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Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency’s 2023-24 Departmental Results Report

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From the Minister

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The Honourable Gudie Hutchings

Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

The wind is in our sails. We often hear this said when discussing Atlantic Canada’s momentum.

To sail, one needs to be ready to take advantage of new opportunities and favourable winds. The same can be said for economic development. During the past year, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) continued to deliver on its promise to be a catalyst for economic growth and prosperity in our region. In 2023-24, the Agency invested $396.8 million in 2,470 projects, supporting an estimated 7,400 Atlantic Canadian jobs.

As part of our commitment toward reconciliation and the continued vitality of Indigenous communities, ACOA invested in 110 Indigenous economic development projects, strengthening and creating jobs, growth and opportunities.

To ensure our region remains competitive and prosperous in a rapidly changing world, we prioritized long-term success in strategic areas, including clean and inclusive economic growth, supporting infrastructure, developing and attracting the workforce of the future, and increasing productivity through the use of new technology and digitalization. Of ACOA’s total investments in 2023-24, targeted efforts led to $141.9 million in initiatives for 734 projects, maintaining or creating an estimated 2,280 jobs.

The work we have done as part of the Atlantic Growth Strategy has led to the renewal of the Atlantic Canada Agreement on Tourism, completed in 2023-24. This innovative partnership with key stakeholders will position our region as a must-visit destination in the highly competitive global tourism market, bringing more visitors into our communities.

Continuing the push to be a leader in collaboration and partnership, ACOA’s impact can’t be understated. On average, for every dollar the Agency invested, an additional $1.13 was leveraged in partner funding.

Friends, the momentum in Atlantic Canada is plain to see. And with the wind in our sails, now is the time to seize opportunities and support the people, communities and businesses that make Atlantic Canada one of the best places in the world to live and to grow a business.

I am pleased to present ACOA’s 2023-24 Departmental Results Report and encourage you to read about the Agency’s achievements and the lasting success of Atlantic Canada’s economic development sector.

Results – what we achieved

Core responsibilities and internal services

Core responsibility: Economic Development in Atlantic Canada

Description

Support Atlantic Canada’s economic growth, wealth creation and economic prosperity through inclusive clean growth and by building on competitive regional strengths. Help small and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs) growth through direct financial assistance and, indirectly, through business support organizations. SMEs become more innovative by adopting new technologies and processes and by pursuing new avenues for expansion and market diversification to compete and succeed in a global market.

Progress on results

This section presents details on how the department performed to achieve results and meet targets for the core responsibility Economic Development in Atlantic Canada. Details are presented by departmental result.

Table 1 Targets and results for Economic Development in Atlantic Canada

Table 1 provides a summary of the target and actual results for each indicator associated with the results under Economic Development in Atlantic Canada.

Businesses are innovative and growing in Canada
Departmental result indicators
Target
Date to achieve target
Actual results
Number of high-growth firms in Atlantic Canada
600
March 31, 2024
  • 2021-22: 660 (2019)
  • 2022-23: 590 (2020)
  • 2023-24: 820 (2021)
Value of exports of goods from Atlantic Canada ($)
$33 billion
March 31, 2024
  • 2021-22: $33.3 billion (2021)
  • 2022-23: $41.9 billion (2022)
  • 2023-24: $38.9 billion (2023)
Value of export of clean technologies from Atlantic Canada ($)Footnote 1
$740 million
March 31, 2024
  • 2021-22: $458 million (2020)
  • 2022-23: $663 million (2021)
  • 2023-24: $895 million (2022)
Revenue growth rate of firms supported by ACOA programsFootnote 2
7.0%
March 31, 2024
  • 2021-22: 6.9% (2015-2020, excl. 2018)
  • 2022-23: 8.1% (2016-2021, excl. 2018)
  • 2023-24: 6.8% (2017-2022, excl. 2018)
Businesses invest in the development and commercialization of innovative technologies in Atlantic Canada
Departmental result indicators
Target
Date to achieve target
Actual results
Value of business expenditures in research and development by firms receiving ACOA program funding ($)Footnote 3
$88 million
March 31, 2024
  • 2021-22: $93.7 million (2015-2019)
  • 2022-23: $104.7 million (2016-2020)
  • 2023-24: $103.6 million (2017-2021)
Percentage of businesses engaged in collaborations with higher-education institutions in Atlantic Canada
16.0%
March 31, 2024
  • 2021-22: Not available (2021)Footnote 4
  • 2022-23: Not available (2021)Footnote 5
  • 2023-24: 12.0% (2019-2020)
Communities are economically diversified in Atlantic Canada
Departmental result indicators
Target
Date to achieve target
Actual results
Percentage of Atlantic Canadian SMEs that are majority owned by women, Indigenous people, youth,Footnote 6 visible minorities and persons with disabilities
17.0% female ownership
1.0% Indigenous
10.0% youth
4.0% visible minorities
1.0% persons with disabilities
March 31, 2024
  • 2021-22:
    16.7% female
    0.4% Indigenous
    9.0% youth
    2.9% visible minorities
    1.2% persons with disabilities (2020)
  • 2022-23: Not availableFootnote 7
  • 2023-24: Not availableFootnote 8
Percentage of professional, science and technology-related jobs in Canada’s economy
33.0%
March 31, 2024
  • 2021-22: 33.7% (2021)
  • 2022-23: 32.9% (2022)
  • 2023-24: 33.2% (2023)
Amount leveraged per dollar invested by ACOA in community projects
$1.00 for every dollar invested by ACOA
March 31, 2024
  • 2021-22: $1.02 (2021-22)
  • 2022-23: $1.98 (2022-23)
  • 2023-24: $0.88 (2023-24)

