Innovation + Job News

In the world of books, major publishing house Penguin is hiring a digital and social media coordinator to both maintain their websites and work on engagement campaigns. Also the literary sector, the Ontario Arts Council is looking for a literature officer to help manage their grants programs. The post is for a five-year term.

Hart House, the cultural hub at the University of Toronto's downtown campus, is looking for an education and production coordinator for a 10-month contract to provide support to their theatre programming. Finally, the Canadian Opera Company is seeking an assistant music librarian. It requires a strong background in music and familiarity with standard office computer programs.

UNITY, a charity that works to empower youth through artistic self-expression, has three posts available. They are hiring a program coordinator, a festival & volunteer coordinator, and a managing director, operations. Contracts, qualifications, and salaries vary per posting. 

If you're interested in urban agriculture, non-profit Cultivate Toronto is looking for a community relationship manager. The organization focuses on creating food gardens in people's front and back yards, and the position involves developing and maintaining relationships with program participants.

In technology jobs, the Ontario Public Service is on the hunt for a senior interactive developer with significant experience working with open source technologies and platforms.

And finally, in leadership positions, the Jane Goodall Institute is looking for a new CEO. The position requires experience both in conservation and in financial management, and they are hoping to find a billingual candidate. Among environmental groups, think tank Pembina is looking for a single candidate to split their time between two functions: director of development for the Pembina Institute, and exective director for the associated Pembina Foundation.

Know of any innovative job opportunities? Let us know!

Ryerson professor Andrew Millward thinks you need a tree in your yard.

He is so convinced, in fact, that he’s gone and developed a very seriously titled online tool, the Ontario Residential Tree Benefits Estimator, to convince you he’s right.

According to a paper the geography professor co-wrote, in which he and his team followed 577 trees to provide 25- and 40-year energy conservation projections, "each tree will save between 435 and 483 kWh per household -- equal to running a dishwasher once every day for an entire year. This can translate into a saving of upwards of $40 annually."

"Trees provide many social, economic and environmental benefits in addition to the energy conservation ones we highlight in our study," he says. "And they require an investment of time and care, especially in the first years following planting. Because large trees deliver the lion’s share of benefits, cities require a collective contribution/will/action to ensure we have large healthy trees in our cities. Tools, such as the estimator we have developed, help make the economic case for care and maintenance of trees."

Users of the tool choose their city, tree species and its location on the property to calculate their own real or potential savings.

The estimator was developed for 27 cities around Ontario, with coding by Nikesh Bhagat from Ryerson’s spatial analysis graduate program. According to Millward, the team -- which also includes Michelle Sawka, Janet MacKay, LEAF and Misha Sarkovich -- would be open to tailoring it for other cities around the country and the world.

Writer: Bert Archer
Source: Andrew Millward

Toronto Internet marketing company Techwyse has become one of Canada's first official Google Partners. And for founder and CEO DJ Kennedy, that’s several kinds of good news.

"They’ve made it very clear that if a business comes in and searches for a Google Partner, they’ve built an algorithm based on geographical location that will match you up with companies in the industry by region," he says. "If you go in and do a search [for internet marketing companies], you’ll typically find that we’ll be in the top three or four results."

That can be of enormous value in a market saturated with Internet marketing companies. Internet marketing companies plan, develop, market, promote, measure and track their customer products and services, attempting to maximize the effectiveness of their online endeavours.

On a broader level, though, Kennedy is pleased that this new partnership program is itself "an acknowledgement that they’re trying to grow their agencies and partnerships. Ten years ago, they announced they were trying to kill agencies, and now, they’re acknowledging them," Kennedy says. "It’s a big deal."

According to Google, Google Partners' businesses "are healthy, their customers are happy, and they exhibit Google best practices."

Techwyse, whose offices are at Dupont and Lansdowne, employs 80 people and hopes profiting from this designation will help them grow.

Writer: Bert Archer
Source: DJ Kennedy

As befits the season, there are many seasonal job posting right now, especially in the areas of gardening, urban agriculture, and the environment.

Evergreen, based out of the Brick Works, is hiring an urban agriculture program assistant for the summer. Applicants must be under 30 years of age and returning to full-time post-secondary studies in the fall, and will work both on the green spaces at the Brick Works and in delivering programs across the Toronto region.

Green Thumb Growing Kids, a charity that helps urban children learn about how to grow, cook, and enjoy fresh food, is also hiring summer students: they are looking for two garden program leaders to help maintain school gardens and develop children's garden programs. Applicants can be younger in this case—the age range is 15-30—but must be returning to some kind of full-time study in the fall.

