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
Executive 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.
Devon Bond
Operations Manager
Toronto, ON
Devon uses her dynamic set of skills and experiences to bolster SI Canada’s operations and its goal to strengthen its network of social innovators.
Flavie Halais
Communications & Engagement Lead
Montreal, QC
Flavie is passionate about weaving narrative, brand and communication strategies to tell engaging stories of social change.
Maryam Mohiuddin Ahmed
Design Lead, Financialization of Housing Lab
Toronto, ON
Maryam’s work centres ‘dialogues of wisdoms’ and explorations around alternate ways of knowing, doing and being to decolonize social innovation and entrepreneurship.
Kathleen Cerrer
Digital Communications & Engagement Coordinator
Winnipeg, MB
Kathleen’s work is focused on creating meaningful change through connection, collaboration and amplifying stories that drive impact.
Daniella Balasal
Program Manager
Brampton, ON
Daniella is committed to the development of inclusive, livable and resilient communities through fostering creative thinking and partnerships.
Muska Ulhaq
Senior Manager, Labs and Challenges
Courtice, ON
Muska is focused on cultivating strong multi-sector partnerships and developing innovative programs that generate positive, social, cultural, and environmental impact.
Christine Phillips
Executive Assistant
Ajax, ON
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.
Barbara (Babs) Weber
Facilitator, ABSI Connect
Fort McMurray, AB
Barbara likes trying to help people understand the different experiences that lead to who we are as humans. She believes understanding leads to action, which breaks barriers and builds equity
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.
Louise Adongo
Executive Director, Inspiring Communities
Halifax, NS
Louise brings care and intention to uncovering the roots of tangled problems; enabling shifts to greater resilience, sustainability and impact.
Shawn Smith
Vancouver, BC
Educator, entrepreneur, dad. Building an economy that works for everyone.
Jerome Morgan
Calgary, AB
Jerome Morgan specializes in strategy, human-centred design, organizational development and facilitation. He helps leaders get to better solutions using design thinking and community innovation that is centered on empathy.
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.
Social Innovation Canada operates with support from:
