Stablecoins, copper boom, dementia treatment and more

Summary

Your World Tonight (CBC): Episode Summary – January 2, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of Your World Tonight brings listeners an in-depth look at current events shaping Canada and the world. Main topics include the emergence and risks of stablecoins, Canada’s shifting climate policies and mining boom, the realities of intravenous (IV) therapy trends, groundbreaking dementia care models involving farm environments, and new technology uncovering soldiers’ stories at Vimy Ridge. Balancing analysis and on-the-ground reporting, the episode offers both context and fresh perspectives on these developing stories.

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Key Segments and Insights

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1. The Rise (and Risks) of Stablecoins

Reported by Jenna Benchetrit
[02:09 – 05:49]

• Stablecoins Explained:
  • Digital currencies pegged to real-world assets (like the Canadian dollar), intended to offer the speed of crypto without its volatility.
  • Touted for efficiency; useful for cheaper global money transfers and business transactions.
• Expert Skepticism:
  • Brent Arnold, cybersecurity lawyer:
    • Highlights enduring risks due to lack of regulatory oversight:

      "Where I come from, anything in crypto, the main business case is funding crime and avoiding taxes. I've still yet to see a really good, compelling explanation for why this is necessary..." ([03:46])

    • Demands proof that reserves truly back these assets:

      "Prove to me you actually have the assets to back this..." ([05:12])

• Global Context:
  • Major economies (US, Japan, UK, EU, China) are moving quickly to regulate stablecoins in pursuit of "digital sovereignty."
  • Most stablecoins are USD-backed, but other nations aim to increase their own digital currency footprints.
• Canada’s Efforts:
  • Catching up with new regulations; an Alberta company (backed by major investors) is soon to launch a regulated, dollar-backed stablecoin.

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2. Canada’s Climate Policy U-Turns & Copper Push

With CBC Science & Climate Reporter Anand Ram
[05:49 – 14:02]

Climate Rollbacks and Pipeline Politics

• Political Shift:
  • PM Mark Carney, once a climate action champion, now supports an oil pipeline to Asia—triggering accusations of abandoning green promises.
  • Anand Ram:
    • Describes a wider "clawback on climate action" under both Canadian and US policy reversals:

      "It's a story of clawback on climate action. And it starts with an unmistakable voice that's back in the room." ([06:33])

• US Influence:
  • Donald Trump, US President again, downplays climate issues:

    "Climate change. It's the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world, in my opinion." ([06:47])

    • Orders federal agencies to avoid climate change language.
  • US rollbacks create economic and regulatory uncertainty for Canada.
• Canada’s Response:
  • Carney pledges to remove the carbon tax and EV standards, repositioning policies as about "climate competitiveness."
  • Critics see a walk-back from robust climate actions; key agreements signed to expand fossil fuel production, with hopes pinned on unproven carbon capture technology.
• Global Scene:
  • With US withdrawal from climate leadership, China leads renewables manufacturing.
  • Ongoing international tensions over commitments to phase out fossil fuels.

The Copper Boom – Resource Strategy

• Copper’s Importance:
  • Essential for renewables, EVs, AI, military tech.
• Major Projects:
  • Fast-tracking of two copper mines—the McElvena Bay project (Saskatchewan) and expansion of Red Chrismine (BC).
  • Corey Eastman, Flin Flon Chamber:

    "These 400 direct jobs then lead to obviously more population." ([11:54])

  • Votini Koutsavlis, Mining Association:

    "We've seen approximately 25% decline in copper production in Canada." ([12:15])

• Indigenous Relations & Environment:
  • Concerns over local First Nations opposition and environmental impact for some projects.
  • Jonathan French, Voran Mining:

    "Our big focus there was building these relationships." ([13:39])

• Warning of Supply Crunch:
  • Despite booming demand, slow permitting and building may lead to shortages.

