* The logo for this event has been adapted from the logo for the International Year of Cooperatives, and expresses our support for the principles and contributions of co-operation in our communities.

• PowerPoint Presentations and Other Resouces
  
• Event Program
• Shoulder Events
  
• Event Organizing Team
  
• Sponsors

Connections 2012: Community Investment Solutions for a Better Ontario

The 2012 CCEDNet-Ontario conference attracted just over 100 participants to the Learning Enrichment Foundation in Toronto. A sold-out bus tour visited several social purpose enterprises, and the conference featured speakers looking at strategies for innovation in an age of austerity, generating revenues, co-operative development and growing inequality, along with a variety of workshops.

The conference also hosted the Toronto launch of The Resilience Imperative by CCEDNet founding member Mike Lewis.

Many thanks to the event steering committee and funders.

CCEDNet-Ontario, with the ongoing commitment and assistance of a steering committee representing broad interests across the province, planned an Ontario CED Event that built upon the success of last year’s Connections to Revitalize Communities.

Connections 2012 explored the systemic shift happening within Ontario's economy that is felt acutely by the communities we live in. More than ever we need an investment strategy that builds on local skills, assets and people to reduce inequality and strengthen communities. Focusing on community economic development, Connections 2012 brought together representatives of community organizations, co-operatives, social enterprises, government, and academic institutions to focus on innovative solutions for our communities.

As we moved through the day we took a journey together that gave us some of the knowledge and skills we need to utilize the strengths of communities to create solutions. We were:

1. Developing a joint understanding of the issues facing communities as framed by the Drummond Report and our collective advocacy work
2. Sharing some theme areas that highlight these issues but also provide opportunities for innovative solutions
3. Putting the current situation into context and offer hope for solutions by identifying opportunities.
4. Sharing a range of practical solutions that can be implemented in our communities to increase their resilience
5. Identifying strategic solutions we can work on together in the coming months

PowerPoint Presentations and Other Resouces

MORNING PLENARY SESSIONS

5x5 Presentations

• Charles Kouassi (Le Conseil de la coopération)
  PPT Presentation: The Voice of The CCO in the Ontario Agri-food
  
  
• Rosalind Lockyer (PARO Centre for Women's Enterprise)
  PPT Presentation: Women in Northern Ontario and Equality

AFTERNOON STORYTELLING

• Mike Lewis (Canadian Centre for Community Renewal/BALTA)
  PPT Presentation: Financing for What?

AFTERNOON BREAKOUT SESSIONS

A. The 1,2,3's for Proactively Managing Cutbacks with Government
Lynn Eakin (Lynn Eakin & Associates)

PDF Handout: Agency Management During Cutbacks

PDF Handout: Negotiating Cuts with Funders

B. Time Banking – Rebuilding the Core Economy
Phillip Penna (Ontario Environment Network)

PPT Presentation: Time Banking

C. Advanced Social Enterprise Management: Lessons from the Field/ La gestion avancée des entreprises sociales: Leçons du secteur (Bilingue – Bilingual)
Anne Jamieson (Toronto Enterprise Fund) and Ethel Côté (Centre canadien pour le renouveau communautaire)

PPT Presentation: Advanced Social Enterprise Management

D. Growing Investment Opportunities for the Community and Co-operative Sector
Joanna Reynolds and Tristina Sinopoli (MaRS Centre for Impact Investing)

E. From Austerity to Possibility: The Canada We Want
Peter Frampton (The Learning Enrichment Foundation)

 
F. SROI: Moving the Conversation from Cost to Value
Stephanie Robertson (SiMPACT Strategy Groups/SROI Canada)

PDF Presentation: Moving the Conversation from Cost to Value

G. Debt Financing for Charities and Nonprofits
Richard Bright (The Community Forward Fund) and Janet Shim (Alterna Savings)

H. Economic Inequality - Why Does It Matter, and What Can We Do About It
Rob Howarth (www.economicinequality.ca/Toronto Neighbourhood Centres) and Anna Willats (www.economicinequality.ca/George Brown College)

PDF Handout: Rich and the Rest of Us

I. Why Co-operative Businesses Survive Better than “Traditional Business” and How that Can Help Your Community Survive the Economic Crisis!
Peter Cameron (The Ontario Co-operative Association)

PDF Handout: Co-ops Work

PDF Handout: Co-op Comparisons

J. Maximizing Sponsorship-How to Leverage Partner Relationships
Erin Roberts (Zzeem)

PDF Presentation: Maximizing Sponsorship

CLOSING PRESENTATION

• Michael Toye (The Canadian CED Network)
  PPT Presentation: Closing Presentation

Event Program

Download the full program below to learn more about the unique activities and workshops of Connections 2012!

Shoulder Events

• Social Purpose Enteprise Tour - June 6th
  From noon to 5pm, 31 participants toured several Toronto-based social enterprises that are part of the Social Purpose Enterprise Network of Toronto. Here's the list of participating enterprises:
  1. North York Community House (Delightfully Yours and Digital Storytelling)
  2. Options Mississauga
  3. Windfall Brides
  4. Parkdale Green Thumb Enterprise
  5. Free Geek Toronto
   
• CCEDNet's AGM: At 7pm, members of the Canadian CED Network met at the Learning Enrichment Foundation for the annual general meeting

Event Organizing Team

The planning for this year's Ontario CED Event is made possible by the enormous contribution of our Steering Group members. Members of the steering committee include:

• 1A+ Co-op
• Algoma University /NORDIK
• Alterna Savings
• Canadian Alternative Investment Co-operative (CAIC)
• Canadian Centre for Community Renewal (CCCR)
• Carleton Centre for Community Innovation
• Causeway Work Centre
• Christie Ossington Neighbourhood Centre (CONC)
• Collaborative for Innovative Social Enterprise Development (CISED)
• Community Opportunity and Innovation Network (COIN)
• Conseil de la coopération de l'Ontario (CCO)
• Food Security Research Network
• Green Communities Canada
• Keewaytinook Okimakanak Research Institute (KORI)
• Le Réseau de développement économique et d'employabilité (RDÉE)
• Learning Enrichment Foundation (LEF)
• LURA Consulting
• Ontario Association of CFDCs
• Ontario Co-operative Association (OnCoop)
• Ontario Council for Alternative Business (OCAB)
• Operation Come Home
• PARO Centre for Women's Enterprise & Women’s Economic Council (WEC)
• Pillar Nonprofit Network
• Rural Ontario Institute (ROI)
• Sault Youth Association
• Social Economy Centre / OISE (University of Toronto)
• Social Enterprise Rural Alliance (SERA)
• Social Innovation Generation at the MaRS Centre for Impact Investing (SiG @ MaRS)
• Tamarack
• The Ontario Nonprofit Network (ONN)
• The Social Purpose Enterprise Network (SPEN) Toronto
• The Toronto Enterprise Fund
• Young Social Entrepreneurs of Canada

A big Thank You to our event sponsors:

The Ontario Co-operative Association

PARO Centre for Women's Enterprise