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The City of Markham and York University sign MOU to advance shared goals

City of Markham, York U MOU signing ceremony

On June 17, Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti was joined by York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton at a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing at the Markham Civic Centre – celebrating the ongoing partnership and a shared vision for Markham’s future including reconciliation, sustainability, climate change and affordable housing.

The MOU is a five-year agreement that builds on other shared priorities such as Markham Campus, setting out a wide range of initiatives and projects in strategic areas of engagement and co-operation including: experiential learning and employment opportunities, economic growth, continuing and professional development, and research and innovation. 

“The City of Markham is thrilled to be taking this meaningful step in collaboration with York University,” said Scarpitti. “Signing this MOU today underscores our shared vision and commitment in working together to address many important priorities for Markham residents and the future of our community.”

The city is committed to reconciliation and fulfilling the municipal calls to action in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The city will work with York to further strengthen its reconciliation efforts with continuous learning and professional development opportunities.

With a commitment to sustainability and climate change, the city is currently undertaking several initiatives, including its award-winning Textile Recycling Program, which has seen the collection of more than six million pounds of textiles, which is the equivalent of more than 2,700 tonnes diverted from landfills. Furthermore, the Yonge North Subway extension, is an inter-regional project that, by the time it is built, will save more than 13 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per workday by reducing the 3,300 daily bus trips that currently service this area.

The new MOU will see the City of Markham and York University explore potential opportunities to work together on a wide range of sustainable initiatives and projects that will see a greener Markham.

One-in-three households in the city have housing affordability issues and nearly one-in-five residents are spending 50 per cent or more of their income on housing. The city has undertaken a multi-phase project including research reports and community engagement to complete Housing Choices: Markham’s Affordable and Rental Housing Strategy. As part of the new MOU, the city and York University will explore opportunities to collaborate on experiential learning, research and innovation in the development of municipal affordable and rental housing policy and development.

“We are pleased to continue to partner with the City of Markham to create equitable and prosperous opportunities for the city’s vibrant communities,” said Lenton. “By working toward Reconciliation and taking action to address housing affordability in the community, York is reaffirming its long-term commitment to inclusivity and sustainability. This MOU formalizes our ongoing shared goals of training the next generation of world-class professionals and thought leaders, and fostering innovative community and research collaborations to drive positive change both at the local and global level.”

Together with York University ‘s entrepreneurship hub known as YSpace Markham, the Markham Small Business Centre, the city’s economic development initiatives, and technology companies already based in Markham, this new campus will help foster innovation and entrepreneurship in Markham and the Regional Municipality of York. It will also attract more skilled, diverse talent to study, work and settle in Markham, further growing the city as a forward-thinking community and a leading technology and innovation hub.

Schulich welcomes G7 Sustainable Infrastructure Fellowship cohort

Featured image for stories related to sustainability

The Brookfield Centre in Real Estate and Infrastructure at York University’s Schulich School of Business has announced the third year of the prestigious Sustainable Infrastructure Fellowship Program.

This is the only program of its kind in the world and is offered online from June through December 2022. The Fellowship Program was created in 2018 by the Investor Leadership Network (ILN) as a G7 initiative, in collaboration with Schulich. It is also supported by the Global Infrastructure Hub (GI-Hub), a not-for-profit organization formed by the G20 that advances the delivery of sustainable, resilient and inclusive infrastructure.

“The ILN is proud of the Sustainable Infrastructure Fellowship Program’s success in building project preparation capacity for public sector infrastructure planners,” shared Amy Hepburn, CEO of the ILN Secretariat. “We’re thrilled to have recruited our largest cohort of Fellows yet.”

headshot of jim clayton
Jim Clayton

The Fellowship is directed at senior government leaders in emerging markets to assist in developing sustainable, investment-ready infrastructure projects. The ILN is a consortium of 13 of the largest institutional investors globally representing over US$10 trillion in assets, several of which are Canadian. Instructors come from both academia and industry. This year’s cohort of 34 Fellows was selected from among 63 applicants following an extensive international marketing program. Nineteen countries are represented in the 2022 Fellowship and include India, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Philippines, South Africa, Kenya, Georgia, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

“The Sustainable Infrastructure Fellowship Program exemplifies the benefits of partnership and collaboration, as we work together to help mobilize private capital towards emerging and frontier markets,” said Professor Jim Clayton, director of the Brookfield Centre and Program Director of Schulich’s Master of Real Estate and Infrastructure program. “The third delivery of the Fellowship comes at a time when closing the infrastructure gap is of increased urgency, and this program is uniquely positioned to support the development of sustainable infrastructure.”

