2022-23 Departmental Plan: Main Report

From the Minister

As Minister of Northern Affairs, Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada and Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency, I am pleased to present the 2022-23 Departmental Plan for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor).

Pan-territorial collaboration is key to fostering long-term sustainability and economic prosperity across the North. CanNor will continue to work with Northerners, communities, businesses, organizations, and governments to help reinforce diversified, sustainable and dynamic economies.

The Government of Canada's regional relief programs, delivered through CanNor and other regional economic development agencies, provided a critical lifeline to businesses and individuals hit hardest by the pandemic over the last two years. As we look toward economic recovery, CanNor will continue to play a critical role in sustaining and growing businesses across the territories, while also investing in the development of clean energy projects, creating jobs, reducing emissions, and connecting communities.

CanNor remains a strong advocate for Northerners and will continue to support the implementation of the Arctic and Northern Policy Framework, fulfilling objectives co-developed with partners to address sustainable economic growth, and make strategic investments to improve competitiveness, foster innovation, and close gaps in social and economic prosperity, while encouraging a green economy.

CanNor's strength is to promote short- and long-term job creation and economic development in the territories, particularly through the delivery of regionally tailored programs, services, knowledge, and expertise. CanNor's investments across the territories continue to bolster the recovery of Northern economies from the COVID-19 pandemic. CanNor's Northern Projects Management Office will continue its coordinating and convening role throughout the lifecycle of proposed major projects.

Through CanNor's work, we maintain our commitments to reconciliation and collaboration with Indigenous partners. One example is Pilimmaksaivik, the Federal Centre of Excellence for Inuit Employment in Nunavut, which supports federal Departments to hire Inuit in accordance with Article 23 of the Nunavut Agreement.

CanNor will continue to deliver on these objectives and more, thus creating a strong, resilient and dynamic Northern economy for families and businesses in the territories, and for the benefit of all Canadians.

From the President

The Government of Canada remains focused on strategic investments to help Northerners recover from the economic uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic. CanNor was there to assist and will continue its commitment to recovery through diverse economic development programming.

CanNor continues to be guided by its Pan-Territorial Growth Strategy. Aligned with the Arctic and Northern Policy Framework, our Strategy focuses on four key pillars: developing a skilled workforce, strategic infrastructure investments, resource development, and diversification and innovation.

This year, CanNor will continue to provide assistance to support our Northern economies. The Canada Community Revitalization Fund helps communities build and improve infrastructure projects for renewed prosperity. The Jobs and Growth Fund targets job creation and positions local economies for sustained growth. The Tourism Relief Fund also assists Northern businesses to attract visitors when it is safe to travel again.

CanNor understands that long-term economic development can only occur in close collaboration with Indigenous and territorial governments, communities, businesses and organizations. CanNor, through programs such as the Inclusive Diversification and Economic Advancement in the North program, the Northern Aboriginal Economic Opportunities Program, and the Northern Isolated Community Initiatives Fund, works with our partners to support economic reconciliation and development, infrastructure, and food security.

CanNor's Northern Projects Management Office (NPMO) continues to play a coordinating and convening role. NPMO facilitates federal participation in the environmental assessments of infrastructure and resource development projects, while ensuring the adequacy of Crown consultations with Indigenous communities. NPMO also provides pathfinding and convening services for industry, investors, regulatory boards and territorial governments.

Pilimmaksaivik (the Federal Centre of Excellence for Inuit Employment in Nunavut) provides coordination, monitoring and reporting, outreach and awareness, on Inuit employment in the government pursuant to Article 23 of the Nunavut Agreement. Looking ahead, Pilimmaksaivik will continue to identify and address barriers to Inuit employment and advancement by developing and delivering innovative new training and supports for Inuit.

Together, we can ensure a strong and resilient future for the North, and for Canada.

Plans at a glance

The Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor), one of seven Regional Development Agencies in Canada, will remain a driver for developing a strong, diversified, sustainable, and resilient economy for Northerners, Indigenous peoples, communities, and businesses across the territories. By working with partners and stakeholders, CanNor will continue to support and advocate for community, territorial, and national level economic development; foster growth and innovation; contribute to building capacity; and invest in foundational economic development projects in the territories.

As the global pandemic continues and Canadians continue to adjust, economic recovery will occur at different rates for different communities and sectors in the North. Recognizing the diversity of each territorial economy, will be key to recovery. It will also be essential to continue accelerating the growth and assist with the adoption of innovative technologies that promote green energy, an ocean economy, and the enhancement of circular economies.

Minerals will continue as the primary economic engine of the territories' private sector. As Canada emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, it will be crucial to address structural barriers that hinder the northern minerals sector such as lack of infrastructure and exploration investment so that the North is well positioned to benefit from emerging opportunities in the sector, including the green transition and critical minerals development.

In 2022-23, CanNor will rely on the strength of its Pan-Territorial Growth Strategy (PTGS) to guide recovery investments, convene federal, territorial and Indigenous partners, and continue to develop a resilient northern economy. Aligned with the Government of Canada's whole of government framework, the Arctic and Northern Policy Framework (ANPF), the PTGS has four interrelated areas of action that are relevant to economic recovery and which will foster long-term sustainability and prosperity: strengthening the northern workforce; encouraging infrastructure investments; supporting resource development; and stimulating diversification and innovation.

CanNor's suite of economic development programs will help to advance these priorities. These programs include focused Indigenous programming, support to food systems, and our flagship program, Inclusive Diversification and Economic Advancement in the North (IDEANorth), which invests in foundational and small-scale economic infrastructure, sector development and capacity building to help position Northerners to take advantage of Canada's innovation economy; and the Northern Aboriginal Economic Opportunities Program, which supports the greater participation of Indigenous communities and businesses enabling them to pursue economic and business opportunities. In 2022-23, CanNor will continue to deliver these programs, as well as the Jobs and Growth Fund (JGF), the Canada Community Revitalization Fund (CCRF) and the Tourism Relief Fund (TRF), which support the North's recovery path and address long-standing challenges.

Large scale infrastructure projects and resource development offer significant growth and opportunity for the territorial economies. CanNor, through the Northern Projects Management Office (NPMO), will continue to play an important role by providing support, guidance, and advice to proponents and Indigenous communities, as well as coordinating Crown consultation for federal regulators during the environmental assessment of major projects.

As the host of Pilimmaksaivik, CanNor will continue its work in coordinating a whole-of-government approach to building a representative federal public service in Nunavut, as described under Article 23 of the Nunavut Agreement.

In addition to targeted actions in the territories, CanNor will work with other federal departments to help advance broader Government of Canada commitments, including economic reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, the continued implementation of the ANPF and the advancement of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

For more information on CanNor's plans, see the "Core responsibilities: planned results and resources, and key risks" section of this plan.

Core responsibilities: planned results and resources, and key risks

This section contains information on the department's planned results and resources for each of its core responsibilities. It also contains information on key risks related to achieving those results.

Internal services: planned results

Planned spending and human resources

This section provides an overview of the department's planned spending and human resources for the next three fiscal years and compares planned spending for 2022–23 with actual spending for the current year and the previous year.

Planned spending

Departmental spending 2019–20 to 2024–25

The following graph presents planned spending (voted and statutory expenditures) over time.

Text alternative for Departmental spending 2019–20 to 2024–25

The image shows a stacked vertical band graph on Statutory and Voted amounts, in dollars, by fiscal year:

• 2019-20: Statutory: $1,587,467; Voted: $65,575,001; Total: $67,162,468
• 2020-21: Statutory: $6,965,997; Voted: $94,253,287; Total: $101,219,284
• 2021-22: Statutory: $2,021,410; Voted: $90,122,437; Total: $92,143,847
• 2022-23: Statutory: $2,120,912; Voted: $90,730,280; Total: $92,851,192
• 2023-24: Statutory: $2,047,066; Voted: $71,179,574; Total: $73,226,640
• 2024-25: Statutory: $1,656,761; Voted: $46,071,662; Total: $47,728,423

In 2020–21, actual expenditures reflects an additional $32.8 million ($27.8 million in Voted and $5.0 million in Statutory) to address the economic impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic, delivered through the Regional Relief and Recovery Fund.

