Innovation + Job News

The development of medical science has always been driven by advances in technology, and modern innovations are bringing the two closer together than ever. To help make the most of that relationship, St. Michael's Hospital and Ryerson University have announced a new partnership: an initiative that will allow clinician scientists from the former and engineers from the latter to work together collaboratively.

The Institute for Biomedical Engineering and Science Technology (iBest) will be housed in the Keenan Research Centre at St. Michael's, and will include space for about 15 Ryerson faculty members and another 40 or so students—researchers whose work has health care applications. It will also include a new incubator, similar to Ryerson's well-known Digital Media Zone, specifically for the development of biomechanical products that can be commercialized and used in patient care.

"I think it's the increased reliance on technological developments in the delivery of medical treatment that has catalyzed collaborations" like iBest, says Dr. Ori Rotstein, director of the Keenan Research Centre. "In the era before computing to have a computer scientist to help you manage data wasn't really something that you did," he adds by way of example. "Before computers and advanced engineering it was kind of ad hoc."

These collaborations reflect an advancement that certainly is welcome, and perhaps overdue. Though there are many sectors that have been working in this interdisciplinary way for a long time, it has come more slowly in academic medical contexts. Rotstein goes on: "Industry has been doing this for a long time. There are lot of companies that make medical devices that have been doing this for a long time. Academic institutions have been siloed…but the need is really an imperative."

In addition to advances in patient care, iBest will provide new opportunities for student training. "The idea will be that we're going to collaborate in student supervision," Rotstein explains. "That means it's possible if there's a medical student or a resident who wants to do his or her research training in an area that's relevant to science and engineering…they could be co-supervised."

iBest is slated to open in the spring of 2015.

Writer: Hamutal Dotan
Source: Ori Rotstein, Director, Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science
Photo: Yuri Markarov, Medical Media, St. Michael's Hospital

A year-old partnership between Toronto incubator MaRS and Microsoft just got bigger.

According to a new deal, known as Biz Spark, start-up entrepreneurs will be getting direct and indirect development help from the tech giant.

"Startups will get access to software and tools provided under the Biz Spark program," says Ryan Poissant, a MaRs advisor in IT, communication and entertainment. "Select MaRS clients will also benefit from connecting with experienced product development teams and access to Microsoft's deep industry networks of partners and customers."

Poissant describes the potential beneficiaries of this deal as being companies who figure they can benefit from "Microsoft's tools and industry verticals."

"Microsoft brings a deep understanding of design and development tools and practices as well as expertise in building scalable, enterprise grade applications that reside in the cloud," Poissant says. "This expertise complements the MaRS platform that helps companies move efficiently from the discovery phase to product/market fit through a combination of advisory services, partnerships, access to capital and networks."

MaRs stands for Medical and Related Sciences, though since it was named, its purview has expanded into unrelated fields.

Writer: Bert Archer
Source: Ryan Poissant

The most interesting of the opportunities we've seen this week:

Starting with tech jobs, HabitatSeven, an international digital agency that focuses on non-profit and institutional clients, is looking for a front-end developer. They are based in Ottawa, but are posting the ad in Toronto as well and can accommodate applicants who wish to work remotely. Mobile app company LaunchPad is also hiring for several positions, including an Android and iOS developer, a back-end developer, and a UI/UX designer.

Online publisher VerticalScope is looking for a back-end developer as well, to help them create a new web property. In addition, they are looking for an ad operations team leader—a position for someone with three to five years of experience. Finally, they've got a spot for a new account manager to focus on developing their auto and tech industry business.

The Ontario Genomics Institute is looking for a manager of business development and research, and especially for candidates with advanced scientific training as well as project management experience. The Ontario Institute for Cancer Research is alo hiring a project manager, for a one year contract to cover a maternity leave vacancy.

In the environmental sector, TREC Education—a charity that engages youth people in sustainable energy issues—is looking for an education manager to oversee programming.

