Canada's Social Economy

What is the social economy?

The social economy refers to a broad range of social mission organizations that collectively extend the traditional boundaries of the nonprofit or independent sector –from market-based co-operatives, community economic development corporations, and other social enterprises to nonprofits in public service to the many nonprofit mutual associations. Such organizations either have explicit economic objectives, as is the case of market-based organizations, or create economic value through employing people and through providing services. Our approach also emphasizes the interaction between the social economy and the private and public sectors.

Community-University Research Alliance for Southern Ontario's Social Economy

Imagine Canada is part of a Pan-Canadian research initiative seeking to better understand the size, shape and dimensions of the social economy in Canada. The Community-University Research Alliance for Southern Ontario's Social Economy seeks to develop a body of knowledge about the social economy in order to better understand its impact and to improve the capacity of social economy organizations (SEOs) to demonstrate the value of their activities. It also seeks to develop a public policy framework for advancing the interests of the social economy and to extend our theoretical understanding of the social economy. The network of researchers and community partners created through this initiative will facilitate the exchange of knowledge about the social economy and help create a sustainable community of practice.

Related resources / Publications:

Cooperatives [coming soon]
Library Topic Guide on the Social Economy [coming soon]
Other...

About the Community-University Research Alliance for Southern Ontario’s Social Economy

The Community-University Research Alliance is a joint initiative of the University of Toronto and its community partners, Imagine Canada (formerly the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy) and the Ontario Co-operative Association (On Co-op). The Research Alliance is comprised of leading scholars and practitioners from 11 Southern Ontario universities and 21 community organizations along with scholars from 7 universities outside the region. The Alliance works collaboratively with six other Canadian research alliances funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) to study the social economy. The work of these regional nodes is coordinated by the Canadian Social Economy Hub.

A new logo and name has been developed to identify the Nodes and National Partners involved in the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council funded research on the Social Economy:

About the Canadian Social Economy Hub (CSEHub)

The Canadian Social Economy Hub (CSEHub) acts as a facilitator promoting collaboration among six regional research centres across Canada:

CSEHub reaches out to practitioners, to researchers and to civil society, through the regional research centres and their community partners. It undertakes research as needed in order to understand and promote the Social Economy tradition within Canada and as a subject of academic enquiry within universities, and creates opportunities and exchanges with international networks.

CSEHub is funded through a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and is supported by the University of Victoria and Canadian Community Economic Development Network in carrying out its mission.