CCEDNet National CED Conference, May 2008 - Saskatoon - ATTENDED

Each year, the Canadian CED Network holds a national conference to bring together those who support community-based efforts to improve social conditions and create economic opportunities in Canada and beyond.

As the premier CED event in Canada, the conference aims to:

* Strengthen CED practitioners and organizations
* Advance a pan-Canadian policy agenda for CED
* Contribute to skills development and capacity building
* Increase the profile of CED as a viable approach to the economic revitalization of Canadian communities.

This year's National CED Conference - Waves of Change: Building People-Centred Economies welcomed 400 CED practitioners, civil society representatives, community leaders, government representatives, business and co-operative developers, and academics at the University of Saskatchewan for dozens of learning and information sharing sessions and regional, national,
and international plenary speakers.

Conference highlights included a policy action planning session; networking lunches; site visits to prairie CED initiatives; and vibrant social events that included an aboriginal theatre, dance, and music evening; a dance to a live blues band; and a gala banquet in a heritage museum.

Over four inspirational days conference delegates worked together to advance a pan-Canadian CED policy agenda, built skills and organizational capacity, and created new connections and networks. Overall, participants learned together and demonstrated that CED is an effective approach to revitalize local economies, tackle poverty and homelessness, and create sustainable communities.

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