Toronto, June 19, 2009 - Six innovative individual and collaborative projects will enhance employment and economic opportunities for Ontarians. They will advance social enterprise and social financing, create new partnerships with employers, and boost skills training and business creation for Northern youth. These latest Future Fund grants were made public in events held in Ottawa, Sault Ste. Marie and Toronto.

Hon. Jim Watson, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing

In Ottawa, three local grants totalling $1,114,900 were announced by Hon. Jim Watson, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Gisèle Richer, OTF Board Member, and Yasir Naqvi, MPP Ottawa Centre. The new grant recipients are Ottawa’s Carleton University’s Carleton Centre for Community Innovation, Collaborative for Innovative Social Enterprise Development and LASI World Skills.

“I applaud their effort to create a sustainable economy and increase access to the job market for marginalized groups and individuals,” said Watson. “They are contributing to build vibrant, prosperous and resourceful communities.”

"Developing innovative social financing vehicles is a new field in Canada,” said Richer. “OTF is very excited to be supporting leading-edge work in this field.”

(l-r) Maxine Orr, Children’s Rehabilitation Centre Algoma; Mike Delfre, YMCA Youth Employment Services; David Orazietti, MPP, Sault Ste. Marie; Jay Monture, Youth Opportunity Centre; Dr. Shirley Cheechoo, OTF Board Member; Tom Vair, SSM Innovation Centre; Dwayne Hammond, Algoma University; Dr. Celia Ross, Algoma University; Matthew Morin, Anishnabek IT Centre Board of Directors

In Sault Ste. Marie, David Orazietti, MPP Sault Ste. Marie, and OTF Board member Shirley Cheechoo announced $828,100 in Fututre Fund grants awarded to Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre and Moose Cree First Nation’s Youth Opportunity Centre.

“This investment is part of our government’s strategy to strengthen and diversify Northern Ontario to prepare the region for success in the knowledge economy,” said Orazietti.

“I believe these bold Future Fund initiatives will have tremendous economic impact in Ontario's communities," said Cheechoo.

In Toronto, Bob Delaney, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Research and Innovation, and OTF Board Members Nalini Stewart and Donna Gilhooly congratulated the MaRS Discovery District for receiving a $30,000 Future Fund grant to study the feasibility of creating a School for Social Entrepreneurs in Ontario.

“As many of you know, our ministry – and our government – is working hard to ensure that innovators of all kinds have the tools they need to create entirely new possibilities, and to turn today’s challenges into tomorrow’s triumphs,” said Delaney.

(l-r) Nalini Stewart, OTF Board Member; Dr. John Evans, Chair, MaRs; Bob Delaney, MPP, Mississauga - Streetsville; Donna Gilhooly, OTF Board Vice-Chair; L. Robin Cardozo, CEO, OTF

“Social entrepreneurs are at the center of social innovation, which lead to system transformation,” said Allyson Hewitt, Director of Social Entrepreneurship, MaRS Discovery District. “It’s important to be able to train and develop solid entrepreneurs.”

The Ontario Trillium Foundation established the Future Fund in 2007 to support innovative partnerships and initiatives within a specific sector in order to strengthen their impact. This strategic funding program creates significant and sustainable opportunities for communities, networks and individuals to participate fully in Ontario’s future.

In 2007 and 2008, the Future Fund targeted leadership in the environment sector; in 2009, it will support innovative initiatives that create social and economic opportunities.