Although funding measures announced in Budget 2019 and Budget 2021 continue to be reflected in forecast and planned spending for 2021–22 and future years where applicable, the sunsetting of said funding measures (Budget 2019 of up to $22.7 million and Budget 2021 of up to $19.7 million), targeted COVID-19 initiatives ($6.5 million), the Inuit Impact Benefit Agreement with the Qikiqtani Inuit Association (up to $6.4 million), the Northern Adult Basic Education Program ($4.9 million), and other funding initiatives (up to $1.1 million) account for the majority of the net decrease in planned spending through 2024–25. Funding decisions regarding the extension or enhancement of programs will be reflected in the Agency's future budget and Estimates documents.

Budgetary planning summary for core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)

The following table shows information on spending for each of Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency's core responsibilities and for its internal services for 2022–23 and other relevant fiscal years.

Core responsibilities and internal services	2019–20 expenditures	2020–21 expenditures	2021–22 forecast spending	2022–23 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates)	2022–23 planned spending	2023–24 planned spending	2024–25 planned spending
Economic Development in the Territories	59,410,413	92,172,174	85,659,930	86,132,880	86,132,880	66,508,328	41,749,551
Subtotal	59,410,413	92,172,174	85,659,930	86,132,880	86,132,880	66,508,328	41,749,551
Internal services	7,752,055	9,047,110	6,483,917	6,718,312	6,718,312	6,718,312	5,978,872
Total	67,162,468	101,219,284	92,143,847	92,851,192	92,851,192	73,226,640	47,728,423

Economic Development in the Territories experiences the greatest variability in actual expenditures, forecast and planned spending relevant to the current planning year. This is largely a result of the inclusion and subsequent sunsetting of additional funding measures announced in Budget 2019 and Budget 2021 of up to $42.4 million, combined, through 2024–25.

Economic Development in the Territories reflects an additional $32.8 million in 2020–21 actual expenditures, to address the economic impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic, delivered through the Regional Relief and Recovery Fund.

Corporate information

Reporting framework

The Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency's approved departmental results framework and program inventory for 2022–23 are as follows.

Text alternative for Reporting framework

This Reporting Framework Table demonstrates CanNor's Departmental Results Framework and Program Inventory of record for 2022-23:

• Departmental Results Framework
  • Core Responsibility: Economic Development in the Territories
    • Departmental Result: People and communities participate in the economy in the Territories
      • Indicator: Labour participation rate for women and Indigenous peoples in the Territories
      • Indicator: Amount leveraged per dollar invested in community projects in the Territories
    • Departmental Result: Business are developing in the Territories
      • Indicator: Number of businesses by business locations in the Territories
      • Indicator: Number of investments in clean tech projects supported by CanNor in the Territories
    • Departmental Result: Efficient and Predictable Environmental Review process in the Territories
      • Indicator: Number of companies provided advisory services (Pathfinder) including issues management and support in the environmental assessment and governance processes in the Territories
      • Indicator: Percentage of environmental assessments in the Territories that are completed within the scheduled time frame
• Program Inventory
  • Program: Community Development
  • Program: Business Development
  • Program: Policy and Advocacy
  • Program: Northern Projects Management

Supporting information on the program inventory

Supporting information on planned expenditures, human resources, and results related to the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency's program inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Supplementary information tables

The following supplementary information tables are available on the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency's website:

• United Nations 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals
• Details on transfer payment programs
• Gender-based analysis plus
• Up-front multi-year funding

Federal tax expenditures

The Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency's Departmental Plan does not include information on tax expenditures that relate to its planned results for 2022–23.

Tax expenditures are the responsibility of the Minister of Finance, and the Department of Finance Canada publishes cost estimates and projections for government-wide tax expenditures each year in the Report on Federal Tax Expenditures. This report provides detailed information on tax expenditures, including objectives, historical background and references to related federal spending programs, as well as evaluations, research papers and gender-based analysis. The tax measures presented in this report are solely the responsibility of the Minister of Finance.

Organizational contact information

Mailing address
Allavvik Building
1106 Inuksugait Plaza
Iqaluit, Nunavut
X0A 0H0
Canada

Telephone: 1 (855) 897-2667

Email: CanNor.InfoNorth.InfoNord.CanNor@canada.ca

Website(s): cannor.gc.ca

Appendix: definitions

appropriation (crédit)

Any authority of Parliament to pay money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

budgetary expenditures (dépenses budgétaires)

Operating and capital expenditures; transfer payments to other levels of government, organizations or individuals; and payments to Crown corporations.

core responsibility (responsabilité essentielle)

An enduring function or role performed by a department. The intentions of the department with respect to a core responsibility are reflected in one or more related departmental results that the department seeks to contribute to or influence.

