Regional Development Agency (Canada)

In Canada, the Regional Development Agencies (RDA) are the six federal government agencies responsible for addressing key economic challenges and furthering economic development, diversification, and job creation specific to their respective regions.^[1][2]

The six agencies and their individual regions are:^[1]

• Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) — Atlantic Canada (New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island)
• Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED) — Quebec
• Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) — southern Ontario
• Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario (FedNor) — northern Ontario
• Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) — western Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan)
• Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor) — Northern Canada (Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut)

The regional development agencies were brought under the Innovation, Science and Economic Development portfolio by the Mulroney government.^[3] Today, RDAs remain in the ISED portfolio and are administered by the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages, currently Mélanie Joly, and a Deputy Minister assigned to each agency.

Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency[]

Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

Agency overview
Formed	1987
Jurisdiction	Government of Canada
Headquarters	Blue Cross Centre, Moncton, NB
Employees	575 FTEs (2019-20)[4]
Annual budget	$346.8 m CAD (2021-22)[4]
Minister responsible	Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages
Agency executive	Francis P. McGuire, President
Key document	Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. 41 (4th Supp.)
Website	www.acoa-apeca.gc.ca

The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA; French: Agence de promotion économique du Canada atlantique) is the Government of Canada's agency responsible for helping to create opportunities for economic growth in the Atlantic Provinces by working with the people of the region. ACOA encompasses the provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.^[1][4]

Like Canada's other regional development agencies, ACOA is overseen by the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages.^[5] Historically, ACOA reported to the Minister for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, but this role was combined with other ministerial roles for regional development agencies to report to one position.

In 2014, ACOA assumed responsibility for the direct delivery of economic development programs, services and advocacy in Cape Breton.^[6] Prior to 2014, a federal Crown corporation named Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation (ECBC), had a similar function to ACOA with a specific jurisdictional mandate for the whole of Cape Breton Island and a portion of mainland Nova Scotia.

Planned spending for 2015-2016 consisted of $171 million for enterprise development, $89 million for community development, $25 million for internal services, and $11 million for policy, advocacy, and coordination.

Atlantic Innovation Fund[]

The Atlantic Innovation Fund (AIF) is a funding program run by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency to help Canadian organizations in Atlantic Canada to develop innovative products and services. This program is highly competitive. Project proposals go through an extensive external review process.

To be eligible for this program, the project must be based in Atlantic Canada, have a potential commercial value and include a large R&D component. The average funding level is about $2 million per project. Average project duration is about two years.

Locations[]

ACOA encompasses the provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.^[1] Its head office is located at the Blue Cross Centre in Moncton, NB, along with a liaison office in Ottawa.

Other offices of ACOA are located in:^[7]

• New Brunswick
  • Fredericton (regional office)
  • Edmundston
  • Miramichi
  • Grand Falls (northwest office)
  • Tracadie-Sheila
  • Campbellton
  • Saint John (Fundy region office)
  • Bathurst (northeast office)
  • Moncton (southeast office)

• Newfoundland and Labrador
  • St. John's (regional office)
  • Clarenville
  • Gander
  • Grand Falls-Windsor
  • Corner Brook
  • Happy Valley-Goose Bay (Labrador office)
  • Marystown

• Nova Scotia
  • Halifax (regional office)
  • Church Point (Annapolis/Digby office)
  • Antigonish (Antigonish/Guysborough/Pictou office)
  • Truro (Colchester office)
  • Amherst (Cumberland office)
  • Windsor (Hants/Kings office)
  • Bridgewater (Lunenburg office)
  • Port Hawkesbury
  • Shelburne (Shelburne/Queens office)
  • Sydney
  • Yarmouth

• Prince Edward Island
  • Charlottetown (regional office)

Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions[]

Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED; French: Développement économique Canada pour les régions du Québec; legal title: Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec)^[8] is the regional development agency responsible for promoting economic expansion in Quebec by promoting small and medium-sized enterprises and non-profit economic organizations.^[9][10]

Before 1998, CED was called the Federal Office of Regional Development - Quebec. Up until recently, the agency was under the supervision of the Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec.

Under its Act, which came into effect on 5 October 2005, the object of the Agency is to promote the long-term economic development of the regions of Quebec by giving special attention to those where slow economic growth is prevalent or opportunities for productive employment are inadequate.^[11]

CED works with a network of partners, which includes: Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), Canada Business Network, Investissement Québec, Ministère de l'Économie et de l'Innovation Québec (MEI), National Research Council Canada (NRC), and others.^[12]

The agency has offices throughout the province. The administrative regions served by CED include: Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Bas-Saint-Laurent, Centre-du-Québec, Chaudière-Appalaches, Côte-Nord, Estrie, Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Lanaudière, Laurentides, Laval, Mauricie, Montérégie, Montréal, Nord-du-Québec, Outaouais, Québec, and Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean.^[13]

Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency[]

Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario[]

Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario

Agency overview
Formed	1987
Jurisdiction	Government of Canada
Agency executive	Terry Sheehan, Parliamentary Secretary to Min. Economic Development and Official Languages (FedNor)
Website	fednor.gc.ca

The Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario (FedNor) is a program of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada whose mission is to address the economic development, diversification and job creation in Northern Ontario.

This is a federal administrative region that extends not only south of the French and Mattawa Rivers, but all the way to Muskoka which is just south of Ontario's administrative North. FedNor especially aids women, Franco-Ontarians, youth, and Aboriginal peoples in Ontario. While a lot of progress has been made in achieving FedNor's objectives, communities in Northern Ontario continue to face the ongoing economic challenges that necessitate a stable, long-term regional development effort.

Since the beginning of FedNor in 1987, the role in business and economic development throughout the North has grown substantially. As a result, the programs and services that FedNor offers to the communities of Northern Ontario have evolved and improved. The Minister responsible for this agency was originally called the "Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario"

In 2020, FedNor invested over CA$122 million in 294 initiatives led by local businesses, organizations, and communities, helping to support over 7,300 jobs in Northern Ontario.^[14]

FedNor has its main offices in Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, and Thunder Bay; as well as offices located in North Bay, Timmins, and Kenora.

Controversy[]

Under prior minister Andy Mitchell, FedNor's service area was expanded to include many rural areas in Southern Ontario, including much of the Central Ontario region. In 2007, a group of politicians from Northern Ontario, including Tony Martin, Claude Gravelle and France Gélinas, called for the program to be refocused exclusively on the Northern Ontario administrative region.^[15]

Additionally there have been many calls from politicians and organizations to make FedNor an agency, separate from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, like the other regional development agencies across Canada.^[16]

Programs[]

FedNor supports regional economic development, which it does through the delivery of three programs:

• Northern Ontario Development Program (NODP) — NODP was put in place to help promote economic development and diversification throughout Northern Ontario. NODP provides repayable and non-repayable contributions to not-for-profit organizations and small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) for projects focussed on the following three areas: Innovation; Community Economic Development; and Business Growth and Competitiveness.
• Community Futures Program — This program helps to support 24 Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs), throughout Northern Ontario. CFDCs provide an assortment of different programs and services which are for assisting in the community economic development and small business growth. These programs are able to provide help in: Strategic community planning and socio-economic development; Business information and planning services; and Access to capital for small and medium-sized businesses and social enterprises. These community-based, not-for-profit organizations are staffed by professionals and are each governed by local volunteer boards of directors familiar with their communities' needs, concerns and future development priorities.
• Economic Development Initiative (EDI) — As Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s main point of presence in Northern Ontario, FedNor delivers national initiatives and expanded program delivery opportunities across the region. In 2009, FedNor launched the Economic Development Initiative of the Federal Strategy for Official Languages called the Roadmap for Canada’s Linguistic Duality 2008—2013: Acting for the Future!

Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario[]

The Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) is the federal government agency responsible for fostering innovation and business growth in Canada's southern Ontario region, the most populous region in Canada.^[19]

FedDev Ontario was created in 2009. Since its creation, as of February 2021, FedDev Ontario has invested over CA$3.1 billion; developed partnerships with more than 21,000 organizations; and leveraged additional investments of over $4.8 billion to support businesses, organizations, and communities.^[2]

With its headquarter office in Waterloo, FedDev Ontario has regional offices in Toronto, Peterborough, and Ottawa. Its area of operations is in the 37 census divisions of Statistics Canada, from Cornwall in the east to Owen Sound in the west, and from Pembroke in the north to Windsor in the south.^[2]

Western Economic Diversification Canada[]

The Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD; legal title: Department of Western Economic Diversification)^[20] is a Canadian federal ministerial department concerned with the economy and economic development of Western Canada, which encompasses Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan.^[21][22] Its main priorities focus on community economic development, trade and investment, innovation, and business development.^[22]

WD operates under the provision of the Western Economic Diversification Act, which came into force on 28 June 1988. ^[22] Formerly, WD was led by the Minister of Western Economic Diversification.

WD has its headquarters in Edmonton, AB, and has regional offices are in each of the other western provinces: Winnipeg, MB; Saskatoon, SK; and Vancouver, BC. The department also maintains a liaison office in Ottawa at the Thomas D'Arcy McGee Building and a regional satellite office in Calgary.^[22][23]

The Western Canada Business Service Network (WCBSN) is a group of independent organizations that receive funding from WD in order to help people in Western Canada start, grow, and expand their businesses.^[24]

The agency also releases a quarterly economic publication called West at a Glance (ISSN 2561-3863).^[25][26]

See also[]

• Community Business Development Corporations
• Government of Canada

References[]

External links[]

ACOA

• Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency Official Website
• Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency Act text
• ACOA 2011-2012 agency Report
• Atlantic Innovation Fund Official Website

CED

• CED Official website

Fed Nor

• FedNor Official website

FedDev Ontario

• FedDev Ontario Official website

WD

• WD Official website