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The Early Bird Gets the Worm

Do you hear the Canada geese honking overhead? Registration for EconoUs2017 is now open and these birds don’t want to miss out. Only, instead of a worm, what the early bird gets is $100 off their registration…that’s a 20% discount! And if you’re a member of the Canadian CED Network you can take advantage of the buffet deal…an additional $100 off!

Don’t miss out; join the flock and we will all fly so much further than we could on our own!

Register at econous.ca/registration

For Too Long, the Economy Has Been About ‘ME’

Despite the political rhetoric of austerity, we live in a time of unparalleled prosperity. This prosperity has made some very rich while others are unfairly left out. And while our society fetishizes the new wealthy entrepreneurs of today how familiar are we with the humble innovators that are looking first and foremost to generate shared prosperity, particularly with and for those who are most consistently left out of the economy? At EconoUs2017 you’ll get to meet these leaders and learn about the strategies being employed to build strong, inclusive community economies that put people and planet first. EconoUs2017 will help illustrate that the economy can be by and for ‘US’.

Why Should You Attend THIS Conference?

Food for Thought

Beakerhead photo taken by Trevor Lalonde

Beakerhead (photo by Trevor Lalonde)

Okay, so maybe you’re experiencing conference fatigue. Or maybe you need to be extra strategic with the budget you have for conferences (I did mention that prosperity is not currently shared fairly, didn’t I?). Here’s a shortlist of 3 reasons why I think EconoUs2017 should be on your list of conferences to attend this year:

Calgary is home to burgeoning innovation

While EconoUs2017 will be exploring innovations from across Canada we will be putting a particular spotlight on Calgary and Alberta.

Come early for the chance to take one of four tours (two in Calgary and two in the nearby communities of Olds and Cochrane)
Food for Thought will give you the chance to taste Calgary’s finest ingredients while mingling with local chefs and farmers
Many of the workshops will highlight exciting initiatives and developments in the province around topics like creating and connecting local businesses, renewable energy, community ownership, labour market integration of newcomers, policy development, CED investment, social purchasing, and so much more!
On Thursday you’ll again get the chance to embark on local tours, whether discovering local breweries or connecting with two other exciting events taking place in Calgary at the same time: TechStock and Beakerhead

Make connections with people dedicated to transforming the economy

The delegates that come out to the national community economic development conference are those that have an undying passion to foster thriving communities, create good jobs, and do business differently. The connections you make here will help inspire your own work and may even develop into impactful partnerships. We’ve made sure that the program has lots of networking breaks built in to allow you the time you need to deepen the connections you’ll make through the other program activities. To get a sense of who’ll be there, take a look at the organizations represented at last year’s conference.

Chief Robert Joseph

Shaun Loney

The conversations we’ll be having, need to happen.

Ideas are nice, but if we don’t engage with them through dialogue and an exploration of how theory can be put into practice we risk just replicating the old ideas we wish to change. Our keynote speakers, Chief Robert Joseph and Shaun Loney, will start EconoUs2017 with one of the most imperative conversations we need to have in this country: understanding the economic underpinnings of reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. We’ll also be looking at issues related to climate change, precarious work, economic disparity, etc. While these can be daunting challenges to confront, EconoUs2017 will tackle them with the spirit of hope and a lens to practical solutions moving forward.

And when the conference is over, the conversations won’t stop. On our last day we’ll be dedicating much of our time collaborating on actionable ideas that participants have through a design and peer coaching process using the talent that’s in the room. There will also be opportunities for continued engagement with the collaborative partners hosting the conference in Calgary

Have any question about the conference? Please don’t hesitate to contact me at mthompson at ccednet-rcdec.ca.

Matthew Thompson is a Communications Manager with the Canadian CED Network (CCEDNet). He has worked with CCEDNet since 2007 in a variety of capacities including research and knowledge mobilization, event organizing, and the coordination of the national internship program, CreateAction. Matthew also co-authored Assembling Understandings: Findings from the Canadian Social Economy Research Partnerships, 2005-2011 a thematic summary of close to 400 research products on the Social Economy in Canada.

*The opinions expressed in blog posts are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of CCEDNet

SFU Community Economic Development: Accepting applications Applications are now open for the 2017/18 Certificate Program for Community Economic Development. The next program runs from October 2017 to May 2018. There are only 28 spots available, so apply today.

Are you action-oriented and community-focused? Do you want to be part of an active and supportive network of professionals and entrepreneurs working to build inclusive and sustainable local economies? SFU’s Certificate Program for Community Economic Development is the place for you.

Every year, we have a wide mix of students from across the province: community builders, social workers, social entrepreneurs, community economic developers and other movers and shakers of all different stripes.

That’s one of the things that makes this program so successful, the diversity of people coming together to collaborate on making positive change in their communities.

The program involves 2 one-week residencies in Vancouver, with the rest of the program delivered in a live, interactive, online classroom.

Our courses

Here are few of the courses you will study over the year. Find a full list of courses here.

Indigenomics: This course examines place-based values while honouring the powerful thinking of Indigenous wisdom in the context of local economics, relationship building and humanity.

