Table Of ContentCanadian Public Policy
and the
Social Economy
Canadian Public Policy and the Social Economy
Edited by
Rupert Downing
© 2012 University of Victoria
© 2012 University of Victoria
The moral rights of the authors are asserted.
Published by University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Road, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2
ISBN 978-1-55058-453-0 (print)
ISBN 978-1-55058-454-7 (PDF)
ISBN 978-1-55058-455-4 (epub)
Printed and bound in Canada by University of Victoria
Book design by Linda D. Flath
Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Canadian public policy and the social economy / edited by Rupert Downing
Includes bibliographical references.
Issued also in electronic format.
ISBN 978-1-55058-453-0
1. Economics--Canada--Sociological aspects. 2. Political planning--Canada. 3. Social capital
(Sociology)--Government policy--Canada. I. Downing, Rupert
HM548.C36 2012 306.30971 C2012-900369-7
Research for this book was funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research
Council of Canada and the University of Victoria.
Canadian Social Economy Hub
http://www.socialeconomyhub.ca
This publication is licensed under a Creative Commons License, Attribution-Noncom-
mercial-No Derivative 3.0 Unported Canada: see www.creativecommons.org. The
text may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes, provided that credit is given to
the original author(s).
To obtain permission for uses beyond those outlined in the Creative Commons
license, please contact Copyright Office, University of Victoria at [email protected]
Table of Contents
viii Acknowledgements
ix Introduction
Chapter One
13 ADVANCING THE SOCIAL ECONOMY FOR SOCIO-ECONOMIC
DEVELOP MENT: INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES
Crystal Tremblay
Chapter Two
61 PUBLIC POLICY TRENDS AND INSTRUMENTS SUPPORTING THE SOCIAL
ECONOMY: INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCES
Crystal Tremblay
Chapter Three
111 PUBLIC POLICY FOR THE SOCIAL ECONOMY: BUILDING A PEOPLE-CENTRED
ECONOMY IN CANADA
Sarah Amyot, Rupert Downing, and Crystal Tremblay
Chapter Four
155 GOVERNANCE AND MOVEMENT BUILDING FOR THE SOCIAL ECONOMY
IN CANADA
Rupert Downing and Alexandre Charron
Chapter Five
197 FINANCING SOCIAL ECONOMY ORGANIZATIONS
George Karaphillis, Seth Asimakos, and Stephen Moore
Chapter Six
217 PROCUREMENT AND A PEOPLE’S CENTRED ECONOMY
J.J.McMurtry and Darryl Reed
Chapter Seven
229 SOCIAL ECONOMY IN THE CO-CONTRUCTION OF PUBLIC POLICY
DEVELOPMENT
Yves Vaillancourt
v
Chapter Eight
263 LOOKING FOR THE ‘POLICY WINDOW’: THE SOCIAL ECONOMY AND
PUBLIC POLICY AGENDA IN ATLANTIC CANADA
Jan Myers and Martha MacDonald
Chapter Nine
283 BUILDING A FEDERAL POLICY FRAMEWORK AND PROGRAM IN SUPPORT
OF COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Kirsten Bernas and Brendan Reimer
Chapter Ten
329 CONVERGING AGENDAS FOR THE SOCIAL ECONOMY AND SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
Rupert Downing, Rachelle McElroy, Crystal Tremblay, and Sarah Amyot
APPENDIX I
375 Storytellers’ Foundation and The Learning Shop
APPENDIX II
380 Momentum
APPENDIX III
385 Ontario Sustainable Energy Association
APPENDIX IV
392 Toronto Renewabl Energy Co-ooperative (TREC)
APPENDIX V
399 Diversity Foods
APPENDIX VI
404 The Edmonton Social Enterprise Fund
APPENDIX VII
411 Ecotrust Canada
APPENDIX VIII
419 The David Suzuki Foundation (DSF)
vi
LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES
19 Figure 1.1. The Social Economy Quadrilateral
21 Figure 1.2. The Social Economy and Civil Society
26 Figure 1.3. Civil Society Organization Employment
333 Figure 10.1 Three Pillars of Sustainability: Economic Limits
334 Figure 10.2. Three Pillars of Sustainablilty: Environmental Limits
342 Figure 10.3. Sustainable Development and Social Economy Intersecting
Approaches
354 Figure 10.4. Integrated Approach
393 Figure 10.5. The Exhibition Place Turbine in Toronto
399 Figure 10.6. Staff at Diversity Foods
394 Table 10.1. Description of Projects by the Toronto Energy Co-operative
vii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This book has been produced by the Canadian Social Economy Research Hub to
promote some of the key outcomes of a six-year research partnership on the social
economy in Canada and the world. Funded by the Social Science and Humanities
Research Council, the program involved six regional research centres and one
national hub. Each of these were structured as community university research
alliances to maximize academic and research excellence, student learning, community
and practitioner involvement.
The articles chosen from across the 300 plus research partners reflect a
common interest in the public policy implications of the social economy as a unified
sector of social and economic life, contributing to outcomes in social and economic
development, environmental sustainability, and democratic governance.
We wish to acknowledge the funding support of the Social Science and
Humanities Research Council and the commitment of students and staff at the
Social Economy Research Hub co-directed by the Canadian Community Economic
Development Network (CCEDNet) and the University of Victoria. Rupert Downing
and Ian MacPherson Co-Directors from those two organizations helped shape and
propel this book. Mike Toye, Executive Director of CCEDNet managed its creation.
Matthew Thompson, Rachelle McElroy, and Ashley MacQuarrie-Hamilton edited and
constructed it. The multiple authors created the knowledge that we are now sharing
with you and we are indebted to your efforts to inform our horizons in creating and
strengthening the social economy as an integral and vital part of Canada’s society.
Special thanks as well to Dr. J. Howard Brunt,Vice-President Research at the
University of Victoria who provided ongoing support throughout the six-year funding
of the Canadian Social Economy Hub.
viii
INTRODUCTION
This publication of the Social Economy Research Hub brings together a sample of
papers that address a common theme: What significance does the social economy have
as a concept and vehicle for addressing social, economic and environmental policy
issues in Canada?
The publication has been compiled as an "e-book" to make the material as
accessible as possible to students, researchers, practitioners, policy makers and other
stakeholders. It is published with the support of the Social Science and Humanities
Research Council who funded the national social economy research program from
2004 to 2011.
That program involved six regional research centres and one national
centre, each one of them constructed as community university research alliances
involving students and university-based researchers, together with representatives
of practitioner or community organizations. In this way the research program
deliberately set out to increase knowledge and capacity amongst both post secondary
institutions and community organizations and stakeholders involved in the actual
production of the social economy.
The outcomes of this research program are impressive. Over 350 researchers
have been involved from both university and community settings. A Student Network
has held several knowledge mobilization events at the national level. A series of
scholarships have been provided for students to further research in key subject areas.
A very large list of published research has been produced including several books now
available for teaching, knowledge mobilization and the application of lessons learned
to practice in the social economy. National and regional forums and conferences have
provided ongoing opportunities for knowledge mobilization, together with tele-
learning programs, websites, newsletters and profiles.
All of this work has made a major contribution to our understanding of the
importance and relevance of the social economy in Canada. Our colleagues have
looked into: the role of the social economy in addressing poverty and homelessness;
the role of cooperatives and social enterprises in the delivery of goods and services
that make a social and economic contribution to communities; new forms of
production and retailing in the social economy to contribute to sustainable food and
agriculture; the social economy’s value in First Nations and Aboriginal communities;
the role of social financing to capitalize assets for community development. This is just
to name a few of the thematics that have been involved.
ix
