Across Canada, people are taking action to create more equitable, inclusive and sustainable community economies. Governments can help. The federal election is a prime opportunity to tell candidates how they can make a difference.
Everyone is welcome and has a place in the Local Organizing for Fair Economies Community of Practice.
Join an emerging national community of local practitioners and community organizers, connecting and exploring how local organizing principles and approaches can contribute to the creation of more sustainable, fair and inclusive economies.
The Local Organizing for Fair Economies Community of Practice helps:
The Community of Practice meets via Zoom video call.
A Google Group is used to continue these conversations and serve as an organizing space. Join the Google Group here!
Join the conversations! Click on the link to register, receive the link to join the calls, and find out more about each topic area.
Local Organizing for Responsible Development
January 31, 2020, 1pmEST
Organizing for Grassroots Power & Leadership
February 28, 2020, 1pmEST
Organizing for Municipal Social Procurement and Community Benefits
March 27, 2020, 1pmEST
Local Organizing for Small Scale Innovation
April 24, 2020, 1pmEST
Organizing Across Sectors & Silos: Weaving Networks
May 29, 2020, 1pmEST
Organizing for Powerful Gatherings
June 26, 2020, 1pmEST
Interested in getting involved or have questions? Contact Michael Barkman at .
Stay up to date on the Local Organizing for Fair Economies Community of Practice work here.
Many people have contributed to the emergence and growth of community economic development in Canada, but few have been as influential as Dr. Stewart Perry.
Stewart had a long and storied career in community economic development in the U.S. and Canada as both a policy adviser and a designer and manager of CED institutions. He was part of the team, initially in the Executive Office of the White House and later in the Office for Economic Opportunity, when the first federal CED program was implemented in the U.S. As head of the (U.S.) Center for Community Economic Development, he helped create the first finance institution for CED, the Massachusetts Community Development Finance Authority.
In the 1970s, he helped start Canada’s first community development corporation, New Dawn Enterprises, and in the years 1988-1993 headed the Community Economic Development Center in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. An Associate of the Centre for 
Community Enterprise (later the Canadian Centre for Community Renewal), and close friend of CCEDNet co-founder Mike Lewis, Stewart was active in the creation of CCEDNet and his consulting, research, and writings on CED, community and development finance were prolific and prominent in the years before and after.
He was endeared to many through the gatherings he hosted in at CCEDNet national conferences, as well as his insightful and caring way of being.
At a webinar earlier this year marking CCEDNet’s 20th anniversary, Stewart reflected on the evolution of CED and his experiences over the years. He challenged listeners to always ask themselves how what they are doing is making a difference.
He also emphasized the importance of having fun in our collaborative, often challenging work. “We’ve been together, and we’ve accomplished things together, and we’ll continue to accomplish things together.”
After a life very well lived, Stewart passed away on Aug 7.
For those of us who knew Stewart, our affection for him and gratitude for our time and accomplishments together will serve as inspiration and motivation to continue.
At EconoUs2019, to celebrate CCEDNet’s 20th anniversary, Stewart was among the first recipients of the Stronger Together Award, for exceptional contributions to community economic development and to CCEDNet.
As part of his legacy, Stewart made a bequest to CCEDNet, which will be used to create the Stewart Perry Youth Fund. More information will be shared on that in the near future.
A celebration of Stewart’s life was held on October 5. The livestream of the service, presided by Mike Lewis and with an eulogy by CCEDNet founding member Rankin MacSween, can be viewed here.
CCEDNet extends our sincere condolences to Stewart’s wife Vicki, his family and loved ones.
Unveiling our Public Policy Road Map for Manitoba’s Social, Economic, and Environmental Future
We are proud and excited to unveil the Canadian CED Network Manitoba’s newly revitalized Public Policy Road Map. Over the past two years, members have shared that our movement requires an organized articulation of our collective vision for Manitoba’s future.
These are the priorities of our Network – reimagined as a Public Policy Road Map for Manitoba’s Social, Economic, and Environmental Future. While just in time for Tuesday’s provincial election, this Road Map will guide our advocacy, organizing, and collective voice every day of the year, no matter the results on Tuesday night.
It is our collective belief that if Manitoba follows this Road Map rooted in a Community Economic Development vision, our social, economic, and environmental future will be stronger and our communities will be more inclusive, democratic, and sustainable.
When taken all together, the recommendations proposed in this document, while not exhaustive, represent solutions to some of Manitoba’s most challenging, interconnected issues.
As members know, our public policy mandate is the result of a democratic decision-making process. Every year, members work together to create a pragmatic, wide-ranging and solutions-focused set of public policy resolutions. This is the result.
When you go to vote on Tuesday, consider this Road Map when you make your decision. Ask your candidates when they knock on your door if they’ll support a Community Economic Development vision for Manitoba’s future. Copies of this Road Map will be sent to every elected MLA after the election.
In the coming days, we’ll be posting a party platform analysis, up against our revamped Public Policy Road Map on our Manitoba Votes Resource Page.
Our Collective Vision is: Sustainable and inclusive communities directing their own social, economic and environmental futures.
Together, we’re focused on:
Find out more information about our Public Policy Road Map here.
Interested in getting involved in the 2020 Public Policy Summit, and contributing to this Road Map? Contact Michael Barkman at to learn more.
Two weeks ago, I was fortunate to be among 100 decent work advocates gathered in Montréal for My Labour Our Future, an event highlighting the 100th anniversary of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and discussing the future of work and fair economies.
Many moons earlier, when I was a student at McGill University (and not busy co-organizing an occupation of the Principal’s office to protest rising tuition fees), I remember taking some pride at the plaque attesting that the ILO had been housed there from 1940 to 1948. But I’m only now realizing the significance of what the ILO represents, and its connections to community economic development.
Created in 1919 as part of the League of Nations, the ILO is the world’s oldest international organization. It grew out of nineteenth-century labour and social movements which were a voice for social justice and higher living standards for the world’s working people. In 1946, the ILO became the first specialized agency associated with the United Nations. While in Montréal, it produced the Declaration of Philadelphia, which includes proclamations that would warm the heart of CCEDNet members:
The inspirational vision of that declaration, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that followed a few years later, seem hard to imagine today. That was one of the points that came up repeatedly in discussions at My Labour Our Future – that 40 years of neo-liberalism have stunted our political imagination. As Neil McInroy of the Centre for Local Economic Strategies passionately reminded us: we can build the economy any way we want. In fact, workers are among the biggest shareholders in the world through pension funds. Neil laid out a 3-point agenda for a new economy: localize, socialize, and democratize.
Another surprising lesson for me was that the ILO structure is unique among world organizations, bringing together representatives of workers and employers with governments in its executive bodies. This is another similarity to CED, which sits at the crossroads of public, private and community sector action to strengthen local, democratic control over the economy. The 19th century labour and social movements mentioned above catalyzed a wide range of social innovations seeking to improve people’s lives, most notably unions and co-operatives. So it is fitting that the ILO Centenary Declaration for the Future of Work recognizes the role of co-operatives and the social solidarity economy in generating decent work, productive employment and improved living standards for all.
The exciting part about our current situation is that not only are financiers recognizing that social economy initiatives are more secure, stable and beneficial investments, but a recent l’Actualité article found that those organizations are in fact also the places where employee happiness is greatest.
What the labour, co-operative, social solidarity economy movements and CED all have in common is their roots in organizing. They are about people coming together to oppose unfairness and propose better solutions. The labour movement is responsible for pretty much all of the social benefits we have today, from the weekend to minimum wage to family leave. The co-op and credit union movement create jobs and deliver essential services in countless places that were bypassed by mainstream economic development. It was always the power of people organizing to make and win demands and create alternatives that led to progress.
With inequality at record levels, ecological and climate crises worsening every day, and a growing awareness of historical injustices to be righted, there is no better time to reignite our political imaginations. A starting point is remembering the roots of the economy, described in the 7-minute video How We Live: A Journey Towards a Just Transition.
How We Live: A Journey Towards a Just Transition from Kontent Films on Vimeo.
The inspirational participants at My Labour Our Future reminded me of the people who will be gathering in just two weeks in London, Ontario for EconoUs2019. CCEDNet’s annual national conference, this year co-hosted by Community Futures Ontario, brings together people who are pragmatic visionaries – leading action in their communities to create long term change and improve well being. The energy, connections and learning at EconoUs are always a powerfully re-invigorating time for the essential day-to-day work throughout the year.
To close My Labour Our Future, Colette Murphy of the Atkinson Foundation called on participants to reclaim Labour Day, recalling it as a day for acknowledging and expressing gratitude for everyone’s work. So this Labour Day weekend, I will say thanks for the work of the many people on whom my well-being depends. And I’ll also take a moment to think of all organizers who have fought and won countless battles for social justice over the last century and before. And I’ll hope to see you at EconoUs2019, where we’ll continue to reignite our political imagination, learn from each other about how to build an inclusive and sustainable economy, and — the cornerstone of all organizing — have some fun!
On the 10th and 11th of July 2019, more than 400 organizations committed to achieving Sustainable Development Objectives having as an inspiration the values of the Social and Solidarity Economy will be present. This is a concrete Alliance, with every stakeholder working towards a common goal: collectively designing a roadmap for a new global economy.
This summit hosted government delegations, international organisations, local authorities, and actors committed to fostering Social and Inclusive Economy. World experts, speakers with inspiring success stories, local actors from all over the world, and public and private partners committed to meeting the challenges of our century has also attended.
Pact for Impact aims to create a Global Alliance to promote and strengthen the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE), the Inclusive Economy, its companies, and all stakeholders of social innovation.
On September 10, 2019, Manitobans will go to the polls to elect our provincial government. The province is responsible for so many important aspects of our community’s futures – local economic and enterprise development, community development, housing, social services and addressing poverty, and taking care of our environment and earth. We know that our shared movement for Community Economic Development – with local & fair local economies, no poverty, and more sustainable communities – has the solutions to tackle some of our province’s toughest social, economic, and environmental challenges.
Our Collective Vision is sustainable and inclusive communities directing their own social, economic and environmental futures. There are numerous promises from Manitoba’s four major political parties related to our vision for Manitoba’s social, economic, and enviromental future.
Below are some of the key highlights from each party’s platform related to the priority areas of our Public Policy Road Map. In cases where our partners have done analysis or questionnaires, we have links to that information.
Otherwise, the vast majority of the text is taken directly from the publicly available platforms of the political parties. Links to these documents can be found at the bottom of this page. At times, information was added from party’s specific announcements, press releases, and comments at public election forums and debates. We accept any corrections or additions to the information presented, though believe it is an accurate representation of key commitments written in party’s public platforms.
For information related to party’s commitments related to ending poverty, social assistance/Livable Basic Needs Benefits, minimum wage, housing, childcare, and mental health, refer to the Make Poverty History Manitoba coalition’s platform update.
You can also watch highlights from the Hunger & Poverty Provincial Forum here.
Winnipeg Harvest also released a Manitoba Election Scorecard, available with great summary of party promises.
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba
New Democratic Party of Manitoba
Manitoba Liberal Party
Green Party of Manitoba
For information related to party’s commitments on tackling climate change, reducing emissions, and more, refer to the great resources below:
Wilderness Committee Manitoba Votes 2019: Candidate Survey Results
Coverage from the Forum for Our Future from Sustainable Building Manitoba
Questions related to Green Technology, Manitoba Hydro, community energy projects, and more.
While we assume that many of the priorities in all the party platforms will affect or include community-based organizations, they are not specifically referred to as far as we can see.
For information related to party’s commitments on the five priority disability issues from the Disability Matters Vote campaign, click here.
Many other priorities in the party platforms relate to inclusion or diversity, but aren’t specifically connected to CCEDNet Manitoba’s set of resolutions. We suggest reading through the platforms with a lens toward Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, & Access.
