The Canadian CED Network’s Policy Council has submitted a response to the federal government’s invitation for pre-budget submissions for the 2016 Federal Budget. The submission, sent to the Standing Committee on Finance, focuses on social procurement policy and training on social enterprise and co-operative for government staff.
The Recommendations for the 2016 Federal Budget are to:
- Build on the experience of the CED sector in performance-based contracts by documenting and adopting most effective practices and enhancing the investment readiness of community groups.
- Provide funding for the replication of successful community economic development investment initiatives across the country.
- Implement social value weighting in all RFPs and contracts.
- Provide social enterprises, non-profits, and co‐operatives access to existing regulatory and tax measures and business development programs available to small- and medium-enterprises. This should be coupled with awareness-‐raising efforts for government officials to ensure a level playing field for alternative forms of incorporation.
- Implement a CED policy framework, inclusive of CED principles and a CED lens.
Read the full pre-budget submission
Postscript: Due to the dissolution of Parliament on August 2nd, 2015 for the election this fall, the Standing Committee on Finance is no longer accepting briefs in relation to Pre-Budget Consultations.
