2024-2025 Details on transfer payment programs
Table of contents
- Transfer payment program or funding agreement: Northern Indigenous Economic Opportunities Programs (Formerly Contributions to Support Aboriginal Participation in the Northern Economy) (Voted)
- Transfer payment program or funding agreement: Promoting Regional Development in Canada’s Three Territories
- Transfer payment program or funding agreement: Regional Economic Growth Through Innovation
Transfer payment program or funding agreement: Northern Indigenous Economic Opportunities Programs (Formerly Contributions to Support Aboriginal Participation in the Northern Economy) (Voted)
Start date: April 1, 2014
End date: Ongoing
Type of transfer payment: Contribution
Type of appropriation: Annually through Estimates
Fiscal year for terms and conditions: 2013-14, revised 2017, revised 2022
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 transfer payment authority, including additional funding received through Budget 2022, CanNor delivers the Northern Indigenous Economic Opportunities Program (NIEOP) to create Indigenous employment, support Indigenous entrepreneurship, and help build resilience in Indigenous communities through economic development, all of which contribute to territorial economic growth. The enhanced program comprises three streams:
- The Community Readiness and Opportunities Planning (CROP) stream provides project-based support to Indigenous communities and organizations for capacity and readiness activities so that communities are able to plan for, pursue and participate in economic opportunities. A Budget 2022 decision also approved additional funds to support the reintroduction of core funding to Indigenous rights-holding organizations.
- The Entrepreneurship and Business Development (EBD) stream 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 Economic Research Stream (ERS) provides project-based support for research, knowledge transfer, and the distribution of information to establish a research agenda by targeting research proposals that can contribute to the territorial Indigenous business ecosystem.
Results achieved: Through CROP in 2024-25, CanNor provided approximately $9.9 million to 41 Indigenous projects to enhance community economic infrastructure, increase employment, and improve conditions for community economic development.
Through EBD in 2024-25, CanNor provided approximately $3 million to eight projects, including $3 million to four approved Service Delivery Partner (SDP). These partners are Indigenous service providers with direct linkages to northern communities. CanNor's financial support enhanced their capacity to assist Indigenous entrepreneurs, businesses and commercial entities in cultivating a culture of entrepreneurship and increase the number of sustainable, resilient and prosperous Indigenous businesses.
Through ERS in 2024-25, CanNor provided $425,000 to four projects in support of Indigenous-led research and knowledge mobilization. These initiatives help address knowledge gaps in the territorial Indigenous economic ecosystems and maximize economic opportunities and prosperity for Indigenous entrepreneurs and businesses.
Findings of audits completed in 2024-25: No audits were completed in 2024-25.
Findings of evaluations completed in 2024-25: No evaluations were completed in 2024-25.
Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2024-25: CanNor continued to engage program recipients and stakeholders regarding the inclusion of capacity-related funding. CanNor's economic development officers also regularly engage with applicants and funding recipients throughout the project development cycle.
As part of initiatives under ERS, CanNor also identified research priorities through engagement with Indigenous communities and educational institutions.
| Type of transfer payment | 2022-23 actual spending | 2023-24 actual spending | 2024-25 planned spending | 2024-25 total authorities available for use | 2024-25 actual spending (authorities used) | Variance (2024-25 actual minus 2024-25 planned) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total grants | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total contributions | 13,199,993 | 13,200,000 | 13,200,000 | 13,200,000 | 13,150,000 | -50,000 |
| Total other types of transfer payments | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total program | 13,199,993 | 13,200,000 | 13,200,000 | 13,200,000 | 13,150,000 | -50,000 |
Explanation of variances
The variance between actual spending and planned spending is the result of a project that was canceled late in 2024-25 whose funds could not be reallocated to another project before fiscal year-end.
Transfer payment program or funding agreement: Promoting Regional Development in Canada’s Three Territories
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 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 economic development in the North that strengthens territorial economies and increases participation by Northerners.
For 2024-2025, these programs/funding initiatives include: Inclusive Diversification and Economic Advancement in the North (IDEANorth), the Northern Isolated Communities Initiative (NICI) Fund, Tourism Growth Program (TGP), and the Economic Development Initiative (EDI).
Results achieved: Through IDEANorth, CanNor provided approximately $30 million to 169 projects across the territories in 2024-25. These projects aimed to strengthen key sectors (mining, arts and culture, tourism, agri-businesses, and commercial fisheries), support economic infrastructure development, and foster capacity growth and skills development.
