GDD 2025: A Better Economy is Taking Root
An alternative economics event hosted in partnership with WEAll Canada & the Canadian Purpose Economy Project.
Written by Wynnie Zhao (DECTO) and Naryan Wong (WEAll Canada).
On October 17, we co-created and hosted an alternative economies event at the Centre for Social Innovation in Toronto.
Events like this help to carry a conversation forward - not just during the event, but also in the conversations that ripple outwards after. In Toronto, we're in the midst of an explosion of important conversations and events; ripples converging and amplifying.
At A Better Economy Is Taking Root, three groups intentionally brought their thinking into convergence to see what might emerge, asking: "When we look at our work/life through each of the three economic lenses, what do we see?".
Around 100 folks spent their Friday evening playing with new ideas, meeting new people, and reconnecting with folks they had met through other contexts. It felt warm, energizing, and filled with curiosity. We feel a lot of gratitude for each person who contributed their time and thinking into the event (both participants and partners).
Also on the agenda for the night was a community room where we invited great local organizations to table and share more about the work that they're doing, delicious plant-based and upcycled food from our food partners, a musical performance, and a spoken word poem recapping the event to end off the event.
To support the continuity of this inquiry into better economies, check out three artifacts from our time together:
- The slide presentations (Purpose Economy, Doughnut Economics, Wellbeing Economies)
- The reflection poem, Putting It All Together, written and read by Kevin Sutton
- A succinct synthesis of the three visions and the dialogue that made sense of them, by Naryan Wong
If you'd like to continue contributing to this conversation (and help take it into action), here are three ways to do so:
- Canadian Purpose Economy Project: Subscribe to the mailing list for updates on their work and future events, and sign A Call To Purpose
- Doughnut Economics Collective Toronto: Follow them on socials to stay in touch!
- WEAll Canada: Join the alliance as a Steward or organizational Partner. We're about to kick off a strategy design process and are looking for volunteers!
