Preconference Workshop
May 2, 2017 
9:00am - 6:00pm

Business retention and expansion is an ongoing process, not a one time effort. Long-term success often depends on the capacity to build strong relationships and networks. It requires commitment to continuously find solutions to address identified challenges. This workshop will provide participants with the skills and tools to lead their community and local stakeholders through a process of designing a BRE approach to suit the needs of your local business community and economy. 

Register for the Preconference Workshop

Conference
May 3 and 4, 2017

Conference Sessions

Register for the 2017 Creating Intersections for Growth Conference

Early Registration Discounts end March 24, 2017

Download the Preliminary Program

1:30pm - 2:45pm Eastern Time

Building affordable housing that promotes sustainable practices for the built environment is a goal of many towns and cities across Canada – particularly in emphasizing a focus on fostering community, business investment, jobs and smart growth.

But is it realistic, one might ask, to expect local governments and non-profits to attain such goals through the use of local planning practices and partnerships alone? We say, yes it is!

Hear from The Sustainable Communities’ partnership of the Government of New Brunswick and the Harbourside Cohousing seniors project in British Columbia who are each making sustainable, affordable community integrative design work.

Register for Building Sustainable Communities

The Sustainable Communities’ partnership of New Brunswick has developed a truly integrated planning approach called ‘Building Sustainable Communities with Design’ (or SCD Approach).  It provides community leaders with information on how:

• they are performing regarding fiscal impacts and density promoted;
• they can position themselves at the world level to attract investments and knowledge workers, and;
• to build to respond to climate change issues and implement sustainable building practices when developing communities.

Harbourside Cohousing is also showing that building sustainable development is possible today, and has responded to the needs of an aging population in creating their ‘Senior Cohousing’ project in Sooke (BC). The project will showcase how it came to fruition through collaboration with future residents on a shared commitment to a:

• ‘Built Green Canada Gold’ standard of sustainability and energy efficiency by design that promotes healthy aging in place;
• collaboration with the architect and cohousing project manager to create a built form that nurtures an innovative culture with connections to broader society, while enhancing use of green space, and;
•  offers affordable strata-titled housing in a supportive environment for aging residents to thrive.  

Join this interactive webinar to learn more about alternative development models, concepts and principles around the SCD Approach, response to seniors’ cohousing projects, and examples of implementation.

Speakers:

Margaret Critchlow, Director, Canadian Senior Cohousing Society & founding member, Harbourside Cohousing (BC)

Daniel Savard, Planner & Member, Sustainable Communities Partnership, Department of Environment & Local Government, Government of New Brunswick (NB)

SOURCE: Canadian Housing and Renewal Association (CHRA)

2pm to 3pm Eastern Time

Presently, 36 million independent workers in the United States work outside the traditional employer-employee model. By 2020 this number is projected to swell to between 50 and 75 million.

This Stanford Social Innovation Review (SSIR) webinar, The Gig Economy, will explore the following: 

• Map the current and emerging landscape of independent work
• Identify the most promising and troubling elements of independent work
• Generate ideas on what could make independent work more stable and sustainable for workers, especially vulnerable and/or lower skilled workers
• Highlight promising innovations that are already underway and might be ripe for scaling
• Share strategies for supporting independent workers and dig into some of the most promising innovations

Register for The Gig Economy webinar

This webinar is highly relevant for social entrepreneurs, researchers, philanthropists, policy makers, leaders of private and public businesses, and, of course, independent workers themselves. It is inspired by SSIR's article, "The Freedom, Insecurity, and Future of Independent Work" and brought to you in conjunction with The Bridgespan Group. 

Thanks to the generosity of The Rockefeller Foundation, this webinar is complimentary. Registration to this webinar will include access to the live webinar, unlimited access to the webinar as many times as you’d like for twelve months at your convenience, and downloadable slides. 

12:00pm Eastern Time

How can worker co-operatives be equals in their decision-making without sacrificing effectiveness? Blue Scorcher Bakery has been organizing themselves using sociocracy with great success, and will share their experiences in this webinar. Diane from NCDC is on their board (top circle) and will be available as well.

Interviews with

• Joe from Blue Scorcher Bakery, Astoria, Oregon
• Diane Gasaway, Northwest Cooperative Development Center

See a case study on their implementation here.

You will receive a zoom link within 24h after registration.
($5 recommended donation)

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

How to enable individual investment in community economic development is a fundamental question for those working to support the creation and growth of initiatives with social impact. Since 1999, Nova Scotia has used the model of Community Economic Development Investment Funds (CEDIFs), capital pooled from contributions by individuals, corporations and trusts within a defined community and used to fund business development within the defined community.

New Brunswick is the latest province to implement legislation to enable community investment through Community Economic Development Corporations (CEDCs). Individuals will now be able to purchase shares or securities in CEDCs in their local community to pool their resources together to invest in eligible community projects. CEDCs will be controlled by a local group of officers and directors.

Learn about what's unique about the New Brunswick model for community investment, key lessons learned in establishing the CEDC legislation, and more!

PRESENTER

Jeff Harriman, Senior Analyst-Capital Markets, Financial and Consumer Service Commission (FCNB)

Jeff is a Chartered Accountant, and is the FCNB’s main point of contact for our Fullsail capital markets initiatives. Currently he is working on a number of programs and initiatives relating to FCNB’s access to capital focus. Jeff joined the FCNB in June, 2007 in the Regulatory Affairs division as a Securities Analyst where his responsibilities included financial statement, and prospectus reviews. He has experience on several National Finance Committees. Prior to joining the Commission Jeff worked for 10 years with Deloitte & Touche, LLP, 7 within Saint John and 3 in Brisbane, Australia.

HOST

Wendy Keats, Executive Director of the Co-operative Enterprise Council of New Brunswick and CCEDNet Board Member

Wendy Keats is a co-founder and the Executive Director of the Co-operative Enterprise Council of New Brunswick, a leading CED agency in the province. Prior to this, she spent 18 years as a private CED consultant and trainer working with nearly 200 community groups in organizational development, strategic planning, governance, project management, and many other development areas. Wendy is a certified mediator and served as a senior faculty member of UPEI’s Centre for Conflict Studies for more than a decade.  She provides training and mediation services to all levels of government, business and the community. Wendy sits on numerous boards and committees related to CED and has a special passion for youth engagement and renewable energy.  She lives completely off-the-grid in the woods of Salisbury, tending her gardens and relaxing on the river whenever the hectic world of CED allows it.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• New Brunswick Announces Draft Regulations for Community Economic Development Investment Funds
• New Brunswick Publishes Regulations Creating CED Corporations
• Community Economic Development Investment Funds: The Nova Scotia Experience
• CEDC Expression of Interest Form
• Offering Document for CEDCs