English – Page 14 – Canadian CED Network

TELUS has announced the launch of its new TELUS Pollinator Fund for Good, a $100 million social impact investment fund created to power responsible and sustainable startup businesses. The fund will invest in entrepreneurs building solutions aimed at improving healthcare, furthering social and economic inclusion, ensuring sustainable food production, and reducing our environmental footprint. The TELUS Pollinator Fund for Good will fuel social innovation in Canada through investments in companies that generate both financial and social returns.

Investments will focus on for-profit companies and founders committed to driving social innovation and economic growth in the following four areas:

Transforming healthcare: Digital solutions that make safe and quality physical and mental healthcare accessible and efficient for all Canadians.
Enabling inclusive communities: Startups building solutions to further social and economic inclusion and ensuring everyone has an opportunity to reach their full potential.
Supporting responsible agriculture: Companies providing innovative technology-first solutions that empower the agriculture industry to improve Canada’s food systems.
Caring for our planet: Companies and entrepreneurs building solutions to better the planet and reduce our environmental footprints.

An advisory board of entrepreneurs, investors and thought leaders with expertise across the impact areas is being formed to advise on strategy, markets, and deal sourcing. Early-stage companies receiving investment will benefit from the insights and expertise from TELUS’ depth and breadth of resources, including the TELUS Friendly Future Foundation, TELUS’ Community Boards, TELUS Health, Sustainability, and TELUS Ventures with its broad-reaching network within the venture capital space, to drive meaningful social impact in Canada.

Learn more about the Pollinator Fund for Good

Learn more about CCEDNet’s campaign to implement a pan-Canadian Social Innovation & Social Finance Strategy

CCEDNet is excited to offer this learning series to increase capacity among our members for policy and advocacy work. The offerings listed were developed based on members’ responses to a survey completed in September and October 2020.

Webinars are structured around presentations, followed by Q & A and some time for informal networking.
Campfire chats provide opportunities for members to learn from one another’s experience in an informal peer-to-peer learning environment.

Note: Except for the first two webinars, which were open to all, this series is designed to strengthen the work of CCEDNet members! To join CCEDNet or to find out more about our barrier-free membership policy, click here.

November	Unblocking Social Innovation, Empowering Communities Key Policy Recommendations for Strengthening Community Economies
December	Government Relations – Triumphs & Tragedies
January	Advocacy 101
February	Exploring Common Ground and Working Together
March	The Power of Partnerships in Your Campaign
April	Building Effective Coalitions and Partnerships
May	Using the Media – Easier Said than Done!
June	Creating an Internal Advocacy Policy

WEBINAR: Unblocking Social Innovation, Empowering Communities
November 2, 2020

Hear from social innovators about how social innovation and social finance (SISF) supports their work, why they’re pushing for action on SISF now, and how you can be part of a campaign that will help you have your voice heard on this strategic issue.

WEBINAR: Key Policy Recommendations for Strengthening Community Economies
November 19, 2020

Learn about CCEDNet’s current policy priorities, how they can accelerate economic recovery in a COVID and post-COVID world, and opportunities to get involved.

CAMPFIRE CHAT: Government Relations – Triumphs & Tragedies (No recording available for campfire chats.)
December 10, 2020

Have you had interactions with the government that were a resounding success? What about ones that went very, very badly? Join us to learn from others’ experiences and share your own lessons learned. If you’re a novice, no worries! The more the merrier.

WEBINAR: Policy & Advocacy 101
January 14, 2021

Whether we like it or not, we operate in a policy framework that can either help, or hinder, our work! Whether your work is at the local, provincial, or national level, join us to learn about public policy, how it works, and key components of an advocacy strategy.

CAMPFIRE CHAT: Exploring Common Ground and Working Together (No recording available for campfire chats.)
February 11, 2021

We are stronger when we work together! Explore the overlaps between your policy priorities and those of others, and figure out ways to complement each others’ efforts.

WEBINAR: The Power of Partnerships in Your Campaign
March 11, 2021

We can’t always do it alone and, in fact, our voice is louder when others join in! Finding a common agenda and building partnerships are key elements of an effective advocacy campaign. Join us to learn more!

