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When the first MRI pictures of a brain affected by multiple sclerosis (MS) were developed, it revolutionized the diagnosis and management of this disease. In the decades that followed, continued scientific breakthroughs have contributed to the development of high-efficacy treatments and brought about many other changes in the clinical management of MS. However, how disease progression is detected and monitored has remained vastly unchanged.

More than 90,000 Canadians—or one in 400 people across Canada—live with MS, a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system. As the disease progresses, the nerves may become permanently damaged, disrupting communication between the brain and the rest of the body, which can impair everything from vision and balance to memory and mobility. MS, though, is an unpredictable disease in which the severity and duration of symptoms vary from person to person and evolve as the disease progresses. As a result, this complex condition requires personalized and adaptive treatment strategies based on individual needs and the rate of disease evolution.

Supporting the MS community

Due to current disease progression monitoring limitations, neurologists often react only once relapses and irreversible progression has occurred. “What we need is to bring innovative solutions that improve the standard of care and help detect disease progression earlier so that people living with this debilitating disease can have access to the right treatment at the right time,” says Andrea Marazzi, Country President of Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc.

The best way to reach that level of innovation is by harnessing the power of cross-sector collaboration and information sharing. The pandemic showed us just what can be achieved when everyone works together to find solutions to our top healthcare challenges and, given that Canada has one of the highest rates of MS in the world, the stakes are high, so we must work together to deliver the best possible care solutions for this community.

How partnerships drive innovation

In an effort to accelerate the path to solutions and help improve patient outcomes, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc. has partnered with Innodem Neurosciences, to study how Eye Movement Biomarkers (EMBs) and Gaze Mapping Biomarkers (GMBs) may support clinicians in analyzing highly sensitive data to monitor and detect subtle changes in disease progression. These non-invasive tests can be done in minutes in a physician’s waiting room—or even by patients at home. Through this partnership, a clinical trial is underway with the goal of giving people living with MS, and their medical teams, a more comprehensive and personalized approach to managing their disease.

“The result would facilitate real-time optimization of treatment strategies for each person’s unique journey with MS,” Marazzi says. “Remote self-testing could also alleviate wait times for appointments and ease pressure on the healthcare system, as well as benefit people living with MS in rural areas, who may not have easy access to a neurologist.”

Not only does self-testing put power back in the hands of people living with MS, it also paves the way for a new approach to how we arrive at healthcare solutions, Marazzi says. When key stakeholders from across different sectors are united, it eliminates internal biases and assumptions while also tapping into diverse knowledge and skill sets. “Partnerships are paramount to accelerating the path to much-needed solutions and to pushing the traditional boundaries of innovation in the Canadian healthcare space,” he adds.

The partnership between Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc. and Innodem Neurosciences is only the tip of the iceberg for what is possible in advancing our healthcare system, and we must lean into the opportunities for innovation afforded by cross-sector collaboration.

“Breakthroughs in science and healthcare are never easy and require a change in mindset,” Marazzi says. “And that means valuing new and fresh perspectives, a key benefit achieved through knowledge-sharing and collaboration. Ultimately, we must work together to improve access to the innovation that Canadians deserve.”

MLR ID# 251570

The post Re-defining innovation in MS—and the power of partnership to get us there appeared first on Macleans.ca.

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With its Fastest-growing Charities in Canada annual report, the Veritas Foundation aims to show which of the country’s roughly 86,000 charities are attracting the most interest from donors.

Each year, the Veritas Foundation analyses charities’ revenue from individual donors, based on their tax receipts from the previous five years. To capture the most insightful data, the top 500 are chosen from a list of 42,000 charities that excludes those in typically larger and more stable categories, such as education and religion.

Below are the first 50 on the 2022 list and breakdowns by province and by charitable sector. To see all 500 charities, visit veritascharityservices.com.

Top 50 fastest-growing charities in Canada 2022

Fastest-growing charities, by province and territory

What types of charities are growing fastest?

What is the Veritas Foundation?

The Veritas Foundation is a private charitable organization committed to the improvement of Canada’s philanthropic sector. It helps individuals and organizations establish and grow their own endowments, then invests the proceeds in The Veritas Foundation Giving Fund, a donor-advised fund. It then issues grants to charitable projects based on the donor’s recommendations. The Veritas Foundation writes independent monthly research reports on the sector and has developed a proprietary rating system that evaluates a charity’s strategy, governance, financial performance, and impact.

This is part of the Veritas Foundation’s sponsored series in Maclean’s.  Read more stories in the series;

Windmill grows donations with metrics that meet backers’ demands

No time for complacency as charities emerge from pandemic hibernation

Pandemic’s devastating effects on seniors help drive donations to long-term care

The post Top 50 Fastest-growing Charities in Canada appeared first on Macleans.ca.

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NISHANT GOSWAMI EARNED a dentistry degree in 2000, and had his own practice in Delhi, India. But when he moved to Canada in 2012 to reunite with his wife, he found himself working low-paying retail jobs. It’s a familiar story: A professional moves here from another country and discovers their hard-won credentials aren’t recognized. To work as a dentist in Canada, Goswami had to pass a trio of gruelling national exams taken over two years, and the expensive prep courses weren’t eligible for conventional student loans.

“The left hand doesn’t know what the right hand does,” Goswami says. “The government has programs inviting new immigrants to the country. But when it comes to working, or being able to qualify to work, it’s a different story.” Through word of mouth and an immigrant support centre in London, Ont., he was directed to the Immigrant Access Fund, now known as Windmill Microlending. He accepted the charity’s $5,500 loan, took his final prep course and passed his last exam. Today, Goswami keeps up a hectic schedule as the owner of two dental practices in Vancouver.

Windmill is No. 4 on the Veritas Foundation’s Fastest-growing Charities in Canada list this year, thanks to its 62,000 per cent increase in donations from 2016 to 2021. It was founded in Calgary in 2006 by the late psychologist Maria Eriksen, after she saw how many of the custodial staff at her own hospital faced financial barriers to requalify in their professions after coming to Canada.

Now with five offices from Calgary to Montreal, Windmill has provided more than 7,000 loans to new Canadians over the years. “We provide affordable loans and coaching supports to help skilled newcomers restart or advance in their careers in Canada,” says CEO Claudia Hepburn. “Our goal is to convert the potential of immigrants into prosperity, both for immigrant and for Canada.” Windmill clients typically triple their previous incomes. (Goswami says the factor is much higher in his case.) Around 97 per cent eventually repay their loans.

Prior to taking the lead at Windmill in 2017, Hepburn says she’d “never seen a charity with metrics like that.” A self-described social entrepreneur, she previously co-founded and ran NEXT Canada, a charity that provides young entrepreneurs with education and connections to mentors and potential funders. She was attracted to Windmill and the challenge of turning the small charity into a powerhouse.

Her plan focused on stronger branding, a bulked-up fundraising team that now includes five full-time equivalent staffers, and a donor strategy that relies on recognizing and responding to the changing face of charitable givers. Compared with those in the recent past, today’s donors are fewer, wealthier on average and, experts say, more eager to scrutinize results to ensure their money makes a direct and measurable impact.

Under Hepburn’s tenure, Windmill reports its results to donors more frequently and in more detail, even sharing clients’ personal stories. The charity has also instituted regular investor calls with its major supporters: individual donors and foundations; corporate partners such as Scotiabank’s ScotiaRISE initiative; and the governments of Canada, Ontario, Alberta and Quebec, which together contribute 40 per cent of Windmill’s operating costs.

Hepburn says the idea for the investor call came from Kate Bahen, managing director of Charity Intelligence, which provides research and analysis on the charitable sector. Bahen, in turn, credits Hepburn and Windmill for measurably improving people’s lives, unlike many charities that adopted the buzzy microlending trend a decade or so ago but showed disappointing results. “Hats off to Windmill,” Bahen says. In the microlending space, “they actually are the real McCoy — a very, very rare breed.”

What is the Veritas Foundation?

The Veritas Foundation is a private charitable organization committed to the improvement of Canada’s philanthropic sector. It helps individuals and organizations establish and grow their own endowments, then invests the proceeds in The Veritas Foundation Giving Fund, a donor-advised fund. It then issues grants to charitable projects based on the donor’s recommendations. The Veritas Foundation writes independent monthly research reports on the sector and has developed a proprietary rating system that evaluates a charity’s strategy, governance, financial performance, and impact. This report aims to show which of the country’s roughly 86,000 charities are attracting the most interest from donors, based on the growth of their tax-receipted donations in the previous five years. To capture the most insightful data, the top 500 are chosen from a list of 42,000 charities that excludes those in typically larger and more stable categories, such as education and religion.

To see all 500 charities on the 2022 list, go to veritascharityservices.com/v500

This is part of the Veritas Foundation’s sponsored series in Maclean’s.  Read more stories in the series;

Top 50 Fastest-growing Charities in Canada

No time for complacency as charities emerge from pandemic hibernation

Pandemic’s devastating effects on seniors help drive donations to long-term care

The post Windmill grows donations with metrics that meet backers’ demands appeared first on Macleans.ca.

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MANY PEOPLE IN Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside can see a path out of poverty. They just don’t have the right shoes to walk it. That’s where the Working Gear Clothing Society comes in. Founded in 2007 with the slogan “Give unemployment the boot,” it outfits clients for work, whether they need a suit and haircut for an interview or safety boots for a warehouse position.

More than 1,100 people sought help through Working Gear in 2021. Of those, 29 per cent said they would have otherwise had to pass up a job offer. And donors clearly see the value of the society’s efforts: It received $297,000 in tax-receipted donations in 2021, up from just $1,700 in 2016, putting this small charity at No. 18 on Veritas Foundation’s Fastest-growing Charities in Canada list. “I don’t have to convince people to support us,” says Sarah Beley, the director and only paid employee of Working Gear. Vancouverites see the challenges of the Downtown Eastside — a neighbourhood known across the country as a byword for inequality and drug addiction — and want to help, she adds. “They just don’t know how to do it. And we’re kind of the bridge.”

The Veritas Foundation list shows which of Canada’s 86,000 charities saw the largest growth in donation revenue, based on tax receipts issued from 2016 to 2021. It arrives at a pivotal time as charities are emerging from the COVID-19 crisis, says Mark Bonham, Veritas Foundation executive director. The pandemic forced many of them to pull back on their activities and spurred an increase in both government subsidies and charitable giving, he explains.

That combination left them with more cash on hand: Veritas research from June 2022 shows that Canadian charities’ assets rose 36 per cent from 2016 to the end of 2020. “We are seeing the balance sheets explode,” says Kate Bahen, managing director of Charity Intelligence, which provides research and analysis on Canadian charities. Individual charitable giving was up 2.7 per cent year over year in 2020, according to Statistics Canada, she notes. “There’s so much money in some charities. And people just keep giving them more money.”

Now, it’s time to convert that money into action, Bonham says, rather than giving in to the temptation to play it safe and grow those cash balances. He urges charities to remember their core purpose — which, as he sees it, is to augment government services or intervene to create solutions in ways that governments can’t — and step up to address problems including economic inequality, structural injustices and climate change. “The government is giving these charities the privilege of issuing tax receipts to reduce people’s taxable income, in return for providing a community service,” he says, noting that Canada Revenue Agency rules forbid charities from accumulating cash.

Working Gear embodies many of the characteristics of Canada’s fastest-growing charities, Bonham says. For one thing, it’s small, like 85 per cent of the organizations on the list. In fact, it’s the fastest- growing small charity in Canada. Second, its mission involves fighting poverty, which it has in common with around 40 per cent of the top 500. And it’s innovative: It offers a unique service with visible impact. “They’ve identified an issue that needs addressing within their community and they’ve come up with a means to effectively deal with it.”

Could foundations do more?
Unlike bold organizations like Working Gear, private and family foundations, which appear in large numbers on the Veritas Foundation list, aren’t usually known for their daring or fresh thinking. They’re a category of registered charities that typically disburse funds to other organizations (often operating charities that provide services) rather than undertake charitable work directly.

Foundations can show a sudden bump in donation revenue when, for example, a wealthy person bestows a large gift on them. Under CRA rules, foundations are obligated to disburse 3.5 per cent of their assets in a given year — an amount that can be less than the return on their endowments — and may hold on to the rest. The federal government has introduced draft legislation to increase the quota to five per cent on amounts over $1 million as of 2023. Some, including Bonham, are calling on foundations to give out even more.

Foundations have the potential to foster innovation and stability within the charitable sector, says Susan Phillips, a professor of philanthropy and nonprofit leadership at Carleton University.
Phillips notes there are 11,000 private, public and corporate foundations in Canada, and estimates that 40 of those hold more than $1 million in assets each. “Their potential to take risks, to use their capital for long-term investments and to blueprint innovations and programs, is enormous.

“I think they’re starting to step up,” she says, noting that a number of foundations banded together to take part in pandemic relief efforts. “But it’s a sector that could do much more.”
A promising sign: Veritas research shows that inter-charity funding, where a foundation gives to a registered charity, increased during the COVID crisis.

Support in times of crisis
Consistent support to small charities is one way foundations can contribute to their stability, says Sarah Beley of Working Gear Clothing Society. That’s important because demand for their services can surge without warning.

Working Gear, for example, saw demand explode in early 2020 as people were laid off because of pandemic restrictions. Clients needed to find other work, and Working Gear quickly reacted, expanding its offering to include masks and other PPE.

Operating during the pandemic “was a lot more work because we had to make sure that everyone was safe, with social distancing and things like that,” says Beley. But shuttering was never an option. “It’s not fair,” she recalls thinking, with her clients in mind. “They need it.”

That’s the kind of commitment and nimble thinking all charities ought to embrace, Bonham says. Whether big or small, new or established, his overall message is the same: “Step up to the plate when your community needs you.”

What’s missing from the list?
The planet, for one thing
Bonham’s analysis of the 500 Fastest-growing Charities in Canada reveals that just four deal primarily with environmental issues — a puzzling observation given that climate change is a pressing concern for many Canadians.

The head of a new Ontario-based charity called Trees for Life offers one possible explanation: While Canadians support ecological causes in theory, in reality, they give their money to charities that offer a personal, relatable story.

“For every person who says, ‘I like what you’re doing from an environmental point of view,’ there are 10 others who are saying, ‘There’s somebody in my life I want to remember,’” says Mark Cullen, Trees for Life president and co-founder. “That’s what this experience has taught me.”

Trees for Life was founded in 2021 to plant trees, starting with funding from the federal government’s 2 Billion Trees program. The charity expects to receive as much as $3 million from donors in 2022, up from $2 million in its first year, making it a candidate for a future edition of Veritas Foundation’s Fastest-growing Charities in Canada.

While an environmental message is part of its pitch to donors, Trees for Life focuses on encouraging Canadians to honour first responders, healthcare workers and other “heroes” in their lives with a $150 donation to plant a tree in their name.

What is the Veritas Foundation?

