Our participation in the Social Enterprise Traction and Growth program hosted by the Pond-Desphande Centre and Social Enterprise New Brunswick has provided our organization with a clearer path forward for our transformational systems change model – Project : VIllage. When we launched Project : Village in 2021, the model was imagined to be multiple social enterprises supporting each other and by extension, our community through social purpose and financial sustainability. With the growing success of our electric vehicle car share program, we turned this year to our Indoor Farm & Living Lab model in the old grocery store in Blacks Harbour, NB. Vanessa, through the PDC, has been vital in the continued growth, direction, and success of this endeavour. Social enterprise development isn’t easy. It’s gritty work with very little understanding both within organizational structures and government structures. However, with the added capacity and tenaciousness of the PDC and other players, we believe that there is a bright future for social enterprise success in our province. 

 

Briana Cowie, Executive Director ECW