Staff Services / Grants and Awards / Canada Research Chairs at Unity Health

Canada Research Chairs at Unity Health

The Canada Research Chairs (CRC) program offers Canadian universities the opportunity to nominate researchers for senior professorships in areas that will further the institution’s overall research priorities. Each university receives an allocation of Chairs which is proportional to the amount of recent funding the institution has received from the Tri-Agency (CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC) and the institution nominates a researcher for each Chair. The institution uses Chair nominations for external recruitment or internal retention of exceptional researchers who have demonstrated research excellence and leadership and whose work is aligned with the institutional strategic priorities.

There are two levels of Chairs.

  • Tier I Chairs are outstanding researchers acknowledged by their peers as world leaders in their fields. This type of Chair is awarded for a seven-year period and may be renewed at the discretion of the University.
  • Tier II Chairs are exceptional emerging researchers acknowledged by their peers as having the potential to become world leaders in their fields. Tier II Chairs are awarded for five years and may be renewed once at the discretion of the University.

See the Canada Research Chairs program statistics here.

The University of Toronto’s CRC program is administered by the University in partnership with nine affiliated hospitals in the Toronto Academic Health Sciences Network (TAHSN).

This website complements the information provided on the University’s website and provides information specific to Unity Health Toronto, including postings for available CRC opportunities at Unity Health Toronto.

Unity Health Toronto is developing an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan (EDIAP) for the CRC program (link coming soon). The Unity’s EDIAP guides our efforts to sustain the participation of underrepresented individuals from the four federally designated groups (FDGs) – women, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, and racialized persons – as well as members of sexual minority groups among our chair allocations.

The Unity Health Toronto EDIAP will align with the University of Toronto Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan and its TAHSN partners. Unity Health Toronto will work closely with the University of Toronto on implementing the plan’s objectives. For more information, please review the CRC website to learn more about the Federal program’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Requirements and Practices that aim to increase transparency within the program and which also requires firm targets to increase nationally the number of chair holders from the four designated groups as defined by the CRC program.

Unity Health Toronto is committed to creating a workplace culture where everyone feels valued and welcome to be themselves, and where they are empowered to share different perspectives to inspire creativity and innovation. Unity Health Toronto encourages applications from qualified candidates, and we especially welcome applicants who are Indigenous, Black or Racialized, persons with disabilities, people who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+, and all others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas.

2019 Addendum to 2006 Canadian Human Rights Settlement Agreement

In 2006 a Canadian Human Rights Settlement Agreement was reached between the Canada Research Chairs Program (CRCP) and eight academics who filed complaints with the Canadian Human Rights Commission in 2003. In 2019, an addendum to the agreement was reached between the CRCP and the equity seeking plaintiffs, which outlines the new terms of the revised agreement. These new terms were developed collaboratively between the parties and update the original settlement agreement to align with best practices. They build on the CRCP’s current EDI measures and ensure that the objective of attracting and retaining a diverse cadre of world-class researchers at Canadian postsecondary institutions to reinforce excellence in research and training is achieved. See the addendum here.

 

Administration of CRCs

Unity Health Toronto follows the Federal program’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Practices and CRC guidelines for ensuring a fair and transparent recruitment and nomination process. Oversight of the CRC program resides in the portfolio of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation (VPRI) who works closely with the leadership at the University of Toronto.

For each CRC opportunity at Unity Health Toronto, the VPRI will establish a Selection Committee that meets CRC’s guidelines and will openly advertise the position. The Committee will review candidates against established criteria based closely on CRC’s evaluation criteria and make recommendations to the VPRI, who will make the final decision in collaboration with the Research Leadership Committee and the University (see Guide to Nomination and Renewals for Selection Committees).

Currently, there are two(2) Tier 2 CIRH Canada Research Chairs 

Two(2) Tier 1 CIHR Canada Research Chairs 

Date of Posting: February 13,2023

Application Deadline: April 3rd, 2023

In line with the purpose and goals outlined in our Research Strategic Plan 2021-2026, Unity Health Toronto is announcing an internal call for two (2) Tier 1 Canada Research Chair (CRC) positions to support a CIHR eligible research program that aligns with one or more of our four established pillars of world-class research and innovation. One chair will ideally fall within the scope of the Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science (KRCBS) and the other within the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute (LKSKI).

