Jon Shell

Thank you Colin Deacon for taking an active role in this important topic. According to Bloomberg, former Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz is examining a list of ideas – including the creation of a pooled fund that would make dealmaking easier for some of them. The challenges of which are well documented, especially where early stage IPO candidates are stacked against inherent transparency challenges. One alternative idea...imagine if...issue private bonds with institutional quality assurance and revenue augmentation (legacy financial services opportunity) could offer a viable option to achieve the goals outlined: Opportunities: Pooled Capital Risk Mitigation Efficient Capital Allocation Support for Local Markets Avoiding High Fees Prevent Performance Dilution Advantages: Revenue Augmentation Customizable Flexibility Control Issuing private bonds with institutional quality assurance and revenue augmentation could provide flexible and efficient alternatives to "fund of funds" models concerns like high fees, performance dilution, and risk management. This would align with the goals of mobilizing domestic investment into smaller opportunities, offering both secure returns for institutional investors and capital for local businesses; and, address structural financial risks associated with VC & PE.

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Our Sustainable Finance Forum was mentioned among the great highlights coming up in the #socialfinance #sustainablefinance #impactinvesting #socialimpact ecosystem. Check out more great news, events, jobs and opportunities below.

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📣 Event Recap: Overcoming Barriers in Measuring Impact On June 11, 2024, CAFIID's Impact Measurement and Management Community of Practice (IMM CoP) hosted an event at Quinn + Partner's Toronto office focused on scaling impact investing and overcoming barriers in measuring impact. The event featured a dynamic panel discussion with industry experts who shared their valuable insights and experiences. Key Highlights: 🇨🇦 National Momentum: Jason Sukhram kicked off the discussion by noting the accelerating national momentum for measuring impact, driven by collaboration among various stakeholders. 📈 Evolution in Clarifying Impact: Wren Laing emphasized the importance of investors understanding the impact they seek and identifying ways to measure it – this will lead to broader acceptance and engagement in impact investing across the investment community. 🌐 Lessons from International Programs: Lindsay Wallace shared how MEDA (Mennonite Economic Development Associates's international programs helped shape their impact investment strategies, highlighting how the use of 2X Global criteria for gender lens investing helped them prove impact drove financial performance 📝 Authenticity and Rigor in Impact Measurement: Robert Sturgeon, discussed Ontario Teachers'​ Pension Plan's journey in developing their impact investing strategy and making impact measurement a key pillar, helping them differentiate their organization from other pension funds. 💲 🌳 Driving Bottom-Line Improvements: Both Lindsay and Robert shared how their evidence demonstrated that impact not only helps businesses promote social good but also drives value creation, improving profitability and customer loyalty. Throughout the discussion, panelists reiterated the importance of existing standards and frameworks (e.g., Impact Principles, Impact Management Project, 2X Global criteria, and IRIS+) and the need for organizations to start, learn, and act to effectively measure and manage impact. 👉 Read the summary prepared by Alyna Wyatt and Steve Williams: https://lnkd.in/g89AFbfC A big thank you to our speakers, the IMM CoP Steering Committee, and our supporters— Quinn+Partners for hosting the event and FinDev Canada for sponsoring 💗 McConnell Foundation Sarah Nielsen Emiko Savic Brian Carriere, Ph.D. Noura K. Joanne Norris #CAFIID #ImpactMeasurement #TorontoEvent #ImpactInvesting

