In This Newsletter:
- Register for this week’s FREE Screening of “Uncharitable” and Let’s Rethink Philanthropy and Social Change
- A recap of “Exploring the Regional Community Affordable Housing Action Plan” with Simcoe, Grey, and Bruce County staff.
- “How Bad is the Affordable Housing Crisis?” – A message from Glassworks Development Co-op in Owen Sound
- Survey Coming in December – We Want to Hear From You!
Join us for a Screening of: Uncharitable: Rethinking Philanthropy and Community Change
An Evening of Film, Discussion, Visioning, and Acting on Change for a Stronger South Georgian Bay Community
Join us on Friday, November 29th at the Simcoe Street Theatre for an evening designed to spark change and inspire new ways to engage with community impact. We’ll be screening the groundbreaking documentary Uncharitable, directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal and based on Dan Pallotta’s powerful exploration of philanthropy. This film challenges us to rethink traditional approaches to charity and social enterprise, shining a light on the urgent need for a more resilient nonprofit ecosystem across South Georgian Bay.
Event Schedule:
- 6:00 PM – Doors Open
Connect with fellow attendees as you arrive and get ready for an inspiring evening.
- 6:20 PM – Welcome with Jordie Burton, TISGB Board Member and Philanthropist
Jordie will introduce the evening, the role of The Institute of Southern Georgian Bay, and set the stage for an impactful night of reflection and collaboration.
- 6:30 PM – Uncharitable Screening
Watch this thought-provoking documentary that questions long-standing norms in philanthropy and explores bold pathways to meaningful social change. (Run time: 1 hour 30 minutes)
- 8:00 PM – Community Leaders with Vision for Change
Following the film, Community Leaders and Changemakers who will briefly share their insights on how we can reshape philanthropy and create lasting impact by each making one bold statement on how things might change and what we in the audience can all do. The discussion will highlight pathways to community investment and change-making strategies for Southern Georgian Bay.
- 8:20 PM – Unconference-Style Breakout Discussions
We next invite you to participate in discussions around the room. Community Leaders will guide conversations on reimagining philanthropy, investing in social change, and building community support. Attendees can freely move between topics, engaging in open dialogue and peer-led learning.
“How might the future of our community benefit from our actions today?”
This event is intended to explore the possibilities for social innovation and to imagine new ways of building a vibrant, inclusive, and resilient Southern Georgian Bay. An in-person design workshop will be held in the early new year as a follow up for interested participants of this event.
Register NOW to this FREE event today and become a part of the movement to rethink philanthropy!
Post-Event Recap: Exploring the Regional Community Affordable Housing Action Plan
On November 13th, community members, housing professionals, county and municipal leaders came together for a virtual event hosted by The Institute of Southern Georgian Bay’s Social Finance and Housing Group to explore the draft Regional Community Affordable Housing Action Plan. With over 70 live attendees, including mayors, councillors and senior staff representing Grey, Bruce, and Simcoe counties, the launch of the plan marks a significant milestone in addressing the affordable housing crisis in our region.
This Plan is the culmination of more than two years of collaborative learning, community discussions, and research by the Social Finance & Housing Group. It proposed a “whole community approach” to align resources held by municipalities, counties and community in a collaborative effort, creating innovation in our local housing system that will ensure and adequate supply of affordable housing.
Highlights of the Event
Key Components of the Draft Plan:
The plan emphasized two integrated spheres in collaborative activity:
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Local government: County and municipal leadership to focus resources, data and local development processes on the affordable housing units we need.
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Community: Housing organizations and citizens to increase to increase our supply of non-market housing, focusing on scaling through collaboration and community wealth strategies to providing opportunities for local investment in local housing requirements.
County Presentations: Opportunities for Alignment with the Plan and County Strategies for housing
Attendees gained valuable insights from county experts on Simcoe, Grey and Bruce County strategies for affordable housing and the opportunities for alignment with the proposed Community Plan. The similarities and differences in these three plans creates both opportunities to explore innovative strategies in other parts of the region and the opportunity to think about collaborative approaches.
Read the full Recap and Watch the Event Replay Here!
How Bad is the Affordable Housing Crisis?
Contributed by Glassworks Co-op (glassworkscoop.com)
According to the 2024 Housing Affordability Report Back, households in lower and medium income groups can currently afford a monthly housing carrying cost of $1,019 or less. County-wide there is a deficit of at least 2,400 units as of 2024, which is expected to grow to 3,600 by 2046. The profile is similar for other counties in our region.
The lack of affordable accommodations undermines our community’s economic prosperity. Employers across sectors are finding it increasingly difficult to secure the workforce they need, whether it be the health care, manufacturing, the power sector, retail, tourism or our educational institutions.
For those in precarious economic position the housing crisis is resulting in more homelessness, hunger, and street violence, impacting our healthcare, social services and social cohesion.
It’s time to get all hands on deck!
“Glassworks” Development Partnership
The Glassworks Board is excited to share that after 6 months of extensive due diligence and negotiation, we have finalized and signed a contract with our affordable home ownership development consultant Home Opportunities Non-Profit!
Home Opportunities Non-profit will advise the Glasswork’s Board and co-ordinate key aspects on its behalf based upon the defined principles and outcomes and services of the contract relating to planning, financing, design, marketing and sales. The goal, if all goes according to plan, is to have future residents living in Glassworks Village by or before 2028. More details to come as we make progress as our pre-development work proceeds.
Owen sound is facing a housing crisis and Glassworks is part of the solution.
To learn more about Glassworks Development Cooperative, visit https://www.glassworkscoop.
Survey Coming in December – We Want to Hear From You!
As we prepare for 2025, The Institute of Southern Georgian Bay wants to ensure we’re addressing the priorities that matter most to our communities. This December, we’ll be launching a survey to gather your input on how The Institute can best serve the Southern Georgian Bay region.
Your voice is vital in shaping our work, and together with our program supporters, we’re committed to creating programs and events that make a real difference. To continue offering FREE and accessible programming that fosters community conversations, collaboration, and change, we also need your financial support.
Help us build a more resilient and inclusive future for Southern Georgian Bay. Make a contribution today at tisgb.com/joinus.
Stay tuned for the survey link in our next newsletter – we can’t wait to hear from you!