Additional information on the detailed results and performance information for ACOA’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.

Details on results

The following section describes the results for the core responsibility Economic Development in Atlantic Canada in 2023-24 compared with the planned results set out in ACOA’s Departmental Plan for the year.

In 2023-24, ACOA continued to deliver targeted and regular programs in a timely, effective, adaptable and inclusive way. ACOA used its programming for investments that helped Atlantic Canadians navigate headwinds in the economy, seize economic opportunities provided by the global transition to net-zero and thrive in good-paying jobs. Investments and financing supported SMEs in their quest to grow and adopt new and clean technologies as they started up, developed new markets or became more productive, sustainable and inclusive. These efforts also supported economic development in communities of every size to help them advance and diversify their economies so that jobs stayed close to home.

As outlined in the 2023 Fall Economic Statement , Canada’s economy has remained resilient, while housing costs remained high and measures were taken against inflation. Yet, a recent report from the Atlantic Economic Council estimated that investments in major projects in Atlantic Canada, with the help of demographic increases and transition toward renewable energy, would increase by 11% to reach $16.5 billion in 2024.Footnote 9 Atlantic Canada continued to thrive in the ocean innovation space, ranking No. 8 among the Top 10 Blue Economy Startup Ecosystems and highlighted among the Top 5 for North American “Blue Economy Ecosystems by Region and Ecosystems to Watch.” Footnote 10

It is with this encouragement that the Agency continued to support growth, seeking to drive competitiveness through investments targeting strategic sectors such as food, oceans, aquaculture, clean technology and tourism, all while supporting advanced manufacturing, the startup ecosystem and exports. In a survey of ACOA clients conducted during an evaluation of the Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI) program, approximately 95% of respondents saidFootnote 11 that the program is tailored to the needs of the region and that there is a continued need for the program. The REGI evaluation also found that, nationally, the program helps offset the major barriers of access to labour, access to financing and the high cost of conducting business faced by companies in Canada, maximizing its benefits to the regions.

Through its programs, ACOA spent a total of $396.8 million on 2,470 projects, helping to maintain or create an estimated 7,400 jobs in the region. These investments leveraged an average of $1.13 in partner funding for every dollar ACOA approved. Regular programs supported 1,736 projects and 5,100 estimated jobs with $254.9 million in spending, while targeted and temporary initiatives spent $141.9 million on 734 projects that maintained or created an estimated 2,280 jobs. Targeted support included the following: the Tourism Growth Program, a new 3-year national initiative, providing
13 projects with $703,667 in funding to develop local tourism products and experiences that position Atlantic Canada as an all-season destination of choice for domestic and international travellers; continued delivery of the Black Entrepreneurship Program’s National Ecosystem Fund ($2.6 million in expenditures for 2 projects); the Canada Coal Transition Initiative – Infrastructure Fund (CCTI-IF) ($11.4 million in expenditures for 21 projects); the Canadian Experiences Fund ($243,117 in expenditures for 2 projects); and the sunsetting of economic relief and recovery initiatives such as the Aerospace Regional Recovery Initiative ($7.9 million in expenditures for 12 projects), the Canada Community Revitalization Fund ($19.7 million in expenditures for 261 projects), the Hurricane Fiona Recovery Fund ($68.3 million in expenditures for 155 projects), the Jobs and Growth Fund ($11.6 million in expenditures for 69 projects), the Prince Edward Island Potato Stabilization and Innovation Initiative ($11.2 million in expenditures for 28 projects), and the Tourism Relief Fund ($8.2 million in expenditures for 171 projects).

