RESEARCH TRAINEE

• Job ID: 63416
• Job Category: Policy, Planning & Research
• Division & Section:  Economic Development & Culture, Business Growth Services, Small Business Unit
• Work Location: City Hall, 9th floor, East Tower, 100 Queen St. W. Toronto
• Job Type & Duration: Full-time, Temporary (4 months, May to August 2026)
• Hourly Rate and Wage Grade: $22.67 - $24.68, Wage Grade T2
• Shift Information: Mon-Fri, 35 hours per week 9am-5pm, with some flexibility to work on weekends and early mornings to accommodate sector and program needs, especially during Public Market Week (June 6th to 13th)
• Number of Positions Open: 1 
• Posting Period: 21-Apr-2026 to 28-Apr-2026
• 
  Please Note: The applicant pool from this job posting may be used for similar summer job opportunities in various divisions 

Job Description:

Join the award-winning Toronto Public Service as a Research Trainee in the Economic Development and Culture division and support the development of a stronger public markets sector that enables the everyday shopping needs of residents, enhances the overall visitor experience in Toronto, supports small businesses, and delivers vibrant public spaces.

This role will support the planning and delivery of key initiatives, including the Spring Public Market Forum on Jun 17th, and Public Markets Week from June 6th to June 13th, by collaborating with City staff, community partners, and market stakeholders. Responsibilities include coordinating activities, maintaining and updating the Public Markets landing page, and collecting and analyzing data to demonstrate impact and inform reporting to leadership and funders. The role also involves conducting research on small businesses in public markets, supporting the development of communications and materials, and providing on-site assistance at events and various locations, along with general administrative support as needed.

Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth-largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 3 million people. It is also home to over 160+ public markets that support over 5,000 small businesses that honour and reflect the city’s cultural diversity. These markets are primarily community-led and not-for-profit, forming a vital part of the city's mid-size retail infrastructure that helps localize our food and other goods supply and enables a vibrant entrepreneurship ecosystem. They serve as business incubators and promote innovation in our city by offering a low-cost entry point with minimal risk to start-ups, providing entrepreneurs with access to key customers to test and sell their products before scaling up.

Major Responsibilities:

• Assists with assembling and compiling information/survey packages.
• Collects data by distributing questionnaires, visiting sites, going door to door, asking participants/groups for information/opinions etc.
• Travels to various locations and/or attends special events to provide support/on-site assistance and distribute information.
• Assists with packing, loading, lifting, moving, delivering and unpacking supplies, displays etc.
• Documents findings. Inputs/retrieves/updates/maintains data.
• Assists with organizing and presenting data collected.
• Assists with compiling and consolidation of data for others to analyze/process.
• Assists others with drafting documents, bulletins etc. and data analysis.
• Assists in maintaining data/statistics.
• Assists with various office functions.
• Answers calls, provides general information, takes messages and directs inquiries to appropriate staff to answer questions/handle requests.

Key Qualifications:

Your application must describe your qualifications as they relate to:

1. Currently enrolled in, and having completed, at least one year of a post-secondary educational degree program
2. Experience with using computers, preferably in a Windows environment.
3. Experience in working with others and setting priorities to achieve team objectives.
4. Experience in community engagement and working with diverse people and communities

You must also have:

• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to interact with staff and clients in an efficient and diplomatic manner, both in person and over the phone.
• Strong problem solving, organizational and multi-tasking skills
• Ability to collect, maintain, verify, and analyze data
• Willingness to travel throughout the City of Toronto and able to work cooperatively in a team environment.
• Knowledge and interest on food studies, local economies and community economic development is welcome and encouraged
• Ability to follow procedures and works within tight timelines, meeting deadlines and keeping supervisors proactively informed of the status of the assigned work.
• Ability to work independently and as a member of a team to complete the assigned tasks, and collaborates with others to complete the project on schedule

Note: The applicant pool from this job posting may be used for similar summer job opportunities in various divisions.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

The City is an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to creating a workplace culture of inclusiveness that reflects the diverse residents that we serve. Learn more about the City’s commitment to employment equity.

Accommodation

The City of Toronto is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive organization. We are committed to providing barrier-free and accessible employment practices in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Should you require Code-protected accommodation through any stage of the recruitment process, please make them known when contacted and we will work with you to meet your needs. Disability-related accommodation during the application process is available upon request. Learn more about the City’s Hiring Policies and Accommodation Process.