Marcia is widely recognized as a pioneer in community economic development. Her book, No Place Like Home: Building Sustainable Communities, challenged thousands of planners to rethink the way cities integrate social, economic and environmental solutions into urban development. Early in her career she mobilized government, business, and community leaders to address underlying social and economic problems in the Downtown Eastside, Vancouver BC. Ultimately Marcia founded EMBERS, an innovative charity that uses business to create social change. She grew the organization to a successful, multi-million dollar social enterprise before this type of business structure was well-known. Today, EMBERS continues to grow its economic and social impact: in 2020, EMBERS employed 2,500 individuals, paid over $12 M in wages/benefits, and provided skills training to more than 400 people.
BC Achievement is an independent foundation established in 2003 that honours excellence and inspires achievement in British Columbia.