Canadian Innovation

Q & A with Arlene Dickinson

The CEO of Venturepark, Canada’s most extensive business growth ecosystem, talks ideas, business, and the true key to innovation.

What makes the Canadian landscape so unique when it comes to innovation?

Arlene Dickinson: Canada has several advantages when it comes to driving innovation. We have a strong education system that produces world-class engineers, scientists, and business people as well as extraordinary natural resources, from natural gas to precious metals. We have dependable technology infrastructure, a stable and transparent government, and the secret ingredient to driving innovation which is hard-working, creative, and brave entrepreneurs. As a nation, we have all the raw ingredients to be the most innovative and prosperous country in the world. The task we have before us is to turn these raw ingredients into products and turn those products into international businesses.

What’s the biggest obstacle you have overcome to become successful?

AD: I’ve always said I wish I had dreamt bigger. People

say to me, “But look at all you’ve done!” and I can only think of how much more I could have accomplished had I allowed myself to have a larger scale view. Ultimately, the biggest obstacle became myself and self-moderating my vision. I believe the bigger a vision you have — the more audacious a plan you have — the bigger your world becomes.

Why should Canadians care about entrepreneurs?

AD: Canadians should care about entrepreneurs because they’re the most important element of the Canadian economy, and ultimately they help build our social and cultural makeup. When an entrepreneur creates a successful business, they generate incremental wealth for the country, which contributes to the tax base, which contributes to the social programs we as Canadians hold so dear, like public health care and education. If you’re a patriotic Canadian, you should be passionate about helping entrepreneurs succeed.

Tech Startups Are Powering the Shift to Hybrid Working

Krista Jones

Moving a gym online requires some technological heavy lifting. During the pandemic, thousands of fitness studios turned to Toronto-based WellnessLiving to help them make the leap. The company, whose software simplifies processes like running virtual classes, managing memberships, and conducting digital marketing, was a lifeline for gyms shuttered by COVID. As the economy reopens, its platform is providing flexibility for owners to manage employees and classes offered in person or online.

WellnessLiving is part of a new generation of Canadian tech firms that are proving indispensable to businesses as they adjust in the wake of the pandemic. It’s clear that there will be no simple snap back to regular office life. More than half of employees want to keep working from home at least part time, and several banks and multinationals have already said that they’ll make telecommuting a permanent option.

Much of the return-to-work focus has fallen on the tools that will enable companies to operate with hybrid workforces. This is benefitting ventures like

Axonify and Humi, which provide software that helps businesses to onboard, train, and manage workers remotely. Both are growing rapidly as managers consider how to oversee and develop staff they may rarely see in person.

For some industries, reopening safely will entail regular COVID testing, especially if new variants take hold. Guelph-based Precision Biomonitoring has created an on-the-spot testing system that can deliver results in 80 minutes. It’s already in use in remote mining operations, which are vulnerable to outbreaks, and its system is likely to be deployed by other businesses that need to give returning employees additional confidence that their workplaces are safe.

Meanwhile, corporations are looking to tech companies to help them reconfigure health benefits for the new hybrid workplace. Dialogue, a telemedicine company used by many businesses to provide physical and mental health services to their employees, recently listed on the TSX after growing rapidly during the pandemic. League, a benefits platform used by such companies as Unilever and Shopify, provides flexible health spending accounts that staff

AD: It’s important to let our youth know that innovation doesn’t just mean a tech startup run out of your parents’ garage. Innovation isn’t just about technology. It’s about new ideas and new ways of doing things. The reality is that innovation can happen anywhere. Innovation can happen at a marketing firm, in the food and beverage industry, or in agricultural and environmental practices.

To that end, it’s important to teach youth that innovation starts with how they think about how the world operates. Seeing new ways to do things and exploring them is perhaps what youth are best at. Innovation is the fountain of youth of every industry and sector and is what’s needed in order for it to be competitive. If we take the broader idea of what innovation is and teach it to youth, they can begin to practise it no matter where they are or what they’re interested in.

To read the full interview, visit innovatingcanada.ca

can use to sign up for a gym membership or even just buy a pair of running shoes.

It’s no accident that Canada’s tech companies are well-placed to capitalize on opportunities in new areas like wellness at work — it’s the result of a decade of investment in building an innovation ecosystem that’s characterized by technological talent, significant intellectual property, and a focus on solving real problems faced by business and society.

The country now has a large group of innovative companies reaching the scale at which they can make a sizable impact. Many are on course to hit $100 million in revenues in the next few years. That’s more than a psychological milestone. It’s the point at which ventures become too big to be bought out by all but the most deep-pocketed foreign competitors, increasing the chances that they’ll stay in Canada and create jobs here. These companies are oiling the wheels of Canada’s economic engine. With the right support, they can continue to win clients at home and abroad. Operating behind the scenes and supporting other businesses, they may never be household names, but they can become global powerhouses.

Publishers: Christy Yam Sierra Nardella Jessica Golyatov

All images are from Getty Images unless otherwise credited. This section was created by Mediaplanet and did not involve National Post or its editorial departments. Send all inquiries to

Krista Jones Vice President of Venture Services, MaRS Discovery District

As some workers return to the office and others stay home, businesses are leaning on innovative technologies to keep employees healthy and engaged.

How can we encourage youth to stay innovative as they start to think about their future?

Turack Group President, CAA Insurance

For drivers, auto insurance is often a big budget item — and an enticing place to save. The desire to save is even greater for those who don’t drive as much, like urban drivers, retirees, people with short commutes, and anyone who has seen their driving patterns change as a result of the pandemic. If you’re spending less time behind the wheel, the CAA MyPace™ payment program lets you take control of your auto insurance costs by giving you the freedom to pay only for the distance you drive.

Pay-as-you-go auto insurance has increased in popularity “We heard from customers that they wanted more choice,” says Matthew Turack, Group President of CAA Insurance. “They didn’t want one-size-fits-all insurance — they wanted choice, agility, and flexibility in controlling costs.”

