Most of us know the Arctic from maps and news reports — a region defined by statistics of loss, measured in kilometers of retreating ice and degrees of warming temperature. Florian Ledoux wants to show us something different. From above, through the lens of a drone and a lifetime of polar experience, he reveals an Arctic that is breathtaking, complex, and very much alive.
Ledoux, a French photographer and filmmaker based in Norway, has spent years working in polar regions, and his aerial photography represents a genuine evolution in how we see these landscapes. By removing the human vantage point — by lifting the camera away from the ice and looking down — he reveals patterns and relationships that are invisible from ground level: the mosaic geometry of fractured sea ice, the dense clustering of a walrus colony, the silver thread of a river winding through tundra.
The wildlife he captures from above — polar bears, narwhals, beluga whales, Arctic foxes — appears both small and monumental in these images. Small, because the landscapes that dwarf them are vast beyond comprehension. Monumental, because their presence in such an extreme environment is itself an act of extraordinary biological achievement. Every animal in these photographs represents millions of years of evolutionary adaptation to one of the most demanding environments on Earth.
There is an ethical dimension to aerial wildlife photography that Ledoux takes seriously. His drone work is conducted at distances and altitudes calculated not to disturb the animals he documents — a practice that requires deep knowledge of each species’ behavior and sensitivity. The resulting images feel like observation rather than intrusion, gifts rather than extractions.
We are sharing this work now because it feels more urgent than ever. The Arctic is changing faster than almost anywhere else on Earth, and Ledoux’s photographs are not just beautiful — they are documents of a world in transformation, records of something we owe it to future generations to understand and protect.
Bringing relatives to Canada is a great experience as well as letting them live a better life. The process however is accompanied by strict requirements which must be fulfilled by the sponsor especially in the completion of the demonstrating of financial ability.
The immigration authorities in Canada do not want the sponsors to oversee their family members and strain the welfare system of the country. The ability to demonstrate financial ability is the key to successful sponsorship application.
Meeting financial capacity means bringing evidence that you are capable of financing the needs of the family member you are willing to sponsor because of insufficient income or funds. The reason as to why this is required is so as to protect both the sponsored person and the Canadian social services system. It assists immigration officers in determining the ability of the sponsor to support the newcomer financially during the specified period stated by the law based on the relationship of a family and the immigration program.
Income Requirements for Sponsors
The sponsors also have to meet some given cut-offs in terms of income and it is likely that the sponsors can meet the income requirement depending on the number of people who are in their family together with themselves, their dependents and the person they wish to sponsor. These scales are aimed at accounting the costs of living in Canada and are revised regularly to capture the current financial situation. Before making an application, it is also crucial to find out the current income requirements issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
In most of the cases, sponsors must show evidence of the income earned by them in the last three consecutive years of taxation. This proof is normally composed of Notices of Assessment of the Canada Revenues Agency, T4s and employment letters. A steady income earned during consecutive years serves to stabilize one financially and is an important aspect to fulfill the sponsorship criteria.
Types of Acceptable Financial Evidence
Other than income statements sponsors are able to submit other documents to substantiate their financial capacity. This can come in the form of bank statements, assets like ownership of property and employment contracts. The aim is to introduce an all-inclusive financial picture which makes the immigration authorities sure of the capability of the sponsor to support his or her relatives.
This can make things difficult because some of the sponsors can have irregular income or be self employed. Here business statements, profit and loss accounts and tax filings are essential details when it comes to financial records. Before going to the interview, it is always good to go through an immigration lawyer Toronto to make sure that any financial documentary evidence has been well organized and it complies with the given standards.
Obligations of the Sponsor
After the approval of sponsorship permission, the sponsor will have pledged itself to paying maintenance to the sponsored family member over a fixed time of 3-10 years depending on the relationship. Such situations also require the sponsor to support the basic requirements of food, clothing, and shelter and he/she must also support the health care not covered by the provincial health plans.
The inability to honor these requirements may lead to severe penalties, such as repayment of social assistance payments that were given to the sponsored person. This further makes it essential that sponsors evaluate their financial status in case there is a need to apply. Immigration officials consider these undertakings serious and this is why demonstration of financial ability is a big part of the sponsorship approval activity.
Seeking Professional Advice
Due to the complicated nature of immigration laws and the financial requirements, a number of sponsors find it prudent to consult an efficient immigration attorney. An immigration lawyer could help provide a good idea on how a proper documentation of financial ability and sponsorship application can be done. They are also able to assist to answer any queries regarding the income levels and eligibility.
The possibility of Approval Process can be enhanced by professional guidance that can avoid delays or denial that might be caused through lack of sufficient or complete financial documentation. The role of a sponsoring family decision is a crucial decision, and being supported by an expert it may become less stressful and easy.
