Markham is home to industry leaders, businesses and talent that are leading the way to a more innovative future.
Resilience is strong in Markham as residents and businesses undergo rapid adaptive efforts to respond to Covid-19.
Learn more about the initiatives that leaders in our community are partaking in below.
AMD Markham’s Spirit of Innovation and COVID-19 Response
Powered by the spirit and talent of a workforce equaling more than 2,300, AMD Markham is committed to the design and development of leading-edge semiconductors. AMD’s talented engineers have expertise in GPU programming and machine learning algorithms, and is proud to empower the future workforce through integrated work and learning placements to help drive an innovative technology culture.
AMD Markham’s continued innovation is recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Corporate R&D Spenders (2019), Canada’s Top Employers for Young People (2020), Greater Toronto’s Top Employers (2020), and Forbes Canada’s Best Employers (2020).
Working diligently to navigate the uncertainty of COVID-19 and to do its part to combat the pandemic, AMD established a COVID-19 HPC fund to provide research institutions with computing resources to accelerate medical research on COVID-19 and other diseases. AMD is contributing technology and technical resources, including AMD Radeon™ Instinct MI50 accelerators, designed at AMD Markham, and support resources for the “Corona” system at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, providing additional computing power for molecular modeling in support of COVID-19 research.
Additionally, AMD Markham delivered COVID-19 relief response with a $67,000 cash contribution to the Markham Stouffville Hospital Foundation along with tens of thousands of N95 masks to that hospital. AMD Markham gives back by way of its charity employee matching program benefiting Canadian Red Cross and Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care. And to showcase AMD Markham’s commitment to our community, one resourceful employee led a group of volunteers to raise more than $20,000 to purchase more than 20,000 vitally needed medical and surgical masks for a local hospital's frontline health-care workers.
Quanser offers virtual laboratory to support education during Covid
Quanser, a long-term member of the ventureLAB community is also a global leader in the design and manufacture of refined products, solutions and complete labs that have transformed the way educators teach the theory, application, and implementation of controls, robotics, and mechatronics.
Over 2,500 universities and institutions rely on Quanser labs and solutions to help them attract, educate and graduate a new generation of engineering leaders – expanding their presence and reputation on the global academic scene. Quanser’s virtual laboratory experience has proved to be even more critical during the COVID pandemic, where college and university facilities around the world have been shut down. A virtual laboratory would address key challenges in on-line education, by providing a virtual electro-mechanical machine that students can configure, measure, modify and optimize. This would provide a superior remote laboratory experience with better opportunities for lab instructors to interact with students, and better ways to measure student progress. More at www.quanser.com
TimeSaved app helps clients build up healthcare workers
TimeSaved, part of the
ventureLAB
community and based out of Markham, provides mobile strategies for the modern staffing world. TimeSaved provides mobile-first workforce management solutions that help you attract, manage and deploy your workforce faster and more effectively than ever before.
During the period of economic uncertainty brought on by COVID-19, TimeSaved has been pivotal in helping healthcare facilities manage the burgeoning market of healthcare staffing. Using the TimeSaved app, clients can quickly build up their pool of healthcare workers and grow their business to meet changing demands, even despite the client losing a large percentage of their pre-COVID revenue.
Learn how a healthcare agency used mobile technology to grow their business during the economic crisis at https://gettimesaved.com
Bluewrist uses technology to develop mask production machine
Markham based Bluewrist is a part of the ventureLAB community, and is a recognized leader in the development and delivery of robotic and vision solutions that improves efficiency, product quality and cost reduction to the production process. Bluewrist advances the art & science of automation and quality control with their flexible vision systems and intelligent software. Manufacturing around the world is undergoing rapid transformation driven by the adoption of robotics, automation and machine vision. This is where Bluewrist bridges the gap between limitations and possibilities.
As part of their commitment to increase production efficiency, improve production quality and reduce operating costs, Bluewrist is using their leading technology to develop a mask production machine to increase PPE production in Canada.
Bluewrist solutions are trusted by many manufacturers from different industries to help them reduce product defects, improve plant productivity and throughput all while keeping cost in check. More at https://bluewrist.com
FINTAINIUM assisted businesses sustain during COVID-19
FINTAINIUM is part of the ventureLAB
Innovation Space community. FINTAINIUM enables billers and payers to control the way they make and receive payments by providing the most innovative and wide-reaching selection of payment methods. Convert legacy paper-based invoicing and payment processes to real-time electronic systems that provide the rapid. FINTAINIUM empowers businesses to sustain, grow and profit by providing innovative end-to-end financial technology that enables businesses to leverage and improve existing relationships in new ways.d exchange of data, increasing overall productivity and cash flow.
