Theme 1: A Profile of the Social Economy in Northern Canada

Theme 1 Coordinator - Dr. Chris Southcott, Lakehead University

For further information about this project, contact Dr. Chris Southcott (email: chris.southcott@lakeheadu.ca)

Description

An important initial task of the Northern node is to establish the social economy as a research priority and to solidify linkages between social economy organizations, the territorial colleges, and university-based researchers. This will be partially achieved through the establishment of a categorization and inventory of existing social economy organizations. Using questionnaire surveys and interviews, the problems and issues facing these organizations will be investigated in an attempt to delineate both the issues obstructing social economy development in the North and the best available assets to enhance this development.

Social economic contributions and successes can also be identified and highlighted.

Included in this theme will be a project that seeks to analyze existing quantitative data sources related to the social economy. The Aboriginal Peoples Survey and the Survey of Living Conditions in the Arctic are two data sources that have potential to yield information about the state of the social economy among Northern Aboriginals and the relationships between social economic participation and other socio-demographic variables.  Questions in both surveys provide information relating to health and well-being, economic activity, participation in traditional activities, feelings of empowerment, social relationships relating to sharing and gifting.

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