For additional information contact Karen Shlesinger, program director, at kshles@schulich.yorku.ca.

Lassonde receives $1M for summer STEM program

Life sciences lab showing students working on projects featured image for January Innovatus

Lassonde School of Engineering’s kindergarten to industry (k2i) academy at York University has received $1 million from the Ontario’s Ministry of Education in support of a summer work-study program for high school students from racialized backgrounds.

The grant will provide funding for k2i’s summer STEM program Bringing STEM to Life: Work-Integrated Learning, which launched in summer 2021 with $500,000 in ministry funding, to return for a second summer session this June.

The program is free to participants and is designed to further k2i’s commitment to addressing systemic racism, discrimination and inequality in education by providing more equitable opportunities in STEM fields. Grade 11 and 12 students from three GTA school boards and one northern school board, will engage in real-world engineering projects alongside Lassonde undergraduate mentors, staff and faculty.

With the aim of creating such opportunities and fostering a welcoming community, this summer’s Work-Integrated Learning Program will focus on physics – a discipline that has disproportionately low enrolment among racialized students. 

Programs like Bringing STEM to Life are integral to the University’s commitment to diversifying the STEM fields, says Lassonde Dean Jane Goodyer.

“Lassonde has made a priority of establishing partnerships with outside stakeholders, including those in primary and secondary education, to create positive change and increase diversity in STEM,” Goodyer said. “As these fields form the foundation of Canada’s knowledge base, we have an obligation to ensure underrepresented voices – particularly those of Black and Indigenous youth – contribute to a greater diversity of thought and experience within STEM. A broader and more diverse body of knowledge is necessary to building a more just and sustainable future.”

The 2022 program will be delivered in two modules:

  • Work-Integrated Learning – Physics (W-IL Physics)
    This program is open to students who finished Grade 10 science (academic or applied) in the 2021-22 school year, who will have the opportunity to work in a paid role towards Grade 11 university physics or Grade 12 college physics credits.
  • Work-Integrated Learning – Indigenous Engineering, Technology, and Innovation in Design (W-IL Indigenous Engineering)
    This program is open to students entering Grade 11 or 12, who will have the opportunity to work in a paid role towards a Grade 11 or 12 interdisciplinary course credit in Indigenous Engineering, Technology, and Innovation by Design. This program is customized and co-designed with an Indigenous math and Ojibwe educator from the Algoma District School Board. Officially launching this summer, it will be offered again during the 2022-23 school year.

The Lassonde undergraduate students who serve as mentors will have the opportunity to develop skills in leadership, equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), program design and implementation, teaching and project management.

“We are committed to working with K-to-12 education sector partners to create programs that make an impact,” says Lisa Cole, director of programming, k2i academy. “Programs like this are designed to help remove systemic barriers in unique ways. Our hope is that youth currently underrepresented in STEM will be inspired and supported, and will go on to pursue further STEM pathways.”

Bringing STEM to Life: Work-Integrated Learning will include:

  • 140 high school students
  • Four school boards (Toronto District School Board, Peel District School Board, York Region District School Board, Algoma District School Board)
  • Six physics teachers from the partnering school boards
  • 50 undergraduate STEM and STEM-related mentors and mentor leads
  • 10 Lassonde Research Faculty advisors and mentors

The k2i academy engages with youth by bringing STEM to life, connecting directly to school boards and their classrooms, offering innovative work-integrated learning programs, and partnering with community organizations to provide unique, hands-on STEM learning opportunities. Through partnerships and collaborations with provincial and federal funders as well as individual and corporate donors, k2i academy offers programs at no cost to youth and their families and work with community-based STEM organizations to reach the youth who need us most. The k2i academy is a key component of the Lassonde School of Engineering EDI Action Plan committed to addressing UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Quality Education and Reducing Inequities.