Finally, the Toronto International Film Festival is hiring a coordinator for their Jump Cuts competition and the Next Wave Festival, both of which focus on younger filmmakers. It's a five month contract position, ending in April, 2014.

Know of any innovative job opportunities? Let us know.

A trip to Ghana in 2009 by a few self-funded Scadding Court-area teens is paying off, and in the process offering an excellent example of how rich countries can learn from poor ones.

"What we saw there were all kinds of rusted out containers where people were selling chicken, cutting hair," says Scadding Court Community Centre head Kevin Lee. "We came back to Toronto, there's so much under-utilized public space, like sidewalks that are three times the size they need to be, and on Dundas Street, economically depressed, with no eyes on the street…."

So now, there are 19 containers on Dundas just west of Bathurst, and a charette at the Scadding Court Community Centre on Tuesday brought together architects, designers, city planners, public health workers and community members to show and tell how that might be expanded into the city's first container mall.

The first container went up three years ago, very shortly after the group, of which Lee was a part, got back from Ghana. At first, it was just food, but it soon morphed into retail, including Stin Can, a bike repair shop run by two 19-year-olds, graduates of the Biz Start program who, according to Lee, were able to start up with just $2,000. (You may want to think about stopping by their container instead of your usual local.)

"What we're trying to do," Lee says, "is establish a template for the city of Toronto in terms of economic development at the grassroots level. Economic development doesn’t just mean trying to attract Google to move their head office to Toronto."

The city just found $80,000 to buy two or three new containers, according to Councillor Adam Vaughan, in whose ward the containers sit. Now they’re just waiting for a council vote on approvals, which could come as early as this week.

"You put 10 bureaucrats around a table, all it takes is one to say no to scrap things," Vaughan says from the floor of the charette. He says the original idea came from a private company who wanted to set up some containers on Queen West. Heritage Toronto nixed it, according to Vaughan, saying the only spot they could use was the parking lot at Queen and Phoebe, so the company dropped the idea.

The charette, and the community centre's central involvement, is a way, Vaughan hopes, to circumvent the usual impediments to Toronto ever having nice things. "What we're looking for here is a way to say yes."

Writer: Bert Archer
Source: Kevin Lee, Adam Vaughan

The most interesting of the opportunities we've seen this week:

We're still in the middle of autumn, but retail operations are starting to plan for the holiday shopping season. Two environmentally-friendly shopping venues that are hiring seasonal retail help: Evergreen, which is looking for assistance in their Green Market from November 15 to the end of December, and Grassroots, which needs cashiers for both their Riverdale and Annex locations.

A few other environmental positions are currently open. The Environmental Commissioner of Ontario, an independent office that monitors the provincial government's compliance with environmental legislation, is hiring a project coordinator. In addition to the usual project management skills they are hoping to find someone who is familiar with environmental policy and government procurement practices. The Metcalf Foundation is seeking a new director of their environment program—a senior position for someone with at least eight years of relevant experience. And the Toronto chapter of the Canada Green Building Council is hiring a program and communications manager, to plan their events and oversea all marketing.

For those with an interest in the cultural sector, the Ontario Arts Council is filling two jobs right now. One is for a communications assistant to help with media monitoring, outreach, and departmental operations; the other is for a granting support assistant to provide administrative support. Both positions are billingual. Also, Lord Cultural Resources, which provides planning services to heritage and arts institutions, is hiring a graphic designer for a one year contract, with the possibility of becoming a permanent employee thereafter.

Finally, there are a couple of opportunities right now at CNIB. They are seeking a new manager, grants and foundations, for someone to tackle outreach and donor relations. They are also looking for a digital marketing specialist, to oversee a variety of sites and platforms.

Know of any interesting job opportunities? Let us know!

The provincial government recently launched a new fund geared specifically to the music industry.

First promised in the spring budget, the Ontario Music Fund will allocate $45 million over three years, with money divided among four streams: music company development (to support recording, production, and marketing); music industry development (to support digital projects and other initiatives to bolster exports); music futures (for smaller companies and artistic entrepreneurs); and live music (to increase the number of events held in the province). Applications for all four streams will be available online by November 7.

