

This is a time when Canada must harness its community-driven resilience. We’re asking you to share examples of how Canadian communities are responding to the crisis with creativity and imagination. Collective problem-solving and collaboration will be instrumental in how Canada mitigates the local impacts of COVID-19 and creates on-the-ground solutions.
Highlighted Initiatives
Calgary business network is offering Calgarians a $79 gift card to anyone who cancels their Amazon Prime membership
To motivate Calgarians to buy from locally-owned and operated shops, the 200 member business network will give a $79 gift card to anyone who cancels their Amazon Prime membership. That’s the price of an annual Amazon Prime membership. “We really want to remind Calgarians that even though they may be doing more online shopping this Christmas, that they can still support local,” said Meredith Perich, social business coordinator with Momentum, the organization behind the Be Local YYC network.
London’s deputy mayor offers online civics class for kids stuck at home due to COVID-19
London’s deputy mayor hosted a civics class for children as the province’s publicly funded schools face two more weeks of closures amid the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic. The lesson was provided in a Facebook Live entitled “At-Home Civics Class with Deputy Mayor Jesse Helmer.”
Just For Kids: A Comic Exploring The New Coronavirus
This comic is based on reporting from NPR’s Cory Turner, who asked experts what kids might want to know about COVID-19. The illustrators used his interviews with Tara Powell at the University of Illinois School of Social Work, Joy Osofsky at the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans and Krystal Lewis at the National Institute of Mental Health. Print and fold a zine version of this comic here. Here are directions on how to fold it. To read this comic in Chinese, click here.
Democracy in a time of Social Distancing
Andrea Reimer and guests deliver a webinar to explore the opportunities for engaging communities and democratic decision-making in a time of social distancing.
COVID-19: Local Action Tracker features a sortable grid detailing the policy decisions
Bloomberg Philanthropies, in partnership with the National League of Cities launched a new initiative that collects and shares actions taken by local U.S. leaders in response to the pandemic. The COVID-19: Local Action Tracker features a sortable grid detailing the policy decisions and bold actions that city leaders are making to contain the spread of coronavirus.
CareMongering Guelph
Guelph-based Facebook Group for fostering community, offering support and resources, sharing opportunities/events that may be helpful to support community members, and organizing and staying connected to ensure vulnerable community members have access to food, housing, healthcare, and other necessities. The space is also for the redistribution of resources, and for people to post about any needs for support (emotional or physical or otherwise).
Toronto Society of Architects shares resources for members during COVID-19
Toronto Society of Architects creates space to share resources that might be helpful for members during COVID-19
Poverty advocacy group publishes poster with financial supports for workers and parents
Victoria (Canada)-based TAPS (Together Against Poverty Society) has a friendly poster with a list of financial supports available for workers and parents during #COVID19
Virtual creativity hour offers space for shared silent creative time
Facebook event for sharing silent creative time via Zoom conference. People join remotely to write, read, knit, work on photography, paint, do calligraphy, etc.
Local Toronto gyms offering free online classes
BlogTO compiled a list of local Toronto gyms that have moved classes online, after gyms were shut down due to COVID-19, as a way to leverage their platforms for social good, and connect with their local community.
Calgary Chamber of Commerce issues policy recommendations for economy during COVID-19
Policy recommendations cover short term (next three months), medium term (2020-2021), and long-term (2021+)
Toronto’s Greenest City and FoodShare offer Emergency Food Assistance to residents of Parkdale neighbourhood
For those in the Parkdale neighbourhood facing food insecurity, Greenest City and FoodShare are offering to deliver food to your door during the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Community Foundation of Calgary providing charities with platform to share emerging needs
Through a survey form, the Community Foundation of Calgary is providing charities with a place to share some of their most pressing and emerging needs with donors, fund holders and the larger community. The Calgary Foundation will then help spread the word to the broader community.
