Canada has not had a national housing plan since the mid-1990s. In the intervening years, the housing market has all but been restructured. We’ve all heard about the condo bubbles in Toronto and Vancouver, and the $1- million, 800-square-foot single detached houses in Vancouver. Young adults can’t afford mortgages — at least without major backing from their parents — making home ownership the intergenerational privilege of a shrinking middle class.
Stories of mini-mansions, teardowns and the middle-class squeeze are only part of the housing story, however. What the scandalous stories of million- dollar shacks in Vancouver miss is the pressure on rental housing. Renters are feeling the pinch differently, depending on the area and apartment type they live in, but they are all feeling it. In Winnipeg, rental rates have gone up by an overall average of more than 3.5 per cent in both 2014 and 2015, outpacing inflation. This upward pressure means more people are paying more than the affordability guideline of 30 per cent of their income on rent.
For people who have a very low income, the situation is perilous. For one thing, until this year, the easing of vacancy rates we’ve seen in Winnipeg in the past couple of years was largely happening at the high end of the market, rather than the lower. Vacancy rates vary by neighbourhood, but units renting at less than $500 a month (a rare find, and one the quality of which might be questionable at best) have tended to have low vacancy rates, making these units tough to come by. Even as vacancies have eased for some apartment types, affordability is evaporating.
Keep in mind $500 is in the “affordability zone” for around 13 per cent of Winnipeg households (2010 census data). Yet the average rent for a bachelor apartment in the core area is $589, with some differences between core area neighbourhoods ($431 in Lord Selkirk versus $600 in Centennial, according to a Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. report in 2015). This is the average rent for a bachelor. The hard, if obvious, truth is most people living on low incomes end up paying more of their overall income — a lot more.
That’s where housing advocates, including non-profit housing providers of affordable and social housing, come in — or should come in. But the truth is, providers of non-profit housing are pinched, too. At affordable rates, these providers are not covering costs, and many are coming to the end of operating agreements that date back to before the 1990s. The result has been increased pressure to phase out rent-geared-to-income units in favour of affordable units that are no longer affordable to people with no other options. In addition, housing providers report frequent and expensive apartment turnovers, making their operating costs high. Tenants struggling to pay rent and put food on the table, unsurprisingly, can require on-site social supports. Where the work of social services ends, non-profit providers — often their on-site managers and caretakers — find their work unwittingly begins. Any de facto social work and emergency services is an added cost.
Despite the pinch of housing providers, in the past 20 or so years where the federal government has ignored housing (as best it could, anyway), provinces and housing advocates have filled the void. For their part, advocates across the country have managed to create a network of ground- level analysts and providers who can explain supply issues and affordability issues as they affect housing accessibility and cost. Likewise, they can speak to the interconnected social and housing needs of a specific population, such as low-income, indigenous, newcomer and seniors. Manitoba advocate group Right to Housing has examined, among other things, the effects of taxation and incentives on supply across the housing continuum.
These advocate groups, which include the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association on a national level, have called on the federal government to save us a seat at the table for discussions about a new national housing strategy. Federal and provincial governments have taken the important first step to formulate a strategy to address the new reality in Canada and advocacy groups want to be part of that process.
Tyler Pearce is chairwoman of Right to Housing’s federal working group. Find out more about right to housing at righttohousing.ca.
The House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance has launched its pre-budget consultation process, and is inviting the participation of Canadians. A report on the consultations will be tabled in the House of Commons in December 2016. The suggestions made by Canadians, and the report on the pre-budget consultations prepared by the Committee, will be considered by the Minister of Finance as the 2017 federal budget is developed.
CCEDNet’s National Policy Council will be preparing recommendations based on our policy priorities. Last year’s recommendations can be found here.
Visit the study’s webpage to submit a brief or to make a request to appear before the Committee.
The deadline forwritten submissions to the Committee is no later than Friday, 5 August 2016 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Submissions should be no longer than 2,000 words, including an executive summary. Submissions exceeding this limit will not be considered by the Committee. Following translation, the submissions will be circulated to Committee members and posted on the Committee’s website.
The focus of written submissions to the Committee and appearances in fall 2016 should be the following:
What federal measures would help Canadians generally – and such specific groups as the unemployed, Indigenous peoples, those with a disability and seniors – maximize, in the manner of their choosing, their contributions to the country’s economic growth?