Schulich collaborates on skills development program for newcomer women

International Women's Day

A Skills Development Fund grant from the provincial government will support women impacted by COVID-19 by supporting the development of a new project at the Working Women Community Centre, in partnership with Rexdale Women’s Centre and Schulich Executive Education Centre (Schulich ExecEd) at York University.

The grant of $711,421, announced in April, will fund the Digital-Age Project Management Skills for Newcomer Women project, a new initiative that aims to prepare recent newcomer women job seekers, and incumbent workers, that have been disproportionally affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to enter, or re-enter, the Canadian workforce.

The project will provide training in core digital competencies and project management skills which will be designed and offered by Schulich ExecEd.

“This project presents an exciting opportunity to work in partnership with York University’s Schulich Executive Education Centre and the Rexdale Women’s Centre to provide the type of training that will give newcomer and immigrant women access and opportunity for sustainable employment,” said Marcie Ponte, executive director of the Working Women Community Centre. “It is a unique opportunity certain to make a valuable impact on these women, and in turn a positive one on the community at large.”

Schulich ExecEd helps organizations equip their workforce with the skills necessary to advance their careers and thrive in today’s economy, said Rami May, executive director of Schulich Executive Education Centre. These highly transferable and recognized credentials will immediately improve employability for the women by providing them with the skills necessary to thrive in today’s workforce.

“We also help to foster an inclusive, diverse, and equitable workplace culture with a strong emphasis on promoting and developing equity deserving groups, such as newcomer women,” said Mayer. “We are incredibly proud to partner with the Working Women Community Centre and the Rexdale Women’s Centre in developing and offering the Digital-Age Project Management Skills for Newcomer women as they transition into the job market and develop a successful career in our community. We are confident that together we can provide the right tools and skills to help a historically underrepresented group in the Canadian labour force to kick start their Canadian careers and thrive in our economy.”

All participants in this program will receive educational certification from Schulich ExecEd and will be engaged in additional employment supports, specifically designed to teach the practical job readiness skills required to navigate the workplace with success, offered by Rexdale Women’s Centre.

“For many women newcomer women and women from racialized communities with foreign credentials, obtaining gainful employment can be elusive. This group of women may need assistance in setting realistic and achievable plans, says Fatima Filippi, executive director, Rexdale Women’s Centre. “Through the Digital-Age Project Management Skills for Newcomer Women project, Rexdale Women’s Centre will work to help women identify strengths and address challenges they may face when entering or re-entering the workforce.”

The Digital-Age Project Management Skills for Newcomer Women program is set to launch in August of 2022 and will look to successfully graduate 80 newcomer women.

Book launch explores corporate rules and big energy  

Photo by Jon from Pexels

The Faculty of Environmental & Urban Change and the Sustainable Energy Initiative (SEI) presents “Corporate Rules and Big Energy” on Wednesday, May 11 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. 

Book cover for Corporate Rules: The Real World of Business Regulation in Canada
Book cover for Corporate Rules: The Real World of Business Regulation in Canada

The virtual event welcomes guests to the launch event of EUC Adjunct Professor and former Executive Director of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Bruce Campbell’s new book Corporate Rules: The Real World of Business Regulation in Canada (James Lorimer and Company, 2022).  

Campbell will join a panel of contributing authors to focus on the environmental, health and safety regulation of big energy in Canada, looking at the cases of federal climate change and energy policy, the Alberta oil industry and the tar sands, and nuclear energy.  

This book offers documentation for the first time of how corporations have captured Canadian government agencies set up to protect the public. 

Twenty-one authors, experts in their fields, describe how federal agencies do their job to regulate industries – oil, nuclear, pharmaceuticals, construction, international mining, finance and more. In virtually every case, they find that the agency has set aside the public interest to favour corporate interests. The authors also find government legislation, policies limiting regulations, ongoing working relationships with “stakeholders” often take place in secret, lobbying, financing of regulatory agencies by regulated industries, and job movement between industry and government all combine to produce these captive regulatory agencies. The result is that government continuously and often disastrously fails to protect the public interest. The results are a degraded environment, increased inequality in society, loss of trust in government and avoidable deaths. 

As editor, Campbell concludes the book with a set of proposals that would restore the primacy of the public interest in the work of government agencies. 

EUC Professor and SEI Co-Chair Mark Winfield will moderate the event.  

