English – Page 24 – Canadian CED Network

Starting a social enterprise? Embedding social values into an existing business? Creating a sustainable model for your non-profit? Give yourself the best chance of success by immersing yourself in the right environment. Sponsored by Libro Credit Union, the social enterprise incubator gives you a front seat into the world of social enterprise.

Apply to the Libro Social Enterprise Incubator

Participants will spend 6 months at Innovation Works working with Pillar social enterprise coaches, Libro Credit Union staff, volunteer Business Advisors and the Innovation Works community.

Key highlights:

6 months access to Innovation Works
3 Day Orientation Bootcamp to kick-start your enterprise planning
2 months weekly social enterprise & business development workshops (Oct-Nov)
1-1 Coaching with Pillar’s Social Enterprise Coach
Support from volunteer Business Advisors specialized in your area of need
Access to online databases of legal documents, business plan templates & other social enterprise resources
A network of social enterprises at all stages of development
Pitch your social enterprise to over 200 guests at Pillar’s Meaningful Market event

Check out what past participants have to say

Criteria:

Open to nonprofit, cooprerative & for-profit social enterprises
Open to individuals & teams
Applicant has a social enterprise business model they want to explore/grow (beyond idea & ready to start)
Model uses earned revenue (selling products/services) to fund a major part of operations
Model has a strong social and/or environmental impact in the community
Applicants do NOT need to have existing revenue, but must have a goal of earning revenue during the 6 months

Key Dates:

3 Day Bootcamp; October 3rd-5th
Weekly workshops Tuesdays 3pm-5pm; October 16th to Dec 4th
Meaningful Market pitch event; date TBD

Fill in the application form and tell us how being a part of the Social Enterprise Incubator would benefit you. The application should take 15-20 minutes to complete. Questions? Want to learn more? Not sure if you qualify?

Reach out to secoach at pillarnonprofit.ca

Source: Social Enterprise Southwest

Canada is a prosperous country, yet in 2015 roughly 1 in 8 Canadians lived in poverty. The vision of Opportunity for All – Canada’s First Poverty Reduction Strategy is a Canada without poverty, because we all suffer when our fellow citizens are left behind. We are all in this together, from governments, to community organizations, to the private sector, to all Canadians who are working hard each and every day to provide for themselves and their families.

Overall, Opportunity for All brings together new investments of $22 billion that the Government has made since 2015 to support the social and economic well-being of all Canadians. These actions will help lift about 650,000 Canadians out of poverty by 2019, with more expected as the impacts of these investments are realized in the years to come.

Opportunity for All also sets the foundation for future government investments in poverty reduction. It is based on three pillars to focus Government actions to reduce poverty:

Dignity: Lifting Canadians out of poverty by ensuring basic needs—, such as safe and affordable housing, healthy food, and health care, are met;

Opportunity and Inclusion: Helping Canadians join the middle class by promoting full participation in society and equality of opportunity; and

Resilience and Security: Supporting the middle class by protecting Canadians from falling into poverty and by supporting income security and resilience.

Read Opportunity for All – Canada’s First Poverty Reduction Strategy

For the first time in Canada’s history, the Strategy sets an official measure of income poverty: Canada’s Official Poverty Line, based on the cost of a basket of goods and services that individuals and families require to meet their basic needs and achieve a modest standard of living in communities across the country.

Opportunity for All sets, for the first time, ambitious and concrete poverty reduction targets: a 20 % reduction in poverty by 2020 and a 50 % reduction in poverty by 2030, which, relative to 2015 levels, will lead to the lowest poverty rate in Canada’s history.

A National Advisory Council on Poverty will advise the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development on poverty reduction and will publicly report, in each year, on the progress that has been made toward poverty reduction.

The Government also proposes to introduce the first Poverty Reduction Act in Parliament in Canada’s history. This Act would entrench the targets, Canada’s Official Poverty Line, and the Advisory Council into legislation.