CAMPFIRE CHAT: Building Effective Coalitions and Partnerships (No recording available for campfire chats.)
April 8, 2021

Everyone has a “bad partnership” horror story. On the flipside, effective coalitions take effort and a few critical ingredients. By sharing our experiences, we’ll help each other be better coalition partners, and maybe even share a few laughs!

CAMPFIRE CHAT: Working with the Media – Easier Said Than Done! (No recording available for campfire chats.)
May 6, 2021

The media is an important tool in advocacy work, but it can be tricky to figure out how to use it to your advantage! From figuring out who the right contacts are, to crafting your message, and identifying the right medium for your audience, there’s a lot to think about. Bring your questions and tap into others’ knowledge.

VIRTUAL WORKSHOP: Creating an Internal Advocacy Policy
June 3, 2021

There are some key questions for organizations to think about when starting to do advocacy work. From what issues we take positions on to who our spokespeople are, and lots more! Join us if you are new to advocacy, or if you’ve been doing it a while but without any real direction from your supervisor or board of directors.

As a diverse nation of innovators, Canadians have a lot of potential to propel ourselves towards an equitable and sustainable recovery from COVID-19. That said, we still face some serious challenges. If we want better social, economic and environmental outcomes, the government needs to ‘do different,’ by rethinking the way social purpose organizations are supported. We need investment in social innovation and social finance.

In 2018, the Social Innovation and Social Finance Strategy Co-Creation Steering Group released its report, Inclusive Innovation: New Ideas and New Partnerships for Stronger Communities. This comprehensive report contains 12 key recommendations that would help communities tackle their toughest social and environmental challenges through skill development, unlocking private capital, increasing market access, and regulatory changes. In other words – it would be a game changer!

Unblock Social Innovation, Empower Communities

The federal government has committed to developing a Social Innovation and Social Finance Strategy (SISF Strategy) and, in 2018, announced a $755M Social Finance Fund and $50M Investment Readiness Program. BUT, the Social Finance Fund has yet to be rolled out; after a very successful 2-year pilot, the Investment Readiness Program is set to expire in March 2021; and there has been little action on the remaining recommendations.

We have a window of opportunity to push the government to implement a comprehensive strategy, expand the Investment Readiness Program, and accelerate the Social Finance Fund. Over the spring and summer, several mobilizing efforts, including by the People-Centred Economy Group, Impact Response, the National Impact Investment Practitioners table, and others, have urged the federal government to accelerate SISF as part of COVID recovery. This is a critical moment for a concerted push for continued action by the federal government to ensure that SISF is part of budget 2021.

CALL TO ACTION

There are two options for action. The first will have more of an impact in this campaign and will help you build a long-term relationship with your MP.

Option 1: High Impact

Set up a virtual meeting or phone call with your MP.
Share these key messages with them and ask them to write to Minister Hussen and Minister Freeland asking for Social Enterprise, Social Innovation, and Social Finance to be central features in the Government of Canada’s post-COVID economic recovery.
Let us know how it went.

Option 2: Quick & Easy

Send a message to your MP in a few seconds using this handy automated system.

Find out more

The Canadian Community Economic Development Network is excited to invite organizational members to apply to become host organizations through the CreateAction: Inclusive Social Innovation program. Not already a member? Check out how you can join the network (including barrier-free options) by visiting CCEDNet’s membership page.

**About CreateAction**

The purpose of CreateAction is to provide employment and career-relevant learning opportunities to young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) and facing barriers to employment to further their career in community economic development and the social economy. These placements will take place under the terms and conditions of a contribution agreement between the Canadian CED Network and Employment and Social Development Canada as part of the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy.

The Canadian Community Economic Development Network (CCEDNet) and the National Association of Friendship Centres (NAFC) are working in partnership to deliver the CreateAction program with funding by Employment and Social Development Canada and with evaluation support from the Social Research and Demonstration Corporation.

The first cohort for this program will take place from January 11 to July 9, 2021.

