WHAT WE DO
A Unique Approach
Creation
- Employment opportunities
- Inner City Renovation
Transformation
Succession
Resources

The North end has had a bad rap in the newspapers and nationally. I feel like there are some good people in the North End. I am one of them.
— Henry (Joe) Mousseau,
ICR employee

What was slowing me down, was my punctuality, I wasn't really cooperating with them, that's what was spoiling me. What helped me changed? I was tired of living the way I was before, basically everything I was doing was low-income.
— Milton Bruyere,
ICR employee

To be able to work in my backyard, it's a dream. I want to keep working here. I'm hoping to teach someone else. Take someone from the street and teach him also that he can do it too...If I could teach one person and he could teach another, that would be satisfaction enough.
— Ervin Houle,
ICR employee

If we can make one neighbourhood better and then the next neghbourhood and the next neighbourhood and this will all come together in the end in a fine picture.
— Ervin Houle,
ICR employee

Inner City Renovation

Inner City Renovation (ICR) is a construction company committed to the revitalization of Winnipeg’s inner city (both residential and commercial) and creating quality employment for inner city low-income residents. Inner City Renovation’s mission is to strive to be self-sustaining employee-owned renovation contractor providing services to all sectors of the marketplace in a professional manner that meets or exceeds current construction standards. Inner City Renovation will focus on providing employment and skills development opportunities to inner city residents while being responsible to the requirements, goals and objectives of our customers. Visit the Inner City Renovation web site for more about ICR.

Social Impact

Alleviation of Poverty
· ICR created an average of 19 full-time year-round jobs in its first two years
· Average hourly wage rate for our target employees $10.65
· Blue Cross health benefit package for all ICR employees
Education and Training
· Provided on-the-job training to all the non-journey status employees
· Enrolled selected staff in the carpentry apprenticeship program
· Enrolled selected staff in University of Manitoba participative management course
· Specific technical upgrading courses in energy efficiency and estimating
· Academic upgrading to qualify for the apprenticeship program
· Life skill training in personal financial management
Employee Support
· Social worker on part-time contract basis to support ICR’s employees with life skills, housing, financial, criminal justice and domestic issues
· Support in times of injury or illness
Recreation
· Weekend retreats and outings
· Monthly social evenings, bowling, pool, baseball etc.
· Sweats
· Staff parties (Xmas party)

Financial Impact

Operating Revenue
· Operating revenue for first two years is just under $2 million
Profitability
· ICR incurred losses in its first two years. Although operational losses are decreasing, there is ongoing training costs which will prevent ICR from breaking even unless it receives a training subsidy.
· ICR’s financial loss during the first year was invested in infrastructure in inner city neighbourhoods. The Non-profit organizations both residential and non-residential are the beneficiaries of these funds.

Economic Impact

Creation of wealth
· In excess of $1 million in wages and benefits was paid out to employees in the first two years
· An additional $1 million was injected into the local community in the purchase of materials and sub-contractors
Tax revenue
· Personal Income tax derived from over $1 million in new wages and benefits
· Sales tax from purchase of goods and services purchased with employee earnings
· Reduction in social assistance payments and unemployment insurance payments
· Property tax from renovated properties both residential and commercial
· GST on the purchase of materials and subcontractors during renovations.
Social return on investment
· The first year Social Return on Investment (SROI) was 41%. The projected long term SROI is 241%
Renewal of housing stock in the inner city
· Renewal of boarded up housing· Renewal of boarded up commercial properties.

Employee Benefits and Supports

Inner City Renovation offers its employees
· permanent full time year-round employment
· a quality job, one with better than average sector wages
· a health benefit plan
· education and training (both on the job and classroom)
· opportunity for advancement· entry point into the construction industry
· a transition from structural unemployment and long term social assistance

Another feature of employment with Inner City Renovation is its commitment to participative management and employee ownership. The shareholders of Inner City Renovation are committed to gradually transferring their shares to the employees once the company has had two consecutive profitable years. Employee ownership is empowering to the employees allowing them to reap the benefits of their labour.

Venture Partners

Inner City Renovation is a joint venture between three organizations committed to creation of social enterprises and inner city renewal particularly in the areas of housing and job creation. They include:
· North End Housing Project (NEHP)
· Community Ownership Solutions (COS)
· Social Capital Partners (SCP)