For example, what measures in relation to education and training, labour mobility, workplace accommodation, labour market information and personal taxes would be most helpful in supporting the country’s economic growth?
What federal actions would assist Canada’s businesses – in all regions and sectors – meet their expansion, innovation and prosperity goals, and thereby contribute to economic growth in the country?
For example, what actions in relation to support for entrepreneurs, internal and international trade and investment, regional development agencies, taxation and business financing would help businesses maximize their contribution to Canada’s economic growth?
What federal measures would ensure that urban, rural and remote communities throughout Canada enable residents to make their desired contribution to the country’s economic growth and businesses to expand, prosper and serve domestic and international customers in order to contribute to growth?
For example, what measures in relation to broadband and other types of infrastructure, arts, recreation, tourism and climate change adaptation would help communities to support residents and businesses as they seek to take advantage of opportunities and contribute to the nation’s economic growth?
On June 28, the federal government announced its long awaited consultation process on the development of a National Housing Strategy. The government is looking for your input now. CCEDNet members have been calling for the development of a national housing strategy for many years.
The consultation will take place in two phases. The first phase will involve establishing high level outcomes and objectives for a National Housing Strategy. The second phase will consult with Canadians on specific policy recommendations and innovations in a number of thematic areas along the housing spectrum.
For more information on the first phase, and to submit ideas on the high level outcomes, visit the government’s official consultation website: www.letstalkhousing.ca
The input of housing advocacy groups will be very important in these consultations, as explained in this blog by CCEDNet member Right to Housing. The Canadian Housing and Renewal Association has repurposed its Housing4All webpage to share background materials, reports, and previous CHRA interventions to help inform input. The website also provides a questionnaire seeking feedback on a range of policy questions related to the scope of the National Housing Strategy.
Carol Anne Hilton on the concept she invented to pull Canada into a better future.
Carol Anne Hilton wants Canadians to add a new word to their dictionary: Indigenomics.
Definition:The practice of bringing an Indigenous perspective to economic and social development.
Hilton, who is of Nuu-chah-nulth heritage, launched the word four years ago as a Twitter hashtag: #Indigenomics.
Canada, says Hilton, needs a new language to move toward reconciliation. It’s a language she speaks to the federal government after being appointed advisor to the finance minister. She speaks it as CEO of her company Transformation, which helps First Nations with economic and social development. She’s also director of the B.C. First Nations Health Society, a member of the World Fisheries Trust chair of the Victoria Community Micro-Lending Society, and teaches a class on Indigenomics at Simon Fraser University. And she’s authoring a book, Indigenomics: A Global Power Shift.
The Tyee interviewed Hilton on the patio of a café in Sidney, not far from her home in Victoria. Here is what she had to say…
On why it’s time for Indigenomics:
“The legal precedents that First Nations have set over even the past 20 years — with those milestones we have inserted ourselves into the reality of the Canadian economy.
“Canada’s government hasn’t necessarily caught up with that. Canadians don’t have the language that says ‘I understand what free, prior and informed consent is, I understand what consultation is, I understand what a referral system is.’
“That’s where a new language needs to be built from. Canadians need to understand how and why First Nations are important within the regional and national economies. I believe that Indigenomics is a conscious claim to the modern expression of what is an Indigenous economy.
“I’m Nuu-chah-nulth from west coast of Vancouver Island and we have a concept hish yuk ish tsa wak, meaning everything is one and interconnected.
“So when we develop forestry companies or we develop projects we look at it from that worldview of everything as one or interconnected.
“So how do you make decisions from that point? Indigenomics looks at building sustainability and looks at long-term ecological alignment with our values. Those values – respect, sustainability or being careful with resources — that worldview isn’t something that’s just Nuu-chah-nulth.
“So you take that concept of hish yuk ish tsa wak and you will find the same concept said in a different way in all these different Indigenous communities.
“I think that mainstream economics needs to bring in that perspective because it’s largely been absent. The development of the Canadian economy has been based on the establishment of acts to be able to access resources that required the removal of First Nations from the land they used as their resource base.
“But now the access to resources has shifted considerably and Canada really needs to be able to identify: what is our relationship with First Nations now?
“The impacts that Canadian First Nations are building through business can now be measured.
Understanding First Nations values, worldview, stories and relevance to the Canadian economy — that’s really where Indigenomics’ role is within Canada. So I think the time is right.”
On being the daughter of residential school survivors:
“My parents went to residential school, my grandparents went to residential school. Being the first generation out, I feel very much connected to building a reality that places indigenous people in a positive place. In a place around wholeness, around well-being, around community development and then removing those social symptoms like poverty and those kinds of aspects. That’s really what I focus on me myself and within the work that I do.
“I focused on business and economic development and was able to build some companies and good presence within First Nations communities with corporations and with government.”
On Twitter as conversation changer and creative catalyst:
“Four years ago I started a Twitter account, and I became really aware the content that I was most interested in was around Indigenous topics, business, economic development, economy.
“And then I started tweeting stories and scanning what I saw as relevant to Canadian identity and understanding our relationship to First Nations people. What were the stories being told in the media? Were they fear-based or sensationalized or uncertain? Did they create an environment that furthered racism?
“So then that’s where I put Indigenous and economics together to create Indigenomics. I created a thread of thought that not only followed the stories but inserted indigenous thinking and inserted what was important from a First Nations view.”
On teaching Indigenomics at SFU:
“I think I’ve been teaching Indigenomics at SFU for three years now. What I find really exciting about teaching in the Community Economic Development program is that it’s for mainstream change-makers who want to identify that not only is there a way to do economic development differently, but it needs to be inclusive. I think Indigenomics acts as a platform for building understanding.
“Out of the Twitter threads I was able to take information apart and look from a First Nations perspective at economic development or business projects [and use that as a basis for teaching]. If a project was going ahead or not going ahead what was the origin of the conflict and how do you view that from a First Nation worldview?”
On why Indigenomics is key to reconciliation:
“I heard a South African speak up in Clayoquot Sound a number of years ago and he talked about economic apartheid. After apartheid ended in South Africa what we ended up with was that concept of economic apartheid.
“And very much the reserve system of Canada is economic apartheid. We exist within these small isolated places that do not have the means within that land base or resource base to be able to create economies.
“For example, the Nuu-chah-nulth people took Canada to court because they live on little tiny reserves here in B.C. and the size of those reserves were intended because we were supposed to be able to access the resources from the water — from the sea.
“But the Fisheries Act and all the licensing systems then prevented us from doing that. So we were no longer able to access our traditional economy.
“The United Nations declaration on the rights of Indigenous peoples talks about our right to continue as people, to continue with our identity, our education, our language, build our own economies today.
“So economic reconciliation is that ability to create what is required for us today in 2016 and going forward.”
On how her company Transformation uses Indigenomics:
“We look at social and economic development as parallel processes. Nations need to be able to build business structures but they also need to create social outcomes.
“So those social outcomes are often expressed as social symptoms — like high suicide or high poverty. But that ability to shift and create positive social outcomes has to be linked to economic development.
“And economic development has to be linked to social identity. They have to be interconnected.
“There’s an area in the Nass Valley in B.C. called the Nisga’a area. They were one of the first modern day treaties. In that area there’s four villages of the Nisga’a tribal council.
“We did a lengthy prosperity project. And what we looked at was aligning their governing system and their business system with the four villages and looking at how members identified with that going forward.
“So what did prosperity mean from a Nisga’a perspective? How did this system align to create business outcomes? How were members seeing themselves in their own future of prosperity?”
On what she is advising the federal finance minister:
“I think that there’s a lot of room for the government to engage with First Nations on a nation-to-nation perspective around unfolding budgets.
“First Nations are coming to the table hungry. Very much like communities like Attawapiskat. There is a need to invest to build solid business and economic structures that are inclusive to Canadian First Nations and lets them participate, and be recognized. These structures need to be built on the foundation of our role in the history of the development and the continuation of Canada.
“There’s this concept that if you don’t have First Nations at the table you’re at a strategic disadvantage.
“Having that strategic advantage of recognizing the value and role of First Nations — I think Canada, with this new government, is just at the point of being able to do that. I don’t necessarily think they’re able to do that as fast as everyone would like. But I think my role on the economic growth council can support that.”
On why Indigenomic thinkers might say no to a project traditional economists embrace:
“Some big projects largely disrupt our ability to go into the future with our identity and practices and beliefs intact.