Though no money has yet been distributed, those in the industry are excited by what they know so far. Ian Stanger of Black Box Records told us that his colleagues "are very impressed with the flexibility and new opportunities that the OMF seems to provide."

An independent music booker, Dan Wolovick, said that this isn't just a repackaging of existing initiatives: "There's a lot of new money here…and that is exciting." Wolovick isn't entirely convinced yet that the details have been nailed down—he cited income requirements as a "red flag" that might make it harder for emerging artists to benefit from the funding—but he is convinced this is a big step forward for the industry in Ontario. He added that because the money is divided into streams, areas of the industry that don't right now receive much support, like music promotion, will be able to gain a great deal from this new initiative.

Those interested in applying for funds can learn more at the fund's online application portal.

Writer: Hamutal Dotan
Sources: Ian Stanger, Black Box Records, and Dan Wolovick, Two Way Monologues

The most interesting of the opporunities we've seen recently:

Two leading e-commerce software companies are growing, and looking for tech help. ShopLocket is hiring a Ruby on Rails developer to join their small local team. Ottawa-based Shopify is expanding its Toronto operation, and is hiring for multiple positions in several departments. Among them are a front end developer, a Ruby on Rails developer, a marketing project manager, and an SEO manager.

The City of Toronto is looking for a music sector development officer to spearhead economic development programs that help support the city's music industry. It's a senior position for someone with experience both in the entertainment industry and in government relations.

Also in culture, theatre company Shakespeare in Action is looking for a general manager with at least three years of non-profit management experience. Meanwhile the Literary Review of Canada is looking for a communications and marketing copywriter to help with community engagement, fundraising materials, and other projects; the position is part-time and the hours flexible.

There are two new opportunities in food-based organizations in Toronto. Real Food for Real Kids, a catering company that focuses on freshly prepared food and local ingredients is looking for assistant lunch club coaches to help serve students in area elementary schools, and develop their food literacy. And Seed to Table, a community food security organization, is looking for a program facilitator for their Children and Youth Healthy Living Program.

Finally, Wagemark—which launched this summer in an effort to tackle wage disparities between the highest and lowest earners in any given company—is looking for interns to help with outreach as the organization builds awareness for their efforts. Interns will be paid a $500 bi-weekly honorarium, and applicants should either be current undergrads or recent graduates.

Know of an innovative or creative job opportunity? Let us know.

When the provincial government released its budget this past spring, one key focus was on employment—and specifically youth employment. At that time Premier Kathleen Wynne announced her intention to roll out several new programs to help Ontario youth find work. Last month, the complete details about the largest of those news programs were released.

The Ontario Youth Employment Fund is a system of incentives to encourage employers to hire young people. The province plans to spend $195 million on the fund over the next two years, and up to $7,800 on each eligible participant. That money is split: up to $6,800 could go to a participant's employer to cover training and defray wages, and up to another $1,000 to the participant directly, to help cover employment costs such as equipment purchases or transportation.

To be eligible, a worker must be between the ages of 15 and 29, unemployed, and not registered as a full-time student. The province has said it will "make special effort to help youth facing barriers to work, including youth on social assistance, aboriginal youth, and youth in communities with high unemployment." Employers, for their part, must provide four to six month job placements which don't take the place of current or recently laid-off employees. Employers can apply to use the fund for multiple employees, and companies in all sectors are eligible.

It's also important to note that the fund supports "non-occupation specific" training: that is, the goal is to help participants develop general workplace competencies—basic computer literacy, communications skills, and so on—rather than provide training for particular industries. The province's employment services department will assist prospective participants in trying to find employment, but workers who find their own jobs can then apply to the fund as well.

Launched at the end of September, the Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities reports that in its first month more than 1,200 young people received assistance from the fund; applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.