The panel features, Jason MacLean, an assistant professor at the Faculty of Law at the University of New Brunswick and an adjunct professor at the School of Environment and Sustainability at the University of Saskatchewan; Theresa McClenaghan, executive director and counsel for the Canadian Environmental Law Association; Nathan Lempers an adjunct professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Waterloo and former postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Ottawa’s Smart Prosperity Institute; and William K. Carroll is a professor emeritus in the Department of Sociology at the University of Victoria. 

All members of the York community are welcome to attend. Registration is required on eventbrite. 

Future Skills Centre increases funding to $6.4M for York-led skills development initiative

handshake

Research Impact Canada (RIC), a York-founded pan-Canadian initiative, will receive $6.4 million from the Future Skills Centre (FSC) to support future skills development and employment training for Canadians.

RIC initially received $1 million per year over three years beginning in 2020. The funding was increased to $3.3 million in 2022 and $2.1 million in 2023 for a total of $6.4 million.

The Future Skills Centre is a forward-looking centre for research and collaboration and is dedicated to helping Canadians gain the skills they need to thrive in a changing labour market. The Centre works with partners to support local approaches to skills development and training, test innovative solutions, and share and expand on evidence-based interventions.

The funding will enable RIC, a pan-Canadian network dedicated to maximizing the impact of research for public good, to develop more online training, resources and tools that can be accessed through the Future Skills Centre Community of Practice (COP), powered by Magnet, to support future skills development of Canadians. The COP platform connects skills stakeholders for peer exchange and learning, and enables RIC to convene workshops and events hosted by experts across various sectors and industries to work together to solve common challenges.

David Phipps
David Phipps

“RIC has enjoyed a productive collaboration with FSC since 2019 when we were engaged to deliver knowledge mobilization services to FSC projects,” says David Phipps, assistant vice-president, Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation, and network director of RIC. “We are delighted to deepen our collaboration with them to support a national community of practice.

“By connecting people to people, and people to knowledge the community of practice will support knowledge mobilization and drive the use of evidence by Canadian skills and labour market organizations,” adds Phipps.

RIC is committed to helping universities and other organizations across Canada maximize the impact of research for communities. RIC supports communities by sharing best practices, co-developing resources, and delivering training in knowledge mobilization skills.

“RIC membership has grown from two to 22 institutions supporting knowledge mobilization and research impact in research institutions across Canada,” says Amir Asif, vice-president, research & innovation. “York University has had the privilege of leading and facilitating this growth. Collaborating with FSC allows RIC to have an impact beyond the academia as it grows supports for the skills sector in Canada.”

Learn more about RIC.

The Future Skills Centre Community of Practice is funded by the Government of Canada’s Future Skills Program.

$3.12M in renewed support for York University Motion Media Studio at Cinespace

Cinespace Featured image shows a series of posters highlighting films

As Dean of the School of the Arts, Media, Performance and Design (AMPD), Sarah Bay-Cheng knows the importance of an empty stage. 

“An empty stage is beautiful because no choices have been made yet,” said Bay-Cheng. “That’s when everything is possible. Every idea is possible. Every dream is possible.”

That’s what students see when they walk into the York University Motion Media Studio at Cinespace.

This week, York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton announced a new commitment from Cinespace Film Studios that will see $3.12 million invested to enhance the York University Motion Media Studio at Cinespace and elevate the student experience.

“Over the past two years – as change has accelerated around us and new global challenges have emerged – we have witnessed just how powerful artistic expression can be in generating new knowledge, ideas, and cultural artifacts that expand our understanding of the world, enrich the experiences of the communities we serve, and drive positive change both locally and globally,” said Lenton. “Cinespace’s generous new donation means that each student who has access to this studio will continue to have the opportunity to develop a creative voice, contribute to our collective cultural history, and affect positive change.”

From left to right: Associate Director, Motion Media Studio at Cinespace and AMPD Assistant Professor Ingrid Veninger; York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton; President and co-managing partner of Cinespace Film Studios Ashley Rice; Director of the York University Motion Media Studio at Cinespace and AMPD Assistant Professor Kenneth Rogers; AMPD Dean Sarah Bay-Cheng
From left to right: Associate Director, Motion Media Studio at Cinespace and AMPD Assistant Professor Ingrid Veninger; York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton; President and co-managing partner of Cinespace Film Studios Ashley Rice; Director of the York University Motion Media Studio at Cinespace and AMPD Associate Professor Kenneth Rogers; AMPD Dean Sarah Bay-Cheng

With Toronto’s multi-billion-dollar film, television and digital media industry set to grow significantly in the near future, the Motion Media Studio will serve as an incubator for diverse talent development, hands-on training, industry partnerships, community engagement, and research excellence within burgeoning media production facilities and mixed reality spaces.