“You look at the Lelu Island [conflict over whether to build an LNG plant in the Skeena River estuary]. Indigenous people opposing the project are saying the number one priority is fish habitat. You can give us $2 billion instead of $1 billion and the answer will still be “no.” Fish is more important than money.
“It’s not just ‘no’ because we don’t feel like it or ‘no’ like, ‘eh, I don’t like that person or that company.’ It’s actually a ‘no’ that’s founded in reality and identity.”
On where to get started learning about Indigenomics:
“Be engaged with the Indigenomics discussion online. Right now, one of the biggest issues is the Truth and Reconciliation recommendations. Know what those say and why they are important.”
On the moving beyond colonization:
“My work is really about shifting our modern reality as First Nations people. Coming from 150 plus years of colonization and shifting that to building a positive, healthy, whole reality. That’s what I see as important in our communities and that’s what I focus on at Transformation. Transforming governance, administration, business and building structures to support our relevance and wholeness in 2016.
“According to Canadian history, we are not supposed to be here as First Nations people. We were supposed to have been exterminated through policy or complete removal.
“But the fact that there’s a blossoming, evolving First Nation population within Canada speaks to the need to build a relationship that’s nation to nation.”
Written by Megan Devlin and originally published by TheTyee.ca on June 3, 2016
ECONOUS2016 Opening Day 2, Lunch Ouverture Jour 2, Dîner
Megan Devlin is a freelance multimedia journalist and student at the UBC Graduate School of Journalism. She conducted this interview while completing a practicum at the The Tyee. Follow her on Twitter here.
For over 20 years, PARO has been a launch pad for starting and growing businesses in Northern Ontario. PARO’s clientele are diverse: each program is tailored to the needs of women including Francophone women, youth, people with disabilities, low-income individuals and new Canadians. PARO has developed a complex but accessible infrastructure to bring together different organizations to leverage funds for Entrepreneurs in Northern Ontario.
Recently, PARO has partnered with a dynamic collaboration of purpose-driven agents of change (including the Thunder Bay CEDC, Northwestern Ontario Innovation Centre, Sault St. Marie Innovation Centre, and Nordik Institute, along with various other contributing community partners and funders) to ignite motivation inspired by social development.
Social Enterprise Northern Ontario (SENO) is the result of pioneering innovation champions. By taking smart risks and turning challenges into opportunities for social growth, the SENO Committee’s CoStarter for Change revolutionizes multifaceted and diverse co-working models of business development. These models catalyze systems-changing social good through entrepreneurial activism.
Social Enterprise for Northern Ontario (SENO) CoStarter for Change supports the development of early-stage, high-growth social enterprises in Northern Ontario by offering social entrepreneurs access to capital, educational and support programs, workspace, and other services to help launch and grow their non-profit and for-profit ventures.
In clinging to a philosophy of social, economic and environmental Innovation, SENO inspires community drive through multidisciplinary approaches to learning, creating and EXCELerating in social entrepreneurship. SENO CoStarter for Change provides several routes of access to key facets of business development including:
SE training and business plan development
Mentorship
Cutting edge technology
One-on-one coaching
Advisory support from all partners
Workspace
Networking opportunities
Program Overview
The social enterprise or social entrepreneur wishes to ignite social change through the creation of a for-profit or not-for-profit business. By developing a business idea rooted in addressing issues that matter to people and the planet, entrepreneurs develop these ideas into viable initiatives that sustain economic development and pioneer social innovation.
Eligible applicants must be a legal entity with the authority to enter into a legal agreement. In the case of partnerships of any type, eligible applicants must hold appropriate individual legal documentation for receiving and repaying funds.
It is imperative that successful applicants (at least one person, if the social enterprise is a partnership) must be available full time for 12 weeks to participate in the program after the application has been approved. Successful applicants are required to participate in the program to develop and operate their social enterprise. The program involves weekly workshops/training sessions, consistent communication with a mentor/advisor, participation in peer-to-peer events, and setting and meeting milestones for each social enterprise.
Please fill out the form below to demonstrate your intent to apply for SENO CoStarter for Change. Once we receive your form of intent, you will be contacted in order to continue your application process.
For more information about the program and application process, please contact Zach Falldien, Program Assistant, at 705-949-2301 ext. 4812 or falldien at algomau.ca.