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3. Health Trends: IV Therapy & Regulatory Gaps

Reported by Lauren Pelley
[14:56 – 17:47]

• Rise of IV Clinics:
  • Vitamin and supplement IVs are trendy but lack solid evidence; often cost hundreds of dollars.
  • Poor regulatory oversight:
    • Dr. Joseph Ross, Yale:

      "The growth that you're seeing probably is in part because there is so little regulatory oversight." ([15:38])

      • Less than one-third of clinics require professional consultations.
    • Cross-contamination, infections, and other risks go unmonitored.
• Canadian Context:
  • Clinics regulated variably; Health Canada oversees products, but professional oversight varies by province and practitioner.
  • Naturopath Yelena Deshko:
    • Emphasizes importance of high standards:

      "We are regulated by the college and we go through inspections with the college prior to providing this treatment." ([16:51])

    • Shares a cautionary tale of another facility’s negligence.
• Skepticism from Experts:
  • Timothy Caulfield, University of Alberta:

    "The biggest issue is there's often no evidence backing up claims about IV therapies." ([17:17])

    • Calls for red-flagging unproven health products.
  • Medical advice: Seek a doctor if ill; healthy people generally don’t need IV therapy.

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4. Innovative Dementia Care: Farms, Animals, and Outdoors

Reported by Yasmin Renea
[17:47 – 20:52]

• Care Farms Model:
  • Village Langley (BC) offers dementia care with chickens, goats, gardens to improve residents’ mobility, cognition, and overall well-being.
  • Based on successful European models—increasingly supported by research.
  • Gail Dial, family caregiver:

    "I know that she's in a safe environment and she's happy and she's active and is comfortable." ([19:02])

  • Dr. Howard Churcho, cognitive neurologist:

    "It's not a cure. It's not going to prevent them getting worse." ([19:16])

    • But says social engagement slows decline, reduces depression and agitation.
• Barriers & Potential:
  • High costs ($13,000/month) and absence of public funding limit access.
  • Researchers at SFU and McMaster seeking ways to scale for broader affordability and access.
  • Facility co-founder Elroy Jesperson:

    "There is no government money going to support people living here." ([20:15])

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5. Preserving Soldiers’ Stories at Vimy Ridge

Reported by Colin Butler
[20:52 – 23:44]

• Historical Discovery:
  • Beneath Vimy Ridge, Canadian soldiers carved names and messages before the fateful WWI battle.
  • 3D scanning technology now captures and preserves these carvings in vivid detail—even linking some to the soldiers who made them.
  • Dan Mansfield, Canadame Group:

    "It's like walking into a church alone... these soldiers had done [the carvings], in some cases right before they died." ([21:19])

• Urgency and Fragility:
  • The tunnels are unstable—some have collapsed; conservation is a race against time.
  • Paul Culleton, videographer:

    "It is a national treasure. It is an unrecognized national treasure." ([22:56])

  • Efforts are underway but need more recognition and support.

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Memorable Quotes

• On Crypto Skepticism:

  "Where I come from, anything in crypto, the main business case is funding crime and avoiding taxes."
  — Brent Arnold ([03:46])

• On Climate Policy Rollbacks:

  "It's a story of clawback on climate action. And it starts with an unmistakable voice that's back in the room."
  — Anand Ram ([06:33])

• On IV Therapy Trends:

  "The growth that you're seeing probably is in part because there is so little regulatory oversight."
  — Dr. Joseph Ross ([15:38])

• On Dementia Farm Care:

  "I know that she's in a safe environment and she's happy and she's active and is comfortable."
  — Gail Dial ([19:02])

• On Vimy Ridge Carvings:

  "It's like walking into a church alone... these soldiers had done [the carvings], in some cases right before they died."
  — Dan Mansfield ([21:19])

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Timestamps for Significant Segments

• Stablecoins & Digital Currencies: [02:09] – [05:49]
• Canadian Climate Policy & Pipeline: [05:49] – [10:43]
• Copper Mining Boom: [10:43] – [14:02]
• IV Therapy Trends and Risks: [14:56] – [17:47]
• Dementia Farm Care: [17:47] – [20:52]
• Vimy Ridge Soldiers’ Carvings: [20:52] – [23:44]

---

This episode balances skepticism and innovation across finance, climate, health, and memory—leaving listeners informed and ready for what 2026 may bring.

Transcript

[Host/Anchor]

If you're listening to this, I already know you have great taste in podcasts.

[Colin Butler]

But maybe if you're like me, you still wonder if you're missing out on the best stuff.

[Host/Anchor]

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[Colin Butler]

The audio files at CBC Podcast highlight one must hear show and lots of.

[Host/Anchor]

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[Colin Butler]

They do conversation starters, they do hidden gems, and they also tell you about the stuff they love that they didn't make.

[Host/Anchor]

Go to CBC CA Sounds good to subscribe.

[Alexander Silberman]

This is a CBC podcast.

[Susan Bonner]

We deserve a better system. Fewer middlemen, fewer fees.

[Colin Butler]

That's how crypto works where I come from. Anything in crypto, the main business case is funding crime and avoiding taxes.

[Susan Bonner]

New Year, New financial system, the pitch for a digital only currency and the risks that come with it. Welcome to youo World Tonight, I'm Susan Bonner, also on the program.

[Colin Butler]

At the core of the agreement, of course, it is a priority to have.

[Host/Anchor]

A pipeline to Asia.

[Susan Bonner]

Prime Minister Mark Carney's environmental approach includes a pipeline mining and killing the carbon tax. Critics say he's turned his back on protecting the climate change. Supporters say he's facing the economic realities.

[Colin Butler]

And the outdoors, the movement and the cognitive stimulation and the exercise and the social features is certainly going to improve the quality of life for people living.

[Susan Bonner]

With Alzheimer's disease, goats, chickens, and people grappling with memory loss. Canadian researchers are studying how farming can help dementia patients. With a new year starting, many of us might try to change our habits. An Alberta company is interested in shaking up Canadian currency. It's a digital coin backed by the loony. Jenna Benchetrit explains how it works.

[Jenna Benchetrit]

It was a brutal weekend for crypto. Bitcoin sank below $93,000 on Sunday, its lowest level since April, extending a slide that has wiped out nearly all of this year's gains. Now traders are Bitcoin prices are famously volatile, shattering records one month and crashing the next. But another kind of crypto promises to be more stable. Stablecoins. They're sort of like digital dollars. The idea is that this crypto can be converted into a real dollar at any time, in any place, without extra fees. As cybersecurity lawyer Brent Arnold puts it.

[Colin Butler]

It'S kind of like way back in the old days, when every US Dollar was backed up by gold in a reserve.

[Jenna Benchetrit]

And just as it was then, they.

[Colin Butler]

Want to know backing this asset.

[Jenna Benchetrit]

Those who argue in favor of stablecoins say they're cheaper and faster than traditional money transfers, and their value doesn't fluctuate as much as other cryptocurrencies because they're backed by a national currency or a precious metal, making it easier for Canadians to send money to family members abroad or for companies to do business internationally.

[Susan Bonner]

We deserve a better system. Fewer middlemen, fewer fees.

[Colin Butler]

That's how crypto works.

[Jenna Benchetrit]

To be clear, though, there are risks and doubts that stablecoins are as safe as enthusiasts say they are. Stablecoins are exchanged through a network of computers that record and verify transactions on what's called a blockchain. Faster and cheaper, sure, but banks are completely cut out from the process, and so were the guardrails they put up to make sure a transaction is legitimate. That has some critics, including Arnold, worried.

[Colin Butler]

Where I come from, anything in crypto, the main business case is funding crime and avoiding taxes. I've still yet to see a really good, compelling explanation for why this is necessary or anything other than a solution in search of a problem.

[Jenna Benchetrit]

Still, the global race to make stablecoins mainstream is heating up. The US government passed a new set of rules to regulate them earlier this year. Japan, the UK and the EU have done the same, and China may soon follow suit.

[Host/Anchor]

No government wants to use stuff some other government's infrastructure.

[Jenna Benchetrit]

Christian Catalini is the founder of the MIT Crypto Economics Lab. He says a lot of the hoopla around stablecoins is about digital sovereignty. In a world already dominated by the US Dollar, countries are creating their own versions of emerging tech like stablecoins.

[Host/Anchor]

Right now, most stablecoins are dollar denominated because of course, the dollar is the global reserve currency, and so there's demand for dollars all over the globe.

[Susan Bonner]

But over time, I think other countries.

[Host/Anchor]

Will try to really distribute their currencies and bring them into commerce, into trade through new technology.

[Jenna Benchetrit]

Canada was behind on this for a while, but it's trying to catch up. The federal government recently moved to regulate stablecoins, making it easier for businesses to issue them. Still, until it's crystal clear that stablecoins have real value and can be exchanged for real dollars, cybersecurity lawyer Brent Arnold says he's skeptical.

[Colin Butler]

Prove to me you actually have the assets to back this and that they are liquid assets and that they're stable assets. Because if those conditions aren't in place and no one's making sure they're in place, you could still end up in a situation where everyone realizes the token's worth nothing. There's a run on the bank and you have a collapse.

[Jenna Benchetrit]

The first regulated Canadian dollar backed stablecoin may not be that Far away, an Alberta company announced a few months ago that it will create one. It's even got funding from national bank wealthsimple and Shopify to do it. It hopes to launch the currency sometime in the coming months. Jenna benchetrid, CBC News, Toronto.

[Colin Butler]

Up until today, there was not enough money in the world to fund the transition. And right here, right now, is where we draw the line.

[Susan Bonner]

Mark Carney at the UN Climate Conference in 2021, rallying the financial world to save the physical one from the devastating effects of climate change. That was then. This is now.

[Colin Butler]

At the core of the agreement, of course, is a priority to have a pipeline to Asia.

[Susan Bonner]

Carney's handshake agreement to support an oil pipeline. To some critics, it's an about face on climate change, but it's a move the CBC science and climate reporter Anand Ram has seen all year. Anand, tell us about that shift.

[Host/Anchor]

Well, what you just heard from the prime minister is part of one interconnected story about climate that's been playing out, as you said, all year. It's a story of clawback on climate action. And it starts with an unmistakable voice that's back in the room.

[Colin Butler]

Climate change. It's the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world, in my opinion.

[Host/Anchor]

Donald Trump, US President once again and noted opponent of wind turbines.

[Colin Butler]

Those big windmills are so pathetic and so bad.

[Host/Anchor]

And I bring that up because he started his second term with a sharp focus on revitalizing the US Energy industry, specifically fossil fuels.

[Colin Butler]

We will drill, baby, drill.

[Host/Anchor]

But also reversing many policies and protections that the previous administration had to fight climate change and bring down emissions. Things like the Inflation Reduction act, which had many boosts for green initiatives.

[Susan Bonner]

And people definitely hear that as anti climate.

[Host/Anchor]

That's right. And words matter. The term climate change, just that term alone. There were reports of federal agencies sending memos to employees to not use it and other terms in their communications. And there are sections about climate change, even erased from government websites. I was at the G7 Energy and Environment Conference in Toronto at the end of October, and there I heard the US Energy Secretary, Chris Wright on stage, perhaps fittingly on Halloween, refer to climate change as a boogeyman to scare children. So we have seen this US Administration erase climate change as a global and immediate crisis in their language.

[Susan Bonner]

Which brings us, of course, to Canada. What impact is Donald Trump and those kinds of views having here in this country?

[Host/Anchor]

I mean, the major impact is really that tariff and trade uncertainty in Canada. And we've seen that cause a lot of flips. Mark Carney won the election decidedly on that nervousness felt by people. And it's meant that he, who was once seen, as we heard, as a climate champion, has made some serious rollbacks to the climate policies of his own party.

[Colin Butler]

My government will immediately remove the consumer carbon tax.

[Host/Anchor]

We will remove the 2026 electric vehicle availability standard. So those are just two moves. But in the recent budget, the government indicated that there are ways to get to emissions reductions without the proposed emissions cap on the oil and gas sector. All of this has been reframed as climate competitiveness, but seen by some critics as a walk away from strong climate policies.

[Susan Bonner]

And that memorandum of understanding with the Alberta government to build an oil pipeline to take Alberta crud to the west coast and send off to Asia. Absolutely.

[Host/Anchor]

That's a huge one. And it should be noted that despite having big pro climate policies, the Trudeau government bought a pipeline and it's moving oil right now. But this Alberta agreement looks to ultimately expand fossil fuel production and puts its climate saving hope in unproven carbon capture technology.

