Innovation + Job News

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

There are many people who come up with what they think is an innovative idea for a new product or service they'd like to see in the marketplace. It takes a lot of realize those entrepreneurial dreams, however: research, product development, marketing, strategic planning and some seed money, for starters. Offering a hand to a few young would-be entrepreneurs: the Canadian Youth Business Foundation, which is sponsoring an Innovators Fund for the third year in a row.

Up to 10 entrepreneurs will be selected to participate and will receive "up to $50,000 in financing and an exclusive mentoring package" says Tessa Mintz, a vice president with the CYBF. The Innovators Fund is run in conjunction with Spin Masters Ltd., a toy company that itself was founded by three young Toronto entrepreneurs.

When we ask her what distinguishes entrepreneurs who end up succeeding in the marketplace, she says: "those people who have done their homework--they haven't created an innovation for the sake of innovation, they know who their customer is and what the market looks like."

That quality will be essential in the selection process for participants in the Innovators Fund: Mintz encourages applicants to "really highlight why you're innovative in your space" and clearly articulate what distinguishes their idea from others already in the market, and what will make it appealing to consumers.

Applications for the Innovators Fund are now open and will be accepted until May 21.

Writer: Hamutal Dotan
Source: Tessa Mintz, Vice-President, Volunteers and Programs, Canadian Youth Business Foundation

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

Toronto incubator MaRS is on the hunt for a communications associate for a six-month internship. The work would be both print and online, and applicants must be registered with the CareerEdge program.

Business for the Arts is a national organization that tries to build closer relationships between those two sectors. They are looking for a part-time graphic and web designer to handle design and layout work on their program and event materials. Also in this sector, East End Arts (a new organization in that part of town) is seeking a managing director.

If you're interested in sustainable city-building, the municipal government is hiring a coordinator for Smart Commute to help create and implement programs to highlight alternatives to traveling by car.

In other environmental positions, Greenpeace is hiring a finance director to join their senior management team.

The Ontario Nonprofit Network (as their name indicates) focuses on strengthening the non-profit sector here. They are looking for a policy specialist to spearhead talks with the provincial government about funding reform for the sector. It's a one year contract and the position is senior.

Finally, a few social service positions of note. The YWCA is hiring a community engagement worker to help provide support around mental health concerns. The Canadian Women's Foundation is on the lookout for a new marketing coordinator to oversee the logistics of their print and online campaigns. And the Canadian Cancer Society is looking to fill several posts, including a new coordinator of volunteer engagement.

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 Canada, especially in recent years, many of us tend to assume that we have overcome many of the systemic biases of previous times--for instance, that women have reached the workplace equality that long eluded them. The facts tell a different story, however. For all that we've made progress, we are still a way's away from a level playing field.

Shining a light on this issue, and on some women who've achieved great things as entrepreneurs in Canada: the Women of Influence Awards. The RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards are "dedicated to providing national recognition to Canada’s women entrepreneurs by elevating these women and providing them with a platform to identify their excellence to the nation," says Carolyn Lawrence, president of Women of Influence. This is so important, she explains, because "women entrepreneurs face unique challenges: access to capital to start up and/or grow their businesses is the biggest one, with women-owned businesses starting with only 64 per cent of the capital levels of businesses owned by men. Women often need to draw on their own assets or friends and family to do what their male counterparts have an easier time raising from banks and venture capitalists."

Nominations are now open for this year's awards and are due by May 17. If you want to apply yourself the deadline is July 29. There will also be an information session for prospective applicants on May 2. To be eligible you must be a share owner or senior decision-maker in a profitable business that's been around for at least three years, and businesses of all sizes qualify.

This isn't just a consciousness-raising exercise--women-owned businesses have a significant economic impact that's worth noting. "Canadian firms run by women create new jobs at four times the rate of the national average," Lawrence points out, "collectively providing more jobs than the Canadian Top 100 companies combined."

Writer: Hamutal Dotan
Source: Carolyn Lawrence, President and CEO, Women of Influence

Some of the neatest jobs we've come across this week...

International conservation organization World Wildlife Fund is looking for a digital content strategist. Working as part of the marketing and communications team, the successful candidate will both develop strategy and write content for a variety of platforms.

Also in the environmental sector is the Small Change Fund, which helps communities working on sustainability issues. They are on the lookout for a new operations manager. And one last one in this area: the Canada Green Building Council needs a new education manager to oversee the creation, marketing, and delivery of the organization's educational programs.

Planned Parenthood Toronto is seeking a director of community health services to manage clinical functions, and participate in organization-wide strategic development. Applicants should have at least five years of clinical experience and have a demonstrated commitment to PPT's equity goals.

Social Enterprise Toronto is a network that aims to support the growth of the social enterprise sector in Toronto. They need a community researcher to collect and process data, and to help them plan a forthcoming conference. There's an age requirement on this one: you must be between 15 and 30 years old to apply.

If you are just starting out and love flim, the Toronto International Film Festival has a four-month communications internship opportunity for someone to work in their press office this summer. And if national history is more your thing, the Historica-Dominica Institute has a number of positions now open, ranging from web officers to subject editors for the Canadian Encyclopedia.

And here is one more community organization looking for a lot of summer help: The Stop, which is a food-oriented non-profit that does everything from run cooking classes to build community gardens. You can see the many seasonal positions they have available here.

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. 

The federal government has announced that it will provide nearly $1 million in support to Toronto area start-up ThoughtWire. The funding will allow ThoughtWire to leverage another $1.95 million in private investments, and enable the company to complete development on a new software platform--a business tool that aims to substantially increase productivity.

The Unified Experience Platform has been designed to solve one of the most basic and vexing problems people often encounter while working: not all the applications, programs, and pieces of software that they use can talk to each other.

Transferring data from one to another, and allowing the information in one program to sync up with data from another, can seem like a mundane task, but it's one of those persistent annoyances that can eat up a lot of valuable time. ThoughtWire's goal, it explains in a primer on the platform, is to "liberate your data."

The government support comes from FedDev Ontario via a program called Investing in Business Innovation, which aims to "accelerate the development of new products…and help bring them to market." According to Gary Goodyear, the minister responsible for that program, the funding will lead to the creation of "up to 29" new local jobs

Writer: Hamutal Dotan
Source: Office of Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario

Ontario public broadcaster TVO is hiring for two digital positions right now. They are looking for a digital media producer to help create online content and maintain existing TVO websites. For those with more seniority, TVO.org is also looking for a manager to lead the digital team.

Also in broadcasting, the CBC is on the hunt for a mobile developer to maintain current sites and build new mobile web pages.

If you have an interest in the arts, Canadian Stage is looking for a digital marketing manager for the summer (with a possible contract extention) to help develop web content, execute social media campaigns, and provide project management. Small World Music Society is also looking for some communications help: the charity needs a marketing coordinator with a background in graphic design, media relations, and social media.

Friends of the Greenbelt and the Greenbelt fund are a pair of non-profits that work closely together to support the permanent swath of green space that runs through southern Ontario. They are currently seeking a communications manager with at least five years of experience to take the lead on marketing and media relations, as well as an education and outreach specialist to develop an engagement plan for their local food-purchasing program. Meanwhile Fresh City, a Toronto farm, is looking for a research assistant to help them understand the environmental impact of their operations.

In the academic sector, OCAD University needs a manager of graduate studies to provide oversight of their administration and business affairs.

Toronto's best-known incubator, MaRS, is hiring again, this time for a project manager with a particular background in business analytics. Finally, the Centre for Social Innovation, which runs three shared-space facilities across the city, is looking for a manager to take the lead on day-to-day operations at their new Regent Park location.

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.