(News Release) VANCOUVER — B.C. has declared May 20, 2015, as “Aboriginal Social Enterprise Day” to celebrate Aboriginal social innovation and entrepreneurship and highlight the important role it plays in community and economic development throughout the province.
To commemorate the day, Minister of Social Development and Social Innovation Michelle Stilwell gathered with Aboriginal leaders and organizations at the Metro Vancouver Aboriginal Executive Council’s (MVAEC) social enterprise workshop. The workshop introduced participants to social enterprises, looked at legal structures and showcased examples of both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal social enterprises.
Social enterprises are businesses that produce goods and services for sale and then use their revenue to achieve their social, cultural or environmental mission. They range from thrift stores to businesses that provide skills training, affordable housing and jobs for people with disabilities. They can also be a for-profit business that is focused on social objectives. What connects them all is that their primary purpose is to make life better for people and their communities.
The B.C. government proclaimed May 2015 as Social Enterprise Month to help raise awareness and celebrate the work social entrepreneurs are doing in B.C. and the contributions these businesses make to our communities and the economy.
ABOUT
Douglas magazine delivers exciting, in-depth features about Victoria, British Columbia’s vibrant business culture — its startups, disrupters and influencers. With its clear-eyed, contemporary take on business, Douglas inspires local leaders with content about how entrepreneurship is changing our city — and our world.