[Susan Bonner]

Okay, I hesitate to ask this. We don't have a lot of time, but bright spots this year looking ahead.

[Host/Anchor]

So I mean as we just mentioned, the US is out, but that means other people step in, right? The void of leadership is being filled in some sense. And you know, there are two examples of that. One is China. They've driven a renewables boom with making solar power way more affordable. And they're advancing battery and EV technology which is going to help decarbonize other nations who buy from them. But also one disagreement at this latest climate conference was over the wording to phase out fossil fuels. Eighty countries wanted that, but no dice in the final agreement.

[Susan Bonner]

Canada being one of them, absolutely did.

[Host/Anchor]

Not want to do it. Just like Saudi Arabia and Russia, they didn't want that language in there. So these others are going it alone. And hosted by Colombia and the Netherlands, they're, they're coming together in April to hammer out a roadmap to phase out these planet destabilizing gases. And, and you know, we can't leave without saying that the one thing we can depend on for 2026 is, is more destabilization of the climate as these climate strengthened disasters will affect millions of people around the planet.

[Susan Bonner]

So true, but not a bright spot. So let me end on one. You will guide us through whatever happens in 2026.

[Host/Anchor]

I'll try.

[Susan Bonner]

Thank you. The CBC Science and Climate reporter Anand Ram in Toronto. Canada is trying to cash in on that shift to renewables and ev Technology. One of the metals essential to those industries, copper. It's needed to build batteries, military equipment and big tech. And two copper mines are on the prime Minister's list of major infrastructure projects. Alexander Silberman has more on Mark Carney's push to put Canadian copper in the spotlight.

[Alexander Silberman]

In Flintlon, Manitoba, a mining city, a much needed economic boom is on the horizon. Some copper and zinc is already coming out of the ground in this region. But mining activity with hundreds of jobs in the pipeline is expected to get a lot busier.

[Host/Anchor]

It's an incredibly positive thing.

[Alexander Silberman]

Corey Eastman is president of the Flin Flann Chamber of Commerce. He's welcoming news that the federal government will fast track a massive local copper mine. The McElvena Bay project, 5 km away in Saskatchewan, is one of the nation building projects Ottawa plans to prioritize.

[Colin Butler]

These 400 direct jobs then lead to obviously more population.

[Alexander Silberman]

The expansion of the Red Crisp copper and gold mine in northwestern B.C. is also on the list, signaling a push to turn Canada's $9 billion copper industry into a larger global player.

[Gail Dial]

It's encouraging. Over the last decade, We've seen approximately.

[Jenna Benchetrit]

25% decline in copper production in Canada.

[Alexander Silberman]

Votini Koutsavlis is with the Canadian Mining Association. She says there's big global demand for the metal in a range of rapidly growing industries, including artificial intelligence, data centers, electric cars and military spending.

[Colin Butler]

New technologies will demand much more power and copper essential for electrification.

[Alexander Silberman]

The world's biggest mining deal of the past decade recently turned attention to the metal. Vancouver based Tech Resources and Britain's Anglo American agreed to merge, creating a copper focused giant worth about $70 billion. Denita Silva is a senior portfolio manager at Middlefield Ltd.

[Colin Butler]

It just highlights the dearth of kind.

[Host/Anchor]

Of shovel ready projects.

[Alexander Silberman]

But the effort to fast track some mining projects could face some roadblocks. In B.C. the red crisp mine expansion has faced opposition from a nearby First Nation. And there are also concerns over environmental risks. In northeast Saskatchewan, the McElveena Bay Mine Project is making indigenous engagement a priority. Voran Mining, the company behind the project, signed an agreement with the nearby. Peter Ballantyne, Cree Nation on economic development. Jonathan French is vice president of capital markets and external affairs.

[Host/Anchor]

Our big focus there was building these relationships.

[Alexander Silberman]

Copper demand is projected to keep growing rapidly over the next few years. But the mining industry warns that the slow timeline to permit and build mines means a looming supply crunch. Alexander Silberman, CBC News, Regina.

[Susan Bonner]

Coming right up, FAQs about IV therapy. As experts warn, the trendy procedure drips with potential health risks and using farms to treat cognitive decline. How the experience is harvesting results for dementia patients later. We'll have this story.

