Local-Sized Democracy

Political struggle at the local level is out of fashion. In today’s increasingly “globalized” world, appeals to the local can often appear parochial and tradition-bound. Determining whether effective political responses to ecological sustainability and social justice could come from the local level requires us to revisit the somewhat discredited, often forgotten place called municipal politics

Sustainability, Heritage Conservation and Sheltering the Social Economy

Many social economy organizations either operate out of, or own and manage, heritage buildings in urban and rural places. These heritage buildings provide a variety of functions from the provision of affordable housing and safe-houses to artist co-operatives and studio space for cultural groups. Others house social and human services organizations, treatment centres, retail co-operatives and office space for the non-profit sector. This project had the following objectives: To critically assess the relationship between heritage conservation (ideational and built) and social economy organizations’ needs for shelter; and to critically asses the concept of sustainability as it relates to heritage buildings, including the concepts of a ‘built heritage’ of social democracy and an architecture of the social commons.BC-Alberta Social Economy Research Alliance (BALTA

Draft Mandate of the Micro, Mezzo, Macro Research Cluster (MMM) - BALTA Partnership Development Project: Scaling Innovation for Sustainability (SIS)

The goal of the Scaling Innovation for Sustainability Project is to focus expertise on developing a theoretical and methodological framework for studying the scaling up and scaling out of innovations that re-localize the economy and strengthen the resilience and sustainability of communities and regions. The Micro, Mezzo, Macro Research Cluster will be focusing specifically on examining the theoretical, conceptual and practical dimensions of a research framework to guide the research program. This document provides guidance for the work of the research cluster.BC-Alberta Social Economy Research Alliance (BALTA); Athabasca University; Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC

Building a Social Economy Research Platform: Towards a Strategic Decision-Making Approach within the BC-Alberta Social Economy Research Alliance (BALTA)

The BC-Alberta Social Economy Research Alliance (BALTA) is a coalition of community based and academic institutions formed to conduct research on the social economy and community economic development. This working paper was developed to guide decision making with regards to research priorities. It lays out a broad framework for BALTA's research program, then presents criteria to guide research decision making.BC-Alberta Social Economy Research Alliance (BALTA

Municipal Government Support of the Social Economy Sector

The research scope includes municipal governments in the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario (northwestern portion of the province).This plan/proposal describes research being conducted by the BC-Alberta Social Economy Research Alliance (BALTA) in association with the Saskatchewan/Manitoba/Northwestern Ontario node of the Canadian Social Economy Research Partnerships. The purpose of this study is to research the current state of municipal government involvement in and support of the social economy sector. The social economy sector can offer innovative responses to the complex social and economic challenges that municipalities face. As the level of government closest to people and communities, municipal governments can play a lead role in supporting the social economy sector. This research into the role of municipal government in the social economy will help us to understand their intermediary role, and identify opportunities for strengthening this role.BC-Alberta Social Economy Research Alliance (BALTA) ; Linking, Learning, Leveraging Project - Northern Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan Regional Node of the Social Economy Suite ; Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) ; City of Edmonto

Mapping the Social Economy in British Columbia and Alberta: Trends, Patterns, New Directions

The BC-Alberta Social Economy Research Alliance (BALTA) is collecting information on the scope and scale of the social economy in British Columbia and Alberta. As part of this research endeavor, the BALTA Mapping project conducted an online survey in 2008. This paper provides a first snapshot of the social economy in British Columbia and Alberta based on information collected with the BALTA mapping online survey. It reflects on research decisions and identifies some challenges in surveying the sector. While the mapping project is ongoing, data collected so far illustrate the diversity of the sector and underline its importance for individuals, communities and the economy. The paper sets out some preliminary patterns and provides analysis of the role of the sector as it impacts gender and minorities, its engagement with market practices and the emergence of the environment and sustainability as a social economy mission and practice.BC-Alberta Social Economy Research Alliance (BALTA) ; Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC

2008 Summary of Results: BALTA Social Economy Survey - Fall 2008

In January 2008 the BC-Alberta Social Economy Research Alliance (BALTA) launched its Social Economy Survey, as part of its Portraiture and Mapping project. The survey consists of an online questionnaire and is housed at Athabasca University. It is designed to compile an inventory of social economy actors and organizations in BC and Alberta in order to provide general data on the scope and scale of the sector including evidence of its economic, social and environmental significance. The survey is an ongoing endeavour. It will stay active for the duration of the mapping project until 2011. The survey is open to any organizations and actors that are part of the social economy.The BC-Alberta Social Economy Research Alliance (BALTA) is a regional collaboration of organizations engaged in research initiatives to strengthen the foundations of the social economy in western Canada. Undertaken by the BALTA mapping team, a social economy survey is aimed at identifying the scope and characteristics of the social economy in BC and Alberta. The online survey is ongoing. This summary provides a brief overview of the responses collected from January to October 2008

Unleashing Local Capital: Project Evaluation Report

Unleashing Local Capital (ULC) was initiated and is managed by the Alberta Community and Co-operative Association (ACCA). The project empowers rural Alberta communities to invest locally, direct their own economic development and reduce dependency on government supports by directing outward-bound investments towards local businesses, keeping local capital flowing through local communities. ULC educates communities on how to establish an Opportunity Development Co-operative (ODC) – a co-op that pools and manages capital raised from local investors, which is then invested in local businesses. ULC has also directly supported the development of ODCs in several communities. This report is the result of a summative and formative evaluation for ACCA of the early development of ULC.Athabasca University ; Alberta Community and Co-operative Associatio

The Social Economy in Alberta and BC: Preliminary Patterns

This report was circulated during an April 27 symposium in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, on Working in the Social Economy.The BC-Alberta Social Economy Research Alliance (BALTA) is collecting information on the scope and scale of the social economy in British Columbia and Alberta. As part of this research endeavor, the BALTA Mapping project conducted an online survey in 2008, and has kept the survey running into 2010. This paper sets out some preliminary patterns of the social economy in British Columbia and Alberta, with an emphasis on mission, employment, target groups, gender and governance, revenue and engagement with market practices. Data collected so far illustrates the diversity of the sector and underlines its importance for individuals, communities and the economy.BC-Alberta Social Economy Research Alliance (BALTA) ; Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC