ARCHIVED - Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency - Supplementary Tables

Strategic Outcome:
A competitive Atlantic Canadian economy

Program Activity:
Enterprise Development; Community Development; and Policy, Advocacy and Coordination

Name of Transfer Payment Program:
Business Development Program – Voted

Start date:
July 25, 1995

End date:
Not applicable.  Based on evaluations of ACOA's program sub-activities, ministerial approval for continuation of this program will be sought prior to March 31, 2011.

Description:
Through its Business Development Program (BDP), ACOA works to create opportunities for economic growth in Atlantic Canada by helping small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) become more competitive, innovative and productive by working with communities to develop and diversify local economies and by championing the strengths of the region in partnership with Atlantic Canadians.

The objectives of the BDP are:

• to improve the growth and competitiveness of Atlantic SMEs;
• to provide for dynamic and sustainable communities in Atlantic Canada; and
• to provide for policies and programs that strengthen the Atlantic economy.

Eligible commercial recipients include individuals, sole proprietorships, partnerships, co-operatives, a body corporate or a Crown corporation that carries on, or is about to carry on, for-profit activities in Atlantic Canada. This does not include a government or individual municipality.

Eligible non-commercial recipients include not-for-profit incorporated entities and may include a Crown corporation, a provincial government, a municipal government, a not-for-profit organization owned or controlled by a provincial or municipal government, local economic development associations or post-secondary educational institutions.

Expected results:
A performance measurement strategy (PMS) has been developed for the Agency, which includes performance indicators, expected results, methods for reporting on performance, evaluation criteria and evaluation plans to be used for determining the effectiveness of its program activities. The BDP focuses on improving SME growth and competitiveness through innovation, entrepreneurship, business skills development, trade, access to capital, business support and investments activities. The BDP also supports ACOA’s community mobilization sub-activity through some of its non-commercial projects.

Key results expected under the BDP include the following:

Enterprise Development
Objective: Improve growth and competitiveness of Atlantic SMEs

• strengthened Atlantic Canadian innovation and commercialization capacity (measured by indicators such as the amount leveraged per dollar invested by ACOA in innovation projects).
• more Atlantic Canadians with the motivation and skills required to successfully start, sustain or grow a business (measured by indicators such as the percentage of participants in entrepreneurship awareness and promotion activities, indicating that the activity increased their intent to start a business).
• access for Atlantic Canadians to accurate, timely and relevant business information (measured by indicators such as the level of client satisfaction).
• increased export capacity and sales for SMEs in Atlantic Canada (measured by indicators such as the export sales of ACOA-assisted firms).
• increased flow of foreign direct investment into Atlantic Canada (measured by indicators such as the number of leads and number of deals).
• SMEs have access to funding for expansion/modernization (measured by indicators such as the amount leveraged per dollar invested by ACOA in expansion/modernization projects for the domestic market).

Community Development
Objective: Provide for dynamic and sustainable communities for Atlantic Canada

• improved community capacity to identify economic development needs and opportunities (measured by indicators such as the number of partners involved in planning).
• Atlantic Canadian businesses have access to capital (measured by indicators such as the dollars leveraged on investments by other sources).
• Atlantic Canadian businesses have access to information and counselling (measured by indicators such as the number of CBDC/Seed clients who have taken part in training or business counselling).
• improved capacity to address economic and business development needs and opportunities (measured by indicators such as the dollars leveraged on investments).

Policy, Advocacy and Coordination
Objective: Provide for policies and programs that strengthen the Atlantic economy

• well-informed policy decisions reflecting opportunities and challenges of the Atlantic region’s economy, while considering enterprise and community development potential (measured by indicators such as the extent to which policy analysis and research, economic analysis and engagement activities are useful and provide input into decision making with respect to Atlantic Canadian regional economic development).

($ millions)

	Forecast Spending 2010–11	Planned Spending 2011–12	Planned Spending 2012–13	Planned Spending 2013–14
Total contributions	130.4	105.2	111.6	110.2

Summary of the Three-Year Plan:
See ACOA’s website.

Strategic Outcome:
A competitive Atlantic Canadian economy

Program Activity:
Enterprise Development

Name of Transfer Payment Program:
Atlantic Innovation Fund – Voted

Start date:
May 10, 2001

End date:
not applicable

Description:
The objectives of the program are:

• to increase activity in and to build capacity for innovation and research and development (R&D), which leads to technologies, products, processes or services that contribute to economic growth in Atlantic Canada;
• to increase the capacity for commercialization of R&D outputs;
• to strengthen the region’s innovation capacity by supporting research, development and commercialization partnerships and alliances among private-sector firms, universities, research institutions and other organizations in the Atlantic system of innovation, and to increase their critical mass; and
• to maximize benefits from the national R&D programs.

Eligible recipients include commercial and non-commercial entities such as, but not limited to, universities, colleges, other post-secondary educational institutions, business associations, research institutions and private-sector firms.

Federal departments, including federal research laboratories and institutes, and provincial government departments, are not eligible recipients.

Expected results:
A performance measurement strategy has been developed for the Agency that includes performance indicators, expected results, methods for reporting on performance, evaluation criteria and evaluation plans to be used for determining the effectiveness of program activities.

