In 2023, we're splitting our usual Annual Symposium up into a two-part online series exploring the marketplace impacts of social procurement and social enterprise in Canada.

Join us for part one, Marketplace Impact: A National Conversation on Social Procurement, on:

This will be a free, engaging event to learn about social procurement and new research in the sector, and network with peers. Speakers from AnchorTO, Indigenous Services Canada, City of Edmonton, Chandos Construction and more will share insights.

Register now.

Join us in person for the Toronto Social Value Trade Show on May 10!

This free event will be a chance for purchasers to meet with our network of Certified Social Enterprises and social value suppliers. The Social Value Trade Show is an opportunity to meet with organizations interested in implementing social procurement and those that can help you meet your organizational social and sustainable goals. Refreshments from local social enterprises will be provided.

Let us know you'll be there.

Sabrina Musto is a former city planner who is passionate about community development and advocating for more equitable systems and places. She comes to Buy Social Canada with a background in science and urban planning and has both private and public sector experience working on affordable housing and sustainable development projects.

As a Social Procurement Consultant, Sabrina will collaborate with clients to help plan and implement social procurement policies and strategies to generate community benefits and opportunities.

When not working, Sabrina enjoys going for walks, exploring local neighbourhoods, and reading non-fiction.

Public and private sector purchasers, join a cohort of the Social Procurement Professional Certificate course to gain in-depth knowledge of the fundamental components of social procurement success from development to implementation.

Here's what a past participant had to say about the course:

"Purchasing is inevitable and each purchase has a social and environmental impact. This training helps you add intentional benefits to your purchasing strategies and approaches."

June 2023: June 6, 13, 20 and 27, 2023

September 2023: September 7, 14, 21 and 28, 2023

More details or register now.

Our colleagues Scale Collaborative recently shared their 2022 Impact Report with highlights and case studies about their important work to support non-profits and the social procurement ecosystem, including the British Columbia Social Procurement Initiative which supports local governments and institutions to design and implement social procurement.

Read the report for insights on what's being achieved.

BCSPI invites you to come learn about the most common construction delivery models and how to incorporate social procurement into each. The webinar is hosted by Rory Kulmala, President of the Vancouver Island Construction Association and will feature Chandos Construction and BCSPI Member Comox Valley Regional District, who can speak to on the ground experiences with different projects.

Collaboration is key for social procurement in construction so we will have the opportunity to hear from industry and local government on how to work together to create community impact.

Join us for the webinar on:

This webinar is free for BCSPI Members (sign in to get free registration).

Non-members are welcome to join, register for $25+fees.

A new article from Open Access Government outlines the importance of sustainable procurement and how to use technology to support it.

"One of the largest impacts on an organisation’s ESG footprint is its procurement function."

Read the article to learn more.

Buy Social Canada Certified Social Enterprises: We want to celebrate you, increase recognition of the impacts you are making through your work, and share updates on the current state of the social enterprise sector in Canada. To do this, we're sharing a survey with you to learn more. The results from the survey will be analyzed and compiled into a report which will be shared in Fall 2023 at a virtual public event.

Check your inbox for a link to fill out the survey. Didn't receive it? Don't hesitate to reach out.

Many food social enterprises are working to reduce food insecurity in their communities - and Certified Social Enterprise Aangen was featured by the CBC for doing just that.

Watch the video to learn more.

In this small-group webinar series hosted by The Centre for Social Enterprise Development (CSED), take a deep dive into the strategic business functions that are most relevant to social entrepreneurs and social enterprise practitioners.

Combining practical instruction with open group dialogue, each 2-hour webinar explores the core concepts, frameworks and approaches that will help move your social enterprise/social purpose business from strategy to action. The series is designed to appeal to both experienced social entrepreneurs as well as more junior practitioners looking to develop their understanding in a particular area.

The series runs until June 2023.

Register free now, limited space available.

Community Researchers is a nonprofit working with nonprofits, charities, and small businesses which lack the resources to access professional research services. Their services are available nationwide, and they subcontract with students and newcomers to provide work experience and capacity building.

Formerly Tourism Vancouver Island, 4VI is a social enterprise committed to ensuring tourism is a force for good - forever. They provide marketing, communications, strategic planning, governance and a range of other consulting services.

Located in Saint John, New Brunswick, The Saint John Tool Library offers memberships for tool lending. They also teach DIY classes and carpentry skills, and their space is used as community space where people can gather and play music in the evenings.