Locanomics: Looking at over 50 case studies, this course outlines a framework for building a local living economy.

Making Change Happen: This course uses both theory and practice to explore strategies for affecting change in your communities.

Social Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Enterprise: By digging deep and learning about the innovators and entrepreneurs in your communities, this course explores the roles of entrepreneurship and social innovation in the transition to a new economy.

Our instructors

Our instructors are accomplished practitioners with a passion for change and community development. They have substantial experience in their respective fields, with exceptional ratings from students who have completed our program. Our instructor’s include one of the world’s leading experts on community economics, successful entrepreneurs, and dynamic leaders of the new economy in British Columbia. Read more about our instructors here.

Is this program for you?

Your attitude and experience matter most. You have a bias towards action. You are both community and results oriented.

Formally, we look for 3 years experience and an undergraduate degree. If you don’t have an undergraduate degree, we look at a combination of your lifelong learning and work experiences to admit you. Some of our most accomplished graduates do not have an undergraduate degree.

If you are interested in finding out more about the program, contact ced_info at sfu.ca.

Join SFU’s Certificate Program for Community Economic Development and start building a sustainable local economy today.

The 2017 Election for CCEDNet’s Board of Directors is now open and will close on May 19th.

Six candidates are running for four seats on the Board.

Presented below in random order are our six candidates running in the 2017 CCEDNet Board elections.

Wendy Keats Salisbury, New Brunswick

Wendy Keats is a co-founder and the Executive Director of the Co-operative Enterprise Council of New Brunswick, a leading CED agency in the province. Prior to this, she spent 18 years as a private CED consultant and trainer working with nearly 200 community groups in organizational development, strategic planning, governance, project management, and many other development areas. Wendy is a certified mediator and served as a senior faculty member of UPEI’s Centre for Conflict Studies for more than a decade. She provides training and mediation services to all levels of government, business and the community. Wendy sits on numerous boards and committees related to CED and has a special passion for youth engagement and renewable energy. She lives completely off-the-grid in the woods of Salisbury, tending her gardens and relaxing on the river whenever the hectic world of CED allows it.

Carol Madsen Vancouver, British Columbia

Carol Madsen has been on the Canadian CED Network board since 2005. She has been teaching in Simon Fraser University’s Centre for Sustainable Community Development for nine years and has taught at Concordia’s School of Community Public Affairs and UBC’s School of Social Work. Previously she was the Manager of Pathways Information Centre, a CED project of Tradeworks Training Society located in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, the regional representative for the Canadian CED Technical Assistance Program for British Columbia and the Director of Bridging the Divides, a participatory action research CED project that took place in two rural communities in BC. She has been involved in CED, social justice and international development work for more than 25 years and it passionate about creating a more equitable Canadian society for all.

François Hastir Thunder Bay, Ontario

François Hastir Captivated by the co-operative movement and social enterprises, François became actively involved on many boards of directors including Fondation pour l’éducation à la coopération et à la mutualité, Table de concertation en développement coopératif et mutualiste de Montréal-Laval, Caisse populaire Desjardins Centre-est de la métropole and Fédération Québécoise des coopératives en milieu scolaire (FQCMS). He has also lent a hand to many social enterprises and cooperatives as a consultant in strategic planning and for the development of policies and of by-laws and procedures.

François Hastir holds a Bachelor’s degree in communications and politics and a training in law. After having held the office of regional manager for Northern Ontario at the Conseil de la coopération de l’Ontario, he is now acting executive director for the Association des francophones du Nord-Ouest de l’Ontario. He is also a member of the Co-operatives and mutuals Canada board of directors.

Kaye Grant Winnipeg, Manitoba

Kaye Grant Based in Winnipeg, Kaye is the key Consultant with Reconnaissance Management Consulting Group Inc. Kaye is also the Communications Manager for the Canadian Worker Co-operative Federation (CWCF), a national, bilingual grassroots membership organization that supports the growth and development of worker co-operatives. Kaye has worked for over 20 years within the non-profit/social enterprise sector in a number of roles. Kaye’s experience in working with the non-profit sector and local community groups enables her to maintain working relationships within the community. Kaye sits on the Bike Winnipeg Board as Co-chair and the Manitoba Co-op Association Board as the CWCF representative. Kaye has been an active member of CCEDNet in Manitoba for nine years and has regularly presented at The Gathering event in Manitoba. Kaye has a passion towards poverty alleviation and has focused her work with organizations that contribute to this mandate.

Derek Pachal Winnipeg, Manitoba

Derek Pachal has been active with CCEDNet since its inception in 1999 and has contributed locally serving on the CCEDNet-Manitoba Advisory Committee and the Annual Gathering Organizing Committee. As an enterprise development consultant, Derek currently works as a portfolio manager for the Jubilee Fund providing loan guarantees for non-profit organizations, social enterprises and co-ops. Derek has worked in urban, rural, northern and Aboriginal communities and volunteers on several local committees related to CED. Derek has a lifelong passion for social justice and the empowerment of marginalized individuals and communities.

