As part of Yukon Innovation Week, national non-profit innovation organization Mitacs hosted an event entitled Collaborate, Cultivate, Thrive, which aimed to bring the community together in celebration of the partnership between Mitacs and its partners in the Yukon
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the Yukon’s economy has been growing and gaining traction, according to Colin Gervais, senior advisor, Business Development of Mitacs. Gervais points to data from the Yukon Bureau of Statistics from May, in which the region’s GDP saw a growth of nearly 14 per cent between 2020 and 2022.
“Sounds good, right?” asked Gervais. “Well, here’s the flip side–this economic boost is putting extra pressure on the job market. Another report from the bureau highlights the scale of this challenge, during the same period the region saw an 81 per cent increase in job vacancies. This highlights the importance of thinking outside the box to address the talent challenges faced by the region in order to maintain the Yukon’s impressive economic momentum.”
As part of Yukon Innovation Week, the week of November 6, the Government of Yukon partnered with Yukon University and Mitacs, with the goal of giving local businesses and university students a boost. The event, called Collaborate, Cultivate, Thrive, came in the wake of reports that the Yukon was facing labour shortages, with too many vacant jobs and not enough workers to fill them. Mitacs acts as a matchmaker between post-secondary students and institutions and organizations that need workers, in order to provide students with work experience and to provide businesses with labour.
“Mitacs, in collaboration with the Government of Yukon, the Federal Government and Yukon University, is emerging as a crucial player in addressing the pressing labour challenges faced by businesses in the region,” said Gervais. “Mitacs is actively supporting Yukon-based businesses, not-for-profits, municipalities and hospitals, by forging partnerships locally with Yukon University; and nationally, through our network of over 170 academic collaborators. This initiative aims to address regional challenges and enhance innovation in several key ways.”
These ways include local employment boosts, access to specialized talent and encouraging domestic migration. Collaborate, Cultivate, Thrive, held at Yukon University, featured Gervais himself as a speaker, as well as Geoff Woodhouse, senior business advisor, Technology and Innovation Branch, Government of Yukon; Dr. Bronwyn Hancock, vice-provost, Academic and Research, Yukon University; and Dr. Davon Callander, manager, Research and Scholarly Activity Services, Yukon University.
“This sold-out event was met with incredible fanfare and curiosity from the Yukon community,” said Gervais. “Participants in this event learned about how they can access Mitacs’ programs and were shown first-hand the impact that Mitacs facilitated partnerships have on the organizations and interns that they engage through a panel discussion with local start-up Balance BioGas, the intern that they engaged from, and the team from Yukon University to support the project.”
In the coming weeks and months, Mitacs is setting its sights on supporting the interest received in the development of projects, according to Gervais, who notes that small- and medium-sized businesses drive the economy all over Canada, with the Yukon being no exception. Gervais said that last year Mitacs supported over 22,000 paid internships across Canada, supporting tens of thousands of students, to ease the burden on these students and provide them with experience to help them land higher-paying roles after their schooling, often with the same organizations for which they interned.
“When entrepreneurs choose to establish, stay and actively participate in the region, it’s a win for all Yukoners. This underscores the vital role of support organizations like Incubate North and YukonStruct within the community, contributing significantly to the local market’s vibrancy,” said Gervais. “Take, for instance, La Petite Maison, currently operating out of YukonStruct’s restaurant incubation space. Through their diverse menu featuring French pastries and sweet and savoury crepes, La Petite Maison brings the beauty and culture of France to Whitehorse, highlighting the positive impact of these community pillars on local businesses. This local restaurant has brought international culinary talent to the region and contributed to the vibrancy and language diversity of the region.”
To learn more, visit mitacs.ca and yukoninnovationweek.com
