ARCHIVED - Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec - Supplementary Tables

User Fee: Fees may be charged under the Access to Information Act. Where applicable, other fees may also be charged for reproduction, alternative format, research, preparation, production and programming.

Fee Type: Other products and services

Fee-setting Authority: Access to Information Act and Regulations

Date Last Modified: March 2011

Performance Standards: The person responsible in the organization is responsible for conveying in whole or in part the documents requested, within 30 days following receipt of the access to information request. Pursuant to section 9 of the Act, the response time may be extended; notice of extension must then be sent. Further details on the Access to Information Act can be found at: Department of Justice Web site.

Performance Results: In 2010-2011, the Agency responded to 83% of requests within
30 days following their receipt.

Other Information: The Agency follows Treasury Board Secretariat guidelines with regard to imposing and waiving access fees. For example, it waives the collection of fees of less than $25. For amounts exceeding $25, the Agency decides whether to collect fees in whole or in part, based on an assessment of public interest.

Name of Transfer Payment Program: Community Diversification. This program represents a voted item, except for 2009-2010, for which the funding portion dedicated to Canada’s Economic Action Plan (CEAP) corresponds to a statutory appropriation.

Start Date: April 1, 2007

End Date: March 31, 2012

Description: The Community Diversification program helps Quebec regions maintain and develop their economic activity base. A community’s vitality depends on its ability to develop by building on its own assets. This program has three objectives: to foster communities’ development and increase their mobilization by drawing up visions and projects of local and regional scope; to assist communities through support for entrepreneurship and through creation or maintenance of viable enterprises; and to increase communities’ capability to attract tourists and skilled individuals.

This program has also led to intervention for implementation of the Community Adjustment Fund (CAF), a temporary CEAP initiative (2009-2010 and 2010-2011), and of the Temporary Initiative for the Strengthening of Quebec’s Forest Economies (TISQFE) and the Economic Development Initiative (EDI).

Eligible beneficiaries are primarily small and medium-sized enterprises and non-profit organizations.

Strategic Outcome: A competitive and diversified economy for the regions of Quebec

Results Achieved:

• Communities are pursuing a development vision and implementing resulting initiatives.
• Enterprises are contributing to community economic growth and maintenance.
• Communities are recognized for their distinctiveness, brand image or outreach.

With respect to the CAF:

• Number of communities with increased economic opportunities and greater capacity
  to meet challenges.
• Enterprises created, maintained and expanded.
• Jobs created or maintained.

Comment(s) on Variance(s): Total authorities are higher than planned spending, primarily owing to the awarding of new funding to support vulnerable communities, for the CAF and for implementation of the TISQFE.

The variance between total authorities and actual expenditures is primarily attributable to the reprofiling of funds to 2011-2012 for such initiatives as the Support Initiative for International Cruise Development, the Linguistic Duality Economic Development Initiative and the Montreal Planetarium project.

Audit Completed or Planned: N/A

Evaluation Completed or Planned: The formative evaluation of the Community Diversification program was completed in 2010. The report is available at: Formative Evaluation of the Community Diversification and Business and Regional Growth programs . The summative evaluation is in progress, and will be completed in 2011-2012.

Name of Transfer Payment Program: Community Futures Program (CFP). This program represents a voted item.

Start Date: May 18, 1995

End Date: Indeterminate, in line with the Treasury Board of Canada’s Policy on Transfer Payments, in effect since October 1, 2008.

Description: This Canada-wide program provides support for communities in all parts of the country to help them take charge of their own local economic development. In Quebec, the CFP financially supports local and regional development agencies, including
Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs), Community Economic
Development Corporations (CEDCs) and Business Development Centres (BDCs).

Strategic Outcome: A competitive and diversified economy for the regions of Quebec

Results Achieved:

• Communities are pursuing a development vision and implementing resulting initiatives.
• Enterprises are contributing to community economic growth and maintenance.

Comment(s) on Variance(s): The variance between planned spending and total authorities is attributable to the payment of funds, in 2010-2011, for the Business Startup and Succession initiative and the Réseau mandataire initiative and for capitalization of the Fonds commun des SADC (CFDC Common Fund). Actual expenditures correspond to total authorities.

Audit Completed or Planned: N/A

Evaluation Completed or Planned: N/A

Name of Transfer Payment Program: Infrastructure Canada Program (ICP)

Start Date: October 2000

End Date: March 31, 2011

Description: Within the framework of the pan-Canadian Infrastructure Program under Treasury Board Secretariat responsibility, a Canada-Quebec Agreement was signed in October 2000. The objective of this agreement was to upgrade urban and rural municipal infrastructure in the province and improve Quebecers’ quality of life. The Agency acts on behalf of the Government of Canada as the federal department responsible for implementation in Quebec. This agreement was amended in July 2005 to postpone the deadline for disbursements to March 31, 2011. Since December 2005, under the terms of the agreement, no more new projects may be approved under the program.

Strategic Outcome: A competitive and diversified economy for the regions of Quebec

Results Achieved: Rural and urban communities have quality public infrastructure.

