English – Page 24 – Canadian CED Network

The Canadian Community Economic Development Network’s Board President Laurie Cook and Policy Council Chair Marianne Jurzyniec recently congratulated The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, PC, MP and The Honourable Patty Hajdu, PC, MP on the publication of Inclusive Innovation, the recommendations of the Social Innovation and Social Finance Strategy Co-Creation Steering Group.

The release of the Steering Group’s recommendations is an important milestone towards the creation of a social innovation and social finance strategy for Canada. CCEDNet has been an active supporter of their efforts since the beginning, promoting candidacies for the co-creation steering group, encouraging participation in the engagement activities organized to support the steering group’s work, including hosting a workshop at EconoUs2017 last fall in Calgary, attended by over 100 community leaders from across Canada. Most recently, the Steering Group’s recommendations were the focus of a plenary session at EconoUs2018 in Moncton, where nearly 350 participants from urban, rural and indigenous settings, all levels of government and a wide range of sectors were inspired by the work done to date on the strategy.

We promoted the Steering Group’s recommendations early October at the pre-budget hearings of the House of Commons Finance Committee, where our brief emphasized the importance of strong action by the government in support of the strategy. The Steering Group’s recommendations reflect the successful engagement carried out over the year of their mandate, and present the essential elements for an effective strategy.

Overall, we strongly support all of the recommendations, and wish to emphasize a few key points in particular:

Co-creation is critical. The co-creation process used to develop recommendations with the steering group is central to the intersectoral nature of the complex and emergent challenges social innovation and social finance seek to solve. All relevant stakeholders need to be engaged and be part of the learning generated through collaborative action. The creation of a multi-sectoral Social Innovation Council to work across sectors and jurisdictions, an Office of Social Innovation to work across departments, and legislation to anchor that approach are the cornerstones of a successful strategy.
The recommendations were explicit that building on existing assets is fundamental. Social innovation and social finance may be rapidly evolving fields, but they are not new. Credit unions and cooperatives, community development corporations and community loan funds are examples that stretch back more than a century. Recognition of this important existing infrastructure across the country, ensuring that measures developed are done in complementarity with existing efforts and on the basis of subsidiarity, will leverage extensive assets and foster truly innovative local creativity and action.
Finally, the recommendations must be seen as an interconnected whole. Skills development, improved access to capital, increased social procurement, regulatory change, knowledge transfer and awareness all have mutually reinforcing impacts. Implementing some elements of the strategy and not others weakens them all.

We are convinced that if the strategy produced by the Government of Canada respects the principles and recommendations presented by the Steering Group, it will be a historic and transformative step towards solving the most difficult issues confronting Canadians today and building the inclusive and sustainable communities of a much more positive future.

Get Involved

Visit sisfs.ca for more resources and to encourage your MP to support a strong social innovation and social finance strategy.

Originally published on October 12, 2018 via Assiniboine Credit Union by Jason Halstead

Local chapter of national CED organization shows how community-driven economics can lead to success.

Community economic development (CED) is a movement that’s all about grassroots initiatives intended to create resilient and sustainable local economies.

But often those working to build better communities need a little help making connections or finding their footing. That’s where the Canadian Community Economic Development Network (CCEDNet) and its provincial chapters such as CCEDNet Manitoba come in.

Founded in 1999, CCEDNet is member-led and committed to improving communities by fostering economic opportunities that make for improved social and environmental conditions. It strives to build links between like-minded organizations and help them gain the skills needed to function and grow. Both CCEDNet and its members are committed to the values of inclusion, diversity and equity.

The Manitoba chapter of CCEDNet also works on policies with governments of all levels to promote CED. They encourage support for sectors like social enterprise and more equitable access to employment and housing.

CCEDNet Manitoba’s membership includes organizations of all types and sizes, including ACU, Mother Earth Recycling, Manitoba Green Retrofit, SEED Winnipeg, Jubilee Fund, numerous neighbourhood organizations from around the city and beyond, IRCOM and the West Broadway Community Organization, just to name a few.

Moving community development forward

Sarah Leeson-Klym is Regional Director of CCEDNet Manitoba and has been with the organization for nearly eight years.

Her team works hard to grow the field by offering workshops, training and other opportunities to help community organizations build their practice. They’re also involved in policy development, public engagement and advocacy, especially with the provincial government, and they work with a broad range of community organizations, co-ops and businesses.