More than 2,000 persons from around the globe are expected at the Palais des congrès de Montréal (Canada) this coming September 7 to 9 to take part in the Global Social Economy Forum – GSEF2016. This third edition, organized jointly by the Ville de Montréal and the Chantier de l’économie sociale, will focus on the theme Local Governments and Social Solidarity Economy (SSE) Stakeholders: Allies for the Intelligent and Sustainable Development of Cities.
Programming for the three days will highlight more than 90 social economy initiatives from more than 35 countries around the globe. These initiatives will be presented in the form of workshops and working groups grouped under four themes: Enterprise and Job Creation, Social Cohesion, Quality of Life and Living Environment, and Governance.
“Cooperation between local governments and social economy enterprises has continued to rise over the past years and undoubtedly contributes to the intelligent and sustainable development of cities. Montreal is proud to host this Forum that will play a concrete role in positioning the social economy as a driver of fair and sustainable economic development,” stated Denis Coderre, Mayor of Montreal.
“All over the world, the Quebec social economy model generates interest, particularly with regard to the collaboration between civil society and public authorities and the co-construction of public policy. Far from being alone, Quebec is part of a growing international movement in favour of a more equitable and sustainable economy where the social economy plays a major role. The GSEF2016 will undoubtedly be a space for discussions and reflections that will enable participants to learn the best practices at home and abroad,” added the executive director of the Chantier de l’économie sociale, Jean-Martin Aussant.
Site visits to better understand the Québec reality
Participants will also be able to take part in approximately twenty of the Forum’s side events to learn more about social economy businesses in Montreal and Québec working in various sectors. In addition to showcasing Québec’s social economy, these site visits will serve as excellent networking and dialogue opportunities with the principal players in these initiatives.
Opening plenary: institutional and political commitment for SSE
The Forum’s opening plenary will take place on September 7, 2016 at 9 am, and introduce the GSEF co-chairs, the Honourable Park Won-soon, Mayor of Seoul, and Rev. Kyong Yong Song, President of the Seoul Social Economy Network, as well as the co-organizers of the GSEF2016, the Honourable Denis Coderre, Mayor of Montreal and Jean-Martin Aussant, Executive Director of the Chantier de l’économie sociale. This plenary will be followed by a special session at 10:30 am, during which all the mayors from every continent expected at the GSEF2016 will show their commitment to SSE as a lever for more equitable and sustainable development.
In addition, several cities have already confirmed their participation to the Forum including: Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Bamako (Mali), Bilbao (Spain), Dakar (Senegal), Gothenburg (Sweden), Lille (France), Madrid (Spain) Mondragon (France), Paris (France), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Seoul (South Korea), Turin (Italy), Vancouver (Canada) and Yaoundé (Cameroon).
Building a diversified and inclusive local economy
Investing in a Community and Co-op Business Secretariat to support local business development, social enterprise, and co-operatives;
Supporting the creation of community-owned renewable energy projects by providing technical, regulatory, and financial support; and
Promoting local investment opportunities by creating a market exemption and enabling the Alberta Investor Tax Credit to facilitate CED investment, similar to the Nova Scotia and New Brunswick CEDIF models.
Please review and discuss this brief with your team and caucus. We invite you to come visit the collaborating organizations and see CED in action, including the wide variety of innovative examples shared in this brief. We welcome your questions, feedback, and involvement as we work to implement these recommendations across Alberta.
The brief was prepared and submitted on behalf of:
The Alberta Community & Co-operative Association Athabasca University BALTA The Canadian CED Network The Canadian Worker Coop Federation Edmonton Community Foundation Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers Momentum REAP (Respect for the Earth and All People) Social Enterprise Fund Thrive
Partner for Change: UnLock Job Opportunities for Youth
Call for Expressions of Interest to be a Virgin Mobile RE*Generation Partner
Does your organization help at-risk or homeless youth find and keep jobs? Do you accomplish this by providing youth with the skills and experience employers are looking for as well as the support and connections to available job opportunities?
Virgin Mobile RE*Generation is looking to identify and invest in innovative and entrepreneurial youth employment initiatives so as many youth as possible have a meaningful income and a long-term career pathway. Your organization will use the investment to strengthen or scale up your current youth employment initiative.
Open to charities, non-profits, and social enterprises operating in Canada.
How can Virgin Mobile RE*Generation investment funding be used?
