"Social enterprises are found in every Ontario constituency, including yours, and are widely supported by all Ontario political parties. Ontario has had a social enterprise strategy for a few years but we believe that there is much more we can do to make Ontario a true global hub forsocial enterprises - a province with the right conditions for social enterprises to emerge, develop, grow and create more jobs."

The Ontario Social Economy Roundtable (OSER) has written and sent a letter to all recently elected Ontario MPPs letting them know that they are on side to make Ontario a better place to live, work and do business. The letter is an open expression of intent to work with elected officials to achieve tangible and mutually beneficial results for Ontario.

OSER was developed out of a need to connect, understand the common interests among social purpose organizations in Ontario, and collaborate actively to strengthen the sector. It is a growing collaboration of independent, connected organizations and individuals working within the social economy.

The Canadian CED Network supports OSER's letter and the roundtable's continued role in improving the conditions for a flourishing social economy.

You are invited you to share the letter in your networks and to call your local MPP to make sure they have received it.

Read and share the letter

Some key points from the letter:

• Social enterprises earn revenue using business strategies to solve social and environment challenges.
• Social enterprises are usually small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) that benefit from a government that is supportive of entrepreneurship, innovation and job creation for all.
• Enterprising Change (which is quoted on the Government of Ontario website) calculates that the estimated 10,000 social enterprises in the province each generate an average of $1.2 million in revenues, including $0.9 million in sales, and employ an average of 38 staff. In addition, 45% of Ontario’s non-profit social enterprises have a poverty reduction focus. These numbers reflect an overall economic impact of some $9 billion across the province.