Canadian CED Network
The Canadian CED Network/Le Réseau canadien de DÉC
Chantier de l'économie sociale
Social Enterprise Institute
Buy Social Canada
Social Value Lab

The Canadian CED Network is inviting applications for the positions of S4ES Program Director, S4ES Evaluation Manager, and S4ES Program Assistant!

THE S4ES PROGRAM

The Social Enterprise Ecosystem project (S4ES) is a groundbreaking partnership between the Canadian Community Economic Development Network, the Chantier de l’économie sociale, Buy Social Canada, Social Enterprise Institute and Social Value Lab that seeks to establish a more coherent ecosystem in collaboration with the many other social enterprise developers throughout Canada.

With support from Employment and Social Development Canada, the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation, the Mental Health Commission of Canada and others, over three years, S4ES will take an integrated approach to developing business skills, markets, finance and impact practice, to scale up accessible, self-sustaining platforms for social enterprise skills development and market access that will form the pillars of a social enterprise development ecosystem.

To apply to one or more of the positions please click on the links below:

S4ES Program Director

S4ES Evaluation Manager

S4ES Program Assistant

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Co-operatives in Canada in 2012Co-operatives in Canada continue to be important actors in Canada’s social economy. The strength of the co-operative model lies in its ability to support local economies by revitalizing and sustaining communities through socially inclusive means. As legally incorporated organizations owned by their members, co-operatives exist in most sectors of the economy, and can operate as for-profit enterprises, non-profits and registered charities. The sector continues to generate a significant economic impact while making important contributions to communities across the country.

As an entrepreneur or business owner, you now have access to Co-operatives in Canada 2012, a collection of baseline data on the co-operatives sector collected by the Government of Canada. The report, now in its 79th edition, provides an overview of data collected in 2012, including statistics on co-operative types and ages as well as on co-operatives’ distribution by geography and industry.

Download Co-operatives in Canada in 2012

According to the report, almost 8,000 non-financial co-operatives, boasting nearly 8 million in membership, operate in the sector. Generating an estimated business volume of more than $38 billion annually, co-operatives provide employment for almost 90,000 Canadians.

In 2012, 42% (or 2,135) of all reporting co-operatives were classified under the Real Estate sector primarily as housing co-operatives. Wholesale and Retail were second (14%), followed by Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting (8%), and Health Care and Social Assistance sectors (8%).

Co-operatives in Canada are involved in a wide range of activities, ranging from manufacturing and processing to housing, daycare and health care services. The co-operative sector also has the potential to support a number of government priorities under the Government of Canada’s Inclusive Innovation Agenda, including social innovation and social finance initiatives, a transition to a greener economy, and Indigenous economic development.

Whether you are currently part of a co-operative, or looking to start your own co-operative business, the report provides valuable insight into the sector as a whole, providing a unique national snapshot of co-operatives in Canada and allowing you to make sound business decisions based on latest available data.

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) is currently in the process of preparing open data tables for data collected in 2011 and 2012 as well as finalizing the data for the Co-operatives in Canada in 2013, which will be published in the New Year.

Thinking about starting a co-operative? Check out the Canada Business Network’s past blog posts for useful tools and resources:

SOURCE: Originally published by the Canada Business Network, December 22, 2016. This guest blog is provided by Co-operatives Policy, which provides analysis, advice and support to promote co-operative business innovation and growth in Canada.

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Active Citizens Social EnterpriseThe United Nations Association in Canada (UNA-Canada) and the British Council Canada are pleased to launch Active Citizens Social Enterprise (ACSE) in communities across the country. This is a chance for youth to join 150 young leaders from across Canada to learn how to use the ACSE framework to address the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in your local community.

Active Citizens Social Enterprise is a social leadership training programme that promotes community led development through a social enterprise lens. ACSE training helps participants to become more self-aware and confident as leaders, strengthen their capacity to communicate, and build strong relationships with others.

Apply to Active Citizens Social Enterprise

Who is eligible?

If you are a young leader (aged 18 – 35) living in Canada, if you are committed to and passionate about social entrepreneurship, community-engagement, social development, if you have a passion for the SDGs and an idea for how you could address one of the Sustainable Development Goals in your community, then ACSE wants you!

What will you do?

If you win a place on the ACSE programme, you will take part in a 3-day ACSE immersive training session over a weekend in January or February 2017. Training sessions will take place in six cities across Canada (Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax). Travel bursaries will be available if you do not live in one of those cities.

Armed with the ACSE framework, you will return to your community after the training to implement your proposed SDG intervention throughout 2017, with the support of peer or business mentors.

You could also have the opportunity to be chosen among other participants to be part of the programme’s Innovation Summit in Ottawa in March 2017 (10 participants will be chosen by a multidisciplinary Selection Commitee). The Summit will showcase the youth’s passion and commitment for social enterprise while convening high level representatives from public and private sectors, innovation-focused enterprises and start-ups, social enterprises of all sizes, British Council and UN representatives. This Summit will also provide opportunity for partnership development, to showcase social enterprise, ideas and innovation.

Programme Schedule

December 2016

  • Official launch of ACSE
  • Youth recruitment and selection of participants for the ASCE training sessions January and February 2017
  • Training sessions to take place in Vancouver, Edmonton, Montréal, Toronto, Halifax, and Winnipeg
  • ACSE participants engaged in the Canadian International Model United Nations 2017
  • Selection of candidates for the Innovation Summit

March 2017

  • Ottawa Innovation Summit

How can you get involved?

You can apply by completing the application form, or share this opportunity with your network. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the end of February 2017. Application deadline is a week before each training date. Late applications may be considered depending on number of applicants.

Learn more about Active Citizens Social Enterprise

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coop canadaOn November 28th, 2016, Alexandra Mendès, Member of Parliament for Brossard – Saint-Lambert, tabled Motion M-100. The purpose of Motion M-100 is to provide for the development and implementation of a strategy in order to promote and support Canada’s co-operative sector.

“My motion calls on the Government of Canada to continue to recognise the important role that co-operatives play in the Canadian economy and to ensure that Canada’s co-operatives continue to thrive,” stated Mrs. Mendès.

Last June Ms. Mendès tabled Bill C-286 An act respecting the establishment of a framework to promote the development of co-operatives in Canada and amending the Department of Industry Act and other Acts. The purpose of Bill C-286 was to provide for the establishment and implementation of a framework to promote the development of co-operatives in Canada and to amend the Department of Industry Act and the Regional Development Agency Acts to specify that, within their mandates, federal ministers and agencies are to develop and promote the co-operative model in Canada.

“At the time of tabling C-286, I explained that it was the continuation of the work started by my then colleague, the late Honourable Mauril Bélanger, and implementation of the recommendations that came from the Special Committee on Co-operatives in 2012. After much thought and discussion, I have come to the conclusion that a motion is a better tool to continue the work that has been accomplished to date because the motion uses stronger language and, if successful, would firmly establish the support of the House of Commons for the development of a strategy to further Strengthen Canada’s Co-operatives,” explained the Member of Parliament for Brossard—Saint-Lambert. “Mauril often said that co-operatives, especially new ones, face significant challenges capitalising themselves and that there is clearly a role for the federal government to play,” said Mrs. Mendès.

Furthermore, Mrs. Mendès believes that a motion undergoes a quicker and less arduous process than a Private Member’s Bill since it does not need multiple readings in the House of Commons, does not need to be studied by a parliamentary committee and does not require to be debated or voted in the Senate. In fact, a motion simply requires two hours of debate before being voted on by the House. These factors have led to her decision of moving forward with this motion.

Alexandra Mendès strongly encourages all members to read her motion and to vote in favour of strengthening the co-operative sector.

Motion of Support for the Co-operative Sector

That, in the opinion of the House, the government should recognise 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.

SOURCE: Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada

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Indigenous Women in Community Leadership programThe Indigenous Women in Community Leadership program is a four-month (May 1 – August 25, 2017) education program offered by Coady Institute’s International Centre for Women’s Leadership. This program enables indigenous women to strengthen their leadership capacities in order to contribute to change in their communities within a culturally safe environment of sharing between women. Two on campus components bookend a community placement period over the summer months during which time the participants are supported by a mentor who can guide the application of new knowledge.

