Jake MacAndrew

Jake MacAndrew is a multimedia journalist out of Toronto with experience in breaking news, investigative, business, technology and politics. He is the previous head of news, business, technology and production at The Eyeopener. As well, he has contributed to various publications including yorkregion.com, OTR Magazine and The Markham Review.

Currently, he is leading on-the-ground operations for TechDay's Canadian tech news network.

My Recent Work

IT Brief Canada

AI boom accelerates tech, may leave women & interns behind

In February 2025, the Harvard Business Review published an article stating that women are adapting to generative AI at a significantly slower rate than men.

They reported that many women were concerned they would be judged if it seemed they relied on AI to assist their work. Additionally, more men were adapting to these tools and advancing their careers. For this, women's careers may suffer, the HBR said.

This paper lit a spark of curiosity for The Adaptavist Group's (TAG) report on who be...

Cooling the cloud, conserving Canada’s water at data centres

According to the Canada Energy Regulator, out of over 7,000 data centres worldwide, only 239 are in the country. However, this number is on the rise due to Canada's low energy prices in select regions, its renewable resources, and cooler climate.

Last month, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman tweeted that a ChatGPT query uses 0.000085 gallons of water per query (roughly one-fifteenth of a teaspoon) and eleven times more electricity than a Google search. With the increasing number of data centres storing A...

Gander: Canada’s social network takes flight this fall

As Ben Waldman, Founder and CEO of Gander Social, watched the second inauguration of US President Donald Trump, he couldn't help notice a group of tech executives gather behind the president while he took the oath of office. As Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and TikTok's Shou Zi Chew stood behind America's leader, who has taunted Canada with threats of annexation, Waldman recognised that unity is growing increasingly important to Canada.

He joined Elbows Up, a non-partisan group supporting Canadi...

Kensington’s Old-School Spirit, New-Age Prices

In Toronto’s Kensington Market, dozens of people sit at rows of tables in a large dining room on Augusta Avenue. Exposed white brick walls wrap the space; the Leafs game plays on the TV. Exposed air vents and the remnants of drywall from the Indian restaurant in this space before are barely visible but still present. Conversations are so loud and lively you can’t even tell if there is music playing at all. The red painted sign on the wall reads Trinity Common—a local bar nestled between an eclec...

Grape Monopoly

In Toronto’s west end, east of Dundas and Dufferin Streets, stands a small storefront filled with wines you probably haven't seen at your local LCBO store. Grape Witches is an importer and seller of wines from the old and new world with an emphasis on natural products that span wider than what is offered by the province’s liquor control board. Ontarians may bat an eye at a small, independent business selling international, region-sourced wines. They may even wonder why it feels like a French Cav...

TMU student elected NDP candidate in upcoming federal election

Hailey Ford, a third-year journalism student at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), has been nominated as the New Democratic Party’s (NDP) candidate for the Oakville East riding.

Her candidacy was confirmed on Aug. 24 at an NDP Oakville East meeting according to a press release.

Ford was uncontested in the nomination meeting, NDP National Director Lucy Watson wrote in an emailed statement to The...

BREAKING: Pro-Palestine walkout participants occupy executive floor of Jorgenson Hall

Demonstrators calling for the disclosure of Toronto Metropolitan University’s (TMU) financial holdings stood outside the university’s executive offices on Tuesday during the school’s Board of Governors (BoG) meeting.

Approximately 10 people stood outside the glass entrance to the offices on the 13th floor of Jorgenson Hall where two TMU security officers were positioned. The demonstrators used megaphones to chant calls for action and add...

AI influence at forefront of Toronto’s Elevate tech festival

Pioneers of technology and upcoming stars of innovation gathered for the Elevate Festival at Meridian Hall and the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts from Sept. 26 to 28.

A mix of executives, startup founders, aspirational youth and the general public gathered to hear the latest advancements in the technology sector.

The festival featured exhibition stages, including discussions about content creation, gaming, women in technology, masterclasses and artificial intelligen...

IT Brief Canada

SCALE AI invests $98.6m in 23 Canadian AI projects

SCALE AI, Canada's AI innovation cluster, announced an investment of just under $100 million into new artificial intelligence projects nationwide.

23 projects were named as recipients of this funding. Quebec-based businesses led the pack with this round of funding, the largest since Scale's June 2024 announcement of $96 million distributed amongst 22 Canadian projects.

This year's innovations include advancements in AI for aircraft maintenance, forecasting retail inventory optimisation, an...

Among the Mountains in Mendoza, Argentina

Originally from France, the Malbec grape is known for its full-bodied wines with deep violet colour, medium to high tannins and flavours of dark berries, tobacco, cocoa and sometimes a nice oak finish. Now, Malbec is the prized grape of Argentina—producing fantastic wines in the mountainous region of Mendoza. Here’s my selection of Malbec’s for each wine budget.From the high mountain vines of Lunlunta, El Cepillo and Gualtallary, Catena’s 2022 Malbec is a great budget-friendly option. For someon...

Ubisoft Indie Series winner shares their journey from TMU to the gaming industry

Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) journalism alumnus Funké Joseph worked a series of odd writing jobs throughout their undergraduate studies.