Projects were developed and delivered collaboratively with Atlantic businesses, community stakeholders and business support organizations such as the Community Business Development Corporations (CBDCs). The Agency played important advocacy and pathfinding roles with other federal departments, the 4 provincial governments in Atlantic Canada and other stakeholders whenever possible in order to improve access to federal investments for Atlantic businesses and communities. Agency officials also collaborated with partners to ensure short-term supports were complementary in areas such as skills development and workforce, including immigration and transitioning to a greener economy.

ACOA advanced its 3 departmental results with the following initiatives, activities and actions.Footnote 12

Departmental Result 1: Businesses are innovative and growing in Atlantic Canada

The Agency worked with SMEs to capitalize on sector strengths and capacities, develop and diversify markets, and scale their businesses.

Results achieved:

  • The Agency supported 1,263 projects under business growth, and trade and investment activities with investments of $198.1 million
  • The Agency helped businesses at various stages of development – from startup to high growth – to adapt their operations and accelerate their growth and scale up, and to enhance their supply chains, productivity and competitiveness in both domestic and global markets. In 2023-24, ACOA clientsFootnote 13 continued to invest in productivity enhancements and are retraining staff to support market- and product-growth opportunities. Between 2016 and 2021, ACOA clients did better than their counterparts in most respects.Footnote 14
    • grew their productivity by an average of 2.5% annually by:
      • increasing their sales by an average of 5.8% annually compared to 3.3% for comparable non-clients
      • growing employment at an average rate of 3.2% compared to -0.1% for comparable non-clients
  • ACOA helped Atlantic Canadian SMEs accelerate digitalization and the use of transformative technologies to ensure businesses have the capacity to implement advanced manufacturing solutions to be more innovative, agile and resilient in response to changing market conditions. This includes increasing the use of e-commerce to facilitate business transactions, better meet consumer demand, generate added sales and increase efficiency. Through the Digital Acceleration Pilot Program that ran from 2021 to early 2024, ACOA invested a total of $7.5 million in 189 projects
  • Despite economic headwinds, ACOA supported SME growth through exports in key industry sectors such as seafood. Between 2016 and 2021, ACOA clients expanded exports by an average of 9.6% annually compared to 4.5% for comparable non-clients.Footnote 15 The renewed 2023 to 2027 Atlantic Trade and Investment Growth Strategy committed a total of $20 million to pursue international business opportunities and attract foreign investment. In 2023-24, the Atlantic Trade and Investment Growth Agreement invested $2.8 million in 23 projects
  • The Atlantic Canada Agreement on Tourism, a collaborative federal-provincial-industry initiative with over 3 decades of history, was renewed for $30 million over 4½ years and continues to actively support the tourism sector in Atlantic Canada. In 2023, the 3-year Tourism Growth Program, which is a key element of the newly launched Federal Tourism Growth Strategy, went beyond recovery to concentrate on leveraging opportunities in communities to develop local tourism products and experiences in all seasons. Additionally, approximately 15% of the program fund is to be dedicated to Indigenous-led tourism initiatives
  • ACOA helped SMEs accelerate their growth. Between 2016 and 2021, the number of ACOA-assisted high-growth firmsFootnote 16 increased by 46.9% annually.Footnote 17 Twelve Atlantic Canadian businesses leveraged their growth plans under the Accelerated Growth Service, for a total of 151 who have done so since the service’s creation. Led by ACOA in Atlantic Canada and involving other federal and provincial organizations, activities helped to build a pipeline of clients with strong potential for growth and provided them with focused sales and export support
  • ACOA fostered the participation of Atlantic Canadian companies in emerging energy industries such as hydrogen, offshore wind, energy storage and small modular reactors. For example, the Agency worked closely with Natural Resources Canada to advance opportunities under the Canada-Germany Hydrogen Alliance, notably ensuring Atlantic companies and First Nations representation in the Canada-Germany Hydrogen and Ammonia Producer-Offtaker Conference in Hamburg in March 2024
  • The Agency also supported Atlantic Canadian companies in traditional energy industries and communities through the CCTI-IF as they transitioned to a low-carbon future
  • ACOA positioned Atlantic Canadian firms to leverage major Canadian Coast Guard and defence procurement projects through Canada’s Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) Policy by facilitating partnerships between regional stakeholders and global aerospace and defence firms. The Agency responded to 20 capability requests; participated in 12 bid evaluations; facilitated over 330 business-to-business meetings at 10 major domestic and international trade events; and organized 6 regional tours to support and advocate for Atlantic Canadian firms