Quoted text above and more information is available from Manitoba’s political party platforms, found here:
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba
New Democratic Party of Manitoba
Make Poverty History Manitoba’s backgrounder on the six policy priority areas are here.
Check out these one-pager Voting Guide and Information Sheets, produced by the Social Planning Council of Winnipeg here.
Read this important backgrounder on issues facing newcomers & refugees, produced by MANSO (Manitoba Association of Newcomer-Serving Organizations). This backgrounder highlights key facts, issues, and questions for candidates and is intended to support facts-based dialogue on these issues.
Election day is September 10, 2019
Advance Voting is: Thursday, August 29 to Thursday, September 5. More info about times & locations here.
Register to vote and more information at Elections Manitoba.
Use CBC Manitoba’s Election Voters’ Guide for all you need to know before you vote.
Unveiling the Public Policy Road Map for Manitoba’s Social, Economic, and Environmental Future
We are proud and excited to unveil the Canadian CED Network Manitoba’s newly revitalized Public Policy Road Map. Over the past two years, members have shared that our movement requires an organized articulation of our collective vision for Manitoba’s future.
These are the priorities of our Network – reimagined as a Public Policy Road Map for Manitoba’s Social, Economic, and Environmental Future. While just in time for Tuesday’s provincial election, this Road Map will guide our advocacy, organizing, and collective voice every day of the year, no matter the results on Tuesday night.
It is our collective belief that if Manitoba follows this Road Map rooted in a Community Economic Development vision, our social, economic, and environmental future will be stronger and our communities will be more inclusive, democratic, and sustainable.
When taken all together, the recommendations proposed in this document, while not exhaustive, represent solutions to some of Manitoba’s most challenging, interconnected issues.
As members know, our public policy mandate is the result of a democratic decision-making process. Every year, members work together to create a pragmatic, wide-ranging and solutions-focused set of public policy resolutions. This is the result.
When you go to vote on Tuesday, consider this Road Map when you make your decision. Ask your candidates when they knock on your door if they’ll support a Community Economic Development vision for Manitoba’s future. Copies of this Road Map will be sent to every elected MLA after the election.
In the coming days, we’ll be posting a party platform analysis, up against our revamped Public Policy Road Map.
Our Collective Vision is: Sustainable and inclusive communities directing their own social, economic and environmental futures.
Together, we’re focused on:
Previous Events:
Hunger and Poverty Provincial Forum – Tuesday, August 20th – part of Make Poverty History Manitoba’s kNOw Poverty campaign
UpForDebateMB (Gender Equality and Women’s Rights) – Wednesday, August 21
Disabilities Matters Leaders Debate – Tuesday, August 27 – part of the Disability Matters Vote campaign
Time to Talk about Public Health Care: Leader’s Debate – Thursday, August 29 – part of Manitoba Health Coalition’s campaign
Forum For Our Future: Manitoba Leaders Debate on the Environment – Thursday, September 5
More to add? Another important campaign to mention? Contact Michael Barkman, CCEDNet Manitoba Public Policy Coordinator at: m.barkman at ccednet-rcdec.ca
After three long years, the City of Toronto has adopted a new landmark Community Benefits Framework which will create more opportunities for training and well paying careers in the trades through Apprenticeships with hard targets for hiring Toronto residents from historically disadvantaged communities and equity seeking groups. In addition, the framework will create more opportunities for local, diverse owned businesses and social enterprises to access City contracts through social procurement.
The adopted Community Benefits Framework will include:
Report Back: The City will also be reporting back on a few items that will help the City to understand best practices and bring forward additional recommendations for City Council to make an informed decision. This includes:
2020 report back: A) Recommendations to advance the City of Toronto’s community benefit initiatives, including additional and/or higher minimum hard targets; B) a jurisdictional scan of best practices related to hard targets on community benefits, including community engagement, criteria and actual hard targets; and C) an indication of the required resources to move the Community Benefits Framework forward.
2022 report back: Status update on the Community Benefits Framework Implementation Plan, and recommendations for Community Benefits Framework future direction.
