ARCHIVED - Western Economic Diversification Canada - Report

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Section II - Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcome

Strategic Outcome - The western Canadian economy is developed and diversified

Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) works to develop and diversify the western Canadian economy, helping to build businesses that are innovative and competitive globally, while diversifying the base of the western Canadian economy beyond primary resource industries.

WD's strategic outcome is advanced through the following program activities:

• Business Development: Strong small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Western Canada with improved capacity to remain competitive in the global marketplace;
  
  
• Innovation: A strong knowledge-based economy;
  
  
• Community Economic Development: Communities have increased economic opportunities and capacity to respond to economic challenges, as well as the necessary investments in public infrastructure;
  
  
• Policy, Advocacy and Coordination: Policies and programs that strengthen the western Canadian economy;
  
  
• Internal Services: Effective and efficient support for advancing the department's strategic outcome.

Program Activity: Business Development

Human Resources (FTEs)

2012-13	2013-14	2014-15
80	80	80

Planned Spending ($ thousands)

2012-13	2013-14	2014-15
63,019	61,606	61,587

Expected Results	Performance Indicators	Targets
Strong SMEs in Western Canada with improved capacity to remain competitive in the global marketplace	SME employment (excluding non-employee SMEs)	2.6 million
	Annual international trade: value of exports excluding primary production sectors	$44 billion

Program Activity Description

This program activity works with western Canadian businesses, industry and research organizations to undertake initiatives to enhance business productivity and competitiveness, support trade and investment attraction and penetration of western Canadian technologies, services and value-added products into international markets. Value-added production will be strengthened through support for initiatives in priority sectors to introduce new products, technologies, or innovations to existing production and processes. Access to risk capital and business services for entrepreneurs and small business will also be improved through programs and services offered in conjunction with other business services organizations and associations.

Planning Highlights

WD plans to undertake the following business development activities in 2012-13:

• Supporting initiatives directed at SMEs to improve business processes, accelerate the adoption of innovative products and services, adopt best practices, create business networks and improve access to skilled labour;
  
  
• Providing business information and access to capital services for SMEs in rural and urban areas through the Western Canada Business Service Network (WCBSN);¹⁷
  
  
• Strengthening SME engagement in international markets and global value chains;
  
  
• Facilitating connections between western Canadian businesses and multinational aerospace, marine and defence companies that receive federal defence and security procurement contracts with Industrial and Regional Benefits (IRB) obligations;¹⁸
  
  
• Building awareness of Western Canada as a competitive investment destination;
  
  
• Supporting international business development opportunities for western Canadian SMEs with the United States and Mexico through the North American Platform Program;
  
  
• Supporting the development and marketing of key trade assets in Western Canada such as gateways and corridors.

 

Program Activity: Innovation

Human Resources (FTEs)

2012-13	2013-14	2014-15
62	62	62

Planned Spending ($ thousands)

2012-13	2013-14	2014-15
62,259	57,662	57,651

Expected Results	Performance Indicators	Targets
A stronger knowledge-based economy	Total income from the commercialization of intellectual property	$21.8 million
	Business Expenditures on Research and Development as a percentage of GDP	0.59%
	Employment in natural and applied science and related occupations as a percentage of total employment	6.50%

Program Activity Description

This program activity facilitates the West’s transition to a knowledge-based economy. Through innovation, knowledge is translated into new products and services and to new ways of designing, producing or marketing existing products or services for public and private markets. This 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 qualified personnel, 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”. This will 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.

Planning Highlights

WD plans to undertake the following innovation activities in 2012-13:

• Supporting market-driven technology adoption and commercialization to address the large funding gaps that exist in later stages of the commercialization process. This will include undertaking new approaches to assist innovative SMEs in commercializing new technology products, processes and services;
  
  
• Supporting projects that enable and facilitate technology commercialization in emerging sectors in Western Canada;
  
  
• Helping develop specialized technology skills;
  
  
• Investing in knowledge infrastructure and applied R&D.
  

 

Program Activity: Community Economic Development

Human Resources (FTEs)

2012-13	2013-14	2014-15
85	84	80

Planned Spending ($ thousands)

2012-13	2013-14	2014-15
20,832	15,829	15,821

Expected Results	Performance Indicators	Targets
Communities have increased economic opportunities and capacity to respond to challenges, as well as the necessary investments in public infrastructure	Number of new jobs created	18,500
	Percentage of key informants with the opinion that WD delivery of infrastructure programs resulted in investments that reflect western Canadian infrastructure priorities	50%

Program Activity Description

This program activity involves economic development and diversification initiatives that support communities to sustain their economies and adjust to changing and challenging economic circumstances. It includes facilitating economic recovery from depressed economic circumstances. It ensures that economic, social and environmental considerations are taken into account in initiatives designed to foster community growth and economic development. It involves projects that assist communities to assess community strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and potential for new economic activity and to develop and implement community plans. It also involves investments in community infrastructure, coordinated with provincial and municipal governments to maximize benefits. The process involves community-based consultations to ensure federal programs, services and horizontal initiatives serve the need of western Canadian communities.