FINTAINIUM is waiving the first three months of subscription fees to the FINTAINIUM platform and all integration fees to provide businesses the much-needed tools and services to manage cash flow and sustain business during COVID-19. More at https://fintainium.com
AIH Technology joined the ventureLAB community in 2019 as a part of the IBM Technology Accelerator Program and Tech Undivided. Since then, AIH has executed a number of milestones, including launching its flagship FRaaS product in collaboration with IBM and Microsoft. ventureLAB has made critical contributions to AIH’s growth with the provision of mentorship, expert guidance and connecting AIH with prospect partners in various industries and government agencies.
In response to the COVID-19 call to action of manufacturers by the Government of Canada, AIH has applied its computer vision expertise and software engineering capabilities to develop a high-throughput fever screening technology, in collaboration with the University of Waterloo. Supported by NSERC, the company seeks to help communities minimize the resurgence of COVID-19 with the capability to implement high throughput fever screening programs.
Markham based Iristel is Canada’s leading wholesale provider of telecommunication services. Iristel has worked diligently to support and help businesses and government across Canada to adapt to the new reality of Covid.
Iristel’s virtual office and unified communications division has supported remote work for businesses, government and residents. A number of activities were undertaken to accomplish this such as porting business numbers to the cloud, rendering them accessible and bringing employees, branches, and devices together within one communication system.
From a residential perspective, as entire households are now home and every member within that household may need to video-conference, download internet content, stream and play online video games, Iristel removed throttling in the mobile space and augmented the voice network so people can work seamlessly from home.
Telecommunications infrastructure remains a very limited resource in rural, remote and arctic Canada. With an infrastructure deficit, its population is vulnerable to unforeseen crises/events like Covid19. Amid global turmoil and uncertainty, Iristel's subsidiary Ice Wireless, a mobile operator in the northern territories and Quebec, doubled its transport network capacity in Iqaluit. The new network architecture uses a combination of multiple satellite technologies that include traditional C-Band fixed satellite services and combines Ka-band fixed satellite. The upgrade boosts both quality and speed of mobile devices and wireless internet service in and around Iqaluit at a time when it is most needed thus keeping Iqaluimmuit empowered by enhancing their collaboration and telemedicine experiences while practicing social distancing.
Helps Municipal Governments Manage Remote Meetings
While the COVID-19 pandemic precludes the in-person, civic meetings that are a hallmark of democracy, eSCRIBE Software – a Markham-based provider of cloud-based meeting management solutions for public sector organizations – is helping municipalities remotely meet and govern through the crisis.
eSCRIBE's electronic meeting management platform is used by many municipalities across North America to save time, lower costs and increase citizen engagement. Its technology reduces the resources required before, during, and after meetings, freeing staff to focus on serving their residents. While supporting customers worldwide, as a Canadian company, eSCRIBE is particularly attuned to the unique requirements facing municipalities in each province.
Long before COVID-19, eSCRIBE’s software offered robust functionality for enabling and facilitating remote meetings – from procedural tools such as electronic voting to webcasting solutions for public transparency. With municipal councils everywhere now turning to remote meetings, eSCRIBE adapted its roadmap to expand these capabilities and help organizations beyond its existing customer base.
eSCRIBE is equally committed to supporting its own staff and community during the crisis. It has provided employees with hardware (such as headsets) and subsidies for upgraded communications plans to facilitate its successful transition to a 100% remote working model. Twice-weekly morning chats and virtual lunches keep staff connected and maintain eSCRIBE’s internal culture while checking in on each other – particularly important for staff who live alone. And to support its local community, eSCRIBE donated to the Markham Food Bank through the Markham Cares initiative.
SinaLite adapts and innovates to support the print community
has been a leader in wholesale trade printing for over 21 years. With its head office in Markham, SinaLite has now partnered with over 10,000 businesses. Recognized as one of the largest trade-only printers serving all of North America, the company is still a family-owned Canadian print business. SinaLite now prints at its 100,000 square-foot facility using over $20 million worth of state-of-the-art technology. They provide more than 1,000 product options to print shops, print brokers, graphic designers, sign shops, and more. Since the beginning, they have never compromised on their three core values—quality, service and meeting deadlines.