Host organizations will be selected according to the following criteria:

relevance of proposed work experience to community economic development and social innovation (visit the Canadian CED Network’s definition of CED);
commitment and organizational capacity to assist youth participants with their daily work, providing coaching and career development support;
geographic diversity (e.g. rural, remote, Indigenous, northern, francophone communities outside of Quebec, and urban disadvantaged communities with recent immigrant populations);
demonstrated ability to recruit and host people who are Indigenous, Black, racialized, LGBTQ2S+, newcomers to Canada, francophone, and/or live with disability;
commitment to participate in a peer support network of host organizations;
dedication to leveraging the work experience into full-time employment or study for the youth participant;
ability to recruit youth participants not in employment, education or training (NEET);
ability to recruit youth participants from diverse backgrounds with barriers to employment;
capacity to adequately support skills development for participants, with additional support from the CreateAction partners;
willingness to increase organizational capacity to accommodate needs of youth facing barriers.

Host organizations will:

offer a meaningful 26-week employment opportunity;
actively seek out participant candidates from diverse backgrounds with barriers to employment;
become a member of the Canadian CED Network, if not already a member;
provide participants with an orientation to the host organization;
develop, at the beginning of the placement, a Learning Plan with participants;
develop and implement a plan to provide sufficient support services to enable the participant to succeed at their placement;
provide sufficient resources and time to effectively supervise and mentor work experience participants;
commit to weekly meetings with participants to support their learning objectives;
set aside a minimum of:
- six (6) hours per week for the work experience participant to participate in peer learning activities, including those organized by the Canadian CED Network;
- 1.5hrs per month to participate in national virtual participant learning sessions; and
- three (3) working days for the participant to participate in an in-person or online learning event.
provide, with support from the CreateAction program, career advice, regular feedback and guidance to participants and assist participants in laddering into further career relevant employment or education at the end of the placement;
provide participants with all reasonably required working materials;
provide the Canadian CED Network with periodic progress reports and report on outcomes at the end of the work experience;
participate in three (3) host organisation national virtual sessions with the Canadian CED Network and other selected organisations;
work with the CreateAction program evaluators on evaluation related activities, such as activities involved with midterm and final evaluations;
identify candidates by December 21, in order for work experience participants to start placements on January 11.

CreateAction partners (CCEDNet, NAFC and SRDC) will:

directly cover employment costs for work experience participants;
assist host organizations with the necessary advice and support to carry out the activities and realize the objectives of the program;
provide, in concert with host organizations, tailored wraparound supports for youth participants;
oversee the peer learning and mentoring program;
complete skills assessments for each participant;
coordinate monthly video conference calls for youth participants to learn, share experiences, and to network;
coordinate three (3) video conference calls for host organizations to share experiences and to network;
contribute ongoing career coaching and employment related support to the participants;
provide, with support from host organizations, career advice, regular feedback and guidance to participants and assist participants in laddering into further career relevant employment or education at the end of the placement;
conduct mid-term evaluations and exit surveys with participants and host organizations to monitor progress, track participant learning, and capture participant outcomes, career expectations and satisfaction.

**To participate in the CreateAction program, eligible youth must be:**

between 15 and 30 years of age (inclusive) at start of placement;
Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or protected persons as defined by the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act;
legally entitled to work in Canada;
legally entitled to work according to the relevant provincial/territorial legislation and regulations;
experiencing one or more barriers to employment and/or not in education, employment, or training (NEET);
a first-time participant in a Youth Employment and Skills Strategy placement.

How to apply?

Complete an application online here

If you require an offline application please contact Matthew Thompson at the coordinates below. Deadline for host organizations to submit an application is November 17, 2020, 12pm Eastern Time.

Youth interested in the program s

The Canadian Community Economic Development Network (CCEDNet) and the National Association of Friendship Centres (NAFC) are pleased to announce their partnership for the 10th incarnation of the CreateAction program.Funded by Employment and Social Development Canada, with evaluation support from the Social Research and Demonstration Corporation, CCEDNet and NAFC will work in collaboration with host organizations across the country to provide youth experiencing barriers to employment with a relevant, peer-supported, paid work experience placement.Over the course of the next three years, community-based organizations and provincial-territorial associations from both networks will be recruited to host a total of 100 work experience participants for the equivalent of 26-week paid work experience placements.The first cohort of 25 participants will take part in work experience placements starting January 11, 2021, with Host Organizations for the first cohort determined by the end of November. The second cohort of 25 participants will take part in work experience placements starting June 21, 2021, with Host Organizations for the second cohort determined by the end of April.

