and concluded that construction would be in the public interest. This review was followed by consultations of communities along the pipeline route, performed by the Ministerial Panel.

Although some First Nations had negotiated agreements with pipeline, overall the consultation panel found significant opposition. “Even among those people who had negotiated benefit agreements and signed letters of support for Trans-mountain, most said their rights were not respected and that their concerns about impacts were ignored, or at the very least, minimized,” reads the report from the Ministerial Panel released in November 2016.

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3522565-16-011-TMX-Full-Report-en-nov2-11-30am/pages/37.html

A briefing note regarding First Nations consultation said that upholding Indigenous rights may present a “tension” for the project. Section 35 of the Constitution Act grants First Nations rights to land, and First Nations groups in direct opposition to the pipeline are arguing that approval of the pipeline would violate this legislature.

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3520076-ATIP7040-16-187-Final-Release-Package/pages/4.html

The Sacred Trust Initiative from the Tsleil-Waututh First Nation is mandated to stop the Kinder Morgan pipeline and tanker terminal from being built. They conducted an independent assessment report on how the pipeline would affect their First Nation, which takes into consideration the increased likelihood and consequences of a spill. The assessment found that “spilled oil has the potential to foul every corner of the Burrard Inlet,” and “a large spill has the potential to expose over one million residents around the Burrard Inlet to acute toxic health effects from toxic air emissions.”

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3528188-TWN-Assessment-Summary-11x17/pages/5.html

John Konovski, senior advisor at the Sacred Trust Initiative, said that “The issues is that the National Energy Board examined didn’t include all the interests of Tsleil-Waututh have. The biggest one being that marine shipping was not part of the environmental assessment.”

Failure to respect First Nations titles and inadequate consultation has caused problems for the construction of pipelines in the past. “As we have seen from the Federal Court of Appeals decision that quashed the NEB approval for Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline in June 2016, failing to consult appropriately with these groups has the capacity to bring a project of this nature to a standstill,” reads the report from the Ministerial Panel.
What the government says:  Roxanna Coulon, communications office for Natural Resources Canada, wrote in an email that “No relationship is more important to our Government than the one with Indigenous peoples.” According to Coulon, the pipeline expansion project has committed more than $300 million to socio-economic agreements with First Nations groups over the next twenty years, and the 2017 budget provided $64.7 million to fund an Indigenous monitoring and advisory committee to support communities affected by the pipeline.
What others say: Bruce Miller, a UBC professor who studies Indigenous affairs, said that the Tsleil-Waututh have a fair case in opposition to the pipeline, but legal proceedings can be a lengthy process. “I think in the end it’s unclear that it really will go through,” said Miller.
What’s next: Tsleil-Waututh and other First Nations groups are taking their case to the B.C. Supreme Court. Konovski said the case is likely to proceed over the next year to year and a half.

The burgeoning of breweries across Ontario

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Ottawans can now enjoy a tall, frothy glass of Kichesippi 1855 with its refreshing malt flavours and bitter finish. For a more exotic flare, beer enthusiasts can turn to a ginger coriander cream ale. For something patriotic, the Big Rig Canadian Amber showcases 100% Canadian ingredients. These unique brews are now available in Ottawa due to a recent proliferation of microbreweries in the province.

According to data from the Ontario Beverage Network, the per capita number of microbreweries in Ontario has increased by almost ten-fold since 2011. Toronto has the highest total number of independent breweries per capita at 1.76 per 100,000 people. Ottawa falls second at 1.18 per 100,000 people, although growth in Ottawa’s brewery industry is more recent. The total number of independent breweries in Ottawa has more than tripled in the last five years, bringing the count up to sixteen. Bicycle Craft, Dominion City, and Tooth & Nail are just some of the breweries that have opened up in the last few years.

The variety of local brews can be savoured at Beer Craft Market, a restaurant that opened just last year. Beer Craft Market has over 100 brews on tap, and bar manager Josh Chamberlin said that around 60% of their beer selection is from the province. He said that featuring local products is one of the company’s goals. “There’s an attention in craft beer right now. People are looking for new and interesting things to drink, putting their heads to crazy IPAs, sours, and all sorts of things,” he said, “everyone’s catching on to what beer really can be.”