Source: www.communitybenefits.ca
The OECD Local Development Forum, which will take place from 10-11 December 2019 in Antwerp, Belgium, is looking for promising international practices, including examples of employment, skills, social innovation, culture/creative industries and entrepreneurship programmes.
Guidelines for submissionFor the purpose of this call please submit information pertaining to one programme. Programmes submitted for consideration must adhere to the following minimum criteria:
Complete this form by 30 September 2019. The organisers will acknowledge receipt and notify the applicants of its decision by 31 October 2019. Selected programmes will be highlighted through a dedicated stand and/or presentation at the OECD Local Development Forum to be held in Antwerp, Belgium, from 10-11 December 2019. Selected programmes will also be featured in OECD work on good practice programme examples
Find out more about the OECD Local Development Forum here
Our dominant models for economic development are failing us. The extractive economy, as Ted Howard and Marjorie Kelly of the Democracy Collaborative call it in their forthcoming book The Making of the Democratic Economy, is “designed to benefit the wealthy, to enable the financial elite to extract maximum gain for themselves in every possible way, everywhere on the globe, heedless of collateral damage created for workers, communities, and the environment.”
We know what the collateral damage is: precarious work, high inequality, climate change, contamination of traditional Indigenous territories and displacement of the most vulnerable, outmigration from rural communities, rising cost of living in urban communities…
We also know that there are other economies than the ‘extractive economy’ and, similarly, other ways of approaching economic development. Some of these may be new but many (most) of them have been around for a long time. At the Canadian CED Network, we tend to talk about the Social Economy and Community Economic Development (CED), but there are many names given to these different (and not so different) types of economies and economic development approaches. These terminologies reflect the diversity of the communities at the centre of this work. And not only should communities be central to economic development, they should be at the core of social innovation.
| Business innovation is sometimes seen as coming from an individual entrepreneur. But social innovation that sticks and that is truly transformative comes from people working together. Join leaders from across Canada at EconoUs2019 in London, Ontario from September 16 -18 to learn how communities are leading innovation. Build networks for social and economic change and learn and share strategies for community-led innovation through stories, skill-building workshops, and creative process sessions. econous.ca |
“People have always come together to solve unique problems. Cultivating and stewarding strong relationships and scaling innovation requires Elder’s and young people. Intergenerational collaboration contributes to and drives social change.” Victor Beausoleil of SETSI (Social Economy Through Social Inclusion) shared this with me the other day and I think it covers so much. Problems are not typically solved by one person – they’re solved when people work together. If the goal of social innovation is social change, it’s not enough to just create a product or a service. Whatever the project is, it needs to be embedded in community so that there is shared ownership and direction.
Innovation often gets conflated with invention, but in reality, most innovations build upon existing technology, knowledge and models by finding new practical applications. CED necessitates innovation because every community is different, with specific needs, assets, and issues to address and opportunities to seize. As a result, what works in Montréal won’t work the same way in Calgary or in Rankin Inlet – each community has to find their own way, inspired by what has worked elsewhere and emboldened by the unique vision of its members. In this way, communities are leading innovation, by thinking creatively about how to adapt and improvise upon the previous work of others and how to involve those who have historically been left out of economic development decision-making and ownership structures.
A new partnership group that is exploring how to creatively shift the power imbalances within our economic and political systems is the Power Lab. Currently led by people working to make sure historically excluded and equity-seeking communities are involved in the decision-making process for public infrastructure development projects, this innovation lab “is a space for experimenting, stretching, and developing skills to realize a shared vision of an economy that works for everyone.”
In rural communities across Canada, innovators can turn to Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs) for support. More than just providing small business loans (not to downplay the importance of this financial service), CFDCs provide leadership on strategic community planning and support for the development and implementation of local initiatives.
Social finance is also currently a hot topic of conversation in the innovation landscape, especially with the Government of Canada’s announced $800M Social Finance Fund. Credit unions like Vancity, Assiniboine and Alterna Savings have long held commitments to community investment and continue to look for new and creative ways to address local needs. A new and innovative support system for rural and urban economic and business development is Community Impact Investment organizations. Often using the co-operative model, these organizations effectively bridge the gap between local investors and local ventures in need of financing.
