| | Connections 2012: Community Investment Solutions for a Better OntarioThe 2012 Canadian CED Network Ontario Conference recently attracted over 100 participants to the Learning Enrichment Foundation in Toronto. Connections 2012 explored the systemic shift happening within Ontario’s economy that is felt acutely by the communities we live in. Discussions, workshops, and presentations shared some of the knowledge and skills we need to utilize the strengths of communities to create solutions. Check out some of the presentations and resources from Connections 2012 .
The conference also hosted the Toronto book launch of The Resilience Imperative by CCEDNet founding member Mike Lewis. The Resilience Imperative argues that key factors such as climate change and rising energy costs compel individuals and communities to rethink and reinvent economic life on a more localized level. Is this possible? We think so! How is it possible? Check out The Resilience Imperative to discover some of the innovative strategies Lewis outlines that are already in motion across the globe.
Thanks again to our funders and presenters, the more than 30 organizations that worked to plan the event and all who came out to be a part of Connections 2012!
The Canadian CED Network and the Social Purpose Enterprise Network are gearing up for round two of social enterprise tours in Toronto…  On June 6, 2012 the Canadian CED Network teamed up with the Social Purpose Enterprise Network (SPEN) to take over thirty participants on a social purpose enterprise tour around the Greater Toronto Area. Visiting these diverse enterprises across the city truly illustrated that business can be done differently! The tour included visits to five social purpose enterprises including Delightfully Yours Catering Services, Options Mississauga, Windfall Brides, Parkdale Green Thumb Enterprises, and Free Geek Toronto. Feedback from participants has been great and we have found that there is high demand for making these events happen on a more regular basis.So what’s up next? In early November the Canadian CED Network and SPEN are teaming up once again to host the Fall 2012 Youth-Led Social Enterprise Tour in Toronto. We will be visiting four incredible youth led social enterprises across the city, which are making huge social and environmental impacts in their local communities. If you’re interested in finding out more information about the upcoming tour and would like to be kept in the loop please contact Jo or Kate at Ontario@ccednet.rcdec.ca.
Update on the LIAISOn project LIAISOn is a three-year collaborative project, to bring together information and resources for social enterprise (SE) development in Ontario in an attempt to making it more readily available. LIAISOn is funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation and is being led by CCEDNet Ontario. One of the major goals of this initiative is to create a profile of the Social Enterprise sector in Ontario. As the first step CCEDNet is currently in the process of conducting the 2012 Social Enterprise Survey for Ontario. If your nonprofit organization owns or operates a social enterprise head over to the CCEDNet Ontario webpage to find out more information, view a preview of the survey, and most importantly sign up to participate in the study!
LIAISOn is collaborating with other organizations in Ontario and nationally on innovative and exciting ways to streamline online resources for organizations engaged in social enterprise activities. LIAISOn is also partnered with the Rural Social Enterprise Constellation project hosted by the Ontario Nonprofit Network (ONN), to improve investment infrastructure in four rural regions of Ontario.
Another way that CCEDNet-Ontario can support you and you can support CCEDNet-Ontario!Contract CCEDNet staff for projects that you might normally look to independent contractors to complete. The Ontario team has expertise in areas of work including research, policy development, event planning, meeting facilitation, member/client relations, communications, writing, editing and much more! Please contact Paul Chamberlain at pchamberlain@ccednet-rcdec.ca for more information.
Requesting a delay of proclamation for the Ontario Not-for-Profit Corporations Act (ONCA)…it is time to stand up and be heard
 The Ontario Nonprofit Network (ONN) is urging all nonprofit organizations and their Boards of Directors to speak up and have their voices heard in regards to upcoming proclamation of the Ontario Not-for-Profit Corporations Act, which is currently scheduled for January 1, 2013. In a recent letter to Margaret Best, Minister of Consumer Services, the ONN requested that the proclamation of the ONCA be delayed. The ONN has expressed clear concern particularly around membership provisions within the act. Amongst other key recommendations, the ONN has stated that provisions must be changed to (1) Make non-voting members non-voting on key corporate issues and to (2) Disallow members to pass binding resolutions on Boards of Directors. Check out the full brief, Amending the Ontario Not-for-Profit Corporations Act to enable and support the work of organizations providing public benefit in Ontario here. The ONN is urging all relevant stakeholders that have concern over the legislation to speak up and contact the Ministry. Here’s a link to a simple letter template you may consider using.
New social enterprise website launched en français! Interested in French social enterprise resources? Ethel Côté, has recently launched the website entreprisesociale.ca. Ethel describes the website as a space to converge all resources in French about social enterprise. It features a regularly updated blog, definitions, information about finance, training, mapping, public policies, networks, networks, and resources related to social enterprise. Check out the calendar to keep informed on upcoming activities such as French webinars and PopUp Labs available throughout Canada.
Greener, fairer, cleaner! In honour of International Year of the Coops we would like to bring your attention to CCEDNet member organization Maintenance 1a+ Workers Cooperative
 1a+ Workers Cooperative was founded in 2007 by five Columbian immigrant workers in the cleaning sector and has been operating in the Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau, Quebec regions ever since. Largely developed in response to poor working conditions facing new comers, 1a+ strives to create a safe and positive working environment based on principles of fair work and respect for ecological values. Maintenance 1a+ Workers Cooperative provides commercial cleaning services for offices, schools, community centres, daycares, and many other organizations and minimizes its environmental impact by utilizing only certified green cleaning products. Recently, the co-op received funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation to hire Business Development Manager Lainie Towell. Towell has jumped right into her new role and states that she is “motivated to be part of such a determined organization that puts people and the planet first, and profit second. Maintenance 1a+ is a win-win solution for all stakeholders including the businesses we serve, co-op members, and our local community”. For more information on the great work that Maintenance 1a+ is doing click here.
Applications for the First Nations, Metis, and Inuit Coop Development program! The Canadian Co-operative association is accepting applications for the First Nations, Metis, and Inuit Coop Development program, which has been created to help Aboriginal communities explore co-operatives as a potential option to meet their needs. This is part of a five-year pilot project that has been developed in collaboration with national Aboriginal organizations. Grants ranging from $5,000 to $10, 000 are available. September 15, 2012 is the application deadline for current or short-term projects and December 15, 2012 is the deadline for projects scheduled to begin April 1, 2012. More information and application forms can be found here.
Food for Thought – Local food at its finest! Last week, the London Training Centre hosted its third annual Food for Thought fundraiser at a farm located Northwest of the city. The London Training Centre’s food initiatives include: the local food skills program & catering, food skills training & certifications, London’s food charter, ecological farming, sustainable food systems research, and food safety. The event highlighted the incredible talent of participants in the training centre’s Local Food Skills program as well as local food artisans and producers. Making the night even more memorable was the fact that the farm site, owned by Werner and Janet Reindorf, is also home to the plot of land that students have been using to grow and harvest much of the produce that is needed for the program. Guests were able to explore the farm grounds and actually see, touch, smell, and taste the organically grown produce being used to create the tapas style menu that was presented. Hats off to the London Training Centre for a wonderful night and for continuing to draw attention to the importance of local food in building strong and sustainable communities. For more information on the program click here. |
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