Seeds Planted for Green Economy in Manitoba

By Tony Clarke

Photo: BUILD Inc.

Last week, I was in Winnipeg and elsewhere in southern Manitoba for a roundtable and a series of field visits. Representing the Green Economy Network [GEN] — a national alliance of civil society organizations committed to transforming our economy in response to environmental challenges, notably climate change — I was blown away by what I saw and experienced. Here’s why.

Book Launch: Inner City Renovation

Please join us in celebrating the launch of Inner City Renovation: How a Social Enterprise Changes Lives and Communities by Marty Donkervoort
Marty Donkervoort will give a short talk about his book on Thursday, September 19, 2013, 7:00pm

Creating opportunities with green jobs: the story of BUILD and BEEP

PDF version

Full report

by Kirsten Bernas

Social enterprises have emerged as viable business models that create a blended return on investment as a result of the multiple economic, social, and environmental benefits they bring to local communities.

Building Urban Industries for Local Development (BUILD) and the Brandon Energy Efficiency Program (BEEP) operate as social enterprises in Manitoba. They perform energy efficiency retrofits on low-income homes while providing training and jobs for local people with barriers to employment.

In a new CCPA-MB report, Kirsten Bernas and Blair Hamilton begin to document the quantitative and qualitative value associated with the multiple benefits produced by BUILD and BEEP.