Dedication
Minister’s message
Foreword from Miles Corak, Economist-In-Residence at Employment and Social Development Canada
Executive summary
Chapter 1: Opportunity for All
Chapter 2: Taking Stock of Accomplishments
Chapter 3: Dignity
Chapter 4: Opportunity and Inclusion
Chapter 5: Resilience and Security
Chapter 6: Working with Provinces, Territories and Communities
Chapter 7: Working with Indigenous Peoples
  First Nations
  Inuit
  Métis
Chapter 8: Ensuring a Lasting Impact
Chapter 9: Improving Measurement of Poverty
Chapter 10: Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+)
Chapter 11: Going Forward: Canada in 2030
Annex 1: The Statistical Fine Print
Annex 2: List of Government Initiatives that Support Poverty Reduction

Source: Employment and Social Development Canada

At the last meeting of CCEDNet’s Board of Directors, Laurie Cook was selected as the new President of the Board. She takes over from Ryan Gibson, who had been President since 2015.

Laurie is Director of Strategic Development and Custom Learning at the Community Sector Council of Nova Scotia. Her passion is community development, and has been active professionally in the field for a number of years as a facilitator and community developer. She was first elected to the CCEDNet Board in 2016. Read Laurie’s full bio.

The Board extends its warm appreciation to Ryan Gibson for his leadership over the last three years.

CCEDNet’s new Board Officers are:

Laurie Cook, President
Carol Madsen, Vice-President
Diana Jedig, Treasurer
Yvon Poirier, Secretary

Learn more about CCEDNet’s Board >>

Can I just say that I am thrilled to be co-hosting EconoUs2018 with CCEDNet? The thrill is for two reasons…

The first reason is that, in my world, which is the environmental non-profit world, there is often an underlying feeling that we need to fundamentally change how our society views and values the natural environment, and that there is an intrinsic link between social justice and the environment. Imagine my delight and surprise when I discovered a whole bunch of CED people who think the same way! In my experience, environment-y folks don’t talk much to CED-y folks, but I have learned over the last year that these two sets of people share a similar vision for a better world. I am very excited that this conference is focussed specifically on PEOPLE, PLANET, and ECONOMY – to help us all make the links and work better together!

The other reason is that the New Brunswick Environmental Network, as the name suggests, is a provincial organization. While I occasionally travel to other provinces to talk about our work, it is rare that I get to show off our beautiful province to travellers from away. I am very excited to share some of New Brunswick’s great people and places with my fellow Canadians and others from around the world. With that in mind, our team has put together some great local tours that explore both of New Brunswick’s coasts (the rocky Bay of Fundy and the sandy beaches of the Northumberland Straight), Acadian and Mi’Kmaq cultures, the local art scene, and much more. I can’t wait to see you here!

Raissa Marks has been with the NBEN since 2006. She grew up in Albert County, New Brunswick. After high school, she was away from the province for about 10 years, living, learning, and working in Montreal, Toronto, and Virginia. Raissa now lives in Riverview with her husband, Chris, and their two daughters. Little-known fact: Raissa also worked for the NBEN as a summer student in 1998 and 1999!

The Government of the United Kingdom has launched their first Civil Society Strategy in 15 years. The Strategy will build stronger communities by bringing together businesses, charities and the public sector, the Government has vowed today.

Civil society refers to organisations and individuals working to create social value, enriching lives and building a fairer society for all.

The new vision places communities at the centre of decision-making and focuses on five key foundations of social value: people, places and the public, private and social sectors.

The work follows the Government’s Industrial Strategy, published last year. The strategy complements plans to grow Britain’s economy and boost productivity by building a more connected society, where everyone can play their part in a fairer, healthier and more prosperous country.

It creates more opportunities for people to actively take part in community decisions, as well as highlighting ways to harness the power of digital and technology for public good.

