Buy Social Canada October Newsletter
Here's the latest in social enterprise and social procurement news
Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo and City of Calgary pass social procurement unanimously
Buy Social Canada was proud to support the City of Calgary and the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo as they each passed new social procurement policies and programs unanimously in council this month.

These have been long processes involving many engaged and passionate stakeholders, and we look forward to continuing to support both municipalities as they advance their social procurement initiatives into the future.

Learn more about these new policies in our blog post.
Buy Social Canada Fall Trainings
The final cohort of ‘Storytelling for Social Value Suppliers’ for 2021 begins on October 20th. This three-part, hands-on training will delve into the art and importance of storytelling through the unique lens of social value suppliers.

Here are the details:
  • $60 per participant
  • Wednesdays October 20, 27 and November 3 10am – 12pm PT / 1 – 3pm ET

Is this training right for you?
  • You are a social value supplier
  • You are engaged in communications activities at your business
  • You want to learn some simple tools to make easy videos and share your stories of impact


Apply now, or contact niamh@buysocialcanada.com with any questions.

Register now to save your space in our upcoming Social Procurement Professional Certificate cohorts! Our October-November 2021 cohort is now sold out, but more are still available for February 2022.

Here are the details:
  • $495 per participant
  • Wednesdays February 2, 9, 16 and 23, 2022 from 10am – 12pm PT / 1 – 3pm ET

This certificate program has been developed to provide private and public sector participants with in-depth knowledge of social procurement.


One participant called this course: "A boot camp on social enterprise and social purchasing practice."


Apply now, or contact emma@buysocialcanada.com with any questions.
New BCSPI Purchasing Power speaker series starts this month
Are you interested in learning more about social procurement and how it can benefit the wellbeing of local communities?

Purchasing Power, a six-part speaker series which starts this month and is hosted by the British Columbia Social Procurement Initiative, features several leaders who are putting the principles of a social value marketplace into action, and will explore how local governments and institutions can use purchasing power to address the issues that matter to your community.

Join us at six free lunch and learn events from 12-1pm PT:

  1. October 21: How can social procurement engage Indigenous businesses - with Judy Kitts (Greater Victoria Harbour Authority) and t̓aʕaasʔaqsup/Caledonia Glendale (NEDC)
  2. November 10: How can social procurement support my local economy - with Amy Robinson (LOCO BC) and Alisha Masongsong (City of Vancouver)
  3. November 24: How can social procurement increase food security - with Heather O'Hara (BC Farmers Markets) and Jennifer Reynolds (Nourish)
  4. January 11: How can social procurement support diversity and inclusion - with Nerissa Allen (BBABC) and Dugan Selkirk (Community Futures BC)
  5. February 2022: How can social procurement address climate change - with Mayor Karen Elliott (District of Squamish) and Yamila Franco (Nyoka Design Labs).
  6. February 2022: Wrap-Up Event - Speakers TBA.

'Guide to Social Procurement in Construction and Infrastructure Projects' featured in Manitoba Building Trades Magazine
We're thrilled to have our Guide to Social Procurement in Construction and Infrastructure Projects featured in the Manitoba Building Trades 2021 digital magazine.

Thanks to our partners Chandos Construction and others for working with us to create this resource!

Read the full feature
Explore our other learning resources
Welcome Momentum: Buy Social Canada's first Community Champion!
Buy Social Canada is pleased to announce Momentum as our first Community Champion - a new partnership model we are proud to offer.

Momentum is a change-making organization that takes an economic approach to poverty reduction and adds a social perspective to economic development initiatives.
You're invited to become a Buy Social Canada Community Champion! Community Champions are the individuals and organizations that support Buy Social Canada’s mission to promote and advance social procurement activities within their networks and communities.

Contact elizabeth@buysocialcanada.com for more information.
Free webinar on procurement insights for Black entrepreneurs and businesses
Buy Social Canada is pleased to participate in an upcoming educational webinar about procurement and local resources for entrepreneurs in the Black community — happening today at 4pm PT / 7pm ET.

The webinar is co-hosted by the Black Business Association of BC (BBABC) and Procurement Assistance Canada, and features speakers from Procurement Assistance CanadaExport Navigator BC and Buy Social Canada. Registrants will have the opportunity to learn about Canadian procurement, gain insight from panelists and ask questions live.

This session is designed to provide key information and strategies to empower small Black-owned and -led businesses in search of resources & opportunities such as...
  • How to access and navigate the federal procurement process
  • The value of Export Navigator BC’s Advisor Program is and how to register
  • What social procurement entails and how to participate
  • What options are available for Black -owned and -led small business' specifically
  • Mentorship opportunities available to help your business grow and thrive

"An Introduction to Social Procurement" webinar with AB Seed
In this interactive webinar, Buy Social Canada and AB Seed will introduce the what, why and how of social procurement to help you increase the reach and impact of your existing purchasing.

This will be an opportunity to engage with AB Seed to connect and work with socially responsible businesses in rural Alberta and explore how social procurement can help these businesses play a more important role in our society. As an institutional or government purchaser, you can harness the power of your purchasing to create impact. Purchasing is more than an economic transaction, it’s an opportunity to transform communities.