The Veritas Foundation is a private charitable organization committed to the improvement of Canada’s philanthropic sector. It helps individuals and organizations establish and grow their own endowments, then invests the proceeds in The Veritas Foundation Giving Fund, a donor-advised fund. It then issues grants to charitable projects based on the donor’s recommendations. The Veritas Foundation writes independent monthly research reports on the sector and has developed a proprietary rating system that evaluates a charity’s strategy, governance, financial performance, and impact. This report aims to show which of the country’s roughly 86,000 charities are attracting the most interest from donors, based on the growth of their tax-receipted donations in the previous five years. To capture the most insightful data, the top 500 are chosen from a list of 42,000 charities that excludes those in typically larger and more stable categories, such as education and religion.

To see all 500 charities on the 2022 list, go to veritascharityservices.com/v500

This is part of the Veritas Foundation’s sponsored series in Maclean’s.  Read more stories in the series;

Top 50 Fastest-growing Charities in Canada

Windmill grows donations with metrics that meet backers’ demands

Pandemic’s devastating effects on seniors help drive donations to long-term care

The post No time for complacency as charities emerge from pandemic hibernation appeared first on Macleans.ca.

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AS CANADIANS WATCHED the pandemic tear through long-term care homes, many were prompted to donate to charities focused on seniors care, which have traditionally struggled for attention, say experts in the field. “COVID put long-term care homes in the spotlight,” says Joey Cheung, director of donor and community engagement at Villa Cathay Care Home Society. It’s one of a number of charities devoted to seniors care, including those that operate or support long-term residences, on the Veritas Foundation’s 500 Fastest-growing Charities in Canada list.

The Vancouver seniors residence landed at No. 20 on the strength of a campaign to fund a new, 224-bed facility. When the pandemic arrived just weeks after residents moved into the partially constructed building, its private rooms with ensuite bathrooms — an upgrade from ward-style accommodation — safeguarded against the virus’s spread. “We only had one outbreak in 2020,” Cheung says. The renovation clearly demonstrated the difference such investment can make on seniors’ health and wellness, and donations rolled in.

In 2021, the Peterson Group, a Vancouver real estate investment company, offered to match up to $1 million in donations to the capital campaign, citing COVID in its appeal to the public. Villa Cathay issued tax receipts for more than $776,000 in donations that year — a 16,000-per-cent increase from their take in 2016 — and generated another half million from foundations. Even if the worst of COVID is behind us, Samir Sinha hopes that geriatric care will continue to be a top philanthropic choice.

The director of geriatrics at Toronto’s Sinai Health System and the University Health Network says he was approached during the pandemic by several foundations looking to make major gifts, including a $15-million donation to Mount Sinai Hospital from the Peter and Shelagh Godsoe Family Foundation, announced in February. “I just fell off my chair,” Sinha says, noting such offers are rarely unsolicited. “Issues of aging are becoming increasingly prominent” as Canada’s population and its charitable donors age, he adds. “And I think a greater awareness of challenges facing older adults became even more prevalent during the pandemic.”

What is the Veritas Foundation?

The Veritas Foundation is a private charitable organization committed to the improvement of Canada’s philanthropic sector. It helps individuals and organizations establish and grow their own endowments, then invests the proceeds in The Veritas Foundation Giving Fund, a donor-advised fund. It then issues grants to charitable projects based on the donor’s recommendations. The Veritas Foundation writes independent monthly research reports on the sector and has developed a proprietary rating system that evaluates a charity’s strategy, governance, financial performance, and impact. This report aims to show which of the country’s roughly 86,000 charities are attracting the most interest from donors, based on the growth of their tax-receipted donations in the previous five years. To capture the most insightful data, the top 500 are chosen from a list of 42,000 charities that excludes those in typically larger and more stable categories, such as education and religion.

To see all 500 charities on the 2022 list, go to veritascharityservices.com/v500

This is part of the Veritas Foundation’s sponsored series in Maclean’s.  Read more stories in the series;

Top 50 Fastest-growing Charities in Canada

Windmill grows donations with metrics that meet backers’ demands

No time for complacency as charities emerge from pandemic hibernation

The post Pandemic’s devastating effects on seniors help drive donations to long-term care appeared first on Macleans.ca.

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French education in Ontario doesn’t have to end at high school graduation. The Université de l’Ontario français (UOF) in downtown Toronto offers Francophones from Ontario and across the world an immersive French learning experience in the heart of one of North America’s largest cities. 

Preparing Francophones for the 21st century

Now in its second year, Université de l’Ontario français offers four honours bachelor of Social Sciences programs designed to equip graduates with the skills to tackle some of today’s most relevant issues, such digital technology, urban expansion, sustainability and diversity.

“The founders of the university wanted to offer programs that are oriented towards the needs of the job market as well as communities,” says UOF president Pierre Ouellette. “UOF students are graduates for the 21st century.” The four programs on offer are: digital cultures, urban environments, human plurality and economy and social innovation. A Bachelor of Education program launches in 2023 (pending certification by the Ontario College of Teachers), with plans for a program in business administration in the works.

Choosing a course of study can be challenging for high school students when it’s time to apply to universities and colleges. It helps that UOF’s distinctive programs appeal to a range of contemporary interests. The digital cultures program explores how digital communications shapes society, while the urban environments program prepares graduates to plan and develop cities in a sustainable and equitable way.

The economy and social innovation program explores globalization, social innovation, community development and entrepreneurship. For students interested in fostering equity, inclusion and diversity in organizations and society, the human plurality program may be the right fit. While each program is distinct, common threads weave through all of them, making collaboration across disciplines possible—and a cornerstone of the UOF philosophy.

“Every UOF course is offered by a team of professors,” says Ouellette, emphasizing that the university’s student-centred learning philosophy prioritizes exploration and experimentation. Theory—though equally important—is introduced after students have had hands-on practice and exposure to real-life cases. The school setting, itself, can also enrich the learning experience.

“I like the fact that we are from different backgrounds and nationalities, especially because I am in the human plurality program,” says second year student Rayane Dahmani. “It helps me apply what I’m learning on a deeper level, since the focus is on culture, tradition, identity, spirituality, religion and what makes us human.”

Modern campus design

The UOF campus is located steps from Lake Ontario and walking distance from Toronto’s biggest spectator venues, popular shopping districts and vibrant nightlife. The downtown location informed the university’s modern industrial design that features high ceilings, exposed beams and open spaces against a fresh palette of white, green and natural wood tones. Most notable of all are floor to ceiling windows that wrap the university’s communal spaces, offering panoramic views of the city from its second-storey vantage point.

All classrooms are outfitted with cameras and audio so students can attend remotely or in-person, and its fully digital library means access to books is never more than a few clicks away. A small university, students can enjoy the benefits of a close-knit community that faculty help nurture.

“We learn in small groups and the professors know each one of our names,” says Dahmani. “We’re really close. They’re always there to listen and are patient with us.”

Career opportunities for bilingual graduates

The province of Ontario is home to the largest Francophone population in Canada outside of Québec. While French language education is largely accessible from JK to grade 12, options for French students sharply drop after high school graduation, limiting Franco-Ontarians’ ability to continue learning in their language, as well as curbing their potential to benefit from the demand for bilingual employees.

“It’s important for students to have the option to keep studying in French at the university level,” says Ouellette. “Access to French programs at this level is one- to three- per cent of what’s accessible to English students in this area.” UOF is committed to closing that gap with programs that students want and the global workplace demands. It doesn’t hurt that earning potential tends to increase for employees who fluently speak both languages.

According to the 2021 Census, employees who spoke only English earned on average $56,100 in Ontario, while those who spoke both English and French earned on average $66,700. In Toronto, the difference is more pronounced: employees who spoke only English earned an average of $59,600, while English and French speaking employees earned an average of $78,400.

But does a university education in French really make much difference in the workplace performance? Recent findings suggest so. A study by Statistics Canada on language used at work by graduates of post-secondary institutions confirms the linguistic value of French language education past grade 12.

It found post-secondary graduates (outside of Quebec) who attended a French language institution were more likely to use French in the workplace whether their mother tongue was French or English. And, the proportion of graduates with French as their mother tongue who used French predominantly at work was more than three times higher when their most recent degree was from a French language institution than when it was from an English language institution.

UOF offers an ideal setting for students to become fluent in both languages, according to Dahmani who chose the university not only for its unique program, but because of the location. “Toronto is a multicultural city with lots of English speakers which allows me to practice my English.”

The university welcomes graduates of French schools and French immersion programs in Ontario and across Canada to apply. Tours are available year-round to experience the uniqueness of UOF, located in the heart of downtown Toronto.

For more information about Université de l’Ontario français, visit uontario.ca.

The post A look inside Toronto’s only francophone university appeared first on Macleans.ca.

The demand for electricity in Québec is expected to rise by 14% by 2032 due to economic expansion and the electrification of the economy. Faced with this ever-increasing demand and a desire to address it in a cost-effective way, Hydro-Québec is urging companies to optimize their energy consumption. It is indeed vital for businesses to start adopting energy-efficient practices and become agents of change.

With Hydro-Québec’s Efficient Solutions Program, which provides financial assistance for businesses ready to lead the way in energy efficiency, adopting these practices pays off from the outset. Participants receive guidance and funding to conduct energy-efficiency analyses and implement solutions—from simple measures to complex, innovative projects. The program is open to small, midsize and large companies as well as public organizations in Québec.

Here’s how two businesses have benefited from Hydro-Québec’s Efficient Solutions Program.

Fruit d’Or

As a grower and processor of organic cranberries and wild blueberries, Fruit d’Or prioritizes sustainable practices in its operations because its products are directly affected by the environment. Agri-food production often requires switching between hot and cold conditions, leading to significant energy consumption and heat loss. Fruit d’Or President and Founder Martin Le Moine turned to Hydro-Québec for help in assessing his company’s energy use.

Hydro-Québec’s Efficient Solutions Program gave Fruit d’Or nearly $300,000 to install heat pumps. Instead of wasting heat by venting it outside, the pumps circulate the heat generated from commercial dryers to warm their washing water in a closed-loop system for a practical and more energy-efficient solution. Fruit d’Or was also eager to replace a chlorofluorocarbon (Freon) refrigeration system with a carbon dioxide system to further reduce its energy use.

In the first year of operation, the new heat pumps alone saved Fruit d’Or more than $23,000 in energy costs while also reducing their carbon emissions by 350 tonnes a year.

However, adopting energy-efficient practices isn’t just about the bottom line. “Moving toward sustainable practices attracts job seekers, who are increasingly sensitive to the actions companies take,” Le Moine explains.

Improving the organization’s energy efficiency wasn’t easy at first. “It’s very wide-ranging and the technologies evolve quickly,” Le Moine says. “Hydro-Québec’s experts helped us prioritize the projects that will yield the fastest returns.”

Kruger

Kruger’s operations in the pulp, paper, cardboard and packaging sectors are energy intensive. A significant portion of the company’s production costs stem from its energy use, with aging equipment being a notable culprit. The company applied to Hydro-Québec’s Efficient Solutions Program and received $900,000 to maintain production at existing levels while reducing energy use, but without completely replacing existing machinery.

Kruger upgraded old paper production machines by replacing ventilation shutters with variable-frequency drives, thereby reducing the amount of energy the machines consumed. Other energy-efficient measures were also implemented, such as installing efficient lighting and optimizing screening, refining, pumping and air-compression processes. With these solutions in place, Kruger expects its annual energy savings to reach $153,000.

Thanks to Hydro-Québec’s financial assistance, Kruger has been able to implement energy-efficient solutions more quickly, leading to immediate results and putting the company on a path to reducing its carbon footprint.

While saving money is a top priority, Maxime Cossette, corporate vice-president of fibre, biomaterials and sustainability at Kruger, says that adopting energy-efficient practices at his workplace is also about values. “For me, it’s important that the company I work for respects and reflects my values. When I go to work in the morning, I feel like I’m contributing.”To learn more about how your business can benefit from Hydro-Québec’s Efficient Solutions Program, click here.

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REDIRECT (Education+)

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Brantford, Ont. is a small city known for its beautiful vistas of the Grand River, rich history, quaint downtown, and for being the birthplace of “the great one,” Wayne Gretzky. It’s a city whose residents—including Bob Markovich—are vital to its tightly woven fabric.

A former business owner, athlete, and the quintessential family man, Bob has long been a meaningful part of Brantford’s tapestry – and he remains one now, even at 84 years old. A natural conversationalist and storyteller with a larger-than-life personality, he’s a familiar face in the city with friends and acquaintances at every turn.

A family affair

Originally from Noranda, Que., Bob met his wife Ann—who hails from Cape Breton, N.S.—at a local parade in downtown Brantford.

“I was at the Labour Day parade when I first saw Ann. I said to one of my friends, ‘Get her phone number for me, will ya,’ and that was it,” says Bob, laughingly, glancing across the table at Ann. This May will mark 60 years of marriage for the couple, who have built several businesses together along with a lifetime of memories, passports enviably full of stamps, and a family of three children.

The son of Serbian immigrants, Bob is no stranger to hard work. Following his father’s death when he was only 16, Bob and his brother, George, stepped forward to breathe new life into the family business. “We turned my dad’s hotel into a place called Alexander’s, after Alexander Graham Bell,” says Bob. “Ann supervised the kitchen. It really took off.”

The Markoviches sold Alexander’s in the late ‘70s and created a club called The Cowboy, a local hotspot that fit 700 people and hosted some of the most popular bands in Ontario, from April Wine and Big Sugar to Blue Rodeo and David Wilcox. Like Alexander’s, it was a hopping joint and a full-on family business. Bob and George ran the place and Ann and the kids all pitched in.

Amidst his thriving business pursuits, Bob was also a proficient athlete. “You name it, at some point I played it,” he says with a wry smile. “Hockey, football—I was a quarterback for the Brantford Tiger Cats—golf, baseball, volleyball, bowling, and curling.” A love of sport is still strong in the Markovich household. “We follow tennis very closely,” says Bob. “Our guy is Djokovic. Ann and I don’t miss any of the matches.”

Immediately noticeable to any outsider is that Bob maintains a youthful energy that belies his age. He regularly goes for long walks around the city, at a remarkable clip for someone in their mid-80s. It was during one of these walks that he encountered the first signs that something may be wrong.

“MDS—what’s that?”

“Health-wise, I was never sick my whole life,” says Bob. “When I hit 80, things started to happen.”

At 80, Bob was diagnosed with, and treated for, prostate cancer. The “C” word already hung heavy in the air in the Markovich household. Bob and Ann’s eldest daughter Nadine had recently passed away from breast cancer at just 51 years old, and shortly thereafter Bob and a few members of the family discovered that they carry a rare genetic mutation that may predispose them to the disease.

Then, in 2019, after noticing that some of his fingers were losing their colour, he consulted his GP. “We joked that it might be time to move to Florida,” Bob laughs. “But I went for my routine blood tests a month or so later and my red and white blood cell counts were very low.” An appointment was quickly set with Dr. Dina Khalaf, a hematologist at the HHSC Juravinski Cancer Centre in Hamilton.