The Civil Society Strategy will:

Unlock £20 million from inactive charitable trusts (those which spend less than 30% of their annual income) to support community organisations over the next two years. The work will be carried out in conjunction with the Charity Commission and UK Community Foundations.
Launch an ‘Innovation in Democracy’ pilot scheme in six regions across the country. This will trial creative ways for people to take a more direct role in decisions that affect their local area. This could include Citizens’ Juries or mass participation in decision-making on community issues via an online poll or app.
Establish an independent organisation that will distribute £90 million from dormant bank accounts to get disadvantaged young people into employment. This new organisation will harness the experience of grassroots youth workers, businesses, and other local services, to help young people achieve their full potential.
Create an independent organisation to use £55 million from dormant bank accounts to tackle financial exclusion and the problem of access to affordable credit.
Support charities to make their voices heard on issues that matter to them and ensuring that charitable trustees reflect the diversity of the society they serve.
Strengthen Britain’s values of corporate responsibility, through the launch of a major new Leadership Group, formed of senior figures from the business, investment and social sectors, to put social and environmental responsibility at the heart of company decisions.
Use digital technology for good to improve the work charities can provide to support healthy ageing, bolster online safety and better connect people in an effort to tackle loneliness.
Improve the use of the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 to ensure that organisations can generate more social value for communities when spending public money on government contracts.

Source: The Government of the United Kingdom

Reactions

“…some good stuff and some underwhelming policy too…” – first impressions of the Civil Society Strategy from Co-ops UK
“This strategy could still be a good springboard for social enterprise” – Social Enterprise UK response to the Civil Society Strategy

The Canadian CED Network’s Policy Council submitted a response to the federal government’s invitation for pre-budget submissions for the 2019 Federal Budget. This year, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance called for submissions that addressed Economic Growth: Ensuring Canada’s Competitiveness.

Read the full pre-budget submission

Our Recommendations for the 2019 Federal Budget

1. Advance Social Innovation and Social Finance
a.	Invest $375M to support the community priorities of the Social Innovation and Social Finance Strategy
b.	Adopt framework legislation to embed a commitment to social innovation and social finance across the federal government, and create a multi-sectoral Social Innovation Council
c.	Create an Office of Social Innovation to promote interdepartmental collaboration in the implementation of the Strategy and coordinate reporting on progress
d.	Establish a National Social Innovation Knowledge Sharing Network
2. Make Canadian Businesses More Productive and Competitive
a.	Invest $5M over 2 years to expand the capacity and access of Canada Business Network services to social enterprise and co-operative sectors.
b.	Provide a supportive regulatory framework giving charities and non-profits more flexibility to pursue business models.
c.	Invest $75M over five years to support innovation networks and communities of practice
d.	Contribute to the capitalization of existing and emerging community-based social finance investment funds.
3. Help Canadians Be More Productive
a.	Invest $15M over three years for training, deployment and measurement to utilize social procurement policies.
b.	Engage stakeholders across sectors, including community leaders, to co-create a strong national strategy for Community Employment Benefits, with clear targets and common measures.
c.	Study the feasibility of a portable account, financed by contributions from workers, employers and the federal government, for Canadians to draw upon to pay for lifetime learning and job retraining.

Read the full pre-budget submission

The Manitoba Government has launched a Community Support Small Grant Program to provide funds for Manitoba’s non-profit and community-led organizations around the following key program objectives:

Build capacity within community organizations.
Support community driven goals that have a public benefit.
Prioritize innovative projects.
Increase the reach or effectiveness of successful projects.

Grants: Non-profit and community-led organizations can apply for one-time funding of up to a maximum of $20,000.00. Applicants must provide a minimum of 10% matching cash funding and only one application per organization per year will be considered. Projects must be completed by March 31, 2019.

Consultation Services: Recreation and Regional Services staff can assist community organizations with the application and the application process.

Eligibility Criteria: Non-profit and community-led organizations throughout Manitoba are eligible to apply for the Community Support Small Grant Program. Organizations must have been in existence for at least one year. Ineligible organizations include schools, hospitals, local governments and for profit organizations.