Thursday October 28 at 12:00 – 1:30pm PT / 1:00 - 2:30pm MT.

Can’t make it on October 28? There will be another webinar on November 15.

Welcome Destination Vancouver and First Credit Union: the newest Buy Social Canada Social Purchasing Partners!
Destination Vancouver, formerly called Tourism Vancouver, is the official source of tourist information for Vancouver BC Canada. Their purpose is to transform their communities and visitors through the power of travel.
First Credit Union in Powell River was the first credit union to be established in B.C. As a financial co-operative, they work for the sustainable development of their communities, returning one-third of their net profits to members and the communities they serve.
Buy Social Canada is proud to work with Destination Vancouver and First Credit Union, supporting them to leverage their procurement for increased social value.

Visit our website to learn more about becoming a Purchasing Partner, or email elizabeth@buysocialcanada.com with any questions.
Certified social enterprise Aangen tackles food security
Aangen Catering was recently featured by CBC for their innovative meal programs and collaboration with a Toronto-based program called Not Far From the Tree, which harvests and shares the produce from Toronto's urban orchards - which might otherwise not be consumed.

Aangen is a not-for-profit social enterprise dedicated to providing sustainable, solution-based responses to social injustices locally and globally. They focus on breaking the cycle of poverty through innovative programs that address hunger and homelessness, create employment opportunities for marginalized people, help families in crisis and much more.

Watch the video to learn more (Aangen featured at 4:00).
Social enterprises join forces with Home Depot to create opportunities for youth in the trades
The work of employment social enterprises across Canada has created new opportunities for youth experiencing homelessness to establish careers in skilled trades, as they partner with Home Depot on their new investment program, TradeWorx.

The employment social enterprise model will include initial partnerships with ten community organizations across Canada, including five Buy Social Canada Certified Social Enterprises: Building Up, Community Builders, Construct GTA, Purpose Construction, and Impact Construction.

Social Enterprises who sell gifts: get featured in our upcoming holiday campaign!
Calling all social enterprises who sell gifts - we want to feature you in our upcoming holiday campaign!

Please contact Maham to get involved.

Dility
Dility is an initiative of certified social enterprise On Site Placement. Dility offers several services such as cleaning, flyer delivery and property management services including lawn maintenance, garbage removal and moving services.

They are an inclusive hiring company who offer employment and skills development to those facing barriers to employment.

Fireweed Food Hub
Fireweed Food Hub is a social enterprise run by the Fireweed Food Co-op. They are one of Winnipeg’s first co-op food aggregators and wholesale distributors of locally produced food.

Their core mission is to create a more participatory, adaptive, and equitable food system in Manitoba. They do this through providing a farmers market and offering services to farmers.

Eden Food For Change
Eden Food For Change is a food bank in the GTA with a mission to increase access to good food in a dignified manner, developing food skills to encourage healthy eating and empowering the community through education, outreach and advocacy.

They do this through several programs, including a meal delivery service, and skills and employment training in their commercial kitchen.

Krackers Katering
Krackers Katering is a social enterprise run by Causeway Work Centre in Ottawa. They provide catering services and meal provisions to community organizations in Ottawa.

Through their catering program, Krackers Katering provides employment opportunities and skills training for people who face barriers to employment.
Causeway Commercial Cleaning
Causeway Commercial Cleaning is the newest social enterprise run by Causeway Work Centre.

They provide surface and deep cleaning services across Ottawa, and use this business to provide employment opportunities and skills training to those facing barriers.

Good Nature Groundskeeping
Good Nature Groundskeeping provides employment opportunities and skills training to people experiencing barriers to employment.

Run by Causeway Work Centre, they provide lawn maintenance, landscaping, and litter pickup services to commercial and large-scale residential properties.

Cycle Salvation
Cycle Salvation is another social enterprise run by Causeway Work Centre in Ottawa, which offers employment opportunities and skills training.

Their social enterprise work is supported by their business of refurbishing bicycles and selling them through their retail storefront - which also keeps bikes out of landfills!

Mosaic Engage
MOSAIC Engage is one of two social enterprises run by MOSAIC BC. Their aim is to enrich the life of newcomers and assist in their successful integration into Canadian society through the provision of specialized support, employment and cultural training.

MOSAIC is a registered charity serving immigrant, refugee, and migrant communities in Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley as well as throughout the province of BC.

Mosaic Interpretation and Translation Services
Mosaic Interpretation and Translation Services, the second social enterprise owned by MOSAIC BC, provides employment and skills training to new immigrants and refugees in Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley as well as throughout the province of BC.

They currently have a team of more than 300 accredited interpreters and translators, providing services in more than 80 languages.

Good Foot Delivery
Good Foot Delivery launched in 2010 and provides meaningful employment for the neurodiverse community through a courier service which uses public transit and on-foot couriers to deliver packages.

They deliver across Toronto and parts of North York, Etobicoke, and Scarborough.

Buy Social Canada
503-535 Thurlow St
Vancouver, BC V6E 3L2