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The Border Policy Research Institute
The Border Policy Research Institute (BPRI) at Western Washington University is a multidisciplinary institute that undertakes research to inform policy-makers on matters related to the Canada–United States border, particularly in the Cascadia region.
Priority focus areas include:
- Border management
- Economic relationships
- Cross-border mobility
- Cross-border collaboration
Western Washington University established the BPRI in 2005 after September 11th transformed border relations and security. The BPRI continues to promote research, academic programs, and public programming on critical policy issues affecting border crossings between British Columbia and Washington State. We work closely with cognate programs at the university and collaborate with many public and private entities throughout the region.
Upcoming talk: Paul Storer Memorial Lecture Series: Rashid Sumaila
When: Friday, May 10 from 2-3:30 in AW 204
The speaker for 2024 is Dr. Rashid Sumaila from UBC and the talk will focus on the economics of transboundary fisheries. Dr. Sumaila is the University Killam Professor and Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in Interdisciplinary Ocean and Fisheries Economics at the Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries and the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs at the University of British Columbia. His research focuses on bioeconomics, marine ecosystem valuation and the analysis of global issues such as fisheries subsidies, marine protected areas, illegal fishing, climate change, marine plastic pollution, and oil spills.
COVID border closure study focusing on Niagara Falls
Dr. Bissonnette is part of an international research team, working with Simon Fraser University’s pandemics and border project in Burnaby, B.C., looking into the impacts of the border closure that in some ways devastated communities like Niagara Falls that relied on cross-border travel.
KGMI’s Dianna Hawryluk Interviews Dr. Bissonnette on BPRI's research
Listen to KGMI’s Dianna Hawryluk and Dr. Bissonnette discuss our Canada-US border COVID-19 research.
Photo Source: My Bellingham Now Photographer Dave Walker.
Modernizing Canada's Borders
The CGAI Global Exchange Podcast that takes a look at the state of the Canada - U.S. border and some of the gaps we are facing in modernizing it.
Featuring: BPRI's Laurie Trautman, FBC's Laura Dawson and PNWER's Matt Morrison.