Canada is falling behind other countries, such as Australia, the UK and the US in recognizing the value of social innovation (SI) for addressing complex public policy issues.  A new report from Canadian Policy Research Networks (CPRN), Social Innovation in Canada: An Update by Mark Goldenberg et al., highlights the urgency of the social challenges before us, such as climate change, sustainability, poverty and globalization, particularly in the midst of a global economic downturn, and points to the importance of fostering SI as a solution.

The report notes that while governments in Canada have acknowledged the importance of social capital and the social economy, and have been relatively active in these areas in recent years, Canada has missed opportunities to encourage SI by failing to develop adequate models for public support, engagement and funding.  The report calls on Canadian leaders to establish a cross-sectoral national strategy to advance SI in this country.

Release Date: 8 Oct 2009
Number of pages: 68
Document number: 51684
Keywords: social innovation, corporate social responsibility, social economy, social enterprise, social entrepreneur, social finance, social capital, non-profit sector, national strategy, partnerships

Themes:

Democracy, Governance and Citizenship
Labour Market / Vulnerable Workers

Related Publications:

Commentary: Canadian Non-Profit Organizations Play a Critical Role in Social Innovation and the Economy
CPRN in the News: Social Innovation in Canada – An Update (Radio Interview: CIUT)
E-network: Canada Is Falling Behind Other Countries on Social Innovation
News Release: Canada is falling behind other countries on Social Innovation
Research Report: Social Innovation in Canada - How the non-profit sector serves Canadians ... and how it can serve them better