Also in this area, Central Toronto Community Health Centres is looking for a garden and program support worker to run weekly programs, maintain a community kitchen, and provide other assistance as needed. This too is a program for students under 30 returning to studies at the end of the summer. Another community organization, the Agincourt Community Services Association, is on the hunt for some similar help: they are trying to find two urban agriculture facilitators for the summer to promote youth engagement in gardening and healthy eating.

Finally in this sector, the Toronto Botanical Garden is seeking a teaching assistant for their children's programs. The assistant will be working with children aged 3-11 enrolled in the Gardens' summer camp programs, as well as help with maintaining the teaching gardens.

Also for students, but in another area of environmental work: TREC Renewable Energy Co-operative, which focuses on energy conservation, has a summer opening for a communications and research assistant to help with their ongoing outreach and marketing efforts.

Moving on to the cultural sector, FACTOR, the Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings, is hiring a full-time project coordinator to manage an artists' client base. Also looking for a project coordinator is ArtReach Toronto, which focuses on engaging youth who typically have a hard time accessing arts programming. It's a six-month, part-time contract, and the coordinator's primary responsibility will be to develop a series of cultural career workshops.

One last, and particularly noteworthy opportunity: Diaspora Dialogues, which supports diversity in the creation of new literature in Canada, is seeking a new artistic director. The position is part time, and the successful candidate will play the lead role in shaping the overall direction programming takes in future.

Do you know of a great job opportunity? Let us know by emailing [email protected]. 

Entrepreneurs who have a business idea that aims to make the world a better place--who are pursuing environmental, social, and cultural goals in their work--now have a new source of seed funding in Ontario.

The province, in conjunction with Toronto's Centre for Social Innovation and several private sector partners, has just launched what is being billed as Canada's first microloan program geared specifically to social entrepreneurs. The Ontario Catapult Microloan Fund--consisting of $600,000 that will be distributed to applicants in $5,000 to $25,000 increments--was officially unveiled on May 24.

"Everyone complains about access to capital," says Tonya Surman, CEO of the Centre for Social Innovation, who first brought the proposal to the province, "and I just got sick of it."

To try and improve matters, Surman proposed what she hopes will become an "evergreen" fund. The money for the fund comes from TD Bank, Microsoft Canada, Alterna Savings, KPMG and Social Capital Partners, and since it will be repaid by the recipients over time, the goal is to have the microloan program continue on an ongoing basis.

Surman says it's important for entrepreneurs to focus on the viability of their ideas, to test them in the marketplace and be sure they are offering something for which there is a real demand. That's why the fund is "not investing in early early early stage, we're investing in early stage" enterprises, she explains.

The fund is for social enterprises that are far enough along to have some sort of established cash flow but have hit their capacity limits and can "benefit from a cash infusion to facilitate the next stage of growth." More concretely, she goes on, that means people. "Really it's about job creation…I imagine 80 per cent of the money will be invested in [new positions]."

Applications will be accepted starting in mid-June. More information is available on Catapult's website.

Writer: Hamutal Dotan
Source: Tonya Surman, CEO, Centre for Social Innovation

The most interesting opportunities we've spotted this week:

Harbourfront Centre is looking for an integrated communications specialist. It's a fulltime contract position for someone to develop marketing and media plans--both strategy and implementation.

Also in the cultural sector is ArtsSmarts, which helps organize classroom-based arts education programs. They are on the hunt for a project coordinator to help with several programs. It's an early (but not entry) level position, and the post is a nine-month contract.

Finally in this area, WorkInCulture, which supports career development in the cultural sector (in fact, it's the source of those previous two job listings) is seeking a marketing and communications manager; the position is permanent and fulltime.

MaRS Discovery District has a video production unit, which creates event and promotional videos for MaRS and its clients. They need a production/post-production manager to oversee this work and provide strategic advice as necessary. Meanwhile, the Mozilla Foundation is hiring a web developer with at least two years of experience.

For those with an interest in the environment, the Georgian Bay Land Trust needs a new executive director. The position is based in Toronto, but does require frequent travel to Georgian Bay. The charity is hoping to find someone with five to ten years experience, preferably in a non-profit.

In the social services sector, the Jane/Finch Community Centre is looking for a program manager for their Women Moving Forward initiative, a poverty-reduction program for mothers in their twenties. The centre is also looking for a mobilie community financial worker. This position is for someone who works from a variety of locations in the community providing financial management education.

