What it takes to build a social innovation community

Defining social innovation

Let’s start with a quick definition of the term first. The Centre for Social Innovation founded in Toronto, Canada defines social innovation as the creation, development, adoption, and integration of new and renewed concepts, systems, organizations and practices that put people and planet first.

Social innovations address root causes and change the very systems resisting change to unlock a better world for all. Social innovators achieve change by nudging and sometimes radically shifting markets, policies and cultures. Put simply, here’s how it can be defined:

Social innovation is about new solutions for a better world.

With that context, we’re talking about how one organization has helped lead the way.

20 years of enabling and leading social impact

Social good doesn't happen in isolation. It needs a supportive community to thrive. And the best collaboration happens in person.

Sharing energy, ideas, and passion, and solving problems — all for great causes.

For 20 years, the Centre for Social Innovation (also known as CSI) has curated and created those spaces. They were one of the very first to offer co-working in Toronto, and their journey is a story of resilience, innovation, and connection.

The organization works at the intersection of business and social good.

A story of trailblazing, growth and resilience

CSI’s founder, Tonya Surman, has always believed in the power of people.

From the start, she knew that simply gathering people under one roof wasn’t enough—you needed to create a culture of belonging, where everyone had value and a voice. This belief in collaboration and the power of community has been her guiding force for over two decades.

It was this vision that led her to co-found not only CSI but also the Ontario Nonprofit Network and Social Innovation Canada and more. With each new initiative, Tonya has continually found ways to turn social capital into financial capital, such as her innovation with Community Bonds, which has allowed CSI to purchase properties and expand its footprint.

When CSI opened their first space in 2004, it had just a handful of tenants in a small 5,000-square-foot area of the Robertson Building. But that little experiment sparked something big. It wasn’t just about shared desks; it was about shared dreams. The space buzzed with ideas, and Tonya’s belief in the power of proximity proved right—people started collaborating, launching new projects, and making change happen.

As it grew, so did their impact. By 2010, they had purchased a building at Bathurst and Bloor — the iconic CSI Annex (my favourite location, especially for the first-floor lounge). This space, with its brick-and-beam charm, has become home to over 100 social purpose organizations and has hosted hundreds of events each year. It’s a place where ideas spark, partnerships form, and social innovation thrives.

The story didn’t stop in Toronto though. In 2014, they ventured into New York City, opening a location in Manhattan's Starrett-Lehigh building. Although the pandemic forced the closure of their U.S. operations, the ripple effect of their work in there still lingers.

Through it all, Tonya remained steadfast, leading the organization through challenges, including the pandemic’s heavy blow to co-working spaces worldwide.

Today, CSI continues to push boundaries. They’ve returned to in-person events, reopened their Spadina and Annex locations, and, just as importantly, are building for the future. Whether it's helping small nonprofits, early-stage ventures, or marginalized communities, CSI's spaces are filled with the energy and drive to create the Next Economy.

Tonya shared her story on my podcast, Growth for Good, which you can watch below or find more about here.

A connection years in the making

Years ago, as an outsider to the space from the suburbs, I was intrigued and inspired by what went on at CSI. I bought day passes to co-work, attended events, and even started working for one of the early social ventures there, Twenty One Toys.

I even did some foundational learning there through the Social Entrepreneur Bootcamp program. CSI has been a great venue for events I’ve been part of, like the DoGood Funding Day conference.

My first agency, Now Creative Group, even hosted our holiday party at the Spadina location one year.

And now, through The Good Growth Company, I’m proud to call CSI a partner and member.