From protest to participation: an assessment of environmental participation in the Vancouver Island regional negotiation process of the Commission on Resources and Environment
| dc.contributor.author | Senez, Paul Henri | |
| dc.contributor.supervisor | West, Paul R. | |
| dc.contributor.supervisor | Taylor, Duncan M. | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-10-10T23:20:30Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-10-10T23:20:30Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2002 | |
| dc.description.abstract | In recent years there has been increased interest in alternative strategies to address unemployment and underemployment. Growing structural unemployment and the effects of global economic trends have led to efforts to develop new ways to create jobs, encourage entrepreneurial activity and reduce poverty. This research focuses on a particular aspect of local economic development - self-employment through microenterprise development. In particular, this research explores how a microenterprise lending program supports its clients (borrowers) in their efforts to achieve economic self-sufficiency through small business development. The literature shows that access to credit is a significant concern to many individuals who wish to be economically self-reliant. Ironically, those individuals who are refused access to credit are typically the people who need it the most - including the unemployed, the underemployed. recent immigrants, individuals who have declared bankruptcy, and single parents. The literature reveals that while extending credit for the purpose of microenterprise development is a well-established strategy for generating economic opportunities in developing countries and in the U.S., it is less known and practised in Canada. Furthermore. the literature contains little in the way of the perspective of the clients of these funds - i.e. the borrowers. For example, who participates in microcredit programs? What has been their experience? What are the specific issues associated with low-income entrepreneurship? And how do the programs support borrowers in overcoming the barriers to self-employment? I decided to answer these questions by conducting qualitative research into a microenterprise lending initiative. I proposed a research study aimed at increasing understanding of microenterprise lending in Canada, from the perspective of the lending initiative and of the borrower. In July of 1998, I conducted an on-site visit of the StartUp program in Calgary, Alberta. The data collected consists of program participant and staff interviews, and a documentary review. The research findings show that the program supports its participants by "demystifying" the basics of running a business, helping to increase skill levels, and providing opportunities to build the confidence needed to succeed once the business is up and running. The program reduces isolation by providing access to both peer and staff supports, and by helping to build a cooperative network of entrepreneurs within the community. The findings suggest that the program may be particularly helpful in providing women entrepreneurs with the support and advice needed to assist them in overcoming barriers specific to women. However, the data also indicates that peer group style lending may not be for everyone, as peer group participation takes a lot of time, requires certain skills, and can be a stressful experience for the participants involved. The research findings also indicate that the StartUp program extends access to credit in sufficient quantities to start up a small business. However, more research is needed to determine whether the loan size is sufficient enough to assist the participants to establish a business that increases the participant's incomes over what would have occurred otherwise. Finally, the findings suggest that StartUp will need to increase its efforts to ensure that the social and economic empowerment intent of microcredit is not lost. Actions to support this goal could include increasing opportunities for participants to be involved in the program's ongoing development, broadening the criteria for success to reflect a vision of advancing the social and economic empowerment of pa11icipants, and forming coalitions with other groups in order to lobby for increased resources and influence lending practices to low income groups. | |
| dc.description.scholarlevel | Graduate | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/1828/22854 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.rights | Available to the World Wide Web | |
| dc.subject.department | School of Environmental Studies | |
| dc.title | From protest to participation: an assessment of environmental participation in the Vancouver Island regional negotiation process of the Commission on Resources and Environment | |
| dc.type | Thesis |