Evidence of financial capacity is a requirement process of bringing family members to Canada. Sponsors have to present solid information on adequate income and resources to take care of their loved ones without using government funds. Getting to know what sort of income you need, what paperwork you have to present, and having professional legal help is among the main ways to guarantee successful application. In case you think of sponsoring your family members, contacting an immigration lawyer in Toronto might be a wise decision as he or she will abstract you the financial and legal issues and it will refer to raising your possibilities of reuniting your family in Canada.
Quick Facts: Building: Royal Ontario Museum (ROM). Location: Toronto, Canada. Original opening: 1914. Controversial renovation: 2007. Architect of the addition: Daniel Libeskind. Style: Deconstructivist crystalline forms clashing deliberately with the original Edwardian facade. Local nickname: “The Crystal.”
When the Royal Ontario Museum reopened in 2007 after Daniel Libeskind’s dramatic renovation, Toronto didn’t know what to think. Locals were divided, critics were divided, and the building became one of the most talked-about architectural interventions in Canadian history. Nearly twenty years later, it’s worth asking: was the outrage fair?
What Libeskind Actually Built
Libeskind’s addition, officially called the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, is a cluster of interlocking angular forms that burst from the ROM’s original 1914 Edwardian facade like a geological event. It is emphatically not trying to blend in. It doesn’t match the stone, the scale, the rhythm, or the mood of the original building. That was the entire point.
Why People Hated It
The objections were real and understandable. The original ROM is a handsome, authoritative building that took decades to earn its place on Bloor Street. Libeskind’s addition felt, to many, like aggression rather than dialogue. The angular protrusions created awkward interior spaces that were difficult to program. The collision of old and new read as hostile rather than creative.
Why It’s Worth Defending
Divisive architecture has a track record of aging well. The Pompidou Centre was despised at first. The Louvre Pyramid sparked national controversy. Buildings that make a clear argument, even an uncomfortable one, tend to outlast the buildings that don’t. The ROM Crystal is unmistakable. It has presence. It changed Toronto’s skyline in a way no polite glass box ever would have.
The Building Today
The ROM remains one of the most visited museums in North America, and the Crystal has become part of Toronto’s visual identity whether critics like it or not. The debate around it is itself a kind of legacy. Architecture that makes people argue is architecture that makes people think.
Montreal is quite proud of their bagels, which they claim to be the best in the world. Heavily covered in sesame seeds or poppy seeds, the bagels are cooked in a wood-fired oven. They’ve been loved for well over a hundred years.
To celebrate this love affair, Nike has released the Dunk Low Montreal Bagel. This fun sneaker features bagel colored uppers, a sesame seed pattern, and classic Montreal blue swoosh. 👟🥯
Already sold out, the shoes’ popularity even caused a lineup of eager customers in a Canadian snowstorm.
“You know the saying: The sweeter the bagel, the sweeter the Dunk. Bringing fresh-baked style to the streets, this delicacy of a design rings you in with carb-lover colors, plus a pinch of Montreal blue for an extra shout-out to the city from la belle province. Garnished with sesame seed graphics and finished with a gum-colored sole, it’s satisfyingly easy to style—’cause everything goes better on top of a bagel.”
Canada may be cold, but that doesn’t make their hearts frigid. Indeed, Canada is known for their niceties, even when it comes to government and everyday affairs.
Take a look at some funny and heartwarming examples below.
Banff is a gorgeous part of Alberta, Canada, nestled in the mountains and glacial lakes that makeup Banff National Park, and are world famous for their natural splendor. Visiting the area is like living in your own personal postcard.
Vancouver-based photographer Kai Yanknows just how picturesque these vistas are, having photographed the, for all four seasons.
Below are some of his beautiful captures of the area, making us more eager than ever to get back into nature and breathe in the fresh mountain air.
Vancouver, B.C. has one of the highest standards of living in the world, and it’s not hard to see why. A modern metropolis set amongst giant forests, mountains, and the ocean make for a pretty good combo. Throw in a highly diverse population and a friendly Canadian sensibility, and you’ve got a winning formula.
The city’s north shore recently was rebranded with the help of local agency, Loki. We like the unique staggered typographic logo, and the non-traditional color scheme that help set the brand apart. A tourism association combining The District of West Vancouver, The District of North Vancouver, and the City of North Vancouver, the North Shore offers a huge number of outdoor getaway destinations, and we can attest to the beauty of the shore in general.
Take a look at the before and after, and some of their new marketing.
Banff is a gorgeous part of Alberta, Canada, nestled in the mountains and glacial lakes that makeup Banff National Park, and are world famous for their natural splendor.
Vancouver-based photographer Kai Yanknows just how picturesque these vistas are, having photographed the, for all four seasons.
Below are some of his beautiful captures of the area, making us more eager than ever to get back into nature and breathe in the fresh mountain air.
Quebec is known for long, cold winters, but rather than complain, the Canadians have embraced the wintry weather with series of extensive skating trails. Akin to hiking trails but meant to travel on by ice-skates, many small towns outside of Montreal have scenic, meandering paths that snake through the woods, dotted with stops serving drinks and food.