CAA listened, and introduced CAA MyPace, which puts drivers where they belong: in the driver’s seat. “CAA MyPace is the first and only pay-as-you-go auto insur-

ance program in Canada,” says Turack. “You pay in increments of 1,000 kilometres, and the program reloads as you get close to exhausting your 1,000 kilometres. You’ll never pay more than a standard policy.”

“Pay-as-you-go is a branch of an older product called usage-based insurance,” notes Sean O’Connor, a registered insurance broker and Director of Sales for KTX Insurance Brokers, a CAA partner. For years, insurers used telematics to track driving tendencies and reward safe drivers with discounts. “That was a game-changer in the industry,” says O’Connor. “CAA MyPace is the evolution of that and takes it to the next level.”

Giving drivers more choice and control An insurance program like CAA MyPace is perfectly suited for the times that we’re living in, but CAA anticipated drivers’ needs well before the pandemic.

“We launched MyPace in the summer of 2018, but it really speaks to what consumers are going through right now with the pandemic,” says Turack. “How we work, how we commute, and where we go has changed for

a lot of people lately.”

CAA MyPace has seen an over 300 percent year-over-year increase in new policies issued, and it’s not hard to see why — the program just makes sense for a lot of people.

“It’s a very positively-received product, being the first true pay-as-you-go plan,” says O’Connor. “I think it’s an ingenious product. The market has been dying for this, and it’s truly trend-setting.”

A smart choice for motorists spending less time driving

As Canada’s only pay-as-you-go insurance payment program, CAA MyPace is a smart choice for many drivers, and customers who have made the switch are seeing significant savings — on average about 50 percent, according to Turack.

The program is available in Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and PEI, and signing up is easy. Customers simply enrol in CAA MyPace™, pay their base rate plus their first 1,000 kilometres, and set up the appropriate tracking device and smartphone app. Freedom and control of your insurance await.

To find out if CAA MyPace™ makes sense for you, visit caamypace.com

Disclaimer: Auto Insurance is underwritten by CAA Insurance Company. Certain conditions, exclusions and underwriting eligibility rules apply. CAA MyPace is a trademark of the Canadian Automobile Association. Vehicle compatibility and enrolment in CAA MyPace payment program is subject to terms and conditions.

Most Canadians are familiar with CAA and its emergency roadside service, member reward savings, and comprehensive insurance, travel, and automotive offerings. For its over 2.5 million members in Southern Ontario and Manitoba, CAA Club Group (CCG) is synonymous with peace of mind. Locked your keys (or, heaven forbid, your baby) in the car? Stranded on the side of the highway with a flat tire? CAA is always on standby, ready to come to the rescue — and now, thanks to a cutting-edge predictive technology tool called Geo-Temporal Gen 2, CAA is getting there even faster.

Harnessing the power of real-time data and machine learning

“Gen 2’s engine consists of mathematical algorithms and statistical models that use our dispatch data — including historical yearend roadside data — in addition to real-time data,” explains Lena Yam, Product Director of Emergency Roadside Services at CCG. That real-time geospatial and temporal data includes traffic patterns, road construction, meteorological data, and GPS data from CCG’s fleet of network tow operators.

“We run a number of machine-learning algorithms in the background and incorporate various statistical models so we can dissect all that data in order to obtain our predic-

tions,” says Yam.

The resulting predic tions — displayed as a visual heat map — help CAA anticipate the sever ity, frequency, and types of breakdowns that CAA mem bers will experience in a particular geographic area, allowing the organiz ation’s dispatch team to better position its rescue fleet. The result: dramatically reduced wait times (by an average of 15 to 17 minutes) for members in emergency situations.

The brightest minds joined with a shared mission Behind this impressive technology lies a diverse group of people with backgrounds ranging from aerospace engineering and mathematics to computer science, IT, and business operations. The CCG team behind Gen 2 also includes people with real-world on-the-road and emergency experience — from tow truck drivers to 911 dispatchers.

“This was not just a project from one area,” says Anita Mueller, Vice President of Club and Automotive at CCG. “It was created at different levels from the entire organization, and it was really a blending of talents with a shared vision and a shared understanding of our business drivers.”

CCG’s teams all shared a common goal.

“Gen 2 is one of our lifelines to make sure we can be there to rescue our stranded members,” says Mueller.

It’s all about member safety and trust At the end of the day, CCG’s focus on pushing itself to innovate is all about keeping its members safe. This is one of the key drivers in helping CAA be the most trusted brand in Canada — the organization was recently named the most trusted brand in Canada for the second year in a row in the annual Gustavson Brand Trust Index.

“We’re a company that’s 118 years old, and our roots are built in advocating for the safety of motorists,” says Mueller. “We continue to push ourselves to make sure that we live up to that expectation of keeping our members safe day in and day out.”

Matthew

Tania Amardeil

Tania Amardeil

Children’s Entertainment Company Spins Innovation Into Global Success

hildhood friends Ronnen Harary and Anton Rabie had a desire to start a business together. Shortly after graduating from Western University in 1994, they invested $10,000 to launch Earth Buddy, a nylon stocking-covered head of sawdust topped with grass seeds that grew to emulate hair. Ben Varadi, a former classmate of Rabie’s, joined them in the business that same year. They knocked on a lot of doors and after six months, Earth Buddy generated $1.5 million in sales. The friends developed a culture committed to pushing boundaries and creating magical play experiences for kids and families. Before they knew it, they had a full-fledged toy business.

Twenty-seven years later, Spin Master has grown into a leading global children’s entertainment company with a portfolio of innovative toys, entertainment franchises and digital games. With 28 offices around the world and close to 2,000 employees, Spin Master distributes toys in more than 100 markets and children in 190 countries watch its entertainment series.

“Every year, our incredibly talented teams, in collaboration with an amazing community of external inventors, raise the bar on innovation with the sole purpose of developing magical moments and experiences for kids and families around the world,” says Rabie. “We’re committed to reimagining where imagination can take us and innovation is key to that success.”

This culture of innovation is at the core of the company, where risk taking is rewarded and failures are seen as an opportunity to learn. In addition to its internal product and design teams, the company meets regularly with a network of 200 inventors and receives 3,000 ideas each year. Spin Master’s founders believe a good idea can come from anywhere from its Advanced Concepts Team that scours the world in search of innovation to internal design teams who share new product ideas. With a 36-month product

pipeline of product, the company is always looking ahead to ensure it keeps innovating and can be flexible to respond to changing trends.