They wrote video game news and culture features for publications like IGN, Vice and even worked as an online editor at The Eyeopener. Although they initially pursued a career in journalism, industry hardships and a calling to video games gave them a start in game development—leading to a big industry win at Ubisoft last month....

Philanthropist and former TMU Board of Governors member Helen Vari dies

Former Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Board of Governors member and philanthropist Helen Vari has died according to a news release from the school on Friday afternoon.

Vari was a prominent member of the TMU community and an avid supporter of the Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science along with her husband, the late Honourable George W. Vari.

“Helen Vari was a true friend–to our students, to the university, and to me personally,” said pr...

BREAKING: TMU announces location for new school of medicine

Bramalea Civic Centre in Brampton, Ont. will be the home of Toronto Metropolitan University’s (TMU) new school of medicine, the school announced in a press release sent to The Eyeopener.

The school announced the new location at a press conference Friday which featured Lachemi and Ontario Premier Doug Ford.

“The new medical school will strengthen the healthcare system in Brampton,” said Lachemi.

Bramalea Civic Centre, built in 1969, is the f...

New mural at TRSM unveiled during Treaties Recognition Week

A mural titled “Indigenous History of the Land” was unveiled at the Ted Rogers School of Management (TRSM) this month as a part of Toronto Metropolitan University’s (TMU) Indigenous Education and Treaties Recognition Week.

The painting by Shawnee, Lakota, Potawatomi, Ojibway and Algonquin artist Philip Cote uses cultural symbols to represent various historical events and Indigenous peoples.

The TRSM website states that the mural’s goal is to recognize the school is “wi...

TMU catalyst to train 100 Ukrainians in Cybersecurity this spring

The Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) announced it will train 100 Ukrainians living in Ukraine to become cybersecurity professionals starting in early 2023, according to a Feb. 10 media release.

Participants will learn foundational cybersecurity training including: operating systems, data storage, logic, programming and networking, according to Charles Finlay, the executive director of the Cybersecure Catalyst. The program will feature t...

Person in hospital after stabbing near Yonge Street on O’Keefe Lane

A 19-year-old man is in hospital following a stabbing between Yonge Street and O’Keefe Lane today.

The Toronto Police Service (TPS) responded to reports of a man who was stabbed in the abdomen this morning, according to a tweet from Toronto Police Service Operations.

O’Keefe Lane is located near the Sheldon and Tracy Levy Student Learning Centre, parallel to Yonge Street.

The victim was transported to hospital and sustained life-threatening injuries.

TPS confirm...

TMU students react as mayor John Tory set to resign

Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) community members say they are apprehensive about Toronto’s future following mayor John Tory’s resignation announcement on Friday.

Tory, who has been the city’s mayor since 2014, said in a press conference on Feb. 10, that he would be stepping down from his position following a report published by the Toronto Star which detailed his extramarital relationship with a former city staffer.

“[Tory] deciding to step down...

Bottom shelf beer is a thing of the past. Cocktails should bring light to better drinking culture

Alcohol is often a taboo subject. It’s an intoxicant and, yes, addictive. There is much caution to be taken around alcohol, as with any substance. But the “culture” weakens when it’s filled with cheap cans and plastic mickeys. The light I see in this industry is the flavour combinations, the presentation and even the conversation with a bartender at your favourite wateri...

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels

1,847 TMU employees soaking up the sun in this year’s Sunshine List

Toronto Metropolitan University’s (TMU) number of employees on the Ontario government’s Public Sector Salary Disclosure, commonly known as the “Sunshine List,” increased compared to last year.

This year, 1,847 TMU employees were listed as making over $100,000 in 2023, a 12.55 per cent increase from the 1,641 employees that made the list in 2022.

Of the TMU employees on the Sunshine List, 476 earned over $200,000. 13 employees earned over $300,000.

The highest paid...

Relics from the gridiron: TMU football nearly 60 years later

Two Eyeopener editors looked through hundreds of documents—including yearbooks, obituaries, internal reports, newspaper clippings, archival photos and historical manuscripts—to compile the research presented in this article.

In 1958, the then-Ryerson Rams football team was at an all-time high.

The school had recently won the Ontario-Quebec Conference championship and gained traction through on-field success. Its players were competing against tea...

Individuals who ran in the TMSU election discussed their platforms at a candidate forum

Toronto Metropolitan Students’ Union (TMSU) candidates attended a democracy forum on March 4, ahead of the annual election.

The Eyeopener held the forum in partnership with the students’ union. The Eye’s business and technology editor, Jake MacAndrew, moderated the event.

Students running in the election had an opportunity to answer questions regarding the requirements of each position and how they would handle challenging situa...

Only 2 of the 13 BoD candidates showed up to the candidate forum

The Eyeopener hosted a candidate forum in partnership with the Toronto Metropolitan Students’ Union (TMSU) on Nov. 16 for the fall byelection.

The forum was scheduled to run from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Zoom but ended nearly two hours early. Only two of the 13 candidates invited attended the event.

Presidential candidates Success Daka and Jordan Haworth partic...

The future of esports: A conversation with Geoffrey Lachapelle

With a chessboard atop his desk, cases of Red Bull stacked on the floor and video game consoles aligned on a shelf, Geoffrey Lachapelle doesn’t have a typical office for a university educator.

Aside from teaching classes in esports production and overlooking special projects and partnerships at The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), Lachapelle is the manager o...

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