With the impact of Covid-19, SinaLite felt the need to step back and provide solutions for the challenges many of their print partners face. They developed hospital approved face shields for essential workers that were donated to a local hospital and made available for purchase across North America where a portion of the proceeds are being donated to Markham Stouffville Hospital. Many additional products were added to their product portfolio to support partners in providing their clients with all the essentials for reopening their businesses within safety guidelines. Pre-designed floor graphics for social distancing and signage encouraging healthy hygiene practices were created, as well as apparel to encourage a safe environment for businesses re-opening their doors. To support and encourage the print community, SinaLite also hosted a series of webinars providing their expert tips on bouncing back, communicating effectively, and learning to thrive in the current economic climate.
Sunny Crunch Foods Ltd.
Retooled to Develop the Protector Package
2020 marks the 50th Year Golden Anniversary of Sunny Crunch Foods Ltd., 46 of which have been in the City of Markham. Sunny Crunch is Canada’s healthy whole food and beverage manufacturer with a global reach that spans across markets including the U.S., Brazil, Argentina, Caribbean, England, Cyprus, Israel, India, South Africa, Cote d’Ivoire, China and Dubai. Its product lines consist of nutrition, sports, high protein, meal replacement, keto, specialty diets, energy, plant based, granola, cereal/grain, superfoods, specialty coatings and slab extrusion. A key focus of Sunny Crunch’s business is providing private label manufacturing for the largest brands in the world.
In response to COVID-19 and the demand for personal protective equipment (PPEs) to support front line workers within the community, Sunny Crunch has quickly retooled its manufacturing process to develop a new product line for first responders and essential workers called The Protector
Package. This product line includes disposable mask manufacturing, sanitizer and multivitamins – focused on total body immune system health delivered by multiple forms of nutraceutical products. The product line is currently under development to ensure products meet industry compliance standards including high quality control, and will be made market ready towards the end of 2020.
Microart Services responded to supply chain needs to help combat Covid
Microart Services is also amongst a list of local employers making a difference during Covid. Microart, headquartered in Markham is manufacturer of circuit boards and is proud to be identified as an essential service provider for customers both new and existing to assist in combatting COVID-19. Currently Microart serves more than 50 customers in the medical field including more than 10 who have issued “critical path manufacturing for COVID-19” orders, these orders take priority within the company’s supply chain and are directly related to products such as: automated hand sanitizers, electronic thermometers, life support systems & ventilators.
As a certified ISO13485 manufacturer and Microart’s capability includes quoting, building and shipping electronic circuit boards within 10 days. The company is a great choice for medical companies looking for expedited production ramp up, rapid prototype capability and to satisfy new demands as a result of this pandemic that we are facing. With the local and Canadian governments ordering life support systems & ventilators Microart has also seen an increase in customer demands and are working around the clock to ramp up production to meet demands and save lives.
EAIGLE adapted crowd monitoring solution to mitigate Covid spread
is a Canadian company based in Markham that has developed a solution to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in public spaces and essential service facilities including, Commercial Real Estate (CRE), retails stores, warehouses, manufacturing facilities and hospitals using its computer vision platform powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI).
EAIGLE enables various organizations across multiple industries to monitor crowd, count number of people, measure their body temperature non-invasively, flag people with elevated body temperature in real-time and automatically sends an alarm. It makes the first screening step as un-manned process allowing organizations to execute their infection control and prevention strategies effectively and help to ensure a safe environment for their employees, consumers and the general public.
The technology uses AI to monitor numerous cameras at once, seamlessly enforces social distancing through its crowd monitoring features by counting number of people coming in and out of the facility and measure their body temperature without any interruption in the flow of traffic minimizing human interaction and lowering the risk involved for employees and staff. Data findings are converted automatically to a report form for further analysis which enables companies to discover actionable data insights and implement sound decisions throughout the crisis.
Unlike other thermal measurement products in the market, EAIGLE offers a multifunctional solution. The AI platform is designed for multi functionality, during and post COVID-19, with applications such as, occupancy data analytics for space optimization, labour allocation and energy management.
Blade Filters’ air filtration solution addresses Covid
Blade Filters based out of YSpace in Downtown Markham is a leader in the air filtration industry and through their replaceable carbon cartridge has created the world's first zero-waste carbon filter.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the team at Blade Filters sat down to brainstorm around questions: "What can we do? How can we help?" Being in the air filtration industry, the team felt that they had a responsibility to take action and utilize their resources to try and make a difference by helping businesses provide clean, filtered, air so their employees can feel safe with going back to work.
After hours and weeks of tireless design, prototyping and testing, team Blade Filter was extremely proud to announce our HEPA-Carbon Air Filter- a unit with a 5-step filtration process that removes up to 99.97% of airborne particulate matter, preventing the spread of germs and diseases. The HEPA filters are a 100% Canadian made and manufactured, the Blade Filters HEPA-Carbon Filter is our response to help front-line workers, essential employees, and all Canadians feel safer by breathing easier.
