Canada has long had a vibrant non-profit sector that provides important services to help meet the needs of our citizens.  Non-profit and charitable organizations work hard to make our communities a better place by providing quality research, policy advice and front line services on everything from health care to housing to education, the environment and the economy.

What is not as well known is that the non-profit sector also makes up a significant portion of our workforce in Canada – employing 11 times more people than the automotive industry and four times more than the agricultural sector – and contributes as much to the gross domestic product (GDP) as other major sectors of the economy.  In other words, our country benefits doubly from non-profits:  through both social and economic contributions that affect us all.

Release Date: 22 Oct 2009
Number of pages: 2
Document number: 51874
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:

E-network: Canadian Non-Profit Organizations Play a Critical Role in Social Innovation and the Economy
Research Report: Social Innovation in Canada - How the non-profit sector serves Canadians ... and how it can serve them better
Research Report: Social Innovation in Canada: An Update