Company recognized for commitment to excellence

This environment has led to now iconic toys, such as Air Hogs, Hatchimals and Bakugan. Launched in 2007, Bakugan started as an inventor’s sketch of a ball that could be opened to reveal a character inside and evolved into a television series popular around the world.

Spin Master’s commitment to excellence and attention to detail have earned it a strong reputation in the industry. This has inspired other companies entrusting it as a licensee for their brands, including Monster Jam and Wizarding World. Spin Master has also grown by acquiring companies including Rubik’s Cube, GUND and Cardinal Games.

Since those early days as a toy company, Spin Master moved into entertainment. Building on the success of the Bakugan TV show, Spin Master wanted to create a new adventure series with relatable, aspirational characters and stories for young children. Keith Chapman, who had created Bob the Builder, had an idea for Robbie’s Rescue Dogs. The Spin Master Entertainment team, together with Chapman, worked on this idea, eventually creating PAW Patrol, which first aired in North America in 2013. Now a global sensation, the show airs in more than 160 countries and in 30 languages.

“Produced right here in Canada, PAW Patrol’s universally appealing storylines and positive messa-

ging centered around teamwork and collaboration transcend cultural boundaries, entertaining children around the world,” said Max Rangel, Global President & Chief Executive Officer, Spin Master. “With the leadership of Jennifer Dodge, President, Spin Master Entertainment, and her team, PAW Patrol has become such a big part of children’s lives and we are honored to be able to entertain them on screen and engage them through play as they learn and grow.”

Multi-platform entertainment is the future

Through its in-house studio and partnerships with creators, Spin Master Entertainment has produced 10 television series. And with kids increasingly consuming content on tablets, smartphones and laptops, as well as television, the company now creates multi-platform content.

Always on the forefront of children’s entertainment, in 2016, Spin Master saw the potential to grow further in digital apps and games and acquired leading global mobile and digital app brands Toca Boca and Sago Mini. Today the two platforms have more than 50 million monthly subscribers.

“Telling stories and creating engaging and endearing characters that resonate with kids around the world is important to us,” said Rangel. “Our multichannel content approach encompasses broadcast television, subscription video on demand, apps, YouTube and digital platforms, so we can further engage with kids where they are, developing compelling content and exciting new experiences and interactions for them with their favorite characters.”

Five Upand-Coming Entrepreneurs Recognized for Breakthrough Innovations

Five up-and-coming researchers-turned-entrepreneurs were recognized at the sixth annual Mitacs Entrepreneur Awards ceremony on June 10 for their groundbreaking discoveries that are helping to propel Canada's economy forward.

The awards, presented by Mitacs — a national innovation organization that fosters growth by solving business challenges with research solutions from academic institutions — celebrate startup companies founded by former Mitacs interns, postdoctoral fellows, and training participants who have gone on to lead their respective fields as business owners.

According to Mitacs CEO and Scientific Director John Hepburn, “We’re thrilled that our continued investment in talent, research, and development is translating into more and more Mitacs interns successfully turning their groundbreaking research into dynamic startups.”

Mitacs thanks its Platinum Partner, Ciena, and its Event Partner, Startup Canada, for supporting the 2021 Entrepreneur Awards. Mitacs is funded by the Government of Canada along with all provinces and one territory. For more information, visit mitacs.ca

was sponsored by Mitacs

Outstanding Entrepreneur

Hossein Kamali, 32, a Mitacs post-doctoral researcher in Mechatronic Systems Engineering at Simon Fraser University and co-founder and CTO of Vancouver-based Autonopia. Kamali's company invented a first-of-its-kind robot that mimics the behaviour of human window washers — including getting into the nooks and crannies of all types of building facades. The disruptive, patent-pending robot combines artificial intelligence, robotics, mechatronics, and motion control technology in an effort to bring the high-rise window cleaning business into the 21st century and to keep people safe.

Global Impact Entrepreneur

Jason Deglint, 32, a Mitacs postdoctoral researcher in Engineering at Waterloo University, and co-founder and CEO of Waterloo-based Blue Lion Labs. Deglint was honoured for helping fish farms keep their operations safe from harmful algae blooms. His smart monitoring platform uses machine learning software and a custom digital microscope to automatically identify harmful algae in water.

Change Agent Entrepreneur

Negin Ashouri, 28, a Mitacs intern and master's student in Computer Science at Concordia University, and co-founder and interim CEO of Montréal-based FemTherapeutics. With support from the Montreal-based Centech incubator, Ashouri is disrupting the health care industry with a groundbreaking medical device aimed at elevating women's quality of life.

Her company is the first to develop a made-to-measure, biodegradable, and disposable intravaginal prosthetic for women suffering from pelvic organ prolapse.

Environmental Entrepreneur

Ulrich Legrand, 30, a former Mitacs postdoctoral researcher in Chemical Engineering at McGill University and co-founder and CTO of Montréal-based Electro Carbon. Legrand was recognized for his company's breakthrough system, which converts captured CO2 gas into commercial-grade formic acid — a high-value chemical used as a preservative in livestock feed, as well as in the leather tanning and rubber industries. The disruptive technology reduces global greenhouse gas emissions, while bringing to market an industrial-scale system capable of repurposing carbon after it’s successfully removed from the atmosphere.

Environmental Entrepreneur Marciel Gaier, 29, a former Mitacs intern, PhD graduate in Advanced Materials Science at Dalhousie University, and co-founder and CTO of Halifax-based Graphite Innovation and Technologies. Gaier is transforming the global shipping industry with the launch of a disruptive paint, which is the first patented technology to use nanoparticles of graphite to achieve a high-performance, sustainable marine coating. The innovative coating system provides a low volatile organic compounds, non-toxic alternative that reduces the amount of greenhouse gases emitted per shipping.

2021 Mitacs Entrepreneur Award winners

Abigail Cukier

Inventive, exciting toys, original series and digital games have made Spin Master a leader in children’s entertainment.

