NL Government: Provincial Government Announces Social Enterprise Research Projects

The Honourable Andrew Parsons, Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology, today announced over $440,000 to support social enterprise research projects in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Social enterprises use innovative business models to contribute to the economy and advance social, community economic, cultural, and/or environmental needs. Operating in all regions of the province, social enterprises create employment, reduce poverty, and develop entrepreneurial skills in sectors such as tourism, construction, the arts, culture, fisheries, homecare and social housing.

The provincial Social Enterprise Action Plan highlights a commitment to research and to identifying opportunities. The goal is to use research to better understand the use of the social enterprise model in the province, and identify and support new opportunities in both rural and urban areas.

During 2020, a social enterprise research call for proposals resulted in the approval of ten research projects. Details on the approved projects, which exhibit stakeholder engagement, can be found in the backgrounder below.

Quotes

“Social enterprises offer innovative ways to support the economy. Through these projects, our government is supporting many community partners to explore new areas and assess the potential use of a social enterprise model.”

Honourable Andrew Parsons
Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology

“The Community Sector Council Newfoundland and Labrador is delighted with the announcement of these research projects.  We appreciate the significant importance for nonprofit organizations in exploring and better understanding the opportunities for social enterprise. These research projects will build greater knowledge and a better understanding for potential growth for social enterprise. This research also supports the Sector Work Plan to Advance the Social and Economic Contribution of Community Organizations.”

Penelope Rowe
CEO, Community Sector Council of Newfoundland and Labrador

“The wood that I received this year was a true blessing and I am so unbelievably grateful to the NunatuKavut Community Council for bringing the firewood project to Black Tickle. I continue to be blown away by the constant generosity that NunatuKavut continues to show my little community.”

Veronica Neville
Participant in NCC’s Community Firewood Social Enterprise Project in Black Tickle

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Learn More

Social Enterprise Action Plan

Media contacts
Lisa Lawlor
Industry, Energy and Technology
709-729-5777, 631-8155
lisalawlor@gov.nl.ca

Penelope Rowe
Community Sector Council of Newfoundland and Labrador
709-753-9860
pennyrowe@cscnl.ca

Kelly Broomfield
NunatuKavut Community Council
709-280-5965
communications@nunatukavut.ca

Backgrounder

Social Enterprise Research Projects 2020

Bonne Bay Cottage Hospital Heritage Corporation

Research Project Title: The Great Northern Peninsula Community Place; a Social Enterprise Research Opportunity

Description: The Bonne Bay Cottage Hospital Heritage Corporation Social Enterprise Research Project will seek to define the requirements of a community-identified need for primary health care clinic space in Port aux Choix utilizing a social enterprise business model.

Total project costs: $72,500

Provincial Government contribution: $50,000

Food First NL

Research Project Title: Growing Opportunity

Description: This project supports the second phase of a comprehensive consultation and research process that will map out in detail the food systems of the St. John’s area, and identify opportunities for business and social enterprise activities within the region.

Total project costs: $120,175

Provincial Government contribution: $50,000

Dr. Tony Fang/Memorial University

Research Project Title: Developing Social Enterprises for Access to Culturally Diverse Food and Ingredients: The Case of the St. John’s Community Market

Description: This proposed study will evaluate the social, economic, cultural, and environmental impacts of the St. John’s Farmer’s Market, and will build on the success of the market in providing additional business opportunities in food security, diversity, inclusivity and multiculturalism for the tenants of the market.

Total project costs: $54,389

Provincial Government contribution: $49,389

Community Sector Council Newfoundland and Labrador

Research Project Title: Business Conversion – Preserving Local Economies

Description: This project will engage community, private, and public sectors in discussion about opportunities in business succession strategies, specifically the opportunity to transition to social enterprise or co-operative conversion.

Total project costs: $40,000

Provincial Government contribution: $30,000

Choices for Youth

Research Project Title: Scaling Social Enterprise: Exploring Franchising

Description: Neighbourhood is a Choices for Youth (CFY) Social Enterprise that offers at-risk youth the opportunity to gain meaningful employment experiences in a supportive space. Based on the growth of the thrift/vintage segment of the clothing market, the potential such ventures offer to provide both employment opportunities and revenue for social enterprises, and the identified gap in commercial capacity in most social enterprises, CFY will investigate a potential franchise model.

Total project costs: $50,000

Provincial Government contribution: $45,000

lnclusionNL: Employer Support Services/ Empower, The Disability Resource Centre

Research Project Title: Employers Accessibility Resource Network-NL (EARN-NL)

Description: InclusionNL will build upon their work and history of partnerships with employers to launch a social enterprise research pilot – Employers Accessibility Resource Network-NL (EARN-NL). Initially, this pilot will focus on providing support to federally regulated sectors and agencies which will be operating under The Accessible Canada Act and then expand to businesses and employers throughout the province as provincial legislation is developed.

Total project costs: $45,155

Provincial Government contribution: $35,975

Broadening Horizons Recycling Inc

Research Project Title: Broadening Horizons Recycling Project

Description: Broadening Horizons recently established itself as a social enterprise and assumed ownership and responsibility for a Green Depot recycling license. Utilizing the experience of Evergreen Recycling services, the project will research methods of efficiency of operation and determine new opportunities that will ensure the sustainability of the venture and maximize operational revenue to become a key player in materials recovery in Central Newfoundland.

Total project costs: $38,500

Provincial Government contribution: $35,000

SmartlCE Sea Ice Monitoring and information Inc.

Research Project Title: Quantitative Indicators in Community Level Impact – SmartlCE. Nain

Description:SmartlCE will partner with the Social Research Demonstration Corporation (SRDC) to implement a quantitative evaluation, at the community level, of the Northern Production Centre of Project Employment Readiness and Technology Development Program. This evaluation will inform the social return on investment (SROI) of the program in the community and aid in developing best practices and sustainability.

Total project costs: $63,000

Provincial Government contribution: $50,000

Placentia West Development Association

Research Project Title: Social Enterprise as a Delivery Mechanism for Early Intervention Home Care for Rural Seniors

Description: Placentia West Development Association will conduct research to gain foundational knowledge needed for the development of a social enterprise model that can coordinate and deliver early interventions intended to reduce the need for hospitalization, residential care and other costly senior care initiatives.

Total project costs: $58,150

Provincial Government contribution: $47,250

NunatuKavut Community Council

Research Project Title: Community Firewood Social Enterprise: Towards Heat Security in NunatuKavut

Description: This project looks to build enduring Indigenous capacity and skills at the community level to participate in the forestry sector in southeast Labrador. The project will evaluate how a Community Firewood Social Enterprise influences social and economic development in Black Tickle and other partner communities; and, it will address the immediate community priority of heat insecurity (i.e. access to clean, affordable, and reliable heat).

Total project costs: $49,745.00

Provincial Government contribution: Up to $49,745

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