Supplementary Information Tables

Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from federal government buildings and fleets by 40% below 2005 levels by 2030, with an aspiration to achieve it by 2025

Support the transition to a low-carbon economy through green procurement

Establish a baseline and analyze trends in green procurement for goods and services using acquisition card purchases data.

Ensure all departmental acquisition cardholders have completed the Green Procurement training.

Continuing education for departmental acquisition card holders in green procurement.

12.7

Starting point: WD is a relatively small department and its estimated GHG emissions are included in the government-wide total.

Performance indicators:
Percentage of procurement and/or materiel management specialists who completed the Canada School of Public Service Green Procurement course (C215) or equivalent, in the given fiscal year (Target 100%).

Percentage of IT hardware purchases that meet the Policy on Green Procurement iii (Target 90%).

Percentage of IT hardware recycled at end of life (Target 90%).

Baseline: WD has established a baseline for Green Procurement using the Acquisition card using data from 2017-2018.
Result achieved: In 2019-20, WD purchased 33% goods, services or made transactions with companies that have Sustainability policies, Green policies, processes and procedures.
Baseline: Established - WD will not have paper statements mailed to cardholders. On average 47% of WD Acquisition cardholders requested paper statements.

Result achieved: 100%

All acquisition card holders must complete the Green Procurement Course (C215), before they are issued a WD Acquisition Card.

WD procures 100% of its Workplace Technology Devices (Tablets, Laptops, Cell Phones, Printers) through Shared Services Canada (SSC) which holds an EPEAT (Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool) Purchaser designation.

WD utilizes Microsoft Surface Pros, which EPEAT Silver or Gold star.

Monitors are energy efficient models. As with printers and multi-functional devices (MFDs). They all have sleep modes.

Result achieved: 96%

Promote sustainable travel practices

Encourage staff to reserve accommodation in establishments that have an industry recognized environmental rating.

Implement more user friendly high quality video and teleconferencing capabilities.

12.2.

Percentage of accommodation stays that have a green environmental rating (Target 40%).

Number of video conference capable boardrooms available for use by employees (Target 12).

WD has exceeded its target with 64% of all accommodation stays have a green environmental rating.

Result achieved: WD has exceeded its target with 14 enhanced A/V Video and Teleconferencing boardrooms.

Understand climate change impacts and build resilience

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Improve transparency and accountability

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Develop policy for low-carbon government

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Support the Government of Canada Mission Innovation commitment to double federal government investments in clean energy research, development and demonstration, by 2020, from 2015 levels. Mission Innovation is a global initiative of 23 countries and the European Commission (on behalf of the European Union) to accelerate global clean energy innovation.

Invest in technologies to reduce GHG and air pollutant emissions: Support the development, demonstration, commercialization, deployment, adoption and export of technologies that reduce GHG and air pollutant emissions. This work will leverage regional strengths and help to improve productivity, competitiveness, and environmental performance in sectors such as energy, mining, building, and waste management, and the manufacturing sector, including in the aerospace and automotive industries.

Invest in clean technologies that provide a pathway for GHG emissions mitigation and more sustainable growth of all areas of the economy.
In 2019-20, Clean Technology and Clean Resources were two of the priority areas supported under the department’s Business Scale-up and Productivity program and the Regional Innovation Ecosystems program.

Starting point:
Statistics Canada Survey of Environmental Goods and Services measures the clean technology sector in Canada and regions

Performance indicator:
WD annual spending ($) for projects that foster the development, commercialization, export and adoption of clean technologies.

In 2019-20, the department invested $26.8M in 23 projects that foster development, commercialization, export and adoption of clean technologies.

FSDS:
The department’s investments in clean technology projects help companies developing and/or commercializing new clean technology to expand, modernize, grow, export, and/or become more productive.

