The Latest

SCP Chair Jon Shell sits down with Andy Farquharson on The Alternative Exit Podcast to explore the transformative potential of employee ownership. Jon recounts how he advocated for Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs) in Canada to address wealth inequality and business succession. He talks advantages of EOTs, from preserving a company’s legacy to fostering economic resilience in the workforce and reshaping both business culture and wealth distribution.

Advisory Board members will advise on SCP’s strategy and agenda, drawing on decades of experience across finance, business, government, public policy, communications, civil society and community economic development.

There are lots of real, tangible public-policy solutions to the problems we face, says Matthew Mendelsohn. It begins with talking about the economy in a different way, grounded firmly in the public interest and data that reflect the reality of how people experience their economic lives.

Crowe Soberman Audit and Advisory Partner Chandor Gauthier sits down with Jon Shell, Chair of Social Capital Partners and Board Member at Employee Ownership Canada. They dive into the benefits of Employee Ownership Trusts and get into the nitty gritty of how EOTs can support smooth business succession, boost equity and retention and safeguard business legacies.

SCP Chair Jon Shell in the Toronto Sun on what Employee Ownership Trusts mean for business owners, the community and the broader economy

Social Capital Partners’ CEO, Matthew Mendelsohn, joins Member of Parliament for Beaches-East York, Nate Erksin-Smith, on his podcase “Uncommons”. Matthew and Nate talk about wealth concentration and its threat to democratic stability. They also discuss practical solutions to address wealth inequality, lack of trust in democratic institutions, the role of the federal public service and the need for a competent and responsive government.

Mark Carney made a speech last week and many people had plenty to say about it. But one of his replies during the Q & A deserves more attention than it received. MP Nate Erskine-Smith asked Carney what he would do about Canada’s growing wealth inequality. Carney’s answer was a bit unfocused, but he made two points clearly: 1) Let’s hope wealthy people give more to charity, and 2) We shouldn’t only focus on redistribution.

A helpful summary of Employee Ownership Trusts that gives Canadian business owners and their advisors a simple (albeit not short) explanation about what they are, and why they should care.

Bringing EOTs to Canada has been a labour of love for a lot of people over the last few years. We’re deeply grateful to the government for establishing the policies we need for employee ownership to flourish here. Now that it’s real we can’t wait to see the community pick the idea up and run with it.

After four years of research, engagement and advocacy, the federal government has finalized the legislative and tax structure for Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs). Social Capital Partners and the Canadian Employee Ownership Coalition are grateful for the government's careful work to make EOTs an attractive option for business owners.

Statistics Canada's official wealth survey significantly underestimates wealth inequality. Canada’s wealth concentration is not as extreme as in the United States, but closer than official data suggest. This misleading portrait undermines Canadians’ ability to have an evidence-informed conversation about how to address growing wealth concentration and the threats it represents for economic resilience and democratic stability.

Social Capital Partners has a long history of investing in people and projects that create more economic opportunity in Canada. Recently, our focus has been on establishing more avenues for working Canadians to build wealth through ownership. Learn more about what we are moving towards.

In the US and the UK, employee-owned companies grow faster, pay better, are less prone to lay-offs or bankruptcies in economic downturns, and are more likely to keep jobs in local economies. Due to supportive public policy, EOTs are a popular structure for business succession in those countries and have generated significant wealth for front-line employees. Canada does not have a business structure comparable to the employee ownership trust (EOT).

Social Capital Partner's Director of Policy Dan Skilleter summarizes the key findings of his recent report "Billionaire Blindspot" in a Toronto Star Opinion piece.

This new report critically analyzes Canada’s flagship wealth survey, the Survey of Financial Security (SFS), and outlines how its methodological shortcomings lead to significant underreporting of wealth inequality.

Social Capital Partner’s Director of Policy, Dan Skilleter, sits down with Steve Paikin on The Agenda to discuss his recent report “Billionaire Blindspot”. This segment digs into how Canada’s official statistics severely underestimate how rich the richest Canadians are and includes steps that can be taken to correct this misrepresentation.

Social Capital Partners' CEO, Matthew Mendelsohn, reflects on the Bank of Canada's productivity speech and calls for need of fresh ideas, voices and questions.

New research continues to demonstrate that employee ownership fosters economic resilience. As in previous economic crises, employee-owned companies were better at retaining employees and at maintaining hours and salaries throughout the pandemic. In a post-pandemic economic environment, the demonstrated benefits of increased employee retention and alignment by employee-owned companies will be even more important to support economic growth.

In a transaction that would be impossible for a Canadian company, the owners of North America's largest builder of acoustic guitars secure a sustainable future for their company and its employees.