Details on Transfer Payment Programs
Table of contents
- Grants and Contributions for Promoting Regional Development in Canada's Three Territories (Voted and Statutory)
- Contributions to Support Indigenous Participation in the Northern Economy (Voted)
- Grants and Contributions under the Growth Through Regional Innovation Program, now known as Regional Economic Growth Through Innovation (REGI) (Voted)
- Contributions for advancing adult basic education in Canada's territories (Voted)
Grants and Contributions for Promoting Regional Development in Canada's Three Territories (Voted and Statutory)
Start date: April 1, 2009.
End date: Ongoing
Type of transfer payment: Grants and Contributions
Type of appropriation: Annually through Estimates
Fiscal year for terms and conditions: 2014–15, updated in 2018–19
Link to departmental result(s): Businesses are developing in the Territories; People and Communities participate in the economy in the Territories
Link to the department's Program Inventory: Business Development; Community Development
Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program: Through this umbrella transfer payment authority, CanNor delivers a range of northern economic development contribution programs / funding initiatives to promote the economic development of the North, in order to strengthen territorial economies and increase participation by Northerners.
For 2022-23, these programs / funding initiatives include: Inclusive Diversification and Economic Advancement in the North (IDEANorth), Roadmap for Canada's Official Languages (Economic Development Initiative [EDI]), Northern Isolated Communities Initiative Fund (NICI), the Canada Community Revitalization Fund (CCRF), Jobs and Growth Fund (JGF), and the Tourism Relief Fund (TRF).
Results achieved: In 2022–23, through IDEANorth, CanNor provided $33.2 million to enterprises across the territories. These projects were funded to strengthen key sectors of the economy.
Under EDI, CanNor spent $80,000 to facilitate sustainable economic growth and enhance the vitality of official language minority communities (OLMCs) in the territories.
Under the Northern Isolated Community Initiatives Fund, CanNor provided $2.5 million, which was used to strengthen regional food systems in the territories, reduce food insecurity, and seek out creative solutions to nutritional challenges.
Under the Jobs and Growth Fund, the Canada Community Revitalization Fund, and the Tourism Relief Fund, CanNor provided $9.4 million, $3.6 million, and $12.2 million respectively to provide support and relief to businesses and communities recovering from the pandemic.
Findings of audits completed in 2022–23: No audits were completed during the reporting year.
Findings of evaluations completed in 2022–23: No evaluations were completed during the reporting year.
Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2022–23: CanNor's economic development officers regularly engage with applicants and funding recipients throughout the project development cycle. Eligible recipients include social enterprises, individuals, businesses, other levels of government and other non-federal entities, public or private, that have an interest in economic development in the North.
| Type of transfer payment | 2020–21 Actual spending | 2021–22 Actual spending | 2022–23 Planned spending | 2022–23 Total authorities available for use | 2022–23 Actual spending (authorities used) | Variance (2022–23 actual minus 2022–23 planned) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total grants | 20,362,366 | 56,825 | 1,500,000 | 1,500,000 | 145,000 | (1,355,000) |
| Total contributions | 35,701,789 | 40,204,220 | 54,364,119 | 61,574,176 | 60,927,653 | 6,563,534 |
| Total other types of transfer payments | 4,999,951 | |||||
| Total program | 61,064,106 | 40,261,045 | 55,864,119 | 63,074,176 | 61,072,653 | 5,208,534 |
| Explanation of variances: The variance between actual and planned spending primarily arises from the inclusion of additional in-year funding used to support, for example, the Canada Community Revitalization Fund and the Jobs and Growth Fund, reflecting the government's commitment to investing in these crucial programs/funding initiatives. | ||||||
Contributions to Support Indigenous Participation in the Northern Economy (Voted)
Start date: April 1, 2014
End date: Ongoing
Type of transfer payment: Contribution
Type of appropriation: Annually through the Estimates
Fiscal year for terms and conditions: 2013–14, revised 2017, revised 2022
Link to departmental result(s): People and Communities participate in the economy in the Territories; Businesses are developing in the Territories
Link to the department's Program Inventory: Business Development; Community Development
Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program: Through this transfer payment authority, CanNor delivers the Northern Indigenous Economic Opportunities Program (NIEOP), which supports increased participation by northern Inuit, Métis, and First Nations communities and businesses in economic opportunities. The Program comprises three streams:
- Community Readiness and Opportunities Planning (CROP) project funding provides project-based support to First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities and organizations, including organizations providing business development, financial or economic development services under this authority, for capacity and readiness activities so that communities are able to plan for, pursue and participate in economic opportunities. CROP core funding provides longer-term funding for economic development capacity exclusively to eligible Indigenous rights holding organizations (Inuit, First Nations or Métis) that are not receiving economic development funding through their self-governing agreements; and
- Entrepreneurship and Business Development (EBD) stream, which assists Indigenous entrepreneurs, businesses and organizations in the pursuit of economic opportunities for the benefit of Indigenous peoples. The stream includes project-based support for activities that facilitate the establishment or expansion of Indigenous businesses.