Eligible Costs:

Project labour and materials
Project supplies
Operational cost for equipment
Equipment and/or machinery lease costs
Promotional materials
Training
Rental/lease of project facilities for approved project
Equipment
Furniture / Appliances/Technology

Ineligible Costs:

Ongoing core operation costs
Vehicles
Music festivals
Competitions and tournaments
Centennials and homecomings
Travel costs
Projects that do not have public benefit

Grant Payment Process: Grants to successful applicants will receive an initial payment of up to 60% of grant upon receipt of signed agreement. A final payment of 40% of the grant will be made on submission of a final report. Grants of under $3,000 will receive full payment upon approval.

Application Process: Applications will be accepted on a continuous basis with notification made quarterly. If your community organization is planning a project, please contact your Recreation and Regional Services office to discuss how we can help.

Review the full program guidelines

Source: The Government of Manitoba

So a friend just shared an article with me about something called Localism. It’s something I’ve been thinking a lot about these days. It’s a huge part of an organization I’ve mentioned before that continues to inspire me out of the UK called Locality.

But the paragraph my friend sent hits the nail right on the head of WHY this movement is so important:

It is a sleeper revolution. It flips the power structure. Under localism, the crucial power centre is at the tip of the shovel, where the actual work is being done. Expertise is not in the think tanks, but among those who have local knowledge, those with a feel for how things work in a specific place and an awareness of who gets stuff done. Success is not measured by how big you can scale, but by how deeply you can connect.

Another thing I’ve been thinking about is the SDG’s…

the_17_sustainable_development_goals.png

Has anyone even heard of the SDG’s? Not exactly top of mind these days. Should be. Every government in the United Nations is supposed to be promoting them, supporting them…

The idea is to create a better world for all by 2030. That’s not far off – and we’re really just starting to hear about the SDG’s now.

17 Goals. Yipes! That’s a lot. And seems very overwhelming. Where does one start? At the local level, of course.

Many communities are starting to do just that. Some great examples of how various municipalities are working to raise awareness of the SDG’s around the world are here.

In simpler terms though – the agenda for the SDG’s is about leaving no one behind. #leavenoonebehind

This is not new. An organization I’m on the board of called CCEDNet (Canadian Community Economic Development Network) and many other organizations have been working on this for AGES. BIG national conference on all this coming up in Moncton, NB in September too. Called EconoUs.

Whether we’re talking localism or the SDG’s – the point is to find ways to build strong, powerful and INCLUSIVE communities where everyone benefits from living in those communities.

What can we do? What role do the SDG’s have to play in all this?

It’s about the ‘sleeper revolution’. This is about each of us doing our bit. Connecting with each other on a human level – looking out for each other, our neighbours.

To me, this is what Localism, the SDG’s and all other rallying cries are really all about. Not that action at various other levels is not important – but we also need to realize we do have some power to make a difference AT. A. LOCAL. LEVEL.

So, what are you going to do? What can you do with your neighbours? What can you do at any level where you feel you have some power? Because we all do. It’s just a question of feeling it, and acting on it. We need to be the change we want to see happen in our communities – and we need to be it NOW.

Originally published as an article on Laurie Cook’s LinkedIn Profile

Laurie Cook is a Convenor with the Community Sector Council of Nova Scotia and project lead for the United Way Halifax‘s Hub Convening Project. She was also this past year a volunteer Member Liaison for the Atlantic Region of CCEDNet. Her passion is community development, and besides being active professionally in the field for a number of years as a facilitator and community developer, Laurie also lives in Musquodoboit Harbour which is a rural area of the city. In 2006, as a volunteer, she chaired a community visioning process which led to several community initiatives that she was also involved in co-founding. These included: redevelopment of an old school, design of a co-operative rural transportation service, development of a new women,s organization focused on economic empowerment for women and co-creation of a volunteer peer support group called Eastern Shore Mental Health.

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

The government needs to ‘do different,’ by rethinking the way they partner with social purpose organizations and empowering community-level responses to the challenges that matter to them. Let’s unleash the potential of social innovation and social finance to address Canada’s most intractable social and environmental challenges.

What is social innovation and social finance?

Many social purpose organizations are committed to finding transformative solutions, but we face barriers in our efforts.

That’s why the federal Government created a Social Innovation and Social Finance Strategy Co-Creation Steering Group. The Steering Group members – from across sectors and regions – led a nationwide engagement over the past year.