Learn more about Spin Master, visit spinmaster.com

This article was sponsored by Spin Master

LEADER TO LEADER

Global Ventures Discover Support For Innovation in Markham

There’s an abundance of reasons why the diverse city of Markham has become Canada’s second-largest technology cluster. Here’s why.

Markham’s drive for innovation is in its DNA. Located in York Region at the heart of the Greater Toronto Area, Markham is a vibrant, rapidly growing city, thanks to leading companies that have recognized its pool of world-class talent and entrepreneurial spirit.

At the centre of Canada’s second-largest technology cluster, Markham is home to more than 650 corporate head offices, 1,500+ high-tech and life science companies, and 240 international companies. “Innovation is our central way of life in Markham, where residents hold the greatest number of patents per capita in Canada,” explains Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti. “The city has a highly educated and skilled workforce in technology, life sciences, financial services, design and engineering, science, and information and cultural sectors.”

Support for innovation draws leading companies

Among Canada’s top accelerators, Markham’s regional tech hub ventureLAB has a mission to power local startups into becoming the next generation of globally competitive tech titans. In its 10-year history, it has enabled more than 2,000 ventures to raise in excess of $200 million in capital.

Working with companies across the spectrum, ventureLAB concentrates on hardware and enterprise software technology. Its signature initiative is its Hardware Catalyst Initiative (HCI), Canada’s only lab and incubator for hardware and semiconductor startups, including a $7 million state-of-the art lab to drive innovations from prototype to product. According to Chief Operating Officer Matt Skynner the tech ecosystem in Markham is a true community of collaboration and that’s led by a municipality that strategically supports innovation.

At Seneca Innovation, industry and community partners work alongside college faculty and students on applied research projects. It employs research managers to work with companies to obtain grants and build research plans. According to Ben Rogers, Dean, Seneca Innovation, its applied research focuses on small- to medium-sized enterprises to solve technical challenges through the college’s expertise and infrastructure.

Seneca also encourages innovation through its on-campus incubator HELIX, launched in 2014. It helps entrepreneurs design and launch a startup and foster innovation within employees. “Markham has been a really strong supporter of HELIX from the very beginning,” says Chris Dudley, Director, Entrepre -

neurship at Seneca Innovation. “They are extremely strong players in the ecosystem. By collaborating and exchanging ideas, we all move farther faster.”

A dynamic setting for success

In fall 2023, York University’s $276-million Markham Centre Campus will focus on technology and entrepreneurship and offer new undergraduate and graduate academic programs geared to produce highly qualified graduates.

“For many of us, it is a lifetime opportunity to create an exemplary catalyst for learning, research and innovation in the region,” explains Amir Asif, Vice-President, Research and Innovation at York University. “We aspire to make Markham the Silicon Valley of Canada.”

YSpace Markham, an accelerator innovation hub opened in January 2018, supports growth-ready technology initiatives, as well as and food and beverage startups seeking strategies to scale up operations. In just three years, more than 100 new ventures have been supported. According to Sarah Howe, Assistant Vice-President, Innovation and Research Partnerships, “The opportunities for collaborations and demand for our entrepreneurial supports in Markham have blown us away.”

If you’re looking for a city that celebrates and supports innovation, discover more about Markham at business, visit business. markham.ca

An innovation that's transforming multiple industries

Driven by cutting-edge IoT automation technology and proprietary software, Danavation’s Digital Smart Labels™ are well-engineered and highly scalable. Easier to read and more energy-efficient than LCD displays, the labels reflect light like paper to offer high resolution and contrast, wide-viewability, and vibrant colour displays that can be read even in direct sunlight.

The highly-versatile Digital Smart Labels™ have applications across multiple industries, including healthcare facilities, retailers, grocery stores, warehousing and distribution companies, military supply chains, and animal shelters and services. Digital Smart Labels™ allow these diverse organizations to automate labelling, pricing, product information, promotions, and workflows in real time, effortlessly keeping customers, patients, and employees informed and engaged.

Digital Smart Labels™ are also a great option for facilities that aren’t wired for going digital, like older hospitals. “Our system allows you to digitize your institution without any wires, so you could walk into any facility and be immediately digitized,” said John Ricci, Founder and CEO of Danavation. “Many companies don’t even know that this low-invasive technology exists.”

Appealing to today's customers with automated information

When Ricci started Danavation, he had one goal in mind: to bring retailers to the digital age. Ricci intuited that Digital Smart Labels™ would appeal to today’s tech-savvy consumers and have the potential to transform how we interact with information.

“We’re seeing a big push on information,” he said. “This automated information is a big deal.” Automating pricing, information, and promotions are the way of the future, because modern consumers are used to having the latest details at their fingertips. Digital Smart Labels™ appeal to customers’ desire for transparency, credibility, and security. In allowing information to be automatically updated, enabling omnichannel engagement, connecting customers with details like product reviews and competitors’ prices, and using AI to dynamically price items on the shelf, Digital Smart Labels™ are positively transforming the retail and information landscapes, and enabling unified and enriched experiences for shoppers.

Why we root, root, root for the home team It’s good news for Canada that such an innovation was designed and engineered right here at home. Danavation has disrupted the market and modernized the retail game, and continues to be the only electronic shelf label provider that’s founded and grounded in North America.

As the Danavation team likes to point out, in sports, it’s a wellknown fact that the team playing at home is more likely to win. And there’s a reason that we root, root, root for the home team — when we support local, local thrives, and Canada can be a key part of the world’s digital transformation.

Michele Sponagle

This article was sponsored by the City of Markham

Photo courtesy of the City of Markham

Tania Amardeil

John

Every day, Canada’s roads are plied by hundreds of thousands of commercial fleet vehicles, providing goods and services to every sector of the economy. From the smallest private operations with a fleet of one or two cars to the largest logistics corporations fielding thousands of trucks, business depends on the efficient and reliable operation of these rolling assets in order to thrive. And, in today’s digital and interconnected world, that operation runs on fleet telematics.