Diana Jedig St. Thomas, Ontario

Diana Jedig joined the Community Futures Program in 1988, first as a General Manager at the Brantford CFDC, and since 1994 as the Executive Director of the provincial association working with all 61 CFDCs in Ontario. She holds Bachelor of Commerce and MBA degrees and is a Certified Association Executive. Diana serves as a resource person to the Community Futures Network of Canada Board and as the Past President with the Canadian Community Economic Development Network, where she has made numerous connections with others dedicated to supporting rural entrepreneurs and their communities.

Current Board members whose term is ending at the 2017 AGM are: Carol Madsen, Derek Pachal, Diana Jedig, and Wendy Keats.

This year, the Board election process is using OpenSTV for a ranked choice vote according to the Scottish STV model. We hope you enjoy fairer voting system.

How to Vote

All CCEDNet members in good standing are eligible to vote. To vote, visit /en/election/3 and log into your CCEDNet account. Once you’ve logged in, you’ll see the link for the 2017 Board Elections / Élections 2017 au Conseil d’administration. If you encounter any issues please contact us at info at ccednet-rcdec.ca or call 1-877-202-2268.

Don’t Forget to Register for the AGM

Election results will be announced at CCEDNet’s 2017 Annual General Meeting, which will be held entirely online on June 7th. CCEDNet members who would like to participate must confirm their attendance by registering before June 5th.

This summer, we’re sending teams of dedicated volunteers out to over 25 communities in Alberta to raise awareness about renewable energy, and to make the case that Alberta has the capacity to ensure “Solar 4 All.”

But what do we mean when we say we want solar for all? And why is it important?

The short of it is that while the “sun shines on everyone” (especially Albertans!), we don’t all have the same ability to tap into solar power and to reap the rewards. As Alberta moves to phase-out coal and introduce more renewables onto its grid, we have a unique opportunity to change not just how our power is generated, but also how it is owned and who and how many get to benefit. If we get it right, we’ll not only gain renewable energy, but also a more resilient and democratic economy.

A renewable energy program that fosters growth in small-scale and community-owned large-scale renewable energy will maximize the benefits of Alberta’s electricity grid transition for everyone.

Attaining those maximum benefits, however, means seeing our electricity system a bit differently. For most of us, energy is an essential good we pay for, but whether or not the power comes from a big coal plant, a wind turbine or a solar panel, or whether the profits go to a multinational company or a local provider isn’t something we question.

Similarly, food is also an essential good we pay for, but we tend to have a more holistic and nuanced understanding of it than we do about electricity. We buy the vast majority of our calories from grocers, but many of us produce some of our own food through gardening. We also know that there is a qualitative difference between a diet geared solely towards calories – 100% pixie sticks! – and one based around nourishment, health, and enjoyment with family, friends and community. The tremendous popularity of Farmer’s Markets in the province indicates that many of us also value purchasing our food locally, and developing relationships with those that produce it. Lastly, many of us understand that access to food – whether due to chronic or temporary poverty, or in times of crisis or disaster – is a problem for many Albertans, and one that we need to work together to overcome.

In other words, while we need calories, we understand that food is more than that – it’s about personal and ecosystem health. It’s about socializing, sharing and learning. Sometimes it’s about supporting the small guys and gals who work hard to produce our food locally, or the people that are unable to access adequate food. It can also be about producing it on our own, if we choose.

Just the same, we need to think about Alberta’s renewable transition as more than just green electrons. While utility-scale renewable energy generation will be a critical part of a sustainable grid, renewables owned and operated by individuals, small businesses and communities, First Nations and Métis settlements can serve an important and prominent role in meeting the province’s energy needs, while offering distinct additional benefits as well.

WHY SOLAR?

Alberta has high natural potential for solar. Calgary is the sunniest major city in Canada – as sunny as Miami, Florida. And a solar system in Edmonton, the third sunniest major city in the country, produces the same amount of energy as a system in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

But just as critically, it’s sunny everywhere in Alberta, so solar PV systems are suitable across the province. While Alberta’s best wind resources are concentrated in a few generally rural areas, the entire province has high potential for solar PV, includes urban areas. This means that most Albertans have a quality natural solar resource in close proximity, so communities and individuals could benefit from an on-site or nearby solar installation.

Because of its natural potential across the province, solar power creates an opportunity for everyone – individuals, neighbourhoods, First Nations/Métis communities, schools, farmer’s associations, municipal districts and other organizations – to lower their power bills, or even make income, while producing their own power and achieving energy sovereignty. Moreover, the fuel cost of solar is zero and maintenance costs are minimal, so solar PV systems can produce ongoing price stability for consumers.

Community-scale solar can also act as a vehicle for unrealized investment demand for renewable energy. For example, a share in Nelson, British Columbia’s solar garden – where ratepayers invest in panels as part of an installation owned by the municipal utility – costs $927 or less. The majority of Albertans don’t have the means to install a full system outright, even if they’d like to put some of their available savings into renewables. Investing in a solar farm jointly with neighbours is a way someone with a little money can strengthen their sense of community and shared purpose, while generating a return on investment. A community solar farm is the energy equivalent of the Oliver community garden in Edmonton, or the Varsity community garden in Calgary.