Departmental Plan (plan ministériel)

A document that sets out a department's priorities, programs, expected results and associated resource requirements, covering a three-year period beginning with the year indicated in the title of the report. Departmental Plans are tabled in Parliament each spring.

departmental result (résultat ministériel)

A change that a department seeks to influence. A departmental result is often outside departments' immediate control, but it should be influenced by program-level outcomes.

departmental result indicator (indicateur de résultat ministériel)

A factor or variable that provides a valid and reliable means to measure or describe progress on a departmental result.

departmental results framework (cadre ministériel des résultats)

A framework that consists of the department's core responsibilities, departmental results and departmental result indicators.

Departmental Results Report (rapport sur les résultats ministériels)

A report on a department's actual performance in a fiscal year against its plans, priorities and expected results set out in its Departmental Plan for that year. Departmental Results Reports are usually tabled in Parliament each fall.

experimentation (expérimentation)

The conducting of activities that explore, test and compare the effects and impacts of policies and interventions in order to inform decision-making and improve outcomes for Canadians. Experimentation is related to, but distinct from, innovation. Innovation is the trying of something new; experimentation involves a rigorous comparison of results. For example, introducing a new mobile application to communicate with Canadians can be an innovation; systematically testing the new application and comparing it against an existing website or other tools to see which one reaches more people, is experimentation.

full-time equivalent (équivalent temps plein)

A measure of the extent to which an employee represents a full person-year charge against a departmental budget. Full-time equivalents are calculated as a ratio of assigned hours of work to scheduled hours of work. Scheduled hours of work are set out in collective agreements.

gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus) (analyse comparative entre les sexes plus [ACS Plus])

An analytical process used to assess how diverse groups of women, men and gender-diverse people experience policies, programs and services based on multiple factors including race, ethnicity, religion, age, and mental or physical disability.

government-wide priorities (priorités pangouvernementales)

For the purpose of the 2022–23 Departmental Plan, government-wide priorities are the high-level themes outlining the government's agenda in the 2021 Speech from the Throne: protecting Canadians from COVID-19; helping Canadians through the pandemic; building back better – a resiliency agenda for the middle class; the Canada we're fighting for.

horizontal initiative (initiative horizontale)

An initiative in which two or more federal organizations are given funding to pursue a shared outcome, often linked to a government priority.

non-budgetary expenditures (dépenses non budgétaires)

Net outlays and receipts related to loans, investments and advances, which change the composition of the financial assets of the Government of Canada.

performance (rendement)

What an organization did with its resources to achieve its results, how well those results compare to what the organization intended to achieve, and how well lessons learned have been identified.

plan (plan)

The articulation of strategic choices, which provides information on how an organization intends to achieve its priorities and associated results. Generally, a plan will explain the logic behind the strategies chosen and tend to focus on actions that lead up to the expected result.

planned spending (dépenses prévues)

For Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports, planned spending refers to those amounts presented in the Main Estimates.

A department is expected to be aware of the authorities that it has sought and received. The determination of planned spending is a departmental responsibility, and departments must be able to defend the expenditure and accrual numbers presented in their Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports.

program (programme)

Individual or groups of services, activities or combinations thereof that are managed together within a department and that focus on a specific set of outputs, outcomes or service levels.

program inventory (répertoire des programmes)

An inventory of a department's programs that describes how resources are organized to carry out the department's core responsibilities and achieve its planned results.

result (résultat)

An external consequence attributed, in part, to an organization, policy, program or initiative. Results are not within the control of a single organization, policy, program or initiative; instead, they are within the area of the organization's influence.

statutory expenditures (dépenses législatives)

Expenditures that Parliament has approved through legislation other than appropriation acts. The legislation sets out the purpose of the expenditures and the terms and conditions under which they may be made.

target (cible)

A measurable performance or success level that an organization, program or initiative plans to achieve within a specified time period. Targets can be either quantitative or qualitative.

voted expenditures (dépenses votées)

Expenditures that Parliament approves annually through an Appropriation Act. The vote wording becomes the governing conditions under which these expenditures may be made.