Planning Highlights

WD plans to undertake the following community economic development activities in 2012-13:

• Supporting community economic development services and activities through funding provided to the WCBSN;
  
  
• Investing in community economic development projects that generate concrete economic outcomes;
  
  
• Developing the department's role in supporting tourism initiatives;
  
  
• Delivering national programs¹⁹  across the West on behalf of the Government of Canada.
  

 

Program Activity: Policy, Advocacy and Coordination

Human Resources (FTEs)

2012-13	2013-14	2014-15
60	60	60

Planned Spending ($ thousands)

2012-13	2013-14	2014-15
8,190	8,062	8,048

Expected Results	Performance Indicators	Targets
Policies and programs that strengthen the western Canadian economy	Percentage of key informants with the opinion that WD activities provide policies and programs that support the economic development of Western Canada	90%20
	Percentage of WD projects completed this fiscal year that successfully met or exceeded performance targets	85%

Program Activity Description

This program activity arises from the Western Economic Diversification Act (1988), which empowers the Minister to advance the interests of Western Canada in national economic policy, program and project development and implementation, through the establishment of cooperative relationships with the western provinces and other stakeholders, and through the initiation of policy research. Through this activity, WD advocates for Western Canada in national policy discussions, resulting in effective strategies, policies and programs to address the economic development needs and aspirations of western Canadians. It also includes leading federal and intergovernmental collaboration to pursue key opportunities for long-term growth and diversification in areas of federal or shared federal-provincial jurisdiction. Finally, it includes undertaking research and analysis required to inform policy and program decisions.

Planning Highlights

WD plans to undertake the following policy, advocacy and coordination activities in 2012-13:

• Representing western interests to key decision-makers in the development of national policies and strategies;
  
  
• Building relationships with key stakeholders and other federal organizations by proactively engaging potential partners, sharing information and collaborating on initiatives of interest to Western Canada;
  
  
• Facilitating connections between western Canadian businesses and multinational aerospace, marine and defence companies that receive federal defence and security procurement contracts with IRB obligations;²¹ 
  
  
• Supporting research and policy analysis to enhance understanding of western Canadian economic issues, challenges, opportunities and priorities.

Program Activity: Internal Services

Human Resources (FTEs)

2012-13	2013-14	2014-15
121	116	116

Planned Spending ($ thousands)

2012-13	2013-14	2014-15
22,007	22,617	21,572

Program Activity Description

The Internal Services program activity supports all strategic outcomes and is common across government. Internal Services are groups of related activities and resources that are administered to support the needs of programs and other corporate obligations of an organization. These groups are: Management and Oversight Services; Communications Services; Legal Services; Human Resources Management Services; Financial Management Services; Information Management Services; Information Technology Services; Real Property Services; Materiel Services; Acquisition Services; and Travel and Other Administrative Services. Internal Services include only those activities and resources that apply across an organization and not to those provided specifically to a program.

Planning Highlights

WD plans to undertake the following internal services activities in 2012-13:

• Ensuring a successful transition to a new operating model for information management and technology with the creation of Shared Services Canada;
  
  
• Implementing a departmental investment strategy and reviewing operating resources to ensure that WD has allocated its resources to strategic and high-impact areas;
  
  
• Preparing and implementing an action plan in response to results from the 2011 Public Service Employee Survey;
  
  
• Introducing a new departmental values and ethics code together with the Values and Ethics Code of Conduct for the Public Sector to ensure high ethical standards;
  
  
• Revising the department's Program Activity Architecture and Performance Measurement Framework to ensure that WD is able to demonstrate and communicate its impact on the western Canadian economy and support evidence-based decision making;
  
  
• Improving business practices and employee training related to data capture, performance measurement, reporting and the use of performance results in decision making.

WD is a participant in the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS) and contributes to the Greening Government Operations targets through the internal services program activity. The department contributes to the following target areas of Theme IV of the FSDS:

• Surplus Electronic and Electrical Equipment;
• Printing Unit Reduction;
• Paper Consumption;
• Green Meetings;
• Green Procurement.

 For additional details on WD's Greening Government Operations activities, please see the Supplementary Information Tables.²²

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