Solar also provides us a unique opportunity to create educational and community-building experiences. Solar tends to be highly visible in communities and the more contact people have with renewable energy, the more likely they are to approve of it, want it, and want to learn more about it. Once installed, community energy assets become a tool for energy education, built right into the very fabric of a community.

WHY FOR ALL?

Some people might say, “Why do we need special policies to make solar available to all Albertans? It is already is available to anyone that wants to put a system up on their roof.”

True, there is no legal restriction preventing an Alberta homeowner from installing solar on their property, or a First Nation from installing a large solar farm, if they follow certain rules. But, there’s a big difference between making something legal and creating a system that truly allows everyone to participate in a way that reflects our values of democracy and choice. The fact is, many Albertans don’t have the up-front money for a solar PV system, and many Albertans do not have the ability to install solar on their roof – either because they are apartment dwellers, or because they have an unsuitable roof. Indeed, most people find navigating the financial and regulatory system necessary to install solar PV quite daunting. Alberta’s Micro-Generation Regulation, the rules that enable homeowners to install Solar PV systems, creates some barriers itself. For example, the regulation does not allow the home or building owner to produce more energy than they consume per year: “the proposed production from a micro-generation unit cannot exceed a micro-generator’s annual electricity needs.”

So, despite the natural potential for all Albertans to tap into the benefits of solar power, there are many social and economic barriers to access for several segments of the population.

The main barriers Albertans face in procuring their electricity from self-produced solar PV are:

Lack of access to the market and electricity grid (renters, condo-owners, or homeowners with unsuitable roofs, but also system size limits, and a lower price paid to homeowners than utilities at peak demand)
Lack of technical capacity and start-up support (including navigating a complex of regulations)
Lack of access to low-cost financing and better project economics (including available financing vehicles)

At the large scale, the current model – where power production is left to the open market – is really only open to those with easy access to large amounts of capital and/or the ability to make a detailed assessment of financial risk. Such a model not only limits the number of solar producers, but it fails to consider the multiple benefits a community ownership model of solar generation provides.

So while it is true that the “sun shines on everyone”, it is also true that we don’t all have the same ability to tap into that sun, and harness its energy. This means there is room for the Government to better enable solar by offering better access, capacity, and financing to Albertans who face barriers and prioritizing large scale solar projects that are fully or partially owned by communities, municipalities, farmer associations, First Nations and/or Métis Settlements. This is why we’re asking that the provincial government direct some of its climate leadership ambitions – policy, staff capacity, and some funding from the upcoming carbon levy – towards making solar accessible to everyone.

COMMUNITY SOLAR IS HERE AND GROWING!

Municipalities and coops are already leading the way in Alberta. The Town of Devon, for example, has a publicly owned Solar PV system mounted on the roof of its community centre that meets all of the facility’s energy needs. Starland County provided extensive technical support and capital subsidies to their “solar pioneers” – farmers who agreed to install arrays on their properties – in order to help them achieve a ten year payback. The Town of Banff provides residents and businesses with a seven year production-based subsidy for their solar PV installations, paid out of the rents utilities pay for right of ways. And finally, the Alberta Solar Co-op will allow individuals to invest RRSPs and TFSAs in a 2MW community-owned solar farm. These are just a few examples of the potential for distributed ownership of solar assets. But we need hundreds of more examples.

Solar power is a unique opportunity for everyone to benefit from Alberta’s transition towards a low-carbon economy. We need to make room for more Devons, more Banffs, more Alberta Solar Co-ops, and more Starland Counties.

Written by Emilia Kennedy and originally published by Greenpeace Canada on June 13, 2016

Emilia Kennedy is an Advisor in Cross-Ministry Governance with the Alberta Climate Change Office. At the time this article was written, Emilia was a Government Relations and Policy Coordinator with Greenpeace. Emilia has a PhD in Human Geography from the University of British Columbia, where she studied climate and energy policy. In her academic and civic work she has always been interested in how categorization and spatial language (re)define the contours of the possible.

After 8 years at CCEDNet, Kirsten Bernas, our Policy and Research Manager in Manitoba is moving on to a new opportunity with member organization, West Central Women’s Resource Centre (WCWRC).

Kirsten has been a dedicated and passionate advocate for social change and community economic development while at CCEDNet. She has added capacity to multiple coalitions, including Make Poverty History Manitoba, Right to Housing, and the EIA Advocates Network. In that work, she both brought our Network to crucial social policy campaigns and centered a commitment to ending poverty in our community economic development work. She has been committed to member-leadership, both by relying on guidance from members for strategic direction and working to build capacity in our sector around public policy advocacy. Her contributions to research have been valuable, with The View From Here playing a prominent role in poverty reduction advocacy, as well as other reports including an assessment of the impact of work integration social enterprises, and the need for labour market intermediaries.

Her new work as Director of Housing at WCWRC will keep her at the forefront of affordable housing advocacy while also bringing her much closer to communities and individuals directly facing the challenges of housing insecurity.

Our staff team and Board of Directors offer our thanks for her years of service and wish her well as she takes on this new challenge.

For information or communication about CCEDNet’s Manitoba public policy work, please contact Regional Director, Sarah Leeson-Klym at sleesonklym at ccednet-rcdec.ca or 204-943-0547.