How does CreateAction work?

As project partners, NAFC and CCEDNet will select host organizations, who in turn will hire youth participants according to job-specific placements. Host organizations will be supported by the project partners with wrap-around supports and peer mentorship to facilitate high quality work experience placements for youth.Eligible work experience placements will provide young people facing barriers to employment with meaningful jobs in the community, support employment skills development, and create opportunities for youth to build their capacity. Click here here for examples of placements.

About NAFC

The National Association of Friendship Centres is a network of over 100 Friendship Centres and Provincial/Territorial Associations from coast-to-coast-to-coast.The Friendship Centre Movement is the country’s most significant off-reserve Indigenous service delivery infrastructure. For over half a century Friendship Centres have helped urban Indigenous people access the vital services they need to succeed in urban settings across Canada. Friendship Centres understand the challenges facing our communities and their unique “wrap-around” service delivery model ensures we are well equipped to tackle them.Across the country, Friendship Centres provide culturally appropriate services for Indigenous people living in urban centres and have become a place for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to come together, to share traditions and to learn from one another.

About CCEDNet

The Canadian Community Economic Development Network (CCEDNet) is a national member-led organization committed to strengthening Canadian communities by creating economic opportunities that enhance social and environmental conditions.Community Economic Development (CED) is action by people locally to create economic opportunities that improve social conditions, particularly for those who are most disadvantaged. CED is an approach that recognizes that economic, environmental and social challenges are interdependent, complex and ever-changing.To be effective, solutions must be rooted in local knowledge and led by community members. CED promotes holistic approaches, addressing individual, community and regional levels, recognizing that these levels are interconnected.

At our AGM this past June, CCEDNet members passed a resolution calling on CCEDNet to urge the federal and provincial governments to enshrine the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) into law.

According to the United Nations, UNDRIP is the most comprehensive international instrument on the rights of Indigenous peoples. It establishes a universal framework of minimum standards for the survival, dignity, and well-being of the Indigenous peoples of the world and it elaborates on existing human rights standards and fundamental freedoms as they apply to the specific situation of Indigenous peoples.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action #43 calls upon federal, provincial, and territorial, and municipal governments to fully adopt and implement UNDRIP as the framework for reconciliation. The report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls reaffirms this recommendation in the first of its 10 Calls to Justice. The Assembly of First Nations expressed its deep commitment to the full and effective implementation of UNDRIP in its report, Implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, in 2017. KAIROS, Amnesty International, and countless other organizations have called for the same thing, and now CCEDNet has officially added itself to these calls.

Read the letter to PM Trudeau

Read the letter to provincial premiers

Photograph by Jason Hargrove via Creative Commons

Image of Juan Tellez Ten days ago, Juan Tellez was charged with sedition, terrorism and crimes against public health in Bolivia.

I first met Juan 20 years ago in the early days of CCEDNet. He hosted CCEDNet’s first national conference in Halifax, and was the first Chair of CCEDNet’s Membership Committee. I too remember the enthusiasm and passion he brought to our endeavours that this article from the New Brunswick Media Co-op describes among his students at St. Mary’s University.

The situation in Bolivia is worrying. Reports (see links below) document a surge of human rights violations since last fall’s disputed Presidential elections. Charges of terrorism and sedition are reportedly being laid for people walking through the wrong neighbourhood and having flyers in a backpack.

It made me wonder how Juan became a political target. In the past, one of his proudest accomplishments was bringing electricity to his rural village. Could community economic development represent a threatening political agenda to some? Is CED a political activity?

Being a charity, in the past CCEDNet has had to be careful about political activities. Fortunately, following a 2018 court ruling (thanks Canada Without Poverty!!!), the old 10% limit on a charity’s allowed political activities was eliminated. There are still prohibited activities (we must remain non-partisan) but there are now no limits to how much of our resources we can spend on calls to action and campaigns. Which is good, because CCEDNet and some leading members have recently expanded our investment in this work.