CCEDNet Manitoba works to promote their vision throughout the community. “We’re at conferences, talking to student groups and other non-profits to build awareness of community economic development,” said Sarah, who studied social justice theory at The University of Winnipeg.

Assiniboine Credit Union has long been linked with CCEDNet’s Manitoba chapter, both as a member and by supporting many of the organization’s initiatives. In fact, CCEDNet Manitoba’s first Regional Director, Brendan Reimer (who held the position for 11 years), is now ACU’s Strategic Partner for Values-Based Banking.

How do we define CED? Better, fairer, sustainable, more inclusive communities and economies,” Brendan explained. “CED fundamentally acknowledges and recognizes that to accomplish sustainability, inclusion and fairness, there has to be an economic aspect to sustainability, to fairness and to inclusion.”

Gathering community builders in annual event

The Manitoba chapter of CCEDNet received important early funding from both the United Way and the provincial government. “Member strength, the provincial government, local foundations and supporters like ACU really helped establish us here,” Sarah said.

To this day, the organization remains focused on connecting members of the community. Its largest annual event called The Gathering brings together more than 500 participants every autumn, normally at St. John’s High School in Winnipeg’s North End. It features speakers, workshops and a chance to network.

This event is an opportunity for a wide range of groups devoted to CED initiatives to connect and make new relationships. “It’s the largest annual CED conference in Canada, as far as I know,” Brendan said.

The 2018 Gathering will be held on October 19 with the theme, The Edge of Change: Where We’re From, Where We’re Going. Entry is on a pay-what-you-can basis, so no one is excluded. “It’s open to absolutely everybody,” Sarah said.

Providing a spark for social development

CCEDNet Manitoba offers year-round programming to help support its members. “Our Strengthening Non-Profits Workshops focus on topics generated by our members,” said Sarah.

On the skills side, there are two general areas in need. “On one hand are things organizations can learn in house — like proposal writing, strategic planning, good governance and project evaluation,” Brendan said. “So that’s where a lot of the workshops come in — providing opportunities for members of the network to learn the skills they need.”

Sometimes, member organizations need more specialized help — like legal assistance or the services of an engineer or graphic designer. That’s where CCEDNet Manitoba’s Spark program comes in, which connects organizations with volunteers willing to offer their professional services — pro bono.

Striking the Right Match with Spark Lois Neufeld and Kim Champion Taylor

Spark supports organizations that have a capacity challenge by connecting them with a professional who will get them through that challenge,” explained Sarah. A number of ACU staff members have taken part in Spark, including Kim Champion Taylor, ACU’s Vice-President, People Solutions.

“Members of the ACU human resources team will get matched with an organization through Spark and help them with developing their compensation policies or updating their job descriptions,” Kim said. “Smaller organizations often don’t have the resources to hire or contract out for that.”

Public policy and future work

Policy work has also been a big focus for CCEDNet from day one. “We recognized there needed to be a voice to advocate for this development philosophy,” said Brendan.

CCEDNet also led the way in co-creating the four-year Manitoba Social Enterprise Strategy in partnership with the provincial government, providing leadership and advocacy to develop and support the sector. “We’re hopeful we’ll see the province come forward with another strategy,” Sarah explained of the partnership wrapped up this spring.

She has seen a growing interest in the social enterprise model. “We’ve seen strength in Winnipeg for years, but now we’re also seeing a lot of interest from northern and remote groups. Those communities are realizing that community-based organizations are so crucial to their communities and they’re not as well linked as groups in the south. I think there’s a real opportunity for us to do the kind of organizing work we’ve done in the south.”

CCEDNet Manitoba has supported the work of a number of initiatives in line with its core values. For example, it’s played a significant role as part of the Right to Housing Coalition to get the Province to create Rent Assist, which helps thousands of low-income Manitobans access affordable housing.

CCEDNet’s legacy includes policy initiatives such as the Community Enterprise Development (CED) Tax Credit that Peg City Car Co-op is using these days,“ Brendan said. Peg City has leveraged the CED Tax credit program to expand its fleet and improve its technology.

CCEDNet Manitoba also helped connect the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba (IRCOM) to develop partnerships with SEED Winnipeg Inc., the United Way of Winnipeg, ACU and the province to develop an asset-building program to help newcomers to Canada learn how to navigate financial processes and establish themselves.

