Lead by example: Private-sector purchasers drive their sectors forward with action

Buy Social Canada has been leading on social procurement design, implementation, and advocacy for the past 10 years. Since 2019 we have celebrated Social Procurement Champion Awards to recognize that […]

November 2024 Newsletter

The November newsletter features the information on how to #GiftSocial, the second blog in a series sharing progress from past Social Procurement Champion Award winners, contract and client updates, upcoming […]

‘Tis the Season to #GiftSocial

Shop with heart this holiday season and be part of community impact with #GiftSocial. When you purchase from social enterprises, you’re not just buying gifts; you’re providing opportunities for community […]

Movement leaders and innovators: Municipalities advance the marketplace revolution

Buy Social Canada has been leading on social procurement design, implementation, and advocacy for the past 10 years. Since 2019 we have celebrated Social Procurement Champion Awards to recognize that […]

October 2024 Newsletter

The October newsletter features a new blog series sharing progress from past Social Procurement Champion Award winners, an updated resource, contract and client updates, upcoming events and trainings, and more […]

Updates from the Marketplace Revolution: Government of Canada’s social procurement journey

Buy Social Canada has been leading on social procurement design, implementation, and advocacy for the past 10 years. Since 2019 we have celebrated Social Procurement Champion Awards to recognize that […]

September 2024 Newsletter

The September newsletter features event recaps and recordings, upcoming trainings, new resources, and news from the social procurement and social enterprise sectors. Read the newsletter here, and subscribe to stay up to date.

Event Recap from Marketplace Impact: Social Enterprise Forward

Marketplace Impact: Social Enterprise Forward shared social enterprise stories and outcomes while nurturing conversation between engaged suppliers, purchasers, and community members across Canada. Participants engaged in community discussion and networking […]

New Buy Social Canada Resource: Guide to Social Enterprise

Buy Social Canada is thrilled to release a new resource today, the Guide to Social Enterprise: Plan, sustain and grow your impact with a social enterprise business plan. A valuable […]

New Sell with Impact 2023 Snapshot shares updates from a vibrant social enterprise ecosystem

Social enterprise is a powerful business model to tackle the challenges our economy and communities are facing today. Buy Social Canada sees the movement for social enterprise growing steadily as […]

August 2024 Newsletter

The August newsletter features the 2023 Buy with Impact Snapshot, upcoming events and trainings, including the upcoming Marketplace Impact: Social Enterprise Forward event, and updates from the social procurement and […]

Event Agenda for Marketplace Impact: Social Enterprise Forward on September 10

Join Buy Social Canada at Marketplace Impact: Social Enterprise Forward on September 10, 2024, to share stories and progress from the social enterprise sector in Canada as we celebrate how […]

New Buy with Impact 2023 Snapshot shares data and stories of social procurement progress in Canada

The progress of social procurement across Canada is unprecedented and encouraging. People and organizations are working together to add value to procurement in multiple ways; through social procurement, Indigenous procurement, […]

July 2024 Newsletter

The July newsletter is full of information about upcoming events and trainings, including the upcoming Marketplace Impact: Social Enterprise Forward event, and updates from the social procurement and social enterprise […]

Complementary Missions: Community Finance and Social Procurement

This blog is co-written by Tapestry Community Capital and Buy Social Canada to help amplify each other’s work to our respective networks, and reinforce our mutual support. When Buy Social […]

Webinar recap – Net-Zero Procurement: How to engage suppliers in the race to net-zero

Buy Social Canada recently hosted a Net-Zero Procurement webinar, with special guest speaker Bob Willard. Bob is the founder of Sustainability Advantage, a Buy Social Canada Community Champion, and a […]

Canada’s first social procurement consulting company celebrates 10 years of championing economic and social impact

Since 2014, Buy Social Canada has helped corporations and governments realize the power of purchasing to deliver social outcomes. Vancouver, June 13, 2024 – Buy Social Canada, a national social […]

June 2024 Newsletter

The June newsletter is full of information about upcoming events and trainings, reflections from Marketplace Impact: Social Procurement in Action, new resources, and a celebration of the growing network of […]

In Memoriam: David LePage

In the opening pages of ‘Marketplace Revolution’ David LePage invites the reader to join him on a journey. When you worked or spent time with David it was a journey […]

Event Recap from Marketplace Impact: Social Procurement in Action

Marketplace Impact: Social Procurement in Action shared social procurement implementation best practices and innovation while nurturing conversation between engaged purchasers, suppliers, and community members across Canada. Participants engaged in community […]

New Community Benefits in Construction: Mandate, Design and Implement Guide

We’re thrilled to launch a new free resource, the Community Benefits in Construction: Mandate, Design and Implement Guide. The Guide shares best practices for including community benefits in construction, infrastructure, […]

May 2024 Newsletter

The May newsletter is full of information about upcoming events and trainings, including Marketplace Impact: Social Procurement in Action, and several upcoming webinars. We also share updates and learnings from […]

Social Procurement Champion Award winners take action for impact

This year the Buy Social Canada Social Procurement Champion Awards recognize organizations who are taking real strides forward to get things done in the social procurement ecosystem – either through […]

Six steps to social acquisition

A social acquisition is the process by which a conventional enterprise is acquired and restructured into a social enterprise or other form of social purpose organization. This literature review on social […]

Event Agenda for Marketplace Impact: Social Procurement in Action

Join Buy Social Canada on May 16, 2024 as we share the latest best practices for social procurement implementation at Marketplace Impact: Social Procurement in Action. This event will focus […]

BCSPI Webinar Recap: Lessons Learned Supporting Local Governments to Adopt Social Procurement

British Columbia Social Procurement Initiative (BCSPI) brings together local governments and institutions to develop and grow social procurement policies and practices. Buy Social Canada manages BCSPI. British Columbia Social Procurement […]

April 2024 Newsletter

The April newsletter is full of information about upcoming events and trainings, including our second annual Marketplace Impact event series, the Marketplace Revolution book by David LePage, and many more […]

March 2024 Newsletter

The March newsletter is full of information about upcoming events and trainings, including our second annual Marketplace Impact event series, a national book tour with our founder David LePage, and […]

February 2024 Newsletter

The February newsletter includes advocacy around federally-funded business supports and funding for social enterprises, along with upcoming event details, innovative collaborations and progress from Certified Social Enterprises, as well as […]

Celebrating David LePage’s Career and Retirement

Thank you to everyone who joined us in Vancouver and online to celebrate David LePage as he steps into a new role: retirement. It’s bittersweet to say goodbye to David […]

From 0.1% to 10% in 10 years: Social Enterprise Council of Canada and Buy Social Canada call for BDC Support for Social Enterprise to Grow

Within a supportive environment for the development and success of any business, including social enterprises, there are critical pillars of support that are needed for success. Two of these pillars […]

January 2024 Newsletter

The January newsletter includes reflections on the past year and past decade as Buy Social Canada celebrates our 10th anniversary. We also share stories of progress from a Vancouver CBA […]

Social value isn’t just nice, it’s necessary: The marketplace revolution in 2024 and beyond

In 2023 we saw continued momentum for social procurement and social enterprise growth, implementation, and capacity-building. Governments, corporations, and community intermediaries are championing social value in procurement as they recognize […]

City of Vancouver CBA Policy boosts construction sector impact on local projects

City of Vancouver’s CBA Policy is currently applied to several construction projects which are creating inclusive jobs and keeping money in the community. Vancouver, December 27, 2023 – Construction projects […]

Job Posting: Social Procurement Coordinator

Title: Social Procurement Coordinator $55,000 – $60,000 annual salary Every purchase has an economic, environmental, cultural and social impact. The collective effort of leveraging social value from purchasing has a powerful […]

Embed data collection to improve social procurement measurement and reporting

Buy Social Canada encourages all purchasers to report on their social procurement spend and progress. However in our 2022 Buy with Impact report, none of the purchasers we surveyed had […]

December 2023 Newsletter

The December newsletter includes information on our 2023 #GiftSocial Campaign, how to start the new year as an Engage Member, upcoming trainings and events, and examples and stories from the […]

The Social Economy Ecosystem calls on the Federal Government to continue support for Social Innovation and Social Finance

The Investment Readiness Program (IRP) is a Government of Canada grants and contributions program designed to support social purpose organizations (SPO’s) to contribute to solving pressing social, cultural, and environmental challenges across […]

November 2023 Newsletter

Our November newsletter includes information on upcoming trainings for purchasers and social enterprises, reflections on recent events, and updates about the growing social enterprise and social procurement marketplace. Read the […]

It’s time to #GiftSocial and give back to community

As the holiday season approaches, consider purchasing from a Certified Social Enterprise to give gifts that give back to community. When you #GiftSocial and buy from a social enterprise, you’re […]

Busting Social Procurement Myths

There are several common myths about social procurement that aren’t true. Here are the facts: Myth: Trade agreements don’t allow for social procurement.  Fact: Trade agreements have parameters to work […]

Job Posting: Social Procurement Consultant

Note: This job posting has been filled. Title: Social Procurement Consultant $60,000 – $80,000 annual salary Deadline to apply: November 1, 2023 Every purchase has an economic, environmental, cultural and […]

October 2023 Newsletter

Our October newsletter includes new social enterprise research, Marketplace Impact event recap, upcoming events and training, and more updates from the social procurement and social enterprise ecosystem. Read the newsletter […]

Is the Social Finance Fund the inclusive solution?

The recently announced Social Finance Fund (SFF) is intended to meet a critical gap in access to finance for social purpose organizations. “The SFF will support charities, non-profits, social enterprises, […]

New social enterprise research: $4 billion in annual revenue plus stories of impact prove social enterprise is an economic force for good

Social enterprises across Canada tackle complex social challenges while operating successful businesses and reinvesting profits into community, a new report from Buy Social Canada shows. Vancouver, September 19, 2023 – […]

Event recap from Marketplace Impact: Social Enterprise Research and Stories

Marketplace Impact: Social Enterprise Research and Stories successfully shared insights on social enterprise while nurturing conversation between engaged community members, purchasers and suppliers from across Canada. Participants engaged in community […]

September 2023 Newsletter

Our September newsletter includes registration info for the upcoming Marketplace Impact: Social Enterprise Research and Stories event, several new resources and blog posts, upcoming events and training, and updates from […]

Book Chapter: Achieving the UN SDGs Through the Integration of Social Procurement in Construction Projects

This chapter, written by Buy Social Canada team members David LePage and Emma Renaerts, is an excerpt from the book “The Role of Design, Construction, and Real Estate in Advancing […]

Event Agenda for Marketplace Impact: Social Enterprise Research and Stories

Join Buy Social Canada on September 19, 2023 as we share research, stories, and progress of social enterprise across the country at Marketplace Impact: Social Enterprise Research and Stories. This […]

How to Connect Social Goals, Budget Restraints and Social Procurement

The Social Value Questionnaire: A Key Tool for Social Procurement Implementation Every purchase has an economic, social, cultural, and environmental impact. Social procurement is the intentional use of existing purchasing […]

August 2023 Newsletter

Our August newsletter includes registration info for the upcoming Marketplace Impact: Social Enterprise Research and Stories event, an announcement about changes to Buy Social Canada leadership, and information and inspiration […]

Canada’s new Modern Slavery Act is an extension of good social procurement practices

Canada’s Federal Government is introducing measures to tackle modern slavery and other forms of forced labour in global supply chains. Bill S-211, An Act to enact the Fighting Against Forced […]

July 2023 Newsletter

Our July newsletter shares exciting new research about self-attestation and other methods to increase supply chain diversity, information about upcoming social procurement and social enterprise events, and more updates and […]

Job Posting: Operations Lead

Title: Operations Lead $60,000 – $70,000 annual salary Deadline to apply: July 21, 2023 Every purchase has an economic, environmental, cultural and social impact. The collective effort of leveraging social […]

June 2023 Newsletter

In our June newsletter we share new research and resources, case studies and stories from the movement to advance social procurement and social enterprise across Canada. Also included are event […]

Marketplace Impact May 2023 Event Recap

Marketplace Impact: A National Conversation on Social Procurement successfully shared insights on social procurement while fostering dialogue between engaged community members and purchasers from across Canada. Participants got to engage […]

Global News BC highlights social enterprises

Global News BC Community Reporter Michael Newman highlighted social enterprises on air in the Making a Difference series, sponsored in part by Buy Social Canada. The first video in the series explores the […]

A story from Building Up: How to purchase community value by doing business with a social enterprise

Building Up is a Toronto-based Certified Social Enterprise contracting company that supports persons facing barriers and prepares them for careers in the building trades. Building Up hires people who live […]

BCSPI Purchasing Power: How can procurement help reduce hazardous chemicals?

British Columbia Social Procurement Initiative (BCSPI) brings together local governments and institutions to develop and grow social procurement policies and practices. BCSPI is supported by Buy Social Canada, Scale Collaborative, […]

Event agenda for Marketplace Impact: A National Conversation on Social Procurement

Join Buy Social Canada online on May 25 at Marketplace Impact: A National Conversation on Social Procurement as we share stories, updates, and progress of social procurement across the country. […]

Celebrate the 2023 Social Procurement Champion Award recipients on May 25

This year the Buy Social Canada Social Procurement Champion Awards recognize educators and agitators from the social value marketplace who are working hard towards a shared goal to leverage purchasing […]

May 2023 Newsletter

Our May newsletter is jam packed with event updates, including our upcoming virtual event on May 25: Marketplace Impact: A National Conversation on Social Procurement, and an in person Toronto […]

April 2023 Newsletter

Our April newsletter is jam packed with event updates, including our upcoming virtual event on May 25: Marketplace Impact: A National Conversation on Social Procurement, and an in person Toronto […]

Destination Vancouver champions social procurement in tourism, hospitality and events

The tourism industry is taking a leadership role in advancing social procurement to create heathy, vibrant communities. One organization within the sector championing this movement is Destination Vancouver, a Buy […]

BSCPI Purchasing Power: How can procurement support housing affordability?

British Columbia Social Procurement Initiative (BCSPI) brings together local governments and institutions to develop and grow social procurement policies and practices. BCSPI is supported by Buy Social Canada, Scale Collaborative, […]

March 2023 Newsletter

Read our March newsletter to learn how social enterprises define success, get details on upcoming events to grow the marketplace revolution, and celebrate progress across Canada. Read the newsletter here, […]

New St. Paul’s hospital construction continues to exceed community benefit agreement goals

The New St. Paul’s Hospital is the first project to trigger the City of Vancouver’s Community Benefit Agreement (CBA) policy, designed to create additional community benefits in the neighbourhoods surrounding […]

Here’s how social enterprises define success

Version Française ici. For social enterprises, success is all about creating community impact. We wanted to learn more about what that means to them, so we asked our Certified Social […]

Voici comment les entreprises sociales définissent le succès (Français)

English version here. Pour les entreprises sociales, le succès correspond à la création de retombées dans la collectivité. Pour en savoir plus, nous avons posé la question suivante à nos […]

Job Posting: Social Procurement Consultant

Note: This position has been filled, but we accept resumes for any future hiring opportunities on an ongoing basis. If you’re looking for a meaningful role with a dynamic team, […]

BCSPI Purchasing Power: How can procurement help address poverty?

British Columbia Social Procurement Initiative (BCSPI) brings together local governments and institutions to develop and grow social procurement policies and practices. BCSPI is supported by Buy Social Canada, Scale Collaborative, […]

February 2023 Newsletter

Read our February newsletter to get details on upcoming social procurement and social enterprise events, and celebrate progress across Canada. Read the newsletter here, and subscribe to stay up to date.

The Games are coming, and the winner is… community!

Games and sporting events are ubiquitous in daily life, and lots of major games are happening across Canada in the next few years. Some of the large events include St. […]

Why certification? Benefits for social enterprises

Calling all businesses who are a force for good! Verify your social impact with social enterprise certification to show stakeholders, clients, and your team that you put your money where […]

Response to the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) 2022-23 Legislative Review

The Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), a financial crown corporation wholly-owned by the Government of Canada, is Canada’s only bank exclusively focused on providing support to SMEs and entrepreneurs. […]

January 2023 Newsletter

Read our January newsletter and join us in looking ahead at what’s possible for social procurement and social enterprise in 2023! This newsletter shares impacts from 2022, updates about the […]

Make a resolution to advance the marketplace revolution

2022 saw incredible progress with social procurement and community capital creation. People and organizations across the country are working to add value to their procurement in multiple ways, such as […]

BCSPI Purchasing Power: How can procurement support zero waste?

British Columbia Social Procurement Initiative (BCSPI) brings together local governments and institutions to develop and grow social procurement policies and practices. BCSPI is supported by Buy Social Canada, Scale Collaborative, […]

December 2022 Newsletter

Read our December newsletter to get details on how to #GiftSocial for the holidays, upcoming webinars and events, early bird discounts for 2023 training cohorts, and more stories showcasing the […]

BCSPI Purchasing Power Recap: How can procurement advance reconciliation?

British Columbia Social Procurement Initiative (BCSPI) brings together local governments and institutions to develop and grow social procurement policies and practices. BCSPI is supported by Buy Social Canada, Scale Collaborative, […]

November 2022 Newsletter

Read our November newsletter to get details on early bird discounts for 2023 training cohorts, grant opportunities for social enterprises, how to #GiftSocial for the holidays, and more social procurement […]

Give a gift that gives back when you #GiftSocial

The holiday season is a time of sharing and caring for each other. As you reflect on the holidays, consider a gift that creates community capital in addition to the joy it […]

Sell with Impact in Logan, Australia

Enjoy this missive from Brisbane Australia, where some of our team travelled to participate in SEWF 2022. Logan is a diverse neighbour to Brisbane where residents speak 217 languages. We […]

Broad New Horizons: Symposium 2022 Recap

The theme of the 2022 Buy Social Canada Symposium of ‘Broad New Horizons’ beautifully encapsulates the breadth and energy of this year’s event. We heard from social enterprises, diverse suppliers, […]

Symposium 2022 Program Broad New Horizons

Join the Buy Social Canada Symposium: Broad New Horizons on October 18, 2022 to connect with leading social purchasers and suppliers, learn from industry experts, and celebrate trailblazers at the […]

Celebrate Social Procurement Champion Awards at the 2022 Buy Social Canada Symposium

There is no final destination on a social procurement journey. We will always seek to improve outcomes, increase impact and tell great stories. With the Social Procurement Champion Awards at […]

October 2022 Newsletter

Read our October newsletter to get the details on the Buy Social Canada Symposium program, in-person events, fall training courses, and more social procurement and social enterprise news from across […]

Welcome to Seal the Deal Fund where we help make contracts happen

We know that many supports for small businesses, investment providers and funds are rarely designed to support not-for-profits, or they come with red tape that makes it hard for small […]

September 2022 Newsletter

Read our September newsletter to get the details on Buy Social Canada Symposium registration, in-person events in Vancouver and Calgary, fall training registration deadlines, and more social procurement and social […]

Factsheets summarize social procurement research in the Australian Construction Sector

Read insightful and snappy factsheets summarizing recent international peer-reviewed research lead by University of Technology Sydney (UTS), shared by our esteemed colleague Martin Loosemore. Martin Loosemore is Distinguished Professor of […]

August 2022 Newsletter

Read our August newsletter to learn about a new Social Procurement Action Plan in Winnipeg, impact reports from Calgary’s Benefit Driven Procurement Program, early bird rates on Buy Social Canada […]

Purchasing with Impact: An update from City of Calgary

The City of Calgary continues on their Benefit Driven Procurement (BDP, also referred to as social procurement) journey, after they began implementation in 2019. In a recent report to their […]

July 2022 Newsletter

Read our July newsletter to learn about early bird rates on Buy Social Canada training courses, an upcoming CBA webinar, grant fund opportunities for social enterprises and social value suppliers, […]

Un an après : la mise en œuvre de l’entente sur les retombées locales au nouvel hôpital St Paul’s (Français)

English version here. Le projet du nouvel hôpital St Paul’s a été mis en branle au printemps 2021. Nous avons recueilli les données de la première année sur les objectifs de l’entente […]

One year in: CBA implementation at New St. Paul’s Hospital

Version Française ici. The New St. Paul’s Hospital (NSPH) project broke ground in spring 2021 and we have gathered the first year’s data on the community benefit agreement targets. Buy […]

Canadian Social Enterprises create healthy, vibrant communities by supporting persons with disabilities

In Canada, there are nearly 645,000 individuals with disabilities aged 25-64 who are able to work, but not currently employed (Statistics Canada). Work is something which brings meaning to many […]

June 2022 Newsletter

Read our June newsletter to learn about our new grant fund for social value suppliers, CBA research that shows a paradigm shift in the industry, a new member of the […]

Westbank contracts Buy Social Canada to assist with CBA implementation on 150 West Georgia Project

Buy Social Canada is proud to announce that we have been selected by Westbank as their Independent Third-Party Monitor contractor to support them in meeting the City of Vancouver’s Community Benefit […]

Approvisionnement avec retombées pour créer des possibilités d’emploi pour les personnes en situation de handicap (Français)

English version here. Ce mémoire sur l’approvisionnement social a été envoyé aux ministres fédéraux. La création d’emplois efficaces pour les personnes vivant avec un handicap est une nécessité complexe et […]

Buy with impact to create employment opportunities for persons with disabilities

Version Française ici. This thought piece has been sent to Federal Ministers to advocate for social procurement. The complex and persistent need to create effective employment for persons with disabilities […]

May 2022 Newsletter

Read our May newsletter to learn about trainings to buy and sell with impact, a new member of the Buy Social Canada team, updates on social procurement policies and social […]

Choisir la bonne stratégie d’approvisionnement en fonction de ses objectifs (Français)

English version here. L’approvisionnement est un outil puissant qui permet de relever de multiples défis sociaux, économiques et environnementaux. L’approvisionnement social consiste à tirer parti de la valeur sociale des […]

Choose the right purchasing strategy for your goals

Version Française ici. Procurement is a powerful tool to address multiple social, economic, and environmental challenges. Social procurement focuses on leveraging social value from existing purchases to create community capital. […]

April 2022 Newsletter

Read our April newsletter to learn about trainings to buy and sell with impact, social enterprises creating community capital, public policy research and updates from Public Services and Procurement Canada […]

Learn the skills to buy and sell with impact with Buy Social Canada training courses

Together we are redefining how goods and services are bought and sold. Education is a critical tool as we work to embed social value and transform our purchasing. Buy Social […]

Social Enterprise Marketplace Debut at the Bentall Centre Pop-Ups

Vancouver, BC – On April 5, Buy Social Canada is celebrating the grand opening of the Social Enterprise Marketplace at the Bentall Centre Pop-Ups, in the heart of Vancouver’s downtown […]

Social enterprises across Canada create community capital by supporting immigrants and newcomers

One in four workers in Canada are immigrants, contributing to Canada’s growing labour force, local economies, and community wealth.[1] These numbers are expected to increase steadily in the coming years, […]

Buy with Impact at the Vancouver Social Enterprise Marketplace

This Spring, Buy Social Canada, Budgie Box and 50 Million Meals are pleased to host a Social Enterprise Marketplace, a social enterprise pop-up shop located at the Bentall Centre in […]

March 2022 Newsletter

Read our March newsletter to learn about the growing movement of municipalities taking the lead on social procurement, how construction builds community, two new Buy Social Canada team members, upcoming […]

More than a structure: Construction projects build community

Every purchase has an economic, environmental, cultural, and social impact. Social procurement is the intentional effort to leverage social value outcomes from existing purchasing. Procurement is shifting so that organizations […]

BCSPI Purchasing Power Recap: How can social procurement address climate change?

British Columbia Social Procurement Initiative (BCSPI) brings together local governments and institutions to develop and grow social procurement policies and practices. BCSPI is supported by Buy Social Canada, Scale Collaborative, […]

February 2022 Newsletter

Read our February newsletter to learn about new Buy Social Canada Purchasing Partners, impacts from social procurement across Canada, and get the latest on upcoming events and other social procurement […]

BCSPI Purchasing Power Recap: How can social procurement support diversity and inclusion?

British Columbia Social Procurement Initiative (BCSPI) brings together local governments and institutions to develop and grow social procurement policies and practices. BCSPI is supported by Buy Social Canada, Scale Collaborative, […]

L’entreprise sociale et la révolution du marché : Un manifeste pour l’avenir (Français)

English version here. Par : David LePage, auteur de Marketplace Revolution Le commerce peut être bien plus qu’une simple transaction économique. Il consiste en l’échange de biens et de services et, avec […]

Social enterprise and the marketplace revolution: A manifesto for the future

Version Française ici. By: David LePage, author of Marketplace Revolution Business can be much more than merely a means of economic transaction. Business is the exchange of goods and services […]

January 2022 Newsletter

Read our January newsletter to learn about our vision for social procurement in 2022, job opportunities at Buy Social Canada, a new Social Procurement Professional Certificate cohort this spring, and […]

Social procurement solutions for 2022: Growing the movement of community capital creators

At this time last year, we were preparing for the unprecedented potential of a procurement paradigm shift in 2021. We asked the question, and challenged ourselves, “Can we move social […]

Job Posting: Operations Coordinator

Note: This position has been filled, but we accept resumes for any future hiring opportunities on an ongoing basis. If you’re looking for a meaningful role with a dynamic team, […]

December 2021 Newsletter

Read our December newsletter to learn about our #GiftSocial Campaign, a new collaboration with SETSI to support Black-led businesses in Toronto, and get the latest on upcoming events and other […]

BCSPI Purchasing Power Recap: How can social procurement increase food security?

British Columbia Social Procurement Initiative (BCSPI) brings together local governments and institutions to develop and grow social procurement policies and practices. BCSPI is supported by Buy Social Canada, Scale Collaborative, […]

Social procurement perceptions range from extortion to essential

At Buy Social Canada, we are always talking about social procurement. Recently we’ve been conducting interviews to assess the current understanding of social procurement across government, business, and social enterprise […]

BCSPI Purchasing Power Recap: How can social procurement support my local economy?

British Columbia Social Procurement Initiative (BCSPI) brings together local governments and institutions to develop and grow social procurement policies and practices. BCSPI is supported by Buy Social Canada, Scale Collaborative, […]

#GiftSocial this holiday season

As you reflect on the holidays and what they entail this year, consider a gift that creates community capital! From chocolate, candles, furniture, clothing, jewelry and crafts, there are social enterprises that […]

BCSPI Purchasing Power Recap: How can social procurement engage Indigenous businesses?

British Columbia Social Procurement Initiative (BCSPI) brings together local governments and institutions to develop and grow social procurement policies and practices. BCSPI is supported by Buy Social Canada, Scale Collaborative, […]

November 2021 Newsletter

Read our November newsletter to share ideas for our Symposium next Spring, and learn more about upcoming events and other social procurement news. Read the newsletter here, and subscribe to stay up […]

Creating change through social procurement with SAP’s Stephen Young

We sat down to chat with Stephen Young, SAP’s Global Lead for Procurement with Purpose, to talk about what he’s up to at SAP. They are working on how to […]

October 2021 Newsletter

Read our October newsletter to learn more about upcoming webinars and events, and other social procurement news and Buy Social Canada updates. Read the newsletter here, and subscribe to stay up to […]

Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo and City of Calgary pass social procurement unanimously

Community engagement, shared learning and iteration key to program development and policy success. The week of September 13th, the City of Calgary and the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, two […]

September 2021 Newsletter

Read our September newsletter to learn more about upcoming training courses, and other social procurement news and Buy Social Canada updates. Read the newsletter here, and subscribe to stay up to date.

Buy Social Canada: Proud Living Wage Employer

Buy Social Canada is proud to be a certified living wage employer in both BC and Ontario. We believe everyone has the right to fair wages and a good quality […]

August 2021 Newsletter

Read our August newsletter for the latest in social procurement news and Buy Social Canada updates. Read the newsletter here, and subscribe to stay up to date.

Exploring Community Wealth Building Through Social Procurement in Ontario — Final Report

Throughout Ontario, social procurement is contributing towards the creation of inclusive, vibrant and healthy communities. This report recaps a five-part knowledge series that examined the Ontario social procurement ecosystem – social enterprises as suppliers, social […]

July 2021 Newsletter

Take a look at our July newsletter for the latest in social procurement news and Buy Social Canada updates. Read the newsletter here, and subscribe to stay up to date.

Welcome Green Shield Canada, the newest Certified Social Enterprise

Buy Social Canada is excited to announce the latest Certified Social Enterprise, Green Shield Canada. Green Shield Canada was founded in 1957 as a non-profit with a mission to make […]

Social procurement grows across British Columbia municipalities with the expansion of CCSPI

Buy Social Canada, Scale Collaborative, Presentation Plus and Vancouver Island Construction Association to provide education, consulting and support for community-focused purchasing Social procurement is a powerful tool to help achieve […]

June 2021 newsletter

Here’s the latest in social enterprise and social procurement news From the Buy Social Canada team We are deeply saddened by the ongoing trauma that has been highlighted by the deaths […]

PCL contracts Buy Social Canada to assist with St Paul’s Hospital Community Benefit Agreement implementation

Buy Social Canada is proud to announce that we have been selected by PCL Constructors Westcoast Inc. as their independent Third Party Monitor contractor, to support them in meeting the […]

Social Procurement Today and Tomorrow: A recap of the Buy Social Canada Symposium 2021

“My dream is that we level the playing field to a point that all procurement is social procurement” – Eduardo Gomez, Manager of Procurement Transformation at the City of Calgary, […]

Purpose businesses buy with impact

You didn’t make good choices. You had good choices – Celeste Ng We all face challenges. But there are many people in our communities who don’t have good choices to […]

Who is Buy Social Canada?

Social Value Marketplace Podcast: Episode 5 with David LePage

David LePage, managing partner of Buy Social Canada, has just written and released a new book, Marketplace Revolution — from Concentrated Wealth to Community Capital. In this well-timed and pioneering work, […]

Social Value Marketplace Podcast: Episode 4 with Martin Loosemore

Martin Loosemore is Professor of Construction Management at the University of Technology Sydney, Australia. He has published 10 books and over 300 internationally refereed articles in the areas of risk […]

Social Value Marketplace Podcast: Episode 3 with Tim Coldwell, Chandos

Chandos Construction is a 100 percent employee owned, 40-year-old construction firm operating in cities across Canada. It is also a Certified B Corporation and a leader in social hiring and […]

Social Value Marketplace Podcast: Episode 2 with Stephen Young, SAP

All of government, business, institutions, and non-profit organizations are purchasers. Every purchase they make has economic, environmental, and social value-creation power. Social procurement leverages their existing purchasing for social value. […]

Social Value Marketplace Podcast: Episode 1 with Nancy Neamtan

For over three decades Nancy Neamtan has been on the frontlines of the social economy movement in Quebec. Nancy served as CEO of Chantier de l’économie sociale from 1996 to […]

What is Social Procurement?

What is Social Enterprise?

Social Value Menu for Goods and Services

The latest in the Social Value Menu series features templates for social procurement implementation for goods and services. This Social Value Menu will help you design, evaluate and implement the […]

East Van Roasters Ready for Easter and a New Business Model

East Van Roasters is moving to a Community Contribution Company (CCC) business model East Van Roasters is a Buy Social Canada certified social enterprise. For eight years has operated a café […]

Guide to Social Procurement in Construction and Infrastructure Projects

Just released, a new tool to apply social procurement to various construction models. In the Guide to Social Procurement in Construction and Infrastructure Projects we outline a path to increase […]

Social Enterprise Spotlight: Hives For Humanity

Hives for Humanity is a certified social enterprise in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver. They create flexible opportunities that support at-risk populations of people and pollinators. Some of these activities […]

Social Enterprise Spotlight: Infiniguard

Infiniguard is a security company that operates as a social enterprise based in Regent Park. They provide Free training and high-wage employment to at-risk youth, women and new immigrants. InfiniGuard […]

Social Procurement Award Winners!

Congratulations to the 2021 Social Procurement Champion Award Winners – Featuring a municipal purchaser, social value suppliers and community advocates from across Canada Join us on April 26, 2021 at […]

Downtown Eastside Social Enterprise Impact Report 2020

The 28 social enterprises surveyed were all impacted by COVID-19 in 2020. Some closed for good while others pivoted and prospered This year has revealed the ability for the social […]

Social Procurement in 2021: Unprecedented potential for a paradigm shift

As we enter 2021, we find ourselves facing the unprecedented potential of a procurement paradigm shift. Can we move social procurement from the exploration phase to a place of widespread […]

Recommendations for City of Vancouver Budget 2021

Enhance and Amplify Implementation of COV Existing Social Procurement Policy. Outcomes: Enhance Community Value Created from Existing Budget Spending Maximize the Re-investment of Vancouver Taxes back into Vancouver’s Local Economy […]

COVID Spending & Social Procurement

The government has had to spend into incredible debt amounts to respond to the crisis. A question on many people’s mind is “how will we recover from the debt and […]

New – Supplier Guide to Social Procurement

Learn how social enterprises and other social value suppliers can find and access social procurement opportunities. The Supplier Guide to Social Procurement is designed to support social value suppliers to […]

Talking about a Marketplace Revolution: Audiobook available now

The journey of self-publishing Marketplace Revolution by David LePage has been dynamic and diverse. The most recent leg of the journey was kicked off when a colleague who is blind […]

The art of ‘stelling’ in the Social Value Marketplace–Reflections on Workshop 1

On October 20th we began the first workshop of Buy Social Canada’s Social Value Marketplace series. The series is a continuation of the work outlined in ‘Marketplace Revolution’ by David LePage. Our goal is to put […]

Buy Social Canada Pledge welcomes founding corporate partners SAP and Chandos Construction

The Buy Social Canada Pledge invites private companies and public entities to make the commitment to work toward a goal of percentage spend with social enterprises. The collective effort of […]

Institutions and Social Procurement – Anchoring Community through Purchasing

An anchor institution grounds a community through both relationships and its physical presence. As a public-facing or public-serving institution with a fixed location, there is an innate connection to the […]

Exploring Community Benefit Agreements (CBA)

This video explores the key elements of Community Benefit Agreement best practices with industry leaderes, Chandos Construction and City of Surrey.

Stronger Together – Solidarity Statement

A collaborative partnership of network leaders in social innovation, social finance, the social economy, and community economic development across Canada, including Buy Social Canada, have come together to provide this […]

Marketplace Revolution Release!

David LePage’s new book offers a vision for our future economies. “As we approach a Social Value Marketplace, we will unleash the transformative socio-economic power of the market, not merely […]

Social Enterprise Spotlight: SmartICE

SmartICE “For Inuit, By Inuit” SmartICE is committed to positive change and social innovation in the northern communities they serve. By using the climate change adaption tools of SmartICE technology […]

New Tools for Community Employment Benefit and Community Benefit Agreement Implementation

Just released, the updated Buy Social Canada Social Value Menu now has two new versions: Community Benefit Agreements and Community Employment Benefits. Both are available for free to download now. […]

Social Enterprise Spotlight: Redemptive Developments

Redemptive Developments is an Alberta based social Enterprise, whose mission is to achieve social GOOD by establishing sustainable social enterprise. They offer a diverse and growing social enterprise portfolio, which […]

Social Enterprise Spotlight: Mother Earth Reycling

Mother Earth Recycling is an Indigenous owned & operated social enterprise in Winnipeg with a mission to provide meaningful training and employment opportunities with a commitment to environmental sustainability.

Social Enterprise Spotlight: The Binners’ Project

Binners’ Project offers fee-for-service waste sorting programs to help you achieve the triple benefit of: Social Inclusion – Binners feel connected to the wider community while building job skills, routine, […]

Community Economic Development for COVID-19 Recovery in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside

We are encouraging the City of Vancouver to continue working with community partners to enhance existing and established policy and programs as a means to support the next steps in […]

Social Enterprise Spotlight: Building Up

Building Up is a Social Enterprise construction contractor that delivers high quality work to customers, while providing long-term career pathways for motivated community members https://www.buildingup.ca/

Social Procurement creates best value for COVID-19 recovery

COVID-19 has affected the marketplace in a big way, but how can social procurement be a solution to build back better?

Community Benefit Agreements: the Vancouver Policy

When we walk through our neighbourhoods how many different types of buildings do we see? Houses, Shops, Restaurants, Schools, Hospitals? All of these buildings are more than just physical infrastructure; […]

History of Social Enterprise

Explore the history of social procurement with industry pioneer, David LePage.