2010 National Summit on a People-Centered Economy: Recommendations

1. Finance and Investment

Recommendation 1

Develop gender-responsive regulatory and tax measures to channel new capital into the community sector including tax incentives, demonstration funds and a hybrid legal structure

Recommendation 2

Build sector capacity through support for intermediaries and innovation funds

Recommendation 3

Fund and conduct research and advocacy that includes gender and diversity analysis, documents social and financial impacts, and identifies a sector profile.

2. Enterprise Development

Recommendation 1

Build stronger networks and collaboration between social enterprises

Because of its emphasis on collaboration instead of competition, one of the key strengths of the people-centred economy is its capacity to build networks on a local, national and international level. The Canadian Co-operative Association, the Chantier de l’économie sociale (Québec), the Conseil canadien de la coopération et de la mutualité and the Canadian CED Network are examples of the types of networks that have emerged to assure the recognition and representation of community and social economy enterprises. These Canadian networks are also linked to global networks that play an increasingly important role on the international scene.

Networks play a key role through the creation of common tools, mutual learning and negotiation of appropriate public policy. Networks are also the key tool that will allow individual enterprises to secure the access to the capital they need through developing sector  led initiatives as well as being able to develop partnership programs with government that will help develop new development funds.  Support and recognition of these networks is an important component for the strategic development of social enterprise.  Networks must be built on the principles of equity for all participants including gender, racial and equity for Aboriginal peoples.

Another way that social enterprise can be strengthened is through increased business-to-business activities within the sector.  The intensification of commercial exchanges between social enterprises represents an important potential for growth. New instruments based on the use of internet and purchasing portals to support increased business-to-business activities should become a priority for the sector over the coming years.

Recommendation 2

Developing a greater role for social enterprise in economic revitalization strategies and in all areas of government policy and programs

Federal, provincial and municipal policy and programs need to ensure a greater role for non-profit organizations, social enterprises and co-operatives in both today’s revitalization strategy as well as in all areas of government policy and programs. Mechanisms can be developed to include social enterprises and social economy organizations in all industrial development strategies. Social enterprises can play a crucial role in creating employment for residents of inner cities and rural areas, newcomers, persons with disabilities, Aboriginal peoples and other marginalized citizens.  Their role has to be expanded to tackle economic, social and environmental issues affecting all citizens.

Recommendation 3

Building partnerships with governments to ensure the development of a stronger people-centred economy sector

As we have noted in the previous section, we need to develop a partnership with governments at all levels to assure that social enterprises — including co-ops and non-profits — have access to government programs which can help develop the sector.  This includes programs which are specifically  targeted at social enterprises but also equal access to all programs which are now available to the investor –owned and public sectors. The social enterprise sector does not view partnerships as a one-way street. Rather, the sector is willing to invest its own resources in terms of money, time and energy to assure the success of this strategy.

RECOMMENDATION 4

Building public education public awareness of the people-centred economy and educating and training people to participate and work in the sector

Public awareness and education about co-operatives, social enterprises, and the social economy are crucial in securing social enterprises an effective role in our society.  This means education programs about the social economy in our school and college systems as well as public awareness campaigns. At the same time we need educational programs (such as management and governance) which train people to participate and work in people-centred economy organizations and enterprises. We need programs which will help build capacity for new and emerging social enterprises as well as projects which will communicate our strengths and our size and scope as well tell our success stories to the broadest public.

3. Local Revitalization

Recommendation 1

Promote the development of policies that create an enabling environment, including long-term financial and other support to local, community-based economic development initiatives

Community economic development (CED) is a long-term empowerment process that helps communities help themselves through an integrated approach to community revitalization, encompassing social, economic, cultural and environmental goals.  Because of the different needs and stages of development among communities, outcomes can take many forms, from initial community mobilization and planning, to major development and operating investments.  This requires multi-year funding that recognizes the long-term nature of CED.

Recommendation 2

Push for flexible financial and other support for organizations taking a CED approach and community capacity building

Taking an integrated approach to economic and social development, CED organizations patch together funding from a variety of sources.  What is required is a flexible funding model that leaves room for a variety of initiatives (training, housing, social development strategies, strategic planning, enterprise development, etc.) and recognizes that priorities may change from one community to the next and from one year to the next.

