Media Release: Canadian communities receive boost in research; Launch of new Pan-Canadian Community Research Coalition

At the close of the Community-University Exposition 2008 (CUexpo 2008), the largest gathering of community based researchers held to date in Canada, a new initiative was launched to support communities, their volunteers and agencies with social research. Attended by over 600 delegates from around the world, the conference drew together different organizations, from education, to community practitioners, who released a declaration that will have far-reaching effects throughout Canadian communities.

“We are excited by the prospect and a new way of working” noted Dr. David Turpin, President and Vice-Chancellor of U-Vic. “This places community as central both because of the value of knowledge that residents and their supporters hold but also for the first time it creates a stronger relationship between all of us.”

The Coalition was formed through the efforts of UQAM, Carleton University and the University of Victoria.

“The University has always been a strong proponent of, and support in this community,” notes Maureen Duncan CEO of the United Way of Greater Victoria, one of the founding members, “and I know that this is true in many other cities across Canada. It just seemed like we needed to get closer so that we can learn together and apply the understanding that our community brings along with what universities and their researchers and students can help with. It’s a win-win!”

What is strikingly different from past and present work is that the community is considered a source of knowledge and that this asset has been relatively unexploited/under exploited. Many voluntary and not-for-profit groups do know the social conditions they are facing, but do not have the capacity to assess, analyze, and present the social conditions that they wish to change.

“We are turning the equation upside down,” said Sonia Vaillancourt, Coordinator, Conseil Québecois du Loisir, and Lucie Dumais, Professor in Social Work, both members of l’Alliance de Recherche Universités-Communautés en Économie Sociale, “and it has already generated a tremendous amount of anticipation about what we can expect for the future.”

The founding organizations reflect the diversity of this unique enterprise ranging from community organizations, research institutes, agencies, and universities across Canada.

Marlene Brant Casetellano states, “A network such as this, respects the principles about aboriginal ways of knowing. Respecting the voice of the community is the starting place to all knowledge. I believe it will be embraced in our communities.”

“The value that universities offer society can be wonderfully realized through sharing to the stories, histories and present day experience of both community actors and universities,” said Budd Hall, Director of the Office of Community Based Research, University of Victoria. “For the past ten years we have worked to develop this field and this is certainly another step towards improving the social conditions in Canada.”

Al Hatton, President and CEO of United Way of Canada –Centraide Canada adds, ”We need to encourage this sharing of information between and among us in order to create social innovation and social impact. If we find a solution, then it will be available to all and that is the real value – this knowledge is the essence of a strong civil society. It is an invaluable investment that will affect business, government and all stakeholders.