The Motion Media Studio – established by Cinespace Film Studios (currently owned by TPG Real Estate Partners) and the Mirkopoulos Family in 2016 – is located in the heart of Cinespace in the GTA’s west end.

Jim Mirkopoulos, whose family was instrumental in establishing the initial commitment from Cinespace, knows the importance of providing the next generation of talent with the space to experiment and learn by doing.

“Since the pandemic, we have experienced increased demand for content, and content production,” said Mirkopoulos. “One of the key investments we can make in supporting our industry is to support its emerging talent and its next leaders.”

Ashley Rice, the new president and co-managing partner of Cinespace Film Studios, is ready to focus on the future. For Rice, the future lies with the next generation of talent in film, television and digital media.

“Giving back to the community has always been a part of Cinespace’s DNA, and when my partners and I took over leadership at Cinespace, we knew we wanted to keep that core tenet alive,” said Rice. “We believe there is a space for every emerging leader in film, television and digital media, and we hope this donation will empower students to take advantage of the opportunities at the York University Motion Media Studio at Cinespace to learn and create.”

Students will continue to benefit from hands-on learning in Toronto’s booming film-and-television production industry

This renewed support for the Motion Media Studio will enable access to state-of-the-art technology, such as markerless motion-performance capture; augmented reality, virtual reality, immersive environments and motion simulation; and more. Students will also find production process support, a suite of digital post-production equipment, and high-performance computing technology.

Most importantly, in this space, students will have the opportunity to interact with industry leaders and a network of support as they embark on their careers in film, television and digital media.

“The York University Motion Media Studio at Cinespace has offered our students unparalleled access to experiential learning opportunities, hands-on training in new media technologies, and direct exposure to industry professionals – experiences that will position them to lead in a competitive global economy that is increasingly affected by emerging technologies, digital innovation and artificial intelligence,” said Lenton.

Toronto Mayor John Tory sees the importance of partnerships like the one between York and Cinespace in supporting emerging talent in Toronto’s growing film, television and digital media industry.

“This continued partnership between York University and Cinespace Film Studio will give students access to incredible technology, as well as access to some of the industry’s greatest talents. Our film and TV sector is growing and thriving and to ensure that we can keep up with the demand, we must foster and cultivate new talent across the city. Beyond that, a space like this will help bolster our local economy by infusing the film, television and digital media industry with home-grown talent – this is good for our city and good for our residents. Thank you to York University and Cinespace for partnering together to remove barriers to access and for investing in students eager to take on the industry,” said Tory.

Bay-Cheng added, “With Cinespace’s support, we will fuel the future of storytelling by supporting student success, connecting the next generation of media talent to industry career opportunities, and sharing the diverse stories of these creators with global audiences.”

Osgoode student receives Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella Prize 

Osgoode Hall Law School entrance to the Ignat Kaneff building

Maryam Hassan, a graduating student of Osgoode Hall Law School’s Juris Doctor program, and incoming articling student at Henein Hutchison LLP, is a recipient of the inaugural Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella Prize presented by the Royal Society of Canada (RSC). 

Maryam Hassan

Hassan is recognized for her work in addressing systemic racism within and beyond the criminal justice system to advocate for marginalized communities.

A prize of $1,000 is presented annually to a graduating law student in every law school in Canada. Hassan is one of 23 graduating students across 23 law schools in Canada to receive the Prize.  

Hassan shared she was honoured to be named Osgoode Hall Law School’s inaugural winner of the Royal Society of Canada’s Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella Prize. She also congratulated this year’s recipients for “their hard work in positively influencing equity and social justice.” 

“I am very grateful for the warm support of my mentors, professors, friends, family, and my St. James Town community for nurturing me, uplifting me, and inspiring me to continue my social justice advocacy,” said Hassan. 

