Creating economic and employment opportunities for people by providing them jobs, training, and support.

SINCE 2001

Working
for Good

ABOUT US

EMBERS (the Eastside Movement for Business and Economic Renewal Society) is a registered Canadian charity whose mission is to create economic and employment opportunities for people by providing them jobs, training, and support. We seek to empower individuals into economic self-sufficiency so that they can build their best future.

Since 2001, we have provided a comprehensive array of job placements and support services that address the full employment continuum, from pre-employment to sustainable employment. We have won multiple provincial and national awards for our community impact and initiatives aimed at getting people back to work and building a better future.

  • The EMBERS story begins with a passion for assisting and encouraging community engagement in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Developed in response to announcements from the City of Vancouver and other stakeholders to revitalize Vancouver’s inner city, EMBERS aligned with community leaders, residents and businesses in a shared commitment to building partnerships with residents and re-engaging the area to its past economic prominence. 

    After more than a year of research and consultation with inner-city residents, EMBERS was officially established as a community economic development charity in 2001. Initially offering self employment and training and support for budding entrepreneurs, EMBERS has since grown to offer a number of other employment services inclusive to inner-city residents and the communities we serve. 

    Each year, EMBERS helps thousands of people facing barriers to work lead productive, fulfilling lives by offering economic and employment opportunities through our social enterprise, EMBERS Staffing, and other programs. We are proud to have created one of Canada’s largest employment social enterprises. EMBERS currently supports communities through the following four key service programs: EMBERS Staffing, EMBERS Training, and EMBERS Eastside Works.

EMBERS is proud to be a multiple award-winning social entreprise that has been recognized regionally, nationally, and internationally.

Logo for the YWCA Metro Vancouver Women of Distinction Awards featuring a stylized abstract bird or wings design.
Logo for Influential Women in Business Awards featuring a stylized red mountain graphic.
Logo of Power to the People Building the Movement for a Fair Economy with a stressed blue and yellow color scheme.
Logo for the Governor General's Innovation Awards with orange lines on the left and black text.
Logo for the BC CEO Awards featuring red, black, and white abstract design and text.
Black text that reads 'Your Logo Here' on a white background.
University of Manitoba logo featuring a bison, stylized blue stripes, and a flame, with the university name beside it.
Close-up of a medical ventilator with digital display and control panel.
Charity Village logo with a hummingbird and a trophy
Logo of RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards with the text 'Presented by Women of Influence'.
Logo for The Stevia Store with a yellow lamp icon and black and yellow text.
Trico Charitable Foundation logo with a colorful star-shaped symbol and gray text.
Logo of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade featuring colorful diamond shapes and text.
Colorful abstract background with the text 'You Are The Artist' in black on the right side.
A gold and black badge for the 2024 CanadianSME National Business Awards, indicating a nominee status.

Meet the Team

  • Marcia Nozick

    CEO

  • Dustin Bhartu

    CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

  • Doug Aason

    DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

  • Lynne Tapper

    DIRECTOR OF TRAINING

  • Shruthi Dinkar

    HR BUSINESS PARTNER

  • Brianne De Man

    EASTSIDE WORKS DIRECTOR

  • Lucky Cheema

    SENIOR RECRUITER

  • Samantha Atkins

    MARKETING COORDINATOR

Videos

Annual Reports