Co-ops Building Food Security in Yukon
Healthy, fresh, and affordable food options are flooding into Yukon, thanks to some old fashioned community ingenuity and cooperation. The Potluck Food Co-op which specializes in organic and local food, opened its doors in late 2013. Co-op members order their groceries online, then pick them up in Whitehorse. Early reports suggest 2014 should bring additional food security improvements, with the upcoming launch of a new retail co-op in Old Crow. This co-op will be the result of a partnership between Arctic Co-operatives Ltd. and the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation.
Arctic Council's "Circumpolar Business Forum Task Force" renamed the "Arctic Economic Council"
Canada began it's second term as
Chair of the Arctic Council in May of 2013 under the theme of “development for the people of the North,” with a focus on responsible Arctic resource development, safe Arctic shipping and
sustainable circumpolar communities. In October, Whitehorse hosted the
Senior Arctic Officials (SAO) Meeting, which set out a commitment to study four new project areas: mental illness, gender equality, marine oil-spill preparedness and
adaptation to climate change. The
next SAO Meeting is planned for March 25-27, 2014 in Yellowknife. The development of the
Arctic Economic Council furthers the Government of Canada's intentions to support business development in the North, and is echoed in the
Kiruna Declaration, which states that the task force will "provide a venue for businesses, industries and indigenous enterprises to advance Arctic-oriented interests, share best practices, forge partnerships and engage in deeper cooperation." Permanent members of the Arctic Council, open to Arctic organizations of Indigenous peoples, include
The Inuit Circumpolar Council (which is set to hold its
quadrennial General Assembly in Inuvik this July), Gwich'in Council International (based in Inuvik), and the
Arctic Athabaskan Council (based in Whitehorse), among others.
Canadian CED
Network News
Next in CCEDNet's Webinar Series
Our 2014 webinar series is launching 3 new webinars; make sure you're registered today! The first session, on January 21st, is
Looking Back & Looking Forward, and will explore the reflections and insights of 3 pillars of Canada's CED sector who are entering retirement - Lynne Markell, David LePage, and Walter Hossli. On February 11th,
Community Supports for Immigrant Entrepreneurship will draw on lessons from the Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers and the Montréal Community Loan Association in considering how to improve immigrant settlement and integration in Canada. Finally, on April 23rd, former Ontario MLA Tony Martin will share findings from his research into the question
Can CED Catalyze a National Poverty Reduction Strategy?
CED Wire Updates
The Living Wage: An Idea Whose Time Has Come: Darcy Penner writes about the rising North American campaign for living wage laws | Read more- Capturing the Imagination of Future Social Entrepreneurs: Sherman Kreiner explores the potential of anchor institution led development in addressing challenges to enterprise development | Read more
- The Year that Twilight Enveloped the World - A Christmas Contemplation: William Pardy's reflects thoughtfully on a year of twilight | Read more
- Notes from the Road: Brendan's CED Adventure in Saskatoon: Brendan Reimer shares his notes from the road after visiting CCEDNet members in Saskatoon | Read more
Improve Your Impact Measurement with CanadaMeasures and CCEDNet
If you missed the recent webinar introducing the
CanadaMeasures Initiative (CMI) and their platform for measuring your Social Return on Investment, don't fret. You can still learn about this accessible system and how it combines educational tools and impact measurement software designed for grassroots organizations. Click on the link below to find out more about CMI by watching the recording from the free webinar on January 10 and accessing other resources.
National CED News
Labour Market Agreements and the Canada Jobs Grant: Implications for CED
Since 2008, the federal government has provided funding to the provinces and territories through Labour Market Agreements (LMA) to provide employment training programs and services to individuals underrepresented in the Canadian economy. This includes persons with disabilities, Aboriginal peoples, and recent immigrants. The programs have been a resounding success. A (leaked) report from the Department of Employment and Social Development found that 86% of participants were employed two years after completing job training programs (compared to 44% before), and participants’ earnings on average increased by $323 per week.
Consultation on the Canada Business Corporations Act
Industry Canada has launched a 90-day consultation on the Canada Business Corporations Act (CBCA). Importantly, one of the items under consideration is the incorporation of hybrid enterprises, titled Socially Responsible Enterprises (SREs), which are broadly defined as entities who use a “commercial business model to encourage social change.” Submissions are being accepted until March 11, 2014.
Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada to Launch in April
Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada (CMC), Canada's new national association representing co-operative and mutual enterprises, will officially launch its operations on April 1, 2014. This new bilingual organization is a result of years of discussion between the Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) and the Conseil canadien de la coopération et de la mutualité (CCCM) as to how to bring together Canada's English and French-speaking co-operators. CCCM ended its program activities at the end of 2013 but CCA will continue to exist to carry out international co-operative development programming.
CED Tool: Revitalizing Rural Economies: A Guide for Practitioners
Designed as a practical guide,
Revitalizing Rural Economies serves as a primer to CED, while also allowing those familiar with the field to delve deeper. This book provides ideas and resources to foster the long-term resilience of rural regions at a time when rural communities in Canada are facing a new reality where traditional economic bases such as agriculture, forestry, and manufacturing have eroded.
A Little Bird Told Us: Top Tweets of the Month
Here is a brief sampling of some of our most popular tweets from the past 30 days.
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