Writer: Hamutal Dotan
Source: Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities

In order to help combat the increasing wage gap in Ontario, the Wellesley Institute is joining in calls for a $4 increase in the minimum wage.

We've heard it for years, both anecdotally and through a growing body of research: the middle class is shrinking and the gap between rich and poor widening.

A new study just released by the Wellesley Institute explores one particular element of this development: the status of minimum wage workers in Ontario.

The study is animated by two key ideas, says its author, Sheila Block. "One is that the minimum wage is just for kids…however, 40 per cent [of minimum wage workers are over the age of 25."

The second, she says, is that "minimum wage work isn't distributed equally." There are some demographic groups with a much higher proportion of minimum wage work than others—specifically women, young workers, racialized workers, and recent immigrants (defined as those here less than 10 years). Crucially, this state of affairs is worsening: the proportion of Ontario employees earning the minimum wage has more than doubled in the eight year span between 2003 and 2011, and the proportion of minimum wage workers is increasing more rapidly among racialized employees than in the population at large. In short, more of us are working for less money, and the distribution of minimum wage work is increasingly unequal.

Some of Block's findings:

• In 2003, 4.3 per cent of Ontario's workforce earned the minimum wage; in 2011 it was 9 per cent.
• Among racialized workers the rate went from 4.5 per cent (2003-2005) to 12.5 per cent (2009-2011).
• A greater proportion of women are minimum wage workers: in 2003 5.1 per cent (vs 3.5 per cent for men), and in 2011 10.5 per cent (vs 7.6 per cent for men). The rate of increase in minimum wage work has been roughly equal between genders.
• The demographic group with the highest proportion of minimum wage workers are recent immigrants who are women: 26.5 per cent of this group are working for minimum wage.

Increasing minimum wage would, Block says, "have a disproportionately positive impact on those groups [that currently have the greatest proportion of minimum wage workers]" in addition to raising the floor for all workers in the province.

Writer: Hamutal Dotan
Source: Sheila Block, director of economic analysis, Wellesley Institute

The most interesting of the opportunities we've seen this week:

If you have fond memories of childhood piano lessons, the Royal Conservatory of Music has two openings that might be of interest—both for marketing managers. One is a contract position for maternity leave coverage in the publications department, and the other is a full-time position in the programs and examinations department.

Innovation incubator MaRS is looking for a project and partnership coordinator to manage pilots and third party relationships related to their Green Button program, which addresses consumer electricity use in Ontario. Meanwhile, the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, which is based at MaRS, is looking to fill two spots: one for a support coordinator to handle front-line service, and one for a front end web developer with at least five years of experience.

The Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC) helps skilled immigrants find work that suits their training, and has a couple of opportunities right now. They are currently for a director of employer engagement to foster relationships with potential employers in the region. Another employment-oriented organization, Skills for Change, is looking for a coordinator to manage their Employment Ontario program.

In leadership positions, the Association of Native Child and Family Services Agencies of Ontario is looking for an executive director for a one year contract. Applicants should have at least five years of relevant experience, and deep knowledge of the province's First Nations communities.

The Stephen Lewis Foundation, which tackles the spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa, needs a new programme assistant to provide them with administrative support.

And finally, for those with an interest in the environment, Nature Conservancy Canada is looking for a director of conservation for Ontario, to supervise the province's program staff.

Know of an innovative job opportunity? Let us know!

Nuit Blanche, the international sunset-to-sunrise arts festival that first came to Toronto a few years ago, celebrates art and the ways it can interact with a city's streets, buildings, and public spaces. At its best moments, it transforms the way we experience the world around us. This year, one installation in particular aimed to do something a bit different: change the way we experience the world within.

That exhibit was called My Virtual Dream, and its primary creators weren't traditional artists but rather scientists from Baycrest Health Science and the University of Toronto's faculty of medicine. Their aim: gather data for an ongoing research project, while simultaneously giving participants the chance to engage in a dialogue with their own brains, by monitoring and displaying own brain wave activity, and then helping them play around with the visualizations that resulted.