[Colin Butler]

I'm Colin Butler in London, Ontario, with the story of a hidden archive beneath Vimy Ridge, revealing the last thoughts of Canadian soldiers who carve messages into the chalk walls before going into battle. It's like walking into a church alone and you see these carvings on the wall that these soldiers had done in some cases right before they died. The tunnels might be fragile, but 21st century technology is bringing the stories back to life. I'll have that story later on YOUR WORLD tonight.

[Susan Bonner]

As people meet about health goals for the new year, they may come across alternative treatments. Intravenous therapy is an emerging trend promising all kinds of benefits. Private providers say infusions can boost energy, beat a hangover, even balance your hormones. As Lauren Pelley reports, some health experts warn the treatments come with significant risks and not enough regulation.

[Lauren Pelley]

My client booked in for a glutathione.

[Susan Bonner]

And vitamin C IV drip.

[Lauren Pelley]

Social media is filled with ads for intravenous therapy, cocktails of vitamins and supplements that cost hundreds of dollars and get injected right into someone's veins.

[Host/Anchor]

The growth that you're seeing probably is in part because there is so little regulatory oversight.

[Lauren Pelley]

Dr. Joseph Ross is with the Yale School of Medicine. He's part of a research team that recently studied the booming business of IV therapy south of the border. They found less than a third of clinics required consultation with a licensed medical professional before treatment or described the potential health risks. Those include possible cross contamination, adverse reactions or even serious infections.

[Host/Anchor]

If consumers are going to go off and use these, particularly often without their doctors even knowing that they're using these, we have to make sure the safeguards are in place that nobody gets hurt.

[Lauren Pelley]

CBC News found private IV clinics on this side of the border often fall into a regulatory gray zone as well. Health Canada authorizes intravenous health products, while a patchwork of provincial watchdogs monitor workers such as naturopaths, physicians or registered nurses.

[Jenna Benchetrit]

Which arm would you like to revoke?

[Colin Butler]

This arm.

[Lauren Pelley]

At a wellness center in Mississauga, naturopath Yelena Deshko says her team members adhere to strict safety standards for their IV offerings, including a sterile environment, patient exams and vital checks.

[Jenna Benchetrit]

We are regulated by the college and we go through inspections with the college prior to providing this treatment. Patients.

[Lauren Pelley]

But Deschka worries that's not the case everywhere. She says a recent customer told her she passed out during a session at a different facility after being given a partially frozen IV bag And this really.

[Jenna Benchetrit]

Concerns us as providers of this treatment because it can be very dangerous for the patient.

[Host/Anchor]

Unfortunately, I think these IV clinics, they're.

[Alexander Silberman]

Falling through the cracks.

[Lauren Pelley]

Timothy Caulfield is one of Canada's top experts on health and wellness trends. The University of Alberta professor says the biggest issue is there's often no evidence backing up claims about IV therapies. Long list of possible health benefits in.

[Host/Anchor]

Fact, I think that these products should be viewed as a major red flag.

[Lauren Pelley]

Doctors told us if you're sick, seek medical advice and if you're healthy, there's typically no need for any type of IV therapy. Lauren Pelley, CBC News, Toronto.

[Susan Bonner]

To another alternative care model for a condition hundreds of Canadians are diagnosed with every day. Dementia is expected to become an even more pressing health problem as Canada's population ages. Now researchers are studying a treatment built around sunshine, fresh air and farm animals. Yasmin Renea explains.

[Jenna Benchetrit]

Would you like some chicken food?

[Gail Dial]

It's feeding time at the village Langley's.

[Colin Butler]

Very handsome chickens, aren't they?

[Susan Bonner]

I love them.

[Gail Dial]

Just outside of Vancouver, this is a long term choice facility specifically for people living with dementia. It has a farm with chickens, goats and a garden to give the 75 full time residents a chance to be active outdoors. These kinds of farms have been operating in Europe since the late 90s with the Netherlands leading the way. Research shows this model can help improve the mobility, cognitive function and well being of dementia patients. It's hard to watch them go through.

[Colin Butler]

That sort of stuff.