Telematics is the aggregate of technologies that connect a vehicle to the outside world and the outside world to the fleet. It starts with the track and trace capabilities provided by GPS, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. “Track and trace is definitely the foundation of telematics,” says Fleet Complete Chief Strategy Officer Sandeep Kar. “But, on top of that, we have video telematics, asset tracking, regulatory compliance, remote diagnostics, and predictive maintenance solutions. What company assets are on board? What's going on in the engine? What's going on in the brakes? Who’s behind the wheel? Are they paying attention? That’s the level of information we work with now. And it lets us improve every aspect of the fleet, whether it's safety, security, downtime reduction, scheduling, dispatching, routing, track and tracing, regulatory compliance, or vehicle sharing. Fleet Complete solutions enable all of those things.”

Fleet Complete is not the only company providing these solutions, but they’re uniquely positioned as a Canadian innovator and success story. “We’re proudly headquartered here in Toronto,” says Kar. “We’re a 21-year-old company and we behave like a 21-year-old. Our teenage years of wild evolution are now behind us, and we’ve matured into a more global organization with operations not only here in Canada, but also in the U.S. and Mexico, in several European countries, and in Australia. Over 40,000 fleet-owning businesses globally leverage the power of our vehicle, asset, and mobile workforce solutions to derive maximum productivity and efficiencies. ”

Small fleets are a big deal

It’s a particular focus on small- and medium-sized businesses that has made Fleet Complete one of the fastest-growing telematics companies in the world. Canada is home to over a million small businesses, making up 98 percent of all employers in the country, and so the average fleet size of a Canadian business is quite small. One of the most significant developments in telematics, over the last decade, has been the democratization of the technology, so that small businesses with a fleet of a few vehicles can have access to fleet management tech that was, once, only available to the largest corporations.

“Serving the needs of smalland mid-sized businesses is our specialty,” says Kar.

“That customer base is in our DNA. We know that the owner-operators and small fleet managers don't have the battery of engineers that larger fleets do. They don’t have anybody trained to analyze their historical data or evaluate the performance of their fleet. They need help, and that’s where Fleet Complete comes in with the most diverse

solution set, tailored and customized to fleet size, application, and location. We take pride in offering white-glove services to small- to mid-size businesses, ensuring they’re regulation-compliant, reducing their fuel expenses, and enhancing fleet safety. For smaller-sized fleets, the performance benefits of telematics are actually far more important than they are for large fleets with deeper pockets and more margin for error. And the system is so intuitive that anybody, with any background, can quickly get up to speed and start leveraging the full benefits.”

Cutting costs is nice, but revenue is king Though a fleet telematics solution can work wonders at increasing efficiency and reducing costs, Kar is adamant that the advantages extend well beyond that. “You don't start a fleet business to cut costs,” he says. “You start a fleet business to generate revenue. That has been our focus — not just helping fleets in reducing total cost of ownership, or enhancing safety and efficiency, but also generating revenue, unlocking new revenue sources, and maximizing existing ones. The carsharing solution we offer, for example, ensures that vehicles aren’t sitting idle at some yard, but are used more in 24-hour cycles so that you can get more out of your investment.”

It’s a very different world than it was three decades ago when track and trace solutions first hit the scene. Telematics technology has evolved dramatically, and the understanding of its role in the business ecosystem has expanded right along with it. “Telematics has historically been descriptive in nature, but what we’re moving toward now is predictive,” says Kar. “We can predict an outcome, we can predict an equipment failure, we can predict opportunities, and we can create value through that. The future is going to be prescriptive, where we can prescribe certain outcomes to fleet managers using data analytics, machine learning, and AI technologies, based on the same data that we’ve been collecting historically. At Fleet Complete, we’re driving digital transformation by harnessing the power of advanced AI analytics and connectivity solutions.”

Tomorrow is delivered by today’s commercial fleets Wherever the technology goes next, one thing is certain: the growing interconnection of commercial fleet vehicles is going to have a profound effect on our economy and our way of life. “At the end of the day, commercial vehicles are the backbones of economies and societies where they serve,” says Kar. “If you woke up tomorrow and all the cars from the planet were gone, you would still survive. But if all the commercial vehicles had disappeared, everything would come to a grinding halt.”

Thankfully, it’s unlikely that all the commercial vehicles are going to disappear. But, as margins get tighter and concerns about carbon footprints grow more pronounced, the fleets that fail to adapt just might. The future of successful commercial fleets is smart, it’s connected, and it’s high-tech.

D.F. McCourt

Sandeep Kar Chief Strategy Officer, Fleet Complete

Reaching to the Cloud: What You Really Need to Know and Ask to Launch Your Business’ Digital Transformation

The last 12 months have radically changed the way businesses talk and think about digital transformation and cloud computing. As businesses reinvented themselves through remote working during the pandemic, the cloud became a requirement for businesses of all sizes in Canada. As Satya Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft observed, companies were forced to do two years of digital transformation in two months time.

“The pandemic accelerated the digital transformation that was already happening,” says Phil Vokins, Cloud Team Lead at Intel Canada. “As companies continued to face uncertainty and the likely realities of a “next normal,” corporations of all sizes needed to figure out very quickly how to keep doing business. In many cases, management looked beyond cloud as the infrastructure for quicker innovation and speedto-market to now being central to cost optimization and remote work management. Noticed or not, there were a lot of IT people wearing capes.”

“Cloudnostic”: A practical guide to cloud computing

With cloud services becoming essential for many businesses, the need for a solid understanding of what the cloud can and can’t do is at an all time high. There’s a lot of good content available from various sources, but cloud and the terminology that comes with it can be admittedly complex and sometimes opaque. It can be hard and even overwhelming to figure out where to

start. What’s more, many of those who have already taken the leap are still getting their bearings.

“From our experience talking to the market, management and even IT personnel have a lot of questions about cloud computing. We wanted to take Intel’s experience as both a technology leader and as a company using cloud to help answer those questions and help educate. Intel is in a unique position as an organization that manufactures technology for everyone to share vendor-agnostic insights and learnings to fill this cloud knowledge gap,” adds Vokins. “Disregard products for a second, forget about IT spending, and let us share our experience with moving Intel itself to the cloud.”