Neighbours create online survey tool to match people in need in Toronto’s Parkdale/High Park with volunteers
A group of neighbours in Toronto’s Parkdale/High Park/Ward 4 are matching people in need to help through Windemere Church’s volunteers and staff.
Community-sourced page for people needing help and offering help in Guelph
Community-sourced page in Guelph, Ontario, bringing together community-driven and people-powered initiatives in one place. The resource offers a list of community organizations and what they need, along with a list of volunteers offering help. A map shows how and where to obtain free food during COVID-19 closures.
BC Chamber of Commerce compiles resources for businesses affected by COVID-19
Resources for BC businesses include access to capital, taxation relief for businesses, resources for workers, general information, and B2B support
BC Rentbanks provide emergency loans for rent and utilities
Network of rentbanks in BC provide emergency loans for rent and utilities.
Crowdsourced resource for home schooling trans and queer families during COVID-19
Facebook group offers resources, support, and encouragement for home schooling trans and queer families during the COVID-19 school closures. Open to queer and trans families and teachers, with a focus on British Columbia’s K-12 curriculum.
Bookstore in Vancouver offers free delivery of books during COVID-19
Spartacus Books is a nonprofit, volunteer-run bookstore and resource centre, run collectively for over 40 years. They are offering free delivery in the Vancouver area. Give them a book title or a preferred subject and they will find you good things to read!
Calgary Flames Foundation launches COVID-19 Community Program
The support program will distribute $1.15M to Calgary organizations in support of critical community needs.
Elderly shopping hours introduced by multiple grocery chains
Stores and grocery chains including Sobey’s, Loblaws, Shopper’s Drug Mart, Whole Foods, and others are opening their doors early for seniors and those with other health concerns to give them an opportunity to shop with fewer customers around amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Resident compiles Google doc of free workouts during social isolation
The shared document includes free workouts for individuals to use while staying home or in self-isolation.
Alberta organization creates database of COVID-19 Resources for Nonprofits and Charities
Resources focus on Calgary and Alberta
Summary of Canada Council for the Arts’ programs for artists during the COVID-19 pandemic
Includes updates on COVID-19’s affect on Canada Council for the Arts’ programs including: Government support (Artists abroad, Employment Insurance, Other possible measures) and Canada Council operations (Financial losses, Suspension of funding (travel-related activities))
CBC only playing Canadian content during COVID-19
To support Canadian artists, CBC shift has shifted their weekday radio schedule to all-Canadian programming during COVID-19.
Calgary Arts Development surveys grantees and hosts virtual town hall
Calgary Arts Development has sent a survey to all arts organization grantees to begin to understand the impact COVID-19 disruptions will have on our sector. They are also hosting a virtual town hall mtg to update the community on what they have learned, what they are thinking about, and what actions they re taking with regard to the COVID-19 situation and its impact on our sector and communities.
Grocery stores hiring more staff, offer wage boost as B.C. adapts to COVID-19 buying habits
In addition to raises, several grocery chains have increased store hours and hired staff due to pandemic shopping habits.
Grocery stores offer wage increases to staff working though COVID-19 pandemic
Several grocery store chains across Canada (Sobeys, Loblaws, Metro) are offering raises to workers that have been working through the pandemic.
Poverty advocacy group’s newsletter with links to local mutual aid and neighbourhood pod
Updates and links to resources on Parkdale’s mutal aid network and neighbourhood pod. Posted by Parkdale Community Economic Development (PCED), a project of the Parkdale People’s Economy led by over 30 community-based organizations and community residents to build decent work, shared wealth, and equitable development in Parkdale.
Youthful Cities launches The COVID-19 Canadian Urgent Isolation Campaign Playbook
Nonprofit Youthful Cities has launched a campaign to support youth as they self-isolate.
Lessons from Disaster Response that can be applied to COVID-19
Analysis of the Start Network — a rapid financing model for post disaster humanitarian response. What lessons does it hold for Canada’s social impact funders in responding to the COVID-19 crisis?
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