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ARCHIVED - RPP 2007-2008
Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec


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5 Other Topics of Interest

5.1 Program Activity Architecture crosswalk

Like all other Government of Canada organizations, the Agency is subject to the Management, Resources and Results Structure (MRRS) policy, which calls for development of a Program Activity Architecture to show how it allocates and manages the resources it controls to attain the targeted results.

The Agency has set up a new PAA, which comes into effect in April 2007 and is reflected in this RPP.

The changes made concern the three strategic outcomes and six program activities.

New Program Activity Architecture Structure


Strategic outcome #1: Vitality of communities

Revitalize communities so they enjoy better socio-economic outlooks and maintain and develop their economic activity base.

Program activity:
Development of communities

  • Develop a community in terms of its socio-economic adaptability and its ability to promote entrepreneurship, create small enterprises, attract tourists and retain skilled individuals.

Program activity:
Infrastructure

  • Renew and build quality public infrastructure in Quebec's rural and urban communities.

Program activity:
Special intervention measures

  • Support communities facing major economic shocks.

Strategic outcome #2:
Competitiveness of SMEs and regions

Reinforce conditions favourable to sustainable growth and competitive positioning of SMEs and regions through development of SMEs' capability, networks, innovation and knowledge.

Program activity:
Competitiveness of enterprises (SMEs)

  • Stimulate SMEs' growth and competitiveness, so as to increase productivity, earned income and employment in the regions.

Program activity:
Competitive positioning of regions

  • Improve regions' international competitiveness by enhancing their knowledge and competitive advantages on the international scene.

Strategic outcome #3: Policy, representation and cooperation

Foster development and implementation of policies, programs and initiatives reflecting national priorities and the realities of Quebec's regions; reinforcement of the consistency and added value of federal action with respect to regional development; and cooperation with the Government of Quebec and other development stakeholders.

Program activity:
Policies, programs and initiatives

  • Enhance the Agency's ability to draw up or participate in development of policies, programs and initiatives which better meet the needs of Quebec's regions and reinforce the timeliness of federal action pertaining to regional development in Quebec.

Old Program Activity Architecture Structure


Strategic outcome #1: Enterprises' competitiveness

Program activity:
Enterprise development

  • Facilitate enterprises' business growth.

Strategic outcome #2: Vitality of communities

Program activity:
Improvement of the economic environment of regions

Contribute to generating socio-economic conditions conducive to development of Quebec's communities and regions.

Program activity:
Improvement of community infrastructure

Develop and renew drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, transportation infrastructure, and infrastructure with an economic and cultural role.

Program activity:
Provision of special adjustment measures

Stabilize, revitalize and diversify the economy of certain communities facing economic shocks and mitigate the impact of major natural disasters.


5.2 Performance measurement strategy

The Agency is implementing a performance measurement strategy which provides managers with information on results that can inform their decision-making. The Agency's performance measurement strategy includes ongoing monitoring and analysis of its intervention and associated results. It includes several reviews as well, that is, audits and evaluations to analyse its procedures, initiatives and programs.

With integrated planning and results-based management, all this information enables the Agency to learn continuously from its action and adjust its intervention so as to offer quality programs and services and intervene effectively in regional development in Quebec.

In 2007-2008, the Agency will work primarily on continually improving its performance measurement strategy to support its new PAA and new programs. It will seek to ensure, after a first year of implementation, that performance indicators, data collection methods and information sources generate information on results that is reliable, useful and timely. The Agency will make the appropriate adjustments, as necessary.

As in past years, the Agency will continue to improve the quality of the reports it produces for Parliament and Canadians.

5.3 Agency tools and programs

To promote the development and economic diversification of the regions of Quebec and achieve the outcomes from its six program activities as described in section 3, the Agency uses and makes available to its clientele an array of tools and programs which enable it to intervene with respect to regional development.

5.3.1 Agency intervention tools

With respect to programs and services, the Agency deploys to its clientele various intervention tools consisting primarily of guidance and advice, information and referrals, and financial support.

Guidance and advice

For the Agency, guidance and advice involve helping entrepreneurs and local and regional development agents design and develop directions, a strategy, a business plan, an action plan or a project, or helping them plan a financial package, identify funding sources, and so on. At the Agency, advice or guidance provided by a staff member are services delivered to an entrepreneur or local development agent on an individual basis, geared to his specific situation. Provision of advice takes place as needed. A guidance approach constitutes systematic, sustained, prolonged assistance, at various stages along the client's path toward design and implementation of his project.

