Good morning, everyone. Thank you for the opportunity to present today.
Supporting Employment and Economic Development Winnipeg, or SEED Winnipeg, is a not-for-profit charitable community economic development organization that offers business development training and services to support business creation and expansion. We support co-ops and social enterprises as types of business models.
SEED also offers a microloan program as well as financial literacy support and training to skilled immigrants for qualification recognition. As well as financial literacy programs and matched savings, we offer intensive supports for accessing benefits and tax credit programs.
Vulnerable groups such as the unemployed, underemployed, indigenous peoples, those with disabilities, newcomers, and seniors are often the most marginalized and are systemically prevented from contributing to the local economy because of poverty. Prior to being able to meaningfully contribute to this economy, these groups need equitable access to wraparound supports that contribute to stability, overall well-being, and physical and mental health. No person can envision their life moving forward through employment or self-employment if they don't have a safe home each night.
SEED Winnipeg recommends the creation of a 10-year national housing plan. No person should be faced with choosing between basic needs such as food, clothing, or shelter costs. Our recommendation is a commitment to reducing poverty rates to ensure that every person in Canada has an income that reaches at least 75% of the poverty line within two years. Co-create among governments and the community sector a detailed national action plan that includes regional representation and analysis.
To address the problems of skilled immigrants facing barriers to having their qualifications recognized in Canada, SEED Winnipeg operates Recognition Counts, a microloan program for skilled immigrants. It also provides financial literacy coaching and counselling. We have undoubted numbers that demonstrate its success, and the government's rate of return on investment clearly exceeds the cost of the program. The average annual household income improvement for participants who have been through this program is over $40,000.
We recommend that the federal government reinvest in qualification recognition programs, publish the national pilot program evaluation, and work with pilot site delivery organizations to improve programs based on that learning. Dedicate approximately an additional $2 million per pilot site, pro-rated to populations served across Canada, to be used for both the loan fund and operations. Fund the development of a national community of practice.
Immigrants who have arrived in Canada as refugees often have no financial assets and face significant challenges with economic integration. We recommend—and it is our hope—that you will be attentive to the many voices from the settlement sector who have been calling for an end to the burden of transportation loans for all refugees.
The mandate letter for the Minister of National Revenue provides direction to ensure that the CRA is a client-focused agency that will enhance access to entitlements. SEED and our partner organizations launched a pilot in 2013 supporting financially vulnerable families to access over $10 million in government entitlements and benefits. The demand to access these benefits and supports is overwhelming, and far exceeds our capacity. This is particularly an issue for Manitoba's indigenous communities, who also face barriers to accessing necessary forms of identification.
We recommend that the federal government invest in supports to ensure that financially vulnerable community members have access to government entitlements and benefits and that the government reinstate in-person CRA services so that community members have more individualized supports, not just reliance on a phone number.
We recommend the expansion of the CVITP to operate throughout the year, not just during tax season. Expand that program to include assistance with determining eligible benefits and assistance. Fund programs, including full-time staff in local agencies who have significant levels of knowledge and expertise regarding taxes and benefits and programs and entitlements. Provide additional support and funding to agencies hosting these clinics.
We request and recommend that the government provide knowledgeable and accessible tax resources for tax preparation to benefit the volunteers and have them available on a year-round basis.
Supporting community economies and resiliency is imperative. We recommend the federal government develop neighbourhood revitalization programs, with multi-year core and project-based funding to enable comprehensive community-led approaches.
Current legislation on federal small and medium-sized enterprise support programs currently allows non-profits and hybrid business models to access them, but the access is typically limited in this sector due to current practices, lack of awareness and understanding of the hybrid business models, and differing mandates.
We recommend the expansion of the capacity to access existing SME services through the Canada Business Network and other federal business development programs to enhance business supports and readiness for investment by social enterprises, co-operatives, and non-profits, and investment in community-based projects that inspire social entrepreneurship.
We further recommend that the federal government implement community benefit agreements in federal development projects and the implementation of social value weighting in all federal RFPs and contracts, and the development, coordination, and robust funding of a national CED policy framework and lens modelled on the one currently used in Manitoba and the best practices of other regional models.
We recommend the co-creation of policy and the development of funds with social finance and social enterprise developers, together, to assist the social economy sector in addressing socio-economic issues.
We recommend the creation of affordable financing packages available to communities and project developers, including but not limited to federal loan guarantees.
Finally, we recommend the provision of training dollars for social enterprises at all stages in the development process, recognizing that they're likely having financial limitations, but that their contribution comes in kind from the wraparound supports and environment that is provided to those facing barriers to employment.
Thank you.