Toronto’s new procurement program helps create jobs for disadvantaged workers

The Social Procurement Program is intended to put some social good into how the city buys its goods and services.

Thestar.com
May 6, 2016
By May Warren

From construction to catering, every year the City of Toronto procures $1.8 billion in goods and services from outside suppliers.

The Social Procurement Program, passed Wednesday by city council, aims to make it easier for businesses and non-profits with mandates for social good to get some of those contracts - and help connect marginalized people to jobs associated with providing things the city needs.

Here’s a look at some of the initiatives already underway that might benefit from the initiative.

Out of this World Cafe and Catering

This unique social enterprise employs people with mental illness, at two downtown Toronto locations.

Originally created by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), it’s a resource for people who otherwise face many challenges in finding and keeping work.

The new program will make it easier for Out of this World to compete for city catering contracts.

“There’s no other municipality in Canada that has gone this far,” Anne Jamieson, a senior manager with United Way Toronto and York Region, said of the program.

This non-profit organization trains immigrant and refugee women in the GTA to be interpreters, capitalizing on their wealth of language skills from around the world.

They also do American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation.

“A really cool example of where they’ve benefited from the work that we’ve been doing is they got the contract to do the ASL interpretation for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Pan Am and the Parapan Am Games,” Jamieson said.

“As we welcome more and more immigrants to our city there’s a greater and greater need for interpretation services, particularity in the legal and medical and social services field.”

KLINK Coffee

This coffee distribution social enterprise created by the John Howard Society of Toronto trains and employs people who have just gotten out of prison.

“When people are trying to put their lives back together after an illness or a time in jail, having a job is really a bridge for them, and a hugely important one,” said Jamieson.

“But it’s not always easy for someone who’s had that rough time in their lives to actually get a job.”

Paintbox Catering and Bistro

Located in the heart of Toronto’s Regent Park neighbourhood, Paintbox is not just a place to enjoy eggplant parmigiana and jerk chicken quesadilla.

It’s on a mission to help revitalize the neighbourhood by hiring people living in the surrounding social housing.

Paintbox also makes it a point to employ youth and people on welfare. Since opening in September 2012, the organization has dropped its prices to make the food more affordable for people living in the neighbourhood.

Employees get on-the-job training and an equal share of tips.