- The Northern Indigenous Economic and Business Research Stream, which will be launched in 2024–25, provides project-based funding to support applied socio-economic and business research, knowledge creation, and dissemination (e.g., publicly available reports and research summaries) that can contribute to the territorial Indigenous business ecosystem, major economic sectors, or broader regional priorities.
This transfer payment program may be conditionally or unconditionally repayable. Considerations for repayability are outlined in the program's terms and conditions.
Results achieved: Through CROP, in 2022–23, CanNor provided $9.7 million across 43 projects to enhance community economic infrastructure, increase employment, and improve conditions for community economic development.
Through EBD in 2022–23, CanNor provided almost $3.6 million to 8 Indigenous-led projects, including $3.4 million to 4 Indigenous delivery partners, which in turn supported Indigenous businesses across the territories. These partners are third party Indigenous service providers with direct linkages into northern communities. CanNor's financial support afforded these Indigenous service providers greater capacity to assist Indigenous entrepreneurs, businesses and commercial entities to continue to cultivate a culture of entrepreneurship and increase the number of sustainable Indigenous businesses.
Findings of audits completed in 2022–23: No audits were completed during the reporting year.
Findings of evaluations completed in 2022-23: An evaluation of NIEOP was conducted in 2022–23, the results of which are being reviewed by management. The findings of this evaluation will be communicated in 2023–24.
Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2022–23: In 2022–23, CanNor held NIEOP engagement sessions with Indigenous rights-holding organizations and their representatives in which the Agency shared and sought feedback on a proposed approach for reintroducing core funding to support economic development capacity. During the engagement process, CanNor met with 37 participants representing 61 communities. Further, CanNor will continue to engage program recipients and stakeholders regarding the inclusion of capacity-related funding. In addition, CanNor's economic development officers regularly engage with applicants and funding recipients throughout the project development cycle.
| Type of transfer payment | 2020–21 Actual spending | 2021–22 Actual spending | 2022–23 Planned spending | 2022–23 Total authorities available for use | 2022–23 Actual spending (authorities used) | Variance (2022–23 actual minus 2022–23 planned) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total grants | ||||||
| Total contributions | 10,434,007 | 10,728,988 | 10,800,000 | 13,200,000 | 13,199,993 | 2,399,993 |
| Total other types of transfer payments | ||||||
| Total program | 10,434,007 | 10,728,988 | 10,800,000 | 13,200,000 | 13,199,993 | 2,399,993 |
| Explanation of variances: The variance between actual and planned spending primarily arises from the inclusion of additional in-year funding used to enhance the Northern Indigenous Economic Opportunities Program, reflecting the government's commitment to investing in this crucial program. | ||||||
Grants and Contributions under the Growth Through Regional Innovation Program, now known as Regional Economic Growth Through Innovation (REGI) (Voted)
Start date: October 18, 2018
End date: REGI – Ongoing (CanNor specific funding until March 31, 2023); WES Ecosystem Fund – March 31, 2023
Type of transfer payment: REGI – Grant and Contribution; WES – Contribution
Type of appropriation: Annually through Estimates
Fiscal year for terms and conditions: 2019–20
Link to departmental result(s): Businesses are developing in the Territories
Link to the department's Program Inventory: Business Development
Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program: The Regional Economic Growth Through Innovation (REGI) initiative builds on the objectives of the Innovation and Skills Plan. The goal of REGI is to provide streamlined, nationally consistent and yet regionally tailored support for business productivity and scale-up, particularly for SMEs and women entrepreneurs and other underrepresented groups, and assist the enhancement of regional industrial and technology clusters and regional innovation ecosystems.