ACOA Support in Action: Success Stories

Newfoundland and Labrador’s Instrumar Limited develops real-time, sensor-based monitoring systems for synthetic fibre manufacturers. ACOA helped to accelerate its international expansion to bring its innovative technology to more companies.

Nova Scotia’s Oberland Agriscience upcycles organic waste into high-value protein products that serve as ingredients in livestock feed, aquafeed and pet food. With ACOA support, it built a new commercial facility that will turn up to 40 tonnes of organic waste daily into usable products.

Prince Edward Island BioAlliance supported the creation and growth of innovative bioscience companies in Atlantic Canada by providing specialized commercialization, export and mentorship services to those at all stages of the business life cycle.

To facilitate its growth, New Brunswick’s Bulletproof put emphasis on improving employee training and customer services while providing IT expert support, services and guidance to small and large businesses as it grows and adapts to today’s complex IT, cybersecurity and compliance needs.

Departmental Result 2: Businesses invest in the development and commercialization of innovative technologies in Atlantic Canada

The Agency contributed to businesses investing in new technologies to improve their efficiency, productivity, competitiveness and growth. This was accomplished through key programs such as the REGI program, which includes specific support for Black-led businesses.

Results achieved:

  • ACOA laid the foundation for more Atlantic Canadian firms to invest in research and development to enhance their productivity and capacity to innovate, to help create industry-advancing solutions for some of the biggest sectoral challenges, and to grow trade through partnerships among innovators. The Agency supported 226 projects under innovation ecosystems, research and development, and commercialization activities with investments of $56.3 million. Between 2017 and 2021, ACOA clients spent $103.6 million of their own revenues on research and development
  • The Agency worked to create, grow and nurture inclusive regional ecosystems that support business needs and foster an entrepreneurial environment conducive to innovation, growth and competitiveness by convening innovation ecosystem stakeholders. Between 2019 and 2022, the percentage of businesses engaged in collaborations with higher education institutions stood at 17.6%
  • ACOA facilitated collaboration among the region’s business accelerators and incubators (BAIs) and enhanced the ecosystem’s national visibility, notably through its financial support to establish Startup Atlantic. This support network and brand for Atlantic BAIs is helping to fill gaps in the Atlantic ecosystem; and it created opportunities for startups to network, gain valuable insights and get access to capital. In addition to helping startups through BAIs, ACOA provided direct support to 84 unique startups in 2023-24
  • ACOA invested in the greening of Atlantic Canadian companies by supporting the adaptation, adoption and creation of new technologies, waste optimization, clean energy adoption and the decarbonization of key sectors. For example, manufacturers across multiple sectors leveraged Agency support to implement automated equipment to improve productivity and reduce waste
  • The Agency’s activities leveraged the region’s significant potential for renewable energy, electrification and energy efficiency, and helped SMEs navigate changing market and technology dynamics of the global energy transition. This included supporting SMEs’ ability to increase energy efficiency, to lower greenhouse gas emissions, and to enhance their competitiveness in the global marketplace
  • ACOA advocated for the advancement of energy innovation, including small modular reactors and hydrogen, and the modified Atlantic Loop initiative to connect surplus clean power to regions transitioning away from coal and transform how Atlantic Canada’s economy and communities are powered

ACOA Support in Action: Success Stories

Prince Edward Island’s Bluefield Seeding Solutions is innovating in the potato industry with a system that allows precise planting and optimization of growing conditions. This system is reducing fertilizer and pesticide use while improving crop yield and quality.

New Brunswick’s Dizolve manufactures biodegradable cleaning strips such as laundry detergent. To keep up with demand, it invests in equipment that improves production capacity and reduces waste, while also protecting their supply chain.

Nova Scotia’s MIMOSA Diagnostics’ mission is to deliver tissue health imaging technology to drive equity in health care. It is doing so by innovating patient care with a hand-held tool that can detect skin injuries such as bedsores before skin breakdown begins. They have already begun selling to early adopters in the United States.