Good Jobs + Good Business = Better Community

On March 23, 2017 the Victoria City Council adopted the “Good Jobs + Good Business = Better Community” Action Plan developed by the Mayor’s Task Force on Social Enterprise and Social Procurement. The adoption comes with the amendment that the plan include “recent immigrants” as a strategic group of focus.

Using an ecosystem-based approach to community economic development, the action plan focuses to a large degree on efforts to get the unemployed, underemployed and marginalized into employment. The plan identifies three sets of recommendations that will strengthen the City’s procurement practices to maximize community benefit as well as support small business and social enterprise sectors.

The three recommendations include:

Social Procurement: purchases should be leveraged to improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of the community
Social Enterprise Development: strengthen and grow businesses already doing business with community benefit in mind and grow the social enterprise sector
Leading Economic Change: make the mainstream economy more inclusive to ensure there is always an opportunity for everyone to prosper

Each recommendation has a set of actions and tasks to be implemented over the next five years to achieve prescribed outcomes. Leads and supports in the community to help achieve these outcomes are noted and include the City of Victoria, local organizations, agencies and business. Next steps will include City staff developing a Social Procurement Framework and work plan for Council’s consideration.

Read the “Good Jobs + Good Business = Better Community” Action Plan

About the Task Force

The Task Force on Social Enterprise and Social Procurement was a recommendation of the Mayor’s Task Force on Economic Development and Prosperity, which with input from the community, developed the City’s economic action plan, Making Victoria: Unleashing Potential in 2015. The economic action plan identifies six engines to drive economic prosperity, generate jobs and raise household incomes. One engine that encompasses the rest is entrepreneurship and social enterprise.

Source: The City of Victoria

The Toronto Enterprise Fund (TEF) has announced the launch of its 2017 Business Plan Competition. The competition is open to new non-profit social enterprises that provide transitional or permanent employment for people who are marginalized. A social enterprise is a business operated by a non-profit that sells goods and services in the market place, for the dual purpose of generating income and achieving a social, cultural or environmental goal. TEF always requires the submission of a comprehensive business plan; you can get started with your planning by visiting the “Thinking about Starting a Social Enterprise” and “Starting a Social Enterprise” pages.

This year, the deadline for submissions to the Competition is October 6, 2017. The first place winner can receive up to $75,000 in seed funding. A total of $155,000 is available for the winners.

To enter the competition, your organization or group must be starting a non-profit social enterprise, attend all the workshops (see content and dates below), create a feasibility study (by June 23) and finally submit a comprehensive business plan prior to the Oct 6 deadline. For more details on eligibility, please read through the eligibility criteria of the Business Plan Competition. If you plan to submit a business plan to the competition, please register for the workshops below.

Please note that in the future, TEF will not run a Business Plan Competition, but will have a different process for funding new social enterprises.

2017 TEF Business Planning Workshops

The workshops will be held at the United Way Office – 26 Wellington East, 12th Floor, Boardroom A.

Introduction to Social Enterprise – Tuesday, May 2nd 1:00pm to 4:00pm
Feasibility and Market Research – Friday, May 19th 9:30am to 12:30pm
Social Programming Design – Friday, June 9th 9:30am to 12:30pm
Financial Planning for Social Enterprise – Friday, June 26th 9:30am to 12:30pm

Register for the TEF Business Planning Workshop Series

If you require additional information, please check the website or contact
Anne at (416) 777-1444 ext. 513 or ajamieson at uwgt.org or
Litza at (416) 777-1444 ext. 235 or lchatzibas at uwgt.org.

SOURCE: The Toronto Enterprise Fund

Leading up to the first full budget by the new provincial government, there was a significant amount of apprehension among community groups around austerity and potential spending cuts. With 15,000 children waiting for child care, 7,500 housing units needed to respond to homelessness in Winnipeg alone, and 132,000 Manitobans living in poverty, it would have been harmful to balance the budget on the backs of vulnerable Manitobans.

However, Budget 2017 is a mixed bag, with more program reductions than investments in CCEDNet-Manitoba’s member priorities, but more programs maintained than some had expected.

For instance, we are glad to see the government increase funding for Rent Assist and maintain funding for the Northern Healthy Foods Initiative while also giving a prominent role to social enterprise. However, cuts to community development, co-operative development and affordable housing, along with a stall on a comprehensive poverty reduction plan, will work against supporting inclusive communities and economies in Manitoba.

See Budget 2017 here.

As the provincial government continues to define its course, it will take some work on the part of community organizations, social enterprises and cooperatives to find their role in the path forward. The following analysis covers areas of provincial policy important to the work of CCEDNet Manitoba members. To see our submission to the Budget 2017 consultation process, visit here.

Community Development

Programs under Community Planning and Development in Indigenous and Municipal Relations have seen a significant reorganization, but some consistency in amounts. Funding for Neighbourhoods Alive! (NA!) will be maintained at the same spending level as the previous year but the Province underspent last year as a result of pausing NA! programs mid-year. Therefore, the NA! budget has been reduced by approximately $900,000 (or 15%), from $5.97 M in Budget 2016/17 to $5.08 M in 2017/18. In speaking to a government representative, we learned that the department is establishing new program delivery processes, and anticipates further consultation with non-profit organizations. There is no stated commitment to existing multi-year funding agreements, and organizations funded under these programs should reach out to their department contacts for further information.

