Social Innovation Generation (SiG) Information

SiG is a collaborative partnership between The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation, the University of Waterloo, the MaRS Discovery District, and SiG West. Our ultimate goal is to support whole system change through changing the broader economic, cultural and policy context in Canada to allow social innovations to flourish. In order to nurture the health, resilience and vibrancy of our linked social, economic and ecological systems SiG will work to develop a ‘living laboratory’ of social experiments that have the potential to achieve system change and improve the well-being of Canadians. Particular attention is paid to innovations that engage vulnerable and excluded people, that encourage and benefit from the abundant natural, social and cultural diversity of Canada and its rich heritage of innovation. The responsibility for addressing our social problems cannot be delegated to any one group or sector. Our aim is to search for solutions that engage the creativity and resources of all sectors. Leveraging, Sharing, Collaborating and Learning There is a joint commitment to ongoing collaboration with the belief that each of these four components is necessary to achieve the mission as described above. Whenever possible, partners will seek to leverage and share resources of intellectual, social, human and financial capital with each other in the belief that together we can achieve more than the sum of what we could achieve alone.