On the eve of the elections in Quebec
Montreal, January 22, 2026 – In a context where the Quebec government is seeking to deliver more major economic projects with fewer resources, the House of Social Innovation (MIS) launches an urgent appeal: it is time to remove the obstacles to innovation and accelerate the implementation of projects of national interest.
As Quebec must return to a balanced budget by 2030 and as social, environmental and economic needs multiply, Marie-Christine Ladouceur-Girard, Executive Director of MIS, explains: “Non-profit organizations (NPOs) are undergoing a major shift that is putting their capacity to innovate and experiment under pressure. That’s why the Maison de l’innovation sociale (House of Social Innovation) advocates for approaches that deliver sustainable results. NPOs can do more and can contribute to the realization of structuring projects for Quebec. But they need to be given the resources and the freedom to succeed.”
Submission of a memorandum to the budget committee
In its memorandum submitted to the Ministry of Finance as part of the 2026 budget, the MIS proposes two concrete recommendations to strengthen collective capacity and public performance:
- Strengthening the non-profit sector through:
- the implementation of groupings and pooling of resources between impact organizations, through an annual Quebec summit of intensive work, engaging stakeholders on site in operational projects;
- the creation of a physical social innovation hub, designed as an infrastructure for consolidating the ecosystem, offering shared services and strategic support to NPOs and social economy organizations.
- Accelerating sustainable economic development with:
- the deployment of a regulatory experimentation initiative, aligned with Bill 5, to accelerate the implementation of structuring projects while reducing regulatory, social and territorial risks;
- the implementation of targeted territorial approaches in strategic industrial areas, in order to prepare living environments to accommodate major industrial projects and to support the attraction and retention of the workforce.
To read the thesis, click here.
According to the MIS, these measures represent a modest investment with significant leverage: reduced corrective costs, increased organizational capacity, and improved predictability of results. This logic aligns with international data showing that, in large public projects, the value of investments is amplified when the focus is on organizing and coordinating stakeholders on the ground. The World Bank estimates that every dollar invested in these collaborative approaches generates an average of $4 in benefits (Lifelines, 2019).
The House of Social Innovation invites political, economic, and community stakeholders to seize this opportunity to rethink how the government and its partners deliver concrete and sustainable results. To achieve this, for the benefit of all Quebecers, the House of Social Innovation offers its full collaboration, expertise, and network to the Government of Quebec to identify, implement, and evaluate all innovation opportunities in major current and future projects.
About MIS
Founded in 2017 by HEC Montréal, Concordia University, and foundations (McConnell, Mirella, and Lino Saputo), MIS is a center of expertise that unlocks the power of social innovation to solve societal problems. Its achievements include: supporting over 5,000 change agents, assisting over 150 organizations, achieving 80% of clients' innovative initiatives by 2024, and generating 65% of its revenue independently.
