 Departments of the Government of Canada |
|
|---|---|
| Western Economic Diversification Canada | |
| Diversification de l'économie de l'Ouest Canada | |
 |
|
| Minister | Lynne Yelich |
| Deputy Minister | Daniel Watson |
| Established | 1987 |
| Responsibilities | To promote the development and diversification of the economy of Western Canada and to advance the interests of Western Canada in national economic policy, program and project development and implementation. |
| Employees | ~350 |
| Department Website | |
Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) (French: Diversification de l'économie de l'Ouest Canada (DEO)) is a department in the Government of Canada which has responsibility for promoting the development and diversification of the economy of Western Canada. It was established in 1987 under the provision of the Western Economic Diversification Act. WD works to improve the long-term economic competitiveness of the West and the quality of life of its citizens by supporting a wide range of initiatives targeting three inter-related strategic outcomes - innovation, policy, advocacy & coordination, business development and entrepreneurship, and community economic development. Together, these priorities create a foundation to build the prosperity and competitiveness of the West in the 21st century.
Contents |
Mandate
To promote the development and diversification of the economy of Western Canada (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia), coordinate federal economic activities in the West, and reflect western Canadian interests in national decision making.
Vision
To be leaders in creating a more diversified western Canadian economy that has strong, competitive and innovative businesses and communities.
Programs
WD administers programs that advance innovation, entrepreneurship and community economic development in the four western provinces. This includes initiatives that are direct programs, delivered directly by WD, as well as the western component of a number of national programs.
In all activities, WD uses innovative partnerships with public and private sectors, other levels of government, academic and financial institutions, and research centers to make the most of the federal governments investment in Western Canada.
WD receives an annual allocation, approved by Parliament, for grants and contributions that support a wide range of programs responding to Western Canada's economic development needs and priorities. Funding Mechanism include: Partnership Agreements, Direct Agreements, National Agreements and Legislation.
Partnership Agreements
The majority of WD's grants and contributions are delivered in partnership with other levels of government. These partnerships allow WD to cost share initiatives that respond to regional needs and opportunities.
Western Economic Partnership Agreements
Western Economic Partnership Agreements (WEPAs) are multi-year funding commitments to strengthen economic activity and improve quality of life in western communities. WEPAs are cost-shared equally with each of the four western provinces, with a total of $200 million allocated to initiatives identified as federal and provincial priorities. Projects funded under the WEPA's benefit Western Canadians by helping create a better environment for growth, business, development and innovation.
Urban Development Agreements
Urban Development Agreements are a partnership of federal, provincial and municipal governments working in collaboration on broad issues such as inner city revitalization, strengthened innovation or sustainable economic development.
Direct Agreements
WD's grants and contributions also support projects delivered directly by WD, either alone or in partnership with other organizations. Groups eligible to apply under these programs include universities and other post-secondary academic institutions, research institutes, industry associations and other not-for-profit organizations.
Western Diversification Program
Invests in projects that support WD's strategic priorities of innovation, entrepreneurship and community economic development, including a number of partnership programs undertaken with other levels of government.
Loan and Investment Program
Allows financial institutions to supply loan capital to clients to whom it would not otherwise make loans. Under this program, WD makes a loss support contribution which partly offsets higher risks associated with eligible loans to small businesses. Eligible clients apply directly to the financial institutions partnered with WD under this program.
Western Canada Business Service Network
The Western Canada Business Service Network is a group of several independent organizations that receive funding from WD to provide a range of services to help create and build small businesses across the West.
National Agreements
WD delivers a number of national programs in the western provinces, including:
Recreational Infrastructure Canada
Recreational Infrastructure Canada (RInC) is a national infrastructure program for projects to rehabilitate facilities across Canada over a two-year period. This national initiative will provide a temporary economic stimulus that will help reduce the impacts of the global recession while renewing, upgrading and expanding recreational infrastructure in western Canadian communities. WD will implement the fund for Western Canada.
