Congratulations to CleanStart BC on their new contract to support work on the New St. Paul's Hospital development in Vancouver! The project, managed by PCL Construction, is the first project to trigger the City of Vancouver's Community Benefit Agreement (CBA) policy. This project's procurement targets are to spend 10% locally and spend 10% with social and third-party certified businesses. There is also a workforce diversity target for 10% of new employees to live locally, and to come from equity-seeking groups.

CleanStart BC, a certified social enterprise, is currently working with a sub-contractor to provide weekly sanitization and garbage removal for their office space at the New St. Paul's construction site.

"Jobs that involve sanitization and small-scale garbage removal are beneficial for CleanStart BC's employees because the work is accessible and requires minimal hard-labour. When companies set up a regularly scheduled contract with social enterprises, it allows them to provide long-term, stable employment to those in the local community."

Clark Builders is a new Buy Social Pledge Member. We will work with Clark Builders to design a social procurement policy and implementation framework that best reflects the organization's objectives and processes, and look forward to co-creating Clark Builders' pledge to social procurement. Clark Builders are also taking part in a private cohort of the Social Procurement Professional Certificate Program ensuring that they build their internal expertise and ensure the change-management that is needed for long-term, impactful social procurement practices. 

Bird Construction is a new Buy Social Engage Member, working to develop and implement a social procurement policy and implementation framework. With billions of dollars invested in infrastructure and development projects annually, the construction sector has a huge opportunity to leverage a social value from existing spend. We are also excited that Bird and Chandos (a Buy Social Leader and Pledge Founder) are supporting the “Building Good” initiative. Find out more here.   

Alongside being one of Canada’s largest food banks, Daily Bread Food Bank is a key thought leader on issues of hunger, life on low income, housing, and income security. Daily Bread Food Bank is now looking to show this same leadership and creativity in their purchasing decisions as a Social Purchasing Partner, utilizing social procurement to help contribute to serving the needs of your communities. We will work with Daily Bread Food Bank to design a social procurement policy and framework that furthers these social objectives, ensuring best value in their procurement decisions.

To join organizations like Clark Builders, Bird Construction and Daily Bread Food Bank and design your Social Procurement Journey, contact Elizabeth Chick-Blount at elizabeth@buysocialcanada.com.

Join British Columbia Social Procurement Initiative (BCSPI) and Buy Social Canada for the upcoming webinar series on key topics related to social procurement practice and implementation. The first event, Living Wage: A Path to Equity and Opportunity, is on February 8 at 12pm PST/3pm EST.

BCSPI has also created a fantastic collection of case studies which show social procurement in practice amongst member governments. Explore the collection, and read the latest case study from Village of Cumberland about their creative application of their social procurement policy and framework around the introduction of non-medicinal cannabis sales in the community.

This case study details the process Buy Social Canada took in collaboration with the City of Calgary to add social value considerations to their Sustainable, Environmental & Ethical Procurement Policy (SEEPP). More than a policy, this updated framework is a pathway for building an inclusive ecosystem for public value through procurement.

Read the full report, written by former Buy Social Canada intern Mariana Jiménez Ojeda and by Garrett Melee, recent graduates of the MBA in Social Enterprise and Entrepreneurship at Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) has recently announced new initiatives to increase the participation of businesses from underrepresented groups in federal procurement, as part of the Supplier Diversity Action Plan.

The Action Plan references the Policy on Social Procurement, which "outlines how we’ll use procurement as a vehicle to reduce barriers, increase supplier diversity and enhance economic and social benefits for underrepresented groups."

We look forward to seeing the positive outcomes of this update.

We are looking forward to continuing to support the City of Peterborough to develop their social procurement policy and implementation plan. In 2021, we conducted research and worked with stakeholders to assess the possibilities for social procurement in Peterborough. Council has now approved a three year implementation plan which we will be designing and supporting.

Congratulations to Clayoquot Biosphere Trust (CBT) on the development of a Social Procurement Policy and Framework, to expand on the work they already do on the West Coast of Vancouver Island to advance social and environmental goals, while prioritizing deep community relationships and stakeholder engagement.

"Working with Buy Social Canada, we gathered the experience of our staff and partners to create a policy that will help us to maximize the community benefit of our Clayoquot Biosphere Centre capital project."

- Bob Prenovost, Co-Founder, Propellor Social Enterprise Advisors

Congratulations to Founding Buy Social Pledge Leader Chandos Construction on their recent recognition as one of the winners in Real Leaders' Impact Awards. Chandos ranked 46th on a list of 200 companies from around the world.

Through the SUPER Project, we offer two courses which elevate the capacity of social enterprises and social value suppliers to access procurement opportunities.

Mark your calendars! The new date for the Buy Social Canada Symposium is Tuesday October 18, 2022. We look forward to sharing learnings and stories with the network of community capital creators across Canada this fall.

Certified social enterprise D.I.C.E.D (Diverse Innovation in Culinary Educational Development) has developed one of the first online culinary and hospitality education platforms.

Learn more.

Tradeworx, powered by The Home Depot Canada Foundation and launched in 2021, supports a coalition of 10 successful Canadian employment social enterprises (ESEs) helping bridge systemic gaps and prevent youth homelessness.

The ESEs involved include several Buy Social Canada Certified Social Enterprises:

Building Up, Choices for Youth, Construct (York Region and Durham locations), Purpose Construction, Newo Global Energy, and Community Builders.

Read their 2021 Impact Report to see the outcomes of this incredible collaborative effort. Congratulations to all involved!

On February 1st, Buy Social Canada Community Champion Black Business Association of BC launched their new Online Directory and Marketplace.

Buy Social Canada Community Champions are the individuals and organizations that support our mission to promote and advance social procurement activities within their networks and communities. Join us in welcoming our two newest Champions!

Black Business Association of BC (BBABC) focusses on supporting Black entrepreneurs and Black-owned small businesses, providing programs and services to keep them sustainable long into the future.

Canadian Community Economic Development Network (CCEDNet) - Manitoba is an association of organizations and people in Manitoba committed to strengthening communities by creating economic opportunities that enhance social and environmental conditions.