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📰 Biweekly Update: Social Services Key Insights – October 18, 2024 📰 We're excited to share the latest edition of our biweekly newsletter, packed with updates and stories on key developments in the social services sector across British Columbia. Here's a glimpse of what's inside: - Toxic Drugs Crisis: Learn about the Vancouver Drug User Liberation Front's constitutional challenge and ongoing debates around involuntary treatment.    - Housing: Dive into the BC NDP's recent initiatives addressing the housing crisis and see how upcoming election promises may shape the future of affordable housing. - Reconciliation Book Club: Join our ongoing conversations on reconciliation through literature. Our next book discussion will focus on Bone Black by Carol Rose GoldenEagle on October 23. Sign up and be part of this important dialogue. - Social Policy Forum 2025: Save the date for our flagship event in February! Get ready for thought-provoking discussions on the most pressing social policy issues affecting our communities. - Opportunities and Career Listings: Stay connected with the latest training, webinars, and career opportunities in the sector. There's much more inside, including updates on health care, homelessness, and good news stories that uplift and inspire. Don't miss out! 📅   👉 Read the full update here: https://lnkd.in/d_Wzex9a And stay informed about the key issues impacting BC's communities. #SocialServices #CommunityCare #HousingCrisis #Reconciliation #ToxicDrugs #CareerOpportunities #BCPolitics #Homelessness #SocialPolicyForum #BCElection

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💰Fund Development: Elevating Revenue Strategy and Sustainable Fundraising Join us for a full-day workshop designed for leaders in the social purpose sector, delivered by Kathy Arney of KEA Canada. This engaging workshop will equip you with essential tools and insights needed to redefine your organization's approach to funding. 1️⃣Morning Session: Building Revenue Strategies and Sustainability Start the day by exploring how to think expansively about resources and opportunities. Learn innovative revenue models that align with your mission and discover how to apply them to create a robust financial foundation for your organization. 2️⃣Afternoon Session: Mastering Fund Development and Effective Fundraising Learn the critical steps of crafting a comprehensive fund development plan, from understanding your organization’s unique value proposition to effectively making the ask. This session includes practical exercises in honing your elevator pitch and role-playing to refine your fundraising asks. ✨Workshop Features Expert-Led Session: Gain insights from Kathy Arney, an experienced coach, trainer and leader in fund development and finance. Hands-On Learning: Participate in exercises and real-time feedback sessions that reinforce practical application. Networking Opportunities: Connect with fellow leaders to share experiences and strengthen relationships. ❓Who Should Attend This workshop is ideal for executive directors, fund development officers, and leaders within the social purpose sector seeking to enhance their fundraising capabilities and financial resilience. With the landscape changing for non-profits and charities in the Wood Buffalo Region, this session is critical. It will provide the tools to adapt and thrive in a shifting environment, ensuring your organization's growth and sustainability. Register today! Spots are limited: https://loom.ly/exhWEeI

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Discover Ian Cronin, MBA, MPP’s insights on 'Future-Proofing Manufacturing and Its Supply Chains' from his keynote at the World Manufacturing Forum 2024. As Community Curator for the World Economic Forum's Centre for Advanced Manufacturing & Supply Chains, Cronin outlines key strategies to build adaptable systems and leaders prepared for inevitable change. In this highlight clip, he shares five strategic elements manufacturers need to overcome global disruptions, including the shift to globally connected, multi-local value chains and a focus on customer-value over cost. Catch a glimpse of Cronin’s vision here. Diego Andreis David Romero Marco Taisch Confindustria Lombardia Politecnico di Milano #WorldManufacturingForum #valuechains #strategy

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I want to say out loud that several of these folx are my most trusted collaborators, others are new leaders to our shared network. But ALL are experts in this space who usually teach longer (more costly) courses and private client programs. This is a low time/cost commitment that will pay you MAX dividends. How to join a board? What’s the commitment of time and expectations? Going beyond “governance” rules, because many real people (not just the wealthy, powerful or ‘connected’), join a small charity or nonprofit board to support a vision, a cause, a community or leaders they believe in…so how can you be not just productive but a GOOD board member? Join these experts and get the scoop.

