Information Session:Innovation Challenge 2026 - Smart Solutions for Safer Paramedic Vehicle Operations
Join SmartTO at YSpace and York Region for a virtual information session on the 2026 Innovation Challenge, where Ontario startups can pitch solutions for safer paramedic vehicle operations.
The Challenge
How might we reduce preventable collisions for paramedics during regular operations and service delivery, improving staff health and safety and lowering vehicle repair costs, while keeping emergency response timely and effective?
Why it matters
York Region Paramedic Services sees roughly 90–100 vehicle collisions a year (344 between 2022 and 2025)
About 91% of those collisions were preventable
Most come from routine driving, not high-speed emergency calls: reversing (113), clearance misjudgments (85), and mirror/forward-observation issues (66)
Drivers with under five years of experience have the highest collision rates
Who should attend
Ontario-based SME & startups with:
A product at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5 or higher
An MVP in market with early traction (exceptions possible for deep tech)
Ability to integrate with existing systems such as AVL
What we’ll cover
Overview of the challenge and York Region Paramedic Services’ operating context
Technical requirements and evaluation criteria
Prize details and what the pilot looks like
Application process and timeline
Live Q&A
Key dates
Applications open: October 5, 2026
Info session: November 19, 2026
Applications close: December 7, 2026 at 11:59 PM
Selection: January 2027
Showcase: February 2027
Learn more
📄 Call for Proposals: Read the full challenge details, technical requirements, and evaluation criteria in the attached Call for Proposals (PDF).
🔗 Challenge page: https://www.yorku.ca/yspace/programs-streams/smartto/smartto-innovation-challenge/
Questions? Email smartto@yorku.ca
You also have the ability to share your questions in advance when you register for this session.
About Hosts
About York Region
The Regional Municipality of York consists of nine local cities and towns and provides a variety of programs and services to over 1.25 million residents and 57,000 businesses with more than 629,000 employees. Strategically positioned in the Greater Toronto area, York Region is Ontario’s third largest business centre and is among Canada’s largest Information and Communications Technology, Life Sciences and Financial Services business clusters. It is also an innovation hub and a rich pool of talent for established businesses and new ventures. York Region supports economic development with a pro-business environment offering a range of investment assistance and resources for businesses and non-profits both large and small.
About SmartTO at YSpace
SmartTO @ YSpace is part of York Region Regional Technology Development Site (RTDS) that is a part of the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN). SmartTO empowers startups and SMEs to develop, test and prototype advanced automotive technologies and smart mobility solutions through accessing state-of-the-art equipment, innovative labs and research centres, world-renowned expertise, and concierge-style business advisory and technical services.
YSpace is York University's pan-university entrepreneurship and innovation hub supporting startups and entrepreneurs from a variety of sectors and communities — including student entrepreneurs, researchers commercializing their work, and founders from Canada and around the world. Our programming spans from scaling innovative technologies through customer and investor capital, to sector-specific programs like SmartTO supporting mobility founders, to scaling agri-food businesses into mass retail, to diversity-focused initiatives like ELLA for women-led businesses and in partnership with the Black Entrepreneurship Alliance (BEA) for Black-led businesses. We are also home to three physical hubs located in the City of Toronto, the City of Markham, and the Town of Georgina.