UN SDG:
SDG 9
SDG 12

Western Diversification Program (Voted)

December 3, 1987

Ongoing

Contribution and grant

Appropriated annually through Estimates

2018-19

Programs: Innovation, Business Growth, Business Services, Community Initiatives

The Western Diversification Program (WDP) contributes to the department's mandate to promote economic development and diversification in western Canada and advance the West's interests in national policy, program and project development and implementation. Contributions to not-for-profit organizations are non-repayable; contributions to western Canadian commercial projects or for-profit organizations may be repayable.

Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) has developed a Performance Measurement Framework that includes performance indicators, expected results, data sources to capture results achieved under the WD's Departmental Results Framework (DRF).

Key results include:

• 2,714 jobs created (including 976 HQP jobs);
• $110.8 million in export sales;
• $97.4 million in business sales growth resulting from commercialization;
• $82.8 million in incremental private sector investment attracted; and,
• $13.5 million in business expenditures in research and development (BERD).

For more information on results achieved, see the “Results: what we achieved” section in the main document and supplementary information on WD’s Program Inventory.

WD’s internal audit function has been transferred to the Office of the Comptroller General (OCG). All audits of the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs), including WD, will be conducted by OCG in accordance with their RDA Risk-Based Audit Plan (RBAP).

WD is conducting a longitudinal study of WDP clients (including WINN clients) from 2009-10 to 2019-20. The expected date of completion for this study is March 31, 2021.

The WDP is delivered through continuous intake or call for proposals process. Potential applicants and stakeholders were engaged through active outreach, media strategies and information provided on WD’s public website.

Community Futures Program (Voted)

May 18, 1995.

The Program started in 1986 and was previously delivered by Human Resources Development Canada).

Ongoing

Contribution

Appropriated annually through Estimates

2010-11

Programs: Business Services

The Community Futures (CF) Program was designed to help communities develop and implement local solutions to local problems. The program provides financial support to CF organizations, which are incorporated, not-for-profit organizations. CFs provide support to small and medium-sized enterprises and undertake community economic development initiatives.

Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) has developed a Performance Measurement Framework that includes performance indicators, expected results, data sources to capture results achieved under the WD's Departmental Results Framework (DRF).

Key results include:

• Based on the latest available data from Statistics Canada, western Canadian firms that accessed lending services through the WD-funded Community Futures (CF) program increased their sales by 7.68 percent and their employment growth by 6.82 percent annually, compared to non-CF clients whose sales increased by 2.49 percent and employment by 0.82 percent annually from 2012 to 2017;  and
• CFs provided 1,323 loans to rural businesses with a value of $72.6 million that leveraged an additional $77.7 million.

For more information on results achieved, see the “Results: what we achieved:” section in the main document and supplementary information on WD’s Program Inventory.

WD’s internal audit function has been transferred to the Office of the Comptroller General (OCG). All audits of the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs), including WD, will be conducted by OCG in accordance with their RDA Risk-Based Audit Plan (RBAP).

A horizontal evaluation of the Community Futures Program was completed in 2019-20. The evaluation provided a national assessment of the performance of the Community Futures Program between 2013-14 and 2017-18, and its relevance. The evaluation determined that there is a strong need for continued federal economic development programming in the communities served by Community Futures Organizations, particularly smaller and more remote communities. Furthermore, the evaluation concluded that the Community Futures Program has contributed to the achievement of its intended outcomes, especially those related to business financing and support services.

Eligible applicants for the CF Program are the CF Organizations. WD has a long standing strategy of engaging with these organizations to build awareness of WD's programs among prospective proponents.

Growth Through Regional Innovation Program (known as Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI))

• Includes Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES) in two streams:
  1. Pilot Contribution Program (known as the Women Entrepreneurship Fund (WEF)
  2. WES Ecosystem Fund

October 18, 2018

REGI: Ongoing

WEF: March 31, 2020

WES Ecosystem Fund: March 31, 2023

REGI: Grant and Contribution

WES: Contribution

Appropriated annually through Estimates

2018-19

Programs: Innovation, Business Growth

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 coordinated, regionally tailored support for business productivity and scale-up, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), women and Indigenous entrepreneurs, and other underrepresented groups. REGI will assist in the enhancement of regional industrial and technology clusters and regional innovation ecosystems. The program will provide assistance through two new program streams:

• Business Scale-up and Productivity Stream (BSP): Funding offered under this stream supports high-growth businesses that are scaling up and producing innovative goods, services or technologies. It offers interest free repayable funding to incorporated businesses.
• 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.

The Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES) provides nationally coordinated, regionally tailored investments to help women entrepreneurs and support regional innovation ecosystems through two program streams:

• WES Ecosystem Fund: A five-year program to help non-profit, third party organizations deliver support for women entrepreneurs and address gaps in the ecosystem.
• Pilot Contribution Program (Women Entrepreneurship Fund): A two-year program that invests directly in women-owned or women-led businesses to help them grow and reach new markets.

Contributions issued under REGI may be unconditionally or conditionally repayable, or non-repayable. Contributions issued under the WES are non-repayable only.

Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) has developed a Performance Measurement Framework that includes performance indicators, expected results, data sources to capture results achieved under the WD's Departmental Results Framework (DRF).

Key results include:

• 1,288 jobs created (including 943 HQP jobs);
• $90.6 million in export sales;
• $4.4 million in business sales growth resulting from commercialization; and,
• 60 businesses created, maintained, or expanded (including 50 Indigenous businesses, and 2 youth businesses).

For more information, see the “Results: what we achieved” section in the main document.

WD’s internal audit function has been transferred to the Office of the Comptroller General (OCG). All audits of the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs), including WD, will be conducted by OCG in accordance with their RDA Risk-Based Audit Plan (RBAP).

Not applicable as this is a new program. An evaluation of REGI and WES is scheduled for 2023-24.

The REGI initiative and WES were delivered through continuous intake or call for proposals process. Potential applicants and stakeholders were engaged through active outreach, media strategies and information provided on WD’s public website.

Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry’s report: Made in Canada: Growing Canada’s Value-Added Food Sector

Although there were no parliamentary committee reports requiring a response from WD directly, the department did participate in the government response to a recommendation from this report.  Recommendation #3 stated that “The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada examine ways to support the development of the food processing sector in Western Canada in order to increase the value of shipments of agricultural and agri-food products”.  No specific corrective actions were taken by WD during the reporting period.

More information on this report can be found online.

There were no audits in 2019–20 requiring a response.

Horizontal Audit of Student Hiring under the Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP). 

WD was selected to participate in the Public Service Commission of Canada’s horizontal audit of Student Hiring under the Federal Student Work Experience Program.  The audit examines if student hires under the FSWEP are compliant with key legislative, policy and regulatory requirements. Additionally, it will determine the extent to which organizational roles, responsibilities and practices influence the use of FSWEP.  The audit sample includes 205 student hires and rehires in 2018/2019 made within 15 organizations.

The audit report is projected to be released in the fall of 2020, at which point WD will respond to any recommendations.

There were no audits conducted by the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages requiring a WD response in 2019-20.

Primrose Lake Economic Development Corporation (PLEDCo)

March 30, 2007

Not applicable

Program: Community Initiatives

To assist and promote economic development in the communities within the Primrose Lake Area, and to enhance the long-term economic viability and sustainability of those communities.

No audits performed to date. The date for an audit in the future has not yet been identified.

An evaluation was completed in 2017-18 with no significant findings. The next evaluation will be completed in 2022-23.

During fiscal 2019-20, the Board reviewed and updated their Strategic Plan to 2020. PLEDCO continued to form strategic partnerships with other groups and invested in regional projects in tourism, fishing, forestry, and oil and gas, which may impact future years.

Since 2014, PLEDCO has provided a loan fund with support from Beaver River Community Development Corporation to assist with the start-up/development costs for primary producers in the PLEDCO communities of Beauval, Ile-a-la-Crosse, Cole Bay, and Jans Bay. Primary producers are residents of communities who are involved in the commercial fishing, wild rice production or trapping industry.

PLEDCO continues to distribute funds based on new applications from the communities.
Financial Statements are pending for 2019-20.

Total funding: $15,000,000