Swob, based out of YSpace in Markham, has created Swob to make job searching for young job seekers easy and recruitment for employers even easier. Swobis an award-winning recruitment platform to help employers in high turnover industries find local talent, using the company’s smart recruiting service.
What is Swob doing to support
employers during COVID-19?
Appreciating the difficulties that COVID poses, Swob has proactively offered to pause paid subscriptions from their clients in the food service and retail industries. When an employer signs up to Swob, they typically receive a 30 Day Free Trial, however, for the month of April, the company decided to offer a 90 Day Free Trial to help alleviate the financial pressures during COVID without losing out on talent. Swob is now looking for other opportunities and actively targeting essential services such as grocery stores, delivery services, and warehouses among many, who are hiring at the moment to get matched up with potential employees.
For student users that are actively looking for jobs, Swob created a partnership with a Food Handlers Certificate course so Swob users get the course at 50% off, and has also launched a Brand Ambassador program to help users gain work experience while at home. Swob has also put together weekly free webinars to help users through this difficult time. Job seekers can download Swob for free in the App Store and Google Play.
As the world deals with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, ICON – a visual communications company based in Markham – has repurposed its services and facilities to help businesses overcome challenges that the virus has created. Since 1995, ICON has been a leader in Canada’s large format printing industry producing larger-than-life displays for Fortune 500 companies and household brand names.
In response to the pandemic, ICON’s large format and commercial print division – ICON Visual – has produced thousands of face shields for frontline workers across Canada using their FDA-approved acrylic. As the retail industry and the rest of the country prepares to re-open, ICON continues to outfit brick-and-mortar stores with positive branded content and social distancing best practices using a wide variety of large format and commercial print. From a digital perspective, ICON’s digital signage and original content division – ICON Media –focused on creating animated content while launching their new digital signage solution, ICON Q, designed to help minimize physical queues and optimize wait times by scanning QR codes at retail locations.
Today, the goal of ICON’s executive team is to help brands drive traffic and sales across all platforms in a safe manner that adheres to the new normal of social distancing guidelines. ICON looks forward to pushing the boundaries of technology and innovation as they help transform digital and physical spaces for clients across the retail, fragrance & cosmetics, sports & entertainment, automotive, financial, transportation, education, and consumer-packaged-goods (CPG) industries.
Markham Start-Up Elastic Care Prepares Platform for Physicians & Patients in Response to COVID-19
based out of Markham, is a healthcare startup. Its Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) platform allows for remote monitoring of patients suffering from various chronic illnesses like CVD, COPD, and diabetes. Their hardware platform is undergoing final testing for US FDA clearance and other approvals in Canada.
According to Ashok Kalle, Elastic Care’s CEO, “Elastic Care’s RPM platform is ideal for remote monitoring of COVID subjects. Prioritizing care and helping doctors make data-driven decisions will help to alleviate the burden on overwhelmed global healthcare systems,” adding “we’ve made the decision to release a part of our platform right away and at no charge, to help address the pressing global need for solutions to tackle this pandemic from any and all angles in a collaborative, medically sound, and effective manner.”
The RPM platform currently measures various metrics via questionnaires and an ecosystem of partner devices. These metrics include respiratory rate (RR), Sp02, temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, urine output, levels of consciousness (AVPU), and detects complications and trends using the WHO approved “NEWS” score. Physicians are provided with a user-friendly dashboard, through which they can monitor their patient alerts, connect with them in real time, and even remotely write prescriptions for patients to receive immediately via the patient app. The app also has geo-fencing features to help track the patient’s location and history for use by authorized caretakers and family.
Hop In & Captain’s Boil team up to provide COVID-19 relief to Front Line Workers
COVID-19 has taken the world by storm. As we all learn to navigate through uncertain times and to define a new reality, essential workers are still hard at work sustaining society’s basic needs. They have quickly become our “Healthcare Heroes & Heroines”, protecting those who fall victim to the silent enemy. Coming together as a community now is more important than ever, and we want these Heroes & Heroines to know they have not been forgotten.
Markham’s startup Hop In is currently headquartered out of YSpace; York University’s community innovation space in the heart of Downtown Markham, specializes in moving people during their daily commutes with their technology platform, has also collaborated with communities and organizations across the GTHA.