Finally, the Ministry of Transportation is looking for a communications lead to oversee stakeholder and public engagement for the PanAm Games. It's a senior, temporary position that will run for up to two years.

Are you hiring or do you know of a great job opportunity? Let us know!

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

Manifesto is a non-profit dedicated to helping empower youth through the arts. It also organizes the annual Manifesto Festival in Yonge-Dundas Square. The founding director is moving into a new role as the chair of the organization's board, and Manifesto is looking for a new full-time executive director.

Also in the cultural sector, Toronto is getting a new museum next year that is dedicated to Islamic civilizations. The Aga Khan Museum is now seeking a graphic designer to help shape their visual identity, including everything from exhibition materials to retail branding.

Sex-positive shop Good for Her is looking for a new full-time manager to oversee their store, as well as handle some marketing and event production.

In the world of sustainable food, The Stop is a leading non-profit that focuses on issues of food security, running everything from nutrition classes to community gardens. They are looking for a new manager of their Green Barn site at the Artscape Wychwood Barns, to oversee their programs there.

Evergreen also works in this area of sustainability, with a particular focus on the role of the environment in cities. That organization is on the hunt for a manager of community food programs, to work at the Brick Works and across the GTA.

The High Park Nature Centre has our pick for internship of the week: they are looking for three nature lovers to teach at their summer camp. Applicants must be post-secondary students in environmental science or educational programs.

And in off-beat opportunities, the Toronto Public Library is now accepting applications for an entrepreneur-in-residence. It's a six-week mentorship position, and it comes with a modest honorarium.

Finally, in the business sector, the Ontario Securities Commission is hiring a digital communications specialist to maintain its website. They are looking for a combination of technical web design as well as writing skills. And mDialog, which provides digital video services, is looking for a business analyst with at least five years of experience.

Are you hiring or do you know of an innovative job opportunity in Toronto? Email Hamutal Dotan, Yonge Street's innovation and jobs editor, to let her know. 

Earlier this month, the University of Toronto opened a new plastics research facility at its Mississauga campus. The Centre for Industrial Application of Microcellular Plastics (CIAMP) is dedicated to developing innovative plastic foaming technologies, with a strong focus on their commercial applications.

CIAMP's director is U of T engineering professor Chul Park and foamed plastics are his area of expertise. In a statement announcing the centre's opening, he explained that the goal is to work with commercial partners to develop "lighter weight, stronger plastics that use less raw material."

The centre is set up to conduct large-scale experimentation that will help researchers understand the industrial applications of the technologies they work on, which is key to bringing new materials to market effectively. Commercial uses, Park says, range from the construction and automotive industries to use in household electronics.

CIAMP got off the ground with the help of $9.2 million from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation.

Writer: Hamutal Dotan
Source: CIAMP

Created in 2001, Summer Company is a provincial program that helps student entrepreneurs by providing financial support and mentorship to participants to create small businesses during the summer months. The goal is to help participants both with material support, by enabling them to generate income, and to endow them with essential skills they'll need as full-fledged entrepreneurs once their education is completed.

This year, as part of a focus on youth employment in the 2013 budget, the Ontario government is proposing to increase the number of spots available in Summer Company by 20 per cent, going from 500 to 600 positions.

The students who participate in Summer Company range in age from 15 to 29 and their businesses run a huge gamut, from artisanal food production to web development to construction services. Each participant must draw up a business plan and a cash flow forecast as part of the application process.

If accepted, students then go on to learn some business basics, like how to keep books and navigate the regulations in their particular sectors. They receive coaching from local entrepreneurs as they launch their businesses, and also receive up to $3,000 in financial support--some of which is meant to help with the business itself, and some to go towards continued education once the summer is done.

Applications for the 2013 edition of Summer Company will be accepted until June 3. The increased number of spots is contingent on the passage of the provincial budget; a vote on that is expected later this month.

Writer: Hamutal Dotan
Source: Ministry of Economic Development

The most interesting and innovative opportunities we've spotted this week:

There are a good number of interesting openings in media right now. Canadian Journalists for Free Expression are hiring a digital development coordinator to work on IFEX, a network of organizations that promotes free expresion as a human right. Also, a new Canadian affairs and cultural magazine called Depict is launching soon. It will consist entirely of visual elements -- infographics and "visual storytelling" -- and they are looking for both a creative director and a graphic designer.