With all of this increased interest in social innovation and social finance, however, we must be careful to not fall into old traps. “Who are the individuals that are pushing for social finance and what is the agenda and intentions behind this?” asks Victor Beausoleil. “My concern is the means shaping the ends. Those with power need to align themselves with those who don’t because those that feel it most usually have the most at stake and usually their voices are never heard. The most innovative models are developed when your back is against the wall, so inclusion, diversity, equity and access, is not just the right thing to do it is also a prudent approach to social innovation and social finance.”
The wellbeing of all people through this century will require a fundamental departure from the extractive economy. Fortunately, community-led innovation is flourishing and offers a wide range of alternatives. How would you like to build your community economy?
Matthew Thompson has been working with the Canadian CED Network since 2007 and is currently the Director of Engagement. The Canadian CED Network is a values-based, non-profit organization committed to strengthening the social, economic, and environmental conditions of Canadian communities. We have several hundred members throughout Canada working at the grassroots level in rural, urban, Indigenous and northern communities. We engage a broad and inclusive range of community interests in common efforts to influence policy, create stronger and fairer local economies, tackle poverty and homelessness, and invest in sustainable communities.
Source via Charity Village | July 24, 2019
Employment and Social Development Canada is inviting participation in consultations on the development of regulations for recent amendments to Part III (Labour Standards) of the Canada Labour Code (Code) to improve protections for employees, particularly those in precarious work, while supporting productive workplaces. These amendments, introduced in Bill C-86 – the Budget Implementation Act, 2018, No. 2, aim to:
These amendments are coming into force in several waves over the next two years, with the majority of changes be coming into force on September 1, 2019.
To ensure that the regulations meet their intended purpose and balance the needs of all stakeholders, your feedback is sought on the Labour Program Stakeholder Engagement discussion paper. The paper outlines the changes to the Code and poses specific questions for your consideration. Your views on any aspects of the new provisions are welcome. For example, in addition to the discussion on regulations, we are interested in knowing what type of guidance, information materials and other tools would be most useful for helping employers and employees understand their obligations and rights.
To ensure that your written input is fully considered in the regulatory development process, please e-mail your written comments to brenda.baxter at labour-travail.gc.ca by June 28, 2019.
Creating Manitoba’s New Non-Profit Strategy
CCEDNet’s recommendations to the Provincial Government
In May 2019, the Province of Manitoba announced plans to develop a new non-profit strategy.
Find the Canadian CED Network’s submission to government here. It’s essential that the government hear from as many community-based organization volunteers, staff, participants, and funders as possible through their consultation.
Organizations and individuals are encouraged to submit. If you’re feeling stretched to submit to this large consultation, feel free to utilize text from the Network’s submission for your own. Click here to view our submission. You can submit either online or via a written submission at ">. Find out below how else you can contribute to the consultation.
The stated intention behind the strategy is to build capacity and promote sustainability in the non-profit sector in order to guide future policy and spending. We agree that a strategy for Manitoba’s non-profit sector is essential to capture our deep social and economic impact, and to address some of the challenges we know that organizations are facing.
We plan to be part of the process to create a strategy, and will take every opportunity to contribute the perspectives of the Network’s members. Members have expressed a number of concerns or issues with the current consultation process, coming on the heels of funding changes through the new Building Sustainable Communities Program.
>A co-creation exercise that is founded upon and works in partnership with the knowledge of Manitoba’s non-profit, community sector would be the ideal process. A new strategy for the Province of Manitoba must uplift and centre the crucial work of community-based organizations and ensure access to the resources needed to achieve essential community development initiatives.
Want some help filling out the survey or contributing to the consultation? Or, want to get involved in organizing around funding and community development?
Contact Michael Barkman, CCEDNet Manitoba Public Policy Coordinator, at m.barkman at ccednet-rcdec.ca
