CCEDNet’s December 2011 Newsletter

January 9, 2012

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In this issue:

CCEDNet News

CED News and Events


CCEDNet News

1. Holiday Wishes

The Board and staff of the Canadian CED Network extend our best wishes to you, your family and colleagues throughout the holiday season. We look forward to continuing to work together for sustainable and inclusive communities in 2012.


2. Strategic Planning – Your Input is Important!

With our current strategic plan coming to a close, CCEDNet’s Board has undertaken a new strategic planning process for 2012-2014. Over the coming months, we will be asking for members’ feedback on key issues with short on-line surveys. We promise to make these surveys quick and easy. Your input is vital to guiding CCEDNet’s future. Watch your email in-box for more information!


3. It’s Membership Renewal Time

Year end is also time for CCEDNet membership renewal. Current members will receive their renewal notices in the mail in the coming weeks. A strong and diverse membership is CCEDNet’s greatest strength, so please take a moment to renew your membership when you receive your notice.

If you are not a member and would like to join, contact us at


4. Share the New Policy Priorities for CED in Canada

Last month, CCEDNet members received a copy of new policy priorities, which were also mailed to all 308 MPs. CCEDNet’s Policy Council is encouraging members to share this document within their own organization, and to use it in communications with officials at all three levels of government. Let us know what you think of this new presentation, and who you share it with by emailing Kirsten at


5. Award Winning Members!

Anyone familiar with CCEDNet knows how innovative and dynamic our members are. A number of members have recently won awards for their fine work.

BUILD in Winnipeg won the $50,000 Scotiabank EcoLiving 2011 Business Leadership Award for a business providing eco-friendly products or services to the residential sector.

Nancy Hartling, from Support to Single Parents in Moncton, NB won the Governor General’s Persons Award for her outstanding contributions to advance equality for women in Canada.

Caroline Arcand of Groupe Convex in Eastern Ontario won one of the Trico Charitable Foundation’s 2011 Social Enterprize Awards. Potluck Café and Mission Possible from Vancouver were also winners. You can see a video of all the Social Enterprize winners on our YouTube Channel

Do you have an award or honour to celebrate? Let us know!


6. Beyond Communications

Overcoming poverty is not a task of charity, it is an act of justice.” – Nelson Mandela

Filled with meaningful art and quotes from Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Ghandi and the Dalai Lama, Calgary CCEDNet member Momentum’s latest annual report ‘Beyond’ is a powerful example of how we can effectively communicate the impacts and value of a CED approach in communities. Have a look.

We love learning about what you do! Please send us copies of your annual reports and other communications materials via snail mail or email.


7. Final CSEHub Webinars and E-books

The final webinar sessions were held by the Canadian Social Economy Hub at the end of November. The sessions on Community-University Partnerships, Public Policy, and a Thematic Analysis of social economy research can be viewed on the website of the Canadian Social Economy Hub. Three e-books on these topics will be published in the coming weeks – watch for more information on the website and in future newsletters.


8. Fair Trade and CED: What’s the Link?

CCEDNet’s International Committee is offering a series of webinars on themes that connect CED initiatives in Southern countries with Canada. Resources and recordings of past sessions on Fair Trade and CED, community forestry, microcredit, the co-construction of public policy and FIESS 2011, and food security and sovereignty are available on the International Committee pages of our website.

The next session will be on women’s economic empowerment on January 24, 2012, with subsequent sessions on cooperative development and sustainable tourism. Watch future bulletins for more information.


9. Dreaming of More Sun?

CCEDNet’s International webinars are supported by Uniterra, one of Canada’s largest volunteer placement programs. With placements from two weeks to two years, there are always opportunities to explore new cultures, share your expertise and support local organizations that are working actively to improve living conditions around the world. Current postings include a project co-ordinator for Mali’s Social Economy Network and a semi-industrial production Advisor in Burkina Faso.

Review the latest available positions.


10. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube

Have a video you want to share? We post and ‘favourite’ videos on our YouTube Channel, such as this one presenting the work of CCEDNet member Groupe Convex, winner of the Trico Charitable Foundation’s 2011 Social Enterprize AwardsClick here to view it.

We also post frequent news updates and announcements to our Facebook fan page and on Twitter.  Check us out!  


CED News and Events

11. The International Forum on the Social and Solidarity Economy

More than 1,600 participants from 62 countries took part in the International Forum on the Social and Solidarity Economy in Montréal last October.

The Forum produced a wealth of documents, presentations, videos and photos that are available on the website.


12. Fourth Canadian Conference on Social Enterprise

Congratulations to the Social Enterprise Council of Canada and the Atlantic Council for Community and Social Enterprise for the successful fourth Canadian Conference on Social Enterprise that was held in Halifax, November 20-22. The program included a wonderful keynote from Rankin MacSween, a strong endorsement for social enterprises from the Premier of Nova Scotia, a Social Enterprise Angels competition and intensive day-long and half-day training and policy sessions.

To see the full program and for more information, click here.


13. 2011 Manitoba CD/CED Gathering Another Success

More than 500 participants attended the 9th annual Manitoba CD/CED Gathering on October 21 in Winnipeg. This year, in addition to the wide range of workshops, helpful hints for building capacity and engaging your community, networking and connecting with people from a variety of sectors, participants enjoyed the Manitoba premier of the Economics of Happiness and a keynote address by Silver Donald Cameron.

Thanks to everyone who contributed and participated!


14. Awards for Youth Homelessness and Financial Literacy Efforts

Eva’s Initiatives is offering four awards of $25,000 to organizations that are integrating supports to prevent and break the cycle of youth homelessness. The deadline for applications is January 20.

SEDI’s TD Financial Literacy Grant Fund recently announced the winners of its third round of funding for financial literacy projects. It is now accepting applications for its fourth round of grants — the deadline is February 2, 2012


15. Become a Member

Thank you to our members, funders, and sustaining members such as Patricia Boyle, Sharon Taylor and Coast Capital Savings Credit Union who make our work possible.