Ontario, Canada, wants your input to help “shape social change” by “tackling social challenges, like poverty, pollution and unemployment.”
Today, at the Ontario Social Innovation Summit, Ontario Government in partnership with SiG@MaRS launched a very important social collaboration platform, Wiki, in order to reach out to you for your help with your ideas and solutions.
Ontario’s Social Innovation Wiki is an online space where citizens, non-profit organizations, businesses and public agencies are collaborating to develop a policy framework for social innovation in Ontario, from May 16 to May 31, 2011, in the following manner:
- “Our challenge over the next two weeks is to co-develop a social innovation policy paper that identifies better ways to unleash the sector’s potential and surfaces new opportunities for cross-sectoral collaboration. On May 31st we will deliver wiki community’s Policy Paper and recommendations to our partners in the Ontario government.”
- Please visit the Main Content section to add your voice to the debate, provide fresh examples, share your stories, or discuss how the issues raised in the discussion are playing out in your organization, sector, or both.
Join in the conversation and be part of open policy development as well as help Ontario shape social change for “greater good” in terms of reduction of poverty, unemployment and pollution!
Ontario, Canada: Newsroom
News Release
Summit Builds New Partnerships For Greater Good
May 16, 2011
McGuinty Government Asks Ontarians To Help Shape Social Change
Ontario continues to work on tackling social challenges, like poverty, pollution and unemployment.
In partnership with SiG@MaRS, the province is asking Ontarians for their help with their ideas and solutions through a Wiki – an online collaboration sharing tool.
Today, Ontario’s first Social Innovation Summit is bringing together local and international leaders from non-profits, business, academia and community groups to discuss how best to tackle social, cultural, economic and environmental challenges.
Exploring partnerships and innovative ways to make social change is part of the 2011 Ontario Budget – Turning the Corner and supports Ontario’s Innovation Agenda aimed at igniting growth in the industries that will shape our future and create Ontario’s next generation of jobs.
QUOTES
“Social Innovation is more than a description; it is the action of creatively addressing our challenges. By coming together today across sectors and different work cultures, we are bringing innovation to life. Together we can harness this collaborative power to fight poverty, find jobs and create solutions made in Ontario with people not for them.”
– Glen Murray
Minister of Research and Innovation
“We know that social issues like poverty reduction require innovative solutions and an all-hands-on-deck approach. The ideas generated from today’s summit and through the wiki in the weeks to come will help Ontarians continue to work in partnership to develop creative solutions to complex challenges.”
– Laurel Broten
Minister of Children and Youth Services and Minister Responsible for Women’s Issues
“Social innovation comes from the ground up – it comes from people and from communities. When we break down silos and work in collaboration, we find new ways of solving problems together. That’s why social innovation is so important, and this summit is an enormous step in the right direction.”
– Dr. Eric Hoskins
Minister of Citizenship and Immigration
QUICK FACTS
- The wiki was developed by The Working Group, a Toronto based web design company and Moxie Insight, and innovative research company that focuses on emerging technology trends and their impact on businesses.
- Ontario’s non-profit sector supports one million jobs and contributes close to $50 billion to Ontario’s economy.
- Social Innovation Summit featured lectures and workshops focused on developing tools and partnerships that could lead to social solutions and create a more competitive business climate, resulting in more jobs and growth.
- SiG@MaRS – developed with support from Ontario’s Ministry of Research and Innovation – is one of the world’s first dedicated social innovation programs.
LEARN MORE
CONTACT
- Ralph Benmergui
Minister’s Office
416-314-7067
ralph.benmergui@ontario.ca
Ministry of Research and Innovation
ontario.ca/innovation
——————————————————————————————————
You may also want to know:
YRFN Invites You to POOR NO MORE Movie Events: Solutions to Canada’s Working Poor