During this time, IWCL participants showcase and hone their leadership skills, address community priorities, engage and build upon community strengths. Once the program is complete, the graduates and mentors are linked through an IWCL network through which they can support each other in creating change beyond the temporal boundaries of the program.

“The skills, tactics and life experience I obtained as an IWCL participant are at the top of my library of resources that I reach for every day as a front-line worker in First Nations communities. The facilitators have the knowledge and experience to provide context into how the material could be applied within Indigenous communities.” 2013 Coady graduate

Learn more and apply to the Indigenous Women in Community Leadership program

Who should take the program?

This program is open to First Nation, Métis or Inuit women who are legally entitled to work in Canada. Successful candidates demonstrate that they have some leadership experience through community involvement, community organization or volunteer work, must be passionate about working in and developing their communities, and must be committed to this program for its duration. Participants are chosen through a rigorous selection process with a review committee of indigenous program faculty and experienced indigenous women leaders.

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Harold ChapmanSaskatoon co-operator extraordinaire, Harold Chapman, has been named to the Order of Canada! Harold is being recognized for his seven+ decades of co-operative leadership, which has impacted people in Saskatchewan, Canada, and countries around the world. The Saskatchewan Co-operative Association, a longtime member of the Canadian CED Network, is pleased to have supported his nomination for this prestigious award.

For more news regarding Harold’s being named to the Order of Canada:

Check out the profile video below from when Harold was recognized with a Saskatchewan Co-operative Merit Award in 2014

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Our offices will be closed from December 24th to January 2nd, inclusive.

We look forward to working with you to strengthen community economies in the New Year!

 

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INNOVATION ALLEYAfter 2 days on board the train – internet-less (much to the demise of Audrey-Anne who’s just about to breakdown) – we arrive at dawn in the surprising city of Winnipeg.

“The Peg” – as trendy locals call it – resembles a secret garden. Under a somewhat harsh allure lays an effervescent world about to explode. One finds delicious coffee shops (including The Forth and Fools & Horses, our home bases for a few days), delicious breakfasts, innovative start-ups, a social finance network unique in Canada, and dynamic entrepreneurs who want to make a difference in their environment. Our stay allows us to meet real change-makers who shape the image of their city.

Social Finance: A Booming Sector

On Tuesday, November 15, we attended the Social Finance Forum in Winnipeg. Organized by the Canadian CED Network (Community Economic Development), the Forum proved to be an excellent platform for understanding the realities of social finance in Manitoba. Good news: the sector is booming!

In recent years, the Manitoba government has turned to social enterprises as a “vehicle to reduce poverty through job creation”. The province “has also been undertaking structural changes to better align training resources with poverty reduction and social inclusion activity.”

Supported by a number of stakeholders such as CED, the growing ecosystem allows private companies, government bodies, NPOs and for-profit businesses to build on common values to promote social entrepreneurship in Manitoba.

The Forum allowed us to fully understand the existing models. But mostly, it has enabled us to validate Canadians and social entrepreneurs’ need for a bank that represents them. One involved in creating value and has a positive impact on people and the environment.

Meeting Entrepreneurs One-On-One

For the remainder of the week, we tried something different. After the Forum, we quickly realized we could not approach Winnipeg like other communities. Rather than engaging in our traditional workshops, we sat down with entrepreneurs, one-on-one. We wanted to understand their challenges and envision the ecosystem within a more global vision.

We met with entrepreneurs from all walks of life: Dan and Suzanne from North Forge, an innovation hub and the biggest FabLab in North America; David from Citi Grow, an urban agriculture endeavour; James and Wadood from the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce; Shaun from the Social Enterprise Center. Their thought sharing allowed us to identify important issues. The impak Finance team will consider these issues in the coming months to create an offer in support of young Winnipeg entrepreneurs:

  1. Establish a mentoring program and a project accelerator program for entrepreneurs.
  2. Ensure entrepreneurs’ financial understanding and stay in touch to safeguard their company’s financial health.
  3. Engage with the community at the very base rather than maintain lopsided power relationships between bank and borrowers.
  4. Promote capital for start-ups and young entrepreneurs with access to microcredit to start their business, and multi-source finance solutions between the bank, the entrepreneurs and their community.