Find out what they heard in this brochure

Why is this important?

Social purpose organizations form a rich ecosystem as important contributors to both the economy and our collective-wellbeing. Our goal is to have a Social Innovation and Social Finance Strategy included in the 2019 federal budget, but we need your help!

So, how can you help?

Make your voice heard. Connect with your MP.

Inform them of your support for a Strategy.

Do you know who your MP is? Use your postal code to find out HERE

Participate in iMPact Day: Invite your MP to visit your organization

From August 15 to September 16, Imagine Canada is challenging MPs to visit social purpose organizations in their regions.

Sometimes the most convincing case is the one seen first hand. Use this opportunity to inform your MP about the real impact a government-supported Strategy could have for the challenges faced by their constituents. Learn more

Not able to participate in iMPact Day? There are other ways to get involved!

Send an email or mail a letter to your MP

To write an impactful letter, try to personalize it! Include relevant barriers you face, with examples of how social innovation and social finance improve outcomes.

For general tips to help you write a more effective letter, send an email to innovate4impact at sisfs.ca

Use Social Media

Tweet your MP using hashtags #innovate4impact #sisfs
Post in your riding’s Facebook Group
Share the video to spread the word about social innovation and social finance

benefits for workers and communities A new, landmark agreement for key public-sector infrastructure projects in B.C. will deliver good-paying jobs, better training and apprenticeships, and more trades opportunities for Indigenous peoples, women and youth around the province.

“With this agreement, we’re not just investing in roads, bridges and other infrastructure, we’re investing in good jobs and new opportunities for people who live in B.C. And with our focus on expanding apprenticeships for young British Columbians, we’re helping build B.C.’s next generation of construction workers.” Premier John Horgan

Highlights of the agreement include:

A targeted approach to maximizing apprenticeship opportunities on major public-infrastructure projects.
Focus on priority hiring and training of Indigenous peoples, and women.
Co-ordinated access to existing training programs, while identifying and addressing skills gaps.
Priority hiring for qualified individuals who live within close proximity of the projects.
Hiring flexibility for contractors, who can request named hires.
Wage alignment to prevailing industry rates to promote good wages for all employees.

The first projects to be delivered under the new community benefits framework are the new Pattullo Bridge, and the four-laning projects on the Trans-Canada Highway between Kamloops and Alberta. The request for qualifications (RFQ) for the Pattullo Bridge Replacement Project has been released.

Under government’s new Community Benefits Agreement, a diverse and qualified workforce will be supplied for select major public infrastructure projects through a newly created Crown corporation, BC Infrastructure Benefits Inc. (BCIB). BCIB will hire the project’s construction workers, and will work with unions and contractors to dispatch labour, as well as manage payroll and benefits.

Signatories to the Community Benefits Agreement are BCIB, and the Allied Infrastructure and Related Construction Council (AIRCC), which represents many of B.C.’s building trades. Contractors representing B.C.’s construction industry played an important advisory role as the agreement was developed.

Key benefits of labour agreement

The Community Benefits Agreement allows government to make sure that local people and communities get long-lasting benefits from public investments into major infrastructure projects, while maximizing the number of contractors that can bid on major infrastructure projects.

Key benefits of the negotiated labour agreement include:

Apprenticeships:

Increased apprenticeships in the skilled trades is essential to the development of British Columbia’s workforce.
Targets will be aligned with the Government Apprenticeship Policy to maximize work-based training and opportunities to grow the skilled workforce.

Training:

The development of construction skills for persons other than the Red Seal apprentices is essential to the development of British Columbia’s workforce.
Wherever possible, existing government training programs and services will be leveraged. Training needs will be assessed for each project, and a process will be established to co-ordinate the development of new training where gaps exist, in collaboration with training partners and building trades councils, as required.