A delightful and charming way to enjoy the outdoors in winter. Read much more about the skating trails of Quebec on the NY Times:
A hut sells maple taffy (maple syrup poured over fresh snow) in Le Domaine de la Forét Perdue, in Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Carmel, Quebec. Right, skaters on the extensive trail at Le Domaine de la Forét Perdue. Credit…David Giral for The New York Times
On Île St.-Quentin, park managers seasonally flood a two-kilometer, or about 1.25 mile, ice-skating path. Credit…David Giral for The New York Times
Skaters on the skating path at Parc Louis-Querbes in Joliette, Quebec. Credit…David Giral for The New York Times
In some stretches, the Île St.-Quentin ice-skating path skirts the water’s edge. Credit…David Giral for The New York Times
On Île St.-Quentin, an island at the confluence of the St.-Maurice and St. Lawrence Rivers, a skating trail follows the contours of the land. Credit…David Giral for The New York Times
Hand painted signage on brick buildings is a lost art, something that was commonplace before mass-produced printed signs were readily available. Indeed, many of the old painted advertisements have become cherished relics in many cities. Artist Craig Winslow is bringing some of these classic signs back to life with his Ghost Sign project.
Winslow painstakingly recreates the hand painted ads digitally, and then using the magic of projection mapping (computer controlled video projection), he brings the old signs back to life. The ghost sign project has brought signs back to life in Portland, Oregon, Winnipeg, Canada. His project has been recognized as an important historical project, and he is part of the Adobe Creative Residency program. He calls his work “light capsules”. Very innovative and fascinating use of technology to bring history alive. H/T to Betsy Rutz.
“I started seeing them everywhere and realized I wanted to do something with these to preserve them,” he says. “So many of them were being painted over, destroyed. They all have such a unique character to them that I wanted to do something.”
One of the projections bringing an old sign back to life
The magic of projection mapping showing a ghost sign come to life
If you’ve paid attention to BC’s tourism as of late, you’ve noticed their hand-hewn style of font that calls out British Columbia as “Super, natural”. We like the style, it’s both organic and distinctive, with a casual yet rugged handsomeness. Rachel Lecompte and Gabriel Lefebvre showcase the making of this typeface, which beautifully, comes from an actual hand-carved block. This hand made font is entitled Great Forest, and embodies the essence of Bristol Columbia’s ad campaigns, as well as their collateral, such as tote bags, water bottles and t-shirts. Combined with the natural color palette, and a library of beautiful photographs from BC, we’d say the campaign is a success. A very fun project, and one that proves that sometimes doing things by hand is superior to a computer-aided effort. Via Behance:
The Nodosaur was a dinosaur that roamed Earth during the late Jurassic Period, a mere 161-145 million years ago. Until recently, very little was known about this species, other than their heavily armored appearance, with spines and spikes to ward off giant predators. That changed, with the accidental discovery of an amazingly well preserved specimen, which is being called the best preserved dinosaur fossil in history.
National Geographic’s July 2017 issue has a great story on the discovery of the fossil, in the western Canadian oil sands of Alberta. This giant herbivore was broken in half while crews were excavating, so sadly the 18 foot long fossil is incomplete. But the front half of the creature is exquisitely preserved, down to fossilized skin, something extremely rare to find. It was due to the animal’s rapid undersea burial, into the silt of the ocean floor, which then dried and fossilized. The result is a specimen that scientists lust after, is detailed that skin, keratin and body color can be examined and studied. It’s an extraordinary example of good geologic luck, and an exciting scientific discovery that will hopefully lead to great research and knowledge of our dinosaur past.
If you’ve ever been the Banff or the Jasper area, you know the jaw-dropping glacier views are pretty spectacular. The colors, the scale, the pristine and largely untouched beauty is second to none. But if you’ve ever asked yourself why there wasn’t an enormous glass skywalk jutting 90 feet out of the mountain, your prayers have been answered. The Glacier Skywalk, from Brewster Travel Canada is set to open this month, and it looks pretty great. Hope you’re not afraid of heights! Via DesignBoom:
I’ve posted quite a bit about 3D printing lately, from small ornamentation to printing livable structures on the moon. Here’s an example of 3D printing resembling dramatic sea organisms.
Via Data is Nature: Jessica Rosenkrantz of Nervous System has recently posted a Flickr set documenting a test run of 3D printed forms that resemble oceanic organisms such sea anemone, coral and barnacles. The prints make use of bold colour palettes to accentuate the topologies of the shapes. The diffused hues combined with subdivided geometries, and sometimes employing strict symmetry, create some exuberant aquatic hyper-realities that wouldn’t seem out of place on a plate from Ernst Haeckle’s Art Forms in Nature.
Some interesting macro photography by Eszter Burghardt, a Canadian-Hungarian artist based in Vancouver BC, Canada. Her work is atmospheric and clever, and certainly embodies the spirit of “Moss and Fog“.