The key result expected for the Innovation program sub-activity, which is largely supported by the AIF program, is strengthened Atlantic Canadian innovation and commercialization capacity (measured by indicators such as the number of meaningful partnerships and collaboration for technology development and commercialization, amount leveraged per dollar invested by ACOA in innovation projects, and revenues resulting from commercialization).

($ millions)

	Forecast Spending 2010–11	Planned Spending 2011–12	Planned Spending 2012–13	Planned Spending 2013–14
Total contributions	60.3	59.9	59.9	59.6

Summary of the Three-Year Plan:
See ACOA’s website.

Strategic Outcome:
A competitive Atlantic Canadian economy

Program Activity:
Community Development

Name of Transfer Payment Program:
Innovative Communities Fund – Voted

Start date:
April 1, 2005

End date:
not applicable

Description:
Working with communities at various stages of economic development, this program supports non-commercial/non-profit strategic initiatives that target the economic needs of communities and stimulate economic development. Working in collaboration with Atlantic communities and stakeholders, the Innovative Communities Fund (ICF) builds on the strengths of communities and provides the tools needed to identify opportunities available for their sustainable economic growth.

Expected results:
The ICF targets both developmental and long-term program outcomes.
Short-term outcomes aimed at the economic development needs of rural communities are:

• community access to funding and/or expertise they require to develop proposals;
• the development of partnerships; and
• increased citizen engagement and buy-in.

In the long term, expected results are:

• improved community economic development planning capacity;
• improved project management capacity; and
• the engagement of project partners.

($ millions)

	Forecast Spending 2010–11	Planned Spending 2011–12	Planned Spending 2012–13	Planned Spending 2013–14
Total contributions	30.8	42.3	40.0	40.0

Summary of the Three-Year Plan:
See ACOA’s website.

Strategic Outcome:
A competitive Atlantic Canadian economy

Program Activity:
Community Development

Name of Transfer Payment Program:
Community Futures Program – Voted

Start date:
May 18, 1995

End date:
not applicable

Description:
The purpose of this national program is to help communities develop and implement local solutions to local problems. The program provides financial support to Community Futures organizations (CFOs) that, in collaboration with other partners and stakeholders, can assess a community’s situation and develop strategies to meet its needs, provide support to SMEs and social enterprise, and undertake community economic development initiatives. The objective of the program is to further the ultimate objective of helping communities to successfully pursue
(a) economic stability, growth and job creation;
(b) diversified and competitive local rural economies; and
(c) sustainable communities. In Atlantic Canada, the program provides funding to 41 CFOs, known in the region as Community Business Development Corporations (CBDCs), that provide financial and technical assistance to SMEs in rural areas. More information on services provided through the CBDCs can be found on ACOA’s website.

Expected results:
Assisting selected communities in the development of their economies and supporting the growth of small businesses, the Community Futures Program’s short-term results are:

• enhanced business development services (e.g. information, counselling, referrals, training);
• improved access to capital and leveraged capital through loans, loan guarantees and equity investments to businesses;
• strengthened community strategic plans and more effective implementation through projects, partnerships and other community economic development initiatives; and
• enhanced marketing to increase awareness and use of Community Futures organizations.

In Atlantic Canada, the short-term expected results of the program, based on the role and responsibilities of the CBDCs, are to ensure that Atlantic Canadian businesses have access to capital, and business information and counselling.

($ millions)

	Forecast Spending 2010–11	Planned Spending 2011–12	Planned Spending 2012–13	Planned Spending 2013–14
Total contributions	12.6	12.6	12.6	12.6

Summary of the Three-Year Plan:
See ACOA’s website.

Strategic Outcome:
A competitive Atlantic Canadian economy

Program Activity:
Enterprise Development

Name of Transfer Payment Program:
Saint John Shipyard Adjustment Initiative – Voted

Start date:
May 29, 2003

End date:
May 31, 2011 (as amended)

Description:
Aims to address the impact of the lack of manufacturing activities at the site of the former Saint John shipyard and its economic impact on the province of New Brunswick. Eligible recipients may include Irving Shipbuilding Inc. or affiliates.

The federal government's objective is to ensure the closure of the Saint John shipyard site and its evolution into long-term economic development use. Therefore, prior to disbursement of any funds under the Saint John Shipyard Adjustment Initiative (SJSAI), Irving Shipbuilding Inc. (ISI) had to agree not to use (nor allow the use of) the site to construct, refit or renovate ships for 20 years. ACOA will not disburse any funds for capital expenditures until it has received satisfactory proof that impediments to alternate industrial or commercial activities on the site have been removed to the Minister's satisfaction. ISI must demonstrate that projects included under the SJSAI provide a net economic benefit to Canada, with no adverse competitive impact on existing firms.

Expected results:
Mitigate the impact of major economic downturns.

($ millions)

	Forecast Spending 2010–11	Planned Spending 2011–12	Planned Spending 2012–13	Planned Spending 2013–14
Total contributions	4.0	6.0	0.0	0.0

Summary of the Three-Year Plan:
See ACOA’s website.