Newfoundland and Labrador’s Duxion Motors, specializing in propulsion systems for aircraft and marine vessels that reduce carbon emissions, is developing and commercializing electric jet propulsion technology to capitalize on emerging market opportunities in the aerospace sector.

Departmental Result 3: Communities are economically diversified in Atlantic Canada

The Agency will invest in inclusive growth, support the launch and growth of SMEs, and invest in community capacity to plan, attract, hire and retain skilled talent to support a clean and sustainable economy.

Results achieved:

  • The Agency supported 966 projects focusing on inclusive community and diversified community priorities with spending of $136.1 million. Every dollar approved by ACOA in community projects leveraged $0.88 in 2023-24 despite a challenging environment, including recovery from COVID-19, climate events, and high demand for funding
  • ACOA provided $14.1 million to the CBDC network for the Community Futures program to support the creation and expansion of small businesses throughout rural communities in Atlantic Canada
  • ACOA continues to prioritize economic diversification as demonstrated through the percentage of professional-, science- and technology-related jobs in the region, which represented 33.2% of all jobs in Atlantic Canada’s economy in 2023
  • SME ownership among under-represented groups saw a decline across Atlantic Canada from 2017 to 2020. However, the Agency’s clients from under-represented groups continued to demonstrate strong performance. Between 2016 and 2020:Footnote 18
    • Youth-owned SMEs that received ACOA support saw higher growth in employment, payroll, sales and labour productivity than other age groups
    • Immigrant-owned SMEs that received ACOA support performed better on sales, labour productivity, payroll and employment growth than ACOA clients born in Canada
  • ACOA continued its pathfinder role, supporting federal and provincial partners and leveraging initiatives such as the Atlantic Immigration Program to help address labour and skills shortages for SMEs. Additionally, the Agency helped increase the region’s capacity to attract global talent and retain newcomers through enhanced settlement support, and ensured immigrant entrepreneurs led successful businesses and were integrated into the economy, including in rural areas. International immigration brought 32,360 skilled newcomers to the Atlantic region in 2023Footnote 19
  • ACOA helped SMEs build their workforce capacity and skills in growing sectors, enhanced workforce opportunities for under-represented groups, and assisted labour attraction and retention
  • The Agency promoted diversity and inclusion to enhance SME competitiveness by delivering support for under-represented entrepreneurs and addressing gaps in the ecosystem to help them grow their businesses and pursue new opportunities. This included supporting entrepreneurial women, Indigenous people, official language minority community members, Black Canadians, racialized communities, recent immigrants, visible minorities, youth, and persons with disabilities
  • ACOA strove to reach a larger number of Indigenous businesses by supporting efforts that targeted capacity building and increasing knowledge and awareness by convening federal, provincial, stakeholder and community partners through joint participation in key committees, initiatives and communities of interest. In 2023-24, ACOA invested in 110 Indigenous economic development projects with expenditures of $16.3 million
  • ACOA continued to deliver the Hurricane Fiona Recovery Fund to support communities, organizations and businesses that had exhausted all other sources of financial support and had an immediate need, quantifiable loss or damage directly resulting from Hurricane Fiona. In 2023-24, ACOA invested $68.3 million in 155 projects
  • Support to local and regional economic diversification in communities affected by the phase-out of coal-fired electricity generation through the CCTI-IF was also offered. An evaluation of the CCTI and CCTI-IF programs found that through its local presence, in-depth knowledge of the local economy and relationships with stakeholders, ACOA is delivering targeted CCTI and CCTI-IF investments that address the distinct needs of affected communities related to diversifying their economies and transitioning away from coal-fired electricity

ACOA Support in Action: Success Stories

The Town of Stratford, in P.E.I., is constructing the Stratford Waterfront Gathering and Event Space, a multi-functional event space with pedestrian walkways and a performance venue equipped with lighting and electrical infrastructure. The project showcases the town’s heritage, culture and art, while supporting new programming and inclusion.

New Brunswick’s Greater Fredericton Social Innovation Inc. supports local employment for skilled immigrant IT professionals by employing them and contracting out to local employers to provide IT support. This experience – often the first Canadian work experience in a newcomer’s area of expertise – leads to stronger professional networks and full-time professional opportunities, increasing the workforce pipeline.

In Newfoundland and Labrador, the Innu Nation prepared a pre-design report and will complete the development of the design for the Labrador Innu Cultural Centre, which will be in Sheshatshiu. This cultural centre will be a key piece of community infrastructure that will serve to protect, preserve and promote the history, customs, knowledge and culture of the Labrador Innu while maximizing tourism opportunities.

Nova Scotia’s Pictou County Partnership recognized that a lack of familiarity was preventing many local employers from using immigration programs to address labour shortages. With ACOA support, the Partnership began a targeted outreach program to support employers with immigration application processes.

Key risks

ACOA faced two main risks to fulfilling its mandate. The first is that the Agency’s economic development programming could potentially be affected by external factors impacting economic growth, such as implications of COVID-19 and climate-related events. The second is related to the capacity of ACOA’s stakeholders – other governments, partners, communities and clients – to identify, develop and successfully implement strategic projects. This was especially true in the sunsetting of temporary programs related to COVID-19 and Hurricane Fiona, and the uneven economic impacts across sectors.

ACOA capitalized on the flexibility of its programs, advocated on behalf of Atlantic Canada in various spheres, including federal and regional tables, and worked with partners to exchange valuable information and best practices. It supported analysis on regional economic issues and collaborated with stakeholders to foster client and community capacity to target key federal priorities.

Resources required to achieve results

Table 2 Snapshot of resources required for Economic Development in Atlantic Canada

Table 2 provides a summary of the planned and actual spending and full-time equivalents required to achieve results.

Table provides a summary of the planned and actual spending and full-time equivalents (FTEs) required to achieve results.
Resource
Planned
Actual
Spending
$362,794,782
$447,178,438
FTEs
387
371

Complete financial and human resources information for ACOA’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.

Related government-wide priorities

Program inventory

Economic Development in Atlantic Canada is supported by the following programs:

  • Inclusive Communities
  • Diversified Communities
  • Research and Development, and Commercialization
  • Innovation Ecosystems
  • Business Growth
  • Trade and Investment
  • Policy Research and Engagement

Additional information related to the program inventory for Economic Development in Atlantic Canada is available on the Results page on GC InfoBase.

Internal services

Description

Internal services are those provided within a department so that it can meet its corporate obligations and deliver its programs. There are 10 categories of internal services:

  • Management and Oversight
  • Communications
  • Legal
  • Human Resources Management
  • Financial Management
  • Information Management
  • Information Technology
  • Real Property Management
  • Materiel Management
  • Acquisition Management

Progress on results

This section presents details on how the department performed to achieve results and meet targets for internal services.

ACOA continued to support the Government of Canada’s directive for Prescribed Presence in the Workplace by ensuring Agency staff had access to a safe workplace. The Agency also focused on implementing innovative and intentional strategies to recruit and retain a diverse, mobilized and empowered workforce by supporting activities and initiatives aligned with the Clerk’s Call to Action and other Government-wide priorities.

Specifically, Internal Services undertook the following activities to support the Agency in 2023-24:

  • responded to the Forward Direction of the Call to Action through the work of the Office of Equity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism by implementing the first year of the Agency’s 2023 – 2026 Equity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism Action Plan, which contains recruitment, retention and career development objectives for equity-seeking groups
  • implemented the second year of the Agency’s 2022–2024 Wellness Action Plan, which further socialized the 13 psychosocial factors, and continued to prioritize and update the harassment and violence prevention program tools, including revamping the Hazard Prevention Program
  • implemented the modernized Official Languages Act and ensured compliance with new official language regulations. Centralized the governance and coordination of language training to strategically align with legislated requirements and better meet the needs of employees among equity-seeking groups so they may have access to language training earlier in their careers
  • continued to respond to the government-wide strategy “Nothing Without Us” by implementing the Agency’s triennial Accessibility Plan to create barrier-free and inclusive workplaces and services for employees
  • additionally, as an official passport adopter organization, the Agency strongly supported the implementation of the Accessibility Passport by promoting this initiative during the National AccessAbility Week and ensuring that management is fully aware of their duty to accommodate obligations
  • continued to focus on recognizing, recruiting, developing and retaining diverse talent at all levels by endorsing the Agency’s Talent Management Program, Building and Supporting Leaders, which promotes inclusive leadership development for leaders at all levels and focuses on the needs of equity-seeking employees by developing and promoting leadership learning maps and implementing new learning and career management systems that will enhance support for purposeful leadership development and talent management
  • continued to modernize program activities, which led to the third major release of the Agency’s grants and contributions program management system and the establishment of a Program Delivery Modernization Governance Framework
  • continued to implement information management/information technology initiatives in support of the Government of Canada’s Digital Ambition to help advance digital service delivery and cybersecurity
  • strengthened ACOA’s procurement regime through the creation of contracting review boards and the integration of environmental performance considerations into procurement processes
  • positioned the Agency to meet its commitment for the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) goal by fiscal 2030-31, as per the Greening Government Strategy, by developing an Agency-specific ZEV plan

Resources required to achieve results

Table 3: Resources required to achieve results for internal services this year

Table 3 provides a summary of the planned and actual spending and FTEs required to achieve results.

Table provides a summary of the planned and actual spending and full-time equivalents required to achieve results.
Resource
Planned
Actual
Spending
$27,434,430
$31,252,148
FTEs
197
199

The complete financial and human resources information for ACOA’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.

Contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses

Government of Canada departments are to meet a target of awarding at least 5% of the total value of contracts to Indigenous businesses each year. This commitment is to be fully implemented by the end of 2024-25.

ACOA’s results for 2023-24
Table 4 Total value of contracts awarded to Indigenous businessesFootnote 20

Table 4 shows that ACOA awarded 27.8% of the total value of all contracts to Indigenous businesses for the fiscal year.

Table shows that ACOA awarded 27.8% of the total value of all contracts to Indigenous businesses for the fiscal year
Contracting performance indicators
2023-24 results
Total value of contracts awarded to Indigenous businessesFootnote 21 (A)
$   950,548
Total value of contracts awarded to Indigenous and non-Indigenous businesses (B)
$3,414,169
Value of exceptions approved by deputy head (C)
$0
Proportion of contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses [A / (B−C) × 100]
27.8%

ACOA was part of the Phase 2 cohort of departments and agencies mandated to meet this minimum target in fiscal year 2023-24 and ongoing.

ACOA collaborates with Indigenous Services Canada, Procurement Assistance Canada, as well as key Indigenous partners from all Atlantic provinces as a member of the Atlantic Indigenous Business Capacity Building Committee. This committee oversees the planning, co-development and implementation of an Atlantic Indigenous business development strategy to facilitate access to federal procurement for Indigenous businesses. This collaborative effort provides a mechanism to engage with Indigenous people and businesses in the Atlantic region to increase federal procurement opportunities and build capacity for Indigenous businesses.

In its 2024-25 Departmental Plan, ACOA forecasted that, by the end of 2023-24, it would award 5% of the total value of its contracts to Indigenous businesses. It has exceeded the 5% target on the value of its procurement activity, and every effort will be made to continue to do so.

Spending and human resources

Spending

This section presents an overview of the department’s actual and planned expenditures from 2021-22 to 2026-27.

Budgetary performance summary

Table 5: Actual 3-year spending on core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)

Table 5 presents how much money ACOA spent over the past 3 years to carry out its core responsibilities and for internal services.

Table presents how much money ACOA spent over the past 3 years to carry out its core responsibilities and for internal services.
Core responsibilities and internal services
2023-24 Main Estimates
2023-24 total authorities available for use
Actual spending over 3 years (authorities used)
Economic Development in Atlantic Canada
$362,794,782
$493,474,648
  • 2021-22: $414,266,127
  • 2022-23: $402,753,191
  • 2023-24: $447,178,438
Internal services
$  27,434,430
$  33,177,170
  • 2021-22: $29,224,086
  • 2022-23: $30,372,837
  • 2023-24: $31,252,148
Total
$390,229,212
$526,651,818
  • 2021-22: $443,490,213
  • 2022-23: $433,126,028
  • 2023-24: $478,430,586

More financial information from previous years is available on the Finances section of GC Infobase.

Table 6: Planned 3-year spending on core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)

Table 6 presents how much money ACOA plans to spend over the next 3 years to carry out its core responsibilities and for internal services.

Table presents how much money ACOA plans to spend over the next three years to carry out its core responsibilities and for internal services.
Core responsibilities and internal services
2024-25 planned spending
2025-26 planned spending
2026-27 planned spending
Economic Development in Atlantic Canada

$357,057,686

$313,056,667
$221,582,508
Internal services
$  28,585,667
$  28,548,283
$  28,406,182
Total
$385,643,353
$341,604,950
$249,988,690

More detailed financial information from previous years is available on the Finances section of GC Infobase.