Chamberlin said that Ottawa’s supportive microbrewery community attributes to the blossoming industry. “It’s really a giant family,” said Chamberlin. Larger, more established businesses such as Beau’s Brewery are even lending out their equipment to smaller entrepreneurs. “They’ve really made a welcoming atmosphere for new breweries and really tried to be inclusive,” he said.

Chamberlin also attributes the popularization of microbreweries to easier marketing on the internet. “Some of the craft breweries that are out there right now have really taken advantage of the digital age,” said Chamberlin, “pretty much every craft brewery that is really successful has a very active social media presence.”

Local beer blogger Katy Watts said that the high per capita number of breweries in Ottawa may be due the city’s geography. Many of the new breweries in Ottawa are located in the outskirts of the city where they can appeal to the local neighborhood. “It blew up, and there are still more and more that are coming,” said Watts, “it’s easier to establish these new breweries with the fragmented communities of Ottawa.”

Although Ottawa’s last five years has seen a proliferation of microbreweries, Watts and Chamberlin only see the industry growing with increasing demand. According to Watts, the brewery industry in Ottawa hasn’t reached market saturation yet, but the market is becoming competitive enough to drive product quality. “We’re coming to a point where if a brewery doesn’t make a good product, it’s hard to compete,” she said.

Evergreen Craft Ales is one of the microbreweries that opened last year, and their website boasts being the smallest brewery in Ottawa. Owner Chris Samuels runs the operation with his wife from their garage. “Once I started home brewing it was definitely something that captured my imagination more than anything else,” said Samuels. Samuels said getting started in the brewery business was costly and time consuming, but the community was welcoming. He said that consumers are often interested in his small, home-grown business. “We’ve had a really good vibe from people, and people are really interested in what we’re doing,” he said, “It’s been really rewarding when you can actually sit down and talk to people one-on-one.”

http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3518025-Microbrewery.html

The Canada Science and Technology Museum reopens for its 50th birthay

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A fridge, a stove, marbled tiled floors–everything in this kitchen looks perfectly normal, except upon entrance, the senses just can’t seem to agree. Vertigo strikes.

Visitors will once again be able to experience spatial distortion in the Crazy Kitchen at the Canada Museum of Science and Technology as it reopens in November. The reopening coincides with the museum’s 50th anniversary.

Visitors inside the popular Crazy Kitchen exhibit. (CSTM)

The museum was temporarily closed for renovation in 2014 as the physical building had “outlived its usefulness,” said Christina Tessier, the Museum Director. However, Tessier said they’ve “turned what was certainly unhappy times in terms of the closure into an opportunity to revamp the museum,” with the aid of an $80.5 million grant. Prior to closing, the museum saw roughly 300,000 visitors annually.

Although the building is being reconstructed, the central tenet of the museum remains the same. The museum has “the vision of being a highly interactive space to inspire kids with science and technology and innovation,” said Tessier, “that hasn’t changed for us.”

Museum workers construct a globe for the Canadian Museum of Science and Technology’s opening in 1967. (CSTM)

The Canada Science and and Technology Museum was first built in 1967 as a centennial project. According to the 1951 Massey Commission, the science museum “would serve not only to record Canadian achievements in science and technology but as a valuable guide and as a reference for future developments.”

Documentation written by museum historian Sharon Babaian revealed that the museum had a hasty start. The museum’s first director, David Baird, only had ten months to transform an old bakery into the new museum. The museum had to be a “make-do operation”, as Baird did not have the time to represent all of Canada’s important scientific and technological contributions.

However, Baird succeeded in creating the first interactive museum in Canada. Museums at the time were largely built on research and collection, but the Canada Science and Technology Museum introduced an element of visitor interactivity that was later widely adopted. “The idea behind this museum was that it wouldn’t be like the old museums,” said Babaian, “they actually in a way copied what we were doing.”

The Canada Science and Technology Museum was also the first to popularize Canada Day. “In the sixties and seventies Canada day was not a big deal” said Babaian. For Canada Day, or Dominion Day as it was previously called, the museum would hold additional public demonstrations that included driving vehicles from the collection, operating historical machinery such as a printing press, woodworking, and a broom-making apparatus. “It was all hands on deck,” said Babaian.

 

At the initial opening in 1967 the museum featured exhibits on aviation, vehicular transportation, agriculture, weather, and space. The museum’s most popular locomotives display and Crazy Kitchen have been present since the museum’s start, and Tessier intends on keeping these for the museum’s reopening.

