Shaping a Just Economy: Social Innovation in Action on the East Coast 

The world feels increasingly complex. We’re navigating deep economic shifts, artificial intelligence is transforming work faster than anticipated, polarization is on the rise, climate change remains a threat, and our foundational systems are in desperate need of reimagination. Believing in a better way is the only path forward. We are incredibly grateful to these dedicated professionals for carving out time outside of their day-to-day work to take on this challenge and drive meaningful change.

At the Pond-Deshpande Centre (PDC) at the University of New Brunswick (UNB), we are dedicated to shaping a future where collaboration, innovation, and systems change drive positive outcomes for communities, businesses, and individuals. We understand that complexity can be challenging to navigate, which is why we specialize in helping people and organizations thrive in it. 

As proud East Coasters, we love a good ocean metaphor to represent our missions. Located at UNB, we’re inspired by the symbolism of freedom, adventure, and the ability to adjust to changing winds depicted by our sail. At PDC, we’ve symbolized our mission as a lighthouse, depicting our commitment to act as beacons of light within complex systems. We’re uniquely equipped to respond to shifting winds and guide others toward clarity and impact in a constantly changing worldOur approach is rooted in understanding and addressing the complex challenges of today’s world—particularly in inclusive workforce development, healthy communities, and civic innovation, which are essential building blocks of a just economy. By focusing on these interconnected issues, we aim to drive systemic change that creates equitable opportunities and lasting, positive outcomes for individuals, businesses, and communities. We achieve this by deeply exploring the systemic challenges at hand, bringing together key stakeholders, centering the voices of those most affected by the issue, and then mobilizing the ideas that emerge from these discussions.

Our Strategic Approach: Building Blocks for a Just Economy

To effectively tackle systemic challenges, we’ve developed a strategic framework that emphasizes cross-sector collaboration and systemic change. At the core of this is the idea that a just and resilient economy doesn’t emerge from isolated efforts but from the collective work of innovative stakeholders across sectors, communities, and industries.

Here’s how we see the foundational elements of building a just economy:

1. Healthy Communities

Healthy communities are the foundation for everything we do. They provide the social, economic, and physical well-being necessary for individuals to thrive. By fostering supportive systems—whether through access to healthcare, housing, or services—we lay the groundwork for broader societal transformation. Currently, we’re facilitating a rapid innovation challenge focused on improving cardiovascular and diabetes care in New Brunswick, in partnership with McKenna Institute, NB-IRDT, and Research NB. Additionally, we are completing another challenge centered on housing and healthcare resilience in Moncton, aimed at strengthening community systems for long-term sustainability.

(Participants in our Pathways to Equitable Health Rapid Innovation Challenge, March 2025)

2. Civic Innovation

Next, we focus on civic innovation, which plays a critical role in improving governance, rebuilding public trust, and ensuring accountability. By engaging communities and organizations in co-creating solutions, we tackle the social and political challenges of our time, laying the groundwork for long-term, systemic change. Annually, we host GovMaker, Atlantic Canada’s premier event dedicated to advancing evidence-based policymaking, enhancing government transparency, driving digital transformation, and promoting diversity and inter-sectoral collaboration.

3. Inclusive Workforce Development

The next step is inclusive workforce development, which empowers historically marginalized individuals and groups to access job opportunities, skills training, and career pathways. By investing in an inclusive workforce, we create new economic opportunities for those traditionally excluded from systems, ultimately fostering more resilient and sustainable economic growth. Our work spans key areas such as economic immigration, early childhood education, and immigration pathways into the construction workforce, helping to bridge gaps and build a more inclusive economy.

4. Just & Resilient Economy

At the pinnacle of this pyramid lies the vision of a just and resilient economy—where all efforts converge. It’s where healthy communities, inclusive workforces, and innovative governance systems come together to create an economy that values equity, resilience, and sustainability for all. This vision drives everything we do at PDC. Our initiatives include helping women access venture capital, accelerating the social enterprise ecosystem in New Brunswick, and supporting SMEs in greening their businesses to build a more sustainable and inclusive economy.

(Convening key stakeholders in greening NB SMEs)

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be attending several convenings to continue our discussions on social innovation. We’ll be in Halifax for Illuminate by the Community Foundation of Canada, then we’ll be at the Canadian Forum for Social Innovation, followed by the Atlantic Venture Forum. Following that, we’ll join our colleagues at UNB for the Digital Innovation Summit in St. Andrew’s, NB. Like many of you, we’ll take some time to pause over the summer to strengthen our foundation, then jump into the fall with the launch of Green Horizons’ concept phase (more details to come) and GovMaker, taking place November 24-26, 2025, in Fredericton, NB, with some exciting announcements on the horizon.