Funding

This section provides an overview of the department’s voted and statutory funding for its core responsibilities and for internal services. For further information on funding authorities, consult the Government of Canada budgets and expenditures.

Graph 1: Approved funding (statutory and voted) over a 6-year period

Graph 1 summarizes the department’s approved voted and statutory funding from 2021-22 to 2026-27.

[alt text]. Text version below:

For further information on ACOA’s departmental voted and statutory expenditures, consult the Public Accounts of Canada.

Financial statement highlights

ACOA’s complete financial statements (unaudited or audited) for the year ended March 31, 2024, are available online.

Table 7: Condensed Statement of Operations (unaudited or audited) for the year ended March 31, 2024 (dollars)

Table summarizes the expenses and revenues for 2023-24, which are net to the cost of operations before government funding and transfers.
Financial information
2023-24 actual
results
2023-24 planned results
Difference (actual results minus planned)
Total expenses
$335,455,964
$395,968,826
$(60,512,862)
Total revenues
$          39,861
$          26,294
$         13,567
Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers
$335,416,103
$395,942,532
$(60,526,429)

The 2023-24 planned results information is provided in ACOA’s Future-Oriented Statement of Operations and Notes 2023-24.

Table 8: Actual Expenses and Revenues, Net of Cost of Operations, for the year ended March 31, 2024 (dollars)

Table summarizes actual expenses and revenues that are net of the cost of operations before government funding and transfers.
Financial information
2023-24 actual results
2022-23 actual results

Difference (2023-24 minus 2022-23)

Total expenses
$335,455,964
$312,763,490
$22,692,474
Total revenues
$          39,861
$          49,489
$        (9,628)
Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers
$335,416,103
$312,714,001
$22,702,102

Table 9: Condensed Statement of Financial Position (unaudited or audited) as of March 31, 2024 (dollars)

Table 9 provides a brief snapshot of the department’s liabilities (what it owes) and assets (what the department owns), which helps to indicate its ability to carry out programs and services.

Table provides a brief snapshot of the department’s liabilities (what it owes) and assets (what the department owns), which helps to indicate its ability to carry out programs and services.
Financial information
Actual fiscal year (2023-24)
Previous fiscal year (2022-23)
Difference (2023–24 minus 2022–23)
Total net liabilities
$68,914,329
$61,033,365
$7,880,964
Total net financial assets
$62,305,371
$54,346,818
$7,958,553
Departmental net debt
$  6,608,958
$  6,686,547
$    (77,589)
Total non-financial assets
$  6,174,632
$  5,491,944
$   682,688
Departmental net financial position
$   (434,326)
$ (1,194,603)
$   760,277

Human resources

This section presents an overview of the department’s actual and planned human resources from 2021-22 to 2026-27.

Table 10: Actual human resources for core responsibilities and internal services

Table 10 shows a summary of human resources, in FTEs, for ACOA’s core responsibilities and for its internal services for the last 3 fiscal years.

Table shows a summary of human resources, in FTEs, for ACOA’s core responsibilities and for its internal services for the last 3 fiscal years.
Core responsibilities and internal services
2021-22 actual FTEs
2022-23 actual FTEs
2023-24 actual FTEs
Economic Development in Atlantic Canada
394
386
371
Internal services
201
210
199
Total
595
596
570

Table 11: Human resources planning summary for core responsibilities and internal services

Table 11 shows information on human resources, in FTEs, for each of ACOA’s core responsibilities and for its internal services planned for the next three years. Human resources for the current fiscal year are forecast based on year to date.

Table shows information on human resources, in FTEs, for each of ACOA’s core responsibilities and for its internal services planned for the next three years. Human resources for the current fiscal year are forecast based on year to date.
Core responsibilities and internal services
2024-25 planned FTEs
2025-26 planned FTEs
2026-27 planned
FTEs
Economic Development in Atlantic Canada
378
375
371
Internal services
195
193
191
Total
573
568
562

Corporate information

Supplementary information tables

The following supplementary information tables are available on ACOA’s website:

Federal tax expenditures

The tax system can be used to achieve public policy objectives through the application of special measures such as low tax rates, exemptions, deductions, deferrals and credits. The Department of Finance Canada publishes cost estimates and projections for these measures each year in the Report on Federal Tax Expenditures. This report also provides detailed background information on tax expenditures, including descriptions, objectives, historical information and references to related federal spending programs as well as evaluations and GBA Plus of tax expenditures.

Definitions

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