We are connecting Canada’s
Social Innovation Ecosystem
A robust, connected, social innovation ecosystem inspires new efforts to illuminate relationships between social innovators, bringing together key parts so they can combine to create a much greater whole.
We are at a powerful tipping point for a social innovation ecosystem in Canada that can lead to widespread social and environmental change. To make this possible, we need to pay greater attention to both the whole and to the parts. We need to create the collaborative infrastructure to connect, support and enable social innovators to maximize the potential for change.
Social Innovation Canada is working to provide the collaborative infrastructure to strengthen Canada’s social innovation ecosystem, empowering people, organizations and systems with the tools, knowledge, skills and connections that they need to solve real and complex problems.
In 2019, we began to build our foundations. Check SI Canada’s first year review and learn more about how the work was structured, what we have learned, and what comes next.
This builds on our strategic roadmap: Introducing Social Innovation Canada / Présentation d’innovation sociale Canada.
To see how we got here, have a look at Findings From The Field.
The SI Canada team consists of a small ‘secretariat’ team at the national/operations level, working in partnership with regional ‘nodes‘ or host partners in various parts of Canada. Each node has a ‘weaver’. These ‘weavers’ are natural networks who are responsible for convening regional gatherings and learning events to revel, share, unlock, and enable people, organization and systems to thrive. They meet regularly and work together to reflect the vibrancy, diversity and knowledge that is emerging from coast to coast to coast.
Our Team
Andrea Nemtin
Director
Toronto, ON
Andrea’s work connects social innovation practitioners to each other, opportunities and resources to create the change required to put people and planet first.
Chloe Waretini
Program Director
Montreal, QC
Thought and practice leader in the human-centred future of work. Combines her background in design, community-building, and radically collaborative organizations into a drive to create a world where (all) life can thrive.
Zoya Jiwa
Education Manager
Toronto, ON
Zoya combines her background in research and program development to design learning experiences and resources that foster collaboration and impact amongst social innovators.
Our Weavers
Kalen Taylor
Executive Director, Purpose Constructions
Winnipeg, MB
Kalen is a social entrepreneur with a focus on tackling tough societal problems through social enterprise and deep community collaboration.
Mélanie Bisson
Coordonnatrice des relations avec l’écosystème d’innovation sociale, MIS
Montréal, QC
Porteuse d’une vision ambitieuse pour notre société, Mélanie puise son inspiration dans la diversité des points de vue et la qualité des relations humaines qui mènent à l’ouverture et à l’inclusion.
Laura Gaaysiigad Cuthbert
BC Regional Weaver, RADIUS SFU
Vancouver, BC
Laura builds movements that challenge systems. She values reciprocity, community, and connection above all else.
Jonathan Meikle
Winnipeg, MB
Jonathan is a proud member of Norway House Cree Nation, a war vet, and has lived experience in our criminal justice system. He works towards hope and healing in the justice system through traditional Indigenous approaches to restorative justice.
Elise Martinoski
Information Designer, ABSI Connect
Calgary, AB
Elise utilizes the design thinking process to make sure communication is clear and consistent for change makers that ABSI Connect works with.
Our Stewardship Group
Diane Roussin
Project Director, The Winnipeg Boldness Project
Winnipeg, MB
ᐊᓂᔑᓈᐯᒃ Anishinaabe. Skownan 1st Nation. Passionate Community Leader. In pursuit of mino bimaadiziwin (the Good Life).
Patrick Dube
Executive Director, La Maison de l’innovation sociale
Montréal, QC
With his entrepreneur and complex systems mindset, Patrick likes to disrupt status quo and provoke fierce conversations around the role of social innovation in achieving systemic changes by building civil society and people’s capacity.
Tonya Surman
CEO, Centre for Social Innovation
Toronto, ON
Tonya is fuelled by her belief in the power of collaboration and belonging. Through multiple organizations, she’s unlocking the social innovation community to get at the root causes of problems.
Naomi Mahaffy
Facilitator, ABSI Connect
Edmonton, AB
Naomi believes we can become better changemakers together if we connect, celebrate, and support those creating and testing new ways of addressing society’s most pressing problems.
Annika Voltan
Executive Director, Inspiring Communities
Halifax, NS
Annika works with multiple stakeholders to develop partnerships and identify opportunities to maximize social impact. She is dedicated to breaking down barriers and creating equal opportunities for all.
Shawn Smith
Vancouver, BC
Educator, entrepreneur, dad. Building an economy that works for everyone.
Social Innovation Canada operates with support from:
