Social Enterprise in Ontario

Research on the Size, Scope and Socioeconomic Impact of Nonprofit Social Enterprise

Overview:

This session previewed the key findings from the 2012 Social Enterprise Survey for Ontario. As the first research of its kind in the province, this webinar offered significant insights into the burgeoning trend of social enterprise within Ontario’s nonprofit and charitable sector. The report will not be fully released until September, but this sneak peak shared some of the most relevant results.
Practitioners, policymakers, and enthusiasts from across civic, public, and private sectors took part in the webinar.

Background:

This survey is the first in Ontario to focus exclusively on the subject of social enterprise and provides a snapshot of the size, scope, and impact of the sector while establishing baseline data to track developments over time. The model for this study is based on the work of the British Columbia and Alberta Social Economy Research Alliance’s (BALTA) social enterprise research, which began in 2009. Similar surveys have been conducted in Manitoba, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, while British Columbia and Alberta have been surveyed twice in the past 5 years. All of these reports contribute to a better understanding of a national entrepreneurial movement within the nonprofit sector.

The launch of the full report took place as part of the Ontario Nonprofit Network's conference from September 19 - 20, 2013.

Presenters:

Paul Chamberlain, Ontario Director, Canadian CED Network
Paul has been focused on community economic development throughout his career and brings his passion and experience to the development of the Ontario CED Network and to the Ontario Social Economy Roundtable.

Joanna Flatt, Consultant, The Next Practice
Joanna works for The Next Practice, an innovation consultancy that supports its clients to develop viable commercial and investment opportunities that simultaneously address social and environmental challenges.

Kate Daly, Research and Development Coordinator for Social Enterprises, Canadian CED Network
Kate works to promote a better understanding of the world of social enterprise and advocates for policies supporting these initiatives within Ontario’s nonprofit sector.

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Additional Resources

• Reports from the B.C.-Alberta Social Economy Research Alliance (BALTA) such as the Survey of Social Enterprises in Alberta and British Columbia