[Gail Dial]

Gail Dial's 94 year old mom was diagnosed with dementia about five years ago and attends a day program at the farm. Dial says as her mom's full time caregiver, the village Langley gives her some reprieve.

[Colin Butler]

I know that she's in a safe.

[Gail Dial]

Environment and she's happy and she's active and is comfortable. The Alzheimer's Society of Canada estimates more than 700,000 Canadians live with dementia by 2030. It says that number could reach roughly one million.

[Colin Butler]

It's not a cure. It's not going to prevent them getting worse.

[Gail Dial]

Dr. Howard Churcho, a cognitive neurologist at Toronto's Baycrest Health Sciences Centre, says while care farms can't reverse dementia, they can help improve patients quality of life.

[Colin Butler]

People who are socially isolated, they go downhill more rapidly, the disease progresses more rapidly and they become more depressed, lonely, agitated.

[Gail Dial]

Professors from BC's Simon Fraser University and Ontario's McMaster University are now researching the Langley farm. SFU lead Habib Chowdhury says they're looking to find ways to replicate some elements across the country.

[Colin Butler]

The vast majority of care homes don't have the luxury of a nice outdoor space that can have gardens, that can have animals and so on. But we want to bring in the evidence that interaction with nature is important.

[Gail Dial]

It costs as much as $13,000 a month to live full time at the Langley facility.

[Colin Butler]

Right now, this is all done privately. There is no government money going to support people living here.

[Gail Dial]

Its co founder, Elroy Jesperson says he hopes the university research could eventually lead to government funding and affordable care for more people. Yasmin Ghanaya, CBC News, Langley, British Columbia.

[Susan Bonner]

Finally tonight, a story we first brought you before Remembrance Day. During the First World War, in the battle for Vimy Ridge in France, Canadian soldiers proved themselves a distinct fighting force, a defining moment in this country's military history. Now new technology is revealing how Canadians who fought there left their mark on the battlefield. Colin Butler explains.

[Colin Butler]

The last post echoes a tribute to the soldiers who left their marks on these chalk walls. It's like walking into a church alone. Dan Mansfield from canadame Group knows these caves well. Members of the London, Ontario nonprofit have been visiting them for 15, 15 years. They're back again to preserve this sacred space for all time. You see these carvings on the wall that these soldiers had done, in some cases right before they died. Using new technology, they can now scan these walls like never before, capturing this haunting gallery of names and art and color and texture, bringing to life what Canadian soldiers created on the eve of battle in tunnels below Vimy Ridge that stretch kilometers, some still unexplored.

[Jenna Benchetrit]

There were subway tunnels through here, and they were all connected.

[Colin Butler]

Teresa Iacobelli is a First World War historian with the Canadian War Museum. So the supplies, as well as the.

[Lauren Pelley]

Men are moving through these, this vast, vast tunnel system.

[Colin Butler]

It took weeks of work, mostly underground, to prepare for the battle. The soldiers ate and slept there and in their free time, carved and wrote on the walls. Just so you pick up everything. This is a fairly deep one, right? Handheld 3D scanners capture the carvings in vivid detail, revealing over 30 names once lost to time. It's extremely rewarding. Zenin Andrew Sishin is canadaigm Group's art director. He says once scanned, the carvings are digitally linked to the soldier who made them, even recreated on a 3D printer, offering a glimpse into their thoughts, often of love and home. It links the past with the present and it sort of gets that message across that we need to remember the people that actually served. But their work is a race against time. The tunnels are unstable and some have already collapsed. A Canadian was killed in 1998 while documenting the art. And the art here, like the caves themselves, is brittle. The chalk that is down there, it's very, very fragile. Paul Culleton is Cannadigm's videographer. He says, unlike the impressive monument above, the caves below Vimy aren't on protected land. It is a national treasure. It is an unrecognized national treasure. A century later, the tunnels still have stories to tell, but they won't last without help. Teams are working to preserve them, fighting to keep this history from being lost to time. Colin Butler, CBC News, London, Ontario.

[Susan Bonner]

This has been a special edition of youf World Tonight for Friday, January 2nd. Thanks the for thanks for listening. I'm Susan Bonner. Good night.

[Alexander Silberman]

For more cbc podcasts, go to cbc ca podcasts.