We left Winnipeg with a head full of ideas, inspired by its entrepreneurs and by its vibrant, growing ecosystem. It is becoming increasingly clear that each place is different and we must not neglect an environment’s peculiarities if we wish to properly integrate. It’s a challenge! But we are ready to work with the different provinces to make our dream a real success. Now more than ever!

Originally published by impak Finance on November 30, 2016

Laurence Audette-LagueuxLaurence Audette-Lagueux is a Community Architect with impak Finance. She is also Connector/Community Manager with OuiShare Montréal and was previously Crowdfunding Campaign Manager with KissKissBankBank in Montréal.

 

 

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Ethel Côté and Marguerite Mendell at ECONOUS2016

Ethel Côté with fellow CCEDNet member and appointee to the Order of Quebec, Marguerite Mendell at ECONOUS2016 [photo by Stephanie Colvey]

Longtime member of the Canadian CED Network, Ethel Côté, is among 26 new appointees to the Order of Ontario for her support of “Francophone community economic development in Ontario and Canada for 35 years.”

Ethel is an entrepreneur, volunteer and community leader. She is the founder of MécènESS, the first French-language crowdfunding platform. She also co-chairs the Alliance économique francophone, is a specialist in social enterprise with the Canadian Centre for Community Renewal (CCCR), and is a Director at CoopZone, La Nouvelle Scène, the Centre Espoir Sophie. She is also President of Vox Théâtre. In May, she helped MC ECONOUS2016, our national CED conference, in Montréal.

Over the last 30 years Ethel has assisted the development of over 150 social enterprises in a variety of sectors, including agricultural, agrifood, cultural, housing and childcare. In addition to teaching college and university, Ethel has mentored hundreds of communities and social entrepreneurs throughout Canada, is a member of the Canadian CED Network, and founding member of the Social Enterprise Council of Canada. She supported capacity building missions in Mali, Niger, Senegal, Republic of Congo, Romania and Morocco and is involved in the International Network for the Promotion of the Social Solidarity Economy-North America (RIPESS- NA) and the Social Enterprise World Forum (SEWF). A few years ago, Ethel joined CCCR, committed to crafting solutions and adaptations to the critical challenges stemming from climate change and peak oil.

The Canadian CED Network wishes to express its sincere congratulations to our dear friend Ethel for this well-deserved honour!

For more information: https://news.ontario.ca

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Bring LEAP! (Local Entrepreneurship Accelerator Program) to your communitySFU’s Community Economic Development program has officially launched LEAP! (Local Entrepreneurship Accelerator Program) with a new website. LEAP! is an eight week accelerator program for brand new start-up social entrepreneurs in rural B.C.

Using a lean start-up model, LEAP! prepares small groups of entrepreneurs to launch new local businesses in their communities.

What is an accelerator?

An accelerator teaches people how to evaluate their business idea in the most efficient way possible.

What is a social entrepreneur?

Many entrepreneurs are tackling social problems, and define their businesses as social enterprise or social venture. In our view, any person creating a job for themselves and growing their local economy is a social entrepreneur.

How does it work?

The LEAP! program is offered in partnership with community-based organizations. To date, SFU Community Economic Development Program has worked with Community Futures Sunshine Coast and Kootenay Employment Services.

The local partner recruits five to seven participants, provides a classroom and cares about the success of the participants. SFU provides a recruitment kit, the curriculum, and the instructor.

The LEAP! program uses a flipped classroom model, with the cohort gathering together in a classroom to work with our live, online instructor, Eric Alex.

At the end of the eight weeks, the partner hosts a barn-raiser celebration, basically a really friendly dragon’s den, where participants can practice pitching their ideas.

Why is LEAP! Important?

LEAP! helps build a community’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, directly driving economic growth and strengthening the local economy. Communities with strong local economies are more resilient, have a lower carbon footprint, and are better insulated against global economic ups and downs.

