From November 5th to the 23rd, 2018, Sensorica and Ouishare organised eco2FEST 2018, an open space and unconference where we engaged the Montreal South-West population in discussions and workshops about the social and collaborative economy.
A significant number of local organisations that engage in socio, economic and cultural development contributed to the eco2FEST experience and manifested their interest in future collaboration. We also engaged governmental organisations in general discussions about the collaborative economy.
eco2FEST space, Verdun, Qc., November 5th to 23rd, 201
We plan to publish a comprehensive report about eco2FEST during the month of April 2019, in collaboration with Jeremy Diaz, a researcher at UQAM University. Our preliminary conclusions show that Verdun consists of a vibrant community with an informal network of coops and non-profit organizations that collaborate to improve the well-being of local citizens. Their activities span from awareness-building and education programs through to those that strengthen social cohesion and mutual support, to urban agriculture, fair commerce and cultural events. The civil society in Verdun is in development mode, and is still far from the stage of emancipation and refinement seen in Le Plateau, Montreal - the epicenter of the social economy in Quebec. Although the Verdun borough pays a lot of attention to these local social development initiatives, resources are very scarce. We maintain that local coops, nonprofits and independent individuals can do a lot more with the little they already have by mutualizing resources and collaborating better through formal relationships, prescribed by collaborative economy models.
The three-week-long eco2FEST event gave local organisations opportunities to know each other and strengthen their bonds. A few months later, some of them are still meeting on a regular basis and planning for a better future in the Montreal South-West neighbourhood.