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Home : Sustainable Communities : Social Economy : Social Economy Consultations in Western Canada
Social Economy Consultations
in Western Canada - June 2005
Summary Report
PDF Version (0.1 M) 
Table of Contents
Introduction
Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) is responsible for the design and delivery of new programs to support the social economy in Western Canada. To inform the development of these programs, WD consulted with social economy organizations across the West about their needs and common approaches, and preferences for program delivery.
Consultations were organized by WD regional offices to ensure input are received from communities and organizations in each of the four western provinces. To engage the community in their respective provinces, each regional office hired a facilitator who designed their own consultation process.
Definitions of key terms used:
- Social Economy : is a grassroots, entrepreneurial, not-for-profit sector based on democratic values that seeks to enhance the social, economic, and environmental conditions of communities, often with a focus on its disadvantaged members. The social economy is sometimes seen as occupying the space between the private sector and government, where collective action is used to advance community interests.
- Social Economy Organization : defines any organization that is engaged in the social economy.
- Social Economy Enterprise : is one component of the social economy that is run like a business, producing goods and services for the market economy, but manages its operations and redirect its surpluses in pursuit of social and community goals. Social economy enterprises often emerge out of community economic development strategies that involve citizens, governments, the voluntary sector, businesses, education institutions and others working together. The social contributions of these enterprises are as diverse as affordable housing, skills development, promotion of civic participation, and solution to local environmental challenges.
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