Community Adjustment Fund
The Community Adjustment Fund (CAF) is a two-year national fund to address the short-term economic needs of Canadian communities impacted by the global recession. The fund will provide an economic stimulus by supporting projects that create jobs and maintain employment in and around communities that have experienced significant job losses and lack of alternative employment opportunities. WD will implement the fund for Western Canada.
Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund
The Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (MRIF) will provide $1 billion to make strategic investments to improve and increase the stock of core public infrastructure in areas such as water, wastewater, culture and recreation. At least 80% of MRIF funding is earmarked for municipalities with populations of less than 250,000. The MRIF will invest $278 million in the West. Delivered by WD in the West, the source of funding for this program is Transport, Infrastructure and Communities.
Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund
The Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund (CSIF) will provide 4 billion to invest in large-scale infrastructure projects which are beyond the scope and capacity of existing infrastructure programs. CSIF emphasizes partnerships with any combination of municipal, provincial, territorial governments, as well as the private sector, and each partnership is governed by specifically tailored arrangements. CSIF projects support local priorities such as water quality and access, trade corridors, broadband connectivity, sustainable urban growth and northern infrastructure. Investments are made in areas that improve quality of life and economic growth. WD delivers CSIF projects in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia.
Infrastructure Canada Program
The original Infrastructure Canada program (ICP), which ended in 2005, was created to develop Canada's physical infrastructure through green projects that improve water and waste systems, address transportation and recycling issues, and enhance community facilities. Over the five year program, WD approved approximately $544 million dollars for over 1,600 projects in Western Canada. These projects are expected to result in: 22,950 households connected to a municipal water supply; 31,415 households connected to a municipal wastewater system; and 1.3 million households connected to municipal water service that will improve potable water quality. Other projects will provide local transportation infrastructure in over 188 communities, improve sports, recreation and cultural facilities in 104 communities, and create 1,325 permanent jobs. ICP is helping to improve the environment, support long-term economic growth and enhance community infrastructure across the West.
Community Economic Diversification Initiative
The Community Economic Diversification Initiative (CEDI) is an important component of the federal Mountain Pine Beetle (MPB) Program. It is a two-year federal contribution program aimed at helping diversify the economic foundation of forest-dependent communities and contribute to their long-term stability.Working with community leaders and other key stakeholders, the Department will invest over $33 million in projects that support economic growth, job creation and future sustainability of communities adversely affected by the widespread beetle infestation. Launched in January 2007, the CEDI program is part of the Government of Canada's $200 million response to the mountain pine beetle outbreak.
Investments in the West
To achieve WD's mandate, WD support initiatives that contribute to these strategic outcomes:
- Innovation - Strengthen western Canadian innovation system
- Business Development and Entrepreneurship - Compete and expand business sector in Western Canada.
- Community Economic Development - Develop economically viable western Canadian communities with a high quality of life
- Policies and programs that support the economic development of Western Canada.
Organizational Information
Leadership of WD is provided by the Minister of State (Western Economic Diversification Canada), Lynne Yelich, and the Deputy Minister is Daniel Watson.
The head office is in Edmonton, Alberta making them the only federal department headquartered in Western Canada. Regional offices are located in each of the other western provinces - Edmonton, Alberta, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and Vancouver, British Columbia. A regional satellite office exists in Calgary, Alberta as well as a liaison office in Ottawa.
The Department's Deputy Minister resides in Edmonton, and Assistant Deputy Ministers are in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba. In addition to their corporate accountabilities, each of the western Assistant Deputy Ministers has responsibility for the delivery of programs and services in their region that contribute to achieving the department's Strategic Outcomes. The Ottawa-based Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM) and the Director General (DG) Policy lead the department's advocacy activities. A Director General Operations reports to each ADM. WD has approximately 350 employees.
See also
- Federal Economic Development Initiative of Northern Ontario
- Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec
- Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
- Infrastructure Canada
External links
- Western Economic Diversification Canada Official Website
- Western Economic Diversification Canada Act text
- Infrastructure Canada Official Website
- Canada-Alberta Municipal Rural Infrastructure Program
- Canada-British Columbia Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund
- Canada-Manitoba Infrastructure Program
|
|||||||||||
.png){kind=small}
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
