About

About Us
OnSPARK (Ontario Supporting Partnerships to Advance Care and Knowledge) is a secure, operations-focused LTC Data Platform. We empower long-term care providers, researchers, and policymakers with real-time, high-quality data to enhance resident care, improve health outcomes, and shape evidence-based policies.
Transforming Long-Term Care with Data-Driven Insights
OnSPARK at a glance
- 200+ LTC homes participating
- 90,000 Residents covered
- 6 billion+ data points processed
Mission & Vision
Mission
To leverage real-time, high-quality long-term care data to improve resident well-being, enhance operational efficiency, and drive innovation in the LTC sector through collaboration, research, and technology.
Vision
To create a learning health system in long-term care, where real-time data enables continuous quality improvement, personalized care, and transformative research for the benefit of all residents, caregivers, and policymakers.

OnSPARK's core values
Collaboration & Innovation
Collaborating with long-term care homes, researchers, and policymakers to maximize data impact through innovative AI-driven analytics and predictive modeling that support real-time decision-making
Privacy & Security
Ensuring robust PHIPA-compliant data governance and protection measures
Resident Centred Care
Using data to directly improve resident outcomes and quality of life
Transparency & Ethics
Operating with full accountability to our data contributors and partners
History
Established in 2023, OnSPARK is a legacy of pandemic-driven research that demonstrated the urgent need for better data systems in long-term care. Recognizing the critical role of real-time analytics in preventing health crises and improving resident care, McMaster University, PointClickCare, St. Joseph's Health System and leading LTC organizations joined forces to create Canada's first dedicated LTC Data Platform.

Meet the OnSPARK Team
OnSPARK is led by a multidisciplinary team of data scientists, epidemiologists, and LTC sector experts, ensuring the platform delivers cutting-edge insights while maintaining rigorous data security and ethical standards. We are a delivery partner for any organization wanting to support LTC through data.

Dr. Andrew Costa
Platform Co-lead
Dr. Arthur Sweetman
Platform Co-lead
Dr. Colleen Webber
Research Lead, Bruyère Health Research Institute
Gioia Buckley
Manager, Operations & Partnerships
Ahmad Rahim
Manager, Data & Analytics
Sydney Jones
Projects CoordinatorGet Involved
Are you an LTC provider, researcher, or policymaker?
LTC Homes
Gain access to performance reports & operational insights
Researchers
Utilize comprehensive LTC datasets for high-impact research
Policymakers
Use OnSPARK’s real-world evidence to shape better policies.