New galleries will include Artifact Alley, Creating and Using Knowledge, Children’s Gallery, Moving and Connecting, Technology in Our Lives, and Transforming Resources. Visitors can look forward to 7,400 m2 of new exhibition space, including 850 m2 dedicated to travelling exhibitions from around the world.

Tessier is most looking forward to the demonstration stage which will be at the heart of the new museum. “We’ll have fire tornadoes and small explosions, and all kinds of great stuff,” she said, “but it’s also a space where we can talk about the present and the future of science and technology and innovation in Canada.”

For the museum’s future, Tessier said she is “looking at building up all of our educational and public programming so that we can engage more and more students and youth.” Tessier is also looking to engage audiences from across Canada through traveling exhibitions, outreach programming, and developing mobile apps.

“The museum is a window to science and technology and innovation in Canada,” said Tessier, “I miss being able to walk out on the floor and watch families and kids interacting with the exhibitions and seeing those ‘Aha!’ moments on a kid’s face when they learn something new.”

*Photos courtesy of the Canada Science and Technology Museum Corporation. 

The documentation that I’ve used are photos acquired from museum historian Sharon Babaian. They illustrate what the museum looked like in its early days. I also used the Building a National Museum of Science and Technology file written by Babaian for information on the museum’s opening. The file can be found on the museum’s website. Pictures of the new museum were acquired from a press release from November. They give the reader a visualization of what to look forward to when the museum reopens.

Suncor bounces back from the oil crash and wildfires

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Alberta oil giant Suncor is making a healthy recovery from the crash in oil prices in 2015 and the Fort McMurray wildfires in the spring of 2016. Suncor’s most recent quarterly financial statement revealed an over 200% increase in net profits compared to the previous year. The company suffered a $376 million loss in the third quarter of 2015 while in 2016 the company turned around with a $392 million profit.


Suncor’s Stock Prices by marinawang on TradingView.com

A dramatic drop in oil prices in 2015 hit Suncor hard with a net annual loss of nearly two billion dollars, as revealed by its 2015 annual financial statement. In years prior to the crash the company was earning profits in the multi-billions. To add fuel to flame, wildfires in the spring of 2016 caused the company to temporarily suspend oil sands operations, further exacerbating the company’s losses. However, Suncor returned to operations a few months after the fire, and profits were turned around for the third quarter.

“Despite what happened last year their balance sheet still looked very healthy,” said Emily Gray, chartered professional accountant and Sprott Business School instructor at Carleton University. Gray described the company’s finances as “impressive” and said that the balance sheet revealed strong operational cash flows or earnings from regular activities–a sign that the company is in good shape.

The company’s financial strength was demonstrated as Suncor invested a healthy sum in exploration and production–a potentially risky area of investment for an oil company, according to Gray. Gray said that investments in risky developments can indicate a company’s confidence. “Our performance demonstrates the strength of our core assets and our ability to deliver strong cash flow, even in a lower price environment,” stated Suncor CEO Steve Williams in the Q3 financial statement.

Suncor’s financial statement attributed its profits to operating earnings. The operating cost dropped by 18% from last year down to $22.50 per barrel. According to Williams, “Operational excellence is a top priority and has been consistently demonstrated in continuous improvements to reliability and ongoing reductions in both capital and operating costs.” According to the Q3 financial statement, operating costs are likely to continue decreasing.

A deferred tax recovery from the U.K. also contributed to this quarter’s earnings. However, these multi-million dollar earnings were largely cancelled out by losses in foreign currency exchanges.

The 2015 drop in oil prices may not have been as detrimental for Suncor as other companies in the same industry. Suncor was able to acquire Canadian Oil Sands for $4.2 billion in early 2016 and later increased its stake in Syncrude. Both of these investments are now beginning to pay off. Canadian Oil Sands is now Suncor’s largest contributor in production, earning the company a significant portion of the total profits this financial term.

Suncor spent $937 million on increasing its stake to a majority 54% in Syncrude, just months after acquiring Canadian Oil Sands. For this financial term, Syncrude’s oil production increased fivefold while operating costs were cut by a third.

“Discipline and prudence are the hallmarks of our financial strategy” said Williams during a speech regarding the Q3 financial statement, “it also allows us to continue to return cash to shareholders through a competitive dividend”.

Suncor representatives were contacted but did not give original comment.