Hop In is also amongst the many businesses in Markham to shift gears in support of local efforts and front line workers in the fight against Covid. Hop In has joined efforts with Captain’s Boil, a well-known restaurant chain in York Region, to deliver hot meals to front line workers.
The joint initiative between Hop In and Captain’s Boil Franchise delivers free meals and free rides-to-work to front line healthcare workers. So far, meals have been delivered to Sunnybrook Hospital in North York, as well as other hospitals around Vaughan and Markham.
Honda Responds to COVID-19 With Support to Customers, Honda Associates, Business Partners and Local Community Organizations
MARKHAM, ON – During this period of unprecedented challenge related to the COVID-19 pandemic, Honda is working to support its customers, associates, and business partners throughout North America, and, just as critically, to assist communities throughout the region where people are suffering the devastating effects of this health crisis.
Following is a summary of the actions Honda has taken, thus far, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic regarding its customers, associates and business operations:
Support of Healthcare Providers
• Honda modified 10 Odyssey minivans and provided them to the City of Detroit to transport people potentially infected with COVID-19, as well as healthcare workers. To help protect the health of the driver from the potential for droplet infection during transportation, the Honda Odysseys were retrofitted with a plastic barrier behind the front seating area, as well as modifications to the ventilation system to maintain an air pressure differential between front and rear seating areas.
• Honda has teamed up with Dynaflo Inc. to increase Dynaflo’s production of diaphragm compressors, a key component of portable ventilators that are used in hospitals by first responders. The companies aim to produce 10,000 compressors per month once production has reached capacity and expect to maintain production through the end of August.
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): 10 Honda facilities in North America combined to donate over 200,000 items to healthcare providers and first responders, including gloves, face shields, N95 protective masks, alcohol wipes, half-mask respirators and other types of protective gear. Specifically, Honda Canada and Honda of Canada Mfg. (HCM) have donated more than 45,000 PPE items to local Ontario hospitals.
• Honda associates at five different Honda facilities, including HCM, are using 3D printers to manufacture parts for face shields being donated to healthcare facilities and first responders.
• Honda continues investigating the ability to meet critical manufacturing needs related to medical equipment such as compressors for ventilators, by partnering with other companies.
Community Support
The Honda family of companies across North America have initiated a significant and comprehensive new effort to harness the spirit of community in responding to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Honda has pledged $1.0 million overall to address the immediate needs of communities across Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, providing the most vulnerable with access to food. The pledge is part of a range of efforts Honda is undertaking to support community and government actions aimed at helping people combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The Honda Canada Foundation has donated an additional $500,000 to support essential nutrition and healthcare needs in Canada. As part of Honda Canada’s commitment to serve the communities where its customers and associates live and work, organizations local to the company’s head office and manufacturing facilities were chosen to receive funding.
o $100,000 to Food Banks Canada o $100,000 to Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket, ON o $100,000 to Stevenson Memorial Hospital Foundation in Alliston, ON o $100,000 to Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre in Barrie, ON o $100,000 to Markham Stouffville Hospital in Markham, ON
• Building on the commitment of Honda associates to community volunteerism, Honda has initiated a COVID-19 Special Matching Gift Program that enables associates to make monetary donations to food programs in their local communities, matching up to $1,000 for each individual associate. The matching fund is in addition to the $1.5 million pledge described above.
o As of May 1, more than 130 associates have donated more than $19, 500 to Food Banks Canada.
• “Virtual Volunteers”: Honda is empowering Honda associates in North America to help people in need in their local communities while maintaining social distancing. Some of the activities include sending notes of encouragement to Make-A-Wish® Canada kids, sharing pictures on social media with handwritten notes for healthcare workers, neighbour wellness checks and other efforts that can be completed from home.
• Across North America, Honda has launched the #ThankaHealthCareHero social media campaign to encourage people to offer gratitude to doctors, nurses, paramedics, fire, police and other frontline professionals who place themselves at risk in support of the public’s health and safety.
Customer Support
For our customers experiencing financial stress due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have established a number of emergency relief measures.
• The Honda and Acura brands have offered to help customers who financed their vehicles through Honda Financial Services or Acura Financial Services with payment extensions and deferrals, as well as available late fee waivers.
• 180 Days to First Payment Program: 180-day deferred payment is available to qualified customers for new vehicle sales that are financed by Honda and Acura Financial Services.
• Starting May 1st through June 30th, 2020, all Acura dealers across Canada will provide first responders, healthcare professionals, and their spouses $1,000 towards the purchase of a 20MY Acura vehicle (excludes NSX and PMC models), when financed or leased through Acura Financial Services (AFS) as part of its First Responder and Healthcare Professional Appreciation Offer. For more information visit https://www.acura.ca.