Indigenous and under-represented groups:

This agreement provides incremental and prioritized opportunities for the participation of Indigenous peoples and other traditionally under-represented groups on government infrastructure projects, in a safe environment that is free from discrimination and harassment.
Government has an existing consultation and accommodation process to address impacted Indigenous groups on projects. This process will continue and not be affected by the implementation of a labour agreement.
In addition, Indigenous peoples, women, and other traditionally under-represented groups will now have priority access to employment and training opportunities.

Local people and businesses:

When local workers have greater access to work opportunities in their communities, local people can, in turn, build, invest and stay in their communities.

Wages:

Wages have been negotiated to align with industry wages, based on prevailing construction rates.
This provides good-paying jobs to workers on these projects, and provides cost certainty to government.

Source: BC Government News – Office of the Premier

On June 14, CCEDNet members gathered online to participate in the 2018 annual general meeting (AGM).

CCEDNet has held an entirely virtual AGM for 4 years running. Our online platform allows for moving, seconding and voting on resolutions, a chat room for written comments and questions, integration with an English teleconference line and a French teleconference line and simultaneous translation between the two lines.

Watch the AGM Recording

Board Chair, Ryan Gibson, helped the meeting run smoothly and within the hour timeframe. Feedback following the AGM has been very positive again this year. Here are a few things our members had to say about the AGM:

The use of the various features available online enhanced the meeting experience. A wonderful and accessible way to include everyone. Well done and congratulations.
Excellent chairing by the president! A very efficiently run meeting. Very impressive. Job well done!
Wonderful job! Truly enjoyed the fact that the virtual AGM eliminates geographical barriers to participating.
I appreciated Mike Toye’s update and report. This overview of the past year demonstrates some of the incredible work being pursued by CCEDNET.
I love it! At times it seems more interactive than an in-person meeting. It’s great to see who all is attending – a good reminder of who members are.
I find this way of working for the AGM very pertinent given that the organization is pan-Canadian: no travel costs, only one hour, etc. Continue the billingual platform.

CCEDNet’s Executive Director, Mike Toye, presented highlights from 2017 and CCEDNet’s Treasurer, Diana Jedig, presented the audited financial statements.

Check out the Highlights from 2017

Members congratulated Emmanuel Bertrand-Gauvin, Ryan Gibson, Carol Anne Hilton, and Luc Morin on renewed Board mandates. Members alse expressed gratitude to outgoing Board members Christine Landry and Élodie Grunerud.

Many thanks to the members who participated, the staff who organized the logistics, and to CCEDNet’s Board members who guide the Network throughout the year.

@HonAhmedHussen The Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, and the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, have announced a new measure aimed at ensuring that when building new infrastructure projects, proponents take into consideration the social and economic impact their project will have on the community and how they can encourage inclusive participation.

As part of the Investing in Canada plan, recipients of federal funding for new major public infrastructure projects will now be asked to consider how their projects can create training and job opportunities for under-represented groups and procurement opportunities for small-to-medium sized and social enterprises.

The Community Employment Benefits requirement will see targets set for major projects to provide training, job opportunities and/or procurement opportunities to a broader array of Canadians. A General Guidance document has been prepared to explain the requirements of the initiative.

Applicants for major projects will now set and pursue targets for training and employment opportunities for groups that are identified as under-represented in the workforce or that face challenges entering the workforce, including:

Indigenous peoples
women
persons with disabilities
veterans
youth
apprentices
recent immigrants

The new requirement will also see projects providing procurement opportunities for small-to-medium sized and social enterprises. These are businesses operated by a charity or non-profit organization or that are designed around the delivery of social value.

For each project over a $10 million threshold (for most jurisdictions), provinces and territories will identify at least three of these target groups to benefit through training, employment or procurement opportunities. Projects are posted on the Investing in Canada Plan Project Map on the Infrastructure Canada website and will indicate when the Community Employment Benefits requirement has been applied. In cases where the requirement cannot be applied, a rationale will be provided.

Along with the Investing in Canada plan bilateral agreements being signed between Infrastructure Canada and the provinces and territories, this new requirement also applies to all projects under the recently launched Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund and to all final proposals submitted for consideration to Smart Cities Challenge.

Source: Infrastructure Canada