Recommendation 3

Improve access to current and reliable community-level data and support community capacity for analysis and evaluation

In order to better understand the challenges and opportunities faced by a community, as well as monitor the evolution of local conditions over time, access to local data and the capacity to analyze it is essential.  The Newfoundland and Labrador Community Accounts demonstrates a powerful model for integrating Statistics Canada data with provincial administrative information into a variety of jurisdictions.  Adapting and transferring this program to other provinces, as is currently being done in Nova Scotia, would lay the foundation for better evidence-based planning at the local level.

Recommendation 4

Strengthen holistic community engagement, organizational governance and public mobilization

One of the strengths of successful local revitalization efforts is often their ability to mobilize and sustain citizen participation.  Effective practices in governance models, stakeholder accountability and public engagement are needed to build public support for these approaches as well as improve and consolidate reporting mechanisms.  Governance models vary widely across the country, and more pro-active information sharing on what is working, what isn’t and why could help strengthen the citizen base of local revitalization practices.

Recommendation 5

Strengthen community voice to government

As a movement we should improve our effectiveness at conveying the benefits of policy and programmatic change by both expanding strengthening government relations efforts as well as mobilizing a stronger base of support within the movement and in the broader public.

4. Organizing the Social Economy Marketplace

Recommendation 1

Build the capacity of the social economy suppliers to meet growing opportunities

This can be achieved by enhancing business skills, supporting suppliers in scaling up for market, learning quality control concepts, providing access to appropriate capital investment, and supporting organizational capacity of social economy businesses to sustain their social value

Recommendation 2

Push for the creation of a policy environment that supports procurement policy and practice of purchasing from social economy businesses

Social Value ‘weighting’ in bid criteria and evaluation would be achieved through targeted purchasing, set aside purchasing, unbundling options of contracting, and recognising contracting to social economy enterprises.

Recommendation 3

Build new and enhance existing market and sales relationships with private and social sector purchasers

Supply chain opportunities need to be accessed, particularly as aligned with Corporate Social Responsibility.  Additionally, increased social economy organizational purchasing from social economy businesses is required.

Recommendation 4

Develop intermediary services to facilitate access to and increase in markets

Purchasing portals, brokering and collaborative services and centralized systems and other business-to-business relationship building services can be effective in achieve this as can the creation of networks and support services.  The procurement activity of government, private sector and non-profits has the potential to be a main driver and contributing factor to building a stronger and fairer society.

Recommendation 5

Promote Resource Sharing Systems

Create a regional, provincial, and national database of social economy focused purchasing policies and suppliers of goods. Develop and share toolkits and other resources.

Recommendation 6

Develop and Promote a Social Economy “MARK”

The “MARK” can be used in building awareness for general public, retail consumers and potential purchasers.

5. Strengthening the Movement for a People-Centred Economy

Recommendation 1

That the following guiding principles serve as the basis to strengthen the movement for a people-centred economy in Canada

  • Development as a Goal Instead of Growth
  • Economic Democracy and Participation
  • Build our Own Strength and Capacity
  • Doing Before Asking, Lead by Example
  • People Prevail Over Capital
  • Community Based Development and Empowerment
  • Social and Environmental Justice
  • Autonomy, independence from the State

Recommendation 2

Create a roundtable that incorporates national, provincial and local structures working on building a people-centred economy inclusive of practitioner, research, labour movement and civil society interests. This roundtable should:

  • Reach out to other sectors and movements;
  • Support the development of provincial and local movements reinforcing of one another;
  • Take an open and welcoming approach that builds inclusion, bridging between groups, and making ongoing use of an inclusion matrix/tool;
  • Use tools (e.g. web-based) for dialogue, information sharing, involvement. 

This roundtable would be committed to the declaration coming out of the Summit and could use social media and web based resources to engage its member networks and groups.  It would serve as a democratic planning and collaborative decision-making body for activities aimed at unifying the movement and organizing initiatives suggested below, without taking away from the jurisdictional responsibilities of member organizations.  The roundtable secretariat could be hosted on a rotational basis by national associations that commit to it.   It could support the creation of similar roundtables or networks across sub sectors of the social economy in provinces and territories where they do not currently exist.  A key purpose would be to leverage existing provincial policy frameworks that are working with other jurisdictions. 

