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Ministry Summary
Vote | (thousands of dollars) | 2007-2008 | 2006-2007 | Difference |
Main Estimates | Main Estimates | |||
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Western Economic Diversification | ||||
1 | Operating expenditures | 42,527 | 47,217 | (4,690) |
5 | Grants and contributions | 205,495 | 262,798 | (57,303) |
(S) | Contributions to employee benefit plans | 5,188 | 5,516 | (328) |
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Total Department | 253,210 | 315,531 | (62,321) | |
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Strategic Outcome
Policy, Advocacy and Coordination -
Policies and programs that support the development of western
Canada.
Program Activity
Descriptions
Collaboration and Coordination
Organizing and coordinating meetings, conferences or other events
with other levels of government, other federal departments,
industry, academia, or the not for profit sector in order to plan
or precipitate actions that result in a greater degree of
development and/or diversification of the western economy. This
can involve the process of developing policies and programs with
other governments or partners, but is distinct from the advocacy
activities (below) in that it is more broadly based and less
focused on specific issues and near term outcomes. The Assistant
Deputy Minister Ottawa office and Director of Policy play key
roles representing the department in Ottawa and coordinating
pan-western activities.
Research and Analysis
Preparing and disseminating information that results in an
increased understanding of western Canadian challenges,
opportunities and priorities, and which provides the factual
intelligence necessary to undertake internal or external policy
and program development. This can include externally generated
research sponsored by Western Economic Diversification (WED)
through agencies such as the Canada West Foundation and the
Conference Board of Canada; or in-house research and analysis
involving economic overviews, environmental scans, analysis of
federal or other government documents (such as Budgets and Throne
Speeches), and sectoral or issue analysis that support
departmental policy, planning or program development.
Advocacy
Organizing and attending meetings (including meetings involving
the Treasury Board and Cabinet submission processes), writing
correspondence, or taking part in any other communication or
engagement activities that promote the interests of western
Canada and western Canadians. The activity should facilitate an
improved understanding and awareness of regional issues and
opportunities that leads to action by the federal government,
partners or stakeholders to help achieve a more balanced,
regionally sensitive approach to western Canadian priorities, or
that results in a greater share of federal program activity or
procurement in western Canada. The activity can also involve
advocating on behalf of federal government priorities within
western Canada.
Strategic Outcome
Community Economic Development -
Economically viable communities in western Canada with a high
quality of life.
Program Activity
Descriptions
Community Economic Planning, Development and
Adjustment
Projects that help communities assess community strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and potential for new economic
activity, and to implement community plans. These would not be
primarily innovation related. The process involves
community-based consultations/facilitation. It also includes:
projects that strive to integrate federal programs, services and
horizontal initiatives directed towards western Canadian
communities, such as community economic development processes and
projects, and the Northern Saskatchewan Agreement, etc.; projects
that support the viability of the local economy, enhance
available facilities and/or increase the participation of
community members; and projects that assist communities facing
severe adjustment impacts due to changing economic circumstances
to identify options and responses that will create new economic
opportunities, and to help the communities put the plans into
effect.
Infrastructure
WED delivers the Infrastructure Canada Program (ICP) in western
Canada. The program was developed to meet the government's
commitment to Canada's growth and the quality of life of all
Canadians. Introduced in 2000, the program provides funding for
physical infrastructure and will expire in March 2009. In
partnership with provincial, territorial and local governments,
First Nations and the private sector, the Infrastructure Canada
Program is helping to renew and build infrastructure in rural and
urban municipalities across Canada. The ICP is a national
initiative, intended to complement and augment the existing
capacity of provincial, territorial, and municipal governments to
invest in physical infrastructure. It is expected that WED will
continue contributing to the renewal of Canada's infrastructure
through delivery of the new Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund
and key Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund projects in the west
on behalf of Infrastructure Canada.
Strategic Outcome
Entrepreneurship and Innovation - A
competitive and expanded business sector in western Canada and a
strengthened western Canadian innovation system.
Program Activity Descriptions
Business Development and
Entrepreneurship
WED addresses the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises and
entrepreneurs through a variety of service delivery mechanisms
and partnerships. These include more than 100 offices of the
Western Canada Business Service Network consisting of Community
Futures Development Corporations, Women's Enterprise
Organizations, Francophone Economic Development Organizations and
Canada Business Service Centres. WED has created new and
alternative sources of capital for small and medium-sized
businesses by working closely with financial institutions to
create a specialized series of loan programs under the Loan and
Investment Program. These loan programs target industry sectors
important to western Canada, micro lending and targeted groups
and provide patient and flexible debt capital on terms especially
suited to the unique needs and cash flow requirements of these
small businesses. These programs are provided on commercial terms
by financial institutions such as chartered banks, credit unions,
trust companies, the Farm Credit Corporation and the Business
Development Bank of Canada. Each lending institution funds its
own program and makes the decision on all loan approvals. WED's
strategy in support of trade and investment involves activity in
four key areas: research, trade policy, trade promotion and
investment attraction. Activities vary from strategic
participation in Team Canada missions to taking action when
western companies are impacted in trade actions such as the
softwood lumber dispute. WED has partnered with other federal
departments, the provinces and local organizations to enhance
overall support for trade and investment in the west through
participation in such organizations as Trade Team Canada Inc.,
Regional Trade Networks, Provincial Trade Teams and Western Trade
Officials. WED funding supports projects that result in industry
collaboration, joint venturing and strategic alliances that
support entrepreneurial development.
Innovation
WED's innovation focus is on economic development and
diversification leading to wealth creation. Innovation is the
process through which new economic and social benefits are
extracted from knowledge. Through innovation, knowledge is
applied to the development of new products and services or to new
ways of designing, producing or marketing an existing product or
service for the public and private markets. WED's approach to
innovation recognizes that innovation occurs at the firm level,
through a highly complex interdependent system that includes
elements such as knowledge infrastructure, basic and applied
research and development, highly skilled people, access to
adequate patient financing, technology commercialization
facilities, and support systems and mechanisms to link these
elements to each other. The process of innovation is not linear
or isolated but occurs within a broader context known as an
innovation system. WED's goal is to strengthen the western
innovation system in order to facilitate the development of
clusters and to enhance the potential of innovation to create
value and wealth.
Program by Activities
(thousands of dollars) | 2007-2008 Main Estimates | 2006-2007 | |||
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Budgetary | Total | Main | |||
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Operating | Grants | Contributions | Estimates | ||
and other | |||||
transfer | |||||
payments | |||||
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Collaboration and Coordination | 5,770 | . . . . . | 115 | 5,885 | 5,349 |
Research and Analysis | 3,579 | . . . . . | 578 | 4,157 | 4,218 |
Advocacy | 2,545 | . . . . . | 115 | 2,660 | 2,703 |
Community Economic Planning, Development and | |||||
Adjustment | 12,387 | 1,475 | 87,590 | 101,452 | 137,483 |
Infrastructure | 1,989 | . . . . . | 27,957 | 29,946 | 52,011 |
Business Development and Entrepreneurship | 12,675 | 1,645 | 39,457 | 53,777 | 59,954 |
Innovation | 8,770 | 1,880 | 44,683 | 55,333 | 53,813 |
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47,715 | 5,000 | 200,495 | 253,210 | 315,531 | |
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Transfer Payments
(dollars) | 2007-2008 | 2006-2007 |
Main Estimates |
Main Estimates |
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Grants | ||
Community Economic Planning, Development and Adjustment | ||
Grants for the Western Diversification Program | 1,475,000 | 1,475,000 |
Business Development and Entrepreneurship | ||
Grants for the Western Diversification Program | 1,645,000 | 1,645,000 |
Innovation | ||
Grants for the Western Diversification Program | 1,880,000 | 1,880,000 |
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Total grants | 5,000,000 | 5,000,000 |
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Collaboration and Coordination
Contributions under programs or for projects that promote or enhance the economic development and diversification of Western Canada, including the initiation, promotion or expansion of enterprises, the establishment of new businesses, research and development activities, the development of business infrastructure, and selective contributions to other programs affecting regional and economic development in Western Canada 115,000 115,000
Research and Analysis | ||
Contributions under programs or for projects that promote or enhance | ||
the economic development and diversification of Western Canada, | ||
including the initiation, promotion or expansion of enterprises, the | ||
establishment of new businesses, research and development | ||
activities, the development of business infrastructure, and selective | ||
contributions to other programs affecting regional and economic | ||
development in Western Canada | 578,000 | 578,000 |
Advocacy | ||
Contributions under programs or for projects that promote or enhance | ||
the economic development and diversification of Western Canada, | ||
including the initiation, promotion or expansion of enterprises, the | ||
establishment of new businesses, research and development | ||
activities, the development of business infrastructure, and selective | ||
contributions to other programs affecting regional and economic | ||
development in Western Canada | 115,000 | 115,000 |
Community Economic Planning, Development and Adjustment | ||
Contributions under programs or for projects that promote or enhance | ||
the economic development and diversification of Western Canada, | ||
including the initiation, promotion or expansion of enterprises, the | ||
establishment of new businesses, research and development | ||
activities, the development of business infrastructure, and selective | ||
contributions to other programs affecting regional and economic | ||
development in Western Canada | 87,590,000 | 93,731,000 |
Infrastructure | ||
Contributions to the Western Provinces under the Infrastructure Canada | ||
Program | 27,957,000 | 50,000,000 |
Business Development and Entrepreneurship | ||
Contributions to western small and medium-sized enterprises in | ||
strategic growth industries through the establishment of specialized | ||
Loan/Investment Funds, on commercial terms, in cooperation with | ||
private and public sector providers of debt/equity capital | 3,500,000 | 3,400,000 |
Contributions under programs or for projects that promote or enhance | ||
the economic development and diversification of Western Canada, | ||
including the initiation, promotion or expansion of enterprises, the | ||
establishment of new businesses, research and development | ||
activities, the development of business infrastructure, and selective | ||
contributions to other programs affecting regional and economic | ||
development in Western Canada | 35,957,000 | 38,076,000 |
Innovation | ||
Contributions under programs or for projects that promote or enhance | ||
the economic development and diversification of Western Canada, | ||
including the initiation, promotion or expansion of enterprises, the | ||
establishment of new businesses, research and development | ||
activities, the development of business infrastructure, and selective | ||
contributions to other programs affecting regional and economic | ||
development in Western Canada | 44,683,000 | 42,783,000 |
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Total contributions | 200,495,000 | 228,798,000 |
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Items not required | ||
Grant to the Prince Rupert Port Authority towards the conversion and | ||
expansion of the current Port of Prince Rupert Fairview Terminal | . . . . . | 29,000,000 |
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Total items not required | . . . . . | 29,000,000 |
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Total | 205,495,000 | 262,798,000 |
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