Possible uses by your organization of a RE*Generation investment may include the following:
Strengthening or growing a job skills training curriculum and programming (i.e. vocational job skills for a particular industry or type of job; professional/soft skills training such as teamwork, conflict resolution, problem solving, customer service).
Expanding or enhancing an employment-driven social enterprise that provides hands-on paid employment experience for youth in a full service revenue generating business.
Development and strengthening of employer and industry partnerships and connections that results in:
increased sourcing of qualified candidates for available jobs by employers from your initiative ; and/or
increased job matching and/or placements; and/or
improved support to youth and employers during the hiring and on-boarding to a job.
Increasing or strengthening support for youth to overcome possible barriers and challenges to participating in your employment initiative (case management, counseling, stipends/subsidies for transportation, food, special clothing/equipment, counseling, services and supports referrals).
Growing or strengthening an innovative model or approach that helps youth connect to employment by addressing barriers or gaps in current labour market systems and practices.
Social enterprises fill an important gap in Manitoba’s economy for those struggling to enter the workforce. The provincial government has seen the value of investing in social enterprises through funding training and procuring housing retrofit services. This in combination with financing from the Manitoba Hydro Pay As You Save (PAYS) program is producing great results. For instance, 194 people are employed in the six social enterprises involved in this study.
Over the past decade, a strong network of social enterprises has grown in Manitoba to help individuals develop the employment and life skills they need to enter and participate in the paid workforce. Social enterprises use a business model to promote positive social or cultural benefits including poverty reduction, fostering environmental sustainability, or other beneficial outcomes.
Social enterprises have emerged to create pathways into the workforce for those who face barriers such as lack of education, racism, histories of involvements with gangs or other involvement with the justice system, and lack of work experience. As one worker describes:
I was having a hard time finding employment because of my criminal history and whatnot. I just applied and got in and it was quite surprising to me to say the least. I spent so many years not being able to get employed, and then coming to a program like this and they accept you for who you are.
The unemployment rate amongst Aboriginal adults age 15 and over was 14.3 percent, more than six percentage points higher than the rest of the inner-city population (8.1 percent) (Lezubski and Silver 2015: 26). The mainstream route from school to work — graduating high school at age 18, attending a post-secondary institution, and finding a good job — is fraught with roadblocks for young people who experience the intergenerational impacts of colonization. Without a high school education, it can be challenging to find any job, undoubtedly a decent job.
The reverse side of this challenge is that Manitoba has a tremendous underutilized pool of young workers who are a potential springboard for future growth. Manitoba also has a vibrant and growing social enterprise sector that could play an important role in bringing these workers into the workforce if it is given sufficient resources.
Manitoba Housing and Community Development allocated $5 million in the 2015/16 capital and renovations budget to provide business opportunities to social enterprises. This procurement is needed to upgrade public housing and do needed energy retrofits. This creates a triple bottom line of this public spending resulting in a needed service of housing repair, job creation and electrical and water conservation.
In order to understand the qualitative impacts on the workers in Manitoba’s burgeoning social enterprise sector, we spoke to 51 workers in seven social enterprises that focus on job training and employment for people with barriers to employment in the home renovation and basic construction sector. We spoke with 26 percent of this portion of the social enterprise workforce.
Thank you to the participants in the study for sharing their perspectives and experiences. The themes emerging from the qualitative research depict that social enterprises provide trainees and employees with needed skills in a holistic fashion, from life skills, to budgeting, to accessing identification and driver’s licensing, to workplace health and safety knowledge, to construction skills, and employment search skills. Recognizing the whole person in each employee or trainee, social enterprises use a holistic approach.
This is a program where they make a complete person you know. They get you to learn all this trade but life skills, management and all theses skills that you need.
Participants spoke about the positive workplace culture and team environment created in social enterprises. Some participants who had worked in private businesses found the workplace culture different and challenging. When discussing their futures, a segment of participants wished for the opportunity to apprentice in the trade of their choosing.
The pride that comes from working hard and having a decent job, and the benefits that result from it shines through in this study. Participants told us they look forward to brighter futures for themselves and their families. These workers carry forward the virtuous cycle created by their involvement in social enterprise to their families and as leaders in the community.
Manitoba has a successful and growing social enterprise sector that has helped to integrate some of these workers. It is nonetheless still dependent on government support. The support of Manitoba Housing and Community Development, other crown corporations, and government in providing contracts to keep these social enterprises vibrant is essential to meeting community economic development and sustainability goals.
Originally published by Policy Fix on May 25, 2016
Josh Brandon is a Community Animator at the Social Planning Council of Winnipeg, co-editor of Poor Housing: A Silent Crisis and Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Manitoba Research Associate. He is also the former Housing Researcher at the CCPA-Manitoba. He has education in sociology and anthropology and experience in several social justice and environmental organizations as a researcher and community organizer.
Molly McCracken joined the CCPA as the Manitoba director in spring 2013, however has been involved in social justice policy research for over a decade. She worked in inner-city Winnipeg facilitating an outreach program with street-involved women and later as Executive Director of an inner-city neighbourhood renewal corporation. Molly has been involved as an author, research manager and advisor in a number of areas: Aboriginal education, low income housing, inner-city neighbourhood renewal, the economic benefits of child care and Community Economic Development.She holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy and Administration from Carlton University, has worked in government as an analyst and serves on the board of several not-for-profit community-based organizations.
Ontario will invest $70 million over the next seven years to extend the Indigenous Economic Development Fund, originally launched in 2014 as the Aboriginal Economic Development Fund. With a total combined investment of $95 million over ten years, the fund will continue to:
Help Indigenous communities develop long-term strategies to diversify their economies
Increase access to employment and training opportunities for Indigenous people
Provide access to financing to start and expand Indigenous businesses
Enable communities and businesses to collaborate on region-wide employment and skills training projects.
Partnering with Indigenous businesses and organizations is one of many steps on Ontario’s journey of healing and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Investing in Indigenous economic development is part of the government’s economic plan to build Ontario up and deliver on its number-one priority to grow the economy and create jobs.
The Indigenous Economic Development Fund has 3 Funding Streams
The Business and Community Fund
Economic Diversification Grants
Regional Partnership Grants
The Business and Community Fund
The following kinds of organizations are eligible to apply to the Business and Community Fund:
start-up, early stage and expanding Indigenous businesses
First Nation and Métis communities
Indigenous organizations recognized by the province
Aboriginal Financial Institutions (AFIs) are now accepting applications for grants, loans, equity and other financing products. Funding decisions are made by individual AFIs. You can apply for funding until March 31, 2017.
Indigenous businesses, organizations and communities can apply now to the AFI partners closest to them:
Your organization may be eligible for an Economic Diversification Grant if it is a:
Provincial Territorial Organization
Tribal Council
First Nation community
Métis community
Indigenous organizations recognized by the Province of Ontario
Projects funded by Economic Diversification Grants may include:
community or regional economic development strategies
community or regional employment and skills training strategies
investment or marketing strategies to attract external investment
feasibility studies
leakage studies
apprenticeship, internship or co-op placements
The next round of submissions for Economic Diversification Grants applications will begin in January 2017.
Learn about how to apply for an Economic Diversification Grant
Regional Partnership Grants
A group of two or more of the following organization types can apply for a Regional Partnership Grant:
First Nation communities
Metis communities
Political Territorial Organization (PTO) in Ontario.
Tribal Council in Ontario.
Aboriginal Financial Institution (AFI) in Ontario.
Indigenous business organization in Ontario.
Indigenous organization recognized by the Province of Ontario.
Non-Indigenous organization (including not-for-profit organizations) in partnership with another eligible organization.
Only AFIs who do not receive funding through the Business and Community Fund may apply for a Regional Partnership Grant.
Projects funded by Regional Partnership Grants may include:
skills training initiatives (e.g., sector-specific or on-reserve business mentorship, internships, or apprenticeship initiatives that result in provincially recognized qualifications)
regional or sector-specific business incubators or accelerator programs.
financing in the natural resource sector for high-potential development projects, like the Ring of Fire
The next round of submissions for Regional Partnership Grants applications will begin in January 2017.
Learn about how to apply for a Regional Partnership Grant
The Synergia Institute is excited to be launching its first face-to-face training program this September in Tuscany! For change makers everywhere this program offers an opportunity to explore real pathways to system change with leading experts in their fields.
Transition to Co-operative Commonwealth – Pathways to a New Political Economy, is an intensive 3-week program that links the global with the local through the diffusion of transformative ideas, models, and practices that advance game-changing solutions for progressive change in the following key areas:
Co-operative Capital & Social Finance; Alternative Currencies
Co-op & Commons-Based housing & Land Tenure; Community Land Trusts
Renewable Energy; Community-owned energy systems
Local & Sustainable food systems; Community Supported Agriculture
User-controlled health & social care; Social & Community Service Co-ops
Co-operative and Commons Governance
Platform Co-operatives, Digital Commons & Peer-to-Peer productions systems
Convergence and the New Political Economy; Principles, Propositions, and Practices
Download the Synergia brochure for complete details. If you like what you see, you and others in your organization or network should find an opportunity to take part.
Additional information can also be found on Synergia’s facebook page. Those wishing information on registration for the course can send an email to synergiainstitute at gmail.com
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Province Accelerating Growth of Social Enterprises to Create Jobs and Strengthen Economy
Ontario has launched a new five-year strategy that will help social enterprises grow their businesses, enter new markets and create jobs, while addressing complex social and environmental challenges.
Equipping social enterprises with solid business fundamentals
Connecting social enterprises to markets and capital to grow and scale
Demonstrating the value of social enterprise and social finance to investors, government, and communities
Ontario will invest more than $6 million in the first year of this renewed strategy. The province will leverage Ontario’s existing entrepreneurship infrastructure, impact investment capital, and a growing market opportunity to support social enterprises. Some of the feature initiatives include:
Integrating specialized social entrepreneurship supports, such as impact measurement, into mainstream entrepreneurship programs, such as those offered through the Ontario Network of Entrepreneurs
Developing a Social Enterprise Procurement Action Plan to increase the Ontario government’s procurement from social enterprises
Designing a new Social Venture Investment Fund to accelerate the flow of private investment capital to growing social enterprises
Establishing an Impact Measurement Task Force to build consensus on uniform impact measurement standards for social enterprises
Establishing a Centre of Excellence in Social Enterprise and Social Finance to help government leverage social enterprises and social finance as tools to achieve policy objectives
Accelerating the growth of Ontario’s social enterprise sector is part of the government’s economic plan to build Ontario up and deliver on its number-one priority to grow the economy and create jobs. The four-part plan includes investing in talent and skills, including helping more people get and create the jobs of the future by expanding access to high-quality college and university education. The plan is making the largest investment in public infrastructure in Ontario’s history and investing in a low-carbon economy driven by innovative, high-growth, export-oriented businesses. The plan is also helping working Ontarians achieve a more secure retirement.
Quick Facts
There are about 10,000 social enterprises in Ontario.
Social enterprises use business strategies to achieve a social or environmental impact. While generating revenues from the sale of goods and services, social enterprises also expressly intend to create positive outcomes, and they measure their results. As their business grows, the social impact grows.
Over 400 stakeholder and sector leaders participated in the consultations to inform the development of the strategy.
In 2014, Ontario’s social enterprises employed an average of 38 people and generated an average of $1.2 million in revenues.
Globally, impact investment – investments growing both financial return and social/environmental impact – is on the rise, with an estimated market size of $80 billion.
Through an open, competitive procurement process, an independent evaluator has recently been hired to assess two frontrunner ideas for implementation as Social Impact Bond pilot projects.
A Social Impact Bond is an innovative financing tool based on a pay-for-performance contract where government works collaboratively with service providers and the private sector to deliver social services.
“We’re excited to work with sector leaders, impact investors, academia and government to continue building strong, high-growth and scalable social enterprises. This is an area in which we can leverage our ongoing support of entrepreneurship infrastructure, a growing supply of impact investing capital and an expanding market opportunity to activate the development of sustainable and scalable social enterprises. As we help these businesses grow, so too will their positive social impact on Ontario and beyond.” Brad Duguid, Minister of Economic Development and Growth
“As a social enterprise, Building Up’s team is thrilled to see that the government is continuing its support to grow the sector and elevate it to the next level. Social enterprises like us are able to maximize our potential to create social, environmental and economic value when we have the support of our communities, customers, funders and government.” Marc Soberano, Founder and Executive Director, Building Up
“It’s essential that social enterprises across Ontario are able to access the support they need to develop a sound social enterprise business model, which includes strong revenue generating strategies and a plan for creating impact in their communities. Ontario’s plan to integrate social enterprise supports into existing entrepreneurship infrastructure will enable social enterprises to compete on the global stage.” Michelle Baldwin, Executive Director, Pillar Nonprofit Network