As a trusted manufacturer of technology that enables all cloud providers, and all business everywhere, Intel can share their experience and expertise impartially. Their track record of innovation and reliability is second to none. And as a global enterprise with over 100,000 employees, that also works hand in hand with countless organizations of all sizes, their experience with cloud infrastructure is both robust and granular enough to be applicable to every Canadian business.

To share these learnings, Intel has tagged in the best and brightest from their in-house IT division to create a series of videos making intimidating concepts in cloud computing understandable to everyone. “I’ve been around a while but still appreciate in this industry you’re learning every day,” says Vokins. “The world of technology is moving rapidly and is full of

Meeting learners where they are Through the video format, Intel wants to break down the multifaceted world of the cloud into practical answers to tangible problems. “A few weeks ago, the toilet lever in my house snapped off,” Vokins relates. “I had no idea how to change it, but I went on YouTube and 10 minutes and one trip to the hardware store later, the toilet is fixed and my wife thinks I’m a hero. We want to provide that same resource for business owners, management and those who are responsible for IT and operations who aren’t sure how to plan their cloud strategy and deployment or even if they are on the right path.”

Every business has different needs and different questions. How secure is the cloud? Do I even need it? What type of applications or workloads should be in the cloud? They’re all valid questions, and they deserve honest answers that will help business owners conceive a plan that actually makes sense for their needs and their goals. “Your cloud strategy must be an enabler for your business strategy,” says Vokins. “The only way to get this right is to start with what your business is trying to achieve.”

What is your business is trying to achieve? The cloud is the technology of the moment, and it’s a potent and versatile tool. Pick it up. Learn about it. At your own speed, from a source you can trust, with your own goals always in mind.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made traveling a little more complicated. Many airlines and countries across the globe — including Canada — have been asking for proof of a negative COVID-19 test before you travel across borders.

For more than 50 years, LifeLabs has been serving the health care needs of Canadians with lab tests that help diagnose, treat, monitor and prevent diseases. As Canada’s largest lab provider, LifeLabs performs more than 112 million tests each year.

Early in the pandemic, LifeLabs recognized that Canadians making essential trips required access to fast and accurate COVID-19 testing when planning travel. That’s when they launched FlyClear™ to provide a COVID-19 testing solution for Canadian travellers. Now available across Ontario and British Columbia, FlyClear™ by LifeLabs offers both pre-departure and on-arrival testing.

“As the medical science around COVID-19 continues to evolve, the ability to travel safely is critical. Our infectious disease and medical microbiologists have developed testing protocols that ensure those who need to fly, can fly with confidence,” says Dr. Andrew Don-Wauchope, M.D., Vice President, Clinical Services at LifeLabs. “The health and wellbeing of travellers as they start their journey is the top priority of FlyClear™ by LifeLabs.”

How do I get tested pre-departure?

With FlyClear™ by LifeLabs, travellers will receive their test results within 48 hours, allowing peace of mind while travelling. FlyClear™ offers both COVID-19 PCR and antibody testing, in just four simple steps:

Determine which test you need: Depending on where you’re travelling, you may need to get one or both types of COVID-19 tests — the molecular swab test, which uses polymerase chain reaction (PCR)/nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) technology to detect whether you have an active infection; or the COVID-19 antibody blood test, which checks for different types of antibodies developed after exposure to COVID-19.

Calculate your testing window: Using a simple form on the FlyClear™ by LifeLabs website, enter your flight information to confirm that you have enough time to get tested before you travel.

Order testing: A simple questionnaire will provide you with testing requirements for your destination country. Requirements are different for every country, so make sure you check out your travel destination’s official government website!

Get tested: Book your molecular COVID-19 swab test appointment at participating Shoppers Drug Mart® locations across BC and Ontario.

If you require antibody testing as well, you can book your appointment at a LifeLabs clinic. The PCR test costs $199+HST, and the antibody test is only $75+HST.

Receive results: Within 48 hours, your results will be emailed to you.

New flagship location in Vancouver

FlyClear™ by LifeLabs recently opened its flagship location on Russ Baker Way on Sea Island, near Vancouver International Airport exclusively for predeparture COVID-19 testing. Travellers booking their PCR tests at Sea Island will receive their results in less than 24 hours. Vancouver International Airport (YVR) also offers onarrival testing in Canada, at absolutely no cost to travellers. The YVR airport on-arrival testing program is part of the Government of Canada’s new requirements for international travellers travelling in to Canada, where they require proof of negative results from a test taken within three days prior to departure.

complex concepts. One of the best formats for breaking through the confusion and simplify concepts is video and content platforms like YouTube.”

D.F. McCourt

Find Intel’s first episode “Developing a Cloud Strategy for Your Applications” on YouTube.

This article was sponsored by Intel Canada

Phil Vokins Cloud Team Lead, Intel Canada

Melissa Vekil

A Faster And Easier Way to Pay Bills

Anne Papmehl

Whether an individual paying a utility bill, a small business paying a supplier, or a large corporation issuing millions of invoices, Canadians want more options for bill payments.

“About 40% of Canadians would prefer to pay directly from their bank accounts,” says Mike Bradley, CEO and Founder of Clik2pay, a Canadian bill payment service company. “However, it’s currently quite inconvenient to do so.”

Bradley is alluding to the legacy bill payment system in Canada, which many consider to be cumbersome by today’s standards. To find efficiencies, many Canadians have turned to credit cards to pay their bills which are much more expensive for billers.

“The billing process hasn’t changed much in over 20 years,” says Bradley. “Today’s bill payment solutions were developed in the 1980s and early 1990s and don’t really pass the test in terms of what customers and billers are expecting today.”

Building on trusted Interac e-Transfer® service

To meet this need Clik2pay recently launched Canada’s

first real-time, seamless bill payment service.

“With everybody looking to save time and money, Clik2pay offers businesses a faster and cheaper path to getting their money — and customers a more convenient option to pay their bills and invoices,” says Bradley. Businesses can add payment links to bills or invoices using Clik2pay — which looks like a link, QR code or button on a website - without their customers having to sign up, register, or download an app. With a few single clicks, bills and invoices can be paid direct from a bank account.

