FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 27, 2025

VANCOUVER, BC — Buy Social Canada is proud to announce the winners of the 2025 Social Procurement and Social Enterprise Champion Awards, to recognize organizations that use purchasing decisions and business activities as a force for good.

This year’s Social Procurement Champion Awards go to SaskPower, Providence Health Care, and Assiniboine Credit Union for their commitment to integrate social value into purchasing decisions and contracts, and their support of the social procurement and social enterprise ecosystems in Canada.

SaskPower, a public sector energy provider in Saskatchewan, creates impact by prioritizing procurement from Indigenous businesses and women-owned businesses. With detailed measurement and reporting, they show leadership in the public sector as they leverage their purchasing power and back it up with evidence and stories of impact.

Providence Health Care, the non-profit owner of the St. Paul’s and Mount Saint Joseph Hospitals in Vancouver, has built relationships with local social enterprises to create inclusive employment opportunities and support residents of the Downtown Eastside. They are also active champions of social procurement on the major New St. Paul’s Hospital construction site, which has a Community Benefits Agreement in place under City of Vancouver policy.

Based in Manitoba, Assiniboine Credit Union practices social procurement in their own supply chain, and models strategic purchasing to others. They prioritize purchases from social enterprises, co-operatives and other social value suppliers, and track their spend. They also support social finance and investment into social and sustainable outcomes, creating stronger and more inclusive communities across the province.

The Social Enterprise Champion Award is awarded to Community Impact Real Estate Society (CIRES). CIRES, a Buy Social Canada Certified Social Enterprise, is recognized for its transformative work to provide affordable commercial spaces for small businesses, non-profits and social enterprises, and for their promotion of social procurement amongst tenants and in their own purchasing.

“These award winners lead by example and model what responsible business can look like in Canada,” says Elizabeth Chick-Blount, CEO of Buy Social Canada. “They show us that procurement isn’t just a transaction, it’s a powerful tool for building more resilient and inclusive communities. We’re especially proud to celebrate CIRES with an award in honour of Buy Social Canada’s founder, the late David LePage, whose legacy continues to shape this movement.”

By showing leadership in measurement, reporting and implementation, these organizations create change in their sectors that will have positive ripple effects in communities across Canada for years to come.

For the full list of 2025 nominees and more information about the awards, visit: https://www.buysocialcanada.com/events/social-procurement-and-social-enterprise-champion-award-nominations/

Media Contact:
Emma Renaerts
Communications Manager
emma@buysocialcanada.com
604-209-6856

About Buy Social Canada:
Buy Social Canada exists to build healthy communities that are rich in social, cultural, human, environmental and economic capital. We shift how goods and services are bought and sold in the marketplace through social procurement consulting, education and advocacy and social enterprise certification.