“My wife and I went to the appointment. Dr. Khalaf said that she’d like to do a bone marrow biopsy,” says Bob. “She did the biopsy right then and there. Two weeks later, she called and told me that I have MDS. In the beginning, I said ‘Why me?’ I’ve always done everything right.”

Bob and Ann have long prioritized being active and eating balanced, home-cooked meals. But their healthy lifestyles couldn’t prevent the onset of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a type of cancer in which immature blood cells in the bone marrow don’t mature or become healthy blood cells.

“MDS is a heterogeneous disease, so it’s not considered to be one condition per se,” says Dr. Khalaf. “It may present itself at various degrees within a spectrum, as it affects the bone marrow, which is the factory of the blood cells. If left untreated, it can quickly progress to acute leukemia.”

The resulting low blood and platelet counts put MDS patients at serious risk of infection, anemia, and bleeding. The treatment required for Bob—who Dr. Khalaf says has an intermediate disease severity—initially involved frequent HMA injections. Seven days per month, for five cycles, Ann would drive Bob to Hamilton for treatment. This was at the height of COVID, and Ann was forced to wait outside the hospital for hours.

Maintaining a “healthy” dialogue

In 2021, Dr. Khalaf decided it was time to make a change and consulted with Bob, Ann, and their daughter Candace (“Candee”). “I have a sister-in-law who was battling breast cancer and she was doing most of her treatment at home, which sounded better than the alternative,” Bob adds. Soon after, the regular drives and stress-inducing visits to the hospital were replaced by an oral HMA regimen that could be administered, with ease, at home.

Most of Bob’s monitoring was replaced by virtual visits with Dr. Khalaf. “We’re doing monthly telehealth visits, which is quite convenient for patients, especially those who are older or come from smaller towns and remote areas,” says Dr. Khalaf. “Bob was a good candidate because his disease was under control. He’s also very reliable and compliant.”

Dr. Dina Khalaf

With indolent cancers like MDS, slow and steady wins the race, and Bob’s diligence has paid off. “Bob has done so well,” says Dr. Khalaf. “As of right now he’s in complete remission.”

Hearing that there’s no cancer present in his blood keeps Bob optimistic, which happens to be his natural default mode anyway. Candace, however, has a different perspective.

She’s been by her father’s side throughout all of his health challenges—“Candee is my go-to person,” says Bob—and chooses to approach her dad’s condition with a more cautious brand of optimism. For one, she recognizes that her father’s treatment isn’t a cure and that the disease could potentially return at any time.

Teaming up to tackle cancer

Having stepped away from her own career to care for her young family, Candace now lives in Toronto with her husband, John, and two kids—12-year-old Ella and 9-year-old A.J.—but she’s consistently there for her parents, either in person or by phone, despite the distance. Her natural proclivity for research and analysis makes her the perfect hybrid of cheerleader and realist—two characteristics that are absolutely vital to being an effective caregiver.

Watching her older sister face cancer six years ago changed the way Candace approaches the health care system. “I learned that you really need to self-advocate to get the best care possible,” she says. As a result, she has whole-heartedly tackled the task of supporting, and advocating for, her dad. 

She advises others in a similar position to attend their parents’ appointments, when possible, to make sure all relevant health information is being shared and that all of the right questions are being asked. She also sees great value in seeking the support of online and in-person knowledge-sharing and advocacy communities, like AAMAC.

“My dad is an optimist and an extrovert,” says Candace. “Although I’ve inherited some of my father’s qualities, being a professional accountant helps me stay rooted in research and facts. We all play a role in families and my role is the researcher, the fact-finder, the person with the feet on the ground.”

Despite their differing playbooks, she readily acknowledges the merits of her father’s approach. “I definitely think he’s benefited from staying so positive. It reduces his stress and keeps him young at heart,” she adds.

Happiest at home

Looking to the future, Bob and Ann hope for many healthy, rewarding years ahead.

Bob has now been retired for 20 years—years spent travelling to the islands, across Canada and the U.S. in a trailer, and to Europe—and the couple are ready to relax and spend precious time together closer to home with family. This includes spending time with Candace and her clan both in Toronto and at their cottage in the Kawarthas, where Bob has traded in his football for a ping pong paddle.

And while Bob and Ann occasionally talk about moving to the “big city” to be closer to the family, they know they’ll likely never leave Brantford, which has been home to so many of their happiest memories. “It’s a marvelous place,” says Bob. “And in our current apartment, I’ve never seen sunsets like we see here. They’re just spectacular.” As much as they love to visit Toronto or Stony Lake, Brantford will always be as much a part of their shared fabric as they are of its.

“I’ve done pretty well all I want to do in life,” says Bob. For him, every extra memory created with family and friends is a treasured cherry on top of a life well-lived.

The Aplastic Anemia & Myelodysplasia Association of Canada (AAMAC) is a leading funder of research into bone marrow failure diseases in Canada. Our volunteer-run organization supports patients and caregivers across the country who are living with aplastic anemia, myelodysplastic syndrome (also called MDS or myelodysplasia) and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH).

The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted Canada’s bone marrow registry. For more information on registry eligibility, please visit blood.ca. Your donation can save a life.

To seek educational materials or support from AAMAC, visit aamac.ca.

Connect with us:
Facebook: @AAMACanada
Twitter: @AAMAC1989
LinkedIn: AAMAC

A community-based initiative supported by Taiho Pharma Canada.

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All hail Adel Azzi, the Garlic King: the man, the myth, the restaurant. Clad in full royal-purple velvet garb with a signature golden crown and sceptre on the restaurant’s website, Azzi is the owner of the eponymous Ottawa-based family restaurant. (Do yourself a favour and press play on his “My Shawarma” theme song, a knock-off of “My Sharona”—you won’t be sorry!)

For 27 years, the Garlic King has served up the self-declared “best shawarma in Ottawa” to three generations of loyal customers in the capital’s Orleans neighbourhood and beyond. Now the Garlic King has expanded his empire: loyal fans can enjoy his secret sauce in the comfort of their own homes thanks to SkiptheDishes.

Becoming the king

It may be hard to believe, given how much his persona is part of the brand these days, but when Azzi first opened as Really Lebanese Food in 1995, he was admittedly “too shy” to put his photo on the sign. New to Canada, the chef had perfected his culinary skills in the Lebanese army. “I started serving my platoon and worked up to generals and presidents,” he says. His restaurant’s original name—Really—was a declaration that he would serve “really good” meals.

Really Lebanese had always served excellent food, but was perhaps unmemorable in a multicultural city serving every cuisine you can crave. Azzi would casually boast to his family and friends that he was the king of garlic, and one day, his neighbour and now business partner, Dave (he’s known around the restaurant as “Just Dave”), suggested that he expand and rebrand, leaning heavily into becoming that royal persona. As the Garlic King, they’d serve “feasts of royal proportions,” as their proclamation-style promos call them, heaped with hummus, tabbouleh, shawarma and falafels—all this at a pauper’s price tag, as a family of six can dine for $44.95.

“It took a bit, but I’ve totally bought into the character,” says Azzi, who can be seen riding around town in his King-Dome. The King-Dome, which takes cues from the Popemobile, is a heavily branded van with an actual dome on top, allowing him to wave to his subjects, sometimes from the ice before local hockey games. His over-the-top self-promotion has become synonymous with the restaurant, a colourful landmark in the community.

Weathering the pandemic

Azzi has close ties to his patrons, and nobody wanted to see him dethroned when COVID-19 hit in March 2020. While most restaurants prepared to take an inevitable hit, the Garlic King was more concerned about how he might give back. The answer was both unexpected and obvious: shawarma. “We gave a free sandwich to any front-line worker who came in,” says Azzi. (More specifically, he met them safely in the parking lot.) In addition, the Garlic King gifted more platters to the local food bank than the food bank could handle.

Ramping up takeout

Guided by long-held community values, the Garlic King chose to modernize its approach and offerings with the help of a key partner. After nearly a quarter century of in-house dining, the restaurant worked with food delivery service SkipTheDishes to serve people at home. The partnership allowed the transition to takeout to happen quickly, and it gave visibility of their delectable offerings to thousands of new customers. “We were told we have one of the highest reorder rates of all their restaurants—and we’re not a franchise, we’re just one location,” Azzi says. Digging deeper, he discovered that an astounding 87 per cent of his customers indeed reordered—within a week.

Orders coming through the Skip platform now account for approximately 30 per cent of the restaurant’s revenue, allowing them to reach new customers and areas of the city. Now, post-pandemic and in tandem with the reopening of indoor dining, the partnership is one of the reasons the restaurant continues to thrive while staying true to its roots in the community.

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In her first few weeks at university, Ashley He noticed something interesting: many of her peers were struggling with living away from home for the first time in ways she just…wasn’t. Many of them weren’t used to being responsible for the administration of their lives, from getting their laundry done to managing their time effectively—and it was sometimes challenging to learn how to do that while also juggling a heavier and more demanding workload, trying to make new friends and dealing with the occasional bout of homesickness. But He had been comfortable with these kinds of tasks for years, thanks in large part to her time spent attending The Bishop Strachan School as a boarder.

“Boarding has made the transition to university incredibly smooth,” she says. “Others will be freaking out about the same laundry/self-regulation problems you figured out in grade 9!”

It’s true. According to Stephanie Jean-Paul, dean of boarding at the school, boarding “fosters independence in its students through providing a curriculum that is rooted in trust. One example of this is empowering student leaders to demonstrate responsibility by taking younger boarders around the city of Toronto. From planning transit routes, calculating trip costs and asking for ‘check-in’ phone calls, boarding students are trusted to be accountable for the safety of their fellow peers.”

BSS student, Ana

Teaching independence with boundaries

And students don’t just learn how to be responsible for one another; thanks to the school’s robust support system, BSS boarding students are given a chance—and the freedom—to learn how to be responsible for themselves. For example, BSS hosts regular workshops on time management, organization, examination preparation and university preparation. Boarding staff also help students develop healthy routines and academic study plans. And students in grades eight to 10 are required to attend supervised Evening Study sessions from Sunday to Thursday, which are intended to help them develop independent study skills. That’s why, in their final two years of schooling, grade 11 and 12 students are trusted to set up their own study schedules and spaces.

He also speaks highly of the school’s approach to orientation: “After the first week of boarding, I was incredibly comfortable being away from home,” she says. “BSS, in particular, really makes an effort to orient new boarders in the first week to settling into their new home away from home!”

It didn’t take long for Kris Martin, a BSS parent, to see how the experience of boarding—and especially the chance to share space with people who came from different backgrounds and even sometimes countries—benefited her daughter.

“Established boarding schools are often steeped in tradition and certain rights of passage, but good boarding schools evolve and continuously improve those traditions and rites of passage in a timely and thoughtful way,” Martin says. “BSS does this with a focus on immersing the student in community, a sense of belonging and a family outside of the traditional definition. This all resulted in a progressive awareness, growth, maturity, curiosity and confidence in self and capability to navigate the world and all it may offer.”

Pictured here are BSS students in the boarding lounge. From back to front: Anabelle, Nandani, Vivian, Nevaeh, Crystal, Sophia and Ana

The importance of wellness

Of course, students sometimes struggle, which is why BSS also offers ample wellness-focused resources. “We have a large community of care; support extends beyond the boarding staff,” Jean-Paul says.

Students have access to Wellness Centre nurses, plus the school psychologist, chaplain and guidance counsellors. In 2021, it began to offer access to a Student Assistance Program, a completely confidential online resource for wellness services offered through Homewood Health. And since administrators believe individual relations are key, they will often try to match boarding students with other local supports, such as a day student, local family, external tutors or health practitioners.

“BSS provides a safe environment for my daughter to take risks with her thinking,” Martin says. “It encourages out-of-the-box leadership, innovation and a receptiveness to leveraging different tactics and coping strategies that enable growth and development on a personal, social and academic level. It provides an opportunity for a young person to spread their wings and learn about themselves outside of the home.”

To get more information on The Bishop Strachan School programs and offerings, click here.

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Growing up, Mitch Hince didn’t know much about the wider world outside of Timmins, Ont. — only that he wanted to be part of it.

His interest in travel led him to a tourism program at Canadore College in North Bay, then on to university in New Hampshire. There, Hince heard a speaker talk about career opportunities at Marriott Hotels. Next thing he knew, the young man from a northern mining town was a restaurant supervisor at a Texas resort.

From there, Hince’s travels have taken him from Vietnam to Iceland to Dubai — and he has the Instagram account to prove it. A curious person can evolve in the hotel industry, moving from front-of-house to marketing, design and beyond, says Hince from his current home in Orlando, Florida. “I represent one of the largest revenue portfolios within Marriott’s Global Sales Organization. All of this happened within 15 years.”

Marriott encourages employees to move from one department to another to grow their skills, says Brian Cammack, regional vice-president of human resources for Marriott Hotels of Canada. “There’s definitely opportunity to start a long-lasting and rewarding career,” he says.

And the job outlook is as sunny as a dream resort. Marriott branded hotels have added thousands of employees this year, bringing its total in Canada to 25,000. “We currently have hundreds of jobs open — and we expect to hire several thousand more associates. We focus not only on a person’s work experience, but also on making their personal lives better, because we want them to stay with us.”

Marriott gives many employees opportunities to see the world through its Explore Program, which offers travel-related perks and rewards at 8,000-plus hotels worldwide. Many Marriott hotels in the Marriott portfolio of brands offer unique benefits that workers may not find elsewhere. For example, for Canadian employees who, like Hince, spend their early career with Marriott, there’s a new program to help pay off student loans.

Marriott’s Benefit of Balance initiative lets some employees adapt their schedules — to allow for a four-day workweek, for example. Location flexibility is also available in some roles: Hince has worked remotely for eight years, and his close colleagues are scattered all over the U.S.

As Hince says, Wanderlust and a desire to create great experiences for people is a perfect combination for a career in the hotel industry. “You can live and work anywhere you want, in any type of position you want.” It’s a life-changing opportunity for anyone who’s “driven, curious, always asking questions — and always learning.”

To find out more about job opportunities and employee benefits at Marriott Hotels of Canada, go to careers.marriott.com.

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Studying abroad had always appealed to Marina Melanidis, but financially, it was out of the question.

At 19, she was living with her parents to save money and making 90-minute trips by bus and train to the University of British Columbia, where she was studying global perspectives on natural resources conservation.

While searching for co-op programs, she spotted a posting to be a Queen Elizabeth Scholar at the Wildlife Institute of India. She leapt at the opportunity. After an interview, she was selected, and in little more than a month, she was on a plane. It was her first major trip without her parents.

“I went to India for four and a half months, and it was one of the most incredible, challenging, rewarding experiences of my life,” says Melanidis. “I directly attribute a lot of where I am now to that experience and my relationship with Queen Elizabeth Scholars.”

