Big bucks going into local investments
As the RRSP deadline approaches, the provincial government announced Friday that Nova Scotians invested record amounts last year in community investment funds that qualify for a tax break.

Coast Capital Savings Wins Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies Award for the Sixth Time
Coast Capital Savings also has the distinction of being the only B.C. financial institution selected for this prize. "It's a considerable honour for us to receive this award, and be recognized among Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies for the sixth time since 1999," said Lloyd Craig, President and CEO.

Co-op ventures get a leg-up
Eighteen new projects - five biofuel and 13 value-added - are the latest to qualify for Technical Assistance funding under a new program that helps farmers and rural communities pursue biofuel and other value-added opportunities through co-operative ventures. To date, 25 groups have received more than a half-million dollars in funding under the Agricultural Co-operative Development Initiative (Ag-CDI).

Halton Region Issues Request for Proposals for Assisted Housing
Halton Region has issued a Request for Proposals for 120 units of assisted rental housing. Under the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation – Ontario New Affordable Housing Program Agreement, Halton Region has been allocated $8.4 million to provide capital assistance of up to $70,000 per unit for the development of these units. Halton Region will also provide grant assistance under the program.

Rich-poor gap becomes a chasm
Churning out cogent new studies on poverty wouldn't work, the research team decided. Canadians already knew how bad the problem was. Making the case for fair wages, affordable housing, decent welfare rates and universal child care wouldn't turn the tide, they agreed. Dozens of advocacy groups were doing that with negligible success. What was needed was a catalyst to turn awareness into action. It was the summer of 2006.

Strongeagle a role model
Education is number one in Herb Strongeagle’s world. A keen mind and a curious nature edge out sports — especially hockey — as the main passion of the hard-working Cowichan Bay resident who earned the Saskatchewan First Nations lifetime achievement award Nov. 9. “This award gives me a really good feeling. It means a lot in recognizing hard work,” the Pasqua First Nation’s elder says of his honour.

Bethune housing co-op faces brighter future
The situation at the leaking Norman Bethune Housing Cooperative in North Burnaby is looking brighter after city council agreed to consider a rezoning application to allow the housing project to be rebuilt. The co-op, at 8750 Centaurus Circle, was built in 1977 and has 24 units of subsidized housing for low and moderate income families.

Co-op la Maison Verte is dreaming of a green Christmas
For Bing Crosby, a white Christmas was all he could dream about, but for Jason Hughes, the holidays have a different hue. Hughes, the general co-ordinator of Co-op la Maison Verte, would like to encourage people to think about the holidays in a different light. Think green! “We are trying get people to think about other ways to approach the holidays,” said Hughes.

Below is a selection of the latest online articles from the English language press that refer to the "social economy", "co-operatives", "aboriginal development" and related key words.