Comment(s) on Variance(s): The variance between planned spending and total authorities is attributable to the reprofiling of unused funds under the ICP in 2009-2010, with a view to improving water quality, fostering transit and generating regional economic spinoffs.

The variance between actual expenditures and authorities is attributable to progress in
the completion of ICP-funded projects. Under the agreement signed with the Government
of Canada, the Quebec government is the implementing authority for the program.

Audit Completed or Planned: The annual audit of the Infrastructure Canada Program was completed in 2011, and the report will be available during 2011-2012.

Evaluation Completed or Planned: The summative evaluation of the Canada-Quebec Infrastructure Works 2000 program was completed in 2010. The report is available at: Evaluation of the Canada-Quebec Infrastructure Works 2000 Program.

Name of Transfer Payment Program: Recreational Infrastructure Canada (RInC)

Start Date: April 1, 2009

End Date: October 31, 2011

Description: RInC is a Canada-wide initiative intended to be a targeted, short-term measure to stimulate the Canadian economy. Its aim is to help reduce the impact of the recent global recession by increasing the total value of construction activities associated with recreational infrastructure. RInC-funded projects primarily involve modernizing, repairing, replacing or expanding existing recreational infrastructure, such as swimming pools, arenas and playing fields. In Quebec, the program is implemented in partnership with the Quebec government.

Strategic Outcome: A competitive and diversified economy for the regions of Quebec

Results Achieved: Rural and urban communities have quality public infrastructure.

Comment(s) on Variance(s): The variance between planned spending and total authorities is attributable to the reprofiling of $3.6 million in funding under RInC between 2009-2010 and 2010-2011.

Actual expenditures, which are lower than authorities obtained, depend on progress in the completion of projects. Under the agreement signed with the Government of Canada, the Quebec government is the implementing authority for RInC. Funds unused in 2010-2011 were thus carried forward to 2011-2012.

Audit Completed or Planned: An internal audit of project analyses under the CAF and RInC was completed in 2010-2011. An internal audit on the co-ordination of the delivery of financial assistance under the CAF and RInC also ended in 2010-2011. The Agency is currently conducting a follow-up review of agreements under the CAF and RInC, which is to be completed during 2011-2012.

Evaluation Completed or Planned: N/A

Name of Transfer Payment Program: Contribution program to supply the Municipality of Shannon with drinking water

Start Date: April 1, 2009

End Date: March 31, 2011

Description: Financial assistance for the water treatment project to supply the Municipality of Shannon, Quebec, with drinking water.

Strategic Outcome: A competitive and diversified economy for the regions of Quebec

Results Achieved: Rural and urban communities have quality public infrastructure.

Comment(s) on Variance(s): The variance between planned spending and total authorities is attributable to the fact that certain work scheduled for 2010-2011 was brought forward to 2009-2010. Actual expenditures correspond to authorities.

Audit Completed or Planned: N/A

Evaluation Completed or Planned: N/A

Name of Transfer Payment Program: Business and Regional Growth

Start Date: April 1, 2007

End Date: March 31, 2012

Description: This program reinforces conditions conducive to the sustainable growth of regions and SMEs, and has three objectives:

• to help enterprises improve their performance, become more competitive and engage
  in more innovation to facilitate their sustainable development;
• to support the transfer of technology and research outputs to enterprises;
• to create the right conditions to attract foreign investment and international
  organizations.

This program has also been used for implementation of the CAF, a temporary CEAP initiative (2009-2010 and 2010-2011), and of the TISQFE and the Linguistic Duality Economic Development Initiative (EDI).

Eligible recipients are primarily small and medium-sized enterprises and non-profit organizations.

Strategic Outcome: A competitive and diversified economy for the regions of Quebec

Results Achieved:

• Assisted enterprises are using their strategic capabilities.
• Products and services derived from R&D are being commercialized.
• New enterprises and investment in strategic capital assets are consolidating the regions’ economic base.
• Competitiveness poles are being developed and consolidated.
• Clusters and networks of enterprises in the same sector or region are better structured.
• The innovation commercialization process is generating medium- and long-range economic and social spinoffs.
• Competitive regions are attracting foreign direct investment and international organizations.

With respect specifically to the CAF:

• Number of communities with increased economic opportunities and greater capacity to meet challenges
• Enterprises created, maintained and expanded
• Jobs created or maintained

Comment(s) on Variance(s): Total authorities are higher than planned spending owing to the receipt of additional funding for vulnerable communities, through the Business and Regional Growth program, and for implementation of the TISQFE.

The variance between total authorities and actual expenditures is attributable to the fact that contribution applications were submitted at a slower pace than anticipated. Part of the unused funding will be carried forward to 2011-2012.

Audit Completed or Planned: N/A

Evaluation Completed or Planned: The formative evaluation of the Business and Regional Growth program was completed in 2010. The report is available at: Formative Evaluation of the Community Diversification and Business and Regional Growth programs. The summative evaluation of the program is in progress, and will be completed in 2011-2012.