This text is part of the special Social Economy section
With the aim of finding original alternative solutions to meet needs in society, social economy enterprises innovate through community mobilization, thus playing a necessary role in the social and cultural vitality of communities as well as in the economic development of the province.
Although it is not new, social innovation has boomed during the health crisis, believes Marie-Chantal Paquette, director of the Quebec Social Innovation Network (RQIS). “There were a lot of solutions that had to be found because we realized that there were gaps in certain issues,” she observes.
Unlike traditional businesses, those in the social economy have community goals rather than seeking profits. The Quebec network of early childhood centers, the Mouvement des Caisses Desjardins… Quebec’s social economy is recognized worldwide, underlines Laurent Levesque, president of the Social Economy Project. “It also contributes to the fact that we have a fairer and more equitable society than the North American average,” says the man who is also the general director and co-founder of UTILE. This non-profit organization specializes in student apartments throughout the province, offering solutions tailored to their needs.
For Mr. Levesque, projects like his, but also housing cooperatives, make it possible to reduce the effects of the housing crisis in Quebec. “We have this housing stock which escapes a speculative logic,” he underlines.
The Social Innovation Forum organized in 2021 was an opportunity to make room for this type of transformation in the Quebec Strategy for Research and Investment in Innovation (SQRI2), underlines Mme Paquette. “It has greatly changed the portrait of social innovation at the government level. And there are things that are changing,” she says.
If social innovation makes it possible to find original solutions to unresolved problems, it also has an economic impact by creating new services and jobs, she says. “This leads to a reduction in the State’s burden on social issues,” she adds.
“We have no choice but to think outside the box. And that’s social innovation. This means that we do not already have all the models we need and that we need to think outside the box and new approaches,” explains Mr. Levesque. For him, social innovation makes it possible to find a better way to respond to a problem by using the co-construction of a solution.
Quebec is also recognized abroad as an actor of change in the social economy. He cites as an example the World Forum for the Social and Solidarity Economy, which was held last May in Dakar, Senegal. “The Quebec delegation was the largest outside the African continent,” he said. This expertise not only allows the province to shine through its achievements, but also to inspire businesses elsewhere that would like to adopt similar practices. “And it’s truly one of the Quebec brands,” he rejoices.
Multiple challenges
The social economy and innovation face many challenges, especially because those of societies are constantly evolving, observes Mr. Levesque. “It is not for nothing that the government has adopted action plans for 10 years in this direction. It takes expertise, specific means, which understand the reality of social economy actors, because it is not the same thing as a private company,” he says.
He highlights the fact that certain tax credit programs are still not open to this type of initiative. “We obviously need to ensure that the tools we have and which can be used for the social economy are accessible. But we also need measures adapted to their challenges,” he says.
Mme Paquette agrees and wants better recognition of public policies to adapt financing methods to social innovation. “Social innovation cannot be evaluated overnight. If we do something to solve a problem, it may take a few years to see the result. And it will have an impact on the economy anyway,” she believes.
She recalls that the mission of the RQIS is in particular to create favorable conditions for such innovations. “There is still quite a bit to do, but we are in a good position to get there. »
The social and solidarity economy in Quebec
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