Long-time partnerships

CCEDNet Manitoba has a long relationship with Assiniboine Credit Union. “We work together on a number of our programs and they are long-time supporters,” said Sarah.

In addition to Brendan being CCEDNet Manitoba’s first staff member, the founding national CCEDNet Executive Director, Garry Loewen, is also an ACU board member.

ACU has been a sponsor for most of the Manitoba Gathering conference’s history, is involved on our planning team and often provides workshops as part of the content of the conference,” said Sarah. “When policy work aligns with ACU, they’re also a big voice in the community. They’ve been a vocal supporter of some of our policy mandate.”

Why has Winnipeg been such a hub for CED?

Even before the founding of CCEDNet Manitoba, ACU was an early advocate of the CED philosophy.

ACU was already a key player building the language of CED back in the 1990s when SEED Winnipeg and the North End Community Renewal Corporation were starting, as were other organizations that used the language of CED,” Brendan said. “ACU was right there.”

“There’s an interest and a need for collaboration that’s really deep-rooted here,” said Sarah. “In terms of the modern work of CED, I think Winnipeg just had the perfect storm of organizations that were doing important work early on to show the way forward.”

Daniele Zanotti, President and CEO, United Way Greater Toronto; John Tory, Mayor of Toronto; Darryl White, Chief Executive Officer, BMO Financial Group; Axelle Janczur, Executive Director, Access Alliance (CNW Group/BMO Financial Group) BMO Financial Group has announced a $10 million commitment to United Way Greater Toronto to encourage economic growth in the Greater Toronto Area, and launched an initiative to bring together business leaders to work with community and come up with break-through approaches to reducing economic disparity in the region.

“This is the next step in strengthening GTA neighbourhoods and ensuring that everyone has access to opportunity – regardless of your postal code,” said Daniele Zanotti, President and CEO, United Way Greater Toronto. “In the past decade, we’ve worked with communities to build Hubs, empowered residents to take action on local issues and promoted investment in neighbourhoods that are being left behind. But we can’t do it alone. BMO’s leadership with the private sector will ensure that we are creating inclusive local economic opportunities across Peel, Toronto and York.”

Economic disparity between neighbourhoods in the GTA has steadily grown to become a seemingly intractable problem. United Way Greater Toronto, along with its long-time corporate supporter, BMO Financial Group, today launched a concerted five-year commitment to find innovative ways to dramatically reduce the gaps in economic prosperity, and to create lasting inclusive economic vitality in neighbourhoods throughout the region.

A new model for corporate-community partnerships for building stronger neighbourhoods

In October, leaders from United Way, BMO and other prominent local businesses will begin meeting to devise solutions to the problem and propose ways to ensure that the fruits of economic development are shared in all parts of the community, and not just its wealthiest neighbourhoods.

“We can’t afford to let our city continue to become a checkerboard of advantaged and disadvantaged neighbourhoods,” Darryl White, CEO of BMO Financial Group, told an audience of donors and other United Way supporters Sept. 20 at AccessPoint on Danforth, a Scarborough community hub.

“This kind of partnership is a first for United Way Greater Toronto,” said Mr. Zanotti. “We’re excited to see private sector thinking on this issue, and working with community, government and other sectors to bring ideas into action for meaningful change.”

Corporate partners will work directly with community leaders from across the region to implement programs locally. The first meeting of the leadership table will be in October and the money will be spent over five years.

While the range of potential solutions can be limited only by the creativity of the meeting participants, there are models of success in other jurisdictions around the world. For instance:

In the United Kingdom, the London Crossrail Project was designed in such a way to create thousands of jobs for unemployed and economically inactive residents
Local Cleveland-area hospitals re-oriented their procurement programs to support the creation of employee-owned businesses, such as the Evergreen Cooperatives which provides laundry services to the hospitals
In Australia, the state of Victoria requires its agencies to procure goods and services from social enterprises whenever possible.

Source | BMO News, September 20, 2018

The Caisse d’économie solidaire Desjardins, the McConnell Foundation, the Lucie and André Chagnon Foundation and the Mirella et Lino Saputo Foundation have launched the Garantie solidaire. The Garantie solidaire, which stems from an unprecedented collaboration, is a financial tool designed to support the expansion of Quebec’s social economy and community action. Acting as endorsers, the private foundations offer a $15 million guarantee to allow community organizations, social economy enterprises, cooperatives and non-profit organizations to obtains loans from the Caisse d’économie solidaire Desjardins, a financial cooperative specializing in social economy and solidarity-based finance. With easier access to credit, these organizations will now be able to carry out projects that would not have been possible otherwise and to generate yet more positive impacts for the community, while injecting $15 million in Quebec’s social economy and community action sector.

Offset the market’s shortfalls

Banks see social economy and community action organizations, often wrongly, as presenting a higher risk than private sector businesses. These organizations face difficulties which are inherent to their status or mission, such as the inability to raise investments, to offer the required guarantees, to turn a profit from social or environmental actions or to include public donations in the assessment of their capacity to repay a loan.

A new tool at the heart of the ecosystem

The Garantie solidaire is an additional tool to help complete financing packages in collaboration with actors of solidarity-based finance in Quebec. The Garantie solidaire adds to the available solutions and facilitates the carrying out of community action and social economy development projects.

The Garantie solidaire

To gain access to the Garantie solidaire, organizations will have to demonstrate the economic viability of their project, and their ability to repay the loan. The organizations that take advantage of the Garantie solidaire must pay their endorser a guarantee fee equal to 1% per year of the amount initially guaranteed, based on the length of the guarantee. This fee is in addition to the credit fees related to the loan, which are paid to the Caisse d’économie solidaire. Interested organizations must submit their application to the Caisse d’économie solidaire.

Quebec’s social economy

In Quebec only, the social economy has a broad impact on the economic development. In fact, the social economy represents more than 7,000 businesses, 210,000 jobs and a revenue close to $40 billion, which is more than 10% of Quebec’s gross domestic product (GDP).

Source: Caisse d’économie solidaire

On October 24, 2018, Winnipeggers will go to the polls to elect a mayor, city council, and school trustees.

Our city, like many in Canada, continues to face high poverty rates. Up to 107,000 Winnipeggers live in poverty. Increased crime rates and addictions are some of the results of high poverty. Many in Winnipeg are homeless or lack secure housing. At the same time, many community members have come together around solutions. Winnipeg’s social enterprise, co-operative, and local economy movement is strong. However, funding for projects from our city government continues to go toward multi-national corporations, instead of growing the local economy and supporting meaningful employment for Winnipeggers who need it most.

Sometimes, we hear that municipal governments are the closest to the people and communities we live and work in everyday. Therefore, we know that the City of Winnipeg can and must take action to support sustainable and inclusive communities. So many in our local communities are already doing it. This election, CCEDNet Manitoba is supporting our members and community partners in calling for greater leadership from our city government toward a fairer and stronger local economy, tackling poverty and homelessness, and investing in a sustainable city.

We Want to Work | Winnipeg Without Poverty | Housing is City Business

Winnipeg Votes 2018

Make Community Economic Development a Priority

A Fairer and Stronger Local Economy: We Want to Work

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CCEDNet Manitoba supports the work of many of our social enterprise members who are coming together to tell the city government: “We Want to Work”.

Winnipeg’s social enterprise sector is strong and growing, including construction, composting and recycling, catering, restaurants and retail companies.

Spending money with social enterprise is money well spent – especially for government. Social enterprise provides professional services, while reducing recidivism rates, reducing welfare costs, keeping families together, reducing carbon emissions and waste.

With the municipal election approaching, now is the time to work with local politicians to build on our success, and build a local economy that includes everyone.

Find out more information at: wewantto.work

Like the We Want to Work Facebook page for campaign updates!

Tackling Poverty and Homelessness: Winnipeg Without Poverty

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CCEDNet Manitoba is an active member of Make Poverty History Manitoba, envisioning a Winnipeg and Manitoba without poverty. We support the Winnipeg Without Poverty: Calling on the Mayor to Lead community-led plan.

Poverty hurts the whole city, and costs our society more in the long-run. Our City needs a comprehensive and coordinate strategy to tackle poverty.

Last May, Make Poverty History Manitoba launched Winnipeg Without Poverty: Calling on the City to Lead. Created through community collaboration, it identifies what the City of Winnipeg can do to reduce poverty.

Support the campaign, sign the petition, and find out more at winnipegwithoutpoverty.ca

Part of an organization that agrees with the vision? Endorse the plan

Right to Housing: Housing is City Business

Social housing is a critical measure to end homelessness, create employment and training opportunities, and reduce poverty. CCEDNet Manitoba supports the work of Right to Housing coalition.

Winnipeg is in the midst of an affordable housing crisis. The city needs an increased supply of affordable homes for existing residents, and those expected to move here over the next 10 years. Affordable housing is City business. An adequate supply and array of housing options benefits a city and its people with social inclusion, safety, healthy communities and healthy citizens, all of which attract businesses and workers.

Right to Housing calls on the City of Winnipeg to support at least 350 new units of affordable rental housing, and 350 new units of social housing.

Effectively providing a range of housing options for all residents needs leadership that only the City can provide – in planning, zoning, land allocations, funding and collaborations with developers and social organizations. Cities that have made any significant progress in increasing affordable housing options have Mayors and City Councillors who understand that affordable housing is city business.

Find out more information at: http://righttohousing.ca/

Election Information

Winnipeg Election – more information on how, when, and where to vote, who is running, and what ID you need

Election day is October 24, 2018.

Advance Voting Information can be found here. There are lots of opportunities to vote in locations around the city in advance.

More to add? Another important campaign to mention? Contact Michael Barkman, CCEDNet Manitoba Public Policy Coordinator at:

Manitoba Learns workshops and capacity building opportunities seek to build knowledge within the core community organizations and social economy enterprises in our sector, by equipping individuals with the skills they need to thrive in their work.

This approach acknowledges that when individuals are given access to opportunities to learn new skills and deepen their practice, the entire environment around them changes. It becomes stronger.

The topics in our Manitoba Learns series are identified in consultation and engagement with, and responsive to, our member, network, and sector needs.

Sign up for the CCEDNet newsletter (and be sure to check off ‘Manitoba CED Bulletins’) to stay up-to-date on the latest workshops.

Or, check the CCEDNet event page for the latest in Manitoba Learns events.

Contact for more information on our workshops.

Interested in exploring the development of an employment social enterprise idea? This fall, TEF will host an ESE Idea Accelerator, a program that will support individuals and organizations developing early-stage employment social enterprise ideas. The accelerator will provide four experiential workshops, which will occur in October and November. Workshops will support participants to strengthen both business and social aspects of their ESE idea. The Accelerator will culminate in a pitch competition on the evening of December 11, 2018, during which participants will have the chance to pitch for $5,000 to $10,000 ‘Catalyzing Grant’ to conduct a feasibility study and develop a business plan for their ESE idea.

Deadline: September 27, 5:00pm

Program Information:

The program will offer participants the chance to strengthen their ESE ideas through four interactive workshops.

Workshop 1 – Employment Model: During this workshop you’ll explore the employment needs of your ‘target population’ and refine the various aspects of your employment model and employment intervention.
Workshop 2 – Business Idea: During this workshop you’ll refine your product or service idea, and develop a stronger understanding of your target markets.
Workshop 3 – Financial Projections: During this workshop, you’ll gain an introduction to financial planning, including developing an initial budget for your employment social enterprise idea.
Workshop 4 – Operational Plan: During this workshop, you’ll develop a high-level operational plan, and learn about key aspects of building a great team, advisory board, and operational plan.

Eligibility:

Individuals and organizations in Peel, Toronto and York Region with an interest in exploring employment social enterprise development are eligible to participate in the Accelerator program.

Additionally, to be eligible to participate:

You must be able to attend all four workshops of the Accelerator, in-person. Each workshop will be hosted at United Way Greater Toronto, 26 Wellington St. E in Toronto.
For the Catalyzing Grant, you must be able to attend the ESE Idea Accelerator Pitch Night on December 11, 2018
You must be applying to participate in the Accelerator to work on a new ESE idea

Key Dates:

Accelerator Information Session: Thursday, September 20, 2018 from noon – 1:00 p.m. Register now.
Accelerator Applications Close: Thursday, September 27, 5:00 p.m.
Workshop 1: Tuesday, October 9, 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Workshop 2: Friday, October 19, 9:30 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Workshop 3: Tuesday, October 23, 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Workshop 4: Tuesday, November 13, 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Accelerator Pitch Competition: Tuesday, December 11, 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Application:

Please apply to participate in the ESE Idea Accelerator here.

If you have any questions about the program, please contact Bronwyn Oatley at boatley at uwgt.org

Source: Toronto Enterprise Fund

Today, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, announced the release of Inclusive Innovation: New Ideas and New Partnerships for Stronger Communities, the final recommendations from the Social Innovation and Social Finance Strategy Co-Creation Steering Group.