The program is an invaluable part of the legacy of Queen Elizabeth II, who championed global connections through her work with the Commonwealth. Founded in 2012 to mark the Diamond Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth Scholars is a made-in-Canada initiative that promotes international student exchange and civic engagement through project-based scholarships. To date, more than 1,000 scholars have completed placements in 59 countries. The Rideau Hall Foundation leads the program in collaboration with Community Foundations of Canada (CFC), Universities Canada and Canadian universities.

CFC President Andrea Dicks says the global connections forged by Queen Elizabeth Scholars are particularly important now. “The pandemic has shown us that our world is smaller than we think,” Dicks says. “This program fosters a global culture of community. When people come together, we can solve big problems. To face the challenges of the future, we need to draw on our collective capabilities and foster global leaders.”

For Melanidis, the program generated other unexpected opportunities. Two years after her trip, thanks to connections she made in India, she joined a Students on Ice expedition to see the impacts of climate change in the Arctic.

In 2019, her international experiences spurred her to launch Youth4Nature, a youth-led, global non-profit that works to educate, empower and mobilize young people to find solutions for ecological and climate crises. Today, Melanidis serves as development director, having recently defended her master’s thesis in UBC’s forestry department.

It’s a different career than Melanidis imagined at the start of university, when she thought she’d become a scientist. “I thought science was the answer,” she says. “After learning from people in India, I realized we can have the best science in the world, but if we’re not thinking about people — how the ways we address the climate crisis and biodiversity loss impact them — we’re not going to solve anything.”

“Education allows us to rethink what is possible,” says U.K.-based Canadian philanthropist Victor Dahdaleh, whose namesake foundation is a major contributor to the Queen Elizabeth Scholars program.

“My global education changed my perspective and gave me the confidence, connections and understanding to build a business and life with a global view,” Dahdaleh says. “The Queen Elizabeth Scholars program makes that invaluable opportunity accessible to young people today.”

Melanidis’s journey is proof positive. Today, she encourages students to make the most of their post-secondary years by looking for opportunities beyond the classroom. “There are so many that are literally only for university students. My biggest piece of advice would be to just go for it.”

For more information about the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship, visit queenelizabethscholars.ca.

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One August day when she was 24, Brittany Rosborough stepped off a plane in Kugluktuk, Nunavut, to begin her new job as a teacher. She was north of the Arctic Circle, but the weather was warm — and so was the welcome. Rosborough, who loves to travel, had already spent a year teaching in China. She thought she would also be in Nunavut for a year, but the close-knit community and beautiful landscape soon had her rethinking her plans.

Six years later, she’s still happily teaching in the territory. In 2020, after four years in Kugluktuk, she made the move to the capital — the “big city” of Iqaluit, population 7,700.

“I love going home for the summer, but I also really love coming back,” says Rosborough, who earned degrees in arts and education from the University of New Brunswick in her home province. Moving to Kugluktuk, some 3,600 kilometres away, was an adjustment, but one she wholeheartedly embraced.

“You go to a place where you don’t have movie theatres and you don’t have all the amenities,” she says. “But I really enjoy life here because it’s at your own pace. If you want to be busy, you can. It’s a slower lifestyle, but you appreciate the little things in life that you might take for granted down South.”

Constant demand for teachers
Teachers are in high demand in Nunavut. The far-reaching territory covers more than two million square kilometres in Canada’s North, with about 40,000 people spread across 25 tiny communities. “The need for teachers in Nunavut is never ending because we’re such a vast land with a scattered population,” says Rebecca Hainnu, deputy minister of education for the Government of Nunavut. For the territory’s 11,000 students, there are about 870 teaching positions. And she says, “we don’t always get to fill them with qualified teachers.”

To address the shortage, the government recently announced more students in the territory can earn part of their degree in their home communities through Nunavut Arctic College. Students in the program attend Memorial University in Newfoundland for their final years of study to earn a Bachelor of Education.

Brittany Rosborough, a teacher at Aqsarniit Middle School in Iqaluit, says the slower pace of life in the North allows more time to connect with people in the community and to be out on the land with her student.

But opportunities abound for teachers from outside Nunavut as well, Hainnu says. “Our kids deserve the very best that we can give to them. So if that means we get teachers from within the territory and outside the territory, so be it.”

“Kids raised in isolated communities benefit from teachers who come from different parts of the world and spark their interest. It helps them become global citizens. “Here, teachers are so important. They work in the heart of the community. And our communities are so small — you may have a store, a church, one health centre, the school and the hamlet office — and one-third of the population is attending your workplace. So, when I say the heart of the community, I mean it,” she says with a laugh.

A move to the North can also make financial sense, especially for teachers who are just starting their careers. In Nunavut, teachers earn a competitive salary and benefits, plus a northern living allowance. In some cases, they also receive relocation assistance and subsidized housing. And the government offers teachers professional leave to further their education.

“When teachers invest their time, commitment and loyalty to the territory, the very least we can show them is that we reciprocate that,” Hainnu says. “It’s important to us to invest in them.”

Unique professional opportunities
Nunavut teachers have extensive access to professional development — opportunities that Shawna Thomson says she would have struggled to find back home in Ontario.

She and her husband, both teachers, came to the territory in 2011 after graduating from Queen’s University. They worked in Taloyoak and Kugluktuk before a 2019 move to Iqaluit, where Thomson is the lead grade 7 teacher at Aqsarniit Middle School, and her husband is vice-principal at Inuksuk High School.

Like Rosborough, they had intended to stay for just one year. “But we ended up falling in love with the North and it’s home now,” says Thomson, noting that they recently bought a house in Iqaluit.

“From day one in my classroom, the kids are so wonderful and they really want to learn,” she says. “They’re just waiting for the right person to come along and inspire them and offer opportunities that’ll really get them interested in the classroom.”

When Thomson and a co-worker saw a need for books and teaching materials about the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit principles (Inuit societal values), they were able to work with a local company to get them published, delivered and available on the Chapters website within six months.

“There’s a lot of space for people’s ideas, and we’re very fortunate that way. Being a published author is an opportunity I would never have had if I’d stayed in the South.” Hainnu says Nunavut teachers are relied upon to help design the curriculum, which includes locally developed courses within each community. Thomson says during her time in Taloyoak, “we were going on caribou and seal hunts, and to see the kids in that environment, to see the other side of them that we don’t necessarily get to see in the classroom was such a great opportunity.”

For Rosborough, too, some of her best times teaching have been out on the land with her students. “In Kugluktuk, there’s a park called Bloody Falls and we’d go there for a day of berry picking. We’d have picnics out by the falls. We’d go ice fishing. We got to spend time with elders and hear about all of their experiences growing up. So, just a lot of the things that you’re a little too busy to do in any other place.”

Welcoming communities
The close-knit nature of northern communities helps with the cold and lack of sunlight in winter, Rosborough adds. “There are so many people always wanting to do a potluck or have a games night. There are always people to connect with and spend time with, which is a big thing up here.”

For anyone considering the experience, Rosborough advises keeping an open mind. “A lot of people just close off the idea because it’s such unfamiliar territory. But there are so many opportunities to do good in these communities, whether it’s through work or volunteering. “People think it’s a huge, crazy thing. But really, you get here and it’s relaxing, it’s go with the flow. It’s an amazing experience. I would highly recommend it. “Right now, I’m looking out my balcony and the view is insane. There are mountains and I’m close to the water — it’s just so beautiful here.”

For the latest job postings for
teachers in Nunavut, visit gov.nu.ca/teachinnunavut

ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᑦ ᐃᓕᓴᐃᒋᑦ, gov.nu.ca/iu/ilinniarnilirijikkut/information/nunavummit-ilisaigit

Iliharniq Nunavunmi, gov.nu.ca/in/ilinniaqtuliqiyikkut/information/iliharniq-nunavunmi

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Like his family before him, Tyler Harbaruk imagined a lifelong career in the oil and gas industry. Growing up in the oilpatch town of Macklin, Sask., it was a way of life.

After high school, he earned a diploma in petroleum engineering and quickly landed a well-paying job in his field. The position demanded extensive travel across Western Canada and the U.S., taking him away from home for weeks at a time.

As Harbaruk’s relationship with his fiancée (now wife) grew, he questioned whether his itinerant lifestyle was a good fit. “I knew I wanted to start a family soon and that I wasn’t going to want to work away forever.”

He decided to switch gears and pursue a career that would keep him closer to home. But he struggled to find a post-secondary institution that would allow him to get a degree while working full-time.

“You think there are thousands of choices, but there aren’t,” says Harbaruk, now 26. “There’s one, and it’s Athabasca University. I wanted to do it entirely online. I couldn’t go to in-person classes. I could learn after work or on my days off. It’s not like there’s a class at a specific time, and you have to be there.”

As an open university, Athabasca University (AU) allows students to learn at their own pace, on their own time — regardless of location, academic history or life circumstances. Founded in 1970, AU quickly turned its focus to distance learning by correspondence and later pioneered the use of computers to deliver courses. It launched the world’s first online MBA in 1994.

So, while many universities struggled to adapt to online delivery during the pandemic, AU and its faculty are veterans. AU courses are purposefully designed for asynchronous instruction, and the school is recognized as one of the world’s leading-edge virtual universities. It serves more than 38,000 students across Canada and in more than 101 countries around the world.

For Harbaruk, the model AU has been perfecting for decades simply made sense. He enrolled in a few courses toward a Bachelor of Commerce degree. With credit for his previous diploma, he was already partway there. And when he was laid off for four months during the COVID-19 downturn, Harbaruk seized the opportunity.

“I signed up for more AU classes. I was used to working long hours, so I thought, ‘I’m just going to do these classes from eight to five and make a bunch of progress toward my degree.’ ”

When work started up again, Harbaruk was back on the road, but he continued his coursework in his spare time. It was going so well that when his company offered him a job in northern Alberta in the fall of 2020, he made “a huge leap” and turned it down. “I knew I wanted to take the next year off to finish my degree and find something else.”

Harbaruk graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance in June 2021 — just 15 months after enrolling. “You can work at your own pace. It’s not easy — you have to be really dedicated and organized — but it’s definitely possible.”

What makes open universities different from traditional, bricks-and-mortar institutions is their focus on outputs rather than inputs, says AU President Peter Scott, who took on the role in January after 30 years working in open and online learning in Australia and the U.K.

“People in the 21st century lead very complicated lives. To tell them they can only enrol once or twice a year is limiting. Our learners can enrol every month. And if you ask why they chose us, they usually say we’re flexible and we’re high quality.”

Athabasca University President Peter Scott

“Whoever you are, our job is to make you successful,” he says. “We don’t pick you. You pick us — and then we help you succeed. We’re not focused on measuring you as you come in and deciding that you deserve a place here. Our job is to measure how what we do changes your world. It’s that output we’re most proud of.”

Flexibility and accessibility are hallmarks of open universities, Scott says. “People in the 21st century lead very complicated lives. To tell them they can only enroll once or twice a year is limiting. Our learners can enroll every month. And if you ask why they chose us, they usually say we’re flexible and we’re high quality.”

Along with the University of Calgary, University of Lethbridge and University of Alberta in Edmonton, AU is one of Alberta’s four publicly funded comprehensive academic and research institutions. The AU business school ranks in the top six percent worldwide, and recently achieved gold-standard accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)

AU is also home to the world-class IDEA Lab, a virtual research environment that harnesses the power of cloud computing to enable researchers to investigate big problems and engineer effective solutions. From analyzing open datasets for bias in health care to building an automatic answering service for COVID-19 questions, IDEA Lab has helped AU researchers achieve faster results.

AU has made it a priority to remove the barriers many students face at traditional institutions. Scott says some 70 percent of learners are “first-in-family” students — the first in their families to attend university. “When your family doesn’t have a tradition of sending people to college, it represents a new opportunity. You are taking that leap on behalf of yourself, your kids, your cousins and the rest of your family. You are showing them that university can be part of their lives.”

Scott also notes at least one in 10 AU learners lives in a rural or remote area. That’s one of the benefits of asynchronous instruction: Students can participate from anywhere, at their convenience. “It’s really a perfect model for working worldwide,” he adds. “Anything a conventional university does, we can do it better — and for everyone.”

For Harbaruk, the most significant benefit of AU’s open model was how it helped develop his self-management skills, which are essential in his new career.

Far from the travelling lifestyle of his previous job, Harbaruk is now a business valuation analyst with MNP and lives in Sherwood Park, Alta.

“At AU, you’re given a deadline and you figure out how to plan your time and progress through your courses,” he says. “You set the timeline for yourself — you just have to meet the deadline with good quality work. That’s what really matters in the workplace, too.”

For more about Athabasca University and its programs of study, visit athabascau.ca.

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JAY MALLARI immigrated to Canada along with his wife in 2012. Like many other new Canadians, he wanted to expand his horizons in his adopted home. With a background in finance in his native Philippines and a degree in business, he found a job at Sun Life Financial, one of Canada’s largest insurance and financial services companies. But he also saw a need for people to help new immigrants navigate the Canadian financial world and plan for their futures.

“I wanted to help people in the same boat as we had been in,” Mallari says. “But I had no idea how to incorporate everything involved in real financial planning. That’s when I decided to educate myself.” He earned his Qualified Associate Financial Planner designation, and today he is president of Cambria Financial Solutions. The Burnaby, B.C.-based financial advisory firm serves a diverse group of about 3,000 clients, including business owners, young professionals and, of course, new Canadians.

Since FP Canada launched QAFP certification in 2020, it has become an increasingly popular way to start a career in financial planning, and for some, it’s a stepping stone to the organization’s Certified Financial Planner® designation. There are now nearly 2,000 QAFP professionals in Canada, each armed with the skills, knowledge and ethical standards to understand clients’ everyday financial planning needs and to offer expert advice tailored to their unique circumstances.

Financial planners with highly regarded credentials, such as FP Canada’s Certified Financial Planner® certification and Qualified Associate Financial Planner certification, have a strong competitive advantage, says Van Cauwenberghe.

To earn the QAFP designation, candidates must take both technical and professional courses, some of which may be done as part of a diploma or degree program. They must also complete at least a year of qualifying work experience and pass a national exam.

CFP® candidates must have a degree from an accredited post-secondary institution — in any discipline, although a focus on business or finance is helpful. There’s extensive coursework, a three-year work experience requirement, and an exam.

The educational process doesn’t end with certification. Both QAFP and CFP professionals must commit to ongoing professional development to maintain their credentials.

Whether you choose QAFP certification or CFP certification, a career in financial planning goes far beyond crunching numbers. “It is a relationship business,” Mallari says. “I spend most of my day in front of clients, getting to know their priorities and goals when it comes to their financial well-being.”

Graduate with skills for an in-demand financial planning career. One that makes a difference in people’s lives. Start at www.becomeafinancialplanner.ca

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FOR YEARS NOW, businesses and policymakers have warned of the so-called skills shortage in Canada. Most Canadians have heard about the urgent need for more employees with science and technology training and, thanks in large part to the pandemic, for workers in the hospitality, construction and manufacturing sectors. Yet there is another occupation that is in very high demand, though it might not get as much attention: financial planning. In fact, the job prospects for those who choose this career are excellent.

Financial planners develop strategies to help people achieve their financial goals. A number of factors are driving the need for more highly trained, certified professionals, including demographics, industry trends and changes in legislation, not to mention Canadians’ high levels of financial stress.

Aging population, longer retirements, immigration
By 2030, seniors will make up almost a quarter of Canada’s population, so we can expect a flood of retirements in the next few years. That includes the financial industry itself: One recent survey found that more than half of financial advisors are over 55, meaning they will soon retire. “Some senior advisors in particular are concerned that there won’t be enough properly educated people to manage all the large books of business that will need to be transitioned,” says Christine Van Cauwenberghe, who as head of financial planning at IG Wealth works with more than 3,300 financial planners and advisors. Those with highly regarded credentials, such as FP Canada’s Certified Financial Planner® certification and Qualified Associate Financial Plannercertification, will have a strong competitive advantage, she adds.

“After a doctor, a financial planner can be someone’s most important advisor. To have the most impact on their financial health, you need to care about people, and you need to be good at asking questions.”

Meanwhile, life expectancies are longer than ever. Retirees once needed to save for 15 years of life after work, they now have to plan for 25 or more. All those aging workers will be looking for the kind of retirement advice only professional financial planners can provide.
Then there are the 300,000 or more new Canadians who arrive each year, many of whom are unfamiliar with the financial services industry here, including their options for education savings, investing, insurance and other methods to boost financial well-being. “Back in the Philippines, we didn’t have tax-free savings accounts or registered retirement savings plans,” says Jay Mallari, a QAFP professional who immigrated to Canada in 2011 and is now president of Cambria Financial Solutions in Burnaby, B.C. “When I work with new immigrants, 95 per cent of the time it begins with educating them about strategies that can benefit them in the long run.”

Industry efforts to ensure access for all Canadians
The financial advice industry is also working to increase access to its services, after an extensive 2021 FP Canada survey that found many Canadians worry they may face discrimination from financial experts, lack the confidence to seek help or simply feel it isn’t available to them.
“Not all Canadians experience the same level of confidence or well-being when it comes to their finances,” wrote Tashia Batstone, president and CEO of FP Canada. “For example, Indigenous peoples, the 2SLGBTQI community, women and people living with disabilities all under-index on these key measures of financial wellness.”

More planners will be needed to ensure wider access, and FP Canada has called on the industry to work together to expand the diversity of those entering the profession, so more Canadians see themselves reflected in it.

Legislative changes
For those considering financial planning as a career, recognized designations such as the ones FP Canada provides might well become a must-have. That’s because provincial governments are increasingly turning their attention to ensuring that financial planners adhere to high professional standards and serve their clients ethically and competently. Ontario, for instance, recently enacted standards that require anyone using the “financial planner” title to hold an approved credential such as CFP® certification or QAFP certification, and industry watchers expect other provinces to follow suit. Meanwhile, major employers increasingly expect their financial planners to have an FP Canada designation. At IG, “we strongly encourage our financial planners to get one,” says Van Cauwenberghe.

Financial stress-release valve
An FP Canada survey released in June found that half of Canadians worry about money, and Gen Zs in particular report anxiety, depression and mental health challenges as a result. But those who work with a CFP professional or QAFP professional say they sleep better and have lower levels of money-related stress. It’s another factor that feeds demand for financial planners.
If you want to help people and contribute to their overall well-being, a career in financial planning might be for you, Van Cauwenberghe says. “There are a lot of very dedicated, caring young people out there who could really make a positive impact in the lives of many Canadians.”

Graduate with skills for an in-demand financial planning career. One that makes a difference in people’s lives. Start at www.becomeafinancialplanner.ca

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As rising inflation compels us to be more financially savvy, the University of Lethbridge in Alberta is an appealing choice for university-bound students.

ULethbridge offers affordability, with the lowest tuition fees among post-secondary schools in Western Canada. Living costs are also relatively low in a friendly, walkable city known for its nature preserves, rich arts scene and abundant sunny weather.

At the same time, the University is distinguished for its considerable research output, high-quality undergraduate education offerings, extensive experiential learning opportunities, world-renowned faculty and extraordinary facilities.

“With 94.5 per cent of our graduates finding employment in their field, it shows we are doing what students and the community need to ensure their success,” says Trushar Patel, associate dean, Arts & Science.

Among ULethbridge’s current students—it welcomes about 9,000 each year—are Walker English and Chantal Barry, final-year undergraduates who are both realizing the rewards of their ULethbridge investment.

Walker English, Pii-taa Kyaa-tsis

Bachelor of Science student | Major: Kinesiology

As Walker English, Pii-taa Kyaa-tsis, completes his kinesiology degree at the University of Lethbridge, he says he’s confident he’ll be able to put his education to good use.

A major reason, he says, is the two practical, hands-on learning experiences he participated in through the Career Bridge: Centre for Work-Integrated Learning and Career Development. As a Lethbridge Sport Council intern, he helped teach lacrosse to Indigenous youth. And as a summer camp counsellor in the Destination Exploration program, he engaged children in STEM activities.

“Both opportunities were really cool because they allowed me to apply what I had learned in the classroom, and they were also a lot of fun,” says English, a Blackfoot Indigenous community member.

On campus, what has enriched English’s understanding of his discipline has been his engaging professors—“their passion for their subjects definitely makes the learning enjoyable”—and developing his expertise in the Science Commons, Canada’s most advanced facility for interdisciplinary science education and research.

To maximize his ULethbridge experience, English has expanded his academic pursuits by taking liberal arts courses in philosophy, art and the Blackfoot language. He also makes good use of the university’s many recreational and fitness options, especially the indoor running track, Olympic-sized pool and Yoga Club.

Aiming for a career as a mental performance consultant to professional athletes—an interest sparked by a presentation by a ULethbridge guest speaker—English is satisfied with how ULethbridge has prepared him to pursue his dream.

“I’ve picked up many skills and abilities during my time here, and made connections that will help me in the future,” English says. “ULethbridge has opened many doors to good opportunities.”

Chantal Barry

Bachelor of Management student | Major: Accounting

A junior accountant job at the leading global accounting firm BDO, awaits Chantal Barry—in September 2023, a full 12 months before she even completes her degree at uLethbridge.

The offer to join the firm’s Lethbridge office was made to her at a Dhillon School of Business networking event, and just like that, her future in the field is already in motion.

Certainly, Barry has manifested this finish-line reward because of her aptitude for financial analysis and dedication as a student, but she says the university has supported her success every step of the way.

She is grateful to the “extremely knowledgeable” professors who “put their heart and soul into lectures” and inspire her to excel. Also, she says, ULethbridge is “big enough to explore different interests” and small enough to offer a strong sense of community. The institution was also a natural choice for the native of Lethbridge, a “quaint” city she adores for its cultural festivals and urban parks.

While Barry began her education as a “super quiet person,” volunteering for the Dhillon Business Students’ Association has helped her break out of her shell. First, as director and then VP of corporate relations, she organized opportunities for students to connect with local employers. “It helped me develop my leadership and communication skills and make new friends.”

With ULethbridge providing her with everything she needs to flourish, Barry is confident about her future as a certified professional accountant.

“I have been able to grow in both my professional skills and my personal life,” Barry says. “This has been a good investment in myself, my career and my future.”

The post These students are reaping the high value of a ULethbridge education appeared first on Macleans.ca.

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As told to Andrea Yu

Morning routine

My earliest lecture starts at 8:30am, so I usually wake up around 6:30 or 7am to get ready. I live about a 10-minute drive from campus—right by the Thompson River—in a basement apartment with a roommate.

I’m a fourth-year natural resource sciences student. Many of my morning lectures are in Old Main, which has recently been updated. It’s one of the original buildings, back when TRU was Cariboo College.

I usually sit with three or four friends; we all have the same schedules. The lectures last about 50 to 75 minutes and only have about 40 to 50 people in them. The class sizes at TRU are small, which makes it feel less like the professor is “performing” to an audience and more like they’re talking to you personally.

Before I began studying here, I didn’t know what to expect from the professors; I had heard they were good but didn’t know what that meant—or how that was different from other universities and their faculty.

But my professors have all been super passionate and welcoming. I had one professor learn who everyone was by taking a photo of each student holding their names on a piece of paper so they could study it, and I had another offer their phone number so we could reach them if we ever needed anything.

After a morning lecture, I’ll usually have an hour break where I’ll go to a coffee shop to get a bite to eat or study with my friends. There are so many places on campus to sit around and soak up the sun, which lets you recharge without having to leave campus.

From there, I’ll head to a lab in the Ken Lepin Science Building, which lasts about two or three hours. One of my favourite labs was looking at water samples from a local lake through a microscope, and there have been a couple of cool opportunities to practise with real field equipment—like when we dissected a fish. Two or three times a year, we’ll go out in the field and do an outdoor activity for a lab, or sometimes it’ll be an overnight trip.

When my lab is done, I’m ready for lunch. I like to pack something from home, but sometimes I’ll treat myself to one of the food trucks on campus. There are many fast and cheap options if you’re in a rush or healthier meals if you have the time.

Afternoon and evening

After lunch, I might have another lecture or lab. Otherwise, I’ll be studying somewhere on campus. I like the Brown Family House of Learning because it has big tables and a collaborative feel. The Old Library Administration and Research Annex (OLARA) also has some pretty good study areas, which can be better if you’re looking for a quieter and more private vibe.

When I’m ready for a study break, I like to go for a walk outside on campus. There’s a nice area between Old Main and the Library with a walking path next to some huge pine trees. There’s actually a family of deer that lives on campus. They’re known as the TRU deer, and I always see them around; they’re so sweet.

After a study session, I’ll head back to the Brown Family House of Learning for a seminar. They’re longer, about two hours, with a group of 20 to 30 students. The more intimate setting makes it easier to speak up, bounce around ideas and talk about what we’ve learned. The professors are good about facilitating the conversations, so everyone has a chance to contribute.

My day usually ends around 6 or 7pm. Sometimes there are sports games on campus that my friends and I will stay and watch; otherwise, I’ll head home to have dinner and unwind. I enjoy going for walks, and there’s a great trail that winds around the river just a few minutes from my house. I like to prioritize working out, and I have a local gym I like to go to. Occasionally, my friends and I will head downtown and go to one of our favourite bars.

Opportunities outside of the classroom

Besides the on-campus learning, I’ve had other opportunities to put what I’ve learned into practice and perspective. Kamloops is diverse, both environmentally and socially, and has the BC Wildlife Park. I like to volunteer there in my free time.

I also worked closely with a couple of my professors on different research opportunities. In 2021, I was a research assistant on a project that studied movement patterns of juvenile rattlesnakes. This past summer, I led my own research on Western painted turtles for my honour’s thesis, and that helped me feel like what I’ve been learning has had a purpose.

When you’re in the classroom, it can be hard to see how it all translates. But having the opportunity to get the hands-on experience has helped me clarify my future goals and ultimately inspired me to continue onto a master’s program after I graduate.

My professors connected me with these opportunities; I didn’t know that undergrad research could be so accessible or attainable. Especially as a fourth-year student, it’s nice knowing I don’t have to start at square one when I graduate. I already have the experience employers are looking for and more confidence in my skills and abilities.

Despite having a busy schedule, I love spending time on campus, and I’m grateful for all the hands-on research I’ve been part of. My time at TRU has opened up my options for the future and helped prepare me for whatever comes next.

For more information on Thompson Rivers University, click here.

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For many future leaders, choosing a business school comes down to the promise of career prospects, and recent UBC Sauder grad Kristian Oppenheim was no exception.

“When I was first weighing my options for university, I was really focused on what schools offered in terms of ranking, academics and job placement. I knew UBC Sauder would be super-competitive in that respect,” says Oppenheim, who earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree with a specialization in accounting.

Oppenheim didn’t anticipate that some of his greatest learning opportunities would come from outside the classroom, a facet of UBC Sauder life he hadn’t fully considered prior to arriving on campus. “I didn’t realize the full extent of what the school could offer. It was much more than going to class and studying.”

Orientation changed everything. “After the first two weeks at school, I had more things that I wanted to get involved in than I could have possibly pursued during a four-year degree,” he says. And it is that involvement in clubs and student life that ultimately shaped his overall experience, including building his emotional intelligence (EQ) that he would need in his career.

Kristian leading a team of volunteers to remove invasive species in Pacific Spirit Regional Park, near UBC campus.

Oppenheim recites a list of extracurriculars that included vice-president of Academic Affairs, Commerce Undergraduate Society (CUS) president, leader of UBC Sauder’s peer career advisors, a member of the team that claimed JDC West School of the Year at Western Canada’s largest business school competition, serving as a residence advisor—and even a role as the love interest in a campus production of the musical Freaky Friday, to name just a few.
“I spent probably 45 to 70 hours a week between classes and all those other things,” he says. But rather than stealing attention away from academics, Oppenheim says all those activities brought his learnings to life.

“Without all my involvement in student life I feel like I would have just had a paper but no context for why all the knowledge I have mattered,” he says. “The more involved I got, the more people and professors I knew and the more I felt connected to the content in class. A lot of the time when you’re learning business concepts and it’s just from a textbook, it’s hard to understand the weight of that knowledge and why what you’re learning is important or when you’re ever going to need it.”

But for Oppenheim, extracurriculars made his education truly hands-on. “Being involved in student engagement and understanding how to create and execute a proper marketing campaign made me sit up and pay attention in marketing class. I didn’t understand the importance of HR until I led the career peer-advisor team and half the role was using HR-related practices to manage the team. When I was CUS president, we had to deal with a lot of money, and you quickly realize why internal controls, journal entries, responsible leadership and audits are important.”

Kristian exploring Tofino, British Columbia in his off hours.

Now a staff accountant in the audit and assurance practice at Ernst and Young, Oppenheim says experience outside class “led me to want to be the best student I could possibly be.”

While his new job—and studying for his Core 1 exam—takes more time than classes used to, Oppenheim is still pursuing many of the same activities that fueled him during undergrad, including making time each week to chat over coffee with current business students.

“A lot of the people I look up to in the workplace, what I really admire is their EQ. Their ability to communicate, to inspire people, to delegate. UBC Sauder got me started developing those really important skills for myself. I feel like if I keep putting in that work, I can do anything.”

To learn more about academic and student life at UBC Sauder, click here.

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Nestled in the picturesque city of Sherbrooke, Que., you’ll find Bishop’s University—a beautiful campus with welcoming arches adorned with brick stone. “It’s so hard to capture what it’s like because it’s an experience that is magical in the sense that you’re surrounded by nature,” says Enzo Evangelisti, who graduated from Bishop’s in 2022 and has returned as residence life coordinator.