We’ve also become more explicit in our support for broader social justice movements. Standing up for Black Lives, the rights of First Nations, Métis and Inuit, and all people with barriers to full participation in society – this is core to CCEDNet’s vision of communities directing their own social, economic and environmental futures.

A year ago, as part of centenary celebrations of the International Labour Organization, I wrote a blog about the historic connections between the labour movement, human rights, the co-operative and credit union movements and CED. The roots of all of these are in organizing towards greater economic democracy. Standing up for human rights. And recognizing that in fact human rights themselves are inadequate – we still need what Franklin Delano Roosevelt proposed 75 years ago: economic rights.

Strengthening the role of government in making sure everyone has equal access to those rights can be effective, but relying entirely on government is risky. It was the failings of distant and ineffective government policy in times and places of economic dislocation that prompted community leaders to decide to take economic matters into their own hands, and embark on a co-operative and CED agenda. Communities know what’s best for themselves. Empowering communities builds resiliency (as we see in the survival rates of co-ops), makes for happier places to work, and contributes to health and well-being. Distributing democratic practice and mutuality in a plural economy (as Henry Mintzberg calls it) solves problems that are too complex for government alone.

Since March, we’ve been reminded of the importance of labour and decent work, and we’ve seen firsthand how government can act to create a workable social safety net when it’s needed. Current references to a bold, green and equitable recovery offer the promise of a renewed vision for our frayed social contract, and a refocus on those for whom it was broken from the start.

So to answer the question above, yes, at its best, CED is both practical and political. Like bringing clean drinking water and green energy to First Nations. Like creating a social finance intermediary to invest in Black-led social enterprises. Or bringing electricity to a remote Bolivian village.

Juan understood this long ago, and his courage and dedication have made him a target. If you want to help make sure he is okay send an email to to stay up to date and contribute if or when the family asks for help.

And for the second year in a row, enjoy your Labour Day weekend, with a thought to those whose efforts and sacrifice have made it possible, and those who still today are denied their essential human rights here in Canada, too.

More on the situation in Bolivia:

Harvard International Human Rights Clinic, They Shot Us Like Animals: Black November & Bolivia’s Interim Government
United National Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner, The Human Rights Situation in the Aftermath of the 20 October 2019 General Elections in Bolivia

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

Photo of John Loxley On July 28, the community economic development movement lost an elder.

Dr. John Loxley was a scholar, teacher, activist, mentor, and friend to many. His vision of a world in which sustainable, inclusive communities direct their own futures is at the core of CCEDNet’s work. And by nurturing a collective belief in this vision – among students, organizers, community members, and policy makers – John helped advance CED across Manitoba and around the world.

John was beloved. He is remembered as a Robin Hood economist with a genius for friendship who was happiest “explaining the ideas of progressive economics to trade union and community activists, with clarity and without condescension.”

We asked a few people who knew John to reflect on his impact on CED, CCEDNet, and beyond.

Dr. Shauna MacKinnon remembers John for his “quiet, humble leadership,” which serves as a “good reminder that we need to have more humility and not put ourselves out there as ‘the experts’ — and to [instead] recognize the strength that other people bring.”

Shauna also spoke about the importance of recognizing John’s foundational contributions to the world of CED. “He gave [CED] a sound theoretical framework… There’s absolutely no doubt that the person who has led CED in [Manitoba] is John Loxley. All you have to do is look at the work he did in the seventies about developing the Great Northern Plan, which is basically the theory behind CED.”

Blair Hamilton, Program Manager for the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada, said that “John was an example of an organic intellectual. A guy from the working class who achieved academic and theoretical excellence but remained connected to his roots, which is rare… [He] was instrumental in building the bridge between academia and the community in Manitoba. This bridge is a defining feature of CED in Manitoba.”

Former CCEDNet executive director Garry Loewen echoed the importance of John’s role as a community-minded intellectual in creating the foundation for CED in Manitoba: “[John’s] biggest impact was as a thought leader. John had conceptualized CED a fair bit before we as practitioners turned into a movement of projects.”

