6:30pm to 9:30pm EST
YWCA - 87 Elm Street

When it comes to maximizing the economic benefits and public support for clean energy sources like wind and solar, community participation and ownership matters. Ontario has become a leader in community power, and is reaping many benefits for everyday Ontarians.

The Power of Community, a new report by TREC and FCPC, quantifies those benefits for Ontarians for the first time, demonstrating how community-ownership of renewable energy can generate twice as many jobs, result in $2 of economic opportunity for every $1 spent, and increase public support for renewables, by creating local investment opportunities for everyday people. 

Here's your chance to hear from environmental and community power leaders about how connecting people through community-owned green power projects will help Ontario and other jurisdictions meet their clean energy targets, on the path to a 100% renewable energy future. 

Register for The Power of Community

Join us for a keynote address by Dr. Dianne Saxe, Environmental Commissioner of Ontario, for an overview of the state of Ontario’s energy sector, and how everyday citizens can get involved in environmental issues affecting their communities.

Dr. Judith Lipp, Research Director at TREC, will present the highlights of the Power of Community report.

David Cork, TREC’s Managing Director and Gideon Forman from the David Suzuki Foundation will wrap up with a presentation on Ontario's Long Term Energy Planning process and will show you how to make your opinions count.

Local renewable energy co-ops and environmental organizations will also be onsite to provide information on their projects and opportunities to get involved in the community advantage first-hand.

Light refreshments will be served.

Unemployment on First Nations and in inner city neighbourhoods? Climate change? Exponential diabetes rates? Unaffordable government? High incarceration rates? There are no shortage of chronic and insatiable societal problems.

Shaun Loney's An Army of Problem Solvers offers good news at a time when we need it most. Loney draws on his experience as one of Canada's leading social enterprise developers and his time as a senior civil servant to offer up a new and practical vision.

The problem isn't the problems, he says. The problem is that governments prevent problem solvers from doing their job.

Just who are the problem solvers? Loney makes the case that social enterprises, social entrepreneurs and the small farm movement comprise the "solutions economy". Governments will soon understand that it is their job to "make it easy for problem solvers."

The book comes at a time when Canada is discussing what reconciliation between Indigenous Canadians and the rest of the country means. Loney argues that we can’t achieve it without allowing the re-emergence of local economies. An Army of Problems Solvers answers the question: "what does nation-to-nation mean?"

Watch the webinar to learn more about Shaun Loney's new book An Army of Problem Solvers and learn how you can join ranks!

PRESENTER

Shaun Loney, author and social enterprise developer

Shaun is a longtime member of the Canadian CED Network, an Ashoka Fellow (first in Canadian Prairies) and an Ernst and Young's Entrepreneur of the Year (2014). He has co-founded and mentored 11 social enterprises including BUILD Inc (2011 Scotia Bank EcoLiving Green Business of the year and 2013 Manitoba Apprenticeship Employer of the Year). Shaun was Director of Energy Policy for the Government of Manitoba (2002-2008 and political advisor to Gary Doer's NDP (1997-2002). Shaun lives in Winnipeg, with his partner Fiona. Between them they have three teenage boys. Shaun is proud to be part of a strong and visionary social enterprise team that is flourishing across the country.  An Army of Problem Solvers is Shaun’s second book, following BUILD Prosperity: Energizing Manitoba’s Local Economy.

HOST

Darcy Penner, Social Enterprise Policy Manager with the Canadian CED Network

Darcy has been working in community economic development since graduating from the University of Winnipeg with a BA (Honours) degree in Politics. Starting at CCEDNet in 2013, his role has seen him work with member-organizations to pursue a broad policy agenda through workshops, presentations, budget submissions, policy papers and community-organizing, while specializing in supportive social enterprise policy and research – including being the Project Manager for the Manitoba Social Enterprise Strategy being co-produced with the Province of Manitoba, and coordinating the Manitoba Social Enterprise Sector Survey. 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• An Army of Problem Solvers
• BUILD Prosperity: Energizing Manitoba’s Local Economy
• Social Enterprise and the Solutions Economy: A Toolkit for Manitoba First Nations
• Interview with Shaun Loney on CBC's The Current

2:00pm to 4:00pm
location to be determined

The Mixed Capital Opportunities Fund (Mixed Cap) will support the expansion of early stage, high growth non-profit social enterprises by providing a hybrid form of capital, comprised of a combined loan (50%) and grant (50%). This innovative collaboration between the Toronto Enterprise Fund (TEF) and Alterna Savings will make debt financing more accessible to social enterprises. Mixed Cap is funded by the Province of Ontario and United Way Toronto (through a gift from the Polar Foundation), with all loan financing coming from Alterna Savings.

