Last April, the Chantier de l’Économie Sociale presented a report, as part of the public consultation of the Working Group on the Sharing Economy (GTEC), a committee created up by the Ministry of Economy, Science and Innovation.

>> Download the report (in french)

INTRODUCTION

As an organization interested in the significant advances made in the sharing economy, as well as its impact and its potential for economic, social, environmental and cultural development in Quebec, the Chantier de l’Économie Sociale seeks to contribute to the working group consultations on the sharing economy in order to update and improve our public policies on with respect to this issue.

The development of the sharing economy opens the way to new approaches regarding public policies that effectively support and regulate this form of economic activity, and with undeniable societal repercussions – some positive but also some that are potentially negative. Major actors and countries have a considerable lead on the issue and are already demonstrating marked trends in its development. Nevertheless, Quebec has its own strengths, including a strong plural economy, thanks to the significant presence of collective enterprises and a supporting ecosystem that facilitates innovation and cooperation, one that encourages the emergence of new projects, particularly those that come from and are managed by communities. On this basis, we have both the means and the strategies with which to build and implement a unique vision.

Without any official definition, we subscribe to the general understanding of the collaborative economy “which corresponds to a set of exchanges that favours the temporary pooling of resources or the definitive redistribution of goods without any form of profit, financial or other type of compensation”. (1)

On this basis, we have to recognize that collective entrepreneurship and the sharing economy come together “naturally”. Moreover, collective entrepreneurship is a part of the solution to the potential excesses of the sharing economy. By relying on the strengths of collective entrepreneurship, Québec can still position itself at the forefront of an innovative vision of a truly sharing economy.

(1) Extract from the consultation document.

 

From: le Chantier de l’économie sociale, member of RIPESS NA