Eligibility:

  • Hold an academic appointment as full professors or associate professors who are expected to be promoted to the full professor level within one or two years of the nomination.
  • Be outstanding and innovative world-class researchers whose accomplishments have made a major impact in their fields.
  • Be recognized internationally as a leader in their field,
  • Have superior records of attracting and supervising graduate students and postdoctoral fellows (taking into account different practices in the relevant field or discipline) and, are expected to be able to attract, develop and retain excellent trainees, students and future researchers throughout the term of the Chair.
  • Propose an original, innovative research program of the highest quality, which aligns with the subject matter eligibility of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).
  • In order to address the underrepresentation of members of the four designated groups (women/gender minorities, members of visible minorities, persons with disabilities, and Indigenous peoples) in the CRC Program (as identified by the Tri-Agency Institutional Programs Secretariat), all institutions are required to meet equity targets by 2029. In order for Unity Health to maintain these targets, this special call isopen only to individuals who self-identify as women or a gender minority (transgender, gender-fluid, non-binary, Two-Spirit)1. This initiative follows the provisions for special programs as described by the Ontario Human Rights Commission.  The identification of outstanding candidates from these designated groups supports Unity Health Toronto’s commitments to equity, diversity, and inclusion as a core value outlined with our Research Strategic Plan: 2021-2026, as well as the institutional capacity to fulfill the objectives of our Canada Research Chairs Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan.

In cases where nominees have non-research commitments at Unity Health Toronto and/or at the University level (e.g. clinical or administrative), these commitments should be limited in order for nominees to undertake their program of research at the level expected of a CRC holder. In addition, the nominee must not currently hold a major salary award, or the award should end before April 2024. The expected start date of these Chairs would be May 1st, 2024

Internal Nomination Submission: Applications should include:

  • a letter of interest (max 3 pages) describing your qualifications (leadership, recognition, supervision) and summary of the proposed 5 year research plan of the intended Canada Research Chair
  • a complete curriculum vitae (not abbreviated)

All materials should be submitted to VPRI@unityhealth.to by April 3rd, 2023.

Unity Health Toronto recognizes that scholars have varying career paths and that career interruptions due to personal circumstances can be part of an excellent academic record. Search committee members have been instructed to give careful consideration to, and be sensitive to the impact of, career interruptions in their assessments. Moreover, Unity Health Toronto has endorsed the principles and committed the institution to comply with the recommendations of the DORA declaration (the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment). This entails that researchers’ research results (including datasets and software) are assessed and evaluated for content and quality.

Statement of Equity, Diversity and Excellence: Unity Health Toronto is committed to creating a workplace culture where everyone feels valued and welcome to be themselves, and where they are empowered to share different perspectives to inspire creativity and innovation. Unity Health Toronto encourages applications from qualified candidates, and we especially welcome applicants who are Indigenous, Black or Racialized, persons with disabilities, people who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+, and all others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas.

Accommodation Policy: Accommodations for disabilities will be provided, on request, to support participation in all aspects of the recruitment process. If you require accommodation at any point of the application process, please contact VPRI@unityhealth.to.

Collection of Equity Data: CRC requires the collection of self-identification data related to the four designated groups from all applicants to CRC opportunities. As part of your application, you must complete the brief self-identification form, please request this form from Erica Conte and return it directly to Erica.Conte@unityhealth.to. This form should not be included with the nomination submission sent to VPRI@unityhealth.to. The submission of this form is mandatory, but responses to all questions are voluntary, and you may decline to answer any questions. Any information directly related to you is strictly confidential and cannot be accessed by the search committee. Results will be aggregated for institutional planning purposes as part of Unity Health Toronto’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan (EDIAP).

For more information about this specific CRC opportunity, and/or if you are unsure of your eligibility, please contact Erica Conte, Director Funding Strategy and Stewardship (Erica.Conte@unityhealth.to).

1 The Tri-Agency Institutional Programs Secretariat  currently uses the categories of the four-designated groups (FDGs) – Women, Members of Visible Minorities, Persons with Disabilities, Indigenous Peoples – to monitor progress towards meeting equity goals

Profiles of our Chairs are listed here.

Contact information

There are a number of mechanisms at the University of Toronto to address concerns related to equity and diversity depending on the issue, and one’s position at the University and/or Unity Health Toronto. For questions, feedback and suggestions about the University’s Equity, Diversity and Action Plan and its implementation, please contact Judith Chadwick, Assistant Vice-President, Research Services, University of Toronto.

Regarding questions and suggestions specific to the CRC opportunities at Unity Health Toronto, please contact Erica Conte, Director Funding Strategy & Stewardship, Office of Vice-President Research and Innovation, Unity Health Toronto.

 

St. Michael’s Hospital site’s Policies and Guidelines that Govern the Staffing of Faculty, Including CRCs:

Unity Health Toronto scientists, including CRCs, are bound to Unity Health policies, including those listed below that promote EDI across Unity Health. These policies are published on the intranet. Click Here for a step-by-step guide on how to externally access internal documents.  For those outside of the institute intending to apply, contact VPRI@unityhealth.to for access to the policies below.

University of Toronto Resources

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