Archived - Aboriginal Economic Development Strategic Partnerships Initiative

Lead department(s): Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada

Federal partner organization(s): Indigenous and Northern Affairs 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; Employment and Social Development Canada; Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, including FedNor; Natural Resources Canada; Parks Canada; Status of Women Canada; Western Economic Diversification Canada; Environment and Climate Change Canada; Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency.

Non-federal and non-governmental partners: Not applicable

Start date of the horizontal initiative: June 17, 2010

End date of the horizontal initiative: Ongoing

Total federal funding allocation (start to end date) in dollars: $85,500,000 over five years (ongoing), plus an additional $61,000,000 over five years (2014–2019) for the West Coast Energy Initiative — Total Grants and Contributions (G&C) and Operations & Maintenance (O&M)

Funding contributed by non-federal and non-governmental partners: Not applicable

Description of the horizontal initiative: With a focus on economic readiness, the Strategic Partnerships Initiative (SPI) supports Indigenous participation in the economy, with a particular emphasis on emerging opportunities in the resource development sectors, including forestry, fisheries, mining, energy and agriculture. The program also supports other key economic development opportunities in areas such as shipbuilding, tourism and potash.

A key component of the new Federal Framework for Aboriginal Economic Development, SPI provides a coordinated federal response to existing and emerging Indigenous economic development opportunities. The program builds partnerships among participating federal departments and agencies, Indigenous communities, provincial and territorial governments and the private sector to help Indigenous peoples take advantage of complex market-driven opportunities in key and emerging economic sectors. The Initiative's funding is designed to fill gaps that cannot be addressed by existing programs.

SPI also helps to build closer partnerships with non-federal cohorts, including provincial and territorial governments, the private sector and Indigenous individuals, organizations, businesses and communities. These partnerships help bring together the people and resources required for Indigenous communities to take advantage of key economic development opportunities across all regions of the country.

West Coast Energy: In June 2014, a coordinated government response was launched with the objective of building Indigenous support for energy projects. Part of the response included the expansion of the Strategic Partnerships Initiative, which will provide the Government of Canada with the resources needed to enhance Indigenous participation in West Coast Energy infrastructure development.

Funding is being used in four priority areas to help build Indigenous support for energy projects. These include:

• Early and ongoing engagement — to develop and maintain a principled dialogue with Indigenous groups on energy development
• Environmental participation — to mitigate concerns with cumulative effects and ensure environmental sustainability
• Employment and business opportunities — to maximize Indigenous economic participation in energy projects
• Fish habitat restoration — to encourage sustainable development where pipelines and terminals cross watercourses

Shared outcome(s): SPI supports a horizontal approach to federal investments that ensures these investments align with and target market-driven opportunities. It also ensures that the Government of Canada is able to anticipate, plan for and engage in opportunities; is able to maximize the results of federal investments; and is better positioned to lever funds from non-federal sources. SPI uses a single-window approach (shared application, monitoring and reporting) to federal investments in identified priorities and addresses program gaps that might preclude Indigenous participation in economic opportunities. This process also allows funds to flow from multiple programs and departments through one federal lead department in support of the initiative.

Governance structure(s): Central to the governance structure of SPI is the Director General Investment Committee (DGIC). The DGIC includes membership from all SPI member departments with a core voting membership to make final funding decisions on initiatives seeking funding. The DGIC validates and prioritizes opportunities, taking a whole-of-government approach to investments under the program. It also identifies relevant federal government departments that have a role to play in supporting any given initiative, and ensures that they work together with Indigenous groups to advance these opportunities. The DGIC completes a review of detailed proposals from federal departments on opportunities for consideration under the program.

Planning highlights: SPI is a federal horizontal initiative designed to further the objectives of the Federal Framework for Aboriginal Economic Development 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 Indigenous peoples;
• clear direction, greater coordination, 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.

Results to be achieved by non-federal and non-governmental partners: Not Applicable

Contact information

Director
Strategic Partnerships Initiative
Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada
Telephone: 819-994-7219