Originally published in 2016. Updated July 2025 for context.
When Stephen Ross saw the Manitoba Open Innovation Challenge land in his inbox, he registered right away.
As the Superintendent of Schools and CEO of Western School Division, and Chair of Manitoba Education Research and Learning Information Networks, the issue of early literacy and numeracy was already closely tied to his work. But it was his identity as a Manitoban that made him feel personally invested.
“One of the greatest things about being Manitoban is seeing people from all walks of life come together to solve a problem,” Ross said. “You cannot expect change if you keep doing the same thing. Diversity is key to developing new ideas.”
A Province-Wide Challenge with Local Roots
The Manitoba Open Innovation Challenge was created to gather ideas from the public that address serious social issues. The first focus was Manitoba’s low national ranking in childhood literacy and numeracy. According to the OECD, Manitoba ranked 8th and 9th among Canadian provinces, and provincial data showed that in some communities, up to 77 percent of kindergarteners were not ready for Grade 1.
Stephen Ross attended an Manitoba Open Innovation Challenge ideation session in December 2016 facilitated by inVision Edge. He expected to hear familiar suggestions, but instead found the session to be energizing and imaginative.
“It was a very creative process that led to real, outside-the-box ideas,” he said.
Bringing Rural Perspectives Forward
While impressed by the process, Ross noted the lack of rural representation. In his experience, communities outside Winnipeg face even greater barriers to early learning.
“When it is hard enough to reach families in urban areas, imagine the added obstacles rural families face, like transportation and fewer programs,” he said.
To ensure these voices were heard, Ross partnered with North Forge to organize a second ideation session in southern Manitoba. This session brought together community leaders from places like Morden, Portage la Prairie, and Altona.
Ross also insisted on including rural high school students.
“These students are leaders in their schools. They experience the systems we are trying to improve. Their ideas matter, and they might be the ones who carry these solutions forward in the future.”
Focusing on Environment, Not Just Effort
Ross believes that social issues like early literacy cannot be addressed through effort alone. Understanding the environment where a child lives is essential.
“The gap we are seeing starts at a very young age. Children that young only experience what we expose them to. If we want better outcomes, we need to shape the environments around them.”
Challenge Parameters and Participation
Participants in the Manitoba Open Innovation Challenge were asked to follow four guidelines:
Propose a solution with a budget of $150,000 or less
Ensure the idea could be implemented quickly with visible results
Design something that required few staff
Make sure the solution could be applied in multiple regions
Ideas were encouraged in the following areas:
Engaging activities for parents and children
At-home or community-based services
Inclusive solutions for Indigenous, newcomer, and rural children
Use of technology to support early learning
Play-based models
Legacy and Ongoing Impact
The inclusive and grassroots spirit of the initiative continues to shape how North Forge supports social innovation.
Programs like MyBaby, and ongoing research at RRC Polytech’s Early Childhood Development Research initiative, are continuing the work that began with this challenge.
Want to help shape Manitoba’s future through innovation?
Join North Forge in supporting ideas that make a real difference.
