These are not articlesFeds Announce Funding Program for Ontario Non-Profits – Apply by August 18!The federal government has unveiled a new infrastructure funding program for not-for-profit organizations. Administered by Infrastructure Canada, the program provides 33% to 50% matching funds for enhanced community services, improved buildings or cultural facilities. Details can be found here while the application guideline is found here. To access the actual application form, it is necessary to contact infrastructure Canada for a user name and password at the following e-mail: +SIMSI-SPGII@infc.gc.ca. You must include your organization’s name, primary contact and phone number, and responses may take up to 24 hours. Applicant organizations must have been in existence for at least 3 years and be able to complete the project by 2010. The quick funding announcement – with three weeks’ notice on the eve of a long weekend in the middle of summer – seems sure to reduce the number of applications, and improve the chances of success for those who can move quickly. $10,000 Grants Available to Social Enterprises in the GTAThe Centre for Social Innovation and the Toronto Community Foundation have relaunched their “Enterprising Non-Profits” (ENP) program for communities in the Greater Toronto Area. The initiative provides matching grants of up to $10,000 to non-profits seeking to start and grow social enterprises, which are essentially not-for-profit social or environmental organizations (including co-operatives) that pursue their goals through business practices. Applicants must attend an orientation session, with details here. New Framework for Aboriginal Economic Development Receives Positive ReviewsIndian and Northern Affairs’ new Federal Framework for Aboriginal Economic Development promises to be “the first step in a fundamental change in how the Government of Canada supports Aboriginal economic development”. Released on June 29th, the Framework has garnered a lot of attention and based on the conversations at the recent Gathering for Success: Sharing Indigenous Economic Development Practices symposium in Banff, expectations are very high. The announcement includes a 4 year $200 million investment in implementation. To emphasize the point, Chief Clarence Louie of the outrageously successful Osoyoos Indian Band in British Columbia, delivered a gripping keynote address that emphasized the importance of a change in government policy by stating that economic development is the path to social development. Minister Chuck Strahl spoke to the “new era” by putting emphasis on the need for partnership and tripartite arrangements with Canada’s fastest growing population. How to tell arse from elbow when it comes to news about the economyLately, it seems like you can’t get through the day without coming across some sort of news report about the economy. And as much as we would all like to believe reports that the recession is over, it can be difficult to understand what all statistics and predictions out there actually mean. Which is why we quite like Maclean's Econogauge, a “weekly scorecard on the state of the economy in North America and beyond”. Each week, the magazine rates the mood of investors and consumers on a scale of sheer panic to utter euphoria and provides some analysis and a roundup of recent news about the economy. The optimistic rating given in the latest Econogauge is reflected in the Composite Leading Indicators update issued by the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development. The OECD CLI update reports stronger signs of potential improvement in the economies of Italy, France, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States. For further information on the update, click here. U of Waterloo to hold Vancouver Seminar on Labour Force & Skills Issues in Economic Development The University of Waterloo Economic Development Program will be holding an economic development seminar in Vancouver, British Columbia on the topic of “Labour Force and Skills Development”. The seminar will run from September 17-19 at the Westin Bayshore, just ahead of the annual conference of the Economic Developers Association of Canada. Presenters include:
To register for the event, please contact Sharon Jones at the University of Waterloo Economic Development Program at s4jones@envmail.uwaterloo.ca. Employment Development Index July 2009 Speaking of understanding information about the state of the economy, take a look at our handy visual representation of employment development across the country. Using regional employment |
Client Corner The City of CalgaryMillier Dickinson Blais has had the opportunity to work with the City of Calgary on the City's first comprehensive economic development strategy. The 10 Year Economic Development Strategy we developed with the City went on to win the award for best strategy from EDAC in 2008. Since then, Calgary has been implementing the strategy with great success.
Resource ReviewGetting Started on Green Jobs In July, the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) released an abridged version of the Climate Prosperity Handbook called the Getting Started Guide: Climate Prosperity Strategies in Your Community (available by clicking here). The Guide is designed to assist economic development professionals as they try to position their communities for success in an economy characterized by alternative energy, green collar jobs and an emphasis on sustainability. Using concrete examples from communities including San Jose and Chicago, the publication describes how communities can build champions, engage in scenario planning exercises, translate visions into strategies and begin to move forward on the climate agenda in economically progressive ways. Of particular interest is an appendix listing and describing 63 community-based initiatives that have enhanced both environmental protection and economic development across the United States. Although the Getting Started Guide will be basic reading for communities already pursuing green jobs and environmentally-responsible economic development, its exactly what it says it is – a guide for those who are “getting started” in this field. From that perspective, it’s a great resource, and IEDC are to be commended for making it available to economic development professional around the world. Out and aboutMembers of the Millier Dickinson Blais team will be participating in these upcoming events: August
September
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Brock Dickinson will be on the ballot for re-election to the