Included in the reorganization is the elimination of the Urban Development Initiative and Rural Economic Development Initiative. We learned that this funding has not been cut, but permanently allocated to departments with initiatives funded via these programs. Those departments now have discretion over their allocation. Funding initiatives through IMR have been collapsed into a new program called Community Development Initiatives. Intake and funding criteria for this fund have not been announced at this time.

Co-op Development

Cooperatives are hard hit in this budget, with the cancellation of the Co-op Community Strategy, and the elimination of the Co-op Development Tax Credit. While elements of the strategy are being maintained, accounting for $70,000 in spending, total spending on Co-op Development has gone from $601,000 to $456,000, which is a decrease of $145,000 or 24%. We hope that despite these changes, we will see a new way forward for cooperatives in Manitoba and will be asking the government to consider how they can support these inclusive, democratic community enterprises.

Social Enterprise

CCEDNet Manitoba called on the Province to grow its social procurement commitments to $10M (currently at $7M). Social enterprise was specifically highlighted in the Budget Paper “REDUCING POVERTY AND PROMOTING COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT”. In a section titled Front-Line Services Through Innovative Partnerships, this Budget Paper celebrates Manitoba Housing’s practice of social procurement, highlighting the five social enterprises that are providing services to Manitoba Housing (New Directions – Genesis, NECRC – Building Construction Mentorship Program, BNRC – Brandon Energy Efficiency Program, BUILD and Manitoba Green Retrofit) and the collective 220 jobs this provides for individuals facing barriers to employment. It also notes the training partnership with social enterprise Diversity Foods. We are glad to see this prominent mention of these CCEDNet Manitoba members. However, it is unclear if the government is planning to change the amount of procurement currently going to social enterprise, or expand the practice beyond Manitoba Housing.

Despite mentioning the significant social return on investment generated by the social enterprise strategy, it is also unclear if the government is planning to continue funding the sector-developing strategy in partnership with CCEDNet Manitoba.

One policy priority for CCEDNet Manitoba is to see the Justice department reverse its trend towards greater incarceration through prevention and reintegration by engaging social enterprises that support individuals involved with, or at-risk of involvement, with the criminal justice system. The Justice department’s operating budget has increased 2.1% (or by $12.2M), from $586.5M in 2016/17 to $598.7M in 2017/18 — these increases can be partially offset by more programming for prevention and reintegration to keep individuals out of the criminal justice system. The Community Safety budget, which includes funding for correctional services as well as crime prevention policies and programs has increased from $410.6 M to $420.5 M. However, there is no mention of social enterprise as a tool for crime prevention and reintegration.

Social Finance

The Budget reiterates the government’s commitment to launching a “made-in-Manitoba approach to Social Impact Bonds,” (SIBs) however it is not clear if there is any budget allocation for the development of SIBs, nor the fields they are planning to execute SIBs in.

The Neighbourhoods Alive! Tax Credit has been cancelled. While this program, which provided a 45% tax credit to corporations who donated $50,000 or more to a non-profit organization to establish a social enterprise, needed improvements (it had only been used once since its inception), CCEDNet Manitoba members still see potential in the opportunity to partner with corporations for social enterprise development.

The Community Enterprise Development Tax Credit is being maintained. We will continue to advocate that the Government of Manitoba improve the application process for this tax credit and better promote it to the community.

Northern Healthy Foods Initiative

CCEDNet called on the Manitoba government to increase funding to the Northern Healthy Foods Initiative (NHFI) to scale up healthy food production and consumption, in part through social enterprise, in northern and remote communities. Funding for the NHFI has been maintained at $1.2M for 2017/18. While we are happy to see NFHI funding maintained, this amount continues to be insufficient to address the challenges and costs of food insecurity in remote and northern communities. For instance, the economic burden of diabetes in Manitoba in 2010 was estimated to be approximately $86M in direct costs and an additional $412 M in indirect costs. Investments in healthy food is an important component in addressing this cost and we hope to see additional programs and investments to address this issue.

It is not clear at this time how much, if any, of NHFI’s funding will be earmarked for social enterprise development, or if there is any other funding specific to social enterprise development in northern and rural Manitoba.

Minimum Wage

For a second year in a row, the Manitoba government has not increased the minimum wage. It continues to sit at $11.00 per hour since last increased in October 2015 meaning that those working for minimum wage will continue to see their incomes fall behind what is needed to afford the cost of living. This continues to break the 17-year trend of regular minimum wage increases despite full-time minimum wage work still failing to bring Manitoba families above the poverty line.

Childcare

The Early Learning and Child Care budget increased by just over $6M in Budget 2017. The Province promises funding for 501 new licensed child care spaces and 50 new home-based spaces to help shorten child care wait times. It also promises to increase operating grants for home-based child-care providers. While childcare advocates welcome this small increase, it does not go far enough to meet the needs of more than 14,500 children who are on the online child care registry waitlist. This disproportionately affects women, as they are more often prevented from education and employment opportunities due to a lack of accessible child care.