Garry also spoke to the vitality of John’s role as bridge-builder between the academy and the community, and how John brought the values of CED alive for thousands of students. And he explained that John’s legacy includes “the resources that got made available to the sector here in Manitoba through his work with the provincial government. A lot of the [CED] stuff that’s happening on the ground is because of the role he played in making those resources available.”

Brendan Reimer, partner at Assiniboine Credit Union, said that “as a person, [John] was incredibly principled. He knew the kind of world he was trying to build, he knew what his values were and what he thought a just society would look like. He was incredibly determined through all aspects of his to help us get there — whether that was through his research, teaching, activism, or by going out and starting a community co-op.”

Early in his career, Brendan took a job with CCEDNet. The work was challenging and he felt in over his head. In one of his first meetings, he found himself at a table surrounded by the “intellectual and community leadership giants” of CED — John being one of them. Even though Brendan considered himself to be a “newbie student,” John consistently turned to him during the meeting to ask, “Brendan, what do you think?” To be included in this way meant a lot to Brendan, and it reflected John’s approach to “creating space for both the lived experience of the community and also people who were new” to the work. “That was how he helped build the movement.”

According to Brendan, John “would challenge you with a smile on his face. Just with a little quip or a little smirk. And you’d get a glimpse behind the curtain, that this guy is smart as hell, eternally committed to social and economic justice, and there’s something in that smile that made you think, ‘this is the kind of guy I want to learn from.’”

Thank you, John, for a legacy of community and compassion. We extend our sincere condolences to John’s loved ones.

Learn more about John’s work:

Read tributes to John:

Remembering John Loxley by Jim Stanford, Progressive Economics Forum
Our dear friend and mentor, John Loxley, died on July 28, 2020. ARP Books.
In tribute to John Loxley – thank you, brother by Board and Members Council of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.
‘Incredibly dedicated educator, activist’ by Martin Cash, Winnipeg Free Press.

Profile picture of Victor Beausoleil At the last meeting of CCEDNet’s Board of Directors, Victor Beausoleil was selected as the new President of the Board. He takes over from Laurie Cook, who had been President since 2018.

Victor is the President + CEO of Intuit Consulting and the founder of SETSI – The Social Economy Through Social Inclusion Coalition. Victor has worked diligently in the broader equity seeking communities across Canada for the past fifteen years. As a lecturer, Victor has travelled extensively throughout Canada, the United States and Africa. Victor has been a board member of numerous foundations and organizations, including Atkinson Charitable Foundation, The Harriet Tubman Community Organization, and the Toronto Community Benefits Network. Read Victor’s full bio.

The Board extends its warm appreciation to Laurie Cook for her leadership over the last two years.

CCEDNet’s new Board Officers are:

Victor Beausoleil, President
Gail Henderson, Treasurer
Yvon Poirier, Secretary

Learn more about CCEDNet’s Board >>

The Canadian CED Network’s Policy Council submitted a response to the federal government’s invitation for pre-budget submissions for the 2021 Federal Budget. This year, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance called for submissions that addressed restarting the Canadian economy as it recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read the full pre-budget submission

If you also submitted a brief we’d love to include it below…
Please send your pre-budget submission to Ben Losman at b.losman at ccednet-rcdec.ca.

Our Recommendations for the 2021 Federal Budget

1. Accelerate Social Innovation and Social Finance
a.	Produce a Social Innovation and Social Finance Strategy implementing all 12 recommendations of the Co-Creation steering group.
b.	Ensure equity seeking groups play a leading role in the implementation and subsequent evolution of the SISF strategy to build on existing local capacity and strengthen the expertise of the community economic development, non-profit, and co-operative sectors.
2. Support Resilient Local Enterprises
a.	Promote local and social procurement policies.
b.	Enable employee and community-based ownership succession and buyouts.
c.	Establish a national program to grow community investment funds in each province.
3. Build Economies for All
a.	Advance the decent work agenda to support good quality jobs and workers’ rights and well- being.
b.	Improve the efficacy of Labour Market and Workforce Development dollars to reach vulnerable groups seeking workplace skills and training, and ensure that an increased percentage of LMTA funding is directed at vulnerable groups.
c.	Accelerate the timeline of the Universal Broadband Fund, and use it to encourage community-owned broadband.