The report includes 12 recommendations proposing ways that social innovation—ideas that help communities respond to a challenge more effectively—and social finance—financial investments that create a social or environmental impact—could be incorporated into a comprehensive strategy to build more inclusive and prosperous communities, and in doing so, improve the lives of vulnerable Canadians and create a more inclusive middle class.

The Government of Canada has committed to developing a social innovation and social finance strategy to support innovative solutions that find new ways to help communities tackle their most complex and persistent social issues. By breaking down the barriers that prevent Canada’s most vulnerable populations from finding employment and fully participating in their communities, the Government seeks to create a more diverse and inclusive middle class.

The Government is currently reviewing the recommendations of the Co-Creation Steering Group which will inform the Government’s Social Innovation and Social Finance Strategy.

Download Inclusive Innovation: New Ideas and New Partnerships for Stronger Communities

From the Report

Only big picture thinking will open the space needed for social innovation.

From coast to coast to coast, individuals and organizations across all sectors of society are forming networks of relationships, or ecosystems, where they work together to make their communities more sustainable and inclusive places through social innovation and social finance. We use the term social purpose organizations to refer to the diverse range of organizations engaged in these ecosystems, including charities, non-profit organizations, co-operatives, and private businesses advancing a social or environmental mission.

We believe the Government has a critical role to play in supporting these ecosystems by addressing key gaps that arise across six interconnected areas:

Skills and capacity to equip social purpose organizations with the knowledge and resources to adopt social innovation and social finance approaches;
Funding and capital opportunities so that social purpose organizations have the financial resources to develop, test, adopt, and grow innovative solutions to social and environmental problems;
Market access for social purpose organizations to be able to find buyers for their goods and services;
An enabling policy and regulatory environment that creates the conditions for social innovation, social finance and social purpose organizations to flourish;
Evidence and knowledge sharing to enable social purpose organizations and funders to work together based on what works, develop better goods and services, scale their impact and evaluate progress; and
Awareness and mobilization efforts to spur interest and build support for the growth of social innovation and social finance approaches.

Executive Summary
1. Introduction
2. What are social innovation and social finance?
3. Canada’s social innovation and social finance ecosystems: achievements and challenges
3.1 Capacity and Skills
3.2 Funding and Capital
3.3 Market Access
3.4 Policy and Regulatory Environment
3.5 Evidence and Knowledge Sharing
3.6 Awareness and Mobilization
4. Indigenous social innovation and social finance
5. Recommendations for an integrated approach in support of social innovation and social finance
5.1 Governance and Public Service Infrastructure
5.2 Capacity and Skills
5.3 Funding and Capital
5.4 Market Access
5.5 Policy and Regulatory Environment
5.6 Evidence and Knowledge Sharing
5.7 Awareness and Mobilization
6. Conclusion
Annex: Consultations and Engagement
References

Download Inclusive Innovation: New Ideas and New Partnerships for Stronger Communities

Source: Government of Canada, Aug 31, 2018

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

Overall, we strongly support all of the recommendations, and wish to emphasize a few key points in particular:

More

Get Involved

Moving community development forward

Providing a spark for social development

Public policy and future work

Long-time partnerships

Why has Winnipeg been such a hub for CED?

While the range of potential solutions can be limited only by the creativity of the meeting participants, there are models of success in other jurisdictions around the world. For instance:

ABOUT THE CANADIAN CED NETWORK

ABOUT THE POSITION

Offset the market’s shortfalls

A new tool at the heart of the ecosystem

The Garantie solidaire

Quebec’s social economy

Winnipeg Votes 2018

Make Community Economic Development a Priority

A Fairer and Stronger Local Economy: We Want to Work we_want_to_work_logo_-_final.png

Tackling Poverty and Homelessness: Winnipeg Without Poverty winnipeg_without_poverty_cover.png

Right to Housing: Housing is City Business

Election Information

Manitoba Learns workshops and capacity building opportunities seek to build knowledge within the core community organizations and social economy enterprises in our sector, by equipping individuals with the skills they need to thrive in their work.

Program Information:

Eligibility:

Key Dates:

Application:

Table of Contents

Key highlights:

Criteria:

Key Dates:

Table of Contents

A Fairer and Stronger Local Economy: We Want to Work

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Tackling Poverty and Homelessness: Winnipeg Without Poverty

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