Visit the Manitoba Child Care Association for more information.

Poverty Reduction Strategy

Make Poverty History Manitoba was anticipating the launch of a comprehensive poverty reduction strategy in Budget 2017 based on last year’s budget which noted that work would begin immediately on the development of such a strategy in preparation for Budget 2017. However, the budget now notes that the updated strategy is not expected to be launched until late 2017. Make Poverty History Manitoba has called for a comprehensive plan developed in partnership with the community and accompanied by targets and timelines for reducing poverty. Budget 2017 notes that the development of the provincial strategy will include an engagement process to identify the priorities of Manitobans. It also notes that the province will develop targeted performance indicators.

Make Poverty History Manitoba prioritized the need to increase the basic needs budget for Manitobans on EIA and transition to a portable benefit, like Rent Assist, to make the benefit available to the working poor. The goal was to bring all Manitobans to at least 75% of the poverty line in Budget 2017. The budget does not make any reference to increasing EIA rates.

Visit Make Poverty History Manitoba for more information.

Housing

Right to Housing called on the Province to commit to 300 new social housing units built by the public, non-profit and co-op sectors to help address the need for affordable housing. However, Budget 2017 does not set a target and timeline for building new social housing. Budget 2017 provides up to $149M for capital (new supply and maintaining existing supply). This is down from $280M in 2016, and it is roughly a third of what was available on an annual basis when the Province was investing in a capital program that delivered 1,500 units between 2009 and 2014. This reduction in the amount available for capital combined with a $20M dollar reduction for operations leaves Manitoba Housing with approximately $150M less for its social and affordable housing programs than what was in last year’s budget.

Budget 2017 continues to invest in Rent Assist, a program that provides an income benefit (up to 75% of median market rent) to low-income Manitobans to top up their rent. Its budget line was increased, in part to be able to index the benefit to keep up with rising rental costs. But the benefit itself will not be enhanced.

Visit Right to Housing for more information.

Accessibility for Manitobans

All parties passed The Accessibility for Manitobans Act (AMA) in 2013 to achieve the comprehensive prevention and removal of barriers. The Conservative party committed to the full and timely implementation of the AMA during the 2016 provincial election. The AMA establishes responsibility for achieving significant progress toward accessibility by 2023, but implementation is lagging. CCEDNet Manitoba called on the Province to invest significantly increased human and related resources to ensure the timely and effective implementation of the AMA. The Disability Issues Office is the government unit most responsible for the implementation of the Accessibility for Manitobans Act and it received a welcome 20.7% increase. However, implementation is an immense responsibility that has been gravely underfunded to date.

Visit Barrier Free Manitoba for more information.

Environmental Omissions

Climate change is a defining issue of our time, imposing high and escalating costs on society over the coming decades and centuries. It requires clear, effective, and decisive action to reduce emissions. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development estimates that every dollar the industrialized world fails to invest in clean energy today will cost more than four dollars down the road. CCEDNet’s membership called on the Manitoba government to implement a carbon pricing strategy as well as ban on organics disposal by 2020.

Unfortunately, climate change does not have a significant role in this budget. There is no mention of carbon pricing or an organics disposal beyond a reiteration of a previous commitment to develop a climate and green plan in the future.

Kirsten Bernas is Research and Policy Manager with CCEDNet in Manitoba. She has also been employed by the Province of Manitoba to work on CED and social policy. Kirsten represents CCEDNet on the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives‘ Alternative Federal Budget Steering Committee, Make Poverty History Manitoba‘s Steering Committee, and the Right to Housing Coalition‘s Provincial Committee. She received a BA (Honours) in Economics from the University of Manitoba as well as an MA from the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University in Ottawa.

Darcy Penner has been working in community economic development since graduating from the University of Winnipeg with a BA (Honours) degree in Politics. Starting at CCEDNet in 2013, his role has seen him work with member-organizations to pursue a broad policy agenda through workshops, presentations, budget submissions, policy papers and community-organizing, while specializing in supportive social enterprise policy and research – including being the Project Manager for the Manitoba Social Enterprise Strategy being co-produced with the Province of Manitoba, and coordinating the Manitoba Social Enterprise Sector Survey.

“Climate change is a defining issue of our time, imposing high and escalating costs on society over the coming decades and centuries. It requires clear, effective, and decisive action to reduce emissions. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development estimates that every dollar the industrialized world fails to invest in clean energy today will cost more than four dollars down the road.”

CCEDNet-Manitoba with support from members in the province has made a submission to the Manitoba Climate and Green Plan survey outlining important environmental actions to growing a strong, equitable, and sustainable economy.

Read the full submission to the Manitoba Climate and Green Plan survey

In the submission the following recommendations to the Government of Manitoba were made:

Carbon Pricing

Impose a carbon levy with a floor of $30/tonne based on British Columbia’s successful model, rising to $200 over time.
Complement the carbon tax with a strong set of regulations to reduce emissions from agriculture and transportation.
Establish a carbon tax credit for Manitobans living below the low-income cut-off.
Recycle the remainder of revenues to deploy low-carbon technology and energy systems that make it easier for the public to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels.

