Tonya Surman, Centre for Social Innovation

Tonya Surman is the founding executive director of the Centre for Social Innovation (CSI) – a dynamic convergence space whose mission is to spark, connect and support new ideas that are tackling the social, environmental, economic and cultural challenges we face today. CSI does this by providing shared space and services to over 85 social mission groups, acting as a community centre for social innovators, convening across issues and providing a home to a limited number of incubated projects including Green Enterprise Toronto and the Toronto Enterprising Non Profit Program. (www.socialinnovation.ca)

Tonya has been working with social mission groups to collaborate, innovate and build resilience for nearly 20 years. Prior to CSI, Tonya was the founding Partnership Director for the Canadian Partnership for Children's Health and Environment – www.healthyenvironmentforkids.ca , a senior partner in the Commons Group- www.commons.ca , the founding business manager for www.rabble.ca and was executive director of Web Networks www.web.net, the first ISP in Canada dedicated to the social sector. Tonya has been creating and leading social enterprises for 13 years and has built her body of knowledge around multi-sectoral collaboration and entrepreneurship for social change. 

Tonya is a mother of two boys and is actively engaged in her community organizing street parties, movie nights, founding a cooperative day care, building a community garden and whatever trouble she can get herself into. The Centre for Social Innovation has been recognized by the Toronto Community Foundation as A Vital Idea 2007 and is NOW Magazine’s Pick for Best Social Enterprise 2007. 

Tonya Surman's presentation, "Building an ecosystem for social entrepreneurship emergence" (PDF)

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