Continuing with the media opportunities, Global News is looking for a project manager with at least 3-5 years of experience to handle several digital projects. And finally, a very significant opening at the CBC: they are on the lookout for a new managing editor of cbcnews.ca--a senior position for someone with at least five years of related experience.

Moving on to the environmental sector, the Toronto Atmospheric Fund was established by the municipal government to provide support to new initiatives that combat climate change. They are currently seeking a summer intern for a 12-week project. The position is paid and candidates should have completed some graduate level work in public policy or environmental studies.

Real Food for Real Kids provides healthy catering for child care centres and camps, with an emphasis on local and organic ingredients. They are looking for an assistant kitchen manager.

In medical research, the Ontario Brain Institute is hiring for three six-month internships: one in industry relations, one in community outreach, and one in finance and governance. All the positions are paid, and applications are due by the end of this week.

And finally, Toronto-based financial software company FreshBooks is hiring for several positions, including a MySQL developer and a product manager.

Are you hiring or do you know of an innovative job opportunity in Toronto? Email Yonge Street's innovation and jobs editor Hamutal Dotan to let her know. 

Last week the provincial government unveiled its draft budget for the year. A key highlight of that budget: $295 million over two years dedicated to boost youth employment and support initiatives in youth innovation and entrepreneurship.

The budget, which still needs to be passed in the Legislature, includes money for four separate initiatives:

An Ontario Youth Employment Fund, which comprises the bulk of the money: $195 million over two years. The province is proposing to offer incentives to employers to hire young people. Those incentives might include anything from wage subsidies for young workers as they receive training to help with purchasing tools and equipment when jobs require those. It's estimated this will create opportunities for up to 25,000 young Ontarians.

A Youth Entrepreneurship Fund to help support young entrepreneurs as they try to get new enterprises off the ground. This fund is for $45 million over two years, and is projected to created opportunities for 6,000 residents. Among the initiatives included here are mentorship help (matching young entrepreneurs with more experienced businesspeople who can coach them through launch); seed-stage financing (through small loans and grants, and administered through accelerator hubs); and high school outreach specifically for high school students with entrepreneurial interests.

A Youth Innovation Fund, which includes $10 million over two years to support commercialization specifically for post-doctoral fellows working in relevant industrial research areas. This fund also includes another $20 million for on-campus accelerators, including Ryerson's Digital Media Zone and U of T's Impact Centre.

A Business-Labour Connectivity and Training Fund: $25 million over two years, this fund would support pilot programs that help business identify and develop young talent.

The minority Liberal government will need the backing of the NDP in order to pass this budget. Supporting youth employment is part of the New Democrats' platform as well, and they aren't expected to challenge this portion of the budget as negotiations proceed.

Writer: Hamutal Dotan

Government, academics, and entrepreneurs will descend on the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on May 14-15, for the fifth annual Canada 3.0 conference. Organized by the Canadian Digital Media Network (CDMN), the conference focuses on the commercialization of innovation and aims to help boost the profile of Canadian digital media internationally.

Canada 3.0 was started in 2009 as the main outreach element of what was then the newly-formed CDMN. The first four conferences were held in Stratford, Ontario "because we see digital media as very much being a part of the creative industry as well as technology," explains Kevin Tuer, CDMN's managing director. It's moving to Toronto this year, he goes on, because having established itself it's time to grow and become a "national force."

Over the coming years, the conference will be moving to different cities across the country. Toronto is their first step along this path. It is also, Tuer says, "a great way for the DNA of Toronto to be showcased" to international attendees. Next year's location will be announced on the first day of this year's conference.

When we ask how things have changed in the five years since CDMN and the conference got off the ground, Tuer says he's encouraged by the increasing awareness of the need for innovation and growing support for initiatives such as incubators and accelerators in government. He's also seen "a lot more exposure for Canada on a global scale." Not quite enough though--that's also still our biggest weakness, he thinks. "There are amazing people, there are amazing companies--they are world class--but we don't do a very good job telling our stories."

Digitization is happening now, Tuer warns, and we don't have much time left to claim a place as a leading nation in the sector. The CDMN is hoping that by bringing government into the room with academics and entrepreneurs wrestling with these questions every day, the country's leaders will be able to gain a better understanding of just what the challenges, and opportunities, look like.

Writer: Hamutal Dotan
Source: Kevin Tuer, Managing Director, Canadian Digital Media Network

The most interesting of the job opportunities we've come across this week:

News broke this week that Kirstine Stewart, executive vice-president of English-language services at the CBC, was leaving that position to spearhead Twitter's first Canadian office. She's not the only person they're hiring: the social media company is currently on the lookout for an account executive and an account manager.

