The St. Christopher House Economic Catalyst Initiative was launched in January of 1995 as a two-year demonstration project funded by the provincial government (Jobs Ontario Community Action), the Levi Strauss Foundation and St. Christopher House. The goals of the pilot are to launch one or two businesses owned and operated by St. Christopher House members and program participants, as a means of addressing chronic unemployment in the neighbourhood. The resulting pilot built on community development and income generating work through one of the St. Christopher House programs, the Meeting Place, a drop-in for socially isolated adults.
The second project is establishing and financing a non-profit community Trading Company. The trading company would continue to develop and promote local and social markets and credit access for community businesses and provide self employment and cooperative business development supports to community members.
