The Bloorview Research Institute at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital invites internal applications and nominations for a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (CRC). To be considered for the opportunity, applicants must hold a full-time appointment at the Bloorview Research Institute. The successful candidate will be selected as Holland Bloorview's nominee for a five-year Tier 2 Canada Research Chair and will be expected to develop and submit a CRC nomination at the earliest opportunity, and no later than June 2027.
The Bloorview Research Institute (BRI), located within the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto, and recognized in Canada and around the world for its unique client population and leadership in the field of childhood disability. Dedicated to improving the lives of children with disabilities through client and family centered rehabilitation research, BRI is home to leading scientists whose expertise includes qualitative research methods, outcome measurement development and validation, systematic reviews, assistive technology design and evaluation, body machine interfacing, neuroimaging, and clinical trials.
To address the under-representation of groups who experience systemic barriers in the CRC Program (as identified by the Tri-Agency Institutional Programs Secretariat), this special call is open only to current Holland Bloorview scientists who self-identify as persons with disabilities as defined by the Employment Equity Act. This recruitment approach follows the provisions for special programs as described by the Ontario Human Rights Commission. The identification of outstanding candidates from the designated group supports the objectives of the University of Toronto's Canada Research Chairs Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan and, in so doing, satisfies the requirements of the CRC Program. It also supports the University of Toronto's and Holland Bloorview's commitments to equity, diversity, and inclusion, and our public mission for the pursuit of excellence and equity.
Eligibility
Tier 2 CRC positions are for emerging scholars, and the successful nominee should be within ten years of their first independent academic research-related appointment (at the time of nomination to the Canada Research Chairs Program). To meet the criteria of the program, CRC nominees must:
- be excellent emerging world-class researchers who have demonstrated particular research creativity;
- have demonstrated the potential to achieve international recognition in their fields in the next five to ten years;
- as Chairholders, have the potential to attract, develop and retain excellent trainees, students and future researchers; and
- be proposing an original, innovative research program of high quality.
The nominee's research area must align with the subject matter eligibility of CIHR.
Candidates who are more than 10 years from their first independent academic research-related appointment at the time of nomination and who have experienced eligible career interruptions may be considered eligible for a Tier 2 Chair through the program's Tier 2 justification process.
Holland Bloorview recognizes that scholars have varying career paths and that life circumstances, including illness, disability, family and community responsibilities, may affect an individual's record of research achievement. Such circumstances may include, but are not limited to, maternity or parental leave, leaves related to illness, caregiving responsibilities for family members, and periods of reduced research productivity associated with chronic illness or disability. Selection committee members have been instructed to give careful consideration to, and be sensitive to, the impact of these circumstances and any resulting career interruptions or delays in their assessment of candidate achievements, productivity, and overall record.
Policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern (STRAC): The Canada Research Chairs Program is subject to the Government of Canada's STRAC policy. Nominations involving research that advances a sensitive technology research area may be ineligible for funding where researchers involved in the proposed work have affiliations or support identified under the policy. Applicants are encouraged to review the Tri-Agency STRAC guidance to understand how it may affect their eligibility and nomination.
Nomination Process
The nomination process may involve the selection and endorsement of a candidate by a Chair, Director, or colleague who submits a nomination package on behalf of the nominee. Alternatively, to enhance access, self-nominations are also welcomed, and candidates can submit their own nomination package.
The nomination package will include:
1. A concise cover letter (maximum three pages) describing:
a) the qualifications of the candidate and their research plans for the 5-year CRC position, with reference to the selection criteria for Tier 2 Chairs (focusing on Criterion 1 - Quality of the nominee and the proposed research program)
b) A brief statement indicating whether the proposed research involves a sensitive technology research area under the Government of Canada's Policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern (STRAC), and disclosing any affiliations, funding, or in-kind support that may require review under the policy
2. A list of 3 potential referees who might be eligible to provide letters of reference in accordance with the Canada Research Chairs Program conflict of interest requirements.
3. A self-identification form (see below) completed by the candidate.
4. An up-to-date academic curriculum vitae.
5. Candidates who will be more than 10 years from their first independent academic research-related appointment at the time of the nomination must include an explanation (maximum one page) outlining why they believe they qualify for a Tier 2 justification, as described above.
Candidates who are not seeking a Tier 2 justification may, at their discretion, include a brief statement (maximum one page) describing any career interruptions, personal circumstances, or non-traditional career paths that they would like the Selection Committee to take into consideration during its review.