The program will provide assistance through two program streams:
- Business Scale-up and Productivity Stream (BSP): Invest in and support businesses at various stages of development, including high-growth firms to accelerate their growth and assist them in scaling up, enhance their productivity and competitiveness in both domestic and global markets.
- Regional Innovation Ecosystems Stream (RIE): Create, grow and nurture inclusive regional ecosystems that support business needs and foster an entrepreneurial environment conducive to innovation, growth and competitiveness.
Contributions issued under REGI may be unconditionally or conditionally repayable, or non-repayable.
The Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES) provides nationally coordinated, regionally tailored investments through the WES Ecosystem Fund, a five-year program to help non-profit, third-party organizations deliver support for women entrepreneurs and address gaps in the innovation ecosystem. Contributions issued under WES are non-repayable only. A second WES funding stream, the Pilot Contribution Program, concluded in 2020–21.
Results achieved: In 2022–23, CanNor delivered more than $919,000 in REGI funding to two projects in the Yukon, which supported the northern entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem.
Findings of audits completed in 2022–23: No audits were completed during the reporting year.
Findings of evaluations completed in 2022–23: No evaluations were completed during the reporting year.
Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2022–23: CanNor's economic development officers regularly engage with applicants and funding recipients throughout the project development cycle.
| Type of transfer payment | 2020–21 Actual spending | 2021–22 Actual spending | 2022–23 Planned spending | 2022–23 Total authorities available for use | 2022–23 Actual spending (authorities used) | Variance (2022–23 actual minus 2022–23 planned) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total grants | 168,168 | 168,168 | 0 | (168,168) | ||
| Total contributions | 2,368,869 | 4,555,243 | 851,473 | 1,019,641 | 1,518,884 | 667,411 |
| Total other types of transfer payments | ||||||
| Total program | 2,368,869 | 4,555,243 | 1,019,641 | 1,187,809 | 1,518,884 | 449,243 |
| Explanation of variances: The variance between actual and planned spending is mainly due to a reallocation of existing resources to support the increase in project demands under the Regional Economic Growth through Innovation Program. | ||||||
Contributions for advancing adult basic education in Canada's territories (Voted)
Start date: November 10, 2011
End date: March 31, 2023
Type of transfer payment: Contributions
Type of appropriation: Annually through the Estimates
Fiscal year for terms and conditions: 2011–2012
Link to departmental result(s): People and communities participate in the economy in the Territories
Link to the department's Program Inventory: Northern Adult Basic Education Program (NABEP)
Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program: Through this transfer payment authority, CanNor delivers the Northern Adult Basic Education Program, an education support program designed to help Northerners get targeted training so they can participate more fully in the labour market. The goal of this program is to improve access to adult basic education, such as literacy and numeracy, so that working-age Northerners will be better-positioned to participate in the labour market. The program is delivered through the three postsecondary institutions in the territories: Aurora College, Yukon University, and Nunavut Arctic College.
Results achieved: Through this program, CanNor provided almost $4.3 million in 2022–23 to Aurora College in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut Arctic College, and Yukon University, to enhance availability of culturally appropriate programs and courses in adult basic education to better serve working-age Indigenous Peoples and Northerners.
Findings of audits completed in 2022–23: No audits were completed during the reporting year.
Findings of evaluations completed in 2022–23: No evaluations were completed during the reporting year.
Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2022–23: Originally scheduled to sunset in March 2022, NABEP was extended through Budget 2022 for a 1–year renewal. CanNor engaged with all three Delivery Partners and informed them of the program's one-year renewal.
| Type of transfer payment | 2020–21 Actual spending | 2021–22 Actual spending | 2022–23 Planned spending | 2022–23 Total authorities available for use | 2022–23 Actual spending (authorities used) | Variance (2022–23 actual minus 2022–23 planned) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total grants | ||||||
| Total contributions | 4,537,297 | 4,537,297 | 4,289,260 | 4,289,260 | ||
| Total other types of transfer payments | ||||||
| Total program | 4,537,297 | 4,537,297 | 4,289,260 | 4,289,260 |