• To learn more about these and other programs, please visit our website at
https://www.honda.ca.
• If a vehicle requires repair or maintenance, pending provincial and local government recognition of transportation as an essential need, a local Honda/Acura dealer service operation should be open and able to provide service.
Honda Associate Support
• Honda’s utmost concern is the health and well-being of our associates.
• Honda resumed production at its powersports facility in South Carolina on Monday, May 4. Honda’s Canadian and U.S. auto plants will resume production during the week of May 11.
• The vast majority of Honda associates are working remotely from home. In-office activity is limited to essential activities only.
• For those essential associates working in Honda facilities, the company is taking additional steps to support social distancing and other health and safety guidelines. These measures may vary by location, but include limiting physical gathering, maintaining social distancing to the extent feasible, and adhering to the government recommendations for cleaning and disinfecting our sites.
• Travel restrictions:
o Honda is prohibiting all international travel due to the latest advisories from government official with exceptions for critical need. o Honda is prohibiting all non-essential domestic travel within each country in North America. • Only business essential visitors are allowed to access each Honda facility with pre-approval from management.
Marketing/Social Media
• Honda and Acura have adjusted marketing and social media efforts reflective of the challenges facing its customers.
• Honda is dedicated to supporting those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes highlighting the support Honda is providing to the community in the form of contributions to food banks and meal programs, support for healthcare providers and the virtual volunteer efforts of Honda associates.
• Honda and Acura are reminding customers how the brands are here to help during these challenging times in a series of new television and digital ad spots.
Due to the fast-changing nature of this situation, Honda will continue to provide updates on our business impacts and actions on Hondanews.ca.
Fluidigm biotechnology solutions help fight COVID-19
Fluidigm Canada Inc., headquartered in Markham, is recognized as one of Greater Toronto's Top Employers in 2020. As an industry-leading biotechnology tools provider, Fluidigm Canada focuses on research, development and manufacturing of the mass cytometry and Imaging Mass Cytometry™ instruments, reagents and applications to support clinical research including cancer immunology and immunotherapy. Fluidigm serves a broad base of customers including leading academic, government, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and plant and animal research laboratories worldwide.
Fluidigm’s proprietary CyTOF® mass cytometry technology was invented in Canada and is now being used in the fight against COVID-19. Recently, researchers at the University of Paris used CyTOF to identify profound changes in the immune systems of critically ill COVID-19 patients. The findings may help define a population of COVID-19 patients at high risk for becoming critically ill and have suggested a possible benefit from anti-inflammatory therapies.
As best-in-class immune monitoring system, CyTOF with another newly developed technology, the Maxpar® Direct™ Immune Profiling Assay™ (MD IPA), provides the best cost, flexibility and consistency needed for standardized COVID-19 disease immune monitoring research. As recipient of the Life Science Industry Award for the Best New Product in Cell Biology, the Maxpar Direct Immune Profiling System empowers researchers to easily quantify 37 different immune cell populations from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and whole blood using CyTOF technology.
Fluidigm also offers other technology solutions to help fight COVID-19 including RNA detection products, the Biomark™ HD system and integrated fluidic circuits, that can be used to develop high-throughput, scalable and cost-effective SARS-CoV-2 detection in public, private and government testing environments.
Helios™- a CyTOF System used for collecting data with the MD IPA processed patient's blood.
For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures. Fluidigm, the Fluidigm logo, CyTOF, Direct, Helios, Immune Profiling Assay, Maxpar and Pathsetter are trademarks or registered trademarks of Fluidigm Corporation. All other trademarks are the sole property of their respective owners.
4S Consulting has leveraged technology for making safety compliance easy to support clients during COVID-19
4S Consulting Services, Inc. (4S) is a leading Markham-based, innovative occupational health and safety (OHS) company founded in 2004. It touches the lives of more than 500,000 employees from over 2,000 companies who use the 4SafeCom™ Online Safety Training & Management System, its proprietary software every year.
Over 5,000 customers are using the classroom training services of 4S.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, 4S Consulting was quickly able to leverage its technology, and has come up with critical initiatives to help businesses address #COVID-19 effectively. These include complimentary online training modules on COVID-19 focusing on keeping workplaces in different sectors safe. Courses for employees, employers, and sanitation are available for the different sectors. Other premium services include contact tracing, site entry, and sanitation monitoring, as well as policies and procedures to protect workplaces. These solutions are being used by existing clients of 4S, and are being promoted to industry association partners including, OGCA, ECAO, and others.
The company was the finalist for MBT's Annual Business Awards 2019. The mission of 4S is to ensure that its clients embrace health & safety as part of their organizational culture. Integrating 4SafeCom™ into its client’s business while providing leading-edge training, consulting and online systems, 4S is an employer’s one-stop-shop for workplace safety requirements.
The company wants to extend its integrated OHS services to make Markham a safer workplace, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Phyxable, launched in 2017 and supported by YSpace in Markham, is an online solution for physiotherapy, chiropractic and occupational therapy, with our end-to-end virtual rehab platform. The company empowers people in pain to quickly diagnose, self-care and prevent their injuries from coming back, without stepping outside of their home or workplace.
During the current COVID-19 crisis, about 80% of physical therapy clinics have shut down across North America and Europe. With this drastic effect on traditional clinics, Phyxable’s presence has become an essential resource, and a pertinent solution for patients on the road to recovery. Phyxable has optimized its platform for remote treatment by creating engaging, interactive online programs that teach patients evidence-based self-help solutions to tackle their concerns, while allowing practitioners to provide 1-on-1 virtual rehab via video chat to hundreds of patients. With the slow openings of hospital wards and clinics, Phyxable video chat has been highly valued by patients, employers and hospitals requiring a safe and stable platform to service physical therapy patients. Just during the COVID-19 crisis, Phyxable has increased usage by over 1500%!
Phyxable has now expanded its global reach by introducing the benefits of tele-rehab across Canada, the United States and the UK. Also it has directed services towards remote, underserved areas with internet connection, establishing an accessible means of care.
Named as one of the top 10 innovative companies in York Region, Phyxable continues innovating tele-rehab and establishing it as a respected form of healthcare, now during the COVID-19 crisis and in future years to come.
Vexos to Manufacture and Deliver 10,000 MVM Ventilators to the Government of Canada in its national mobilization to combat the COVID-19 Pandemic
TORONTO, May 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- VEXOS Inc., a Global Electronics Manufacturing services (EMS) provider, has signed an agreement with the Government of Canada to manufacture 10,000 Mechanical Ventilator Milano (MVM) units in the national mobilization to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Government of Canada's continuing support for companies producing critical medical supplies will enable Vexos to manufacture and deliver these much-needed ventilators that will assist in the treatment of patients affected by the COVID-19 virus.
Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry today stated: "Throughout this period of crisis, we continue to see Canadian companies across the country making tremendous contributions to fight COVID-19. The story of Dr. Art McDonald, his team, and Vexos is one of true innovation. These new, easy to build ventilators are a great example of Canadian innovation at work and will be a key resource for our hospitals to save lives."
"We are extremely honored to be working with an international group of innovators who were able to design and develop the MVM Ventilator in a very short timeframe. The order from the Government of Canada is a testament to not only international collaboration, but also collaboration within Canada between governmental, institutional, and business entities focused on delivering rapid solutions in national mobilization efforts against the COVID-19 pandemic," said Paul Jona, CEO & President of Vexos. "During these challenging times, it's important that we contribute where we can to assist our communities. Delivering the MVM Ventilator to support Canada's mobilization against the COVID-19 pandemic is a clear indication of our commitment."
"We created a task force to coordinate with our international, national and local partners since March in preparing extra manufacturing capacity and an increased supply chain pipeline to meet the expected demand for the MVM Ventilator," said Wayne Hawkins, SVP & General Manager for Vexos Markham. "We are proud to support Canada in the effort to fight the COVID-19 pandemic."
The MVM Ventilator, developed by the International MVM Group, is an innovative, simple but powerful ventilator designed to address the specific needs for the care and recovery of severely affected COVID-19 patients. The International MVM group, led by Professor Cristiano Galbiati, originated through an international consortium of Italian, US, and Canadian physicists, engineers, and companies in early March 2020 working collaboratively across the globe to bring the MVM Ventilator from project initiation to FDA approval in a span of 6 weeks. Achieving this result in such a short time was made possible thanks to the cooperation of laboratories, institutes, universities, and companies mainly across Italy, Canada, and the United States, maximizing the benefits that come from sharing skills and resources.
The Canadian arm of the International MVM Group is led by Queen's University Professor Emeritus, Dr. Art McDonald, a co-recipient of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physics. The Canadian group includes national laboratories and institutes: SNOLAB, TRIUMF, McDonald Institute and Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL). Dr. McDonald said, "I have enjoyed working with such a skilled and dedicated team of scientists and engineers, including our Canadian manufacturing partners, in this humanitarian effort. Everyone is strongly motivated to make a difference in this difficult situation for Canada and the rest of the world."
Vexos will build the MVM Ventilator under an exclusive license agreement with Elemaster Group for the Americas (North, Central, and South America).
Vexos is also working closely with JMP Solutions, a London, Ontario company that specializes in industrial robotics, control systems, and systems automation in the manufacture of the MVM Ventilator. "We are honored to be collaborating with Vexos and the MVM team in the manufacture of the MVM Ventilator to support our national mobilization efforts against the COVID-19 pandemic," stated Scott Shawyer, President and CEO of JMP Solutions.
The MVM Ventilator which has received FDA approval in the US (under Emergency Use Authorization) will be undergoing Health Canada review for approval under the provisions of the Interim Order issued on March 30, 2020 respecting the importation and sale of medical devices for use in relation to COVID-19. Deliveries of units are expected to commence in July 2020.
About VEXOS Inc., Vexos, is an award-winning global Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) and Custom Material Solutions (CMS) company, providing complete end-to-end supply chain management solutions in electronic and mechanical products for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and new emerging technology companies. Vexos services extend over the entire electronic product life cycle, from value engineering services for product development to prototyping and New Product Introduction (NPI) through to the growth, maturity, and end-of-life phases with a strong focus and commitment to quality and customer service satisfaction. With manufacturing facilities in the United States, Canada, China, and Vietnam, Vexos can efficiently compete in today's marketplace, primarily focused within the medical, industrial, automotive, computing, communications, and aviation/defense markets. To learn more please visit us at www.vexos.com
AMD Markham’s Spirit of Innovation and COVID-19 Response
Over 2,500 universities and institutions rely on Quanser labs and solutions to help them attract, educate and graduate a new generation of engineering leaders – expanding their presence and reputation on the global academic scene. Quanser’s virtual laboratory experience has proved to be even more critical during the COVID pandemic, where college and university facilities around the world have been shut down. A virtual laboratory would address key challenges in on-line education, by providing a virtual electro-mechanical machine that students can configure, measure, modify and optimize. This would provide a superior remote laboratory experience with better opportunities for lab instructors to interact with students, and better ways to measure student progress. More at 
Markham based 
In response to the COVID-19 call to action of manufacturers by the Government of Canada, AIH has applied its computer vision expertise and software engineering capabilities to develop a high-throughput fever screening technology, in collaboration with the University of Waterloo. Supported by NSERC, the company seeks to help communities minimize the resurgence of COVID-19 with the capability to implement high throughput fever screening programs.
Helps Municipal Governments Manage Remote Meetings
has been a leader in wholesale trade printing for over 21 years. With its head office in Markham, SinaLite has now partnered with over 10,000 businesses. Recognized as one of the largest trade-only printers serving all of North America, the company is still a family-owned Canadian print business. SinaLite now prints at its 100,000 square-foot facility using over $20 million worth of state-of-the-art technology. They provide more than 1,000 product options to print shops, print brokers, graphic designers, sign shops, and more. Since the beginning, they have never compromised on their three core values—quality, service and meeting deadlines.
As a certified ISO13485 manufacturer and Microart’s capability includes quoting, building and shipping electronic circuit boards within 10 days. The company is a great choice for medical companies looking for expedited production ramp up, rapid prototype capability and to satisfy new demands as a result of this pandemic that we are facing. With the local and Canadian governments ordering life support systems & ventilators Microart has also seen an increase in customer demands and are working around the clock to ramp up production to meet demands and save lives.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the team at Blade Filters sat down to brainstorm around questions: "What can we do? How can we help?" Being in the air filtration industry, the team felt that they had a responsibility to take action and utilize their resources to try and make a difference by helping businesses provide clean, filtered, air so their employees can feel safe with going back to work.
Helping Brands Prepare for the New Normal
based out of Markham, is a healthcare startup. Its Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) platform allows for remote monitoring of patients suffering from various chronic illnesses like CVD, COPD, and diabetes. Their hardware platform is undergoing final testing for US FDA clearance and other approvals in Canada.
Hop In & Captain’s Boil team up to provide COVID-19 relief to Front Line Workers
Hop In is also amongst the many businesses in Markham to shift gears in support of local efforts and front line workers in the fight against Covid. Hop In has joined efforts with Captain’s Boil, a well-known restaurant chain in York Region, to deliver hot meals to front line workers. 
Fluidigm biotechnology solutions help fight COVID-19
4S Consulting has leveraged technology for making safety compliance easy to support clients during COVID-19
