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Social Finance + Social Enterprise 
For Ontario and all of Canada

By Michelle Guevara
Government Liaison

From SocialFinance.ca

In November 2012, the Canadian government put out an open call to Canadians to bring forward their most innovative ideas to tackle pressing social issues.  Over 150 individuals and organizations from across the country submitted ideas.

15 of these submissions were selected to be profiled in a report that was unveiled at Women in Leadership’s Women in Social Business Forum May 2013. The summary report, entitled 'Harnessing the Power of Social Finance' highlights ways in which social finance tools and structures can be utilized.  



But what can social finance be used for? Many, many issues.

Youth, Health, Aboriginal people,  Housing/Homelessness, People with disabilities, Public Safety, the Unemployed, Seniors, New Canadians.

With support at the federal level, the provincial Government of Ontario also sees a need to support the growing field by specifically investing in social enterprises; businesses that couple profit with social benefits. Impact a Social Enterprise Strategy for Ontario  outlines the steps the government will take to support social enterprises in the province, accelerate their growth and establish Ontario as a global leader in the area of social enterprise.

With all this government attention, how much is happening?

Currently, there are 10,000 social enterprises in the province of Ontario alone. In the world of social finance, Canada is catching up to the front runners; the U.K. and the U.S. with Australia close behind. And where is social finance and social enterprise catching on the fastest? Developing countries. 

The world is changing; people can see a way to make a living and help other's at the same time. At Women in Leadership, we think it's about time.