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Great to see my 2022 report "Canada's Moonshot: Solving Grand Challenges Through Transformational Innovation" cited in this blog by Tim Draimin for Social Innovation Canada. As Tim argues "Our innovation policy will ultimately determine how well our country navigates a very complex global and national future buffeted by a polycrisis rippling with environmental, social, economic and geo-strategic challenges". I couldn't agree more. In the report, I argued for a shift towards a more intentional approach to our innovation policy toolkit - understanding that not all innovation is equal in its outcomes, and some of the challenges we face will never be profitable areas to focus on unless the government plays a more hands-on market-shaping role. The case for this shift is as strong as ever. You can read the blog here: https://lnkd.in/gBdPskvh And can read my original report for the Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship (now The Dais at Toronto Metropolitan University) here: https://lnkd.in/gQwxtY_C

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Today's Orbit Policy's Deep Dive newsletter looks at: 📈 New data on R&D spending in the Higher Education sector - and how Canada's strong performance there is important but not enough to yield economic and societal benefits. 🤖 The race between AI and regulatory capacity in the US. While Canada's regulators haven't been hobbled in the same way - we are still in the same race to establish guide rails for emerging technology and our attempt to do that is currently in limbo. 🚢 Another important global trend - the move to de-risk supply chains. We're seeing that play out in Canada with billions being spent on EV and battery supply chains, as well as tariffs on Chinese EVs - but this is a trend that goes far beyond any one sector and will have major impacts on our economy over years to come. You can check out the full post here: https://lnkd.in/g3-kKkCc

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Top 3 reasons why Wentworth Strategy Group launched our new course Governance Essentials for Nonprofit Organizations with DeGroote School of Business - McMaster University Executive Education and why you should join us on November 28 👇 Register now at: https://lnkd.in/gk_QJti8 1. Joining a community of practice: we will be welcoming a number of current and aspiring board directors from across the greater Hamilton and Burlington areas and beyond and facilitating networking, relationship building, and sharing of best practices on how we can elevate these important organizations in our community and continue to grow together. 2. Value: while Canada has excellent governance programs like the ICD-Rotman Directors Education Program and The Director's College at McMaster University, these are out of scope for most volunteer directors on local nonprofit boards. We have worked with DeGroote to offer this executive education program at a reduced rate and promise to offer exceptional value to participants. 3. A focus on governance for impact: we are a strategy consulting firm that intentionally expanded into governance after observing significant gaps in governance knowledge with many nonprofit clients we work with. We see good governance as a means to an end - helping organizations to succeed. Our unique curriculum aligns the work of being a director to achieving strategic outcomes. Hope to see you in class! Reach out directly for any questions or register directly at https://lnkd.in/gk_QJti8

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Bob (Robert) Fay rightly argues that (direct quote): *it is essential to recognize that the drivers of wealth creation have changed, while our frameworks have not. And these frameworks apply to our entire economy, not just to the high-tech sector that, unsurprisingly, receives much attention. Traditional sectors such as agriculture, mining, oil and gas, and forestry have long generated substantial wealth for Canadians. What will drive future growth in those sectors, make them more productive and generate greater wealth? It’s investment in intangibles: harnessing the data that can bolster precision agriculture and mining; building the skills to use the advanced analytic techniques; and protecting the intellectual property (IP) that could not only open doors to financing but also ensure that the gains from these investments are captured*.

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The announcement of Nova Scotia's intention to reduce HST from 15% to 14% (or 13% should the opposition win) will bring lots of questions for transactions that straddle the April 1, 2025 proposed implementation date. While the transitional rules are currently being drafted (and are unknown), what we have learned from the past is that a rate change will have a large impact on many different transactions including (but not limited to): - Commercial and residential real estate transactions including purchases, sales, self-assessments, and lease agreements. - Purchase and sales of goods and services, including intangibles. - Leases of equipment and licenses. - Returns and exchanges. - Imported goods coming into Nova Scotia, and - Taxable benefit calculations. The biggest question will be "what rate of tax applies?" and the answer is... "it depends" - the answer to most tax questions! Our Indirect tax team has a strong understanding of how the transitional rules were implemented in the past, and we are armed and ready to help decode the new upcoming changes.