“This gives businesses a clearer view of when the dollars are actually in their accounts, allows them to see how the payments are being made, and saves on expensive credit card fees,” says Bradley. For large companies issuing millions of invoices a month, the benefits can be substantial. “It’s part of the package of digital enablement that makes life easier for a business.”

Clik2pay leverages the Interac e-Transfer® service offered through People’s Trust Company. “Together with our partners, Interac and People’s Trust, we’re looking to make e-transfer that much easier and more effective for the businesses and people who use it,” says Bradley.

No sign up required — just download the app Aside from speed, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness, the Clik2pay method is secure. Transactions are protected by multiple layers of bank-grade security and the highest standards for risk management.

“Clik2pay relies heavily on the security that’s already established between the banks for Interac e-transfer, and we’ve added our own security on top of that to make sure everything is performing as expected,” says Bradley.

Clik2pay launched the platform at a recent industry event, enticing people to try the technology by making a $5 donation to the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

“Make-a-Wish had worked with us to enable our QR code, so we launched this campaign for people to try it out and donate to a worthy children’s charity at the same time,” says Bradley. “The campaign went so well that we decided to extend it,” he says.

For the duration of the campaign, Clik2pay is covering all merchant fees associated with Make-aWish Foundation so 100 per cent of the donation flows through to the charity.

Check out the platform for yourself and make a donation at clik2pay.com.

For more information or to register your business, visit clik2pay.com

University Innovation and Research Key to Global Recovery

The impact of the personal and economic sacrifices the world experienced during the pandemic will be felt for years. In these unsettling times, Dr. Baljit Singh (PhD), the Vice-President, Research at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) says Canadian-based research and innovation offer hope and a source of pride, at a time when they are deeply needed.

As an example, he points to researchers at USask’s VIDO — the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization — who were ready to step up in the world’s most pressing time of need. This response was made possible thanks to visionary leaders in 1975 supporting the establishment of a centre to understand and battle infectious diseases. Today, VIDO has grown into a world-class research institute that is an innovative leader in developing vaccines that protect human and animal health.

“VIDO researchers were the first in Canada to isolate the SARS-CoV2 virus, and the first to develop an animal model of COVID-19. In the coming months, VIDO operations will expand to include vaccine manufacturing,” says Singh.

Singh says we have learned that vaccines by themselves cannot offer all the answers to the crisis created

by a pandemic. “We need to bring innovation to other facets of our operations with the same foresight and determination  that brought VIDO to Canada’s fore over the past five decades,” Singh says. “The blows from the pandemic disproportionately affected marginalized and remote Indigenous communities, and groups of newcomers, compared to other Canadians. To prevent from this happening in the future, we need robust social sciences and humanities analysis and leadership from scholars.”

Canadians, and indeed the world’s population, have seen medical researchers develop a vaccine in real time, and some express inoculation hesitancy. The role of policy experts and communicators becomes crucial in reassuring people safety of the process that led to what might seem a fast vaccine development.

“Our research in the humanities is vitally important at a time when Canadians are re-evaluating their way of life, and looking for inspiration and innovation from creative endeavours to find meaning in difficult times,” he says. “Whether it is examining public policy, exploring the potential of the arts or otherwise adding to a body of scholarly work, these pursuits will help shape how we innovate and emerge from the COVID-19 crisis. Universities play a vital role in all of these areas.”

Whatever crisis the world faces next — whether it is food security, access to quality water, threats to the environment, upheavals resulting from climate change, or a proliferation of conspiracy theories that create social unrest and political chaos, we can’t wait until disaster is imminent before we start looking for innovative science-based solutions. Singh says the work must be ongoing. USask, like many Canadian universities, is deeply embedded in its community and is a crucial link in the innovation ecosystem. Singh says the institution also embraces multiple approaches to research, including Indigenous ways of knowing, land-management and living in harmony with the environment.

“Imagine how the global economy would have collapsed and chaos would have emerged without strong science, devoted university research, and evidence-based decision making,” he says. “Whether it is in a lab or out in the field, university researchers are already uncovering the solutions the world will need next. Throughout our history, USask has demonstrated that we are ready to be the university the world needs — this has never been more evident than during the pandemic.”

To learn more, visit research.usask.ca

This article was supported by Clik2pay

This article was supported by University of Saskatchewan

Mike Bradley CEO & Founder, Clik2pay

Dr. Baljit Singh PhD Vice-President, Research, University of Saskatchewan

Flexibility and Choice: The Next Generation of Employee Health Benefit Plans

COVID-19 has been a catalyst for change in how we live, how we work and how we see the future. It has also shown us that flexibility is essential to the ongoing operation of an organization for both remote and onsite employees. This call for a more adaptable and fluid approach to the work life flow is influencing other aspects of organizational culture and benefits, including health and wellness plans.

Benefits that were once thought of as nice-to-haves — optional benefits and personal wellness and/or health spending accounts — are now becoming a standard part of a broader, more flexible approach to plan design that enhances member choice and puts them in the driver’s seat of their health care.

“We are seeing more and more employers looking to complement their employee benefit offerings with further optional solutions, because one size doesn’t fit all anymore,” says Alaina MacKenzie, Regional Vice-President, Business Development at Medavie Blue Cross.

The ability to complement base coverage is increasingly important. According to a recent survey commissioned by Medavie Blue Cross, 82 per cent of Canadians worry that their finances would be impacted if they experienced a critical illness or major injury. And yet, most fulltime employees do not have critical illness insurance.

As a digital solution for employers to offer enhanced coverage, Optional Benefits, when activated by the employer, allows employees to choose from a variety of coverage types through their existing benefit plan, based on their needs and lifestyle. Optional coverages include critical illness, accidental death and dismemberment, and life insurance, giving them better personal protection and ability to plan long-term.

Integrated benefit solutions that account for today’s realities

The personalization of health care benefits and technology are fuelling transformative change. Leading insurers are embracing the practice to provide a seamless, holistic health management experience. Health coverage must meet the needs of a modern, multi-generational workforce that is accessing health care services online.