Through NICI, CanNor provided approximately $2.5 million to 13 Indigenous and non-Indigenous community-led initiatives to strengthen regional food systems and reduce food insecurity in the territories. These initiatives supported SMEs, employment in the food sector, local food infrastructure, and innovative nutritional solutions.
CanNor also delivered approximately $800,000 to 12 projects through TGP and $80,000 to one project through EDI.
Findings of audits completed in 2024-25: No audits were completed in 2024-25.
Findings of evaluations completed in 2024-25: No evaluations were completed in 2024-25.
Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2024-25: CanNor's economic development officers regularly engage with applicants and funding recipients throughout the project development cycle.
| Type of transfer payment | 2022-23 actual spending | 2023-24 actual spending | 2024-25 planned spending | 2024-25 total authorities available for use | 2024-25 actual spending (authorities used) | Variance (2024-25 actual minus 2024-25 planned) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total grants | 145,000 | 591,833 | 11,825,500 | 12,325,500 | 480,311 | -11,345,189 |
| Total contributions | 60,927,653 | 45,837,930 | 22,532,163 | 24,532,163 | 31,862,395 | 9,330,232 |
| Total other types of transfer payments | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total program | 61,072,653 | 46,429,763 | 34,357,663 | 36,857,663 | 32,342,706 | -2,014,957 |
Explanation of variances
The total variance between actual spending and planned spending is the result of additional authorities received through the 2024-25 Supplementary Estimates B. The planned spending outlined in the 2024-25 Departmental Plan was solely based on the 2024-25 Main Estimates. The specific variances within the grants and the contributions categories are the result of the in-year transfer of grant authorities to contribution authorities.
Transfer payment program or funding agreement: Regional Economic Growth Through Innovation
Start date: October 18, 2018
End date: REGI – CanNor specific funding until 2025-26
Type of transfer payment: Grants and Contribution
Type of appropriation: Annually through Estimates
Fiscal year for terms and conditions: 2019-2020
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 regionally tailored support for business productivity and scale-up, particularly for SMEs women entrepreneurs and other underrepresented groups. REGI also supports the enhancement of regional industrial and technology clusters and regional innovation systems. Through REGI authorities, CanNor also delivers the Regional Homebuilding Innovation Initiative (RHII) and the Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative (RAII). RHII supports the growth of local innovative housing solutions, while RAII assists Canadian start-ups, SMEs, and organizations in the development and adoption of innovative AI solutions and secure Canada's competitive advantage in artificial intelligence.
Results achieved: In 2024-25, CanNor provided approximately $5.5 million to 18 projects through REGI, of which two projects were housing-related and received approximately $1.9 million, including funding through RHII. CanNor provided approximately $2.5 million to 10 projects in funding through REGI – Regional Innovation Ecosystems stream to support agreements with innovators and the commercialization of new products and services across the territories. CanNor also provided approximately $800,000 to four projects through REGI – Business Scale up and Productivity stream to assist businesses to grow and adopt innovative technologies that support productivity, global competitiveness, and entry into new markets. Through RAII, CanNor provided approximately $250,000 to two projects supporting AI adoption in strategic sectors of the Northern economy.
Findings of audits completed in 2024-25: No audits were completed in 2024-25.
Findings of evaluations completed in 2024-25: No evaluations were completed in 2024-25.
Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2024-25: CanNor's economic development officers regularly engage with applicants and funding recipients throughout the project development cycle.
| Type of transfer payment | 2022-23 actual spending | 2023-24 actual spending | 2024-25 planned spending | 2024-25 total authorities available for use | 2024-25 actual spending (authorities used) | Variance (2024-25 actual minus 2024-25 planned) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total grants | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2,047,282 | 11,500 | 11,500 |
| Total contributions | 1,518,884 | 1,254,232 | 0 | 3,316,924 | 5,352,704 | 5,352,704 |
| Total other transfer payments | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total program | 1,518,884 | 1,254,232 | 0 | 5,364,206 | 5,364,204 | 5,364,204 |
Explanation of variances
There was no planned spending for this program in the 2024-25 Departmental Plan because there was no amount included in the 2024-25 Main Estimates. Authorities were included only in the 2024-25 Supplementary Estimates B. This created the reported variances between actual and planned spending.