Social Innovation & Social Finance Strategy

Consultation has concluded

The Social Innovation and Social Finance Strategy Co-Creation Steering Group of experts and leading social innovators, with the Government of Canada, is co-creating a strategy to improve and strengthen our communities and regions through social innovation and social finance.

To better inform the development of the Strategy, the Steering Group has launched an online consultation to hear about new and innovative ideas in communities and regions across Canada.

We want to enable and support communities and organizations to advance new and innovative approaches to persistent social problems.

The overall goal is to improve the lives of the most vulnerable Canadians, and help our communities and regions thrive and flourish in an inclusive and sustainable way. This means helping all Canadians access good jobs and homes, healthy food and strong social connections.

If you’re interested in learning more about this engagement, we invite you to read the Consultation Document.

We invite you to provide a written or visual submission of your ideas by email, using following email address: social_innovation_sociale@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca.


The Social Innovation and Social Finance Strategy Co-Creation Steering Group of experts and leading social innovators, with the Government of Canada, is co-creating a strategy to improve and strengthen our communities and regions through social innovation and social finance.

To better inform the development of the Strategy, the Steering Group has launched an online consultation to hear about new and innovative ideas in communities and regions across Canada.

We want to enable and support communities and organizations to advance new and innovative approaches to persistent social problems.

The overall goal is to improve the lives of the most vulnerable Canadians, and help our communities and regions thrive and flourish in an inclusive and sustainable way. This means helping all Canadians access good jobs and homes, healthy food and strong social connections.

If you’re interested in learning more about this engagement, we invite you to read the Consultation Document.

We invite you to provide a written or visual submission of your ideas by email, using following email address: social_innovation_sociale@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca.


Tell your story

To help shape our strategy, we want to hear your stories about innovative practices taking place in communities and regions across Canada.

Have you seen or done something new, innovative or creative in your community or workplace to address a social problem? Have you seen any improvements that you think are worth sharing?

Share yours!

                          

Please avoid using peoples’ names and the names of other organizations, in order to respect federal privacy laws. In these cases, please use more general names such as “my boss,” “our local food bank,” “our school” and so on.

We encourage you to submit a document, photo or video, to share your ideas, success stories or anything else you feel might be helpful.

Selected stories may be posted on this site, or used in other Government of Canada communications activities.

CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.

  • Using applied theatre to address social challenges

    by Elizabeth Copeland, over 6 years ago
    We have used the model of applied theatre with great success with a variety of demographics including:
    • Immigrant women
    • Psychiatric survivors
    • People marginalized by poverty
    • Survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence
    • Children with learning challenges
    • Youth who are dealing with bullying
    • Communities in crisis
    As an example: Working with a group of women who had recently immigrated to Canada (mostly from Africa), we used the tools of the performing arts (song, dance, drama, storytelling) to build confidence, resilience and strengthen interpersonal connections. The program ran for 12 weeks. The first four weeks were dedicated to discussion and creative play... Continue reading
  • Seniors and Youth Lunch

    by Molly , over 6 years ago

    Our Seniors and Youth Lunch program is an intergenerational cooking and eating program.  Older adults and youth come together to learn food skills together and from each other and they also eat the food they prepare.  In a further twist they have begun to also prepare baked goods for a local weekly bake sale to raise money for the Good Food organization that funds their program.  Although modest, raising the  funds seems to increase the perceived value to the work they do together. 

  • BCorp Working Together for More Inclusive Workplaces

    by mgifford, over 6 years ago

    OpenConcept is a Certified B Corporation (B Corp) and an Ottawa web development company. We work with Open Source tools like Drupal to build sites for our clients. We believe that we can work collectively to have a greater impact on our society.

    Earlier in the month at the B Corp Champion's Retreat in Toronto i sat in on many inspiring discussions about becoming a more inclusive workplace. Companies like Greyston (you've likely eaten their brownies without knowing it) have been working tirelessly to increase the employment opportunities for people who were previously unemployable. By having an an open hiring... Continue reading

  • Empowering people & strengthening our community - A look into Causeway

    by Causeway, over 6 years ago

    Causeway is a not-for-profit agency that helps people with mental health issues and other challenges find rewarding work and live more independently.

