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Why Canada Needs Employee Ownership: A Next Economy Conversation with Peter Deitz
We sat down with Peter Deitz, Co-Founder of Grantbook and Unwrapit, for our latest Next Economy Conversation.
As Peter explains, due to current Canadian legislation, “there’s no simple answer to what an ESOP is.” Right now, unlike the US and the UK where clear frameworks exist, converting to an ESOP is a bespoke endeavour, making a hard-and-fast definition a little difficult to come by.
In this recap, Peter outlines how Grantbook created their own employee ownership plan — and why more Canadian organizations should consider this tool for redistributing wealth. |
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Building Toronto’s Food Infrastructure
With the average age of Canadian farmers reaching 60 years old, the global food system responsible for up to one-third of greenhouse gas emissions, and Toronto only having three days of fresh food in case of an emergency, Emma Tamlin felt like urban agriculture was an ideal solution.
After completing our Agents of Change: Sustainable Development Goals program last year, Emma co-founded Raised Roots, an urban agriculture operations and consulting company. Together with her co-founders, they’re bringing edible landscapes to the city. |
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Innovative Off-Grid, Organic Indoor Farm to be Piloted through City of Brampton’s Backyard Garden Program
CSI Member Phil Fung is the Executive Director of Nature Harmony Foundation. They just partnered with the City of Brampton to bring the Food Shed — a striking example of emerging closed-loop technologies that offer sustainable, year-round agriculture in urban areas — to the city.
This off-grid, organic indoor farm is also waste-free and will offer public education on sustainable and community-based agriculture techniques and approaches to nature therapy through immersive urban farming. Housed in a 160 square-foot space, the produce harvested from the Food Shed will feed families in Brampton through Regeneration Outreach Community. |
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“Waste to Wardrobe” Venture Closes Pre-seed Round at 1.5M
Short for “alternative textiles,” ALT TEX is creating circular, biodegradable and carbon neutral textiles engineered from one of the world’s largest landfill contributors – food waste. One of our 2021 Earth Tech ventures, ALT TEX just closed its pre-seed round of funding at $1.5M. |
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Last chance to register! Learn entrepreneurial skills to bring your ideas to life and set you apart in a fast-changing job market. Join the network of change agents participating in our next Social Entrepreneurship 101 cohort. Registration closes May 30 — next Sunday — and classes start June 8! |
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CSI’s Innovator Toast
Friday, May 28, 4:00 – 4:30 PM ET
It’s been a while since the community has gotten together, and we know a lot has changed over the past year. As we bid goodbye to Spring and welcome the next season, we wanted to share a Community Toast with all of you: members old and new, past and present. |
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Race and Nature in the City
Wednesday, May 26, 1:00 – 2:00 PM ET
CSI Member Sustainability Network has partnered with Nature Canada to discuss a new report exploring the barriers to urban nature experienced by young racialized people. |
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Churches Charities Not-For-Profits: Knowledge Hub 2021
Thursdays, May 27 to June 10, 7:00 PM ET
Cultural organizations will be discussing best practices for fundraising, the Ontario Trillium Foundation will discuss the Logic Model, and lawyer Taras Kulish will speak to the legal perspectives of fundraising during the pandemic. |
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Elevate & Amplify Conference
Thursday, June 3, 1:00 – 5:00 PM ET
A virtual conference centred on BIPOC voices within design and social change. With an all-BIPOC panel, this is an opportunity to hear valuable perspectives and experiences that aren’t always given the spotlight in our society. |
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Venture Summit / Virtual Connect
July 6-8
Three days of investor panels, workshops, and pitching! Get an extra 20% off early bird rates with code “CSIVIP” and apply to be a Top Innovator to pitch live and access one-on-one investor meetings. |
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Want to post your opportunities to our job board? Find out what membership could look like for you! |
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Chief Operating Officer | CSI (that’s us!)
Deadline: May 24 (tomorrow)
The Chief Operating Officer will play a pivotal leadership role in leading the next chapter of CSI’s evolution and helping to make the Next Economy a reality. |
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Volunteer Services Officer | CESO
Deadline: May 30
You will will work closely with Program staff, CESO Advisors and In-Country Teams in the day-to-day delivery of assignments. |
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Bilingual Communications and Engagement Specialist | Social Innovation Canada
Deadline: May 31
Join a fledgling team and help bring together Canada’s network of social innovators! You will play an essential role in the building of this national initiative, working to broaden their reach and deepen engagement with stakeholders. |
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Engagement Coordinator, Communications Lead | Project Neutral
Deadline: Rolling
We’ve been lucky enough to see Project Neutral grow through our Earth Tech accelerator and as a CSI Member — don’t miss this chance to join their team! |
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Digital Community Manager, Web Developer, Marketplace Developer | The Spent Goods Company
Deadline: Rolling
This CSI Alumni is also growing their team! They’re looking for digitally-minded folks to grow their online presence, streamline their ecommerce platform, and build an online marketplace. |
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As Ontario moves into pandemic recovery and rebuilding, the sector needs responsive public policy solutions and supports to meet the immediate and long-term needs of our organizations and the communities we serve. Data is key! This is a crucial time to gather evidence to plan and to advocate to government and other funders for a more equitable and sustainable recovery.
CSI alumni Ontario Nonprofit Network, in collaboration with l’Assemblée de la francophonie de l’Ontario, is conducting a survey about how COVID-19 has affected nonprofits in Ontario (including charities, nonprofit co-operatives and grassroots groups). Deadline: June 4
(P.S. All form respondents will be entered to win two free tickets to ONN’s Nonprofit Driven 2021!) |
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Indigenous, Black, racialized, LGBTQ2S+, and disabled independent service providers based in Canada can apply to the Waashayshkwun fund. These grants are intended to provide the recipients with financial relief and with the opportunity to invest in their business development. Deadline: June 30 |
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In our conversation with Peter Deitz, he spoke a bit about his newest venture: Unwrapit. CSI Member Erin Andrews of Impact Zero Foundation sat down with Peter’s co-founder, Linsay Moran, to talk about Unwrapit’s virtual gifting platform and the end of branded swag. |
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