Are you an established Social Enterprise with a new business opportunity or plans for expansion?

Then TEF has a great financing option to fund your idea. The Mixed Cap aims to support Social Enterprises that are using innovative approaches to address social, environmental, economic or cultural changes.

Register for Leverage Grants to Build Your Non-Profit Social Enterprise!

Features:

• Enterprises will be able to apply for between $10,000 and $30,000 in total investment (split equally between a loan and a grant).
• In exceptional cases, up to $50,000 may be approved; security/collateral may be required in these instances.
• The loan portion will be in the form of Term Loans and or Lines of Credit (LOC must be secured) and competitive interest rates will be set according to Alterna’s lending policies.

Selection Criteria:

• The identification of a solid business opportunity. If the ask is for staffing up, stocking up or purchasing capital equipment, then it has to be directly related to the business opportunity.
• Be owned and operated by incorporated non-profit organizations.
• Located and operating in the Greater Toronto-Hamilton area.
• Demonstrate job creation potential, particularly for minorities & disadvantaged groups.

Application Process:

• Attend a training/information workshop. The workshops are mandatory and they will be held once every two months. See below for upcoming dates and link to registration. 
• Read through the checklist and submit all necessary documents. A complete application should include:
  • Checklist
  • Mixed Capital Opportunities fund application form (please attach as the first 2 pages of your business plan)
  • Business plan
  • Alterna business loan application
  • Board resolution letter
  • Consent form
  • 24 month cash flow
  • Other Documents (refer to checklist) 
• A review committee will first approve the application and it will then proceed through Alterna’s standard loan approval process.
• Once an application is submitted, the final decision will be given in 4 weeks from the due date (assuming all necessary documents are provided and no further clarifications are required from the applicant)

Application due dates are quarterly; the next one will be in November/December. Please check back soon for the exact date.

For further information, please contact Alexis at alexis at kanespeer.com

4:00pm to 6:00pm
United Way Toronto & York Region
26 Wellington Street East

The Mixed Capital Opportunities Fund (Mixed Cap) will support the expansion of early stage, high growth non-profit social enterprises by providing a hybrid form of capital, comprised of a combined loan (50%) and grant (50%). This innovative collaboration between the Toronto Enterprise Fund (TEF) and Alterna Savings will make debt financing more accessible to social enterprises. Mixed Cap is funded by the Province of Ontario and United Way Toronto (through a gift from the Polar Foundation), with all loan financing coming from Alterna Savings.

Are you an established Social Enterprise with a new business opportunity or plans for expansion?

Then TEF has a great financing option to fund your idea. The Mixed Cap aims to support Social Enterprises that are using innovative approaches to address social, environmental, economic or cultural changes.

Register for Leverage Grants to Build Your Non-Profit Social Enterprise!

Features:

• Enterprises will be able to apply for between $10,000 and $30,000 in total investment (split equally between a loan and a grant).
• In exceptional cases, up to $50,000 may be approved; security/collateral may be required in these instances.
• The loan portion will be in the form ofTerm Loans and or Lines of Credit (LOC must be secured) and competitive interest rates will be set according to Alterna's lending policies.

Selection Criteria:

• The identification of a solid business opportunity. If the ask is for staffing up, stocking up or purchasing capital equipment, then it has to be directly related to the business opportunity.
• Beowned and operated by incorporated non-profit organizations.
• Located and operating in the Greater Toronto-Hamilton area.
• Demonstrate job creation potential, particularly for minorities & disadvantaged groups.

Application Process:

• Attend a training/information workshop. The workshops are mandatory and they will be held once every two months. See below for upcoming dates and link to registration.
• Read through the checklist and submit all necessary documents. Acomplete application should include:
  • Checklist
  • Mixed Capital Opportunities fund application form (please attach as the first 2 pages of your business plan)
  • Business plan
  • Alterna business loan application
  • Board resolution letter
  • Consent form
  • 24 month cash flow
  • Other Documents (refer to checklist) 
• A review committee will first approve the application and it will then proceed through Alterna's standard loan approval process.
• Once an application is submitted, the final decision will be given in 4 weeks from the due date (assuming all necessary documents are provided and no further clarifications are required from the applicant)

Application due dates are quarterly; the next one will be in November/December. Please check back soon for the exact date.

Next Workshops: Tuesday, January 17, 2017, 2:00-4:00 pm, location tbd, likely outside the downtown core

For further information, please contact Alexis at alexis at kanespeer.com