Located on 550 acres at the junction of the Saint-François and Massawippi rivers in the province’s Eastern Townships, the liberal arts university, founded in 1843, also boasts some stunning 19th century architecture alongside a futuristic, newly-renovated and updated Library Learning Commons with open spaces for collaboration and socializing.

With fewer than 3,000 full-time students—many of whom live on campus—Bishop’s University is renowned for its close-knit community of students, faculty and staff. “There’s a deep-rooted connection that’s fostered by the campus itself and the people who work here,” says Evangelisti. “It’s a combination of factors that creates this unique experience that’s so hard to explain.”

Katie Bibbs, the academic facilitator in Student Services, agrees. “It brings these young people together with faculty and staff who are so committed to the student experience in a really interesting incubator of shared passion, shared curiosity and shared desire to really make this a fulfilling experience.”

“When students come to a smaller liberal arts institution, they expect a more holistic experience,” she explains. This year, the school is amplifying that experience with a curricular approach to student affairs—an innovative framework that is growing in popularity across North America. The curricular approach broadens the whole concept of education to include intentional academic, personal and professional learning, outside the classroom, in-residence and beyond.

“We’re operating with the lens that we are educators too,” adds Bibbs. “We’re here to serve the student experience, to help them grow as human beings so that the emphasis is not just on the transcript, but rather on the entire student, so that when they leave, they leave a whole, fulfilled human being who feels like they have really grown because of their experience on campus.”

To that end, Student Affairs identified four learning aims rooted in the university’s culture, values and mission. The first is to support the personal growth of the student because, as Bibbs notes, “it’s their definition of success that matters–not mine, not their profs’.” That may involve, for example, helping students learn how to advocate for themselves or resolve conflicts—essential life skills to be sure, but ones that aren’t typically an intentional part of the university experience.

The next is fostering curiosity. When different factions of the Bishop’s community were asked what their hopes were for students when they graduate, Bibbs says, having curiosity was one of the top answers. Then, there is the goal of helping to develop equity-minded human beings, Bibbs says. “I think that’s been a real catchphrase in the last couple of years, but it really comes from the heart, I think, for so many,” she adds. “In the Student Affairs Department, we’re trying to support a more inclusive and equitable environment for our students to live in and build community in.”

And finally, there’s community engagement. “It’s about developing that sense of self and identity,” Bibbs says, “so that they may then go and engage and make those community connections and then contribute to that community in a positive and meaningful way.”

Click here for more information on open house dates during the 2022-2023 academic year.

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FRED ZHOU’S CAREER as a financial planner has roots in his childhood. Growing up in Kamloops, B.C., Zhou would often serve as a translator for his mother, who did not speak much English. When he was eight, he and his mom met with a financial advisor who encouraged her to open a registered education savings plan for Fred and his brother. “If my mom had not met that person, she most likely wouldn’t have invested in an RESP,” Zhou says, “and that might have meant a completely different future for us.”

Today, as a senior financial planner with TD Wealth, a division of TD Bank, in Kamloops, B.C., Zhou is following in the footsteps of the advisor who helped his family so many years ago. He is one of 17,000 Canadians, and more than 190,000 worldwide, who hold the Certified Financial Planner® designation, the gold standard of educational achievement in the field. Like them, he has discovered a career that not only pays well and is in high demand, but also allows him the freedom to choose his own path and his own style. Even more important, it gives him the power to support his community. “I grew up here in Kamloops, and it means a lot to be able to give back.”

What do financial planners do, exactly?
Many jobs involve giving advice about money — insurance agent, stockbroker, money manager, banker and others — but a financial planner is a professional who is uniquely trained to develop strategies to help clients achieve financial goals. This can include tackling debt, building an investment portfolio, or planning for big life events, such as buying a home, having a child or retiring. Such tasks can be stressful and confusing, and advice from the internet can only help so much. A planner’s job is to work closely with clients — and sometimes with their families and other experts such as lawyers and accountants — to help them understand their financial situation and define their aspirations, then make a clear plan for their success. “You can have a direct impact on the lives of the people who choose to work with you,” Zhou says. “We are educators first and foremost, and our impacts can have a ripple effect on society that cannot be truly measured.”

What qualities make a good financial planner?
The most successful financial planners have strong “soft” skills, such as communication, empathy, listening and curiosity, says Christine Van Cauwenberghe, CFP®. She leads the financial planning division of IG Wealth Management, one of Canada’s largest financial advisory firms. “After a doctor, a financial planner can be someone’s most important advisor,” she explains. “To have the most impact on their financial health, you need to care about people, and you need to be good at asking questions.”

In Canada, the CFP designation and Qualified Associate Financial Planner designation are granted and overseen by FP Canada, the national body dedicated to championing financial wellness for all Canadians. Those who are certified by FP Canada are required to conduct themselves with the highest professional and ethical standards, and to have the skills and education needed to guide clients on their financial planning needs. Although they are held to the same professional standards, CFP professionals have achieved a more advanced level of education compared to QAFP professionals, so they’re able to tackle more complex financial planning scenarios. QAFP professionals are able to guide their clients on their everyday financial planning needs.

Does it pay well? What are the other benefits?
Those with a CFP designation can expect a healthy income and plenty of freedom to choose their own career path. According to FP Canada, over half earn more than $100,000 a year and a quarter earn more than $200,000. Employment and Social Development Canada estimated last year that demand for financial planners is strong, and banks and financial advisory firms continually expand their wealth management offerings. While full-time employment is one possibility, many financial planners run their own businesses as entrepreneurs. Either way, they typically enjoy a lot of autonomy in building and maintaining their own client bases and business relationships. As Zhou says, “Every day is different.”

When you talk to financial planners, it quickly becomes clear that their greatest rewards are not just job security and a good salary, but the satisfaction of helping people achieve their dreams.
Jay Mallari, a QAFP professional and president of Cambria Financial Solutions in Burnaby, B.C., recalls working with a couple who had been in Canada for more than a decade and had rented all that time. He helped them understand how to leverage RRSP contributions to put a down payment on a condo. Today, they are proud homeowners who are building equity for their family’s future. “Helping people that way — you can’t put a price on that,” he says.

Graduate with skills for an in-demand financial planning career. One that makes a difference in people’s lives. Start at www.becomeafinancialplanner.ca

The post Financial planning as a career appeared first on Macleans.ca.

Whether you’re trying to complete a university degree or earn a living, either can be challenging. Trying to do both simultaneously can feel downright impossible.

That’s where work-integrated degree programs can offer promising solutions—providing more affordable, inclusive education pathways to careers. This is particularly crucial in the digital technologies arena where Canada is coming up short in terms of recruiting talent.

First in Canada

York University’s Lassonde School of Engineering is the first in Canada to help bridge this gap by offering an innovative and flexible alternative to traditional university study. Lassonde’s new Digital Technologies work-integrated degree program—just announced in September—enables students to have full-time salaried employment with the same employer for four years, while studying towards a Bachelor of Applied Science degree. Approximately 20 per cent of their work time is dedicated to theoretical, in-class learning delivered during five-day block periods every six-to-seven weeks. The rest of their work hours are spent in the workplace where academic learning will be continually applied and integrated as they gain experience and contribute to their employer’s goals. The program will be offered exclusively through York University’s Markham campus.

Through this program, organizations can both upskill their existing workforce and access a new talent pipeline, while increasing equity, diversity and inclusion. The program also acts as a vehicle for upward mobility as it offers access to higher education for non-traditional learners as well as those who often face systemic barriers to tech careers such as Black, Indigenous and people of colour, newcomers, individuals with disabilities, first-generation students and older people.

Built on a successful model

While the work-integrated degree concept is new to Canada, it’s based on a tried-and-true model from the UK, which launched in 2015 to great success. Now, the majority of higher education providers in England offer these types of programs.

Jane Goodyer, dean of the Lassonde School of Engineering, has already piloted the model in New Zealand, and she’s now helping to debut the concept in Canada in tandem with organizations like IBM. “It’s all about opening doors to those who simply wouldn’t have the time or money to pursue a degree. Our new work-integrated program will transform the future of learning and employment in Canada—supercharging skills development while advancing society toward a more just future for generations to come.”

Lassonde worked on its program with one of the UK’s leading providers of this model, Manchester Metropolitan University, which is forecast to have more than 2,300 students enrolled in work-integrated programs with 544 employers this year.

To design and develop the program, Lassonde also collaborated with a visionary group of ‘Trailblazer’ businesses, public sector organizations and industry associations to ensure the program delivers the required knowledge, skills and professionalism companies need in their IT specialists. These included senior technology experts from Ceridian, CGI, Cinchy Inc., Cisco Canada, Connected (Connected.io, Now part of Thoughtworks), EY Canada, General Motors of Canada Company, IBM Canada, mimik Technology Inc., RBC, Saa Dene Group, Shopify, TELUS Health, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat and TribalScale Inc. Together, they created curriculum and learning outcomes designed to anticipate industry needs and shape their evolution.

Win-win for students and businesses

Work-integrated learning models benefit both students and employers by driving positive change. Students who couldn’t attend university because of financial barriers can gain hands-on work experience and new skills while earning a salary. Employers can upskill existing employees and access a rich pipeline of untapped talent, giving them a competitive edge. Through their employees, they can also gain access to the latest expertise and resources that York University can provide.

With a 90 per cent employer satisfaction rate, York is building on its promise of high-quality education that prepares students for long-term success. In its first year, the program will be delivered through York University’s state-of-the-art Learning Space in IBM Canada’s headquarters in Markham. “Participating in Lassonde’s new work-integrated program reinforces IBM’s continued commitment to create a more diverse workforce and cultivate a flexible, inclusive, and equitable work environment,” says Lila Adamec, leader of IBM Canada’s Academic Integration and Strategy division. “Doing so helps us continue to create a culture of transparency and trust among IBMers to drive employee engagement and retention as well as to be globally competitive.”

To learn more about Lassonde’s Digital Technologies work-integrated degree program, starting Fall 2023, visit lassonde.yorku.ca/digitaltech.

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On the shores of the Lake of the Woods, near the Manitoba border, Kenora is a jewel in Ontario’s vastness. This small city, far from the bustle of the province’s major hubs, is home to some 15,000 Canadians who have learned to weather the harsh—albeit spectacular—winters in exchange for a king’s share of summer splendour.

It’s a sanctuary that keeps the rest of the world at arm’s length, right where Kenora’s faithful want it. But Kenora is also, critically, a community defined by closeness, one where bonds with the family and friends who have also chosen this place are all-important.

In Sandra Derouard’s 62 years, she has travelled, spent time in Canada’s major hubs, and seen what the wider world has to offer, and she has consciously decided that Kenora is the best of it. “It’s so beautiful,” she says. “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. All our family is here on both sides. My husband Allan comes from a big family of eight brothers and sisters. They’re all here. My brother and sisters are all here and our kids left for a while, but they all ended up coming back. This is where they wanted to call home.”

But, for all the undeniable peace and intimacy of Northern Ontario, the remoteness brings challenges along with its blessings. Eight years ago, Sandra found herself facing those hurdles head on, when her vision of serene summers on the lake surrounded by friends and family met the harsh reality of a rare and life-threatening lymphoma diagnosis.

Sisters’ intuition

Getting sick was very much not in Sandra’s plan.

Between her job at the bank, the birth of her first granddaughter, Ayla, and a generally busy social and family life, there just wasn’t room for it in the schedule. Sandra has always been feisty, and when her health began to slow her down in early 2015, she was convinced that it was a passing inconvenience that she could power through as she had powered through so many of life’s challenges before.

“I was fatigued and fading fast, but I blamed it all on stress,” she recalls. “My daughter had just had a rough pregnancy and delivery, so I was worrying about her and trying to help out the best I could, juggling work and life and everything else. It got to the point though where I was having a hard time walking upstairs without stopping to catch my breath. Chewing, walking, cutting a piece of steak—the most basic things in life that we take for granted—started taking everything out of me. It was bad. But still, I was stubborn.”

As Sandra grew weaker, it was her family that stepped in and insisted that, as strong as she had always been, this time she needed to seek outside help. “It was my sisters Debbie and Donna who finally came to my house and said that they wanted to take me to the hospital,” Sandra says. “I gave in. I just thought, okay, if this is what I have to do to make everyone happy, then I’ll go.”

Blood work and testing at the hospital in Kenora led to more questions than answers, and Sandra was admitted immediately. It was clear that something was very wrong, but nobody knew what. Sandra recalls it being a time of great fear and confusion, culminating in a telehealth call with Dr. Nicole Laferriere, Chief of Oncology at Regional Cancer Care Northwest in Thunder Bay.

“Dr. Laferriere was sure it was some sort of lymphoma and she wanted me in Thunder Bay the next morning at 9 a.m.,” Sandra says. “That’s like a five- or six-hour drive. Drop everything and get to Thunder Bay, she said. All hell broke loose at that point.”

Sandra and Allan Derouard

Best-in-class care, closer to home

Dr. Laferriere was well aware she was asking a lot of Sandra in summoning her to Thunder Bay. The cancer network Dr. Laferriere oversees covers a vast territory in Northern Ontario, and many of her patients live in communities far more remote than even Kenora.

“Keeping patients in their home community as much as possible is absolutely a core value and one that we place very highly,” says Dr. Laferriere. “We use technology as much as we can and there’s always more that we want to be able to deliver in that area.”

But the reality is that critical components of diagnosis and sometimes treatment still require the specialized setting of a modern cancer centre. That’s especially true for rare cancers like Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia (WM)—which turned out to be the source of Sandra’s intense symptoms.

Dr. Nicole Laferriere

“Lymphoma is the fifth most common type of cancer, and there are many, many subtypes,” explains Dr. Laferriere. “Some are more common and many are rarer. WM is a rare type of lymphoma with its own set of symptoms and problems that aren’t present in most other types of lymphoma. People can become very unwell, very fast.”

Sandra’s condition worsened quickly and, in retrospect, the intervention of her family had come just in time. “It was damn hard being so far away throughout this ordeal. I was so fortunate that my sisters and my son were able to be there with me. But my daughter, my son-in-law, my grandson, Jett, and my new granddaughter, I didn’t want them travelling. I hated the idea of them spending half the day in the car just to see me.”

The unique perspective of a cancer caregiver

Far further south, in the parts of Ontario that Torontonians call “North,” Lynne Knowlton is fighting to find order in the chaos of her husband Michael’s 2006 diagnosis with the same rare, slow-growing lymphoma. Lynne’s experience as a lymphoma caregiver has given her a powerful insider’s perspective on just how essential access to treatment is—both geographical and financial.

“At times, I feel like everywhere I turn, blood cancer is present in my life,” says Lynne. “My husband has WM, my dad died from mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) in 2009, and my uncles lost their lives to myeloma and leukemia. These diseases have taken so much from me.”