The RSC established the prize in honour of Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella, a changemaker celebrated for her visionary intellectual contributions and commitment to building equality and equity across Canadian society and beyond. 

During her distinguished career, Abella chaired and authored the Ontario Study on Access to Legal Services by the Disabled in 1983 and was the sole commissioner of the 1984 federal Royal Commission on Equality in Employment, creating the term and concept of “employment equity.” The theories of “equality” and “discrimination” she developed in her Royal Commission Report were adopted by the Supreme Court of Canada in its first decision dealing with equality rights under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in 1989, which has been implemented by governments around the world. 

In the announcement of the inaugural winners, RSC President Jeremy N. McNeil shared, “we are very proud of the inaugural winners of the Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella Prize, who represent the values of equality and equity we need in our country as we move forward.” 

Founded in 1882, the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) comprises the Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences, and The College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists. The RSC recognizes excellence, advises the government and the larger society, and promotes a culture of knowledge and innovation in Canada and with other national academies around the world. 

To learn more about the Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella Prize, visit the RSC website.  

Federal budget earmarks $1.5M for Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora

Black youth smiling

Funds laid out in the federal government’s spring budget will guarantee long-term support for research and other initiatives at York University that create pathways to education for Black youth and future Black scholars.

Released April 7, Budget 2022 “proposes to provide $1.5 million in 2022-23 to the Department of Canadian Heritage for a federal contribution towards an endowment which would support the ongoing activities of the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora.”

Carl James
Professor Carl E. James

Held by York University Professor Carl E. James, the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora focuses on addressing the systemic barriers and racial inequities in the Canadian education system to improve educational and social outcomes for Black students.

“This federal contribution will ensure the longevity of the Chair and hence the opportunities and pathways that are being created now through the research, educational and community activities for Black youth and future Black scholars,” said James, who is also the senior advisor on equity and representation in the Office of the Vice-President of Equity, People and Culture at York University. “It’s rewarding to know the work of the Chair to support Black youth across the country is being recognized and given this important boost by the Canadian government.”

The Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora was launched in 2008 by Jean Augustine, the first Black Canadian woman to be elected to the House of Commons, and the first Black Canadian to be appointed to the Federal Cabinet. It is one of only two endowed university Chairs in Canada dedicated to research and knowledge mobilization endeavours on Black and African-descended communities.

 The Chair seeks to:

  • foster an understanding of the diverse cultural and educational needs of students;
  • facilitate leadership on matters of access, equity, inclusivity and social justice;
  • strengthen university-community partnerships and engagement; and
  • build educational and social capacity among students, junior scholars and community members.

“The funding proposed by the federal government will enable the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora to continue to build on and advance the excellent work being undertaken at York University to support Black scholars and address systemic barriers in education,” said Amir Asif, vice-president, research and innovation. “The research being undertaken by Professor James is driving positive change for Black youth in Canada, and I’m pleased that the government has decided to support the work of the Chair.”

Learn more about the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora and the current Chair Carl E. James.

Tri-Council announces special response fund for Ukraine trainees 

webinar computer

The Government of Canada has announced special funding to enable students to continue their research work in Canada. The launch of the Special Response Fund for Trainees (Ukraine) will provide research trainees from Ukraine with support in the form of supplements to existing grants. 

Recognizing the crucial role of science, academics and research, this special fund provides relief and assistance to graduate students and post-doctoral researchers directly impacted by the invasion of Ukraine. It is administered by Canada’s three federal research funding agencies: the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). 

Active and eligible Tri-Council grant-holders can apply for this special supplement by completing and submitting an application. The fund will allow up to $20,000 for the master’s level, $25,000 for the doctoral level, and up to $45,000 for the post-doctoral level. Funding will be in the form of supplements for salaries and stipends that may extend for up to one year. Applications will be accepted using a continuous intake up to Dec. 22.

This temporary funding will help trainees currently in Canada who were expected to return to the country in 2022 but are not able to do so. Trainees currently in Ukraine who wish to continue their planned studies and research in Canada are welcome to apply. Eligible grant holders will be required to complete and submit a short application to their particular research funding agency. 

For further information on the Special Response Fund for Trainees (Ukraine), visit the Faculty of Graduate Studies website. Application submissions and direct inquiries may be directed to York University Research Officer Suzette Fernandes at sfern@yorku.ca.