“The speed with which we’ve seen digital health services evolve over the last 12 months has been incredible,” MacKenzie says. “We have gone from visiting the doctor’s office to accessing virtual care for acute, situational type issues and now to chronic disease management, where people are realizing that they can receive quality care from the comfort of their home.”

Digitization of health care offers new ways to engage with plan members. For health insurance providers, this means developing simplified, personalized products, services and processes that are as intuitive as online shopping.

Medavie Blue Cross, for instance, recently launched a virtual Dia betes Care program providing plan members access to an integrated digital program and coaching service to help them manage their disease. “Diabetes is a lifelong, chronic disease that can be very difficult to control,” states MacKenzie. “Our integrated virtual solution is designed to help improve the wellbeing of those living with, or at risk for diabetes, while enabling more convenient access to education and care.”

Digital options for mental health support are also an import ant trend to help employees access services anytime, anywhere. “Services like digital therapy (iCBT), personalized medicine (pharmacogenetic testing) and access to a broader range of health professionals are reducing some of the barriers to accessing care — cost, convenience and stigma,” says MacKenzie.

Providing greater flexibility, more service options and integrated digital solutions will continue to be the way forward for benefit plans in a post-pandemic world. “The COVID-19 pandemic was the single biggest catalyst that we have seen in terms of change and behaviours, particularly in employees, but also in Canadians in general,” concludes MacKenzie. “And that change is around how Canadians are consuming their health care, enabling them to shift from being a passenger in their health journey, to being in the driver’s seat.”

Flexibility, optionality, ease of access and technology are key themes that will continue to play an important role in supporting a workplace culture of health and wellness. Whether through the addition of critical illness coverage, shift to virtual care or increased flexibility, it’s about connecting employees to the right level of care at the right time and providing them with the necessary choices to achieve their best possible health outcomes.

Janice Tober

82 percent of Canadians worry that their finances would be impacted if they experienced a critical illness or major injury.

Students Become Future-Ready by Honing Entrepreneurial Thinking Skills

Anne Papmehl

To think like an entrepreneur is to see things differently from the rest of the world and come up with innovative solutions to problems. While an inherent trait in some people, entrepreneurial thinking is a skill that most people can acquire.

“Traditionally people have seen entrepreneurship as something that is ingrained,” says Keri Damen, Executive Director of The Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking at the University of Calgary. “But by understanding the process of finding and validating an opportunity and having the right education, resources, and mentors, entrepreneurial thinking can be learned. We can guide students on how to identify opportunities, marshal resources to capitalize on them, and glean insights from customers and setbacks to move a solution forward.”

That is the focus of the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking. Through academic, co-curricular, and talent programs, along with immersive challenges, competitions, hackathons, and hands-on workshops, the Hunter Hub helps students to develop their entrepreneurial capabilities and enhance their career prospects in a safe, collaborative, and cross-disciplinary environment.

Fewer paid employment opportunities for students during pandemic

With the current COVID-19 crisis, entrepreneurial thinking has never been more important. “I think the pandemic has underscored the extreme need for adaptive capabilities and entrepreneurial thinking skills, such as resilience, problem solving, innovating under constraints, and working across disciplines,” says Damen.

The pandemic also radically altered the world of work and how Canadian post-secondary students obtain employment opportunities where they could learn these vital skills. “Students are really struggling to get job experience, especially paid job experiences, because there are fewer opportunities now,” says Damen.

Similarly, many startups that need young talent have been challenged by less access to traditional recruitment avenues like in-person job fairs and cash flow constraints that affect their ability to hire. “On the positive side, the pandemic has opened up the talent field globally and made it more competitive, but to capitalize on this benefit, we need to make sure that our students can get hired easily by startups and be part of that global talent stream,” says Damen.

This is where Experience Ventures comes in. A newly launched national work placement pilot program powered by The Hunter Hub, Experience Ventures is funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Innovative Work-

Creating talent funnel from university to local innovation ecosystem Through Experience Ventures paid placements, students can hone the entrepreneurial thinking and digital skills they need to be future ready. The fast-paced nature of the work enables them to learn many different functions more quickly than they would in a traditional, structured environment. At the same time, participating companies benefit from fresh perspectives and insights, at no cost to them.

As a national, integrated effort, joining together post-secondary institutions, students, and startups or social ventures, Experience Ventures is helping to build multi-disciplinary innovation networks and a diverse talent pool. Startups gain easier access to talent, while students gain easier access to innovation networks that can use their skills and form the connections they’ll need to find future work opportunities.

The ability to make an impact — for both students and startups — is another key program feature. “Today’s students are very interested in creating an impact, especially related to sustainable development, diversity, and social justice goals,” says Damen. “They have a chance to do that with Experience Ventures since many of the placements involve working with real-world innovators in solving real-world problems,” says Damen. For the hiring companies, it’s an opportunity to amplify the impact of their innovations and be energized with the next generation of talent.

As the Experience Ventures program evolves, the Hunter Hub is finding ways to innovate around the format, time frame and types of work opportunities to increase accessibility for both parties. “We’re trying to make the placements shorter and more flexible, given that students interested in doing some work integrated learning may not have a full free semester, or the startup may not have a perfect four-month project,” says Damen.

Students of all disciplines, including the arts, are encouraged to participate. “We need to include students and professionals from diverse backgrounds and disciplines to create the transdisciplinary innovation economy of the future. Being able to identify a potential viable and exciting career option after getting some experience with a social or tech venture can be very empowering to a student,” she says.

Relentless innovation needed to ensure continued wealth and prosperity To ensure our continued wealth and prosperity, Canada needs to be innovating constantly. Attracting early talent to growing innovation communities ensures that steady pipeline of innovation talent, and Experience Ventures is bridging students and schools with opportunities in the new world of work.

Experience Ventures will run from Summer 2021 to Winter 2022 in collaboration with ten post-secondary school partnerships across Canada and is available to students from all levels and disciplines. It is open to all students attending the University of Calgary, the partner participating post-secondary institutions,

Integrated Learning Initiative. Its aim is to support both students and startups by creating a talent funnel from the university to the local innovation ecosystem.

Keri Damen Executive Director, The Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking