The way people and organizations invest is changing fast. New financial technologies are simplifying investing and giving individuals greater control over their money. At the same time, a new kind of activist investor is emerging. These demand investments that drive social progress or accelerate the shift to a clean economy – while still creating a profit.

What do these financial shifts mean for investors? How can social entrepreneurs and clean technology companies capitalize on them? And will they create a fairer and greener economy?

The Social Finance Forum is the place to find out.

Now in its 10th year, the Forum, organized by MaRS Centre for Impact Investing, is Canada’s leading gathering of impact investors, social entrepreneurs and social finance professionals.

Register for the Social Finance Forum 2017

Organized by the MaRS Centre for Impact Investing, it is the largest gathering of social entrepreneurs, social finance professionals and impact investors in Canada. Hear from more than 40 experts on where the social finance market is headed – and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Explore the latest innovations, ideas and investment opportunities from Canada’s social ventures at pitch sessions and showcases. And connect with more than 400 like-minded professionals who believe in the power of business to shape a better future.

Featured Speaker: James Lee Sorenson, Chairman, Board of Directors, Sorenson Impact Foundation

Queen's University

The Social Impact Summit is an engaging and inspiring conference program that brings together leading academics and practitioners to expose delegates to a variety of issues and topics in the area of Social Impact and Responsible Leadership. This two-day Summit is a mixture of keynote speakers, panel discussions, skill building workshops and networking opportunities designed to educate and inspire delegates to be impactful and responsible leaders both in their careers and in their local communities.

Register for the Social Impact Summit

Summit Events

The Summit offers a variety of learning and networking activities, including:

• Inspiring opening keynote address and networking reception
• Stimulating and interactive plenary and small group discussions with thought leaders and practitioners
• Skill building workshops to help delegates develop concrete skills in key areas
• Field to Fork Luncheon, featuring locally produced, seasonal foods
• "Pause" event speaker – to encourage people to take time to think 'outside the box' and reflect on issues impacting their communities

Exceptional Speakers

The Summit brings together numerous high-calibre speakers to share their stories, experience and advice with students. View Past Speakers

10:00am - 4:00pm
All Saints Anglican Church
330 City Hall Sq

As part of Mayworks 2017, the Windsor Workers' Education Centre, in collaboration with the Ontario Co-operative Association, will host a day long forum with morning and afternoon sessions to discuss the potential of "Building a Co-operative Culture in Windsor." The forum will bring together members of the academic, service and labour communities to learn about co-operatives and discuss how the model, and more specifically Worker Co-ops, could serve business and social development in Windsor.

Register for Building a Co-operative Culture in Windsor

Speakers include:

• Paul Chislett of the WWEC;
• Paul Roberts of the Ontario Co-operative Association;
• Steve Green of the Border City Urban Farms Co-op; and
• Jeff Pastorius of Local Organic Food Co-ops (LOFC) and the Forest City Worker Co-op.

​12:00pm Eastern Time

Social purchasing is becoming a key part of the social enterprise ecosystem. Learn more about a new report published by the Carleton Centre for Community Innovation, "Social Value Procurement Measurement and Evaluation" in an upcoming webinar on Social Value Purchasing and SVP Measurement.

Register for the webinar by emailing genevieve.harrison at carleton.ca

Speakers

Tessa Hebb, Carleton Centre for Community Innovation (3ci)

David King, Social Impact Advisor, Housing Association Charitable Trust (HACT), UK, noted expert in wellbeing valuation.

Most public contracting authorities agree with the benefits of integrating social value considerations into their procurement processes to generate positive social, economic and environmental impacts for communities. However, few contracting authorities engage in measuring and evaluating the outcomes and impacts of their SVP policies and programs.

This research by Dr. Tessa Hebb and Dr. Heather Hachigian finds that barriers to measuring and evaluating SVP relate to two themes: resource challenges and interpretation challenges.

Read the Social Value Procurement Measurement and Evaluation report

8:30am - 4:30pm
The Learning Enrichment Foundation, 116 Industry Street
$95 (includes breakfast, lunch and afternoon snacks)

Register for Champions for a New Economy by May 12

The world seems to be sliding towards a “new normal” of precarious work, stagnant wages, and a growing gap between the rich and poor. Climate change and its negative impact is taking a foothold in urban and rural communities, and the necessities of life, such as energy, food and land, are increasingly falling into the hands of large corporate interests.

However, there are growing examples of different ways of doing things and building upon these foundations. In Canada and globally, innovations and new economic models are taking a foothold, moving from experimentation into practice to challenge the mainstream narrative. Uniting civil society in a vision of an economy that includes everyone will enable us to work collectively on root causes and create viable alternatives.

In Ontario, the nonprofit sector is already helping to fuel this movement.

Be part of the action for change! Find out how your work contributes to economies, practices and policies that put people and communities first.

Join us for an interactive day of reflection, learning and action as we explore these themes and uncover exciting examples of what organizations and groups are doing now and how we can work together to build up a new economy in Ontario.

The event is hosted by the Learning Enrichment Foundation, in partnership with the Ontario Nonprofit Network and Ontario Network of Employment Skills Training Projects (ONESTEP).

Register for Champions for a New Economy by May 12

*Spots are limited

Speakers and Panelists

Keynote speaker: Mike Lewis

Mike is well known in Canada and internationally as a practitioner, author, educator, and leader in the field of Canadian economic development (CED) and the social economy. His experience cuts across the full range of functions connected to community renewal and development. He has built and advised a wide range of businesses, organizations and governments all over Canada and internationally as well. An innovator, activist and thinker with a penchant for linking practice with policy and the micro and macro, Mike’s leadership in Canadian Centre for Community Renewal and elsewhere continues to help us connect the dots and stay ahead of the curve.

Special guest: Nancy Neamtan

Nancy is the former President and Executive Director of the Chantier de l’économie sociale, a non-profit organization representing networks of social enterprises (cooperatives and non-profits), local development organizations and social movements. Ms Neamtan was the founder (1997) and President of RISQ (Réseau d’investissement social du Québec), an investment fund dedicated to the non-profit and cooperative sector. Since November 2006, she has been President of the Fiducie du Chantier de l’économie sociale, an investment fund for collective enterprises. Nancy is recognised internationally as an expert on the social solidarity economy, working in collaboration with international organizations such as the International Labour Organization.

Local Toronto leaders

Victor Willis

Victor has worked for the past 25 years in a number of community agencies. Since 1999, he has served as the Executive Director of Parkdale Activity-Recreation Centre (PARC). PARC is a valuable community resource whose purpose is reflected in its mission: “A community where people rebuild their lives.” During his tenure as the Executive Director of PARC, he has lead significant growth at this organization including the development of an innovative new supportive housing facility

Sabina Ali

Sabina is the chair and one of the founding members of Thorncliffe Park Women’s Committee. She is engaged in empowering and building the capacity of residents, especially women and connecting the community with the rest of Toronto. She works to strengthen women’s economic prosperity by providing them with the opportunity to develop their entrepreneurial and business skills in a nurturing, engaging and caring environment. In 2014, the Globe and Mail named her one of “Ten Torontonians Who Got Things Done in 2014”. She has received the Jane Jacobs Prize, which is awarded to Torontonians who embody a passion for city building. She is a member of the Toronto Food Policy Council.

Agenda

Optional reading for background and to set the stage for inspired discussion:

• Navigating System Transition in a Volatile Century by Mike Lewis
• What Quebec Can Teach Us About Creating a More Equitable Economy by Jay Walljasper

5:00pm to 7:00pm
Main Legislative Building, Queen's Park
Committee Rooms #228 & 230

On Co-op (the Ontario Co-operative Association), in partnership with le Conseil de la coopération de l'Ontario (CCO), will be hosting a strategic Lobby Day, followed by an evening reception at Queen’s Park, on Wednesday, May 10, 2017.

Register for the Queen's Park Cooperative Reception

As a riding representative, you will have the opportunity to meet and mingle with Ministers, MPPs, government staffers and fellow co-operators! A light offering of food and beverage will be provided.

For those who would like to participate and are not as familiar with the co-op advocacy process, we will be hosting a short “Co-ops Advocacy 101” session immediately prior to the Reception for all our attendees. Please come early and join them at 4:30pm in the Basement Cafeteria of the Main Legislative Building for this session! Separate registration for this is not required.

Objective: To provide the co-operative sector with the opportunity to inform Ministers and MPPs about the social and economic benefits that co-operatives bring to our communities and the province, as well as the legislative barriers which prevent co-operatives from thriving. On Co-op has outlined the three key co-op sector recommendations, which are available on their website. 

IMPORTANT: THIS EVENT IS BY INVITE ONLY AND YOU MUST PRE-REGISTER TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE LEGISLATIVE BUILDINGS.