LEAP! Impacts

In seven LEAP! sessions, 100% of LEAP! participants learned the lean start-up process with 77% of participants deciding to launch a business. To date, 28 businesses are now operating in the market.

Find out more on the LEAP! website.

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Last year was a busy one for CCEDNet. Here is an overview of some of our accomplishments.
2016 Highlights

• Web traffic continues to grow with 2,000 unique visitors each week on our seven websites. Our online toolbox now has over 1,100 resources and there are nearly 200 posts on our blog.COMMUNICATIONS

• Our Facebook page now has over 1,800 likes and our Twitter account surpassed 2,800 followers.

• Videos on our YouTube channel have been viewed 16,000 times.

• In 2016, our websites received more than 150,000 visits for news, events, resources & jobs.

 • In June, we held our second fully virtual AGM with online voting & simultaneous translation.

• CCEDNet staff and members were active at CommonBound, the New Economy Coalition conference in Buffalo and the Global Social Economy Forum in Montréal.

• Our 14th annual Manitoba Gathering brought together nearly 500 people & featured keynotes from Harsha Walia and Karen Joseph
• CCEDNet-Ontario published an updated provincial social enterprise survey and began trusteeing Social Enterprise Toronto, hosting the 2nd biennial conference.   ECONOUS2016 • CCEDNet co-organized the North American Forum on the Social Solidarity Economy in Detroit.
ECONOUS2016• ECONOUS2016, the national CED conference, returned after 6 years with a fabulous gathering in downtown Montréal, hosted by CEDECLEARNING.

• Eight national webinars on topics like Ontario’s Social Enterprise Strategy, New Brunswick’s new CED corporations and Environmental Justice for Affordable Housing attracted 256 participants.

CAPACITY BUILDING• Spark, CCEDNet’s pro bono matching service, leveraged almost $140,000 in short term, specific and high impact assistance for non profits working for social change in Winnipeg  

• CCEDNet-Manitoba began implementing the three-year Manitoba Social Enterprise Strategy, including a new website and the first Winnipeg Social Finance Forum.
Social Enterprise Gift Guide
• SEOntario.org, our virtual showcase of social enterprise in Ontario published a social enterprise holiday gift guide in collaboration with 20 partners that received over 5,000 views.

 • CCEDNet hosted a gathering of funders, policy-makers and thought leaders to consider ‘What’s Next for CED‘ in the leadup to ECONOUS2016.

Ryan Gibson, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, and Michael Toye• CCEDNet submitted recommendations for the 2016 and 2017 Federal Budgets and were invited to present them twice to the federal Finance Committee.

POLICIES• Policy proposals for Canada’s Innovation Agenda, labour market transfers, and global leadership on the social solidarity economy were provided to key federal officials.

• CCEDNet-Manitoba promoted CED during the provincial election and with municipal officials and delivered 10 capacity building workshops.
All this is possible thanks to our members and funders. Join us by becoming a member, or support the movement for inclusive and sustainable economies by making a donation. 
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Downtown Eastside MarketOn November 30th, Vancouver city councillors approved phase II of the Community Economic Development Strategy for the Downtown Eastside. Over $350,000 will be allocated to “Quick Start Projects” and “Feasibility Studies and Program Development”.  

“Central to the Phase II vision is the creation of a full range of employment and income generation opportunities that are open regardless of gender, ethnicity, age or ability, with a view of the local economy as a continuum of opportunity from survival-work to formal employment.”

“Previous economic revitalization strategies have tended to focus on (more formal types of jobs), largely because senior levels of government were involved in sort of dictating what the priorities were,” said Wes Regan, a planner for community economic development at the city. This new approach “actually reflects more the reality of what the local economy is like in the Downtown Eastside, as opposed to what government partners wish it would look like,” he said.

In mid-2017 the City Council will look at approving the third phase, with additional funding recommendations, that will look at implementing long-term actions.

The CED Strategy was developed by the Community Economic Development Strategic Action Committee (CEDSAC) which is made up of 35 community groups, businesses and other local stakeholders. The strategy contains nine core Ideas and twenty-two actions, and is built on several years of partnerships supporting social innovation, social enterprise and other local economic initiatives in the Downtown Eastside.

More Resources

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