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About 18 months ago we described Social Capital Partners' new investment approach, which we called "ownership lens investing." It is one plank of the ownership strategy we kicked off four years ago, alongside advocacy for employee ownership in Canada and financing large employee ownership conversions in the US. Today, I'm buzzing with excitement having just attended the first ever "ownership lens" investing conference in Denver, put on by the heros at Gary Community Ventures, The Aspen Institute and The Bridgespan Group. Seeing so many amazing people so motivated to change how our economy is owned is incredibly inspiring. It felt very much like the start of a real movement. A lot of people have been working on this separately, from different angles, some for decades. Powerful ideas to get more real estate, business ownership and financial assets into the hands of people and their communities were shared. At the core of everyone's work was an understanding that a fair economy is only possible if its owned more broadly and a sense of urgency to stop the increasing concentration of wealth that we see today. The feeling of a unifying mission was palpable. Just in the last year the thinking behind ownership lens investing has evolved. Santhosh Ramdoss and Smitha Das developed the ownership pyramid approach to ownership-lens investing and Aspen built a powerful concept document to ground our thinking. Both are linked below. In our Ownership Fund we've made about a dozen investments. Others, like World Education Services, Pluralize Capital, Delta Fund, Gary Community Ventures and Unlock Ownership Fund have made many more. There are really good ideas to invest in with powerful outcomes. I am deeply grateful for the space that was provided to push our thinking forward, connect with old friends and to meet new colleagues. Thank you to the amazing organizers. Thank you for making it clear that the movement needs not just capital and ideas but a uniting narrative. You've started something big. I was just rereading our ownership lens thesis on the way home and thought it was worth sharing again. "To combat rising wealth inequality and ownership concentration we need new and innovative tools to create and support new and different owners. The Ownership Fund, a demonstration project by SCP, will seek to support platforms, funds and companies (existing and start-up) that increase the accessibility of ownership, are scalable and ensure that broad ownership can be sustained over the long term. We call this ownership-lens investing." Great to see some of my old and new favourite people! Antony Bugg-Levine, Jack Moriarty, Ida Rademacher, Melissa Hoover, Smitha Das, Joseph Blasi, Greg Brodsky, David Bank, Delilah Rothenberg, Philip Reeves Adam Rose Amy Brakeman, Brian Boland and so many more! Read “Introducing The Ownership Fund“ by Jon Shell on Medium: https://lnkd.in/g73KAjBj

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"The Business Council of British Columbia (BCBC) has released a new report that underscores the pressing need to strengthen B.C.’s public finances. Titled B.C.’s Deteriorating Fiscal Position: Cause for Concern, the report details record deficits, rising debt levels, and repeated credit rating downgrades—signals that a shift toward greater fiscal responsibility is urgently needed. The release of this report comes on the heels of the swearing-in of a new provincial cabinet, highlighting the significant challenges facing the new team as they take office. The report reveals that B.C. is set to run the largest operating deficit relative to its economy among Canadian provinces in 2024/25, with a projected shortfall of 2.1 per cent of GDP—exceeding levels seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. The deficit, along with significant capital spending, will see taxpayer-supported debt climb to 28.8 per cent of GDP by 2026/27. The cost of servicing provincial debt now consumes an amount equivalent to half of B.C.’s K-12 school education budget. By 2026/27, this burden is projected to cost approximately $600 per British Columbian annually. “The new cabinet has a critical opportunity to address these issues head-on,” says David Williams, BCBC’s Vice President of Policy. “The choices made by the government will determine whether B.C. can regain a sustainable fiscal footing and secure its economic future.” The Business Council is urging the provincial government to adopt a fiscal anchor—a clear framework to guide overall spending and borrowing decisions. Proposed anchors could include, within a defined timeframe: Returning to a balanced budget; Returning taxpayer-supported debt to no more than 20 per cent of GDP; or Reducing debt servicing costs to 3-4 per cent of total government expenditures." #bcbudget #economy #prosperity

