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Name of Horizontal Initiative: Western Economic Partnership Agreements (WEPAs)
Name of Lead Department: Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD)
Lead Department Program Activities: Innovation, Business Development and Community Economic Development
Start Date of the Horizontal Initiative: April 17, 2008
End Date of the Horizontal Initiative: March 31, 2012 (the initiative’s administration will continue until March 31, 2014)
Total Federal Funding Allocation (from start to end): $100 million
Description of the Horizontal Initiative (including funding agreement):
WEPAs are four-year, $50 million cost-shared agreements between the federal government and each of the four western provinces to promote shared economic development priorities. Approvals may be made up to March 31, 2012, and claims can be received until March 31, 2014.
Shared Outcome:
A greater federal-provincial co-operation towards realizing the economic and regional development potential of the West by helping to create innovative, entrepreneurial and sustainable communities.
Governance Structures:
Each WEPA is managed by a joint Federal-Provincial Management Committee and is co-chaired by federal and provincial representatives that are designated by Ministers.
Planning Highlights:
In 2011-12, WD will continue to work in partnership with the each of the provincial governments in Western Canada to develop projects in line with their respective WEPA priorities. The current round of agreements focus on the following federal priorities:
As 2011-12 marks the final year of the WEPAs, all program funding will need to be fully committed prior to March 31, 2012. Based on WD’s experience over the last 20 years, it is expected that provincial and federal funds will be totally committed by the approval deadline.
Federal Partner Program Activity (PA) | Names of Programs for Federal Partners | Total Allocation (from start to end) |
Planned Spending for 2011-12 |
---|---|---|---|
PA 1 - Innovation | Western Diversification Program (WDP) | 45 | 14.7 |
PA 2 - Business Development | WDP | 45 | 9.6 |
PA 3 - Community Economic Development | WDP | 10 | 0.5 |
Total | 100 | 24.8 |
Expected Results:
Although the four provincial agreements are based on joint federal-provincial priorities, these priorities also align with WD's Program Activity Architecture. As outlined in the above table, WEPA projects can align with any WD program activity. Depending on a WEPA project’s focus and which program activity it supports, expected results will match those for that program activity. As such, projects funded through WEPAs will
contribute to achieving the following results:
Innovation
Recipient projects will increase or expand capacity, awareness and use of new technologies, increase linkages among systems players as well as increase or strengthen technology clusters.
Business Development
Recipient projects will improve productivity, expand or enhance competitive businesses, increase participation in international markets, increase investment in Western Canada, enhance business capacity as well as increase skills, knowledge and competency of western Canadians.
Community Economic Development
Recipient projects will increase participation in the local economy by residents who face barriers or are disadvantaged, create more visible and stable local economies, increase the number and effectiveness of collaborative mechanisms that coordinate and plan community development as well as increase the capacity of communities to plan and support economic development.
Total Allocation For All Federal Partners (from start to end) | Total Planned Spending for All Federal Partners for 2011-12 |
---|---|
100 | 24.8 |
Results to be Achieved by Non-Federal Partners: Similar to federal results.
Contact information:
Myka Pappas-Beckers
9700 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton AB T5J 4H7
780-495-8259
Myka.PappasBeckers@wd-deo.gc.ca