Themes: Policy Development & Advocacy

Over 64 municipal and regional governments across Canada are using a food systems approach to improve health, generate economic development, address environmental sustainability, and engage communities. The report “Municipal Food…

In 2004, the community movement in Quebec finds itself at a crossroads. The new Liberal government (which won the April 2003 election under Jean Charest) wants to break with the…

Financial cooperatives have fared better than the investor-owned banks in times of crisis. Savings and credit cooperatives, cooperative banks and credit unions have grown, kept credit flowing especially to small…

In 2007–2008, Canada spent an estimated $14.3 billion in public expenditures for mental health services and supports.1 According to a 2009 report by the Mood Disorders Society of Canada, costs…

Too many economic development policymakers are overly focused on the goal of economic growth. But growth is only good to the extent that it brings about increased real incomes for…

There has been much political interest in the role of the social economy, or third sector, in providing jobs and supporting vulnerable people into the workforce. Although social economy organisations…

This workbook explores these questions: How do you build your rural community from the inside out? How do you find and mobilize the assets of your small town and rural…

In the context of the economic recovery and public budget cuts, policy silos and fragmented short-term policy interventions have become luxuries that our economies can no longer afford. Government intervenes…

Non-profits have played a vital role in building communities in Canada and continue to make important contributions to developing public infrastructure. Canada has a large non-profit and voluntary sector, and…

This literature review is the starting point for a significant piece of research that aims to find out the success factors, the barriers, and what is needed – to build a…

This partnership is considered an agreement between the City of Montreal and players in the social economy, by means of which each of the parties agrees to carry out actions…

The challenges of economic transformation are being felt around the world. Prospering in this shifting environment requires an approach to economic development that recognizes that this issue cannot be addressed…