Recommendation 3

Create a space for grassroots participants in social economy activities (co-operants, service recipients, service providers, activists, students, etc.) to engage and discuss how they see the future for themselves in a people-centred economy and what they want to organize.

  • There is a need for inclusive universal language
  • Support existing grassroots groups and champions, and connect them nationally using e-learning tools
  • Use branding to unite and connect groups to movement e.g. “It Matters”  ”Valeurs Ajoutees”
  • Use “constellation” systems like Transition Towns Movement that allow people to work on different themes and priorities as they emerge and then connect them together.
  • Affirmative action practices/systems need to assert rights and participation of disempowered
  • Pooled funding to enable participation in the movement

Recommendation 4

Plan and implement a national communications plan to promote citizen support for social economy organizations and their products and services across Canada

This plan would be inclusive of tools that local organizations can use to promote themselves as part of a larger movement for a fair, sustainable and people-centred economy, incorporating common messages and media advertising.   This could build on and involve existing campaigns such as Transition Towns, Fair Trade Towns and involve a common national week of activities to promote support at local, regional and provincial levels.

Recommendation 5

Build on the Canadian Social Economy Research Partnerships with research initiatives by member organizations to address knowledge gaps and needs for practice and policy

This would be coordinated through the proposed Roundtable or a research sub group of it for that purpose.   Create a new research partnership program emphasizing movement building, involving participatory demonstration projects and mapping of the outcomes of the social economy.

Recommendation 6

Create an ongoing government outreach strategy, and table, to promote co-construction of public policy with all levels of government

This would have a particular focus on supporting momentum in provinces and territories that lack a policy framework, but have substantial interests in public policy outcomes of direct relevance to the social economy (e.g. poverty reduction and sustainable development).   Consider developing similar outreach strategies with other key stakeholders (e.g. private, philanthropic, labour movement).  Recruit champions for a people-centred economy from all sectors to work with the strategy/table

Recommendation 7

Create an internal trade mechanism to maximize the purchasing of goods and services between social economy organizations

Recommendation 8

Convene a dialogue with learning institutions and practitioner organizations interested in building a people-centred economy on how informal and formal learning can be enhanced and better “laddered” to meet succession and skill gaps amongst actors in the social economy and how curriculum can better reflect economic realities.

Recommendation 9

Use research findings on effective finance, technical assistance and development models to promote the development of adapted sector-owned models in other jurisdictions.

Animate the development of such models with partners that are interested.   Convene a technical panel of expertise from across Canada to deliberate on how to scale up effective models and strategies for inputs (e.g. financing) needed to grow the social economy and implement a strategy to do so, inclusive of pooled resources to be made available to interested partners.

6. Towards a Global People-Centred Economy

Respecting the following principles

Participation, Gender equality, environmental sustainability, fairness, justice

Declaration

Moreover, we express our concern about government cuts which have a direct impact on international aid.  We suggest that all the networks present denounce these systemic cuts and support advocacy efforts

Recommendation 1

That Canadian organizations work with other international networks to actively promote and build a global social solidarity economy.

Recommendation 2

To strongly advocate for Canada to meet its international commitments, in particular the Millennium Development Goals  and dedicating 0.7% of GDP for official development assistance (ODA);  set a timetable for reaching these commitments, all within the framework of the Development Assistance Accountability Act, Bill C-293).

Recommendation 3

That Canadian organizations advocate that CIDA’s new priority on economic growth include strategies to promote a global social solidarity economy.

Recommendation 4

To support efforts for an international solidarity levy such as a tax on financial transactions.

Recommendation 5

To proactively promote and defend the importance of people taking charge of their own development, and of the essential role that civil society plays in supporting this approach

Recommendation 6

To raise awareness and engage members, within our respective organizations, and the general public, about issues of development and the value of building a People-centred economy that leaves no one behind, in Canada and around the world

Recommendation 7

To mobilize and advocate that all international trade be governed by rules of justice and fairness, providing for dignity and decent working conditions and wages and respect for the environment.

Recommendation 8

To promote knowledge exchange and strengthen the capacity of communities and civil society to co-construct and monitor public policies conducive to social and solidarity economies at the local, national and international levels