Lynne’s father Murray was a remarkable man, and when he was diagnosed with MCL, he pursued every option he could, eventually moving to BC to get access to medications that weren’t yet available in Ontario. These treatments couldn’t save Murray’s life but they did buy him several extra years, which allowed him to reconnect with family with whom he’d been estranged.

“One of the only beauties of cancer is that it gives you that time,” says Lynne. “Time to say what you want to say. Time to do the things you want to do with your loved ones.”

Now, with Michael’s cancer, Lynne is working to reconcile her previous lymphoma experiences with a changing treatment landscape and the hope that it brings. “Access to targeted therapies is everything,” she says. “They didn’t exist for my dad. And now, in Michael’s case, he likely wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for the work of world-class doctors and clinical trials. Science has saved Michael’s life. It would have been beautiful if it could have saved my dad’s life, too.”

Like Sandra, Lynne and Michael still face so much uncertainty, but Lynne and her family have embraced a unique sense of peace and calm that allows them to thrive in the face of the rollercoaster that is cancer.

Lynne and Michael Knowlton

“Don’t waste today worrying about tomorrow”

In an arc that Dr. Laferriere describes as a classic example of modern treatment, Sandra’s month-long crisis in Thunder Bay has been followed by seven years of remission in Kenora, where she has been slowly adjusting to a new sense of normalcy while always knowing that her kind of cancer could come roaring back at any time. She’s grateful that medical advancements have carved out this long period of calm for her.

“The research that’s being done in lymphoma and the types of novel therapies that are coming our way are unprecedented,” says Dr. Laferriere. “We have many patients all across the region who are on medications that can be taken at home. We see them by telehealth and do the same sorts of follow-up assessments as we would in person. We’re seeing prolonged remissions in cases like Sandra’s. But, unfortunately, there remains no cure.”

To find serenity in this uncertainty, Sandra leans on words of wisdom from her mother, who passed away not long before Sandra’s diagnosis: “Don’t waste today worrying about tomorrow.”

Sandra is content to put her faith in Dr. Laferriere and the rest of her care team, knowing that the monitoring she receives will be the best that modern medicine has to offer. She’s not going to fritter away her precious days hoping for more than that. After all, there’s the whole banquet of lake life in Kenora, surrounded by family and friends, ready for her to dig in.

“All it takes to send my worries away is to be around my kids, my grandkids, and my husband,” Sandra says. “Watching Jett play hockey, watching my granddaughter Ayla grow and dance and do her gymnastics, and just being there at every stage of their lives brings me so much happiness. I’m looking forward to making more memories with the best family I could ever ask for. It’s the simple things.”

Patient Voice is an online platform for patient, caregiver and clinician storytelling. Our goal is to increase awareness of underrepresented areas in health, decrease stigma, and help Canadians have better-informed conversations about their health. 

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Jonathan Fleisch is 70 years old, and he’s not ready to slow down. He’s still bouncing back from a recent surgery and, when he talks about his recovery, it’s clear that he’s mostly just frustrated that he can’t spend as much time on his bicycle as he would like to.

But though he’s limiting his rides to 35 kilometres this summer—rather than the 80-plus-kilometre circuits he’s used to—Jonathan is unfailingly practical about not overexerting himself and creative about supplementing his fitness regimen in other ways. He is, after all, no stranger to working within the constraints of his body.

He has lived all his life with carnitine palmitoyltransferase II (CPT II) deficiency, a rare metabolic condition that is one of six types of long-chain fatty acid oxidation disorders, or LC-FAOD. Untreated, CPT II can cause severe and painful muscle damage and, in severe cases, death.

“CPT II is the mitochondrial enzyme that allows for the long-chain fatty acids to enter the inside of the mitochondria,” explains Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky, Director of the Neuromuscular and Neurometabolic Clinic at the McMaster University Medical Centre. “Without this enzyme, there’s less fat that can be burned for energy in times of need, such as fasting, illness and exercise. The muscles and heart can run out of energy under these stresses and there can be damage to the tissue, resulting in a leak of cellular components into the blood. This is called rhabdomyolysis, and it can cause muscle pain and, sometimes, lasting damage to the kidneys.”

If Jonathan isn’t careful, his muscle fibres will break down, releasing toxic metabolites that will damage vital organs. But, with his CPT II deficiency, as with his surgery recovery, Jonathan’s brand of vigilance involves developing a thorough understanding of where exactly his limits are so that he can operate safely within them.

Challenged by a mysterious opponent

Though he has lived in Canada for nearly half his life, the “Jo-burg” accent of Jonathan’s youth still comes through clearly. Growing up in South Africa in the 1950s, CPT II deficiency was not part of Jonathan’s lexicon. He had certainly never once heard the word rhabdomyolysis, so the symptoms and complications of his illness went unexplained for years.

“I would get stiff and have pain in my muscles that progressively got worse and worse until I did something to mitigate it,” says Jonathan. “I have a sister who has the same issue, but we didn’t have any idea as to the cause. At one stage we were taken to a doctor and he intimated that it most probably was psychosomatic. But that didn’t change anything for us. We carried on as we had been.”

Having always been an active child, Jonathan found his enduring love of sport when he was enrolled in a boxing class with a friend at just eight years old, even if his early days in the ring were inauspicious. “I was a shorty, and my friend was a very long guy with long arms, so I would always get punched in the nose,” Jonathan recalls, laughing. “I gave up on that very quickly and went into judo, where my reach didn’t matter as much. I loved it. Pretty soon judo was all I did. It’s not an endurance sport, so the stiffness that I would get when I exercised for a long time didn’t hamper me much.” 

On the ropes

Jonathan went on to win a judo championship at the national level—he was unstoppable.

Though he still suffered stiffness and pain following extended exercise, he had found that it was easily alleviated by his self-prescribed remedy of “two buns and a Coke.” Whatever was causing his discomfort, Jonathan wasn’t inclined to worry about it.

Then, he became extremely ill. What seemed to be a routine case of the flu aggravated his underlying condition. Illness and stress are common episode triggers for people with CPT II deficiency. It quickly became clear that this was no longer something Jonathan could ignore.

“I was 20 years old and all of a sudden I was in excruciating pain,” Jonathan recalls. “They put me straight into the intensive care ward. I was delirious and I was experiencing kidney failure. I was in the hospital for three months, and they had me on dialysis eight times over that period. I was put on a very specific diet. No condiments, no salt, only very bland foods. The only time I was allowed to eat whatever I wanted was when I was actually connected to the dialysis machine. I remember how unbelievably tasty food became during those hours.”

Jonathan was released from the hospital 30 pounds lighter than he had entered, and still without an accurate diagnosis. He hadn’t had the weight to spare on his slim athletic build but, within a year, he had gained it all back and was on the judo mat once again. Nothing slowed him down. 

“I only know one thing,” Jonathan says. “As you push forward, you don’t go halfway. I’m a no-pain-no-gain sort of guy. I’ve always just pushed forward.”

And so, without looking back at his hospitalization, Jonathan married his wife, Gwen, welcomed two children and immigrated with his young family to Canada. There, he met Dr. Tarnopolsky and finally received an accurate diagnosis of CPT II deficiency.

A proper diagnosis, at last

“Jonathan was very typical of CPT II deficiency patients in the symptoms he presented, and his initial misdiagnoses are also a typical experience,” says Dr. Tarnopolsky. “There are many things that can cause rhabdomyolysis and thus it can take time to get a diagnosis. Since finally receiving the correct diagnosis, Jonathan has done quite well. Unfortunately, we do also see much more severe and life-threatening cases in some children and some adults.”

Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky

Jonathan has become the most active member of his own care team, shaping his diet and fitness regimen meticulously, armed now with the full knowledge required to do so. This is a disease that, Dr. Tarnopolsky explains, requires constant management, much like other chronic conditions like diabetes. CPT II deficiency is not curable, but with the right approach, it’s possible to live a healthy life not limited by the condition. 

Ongoing research is also providing medical innovations to help manage the disease, although Jonathan prefers to go purely the route of lifestyle-as-treatment. He continues to exercise religiously, spending time on the treadmill or stationary bike when the weather keeps him indoors. When he’s out on his bicycle, he knows what food to pack and when to consume it to keep his enzyme levels in check. 

In recent years, Jonathan has gotten involved with MitoCanada, the national foundation supporting those living with mitochondrial disease, and he appreciates that there’s an active community to encourage research and provide support for Canadians living with all forms of mitochondrial dysfunction.

A healthy dose of vigilance

Jonathan thinks about his condition every day, because a constant awareness of his health is now ingrained in him. Everything Jonathan does is intentional, directed at building his strength, respecting his limits, maximizing his joy, and always pushing forward. For him, this means never losing track, even for a moment, of what his body is telling him, because he knows that not very much has to slip before he risks another episode like the one that hospitalized him in his native South Africa all those years ago.

But, he emphasizes, there’s a world of difference between adapting his lifestyle to his health and letting his health dictate his life. As Dr. Tarnopolsky says, the biggest driver of good outcomes for CPT II deficiency patients is how well they adapt to managing their condition. And Jonathan is nothing if not adaptable. Managing his changing health is a lot of work, but Jonathan puts that work in precisely so that he can stay in the driver’s seat. And an outside observer might never see just how rigorously his course has been charted.

“I would say that, to this day, 98 per cent of the people I know have no idea that I have this condition, and that’s how it has always been for me,” says Jonathan. “I cope with my condition as I cope with anything else. It affects my life, but it doesn’t run my life. More than anything, it’s a motivation to keep me going. That’s what I hope other people will learn from my story. This condition is an opportunity to motivate yourself if you don’t let it take over your life. CPT II deficiency is not a life sentence.”

Living with a long-chain fatty acid oxidation disorder (LC-FAOD) comes with unique challenges. Staying connected to updated information will help focus your efforts on the best possible care. To learn more about CPT II, or another type of LC-FAOD, visit FAODinFocus.ca.

MitoCanada is dedicated to creating a world where all lives are powered by healthy mitochondria. Present in almost every cell in our bodies, mitochondria are mighty, energy-producing structures that generate the energy we need to survive.

When mitochondria are dysfunctional, the impact on the body can be devastating. If you or someone you know is living with, is at risk of developing, or believes they may have mitochondrial disease, you can learn more at MitoCanada.org.

This article was sponsored by Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc., a supporter of MitoCanada. The authors had full editorial control over the content of the article. The views expressed in this article are not necessarily those of Ultragenyx; Ultragenyx does not take a position or express an opinion as to the treatment-related or other advice provided by this article.

The post Going the distance: Jonathan’s story appeared first on Macleans.ca.

IN A MODERN AUTO PLANT, robots are everywhere. People? Not as much. Even if thousands are employed there, they may be hard to spot on the assembly line. “You walk through and you say, ‘Where are they? They’re not putting the cars together. They must be somewhere else,’ ” says David Santi, dean of the Marshall School of Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship at Ontario’s Mohawk College.

The “somewhere else” might be an office, where they’re working with artificial intelligence software. Or a shop, where they’re fixing a robot or retraining it for optimal performance based on data analytics. From mines to main street, automation has transformed how workplaces operate and reshaped the work of skilled tradespeople. “Smart factories” and “Industry 4.0” are the buzzwords insiders use to talk about the changes in manufacturing, metals and other industrial sectors. The idea is that modern technologies and management practices — from machine learning and the Internet of Things to decision-making based on data analytics — add up to a fourth industrial revolution.

How will workplaces and workers keep up? Ongoing, mid-career retraining is one of the big answers. Workers who enter the trades today probably won’t just learn a set of skills that will stay the same for decades. They will periodically retrain and “upskill” to adapt to technological change or to prepare for a move into management. “There are all these other secondary and tertiary skill sets like data analytics and programming that are going to come into the skilled trades, which we never thought of before,” says Santi, who started off in the trades, with automotive and heavy equipment qualifications. “Tradespeople are working with business analytics, they’re working with engineers, they’re working with finance people, and they’re making decisions about equipment and operations together because they all have a role to play.”

To thrive in these evolving workplaces, Santi says, tradespeople can look forward to going back to school — perhaps multiple times. To meet that need, colleges are creating pathways for workers who want to acquire skills that are traditionally considered white collar and/or high tech.

“Tradespeople are working with business analytics, they’re working with engineers, they’re working with finance people, and they’re making decisions about equipment and operations together.”

The micro-credential trend in education can fit the bill for skilled workers who just need a small power-up. With online or in-person training over a few hours or a few months, they can gain a new competency, often while continuing to work full time. The Canadian Colleges for Resilient Recovery, for example, is a coalition of postsecondary institutions, including Mohawk College, that are developing micro-credentials and work placements to retrain workers eager to enter the growing green economy.

Meanwhile, as more people develop the skills to work in 21st-century factories and job sites, the traditional line between blue- and white-collar work is disappearing. And with six-figure salaries increasingly common for skilled tradespeople, there’s no longer a pay gap either.

To help prepare workers for the Industry 4.0 era, Mohawk and two other Ontario colleges have teamed up to deliver a new, first-of-its-kind Bachelor of Business Administration degree aimed at those already working in the skilled trades. Through a combination of remote learning and 420 hours of structured work experience, students will pick up know-how in leadership, project management, accounting, applied research and a host of other areas that can help them move up the management ladder or eventually run their own businesses. The first cohort started this fall.

Workers who enter the trades today can look forward to periodic upskilling to adapt to technological change. At left, a Mohawk College student practises with a welding simulator. At right, a student works in the machine shop on Mohawk’s Stoney Creek Campus for Skilled Trades.

All this retraining may sound like a lot of work, but Santi says he finds most young people are eager for careers that allow for constant evolution. “They don’t put the same barriers in front of them that I think we did.”

Coming out of high school, James Kretz worked as an electrician’s apprentice. Then he dropped out. But that time and experience wasn’t wasted, he says. “It made me discover that I wanted to do something a little more within my range. I honestly wasn’t very good at being an electrical apprentice.”

Yet it taught him how to do hands-on work and how to collaborate with others in an industrial setting. It also exposed him to a wider scope of career possibilities. In short, it was a stepping stone to where he is now: in his last semester working toward a civil engineering technician diploma at Mohawk.

Kretz’s advice to other young people? “Whatever you end up picking or doing, just go full tilt, become an expert in your subject matter, and just really dig into the work you’re doing.” And if you’re not excited by it? Move on to the next challenge.

In his co-op placement last semester, Kretz figures he spent 80 per cent of the time at the office and the other 20 on site, making sure the structures he designed would work in practice. (Incidentally, he also got to work with drones.) 

So, is he embarking on a white-collar career, or blue?

Both, he says. “There’s a whole host of jobs where you’re going to see both sides.”

The post Technology blurs the line between white- and blue-collar work appeared first on Macleans.ca.

