“Building Stronger Communities: How Community Economic Development Transforms Neighbourhoods”

What is Community Economic Development? 

Have you ever wondered how your neighborhood gets better places to shop, new parks, or more jobs for people? The answer is Community Economic Development (CED). CED might sound like a big, complex undertaking but simply put: its about helping a place grow in ways that make life better for everyone.  

Why is it important? 

Imagine if there were no grocery stores near your house, no one could find good jobs, and the roads or parks were old and broken. That wouldn’t be a fun place to live. CED tries to fix those problems. It helps bring new businesses to town, create good jobs, and make sure everyone has what they need to live well. 

Who helps make it happen? 

CED is a team effort. Members of that team include: 

• City leaders, like the mayor or economic development staff. 
• Local business owners, who open stores and hire workers. 
• Nonprofits that want to help people find homes, food, or job training. 
• Anyone who lives in the community and shares “time, talent and/or treasure”. 

 
When these groups work together, they can make big changes. 

How does it work? 

CED emphasizes the importance of community involvement and participation in identifying problems and developing solutions.   

Let’s say your community needs more jobs. An economic development group might work to attract new businesses. A local school might offer job training programs to help prospective employees learn new skills; and a financial literacy program teaches them to manage and invest their income. A housing developer builds homes for the workers to live in, then a community group raises money to build a playground or sports field in that new neighbourhood.  

The original goal was job creation and CED turned it into a strategy to help people and places grow in a fair and healthy way.  

Workforce Collective is proud to contribute to Community Economic Development. Follow along as we apply the CED approach in our new Niagara Prosperity Initiative project, called “Bridges to Prosperity” and reach out if you want to get involved. 
 

Read more about Bridges to Prosperity here: Niagara Prosperity Initiative – Niagara Region, Ontario [Project 4: Income and Employment]