New Dawn initiatives renew commitment to social impact with Social Enterprise Certification

SYDNEY, N.S. — Five New Dawn initiatives continue to hold Certified Social Enterprise status, demonstrating their commitment to creating social, cultural, and economic impact.

New Dawn Homecare, Café Marie, Eltuek Arts Centre, New Dawn Meals on Wheels, and New Dawn Housing Association renewed their certification with Buy Social Canada, a national, women-led social enterprise that certifies social enterprises and promotes social procurement to drive positive community impact through business.

Buy Social Canada’s certification recognizes organizations that operate businesses with a defined social, cultural, or environmental purpose. Profit reinvestment is a central part of the social enterprise business model, and it verifies that these businesses put mission before profit, prioritizing people and the planet over shareholder and owner wealth.

New Dawn’s certified initiatives span a wide range of impact areas:

• New Dawn Homecare delivers compassionate, person-centered care that helps individuals remain independent in their homes, supporting dignity, well-being, and stronger connections to community.
• Café Marie is a community café and social hub that provides inclusive, supportive employment while supporting local farms, focusing on fresh, seasonal whole foods, and creating a welcoming space where people can gather, connect, and belong.
• Eltuek Arts Centre fosters cultural expression and supports artists, amplifies diverse voices, and strengthens the local arts economy through performances, exhibitions, and community programming.
• New Dawn Meals on Wheels provides nutritious, reliable meal delivery while also offering regular social connection, helping reduce isolation for seniors and others in the community.
• New Dawn Housing Association develops and manages affordable, community-focused housing, addressing critical gaps in the region.

Together, these enterprises embody the core principles of social enterprise — using business as a tool to address social challenges, strengthen communities, and create inclusive economic opportunities.

“As a seasoned cafe attendant and now cafe manager, I’m proud to be contributing to a social enterprise with values that align with my own,” said Brenna Phillips, Cafe Marie Manager. “It’s meaningful to know that our efforts are for shared goals within the community. It’s a rare opportunity to have employment that is fun and casual but also contributing, and it’s a great opportunity for our staff to feel part of something greater.”

Buy Social Canada defines social enterprises as businesses that “sell goods or services, embed a social, cultural, or environmental purpose into their operations, and reinvest the majority of profits into that purpose.” Their certification program ensures transparency, credibility, and measurable impact.

Social enterprise is a powerful business model to tackle the challenges our economy and communities are facing today. As part of a network of more than 240 certified organizations across Canada — including 25 in Nova Scotia — New Dawn’s initiatives contribute to a broader movement linking business activity with community outcomes.

New Dawn remains committed to being part of this movement, prioritizing people-focused economic development in which business decisions are guided by the needs, dignity, and well-being of the communities it serves.

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QUICK FACTS

• New Dawn Enterprises has five initiatives certified as Social Enterprises by Buy Social Canada.
• Buy Social Canada has 244 certified social enterprises nationwide, including 25 in Nova Scotia.
• Social enterprises reinvest the majority of their profits to advance social, cultural, or environmental goals.
• New Dawn’s certified initiatives span homecare, food security, arts and culture, and housing.
• Social enterprise is a growing model that uses business to address community challenges while generating revenue.

ABOUT NEW DAWN

New Dawn is Canada’s oldest Community Development Corporation. Since 1976, we’ve been working to create a more just, healthy, and self-determined community by responding to local needs and driving long-term, systems-level change. Today, New Dawn continues to focus on self-reliance, resilience, and community-led transformation. Every day, we engage thousands of community members and employ over 150 Cape Bretoners through programs and services that are practical, creative, and grounded in care. Our work spans health and social care, housing, the arts, youth and family services, immigration, and community development. Some of these services generate revenue, which we reinvest into our organization — fueling sustainability and deepening community impact.

ABOUT BUY SOCIAL CANADA

Buy Social Canada is a national, women-led social enterprise that exists to build healthy communities that are rich in social, cultural, human, environmental and economic capital by supporting the development of social enterprise and social procurement across the country. Its certification program sets out criteria for social enterprises, including having a defined social, cultural, or environmental purpose, generating revenue through the sale of goods or services, and reinvesting the majority of profits into that purpose. The organization also works with public and private sector partners to encourage purchasing from social enterprises, contributing to broader efforts to link economic activity with community outcomes.