Archived - Aboriginal Economic Development Strategic Partnerships Initiative

Name of Horizontal Initiative: Aboriginal Economic Development Strategic Partnerships Initiative (SPI)

Name of lead department(s): Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC)

Lead department program: Under AANDC's Program Alignment Architecture, the Strategic Partnerships Initiative is categorized under the Strategic Outcome entitled "The Land and Economy". The Program for the initiative is entitled "Aboriginal Economic Development".

Start date of the Horizontal Initiative: June 17, 2010

End date of the Horizontal Initiative: Ongoing

Total federal funding allocation (start to end date): $85.5 million over five years – total Grants and Contributions (G&C) and Operations and Maintenance (O&M)

Description of the Horizontal Initiative (including funding agreement): The Strategic Partnerships Initiative (SPI) supports Aboriginal participation in the economy, with a particular focus on the forestry, fisheries, mining, energy and the agriculture sectors. A key component of the new Federal Framework for Aboriginal Economic Development, SPI enables more than a dozen partnering federal departments and agencies to provide a co-ordinated federal response to existing and emerging Aboriginal economic development opportunities.

SPI builds partnerships among federal departments, Aboriginal communities, provincial and territorial governments and the private sector to help Aboriginal Canadians take advantage of complex market-driven opportunities in key sectors of the economy. The initiative's funding is intended to fill gaps that cannot be addressed by existing programs.

SPI fosters a whole-of-government approach to Aboriginal economic development by enabling federal partners to align investments and resources around shared objectives. The program helps eliminate funding gaps in existing federal programming that could otherwise limit or exclude Aboriginal involvement in emerging economic development opportunities.

The initiative also helps to build closer partnerships with non-federal partners, including provincial and territorial governments, the private sector and Aboriginal individuals, organizations, businesses and communities. These partnerships help bring together the people and the resources required for Aboriginal communities to take advantage of opportunities.

Shared outcome(s): The SPI allows for a horizontal approach to federal investments that: ensures that federal investments are aligned and targeted toward market-driven opportunities; the Government of Canada is able to anticipate, plan for, and engage in opportunities; and that the Government of Canada is able to maximize the results of federal investments and be better positioned to lever funds from non-federal sources. Additionally, the SPI creates a single-window approach (shared application, monitoring and reporting) to federal investments in shared priorities and addresses program gaps that might preclude Aboriginal participation in economic opportunities.

Governance structure(s): Central to the governance structure of the SPI is the Federal Coordination Committee (FCC) for Aboriginal Economic Development. The FCC validates and prioritizes investment opportunities from a whole-of-government perspective. The FCC also monitors and ensures that all relevant federal departments and agencies work together with Aboriginal groups to advance these opportunities.

Planning Highlights: The Strategic Partnerships Initiative (SPI) is a federal horizontal initiative designed to further the objectives of the Federal Framework for Aboriginal Economic Development (The Framework) by ensuring:

• opportunities for investment are systematically targeted and assessed;
• willing partners with complementary experience and resources can work collaboratively to take advantage of economic opportunities available to Aboriginal Canadians;
• clear direction, greater co-ordination, better collaboration and increased linkages are made among federal initiatives across departments and agencies to advance priority opportunities; and
• Partners involved in specific projects continue to be engaged throughout the development, implementation and completion of the project.

Key Plans: Areas of Focus

The SPI’s annual budget is made up of approximately $14.5 million in Grants and Contributions funds and $2.4 million in Operations and Maintenance funds. The Grants and Contributions funding portion is predominately spent on multi-year initiatives. In the coming 2013-2014 fiscal year, of the $14.5 million in Grants and Contributions funding, approximately $9.55 million remains available for investment. In 2013-2014, the SPI investments are expected to continue to be made in forestry, fisheries, mining, energy and agriculture sectors. However, in 2014-2015 and beyond, SPI will adopt a more of an opportunity-based investment approach.

Opportunity-based approach and better prioritization of SPI investments: The SPI program is under increasing pressure to respond to a growing number of opportunities. The SPI program is working with all signatory departments to refine its investment criteria to better assess each opportunities return on investment. In fiscal year 2013-2014, SPI will be better positioned to quantify an opportunity based on the business case, demonstrate a return on investment and grow the SPI business.

Single-window delivery implementation under SPI: In the recent governance review of SPI, one of the key recommendations was the need for a "single-window" delivery system. This would be comprised of a co-ordinating governance structure and processes for managing each SPI project; a single application or proposal; a single assessment process, single funding agreement with a single federal signature, consolidated reporting and monitoring, a single recipient audit, and a co-ordinated remediation approach for non-compliance. This co-ordinated process will also permit the flowing of funds from multiple program and departments through one federal lead department in support of an initiative.

Investment Sub-Committee to be established: To respond more effectively to emerging market-driven opportunities, AANDC will work with SPI partners to establish new investment criteria and thresholds for proposals that will be assessed by a new Director General Investment Committee. This Committee will be responsible for making recommendations to the Federal Coordination Committee regarding investment opportunities.

Formative evaluation of the Strategic Partnerships Initiative in 2013-2014: A formative evaluation of the SPI is planned for fiscal year 2013-2014. The evaluation will focus on program design and delivery, but will also examine program relevance, data collection and results.

Federal Partner: There are 13 signatories to the Treasury Board Submission for the Aboriginal Economic Development Strategic Partnerships Initiative:

• Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada
• Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
• Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
• Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec
• Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
• Fisheries and Oceans Canada
• Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
• Industry Canada, including FedNor
• Natural Resources Canada
• Office of the Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians
• Parks Canada
• Status of Women Canada
• Western Economic Diversification Canada

Expected results by program: The objective of the SPI is to increase economic development opportunities for Aboriginal Canadians by stimulating partnerships between federal and non-federal partners. This is intended to lead to greater participation by Aboriginal peoples in the Canadian economy.

SPI will result in partnerships and strategic investments in economic and resource development opportunities. Other outcomes identified for SPI include:

• Capacity for Aboriginal stakeholders;
• Co-operation and collaboration between federal and Aboriginal partners;
• Simplified government application, monitoring and reporting requirements;
• Aboriginal business development; and
• Strategic federal approach to Aboriginal economic development.

Results to be achieved by non-federal partners (if applicable): N/A

Contact information

Christopher McDonell
A/Director
Strategic Partnerships Initiative
Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada
Telephone: 819-994-7219
Christopher.McDonell@aadnc-aandc.gc.ca