Waste Disposal

a. Announce a deadline of 2020 for a full organics disposal ban in the Manitoba Capital Region.
b. Introduce and enforce a phased fine for any organic material that is landfilled in the Manitoba Capital Region after 2020, with an initial threshold of 25% organic matter landfilled and decreasing to 5% by 2023.
Support the transition to improved organics management by:
1. Offering a financial incentive to approved transfer stations and facilities that compost organic material in the Manitoba Capital Region.
2. Making municipal waste management plans that include the diversion and composting of organic materials mandatory for the Manitoba Capital Region.
3. Creating a provincial waste management plan that builds on the community expertise gathered in earlier government consultations.
4. Implementing policies, funding and social procurement programs to support small businesses, social enterprises, and community initiatives that meet environmental, social and economic goals (i.e. diverting organics from landfills, improving community sustainability resources and providing local training and jobs).

Manitoba Housing

CCEDNet Manitoba recommends that Manitoba Housing provide social enterprises with energy retrofit work as part of accomplishing the goal of $10M in procurement annually.

Efficiency Manitoba

Give Efficiency Manitoba a mandate to partner with social enterprises in green economy initiatives.
Provide targets and timelines for ensuring green economy initiatives create jobs for Manitobans with barriers to employment.

Community-Owned Green Energy

Update the Manitoba Hydro Act to support the creation and maintenance of community-owned renewable energy, including:
1. Implementing a long-term Feed-In-Tariff along with provisions to appoint an independent committee to set an acceptable price.
2. Allowing and directing Manitoba Hydro to purchase power from community-owned renewable energy projects and that these projects be developed in consultation with the communities affected.

Read the full submission to the Manitoba Climate and Green Plan survey

On April 7, MP Ramesh Sangha introduced Bill C-344, a private member’s bill that would authorize the Minister of Public Works to require an explanation of anticipated community benefits when bids are submitted for federal infrastructure projects. Similar legislation (Bill C-227) had previously passed second reading and committee stage in the House, but had to be dropped from consideration when its sponsor, the Hon. Ahmed Hussen, was named to cabinet.

Transcript of the Motion

“Mr. Speaker, I am absolutely honoured to stand in the House, with the support of the member for Don Valley North, to introduce my first private member’s bill, the community benefit act, or CBA, regarding the federal investment in infrastructure.

“The CBA is the modern way of giving power to communities. This will benefit not only my riding of Brampton Centre but ridings across Canada. My bill will define what community benefits are and how government can collaborate with communities to obtain maximum benefits. The CBA will provide for community participation so they can achieve their fair share of the federal government’s spending. The CBA will ensure reliable growth and meaningful employment while fostering a healthier environment.”

More information on Bill C-344

Motion M-100 Adopted in Unanimity by House of Commons The Parliament of Canada has voted unanimously to adopt Motion M-100, sending a clear message and mandate to the Government of Canada. M-100 is a Private Member’s Motion, tabled by Liberal M.P. Alexandra Mendès (Brossard – St-Lambert), to establish a framework that will promote the recognition and development of co-operatives in Canada.

The motion also asks Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) to establish a national co-operative development strategy.

CMC President, Doug Potentier applauded the vote: “This motion is an important step toward building public and government understanding of how co-operatives contribute to economic growth and prosperity in line with the governments own priorities. Energy transition, indigenous and rural community development, emerging digital platforms, homecare, health care and any number of other challenges we face today are ideally suited to co-operative solutions.”

The vote result was 284 yeas and zero nays.

Text of the Motion

That, in the opinion of the House, the government should recognize the important role co-operatives play in the economy and ensure that they continue to thrive by taking concrete steps such as: (a) developing, in consultation with provincial and territorial governments, Indigenous communities and the co‑operative sector, a federal co-operative strategy to promote and support Canada’s co-operative sector; and (b) providing periodic progress reports on pre‑established goals and targets.

Background

In 2012, a Special Committee on the Status of Co-operatives, chaired by M.P. Blake Richards, made a series of recommendations. One key recommendation that was accepted and enacted by the government was to move responsibility for co-operatives from its historic home in the Secretariat at Agriculture and Agri‑Food Canada to Industry Canada (now ISED). This move better represented the current diversity of businesses that are innovating with the co-operative model and was a step toward equal access to business support programs.

The transfer of responsibility, it was said, would ensure a single focal point in government to facilitate development, innovation and growth in Canada’s co‑operative sector. The government also welcomed the opportunity to engage with co-operatives and to further review their business programming to help support the sector. This was welcome news within the Co-op Sector. Unfortunately, there was no instruction or clarity on how the relationship between the department and the co-operative sector should evolve. Now, four years later, there has been very limited movement on many aspects of the intended relationship.

M-100 is the platform upon which the government can engage with co‑operative and mutual stakeholders. To solve our challenges together using the co-operative model, the Government of Canada needs to promote the co-operative model, contribute to its development, and facilitate an exchange and dialogue with the co-operative sector. Motion M-100 is catalyst to achieving that goal.

SOURCE: Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada