Grant: CCI Mobilize Grants

Social innovation aims to enhance societal values such as quality of life, well-being, environmental sustainability, social inclusion, citizen engagement, and the efficiency of public services, healthcare, and education levels. Although thriving, the Canadian social innovation system requires further adoption of more novel methods for organizations to collaborate, network, and work across different sectors. Ontario's rural and northern can thrive by providing similar opportunities by adopting creative and innovative solutions to tackle conventional issues such as an aging population, lack of access to appropriate health care, recruitment, and retention issues across a variety of sectors. The North presents several unique risk factors such as increased social isolation, lower socioeconomic status, reduced educational attainment, agricultural stressor, higher rates of mental illness, and increased population of Indigenous and Francophone individuals. Several areas of strength are present for the North, including expertise in remote health care, and cultural production specific to the area. Given the present economic instability, these types of intangible assets are especially critical for the North. For the purposes of this grant, Canadore aims to enhance overall uptake of social innovation solutions within the Northern communities by 1) enhancing areas of applied Research at Canadore College by leveraging existing and creating new partnerships; 2) undertaking a number of short or targeted research projects identified by our partners currently and moving forward; 3) applying research expertise from the faculties mentioned above to applied research projects identified by our community partners; 4)training students from various programs as part of the research process and proposed project outcomes; and 5) producing expanded research funding opportunities through a variety of government and non-government sources. Canadore has a rich history since 2013 and has 6 research hubs to respond to partner and community needs and demands. The Village, Genomics, and First People’s Centre were established in response to the needs identified in the Northern community. Canadore has a well-established track record of research funding, primarily from federal and partner sources, and with this grant and the infrastructure, the College will be able to support increased social innovation needs required of the Northern and rural partnerships surrounding its campuses.