Review Date: Review of eligible nomination packages may commence on November 23, 2026. In accordance with Canada Research Chairs Program requirements, this opportunity will remain advertised for a minimum of 30 days prior to the start of the review process.
For more information about this specific CRC opportunity at Holland Bloorview, please contact Donna Yee – Manager, Grants & Awards Development.
For further information on the federally endowed Canada Research Chairs Program, including eligibility criteria, please consult the Canada Research Chairs website.
For more information about the CRC nomination process at the University of Toronto, contact Kristina Ohrvall, Assistant Vice-President, Research Services, at crc@utoronto.ca.
Equity, Diversity, Accessibility and Anti-Racism
Holland Bloorview is committed to fostering a climate of inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility, and anti-racism (IDEAA). This commitment is central to, and mutually supportive of, our research excellence mandate. We welcome and respect the diversity of all members of our community and we seek to create an inclusive culture for our clients, families, research scientists, staff, participants, trainees, volunteers, trustees, and partners. To help in our journey towards fully reflecting the communities we partner with, we welcome and encourage applications from Black individuals and other racialized persons, Indigenous Peoples, women, persons with disabilities, LGBTQI2SA+ persons, and others who may contribute to further diversification of ideas within our community. Holland Bloorview is committed to fair assessment of a candidate's abilities, and consideration for diversity of thought, method, and experience, including non-traditional career paths.
Accessibility
In accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, accommodation will be provided throughout the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities. Please notify us of any accommodations that you require by contacting humanresources@hollandbloorview.ca or 416-425-6220.
Self-Identification Requirement
The Canada Research Chairs Program requires institutions to collect self-identification data from all applicants, following the program's best practices. As this opportunity is open only to individuals who self-identify as persons with disabilities, candidates are required to complete the Holland Bloorview self-identification form to confirm their eligibility for consideration in this competition. Completion of the form is mandatory.
Information collected through the Holland Bloorview self-identification process will be held confidentially and separately from all other employment and personal information. Access to individual-level data will be restricted to designated staff responsible for administering the competition. Where reporting is required, information will be reported only in aggregate to the Selection Committee Chair, Equity Officer, and other limited designated individuals involved in the administration of the competition. No individual self-identification information will be shared with the Selection Committee members or others not involved in the administration of the competition. To protect applicant confidentiality, self-identification information will only be reported in aggregate where appropriate. Where the number of individuals within a reporting category is small, results may be suppressed, combined, or otherwise presented in a manner that prevents the identification of individual applicants.
Candidates selected for nomination should be aware that the Canada Research Chairs Program also requires nominees and Chairholders to complete a separate self-identification form as part of the CRC nomination process. The program collects disaggregated self-identification data to monitor representation, identify and address potential systemic barriers in its policies and processes, and assess institutional progress toward equity targets. Aggregated data may be shared with nominating institutions and publicly reported by the Canada Research Chairs Program in accordance with program requirements. Applicants selected for nomination are expected to self-identify to the CRC Program in a manner consistent with the information they provided during the hospital's recruitment process.
Data collected through both the Holland Bloorview and Canada Research Chairs Program self-identification processes will be used solely for the purposes of administering this competition and the CRC nomination process and will not be accessed or used for any other purpose.
Additional Information
All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital is Canada's largest children's rehabilitation hospital, fully affiliated with the University of Toronto. Chosen as one of Greater Toronto's Top Employers by the Globe and Mail and listed among Canada's Top 40 Research Hospitals since 2013, Holland Bloorview is a unique and exceptional place to work. We pioneer treatments, technologies, therapies and real-world programs that give children with disabilities the tools to participate fully in life. The Bloorview Research Institute is Canada's only hospital-embedded childhood disability research institute.
Client and family-centred care is among our core values. In fact, the Research Institute has established a system-leading family leadership program through which families are engaged as advisors, communicators, reviewers and research family engagement committee members. Our world-class scientists currently hold 6 hospital-university endowed research chairs and 2 Canada Research Chairs. Research is closely integrated with teaching and clinical practice via the Centre for Leadership.
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital creates a world of possibility by supporting children and youth with disabilities, medical complexity, illness and injury. All of our work is guided by our strategic plan, Transformative Care, Inclusive World: Holland Bloorview 2030.
The strategic plan:
https://strategicplan.hollandbloorview.ca/
To get a glimpse as to who Holland Bloorview is, we invite you to watch the Dear Everybody, This is Holland Bloorview (Youtube) video.
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