Also in tech openings, digital ad agency Dare Toronto is looking for a front end web developer with 4-5 years experience. Another firm, Usability Matters, is on the hunt for a graphic designer.

The Women's Healthy Environment Network works on promoting environmental health. They are looking for a volunteer, part-time executive director to lead their board.

In the cultural sector, the Ontario Public Service is looking for a senior program consultant to work in the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, and specifically to work on major events and festivals. Canada Arts Connect is seeking a managing editor for their magazine about Canadian cultural news. It's a part-time position--about 10-15 hours per week. And the Toronto International Film Festival continues its spate of seasonal hiring: they are now on the hunt for a senior marketing coordinator for a contract that runs from May through early October.

CivicAction, the non-partisan advocacy group dedicated to city-building in the GTA, is seeking a project manager to manage the development of new programs directed at youth facing challenges in finding employment. The post is for a nine month contract.

Also in urban initiatives, non-profit developer Artscape is looking for a development associate to help with three of their major annual fundraising events.

Finally, the Toronto Society of Architects is hiring an executive administrator with some scheduling flexibility (ranging from 20-40 hours per week) to oversee their day-to-day operations.

Are you hiring or do you know of an innovative job opportunity in Toronto? Email Yonge Street's innovation and jobs editor Hamutal Dotan to let her know. 

In 2001, back when many of us were on our first email accounts and nobody had yet dreamed of Wikipedia, a new e-learning company was incorporated in Toronto.

Called NewMindsets, the company was founded to "help improve personal and team work effectiveness by offering situation-based solutions"--that is, with a focus on practical problem-solving strategies. The company's work was based on research conducted by two professors at York's Schulich School of Business, Gareth Morgan and Jean Adams.

Now, NewMindsets has been acquired by Waterloo-based e-learning company ClevrU, which wants to take the insights and content developed by NewMindsets and introduce them to clients internationally.

ClevrU is "in the space of providing a global online learning platform," explains CEO Mark Arnason. Its focus on emerging global markets requires ClevrU to ensure they have everything from servers in their countries of operations to multi-lingual services to mobile-friendly technology that can be easily used by users who may not have ready access to desktop machines. And what they are hoping they can offer those users elsewhere, in the wake of this acquisition, is insight into North American business practices.

NewMindsets' business focus, "especially around leadership learning," Arnason says, is particularly useful in this context. One of ClevrU's markets is China, where they have more than 58,000 users and 130,000 social media followers so far--and where, he goes on, "there is a thirst for North American business content." It's not, Arnason explains, an interest in traditional courses such as accounting, but rather in learning to navigate North American markets. It's the type of softer skill that can be especially important for business leaders who are accustomed to working elsewhere.

NewMindsets and ClevrU were connected in part thanks to MaRS Innovation, which introduced the two companies and helped them work out the details of the acquisition.

Writer: Hamutal Dotan
Source: Mark Arnason, CEO, ClevrU

The weather is finally getting warmer and sunnier, and that means many Torontonians are turning to thoughts of gardening. Three University of Toronto researchers are hoping to make that gardening a bit easier on the planet with the creation of an innovative new biodegradable pot, made strictly of plant-based materials.

The pot (which doesn't yet have a name) is the brainchild of Sally Krigstin, Mohini Sain, and Javad Sameni, all of the university's forestry department. It's not the first fully biodegradable pot to appear on the market in Canada, but "the difference," explains Krigstin, "is that this one has some water resistance, so it's comparable to plastic."

The biodegradable pots you might have already seen in stores, she goes on, "completely disintegrate when you put them in water." These new ones won't, she says, because of the development of a new plant-based binding material. It makes the pots much longer lasting than other biodegradable ones. The researchers have had theirs last in greenhouses for over a year.

The researchers are bringing the pots to market with the help of Myers Lawn and Garden. They recently got their first major order--for 250,000 pots--from an Ontario farmer who sells potted plants to Loblaw (though the pots won't actually be sold at their Ontario locations). But Krigstin also hopes this is just the beginning of the applications they'll be able to find for their new binding material (the patent is pending).

Next up on their development list is food packaging: Krigstin thinks they can use their binder to create new packaging options that could replace styrofoam in items such as food trays and takeout containers.

Writer: Hamutal Dotan
Source: Sally Krigstin, University of Toronto Department of Forestry