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Ontario Health Team Governance: WILL COMMUNTY GOVERNANCE BOARDS SURVIVE THE ELECTION?🆘😱🆘🆘😱🆘🆘😵‍💫🆘🆘😱🆘🆘😱🆘🆘😵‍💫🆘🆘😱🆘🆘 Has the Ontario healthcare bureaucrats given up on getting rid of local Community Governance Boards? They got rid of the 14 CCAC Community Governance Boards and kept the 14 local offices. The local office staff became part of Ontario Health, and the 14 Local Community Boards became one centralized Board for an organization the healthcrats rebranded as “Ontario Health at Home” — that no longer was interested in the local communities, and even failed to provide proper “oversight” for the single centralized organization that mismanaged the recent “supply crisis”, which made dying people go without pain reducing drugs. OOPSIE🤷‍♂️🙄”Modernization” strikes again🙄 Then the Healthcrats “modernized” our healthcare system further (who is against modernization?) by eliminating the 14 Community Governance Boards of the LHINs — and redeploying the staff to be part of the growing empire of Ontario Health Regional Offices —and then establishing 58 Ontario Health Teams. While their original plan was to eliminate the founding member Community Governing Boards — who approved the Shared Vision of their respective OHTs — people kept warning the healthcrats that, while they found these Community Boards annoying, and wanted to replace the OHT’s original founding Community Governance Boards with 58 “Super Governance Boards” that they could appoint and control (each with their own CEO and another bloated bureaucracy) , but wiser people kept pointing out that the local community Board members they found so annoying, were in fact key members of each community. They were warned that all the MPPs would jump down their throats if they did it before the expected “premature election” next Spring. So, while most of our CEOs are still focused on being as compliant as possible — and keeping their Boards uninformed about the lack of progress on their OHTs implementation of the Shared Vision they approved five years ago, the plot to get rid of local Community Governance is simply postponed — until after the election, when the 58 OHTs will have their OHT CEOs and OHT staff in place to micromanage and control the CEOs of healthcare organizations. Of course “best practice” COLLABORATIVE GOVERNANCE isn’t being considered and with compliant CEOs, and uninformed Community Boards, it certainly looks like the healthcrats will get their way after the election.🤷‍♂️

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Really interesting blog on economic complexity and Canada's weaknesses and opportunities. The Atlas of Economic Complexity from Harvard's Growth Lab is a great resource to explore this: https://lnkd.in/gyYjR-e5 It includes a ton of data and some really interesting visualizations to explore every country's export basket, its economic complexity, their product space and potential growth opportunities. It recommends a "Parsimonious Industrial Policy Approach" for Canada that addresses bottlenecks and helps jump short distances into related, and more complex, products.

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Building a Case for Growth: Using Data to Secure Investment in Advancement For nonprofit advancement teams looking to scale their fundraising operations, making a data-driven case for investment is key. Peter Fardy, a fundraising consultant, shares how he helped triple fundraising at Dalhousie University over 12 years by tracking performance, benchmarking against peers, and forecasting achievable growth. First, analyze your historical data to understand your fundraising potential. Look at new commitments secured and funds spent over at least 10-20 years. Despite yearly variability, Fardy found a clear correlation between increased investment and higher returns at Dalhousie. Over time, they averaged $6 in new commitments for every $1 spent in advancement. Next, compare your performance to peer institutions. While imperfect, benchmarking helps determine if you’re above or below average in key metrics like new commitments per staff, expenditures, and return on investment. At Dalhousie, benchmarking confirmed they were competitive but underinvested in fundraising compared to peers. Then, build a realistic forecast for future performance to make the case for increased investment. Without additional resources, why expect to outperform your historical average or peer institutions? But with data showing the potential for growth, argue for ramping up investment to scale impact. For Dalhousie, a forecast model showed potential to triple new commitments within 5-10 years with more staff and dollars. Finally, determine funding sources, whether from the operating budget, endowment assessments, or elsewhere. At Dalhousie, the university provided additional funding once they saw the strong case for growth. Within a few years of increased advancement investment, the university endowment exceeded what it would otherwise have been due to new commitments. By analyzing your fundraising performance, benchmarking against peers, and crafting an achievable vision for the future, you can build a persuasive case for advancing your advancement operations. Like any investment, the return won’t be immediate, but with the right data and resources, nonprofit fundraising teams can drive sustainable long-term growth.

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