BC has a history of setting the stage for major CED policy initiatives…

In March of 2001, Vancouver, British Columbia was the site of the first CCEDNet National Policy Forum. At that meeting, an emerging national membership group, now CCEDNet, agreed upon the foundation of the organization’s long-term policy focus and priorities.  

In December 2008, Vancouver, BC was the site of the BC Policy Summit on Social Enterprise. At that meeting BC’s CED and Social Economy sector designed the initial Canadian public policy pillars for a supportive environment for social enterprise: business acumen, access to capital, expanded markets, and measuring impact. These pillars are now the basis for policy platforms for the Social Enterprise Council of Canada, have been adopted in several provinces (not in BC) and are used by the federal government.  

We have done a lot beyond launching these major policy initiatives… we are the home to many of Canada’s leading social enterprises and co-ops from the Down Town Eastside of Vancouver to Haida Gwaii, Prince George to Nelson.  The Federal Disability Savings Plan came out of the work of PLAN in BC.  We have credit and non-credit CED and sustainable community development programs at SFU, the original ENP program, Vancity Credit Union and Provincial Government Social Purchasing Guidelines.  

As local purchasing programs, local food systems and community investment funds begin to be more talked about, and as our federal government begins to explore how to support social enterprise and job creation, a few of us think the timing is right to rally the CED sector, to build on our history of accomplishments and define and advance a “CED Policy and Strategy for BC”.

• How can we strengthen community based social finance tools and impacts?
• What would a BC social enterprise strategy look like and how might it contribute to the development of emerging sectors of food and agriculture and renewable energy?
• How do we advance social purchasing across the province?
• What would it take to ensure that co-ops and social enterprises get access to existing SME business services and financing?
• And - What would you add from your community view?

This is an invitation to join us on a conference call on Wednesday, March 30, 12pm to 1:30pm Pacific Time to begin to plan the next history making BC CED Public Policy Summit!

Sincerely,