If you walked by Queen's Park Crescent and College during Nuit Blanche on October 5, you might have seen a large geodesic dome that had been put up on the street, emitting a changing array of pastel lights. Inside: a semicircle of 20 participants, each with a wireless brain-computer interface on their heads. That interface allowed participants to watch their own brain wave activity on monitors in front of them, and see how it changed over time.

Participants were asked to alternately relax or concentrate, and as they did they could see how that affected the visualizations on the screen. It also affected what was happening in the entire dome: an animated projection light up the interior of the dome, and changed based on whether the group of participants tended to relax more or concentrate more. At the same time, a band played improvised music based on how those visuals changed.

The entire thing was beautiful, but it also served a purpose: the team of researchers gathered 550 data sets that night to help them refine the computer software that drove this whole process, called The Virtual Brain. Still in development, the Virtual Brain is a system for modelling the human brain. It can be used to simulate either an individual person's brain, if a researcher has readings from a specific subject, or create a generalized model based on a population.

Dr. Randy McIntosh is VP of research at Baycrest Health Sciences and the project lead for the Virtual Brain. He explains one way the simulator will be able to help in clinical settings, by providing individualized health care: "If you have someone who, for instance, has a stroke and you're considering various therapies, you can test the therapies in the virtual brain first to see which is likely to be most effective."

The data his team gathered at Nuit Blanche was especially significant, McIntosh says, in part because it was collected in such an unusual setting: "The idea is to make [the Virtual Brain] adaptable to any environment. it was really trying to push the technology in directions it can't currently go…If it works in that environment, it can work anywhere."

But it wasn't all about the data, McIntosh added. "This intersection of art and science is really cool because it really does capture the heart of what it is to be a scientist and what it is to be an artist," he went on. "The artists really needed to understand the science and the scientists really needed to understand the art" in order to make the project work. It was a deep collaboration that those who passed through the dome this past weekend certainly appreciated.

Writer: Hamutal Dotan
Source: Dr. Randy McIntosh, VP of research, Baycrest Health Sciences

With the help of the provincial government, and in conjunction with private sector partner Schneider Electric, Ryerson University will soon be launching a new laboratory dedicated to smart grid innovations.

A smart grid is simply one that gathers fine-grained information about electricity users—where they are, what their usage patterns are, when peak and lower demand times are, and so on—and uses it to more efficiently and effectively distribute power across that grid. It can empower users to be more collaborative energy consumers (by helping us know when the grid is nearing capacity), minimize blackouts and brownouts, and also facilitate the better use of renewable energy as a power source.

The smart grid lab will provide students with a learning ground, so they can receive specialized training in smart grid technology, and also be a research hub, a venue for the development and testing of innovations in smart grid technology.

“Ryerson University’s Centre for Urban Energy is committed to solving urban energy challenges,” Sri Krishnan, interim dean of Ryerson's engineering school, emphasized. “Working with Schneider Electric to develop this lab enables us to take this even further and work towards creating innovative solutions within the smart grid technology space, while also providing Ryerson students the benefit of being trained in a state-of-the-art facility."

The lab will be constructed at Ryerson's Centre for Urban Energy, and is scheduled to open in July of 2014.

Writer: Hamutal Dotan
Source: Matthew Kerry, Marketing and Communications Manager, Centre for Urban Energy, Ryerson University

The most interesting of the opportunities we've seen this week:

Several environmental organizations are hiring right now. First up is non-profit Friends of the Greenbelt, which promotes the importance of keeping that namesake land for agriculture, and is looking to fill a one-year contract position for a communications assistant. It's an entry level position for a recent graduate.

The West End Food Co-op, which runs a community grocery store, a farmers' market, and other programming, is hiring for two positions: a kitchen coordinator to manage recipe development and daily operations, and a kitchen assistant, to help with food preparation and packaging. Also in urban food, a volunteer opportunity of note: Cultivate Toronto, which runs community agriculture programs, has an opening on their board of directors. They are hoping to find someone with expertise in local food, non-profit management, or finance.

