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This partnership has emerged from the outset as a collaborative effort among the partners to defineÌýproject goals and objectives, roles and responsibilities, and contributions of and intended benefits toÌýeach partner. The research entitledÌýExploring Social Innovation as a Contributor toÌýSocial-Ecological Resilience and Sustainability in Environmental ManagementÌýaims to initiate andÌýfoster a long-term collaborative partnership between the University of À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ, Queen's University, and

the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA).Ìý

The goal of this research is threefold:Ìý

(a) to explore Ontario's conservation authority model through a

social innovation lens (Westley, 2008) and examine applications or improvements of that model as aÌýpotential catalyst for increasing desirable resilience within linked social-ecological systems of theÌýToronto area and elsewhere;Ìý

(b) to extend our knowledge of the potential contribution of a complex

adaptive systems approach for the improvement of environmental management outcomes; andÌý

(c) toÌýleverage and mobilize this knowledge of complex social-ecological systems, social innovation andÌýresilience to inform the practice of leading environmental management agencies such as theÌýTRCAÌýinÌýprotecting and restoring the natural environment in the context of improved sustainability and resiliencyÌýof the entire social-ecological system of the Toronto area.

The major proposed activities and products are as follows:

1. A comprehensive review, in the form of a discussion paper, of successful models of environmentalÌýmanagement that have contributed to desirable social-ecological resilience, which will be translated into

principles for best practices;

2. A developmental evaluation of the current effort within theÌýTRCAÌýto examine environmentalÌýmanagement outcomes and improve success, as well as of this joint research project;

3. Using the results of the first two products, develop a Strategy for Continuous Innovation andÌýImprovement that identifies principles and practices that can be implemented byÌýTRCAÌýto help theÌýAuthority overcome barriers and to define andÌýfulfillÌýits mandate more effectively; and,

4. Further develop the partnership to include other partners (e.g. otherÌýCAsÌýand relevant provincialÌýministries, such as the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ministry of Environment and Ministry ofÌýMunicipal Affairs and Housing, and extend it to other sustainability-oriented sectors, such as public health (in particular, discussions already begun with Region of Peel public health, who is activelyÌýexploring the connection between environmental conservation and health promotion), as well as local

economic development agencies at the regional level and private sector partners.