Information and referrals

The Agency produces timely information so entrepreneurs and local and regional development agents may reach informed decisions, and it makes this information more easily accessible and usable. This also involves referring them to resources likely to provide a timely, appropriate response to their specific needs. In this regard, the Agency works with the Canada Business Service Centres operating in Quebec, namely, Info entrepreneurs in Montréal and Ressources Entreprises in Québec, for Eastern Quebec. These organizations deliver information, referral and reference material services to entrepreneurs and local and regional development agents throughout Quebec.

Financial support

The Agency has several programs and services whereby it makes both repayable and non-repayable contributions and, in exceptional cases, grants to its clientele, comprising SMEs, agencies which assist them, and communities. The Agency's programming breaks down into different categories, as shown in the following table.

5.3.2 Agency programs


CORE MANDATE

Regular programming

  • CED-Community Diversification Program (new)
  • CED-Business and Regional Growth Program (new)
  • Regional Development Research Program (new)
  • Community Futures Program (CFP)

SPECIAL MANDATES

Programming under mandates from the Government of Canada

  • Infrastructure Canada Program – Canada-Quebec Agreement 2000
  • Canadian Apparel and Textile Industries Program (CATIP) – CANtex component

Regular programming

New results-based Agency programs

In order to implement its intervention approach and strategic directions, the Agency has developed new programs that will come into effect on April 1, 2007. These new programs stem from it's PAA and take into account the main conclusions drawn from evaluations of prior programming. They target the vitality of communities, competitiveness of SMEs and regions, and strategic research. These programs are:

  • CED-Community Diversification Program
  • CED-Business and Regional Growth Program
  • Regional Development Research Program.

CED-Community Diversification Program

The CED-Community Diversification Program is in line with improving Canadians' quality of life. It enables Quebec communities to enhance their capacity to make socio-economic adjustment, support the emergence of new entrepreneurs and creation of small- and medium-sized enterprises, attract tourists, and attract and retain skilled individuals and international organizations.

This program has three goals:

  • develop collective capital (plans and networks)
  • support entrepreneurship and enterprises of local or regional scope
  • increase the capability to attract tourists, skilled individuals and international organizations (tourism outreach and attractive assets).

CED-Business and Regional Growth Program

The CED-Business and Regional Growth Program is in line with improving Canadians' standard of living. On the one hand, it enables enterprises to perform more effectively and be more competitive while, on the other hand, it enables regions to be more competitive. It builds on the development of strategic skills, networks, innovation, knowledge and the advent of investment so that the conditions favourable to sustainable growth and the competitiveness of regions and small- and medium-sized enterprises are reinforced.

This program has four goals:

for the competitiveness of SMEs, it targets:

  • development of SMEs' strategic skills
  • development of strategic enterprises.

for the regions' competitiveness, it targets:

  • development and consolidation of regional and international poles
  • international promotion of the regions.

Regional Development Research Program

The Regional Development Research Program contributes to promoting the development and diversification of the economy of the regions of Quebec. The goal of this program is to generate and disseminate knowledge concerning economic and regional development that is helpful for development stakeholders. This knowledge reinforces their ability to act on development and participate in an ongoing dialogue concerning economic and regional development issues and problems.

Community Futures Program

This Canada-wide program provides support for communities in all parts of the country to help them take charge of their own local development. In Quebec, the CFP financially supports 57 Community Futures Development Corporations, as well as 15 Community Economic Development Corporations and 10 Business Development Centres.

Programming under mandates from the Government of Canada

Infrastructure Canada Program (ICP) – Canada-Quebec Agreement 2000

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 to March 31, 2009 the deadline for disbursements under the ICP. Since December 2005, under the terms of the Agreement, no more new projects may be approved under the program.

Information:
www.dec-ced.gc.ca/asp/ProgrammesServices/TravauxInfrastructures.asp?LANG=EN

Canadian Apparel and Textile Industries Program (CATIP) – CANtex component

The objective of this component is to encourage Canadian textile companies to:

  • choose products with greater added value
  • exploit new key sectors
  • increase their productivity.

Textile firms in Quebec can thus benefit until March 31, 2010 from contributions in order to carry out projects aimed at enhancing their competitiveness on an ongoing basis.

Information:
http://www.strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/site/ctp-ptc.nsf/en/Home