    Causeway transforms lives and fuels community economic development through an integrated network of innovative training and employment programs, one-on-one support, and by creating socially-minded businesses.

    Here are a few examples of the programs and services that Causeway offers to clients:

    Causeway's Entrepreneurial Program (CEO)

    Causeway’s CEO Program supports the dreams & aspirations of disabled entrepreneurs who want to start their own business while on ODSP.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cvdea_M_EzQ&t=62s

    Cycle Salvation

    Cycle Salvation is a social enterprise... Continue reading

  • Community Investment Co-ops

    by edenyesh, over 6 years ago

    Localizing Investments for Social and Impact Investing

    While the demand for investing locally is increasing, traditional investment options limit who and where we can invest in.  The result is that most investment capital leaves rural communities and is placed into far off stock markets and corporations.  In 2013, tax filers in rural British Columbia contributed $1.2 Billion new monies into their RRSP’s, much of that money leaving the Province and even Canada.  An unintended consequence is that our money is creating significant jobs and wealth elsewhere in the world, while leaving the places we live, work and play underfinanced.  Imagine... Continue reading

  • Kids are a very big part of the solution(s)

    by unicefcanada, over 6 years ago

    Along with our partners, UNICEF Canada has embarked on a 15-year change agenda to lift Canada up international league tables child well-being by 2030. If there is any wicked problem that deserves Canada’s social innovation talents, the lagging outcomes for children in a country with steady GDP growth is among the most significant. Our effort to change the persistent status quo is One Youth.

    There are three core pillars supporting this work: measuring well-being of children and youth with new and improved tools; influencing change by engaging Canadians and decision makers; and designing solutions with kids–especially those... Continue reading

  • Victoria Social Innovation Centre - a new model for Vancouver Island

    by David_VIRCS, over 6 years ago

    Surviving is important, thriving is essential.

    Most gardeners know that choosing the right pot size will determine how a plant succeeds. If you plan to grow a tree, and you want it to thrive, you'll need to create the optimal conditions and you'll need to plan for its growth. In the non-profit sector, when funders only allow for very small allowable administrative budgets, "finding the right pot" often means a "small pot" which undermines its long-term outcomes. If an agency doesn't have adequate space, it cannot propose for larger more efficient programmes. 

    As capital grants have become as rare as... Continue reading

  • Connecting health innovators with the support they need

    by Azimuth Health Group, over 6 years ago

    Many of us have creative ideas to improve health or healthcare. Large organizations often have dedicated staff to scan for opportunities to support innovation. Smaller social innovators rarely do. 

    Launched earlier this year, 3iOntario is designed to address this gap for health innovators and innovation champions in Ontario. From travel grants for patients and digital health hackathons to large research grant competitions and province-wide RFPs, we share a range of current opportunities each week. It's a free service provided by Ontario's health innovation brokers, supported by the Office of the Chief Health Innovation Strategist at the Ministry of Health... Continue reading

  • HireUp - Technology to Combat Youth Homelessness

    by milan, over 6 years ago

    As a recipient of the Canadian government's Innovative Solutions to Homelessness grant, on behalf of my co-founders, I wanted to briefly share an article written by our CEO about how it's helped our startup:

    https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/exciting-hireup-news-preston-aitken/?trackingId=qW2XAprd41ltg0B1bXSWIQ%3D%3D

    Despite the number of startups globally who are working on issues ranging from sustainability to poverty, social enterprise remains unknown territory for most investors and customers. Accordingly, there are unique challenges in raising money needed to do the prerequisite R&D, sales and marketing activities a startup must to breakthrough.

    That is why I can't express how grateful our team is for this program, and how... Continue reading

  • Community Visioning for Stronger Communities

    by Chutzpah, over 6 years ago

    Not long after I moved to my community, I was invited to be part of a new 'planning' process.  Halifax was looking to do community visioning process in a rural, suburban and urban communities.  My community of Musquodoboit Harbour was chosen as a rural pilot.  We spent over a year consulting with groups in the community, hosting community meetings and doing an online survey.  All with the support of city staff.  It was one of the most significant things I've ever experienced.  It made me feel connected and engaged and empowered in my community in a way I'd never been.

    ... Continue reading