Social entrepreneurs have a mission to make things better in addition to making a profit. What’s Next YYC is a new initiative to recognize some of the many social entrepreneurs in the city.

In its inaugural year, the awards had more than 30 applications from local social enterprises that have already won awards or successfully completed a social enterprise support program. The 10 finalists have been selected and they will be vying for one of four $25,000 prizes, with the audience a part of the selection process.

Finalists for What’s Next YYC:

• aGRO Systems Inc. The firm captures what is unwanted and discarded and transforms it into something unique and valuable. Supporting sustainable local farmers
• Beaverlodge: An app that turns energy efficiency for your home into an easy game that saves you real money
• CareFind Centralized and interactive platform connecting parents to real-time openings of accredited/licensed daycares, preschools, out-of-school-care and approved day homes
• CMNGD: Employing people facing poverty through a sustainable commercial laundry service
• Colouring It Forward: Colouring books using art by Indigenous artists
• Deepwater Farms: Calgary’s first aquaponics farm
• Fresh Routes: Mobile grocery store bringing affordable food to neighbourhoods with barriers
• PwrSwitch: Platform supporting victims of cyberstalking, cyber-harassment and high-conflict divorce through the collection of electronic communications
• Tsuut’ina Apiaries: Provides culturally fulfilling employment to low-income Indigenous Peoples while combatting the declining bee and native plant populations
• Universal Access: Accessibility consultants providing certified barrier-free environments

Read more about the What’s Next YYC award here!

This up-and-coming community in the City of Chestermere has a name that evokes images of friendly people and cozy homes. It’s just minutes east of Calgary — the first community you approach as you drive east along 17 Ave. S.W., which becomes Chestermere Blvd.

The architectural style throughout Dawson’s Landing, in keeping with the summer village, lake-life vibe that everyone loves about Chestermere, will add to the community charm. This development has affordable options for entry-level buyers and comfortable homes for mature buyers looking to take a few steps back.

With roads nearly completed, the first phase of Dawson’s Landing has been released, with the best lots available now. Several preferred Calgary and area builders will have show homes ready in early 2020.

Read the full article here in the Calgary Herald. For more information about Dawson’s Landing, please visit our community page.

For larger-than-average families looking for a new home, finding a model with enough bedrooms can be a tall task.

Five bedrooms above grade isn’t even common in front-drive move-up homes, let alone a laned floor plan. Trico Homes, created a fit, taking its Bellview model to a new level.

The standard dimensions of this laned home are 1,560 square feet. But as a show home of this model in the community of Cornerbrook demonstrates with its optional third level of development, it can reach 2,158 square feet.

Read the full article here in the Calgary Herald.

Offering versatile floorplans to suit your growing family’s needs, Trico Homes is thrilling buyers with its lineup of stylish homes in the new northeast community of Cornerbrook.

“We’re getting a great response from buyers because they love having the option to include a spice kitchen, a loft with a fourth and fifth bedroom, a main floor bedroom or a secondary suite with separate side entrance,” says Glenda Schwartz, marketing manager for Trico. “We also offer starter and move-up homes to fit every budget so they appeal to a wide range of buyers.”

Read the full article here in NextHome Calgary.

Trico’s founders Wayne & Eleanor Chiu, through the Trico Charitable Foundation, have announced a gift of $5 million to the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary to create the new Trico Foundation Social Entrepreneurship Centre. 

The Trico Foundation Social Entrepreneurship Centre will support unique student experiences inside and outside the classroom including community-based learning, internships, curriculum and research. Students will be empowered with new opportunities and all the support they need to enhance their academic experience. Hands-on learning and tailored student experiences will make Haskayne the school of choice for students interested in social entrepreneurship.

“I believe that, by engaging the University of Calgary, we are definitely able to create a much greater impact in Canada and possibly around the world. If we are able to use social entrepreneurship by encouraging more business people to get engaged into doing good by doing well, I think that will be huge for Calgary,” says Wayne Chiu, CM, AOE, ICD.D, and chairman, Trico Charitable Foundation.

Read the full article here.

“We were looking for a home where our kids would be raised and to have that bigger space right now. It’s a long-term view — we don’t want to be moving in another few years,” says Melanie Villefranche.

They chose Trico Homes as their builder after meeting with Area sales manager, Kelsey Clarke, during a tour of show homes in Cochrane. The homes were great but the location was not. Back at home, they researched other areas where Trico was building, which led them to Crestmont West by Qualico Communities, located west of Winsport Canada Olympic Park.

On their first visit to the Trico show homes, who should they run into but Kelsey Clarke, who had now moved to the Crestmont West sales centre.

“We started talking to her and ended up buying a house,” Melanie says, laughing.

Read more about the Villefranches’ story here in the Calgary Herald.

This past summer, the Business Roundtable, which includes the CEOs of top American businesses, made a bold statement about the future of business — that companies serve not just shareholders, but customers, employees, suppliers and communities.

Amidst shifting perspectives about the role of business in society today, the University of Calgary has announced the creation of the Trico Foundation Social Entrepreneurship Centre at the Haskayne School of Business. As business is changing, so, too, is business education.

The centre, announced on Sept. 10, has been made a reality thanks to the generosity of Wayne and Eleanor Chiu, BComm’85. A $5-million gift from their Trico Charitable Foundation will go towards UCalgary’s $1.3-billion Energize: The Campaign for Eyes High.

“I believe that, by engaging the University of Calgary, we are definitely able to create a much greater impact in Canada and possibly around the world. If we are able to use social entrepreneurship by encouraging more business people to get engaged into doing good by doing well, I think that will be huge for Calgary,” says Wayne Chiu, CM, AOE, ICD.D, and chairman, Trico Charitable Foundation.

Read more about the Trico Foundation’s donation to the Haskayne School of Business here!