Local Appreciation and Enhancement of Forests (LEAF), which runs several urban tree initiatives, is looking for a coordinator to handle their residential tree program, including operations, outreach, and partnerships. And finally, the Ministry of the Environment is hiring an environmental resource planner, to provide expert advice during planning processes and environmental assessments.

In the cultural sector, major firm Zeidler Partnership Architects needs a graphic communications designer, to work on both presentations and external communication materials. And indie record label Paper Bag Records is looking for a part-time online store and retail coordinator.

Moving along to the digital sector, Bitmaker, which teaches development courses, is seeking a community manager to work with students, the company's hiring partners, and the public at large. And Joist, an app that allows contractors to manage projects via a web or mobile interfaces, needs some development help: they are hiring both iOS and an Android engineers.

Know of an innovative job opportunity? Let us know!

Though many of us still think of libraries as a place to pick up the latest fiction or catch up on back copies of favourite magazines, there's a substantial amount of programming that is oriented to very practical, day-to-day aspects of life in the city.

One example: resources available to small businesses, ranging from meeting space to specialized business databases. Libraries are increasingly becoming community hubs in Toronto, places where workshops and other events can be as important as what's on the shelves.

A part of all this: the library's entrepreneur-in-residence program, which is now entering its second year. This year's entrepreneur in residence is Jean Chow, a business coach with decades of small business experience. She'll be officially launching the program with an on-stage Q&A at the Toronto Reference Library on Wednesday, October 2; a second event—a drop-in session for entrepreneurs seeking advice—takes place a week later, on October 9.

It isn't just public events though. Chow will be offering other support as well. "Part of the [program's] mandate," she explains, "is to have a look at newly submitted business ideas, and…select 20 of them to give one-on-one consultations on how entrepreneurs can start their business." Effectively, Chow will be providing a free session of business coaching to each of the 20 applicants whose ideas she thinks are most promising. (If you're interested in taking part, you have until October 16 to submit your application.)

We asked Chow what she'd be looking for in the proposals, and what would make an applicant stand out.

"Number one," she says, "what i'm looking for is uniqueness and how well you know your customer. You know not only what you're selling, but who you're selling to." She wants ideas she hasn't heard before, and ones that are well-timed given current trends. After that, Chow goes on, what matters is the applicants themselves—whether they have any entrepreneurial experience (even with a family member who might have exposed them to the mindset a new business owner needs) and whether they are deeply passionate about their idea.

But what's most important to Chow is that people come out, and give a workshop or an application a try. "The library programs are free and they're good for any level of business learning," she emphasizes, and taking steps to learn more is the essential first step.

Writer: Hamutal Dotan
Source: Jean Chow, Entrepreneur in Residence, Toronto Public Library

The most interesting of the opportunities we've spotted this week:

A number of major cultural institutions have openings right now. First up: the CBC, which is hiring a creative director for its digital division. It's a mid-level position (minimum five years of experience) for someone to develop and implement the broadcaster's digital advertising. Baroque orchestra Tafelmusik is looking for an artist services and education coordinator, to provide them with administrative and logistical support. The National Ballet of Canada is on the hunt for a digital media coordinator to maintain the organization's websites, do some basic video editing, and manage email updates. If you have an interest in sports, the Pan Am Games is looking for an editor to join their public affairs team. And just outside of Toronto, the Stratford Festival has several marketing and development positions open, including a director of audience development and a director of marketing and digital media.

For those with an interest in sustainability, TREC Education, a charity that builds support for sustainable energy among young people, is seeking a new executive director. Evergreen, which works on making Canadian cities greener, needs a program assistant to provide support for their grants program.

Finally, some opportunities for developers: digital design studio Nascent is expanding, and has several posts open, including ones for a front-end developer and a PHP developer. And job board Charity Village needs a new lead developer to manage the ongoing expansion of its systems.

Know of any interesting job opportunities? Let us know!