Adebola Adefioye

Early Childhood Education (ECE) (2018), Honours Bachelor of Child Development (2021), Mental Health Intervention Graduate Certificate (2022)

When Adebola Adefioye arrived in Canada as a new immigrant, the educator and community advocate enrolled in the ECE program at Seneca so she could continue the work she’d been doing in Nigeria. Currently a project lead with the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care and team lead with the Afro Women and Youth Foundation, Adefioye specializes in anti-racism and equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) policies, and working with racialized, Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) children, families and communities.

How did Seneca help you build the foundation for your career?

“My professors were very supportive, always willing to take extra time to explain anything that was unclear. Most of my classmates were mature students and mothers, so we all supported each other. I’m most grateful for the work placement experiences because I got to practice the theories I learned in the classroom. By the time I completed all my courses and placements, I felt empowered, confident and ready to take my place in the field of ECE as a leader and advocate.”

Joseph Osei Bonsu

Digital Media Arts (2006), Digital Animation (2007)

Passion is a key component to success, and freelance artist, illustrator and graphic designer Joseph Osei Bonsu can attest to this. The talented self-described “artrepreneur” grew up loving comic books and animated TV series. His work has been featured by various high-profile clients, including the CBC, CIBC and the City of Toronto. Bonsu is the co-founder of diverse superhero brand Heroes of the World and illustrated Race With Me, a children’s book co-authored by Olympic champion sprinter André De Grasse.

How did Seneca help you hone the skills you needed to thrive?

“My time at Seneca showed me there are other aspects to art beyond illustration. Collaborating with like-minded students and learning from instructors who have worked in the industry was refreshing. Seeing how to put together portfolios and storyboard art prepped me for the projects I work on today. With all the new techniques and skills that my professors and peers taught me at Seneca, I had the confidence to create a presence in the industry.”

Eunice K. Yeboah

Honours Arts & Science (2013)

As an Anti-racism Policy Consultant for the Toronto Transit Commission, Eunice K. Yeboah is embracing her mission to help organizations implement meaningful change. A public policy expert and equity advocate with extensive volunteer work on her resume, Yeboah is also the co-founder and executive director of the Canadian Black Policy Network and the Toronto Black Policy Conference. Once a shy student who kept quiet in class, she credits Seneca with helping her find her voice — literally and figuratively.

How did Seneca empower you for your future success?

“I wanted to work in the field of equity and anti-racism, which requires some level of public speaking skills, but I was so shy. In my second year at Seneca, that really began to shift. One professor, in particular, encouraged me to get out of my own way and break out of my shell. The more I sat at the front, the more I would be called upon, the more I would be called on, the more practice I got. As a result, I discovered and developed the skill of public speaking. At the time I didn’t know just how vital this would be in fulfilling my purpose, dreams and aspirations. Seneca empowered me to face the future with boldness.”

Whatever your career ambition may be, Seneca has a course or program to help you change the world for the better. Apply today at senecacollege.ca.

The post These Seneca grads are aspiring to make positive change appeared first on Macleans.ca.

A SIMPLE BROCHURE changed the whole course of Andrea Osborne’s life. She was visiting the band office at her boyfriend’s reserve to apply for welfare when she spotted a pamphlet from Trade Winds to Success, a not-for-profit that connects Indigenous people in Alberta to training opportunities in the skilled trades. Osborne got in touch, and started with pre-apprenticeship training, hoping it would lead to opportunities in millwrighting, a trade involving installing and maintaining machines. It struck her as interesting and challenging. Maybe even too challenging. 

“I graduated top of the class, so they sent me up to work early. I didn’t even get to finish my class. I kind of hit the ground running from there,” says Osborne, who lives in Edmonton and is now a few qualifying hours away from becoming a journeyman millwright. Canada needs thousands more success stories like Osborne’s, says Quentin Huillery, chief operating officer of mining and infrastructure at Ledcor, a major construction company active across North America, with head offices in Vancouver and San Diego. Worker shortages and unfilled positions are already a reality at many job sites.

Recruiting women, newcomers to Canada and people from Indigenous backgrounds isn’t a diversity exercise. Without them, construction, engineering and other sectors will continue to starve for skilled hands. The pool simply has to expand to include everyone, out of demographic necessity. “Over the next number of years, Canada is going to have to come up with or recruit or find hundreds of thousands of workers to keep pace with current infrastructure needs in our country — and also, of course, to plan for the future economy,” Huillery says. “So that’s a massive gap that needs to be filled.”

“Canada is going to have to come up with or recruit or find hundreds of thousands of workers to keep pace with current infrastructure needs in our country — and also, of course, to plan for the future economy.”

To that end, Ledcor sponsors and supports a number of initiatives to welcome and create a path for people from diverse backgrounds to try their hands on the tools. These include Women Building Futures, which provides employment training and support services for tradeswomen in Alberta. And as part of the Ledcor Haisla Limited Partnership, Ledcor works with Haisla Nation to recruit members to work on the Coastal GasLink Project in British Columbia. All of this has helped Ledcor win recognition as one of Canada’s best diversity employers.

The company also provides Indigenous awareness training. It’s a must-have for employers and contractors looking to attract and retain Indigenous workers, says Shylah Nokusis, a Red Seal-certified carpenter in Saskatchewan. “If you’re not making it an inclusive working environment for people or a place where they can thrive and feel welcome, people will just up and leave,” says Nokusis, who has also worked as a scaffolder and ironworker.

She recently founded a company called Osihcikewin Trades Training, which gives young people living on reserves a chance to try their hand on local construction projects. While they’re there, she gives them straight talk about the “ignorant” comments they may encounter at job sites. Overall, however, Nokusis is happy to share an encouraging message: In part thanks to the training and diversity efforts of leading companies, the situation has improved “big time” over her 14-year career in the trades, with far less racism and sexism now.

“There are so many opportunities out there for Indigenous people, for women, for visible minorities — all the underrepresented groups,” she says. “These programs [mean we can] say confidently, ‘Hey, there are employment opportunities out there for you, if you guys are interested.’ ” Skilled trades work is steady and well paid, Osborne adds, and the benefits run deeper than that. Like other Indigenous people working in the trades, she says her career has been a source of confidence, a ticket to stability and a way to break the cycle of intergenerational trauma that’s endemic in many Indigenous communities.

Before she found millwrighting, she says, “I really didn’t really see myself going anywhere in life.” For some Indigenous women, she adds, the biggest challenge in learning a trade could be the need to “see yourself as good enough.”

Now she knows she is. “In four years, I’ve come a long way.”

The post To fill a need for workers, the face of the skilled trades is changing appeared first on Macleans.ca.

As more baby boomers retire from the construction industry, demand will grow for the next generation of skilled workers.

TALK TO ANYONE in construction and they’ll say everyone needs workers. Some industry experts believe the demand for skilled tradespeople will soon rise to dizzying heights. So, the industry is eager to encourage the next generation of workers to consider a career in the construction trades, says Alisdair Dickinson, vice-president of human resources for Graham, a leading North American construction company. “It doesn’t matter how many executives you have, if you don’t have tradespeople, you have no business,” he says. Dickinson says the construction industry’s reputation for job security and good pay makes it attractive, and the work is becoming more technologically and environmentally sophisticated. “This is a good place to go and make a difference, and earn, and have a rewarding Career.” Here, then, are five concrete reasons why it’s a great time to consider a career in construction-related skilled trades.

The rosy job outlook
While construction workers have traditionally lived in a boom-and-bust cycle, the coming years should be more consistent. According to the industry association BuildForce Canada, a steady flow of new construction projects and the retirement of tens of thousands of baby boomers each year will mean a shortage of around 29,000 skilled workers by 2027. Translation: it’s a great market for workers.

There’s a clear path to get trained and to get paid while doing it
Skilled tradespeople say the best way to get started is to find out what trades are most in demand. The federal government’s skilled trades information portal says carpenters are currently at the top of that list, with more than 17,000 job openings expected between 2021 and 2025. Boilermakers, bricklayers and welders are also highly sought after across several Canadian regions. Or simply try your hand at a trade that appeals to you. “The one piece of advice I think I would give to anybody looking at a trade is: Just find something that you’re marginally interested in and try it, you know?” says Stephen Buhler, a journeyman machinist who works for the University of Alberta on projects with researchers and students. “If you figure out you don’t like it, then try something else — especially when you’re young.”

Once you’ve settled on a trade, you’ll typically find an apprenticeship via an employer or union willing to offer on-the-job training. You can explore such opportunities on the federal government’s Job Bank website. Then, you’ll alternate between hands-on work and technical training in a more formal setting — and get paid for both. Once you’ve built up the required number of hours, you’ll get your “ticket” as a qualified journeyperson.

Canada has 55 trades that offer Red Seal credentials, which are recognized in every province and territory and allow you to look for jobs coast to coast. In some provinces, you’ll take an exam to earn your Red Seal once you reach the qualifying number of hours. The federal government offers financial support for apprentices working toward that certification.

Construction work is getting cleaner and greener
Some people assume that as soon as you’ve got your ticket, you’ll have to make a beeline for the oilpatch. But trades work on projects that help lower greenhouse gas emissions is becoming more available, says Luisa Da Silva, executive director of Iron + Earth, a not-for-profit that empowers fossil fuel and Indigenous workers to contribute to climate solutions through retraining and other activities.

A 2020 report from the Canada Green Building Council said the sector added 164,000 jobs in 2018 and could create 1.5 million more by 2030. “Right now, particularly in Alberta, there’s an absolute boom for renewables,” Da Silva says. “I speak with companies every single week and they’re looking for skilled workers.” More conventional construction projects are going greener, too, says Dickinson — that’s one way Graham stays on the leading edge in the industry. “Everything that we do now has that sustainability lens on it,” Dickinson says. “We want to be seen as an organization that drives the change, and changes the way we do things.”

Construction is going high tech, too
Dickinson says the construction industry is also adopting new technologies — an attractive prospect for those who want to work with digital tools as well as physical ones. “I think what’s going to happen over the next few years is that the definition of trade is going to evolve. Information technology teams are a fundamental, key part of the delivery of our projects. We need a broader spectrum of [skills].”

Construction work now involves 3-D modelling, virtual reality and other digital tools, depending on the project. There are machines that make work safer and more comfortable, such as robots that can be sent down a pipe to weld in a tricky-to-reach spot, Dickinson says.

People who work in construction love the challenge and the job satisfaction
Tyler Carmichael wanted to work with rebar in part because it sounded like a challenge. Now he credits it with turning his life around. “I chose ironwork because basically I knew nothing about it and I knew it was going to be hard,” says Carmichael, who works for a small company in Calgary. He was right. “Sure, it’s hard. Rebar is an unforgiving trade,” he says. But it’s challenging in a way that has given him a discipline and focus that he could have never imagined when he was growing up in tough circumstances in Aklavik, N.W.T. “I’m 29 years old right now and I wish that I got into it sooner, because there’s room for progression, both in jobs and financially, but also mentally, physically, emotionally. I really stand behind my choice of joining the trades.”

Carmichael says he finds deep satisfaction after a job is done, seeing what he built. That’s a sentiment shared by almost everyone who works in construction, including Dickinson, who started his career “on the tools,” as he says. “The construction industry is one of the best places to get that feeling of enjoying every day going to work,” he adds. It’s all about the satisfaction of making something solid and useful. “You’re leaving your mark on the world.”

* While Graham does not directly employ craft and supervision in Canada, it works closely with a select group of allied subcontractors to ensure a positive work environment where skill development and career growth are supported.

The post Why there’s never been a better time to start a career in construction appeared first on Macleans.ca.

The world of electric vehicles (EVs) continues to evolve. With more and more Canadians opting for sustainable and technologically advanced EVs over gas-powered vehicles, a few key players in the automotive industry are shifting gears to enhance their offerings, revamping generic EVs to steer luxury-car buyers their way.

Leading the way is the first-ever all-electric Genesis GV60, putting opulence in the driver’s seat to deliver a more distinguished EV experience.

Carefully crafted to elevate form alongside function, the GV60 is a luxury crossover SUV that wraps game-changing features in a sleek, stylish and sustainable package. In addition to its emission-free electric motor, the first dedicated-EV model in Genesis’s lineup (followed by the electrified G80 and upcoming GV70) uses supple plant-based “leathers” and fabrics created from recycled materials. Thoughtfully crafted to deliver an elevated sensory quality, going electric with the GV60 doesn’t mean you need to compromise on opulence.

Here are three more ways the GV60 defines a new era of exceptional EVs.

Refined design

Finding a prestige EV that’s as easy on the eyes as it is on the environment can be a challenge, but with luxury at the heart of Genesis’s design philosophy, the GV60’s premium EV experience rolls up with as much style as substance. From its streamlined coupé silhouette, spacious interior and comfortable, ergonomic seats — which employ adjustable in-seat air cells to optimize body pressure and create “zero gravity” comfort — to the futuristic floating console, exclusive custom-crafted and award-winning Bang & Olufsen speakers and next-gen ccIC (connected-car Integrated Cockpit) infotainment system, the GV60’s striking bumper-to-bumper sophistication is built into every curve, component and detail.

Innovative technology

There’s no shortage of high-tech convenience in the GV60, thanks to an array of intuitive and interactive features that connect driver and vehicle in exciting new ways. Its intelligent mobility includes facial-recognition technology that unlocks the vehicle and fingerprint authentication to start up. The head-up display (HUD), seating system and tailgate-opening height are all fully customizable, as is the GV60’s e-ASD (electric active-sound design), which creates virtual driving sounds that change based on speed, drive mode and accelerator-pedal data. Plus, wireless software updates — for everything from the infotainment system to the brakes, suspension, airbags and more — ensure seamless upkeep and frictionless ownership experiences.

Advanced driver assistance technology also provides a host of cutting-edge safety features, as well as a smart-parking assist feature that can be controlled from inside or outside of the vehicle.

Performance enhanced

Whether commuting to the office or escaping for a weekend getaway, the GV60 offers drivers a quiet, luxurious ride without sacrificing any of the power and reliability of its combustion-engine counterparts. With a 320kW electric motor and a 77.4kWh lithium-ion high-voltage battery under the hood, the performance-trim GV60 delivers 429 horsepower and 446 lb.-ft. of torque, with the built-in Boost Mode tacking on an additional 54 horsepower and 70 lb.-ft of torque for 10 seconds to amp up the driving excitement factor. Plus, its electronic limited-slip differential helps ensure traction during spirited cornering or slippery conditions.

Charging the GV60 is also a snap: its multi-charging system is compatible with an assortment of connections and chargers, giving drivers plenty of options at home and on the road when the battery power — which provides a driving range of up to 399 km fully charged — starts to dip. The ultra-speed function also boosts the battery from 10 per cent to 80 per cent in just 18 minutes, meaning less time plugged in and more time hitting the open road.

Ready to elevate your drive? Discover more about the Genesis GV60 or a distributor near you at genesis.ca.

The post Three ways the Genesis GV60 elevates sustainable luxury appeared first on Macleans.ca.