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2021-2022 Achievements for the Implementation of Section 41

Part VII of the Official Languages Act
Prepared by: Nafissa Dramé Dia
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

Minister responsible:

The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor
Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

Deputy Head:

Francis P. McGuire
President of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
francis.mcguire@acoa-apeca.gc.ca / Tel.: 506-851-6128

Name of the person responsible for official languages (Parts IV, V and VI of the Official Languages Act (OLA)):

Stéphane Lagacé
Vice President, Finance and Corporate Services
Stephane.Lagace@acoa-apeca.gc.ca  / Tel.: 506-851-6438
Ginette LeBlanc
Senior Advisor of Official Languages, Employment Equity and HR Planning, Human Resources
ginette.leblanc@acoa-apeca.gc.ca / Tel.: 506-851-6508

Name of the national coordinator or contact person responsible for the implementation of section 41 (Part VII) of the OLA.:

Eddie Rutanga
Manager, Communities and Inclusive Growth
Eddie.Rutanga@acoa-apeca.gc.ca / Tél.: (506) 874-9605

Nafissa Dramé Dia
Program Officer, Communities and Inclusive Growth
Nafissa.dramedia@acoa-apeca.gc.ca / Tel.: 506-961-1249

General Information

Context

The Official Languages Act (the Act) requires the President of the Treasury Board to submit an annual report to Parliament on the status of programs in federal institutions relating to Parts IV, V and VI. It also requires the Minister of Canadian Heritage to submit an annual report to Parliament on the implementation of Section 41 of the Act (Part VII) by federal institutions. The Minister of Canadian Heritage’s official languages responsibilities are currently assumed by the Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.

The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) and the Department of Canadian Heritage (PCH) are working together to coordinate the collection of information required to prepare both annual reports to Parliament.

Instructions

This year, your institution is asked to submit a Review on Official Languages. The templates to be used are attached. Your duly completed review must be returned electronically to: OLReview-BilanLO@tbs-sct.gc.ca and portail41-gateway41@pch.gc.ca by May 31, 2022. We will also use your statistical data, which we will obtain through the Position and Classification Information System as of March 31, 2022.

Federal institutions are responsible for communicating their Review regarding the implementation of Parts IV, V, VI and VII of the Act to the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages (comm@clo-ocol.gc.ca), both Parliamentary Standing Committees on Official Languages (ollo@sen.parl.gc.ca and lang@parl.gc.ca), and to the various community stakeholders (the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada (info@fcfa.ca) and the Quebec Community Groups Network (info@qcgn.ca), amongst others).

Part VII of the Act

Enhancing the vitality and development of official language minority communities and the advancement of English and French in Canadian society

All federal institutions should answer all of the questions. Information collected through this process is used by Canadian Heritage to prepare the Annual Report on Official Languages, the Best Practices Digests for part VII and various other tools to support federal institutions with the implementation of part VII of the Official Languages Act.

Ongoing Dialogue

How does your institution ensure that it is aware of the priorities and needs of French-speaking communities outside Quebec and English-speaking communities within Quebec?

Please specify the methods used, list the organizations/communities with whom you were in contact, as well as how you took the priorities and needs of these communities into account when planning your activities.

As usual, during the 2021-2022 fiscal year ACOA conducted several actions aimed at better understanding the priorities and needs of official language minority communities (OLMCs) in Atlantic Canada.

• Externally, the Agency actively participated in the conceptualization and implementation of three consultation sessions with francophone and Acadian minority community stakeholders from all regions of the country. These sessions are part of the consultation strategy put forward by the Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISDE), which involves other stakeholders, including ACOA and other regional development agencies (RDAs).

  This strategy consisted of three work sessions. The purpose of this first session, held on April 28, 2021, was to reflect on the major issues involving the economic development of communities within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The second and third consultation sessions, held respectively on November 17, 2021, and on February 23, 2022, focused respectively on tourism and the sharing of best practices relating to the pandemic. The goal of these three sessions was to promote information-sharing while gathering the participants' points of view and suggestions, which are essential to the strategies and actions of government partners.

• Internally, the Agency organized two sessions through the Committee set up a few years ago with the four Réseau de développement économique et d’employabilité (RDÉE) throughout Atlantic Canada.

  • Le Conseil économique du Nouveau-Brunswick inc. (CENB)
  • RDÉE Î.-P.-É. inc.
  • Le Conseil de développement économique de la Nouvelle-Écosse (CDENÉ)
  • HORIZON TNL

  The first session, held on Thursday June 17, 2021, was an opportunity to provide updates on the challenges encountered during the pandemic and the adaptation measures taken to ensure business continuity.

  During the second session, on Wednesday March 16, 2022, the participants discussed francophone immigration, its challenges and how they could be overcome.

• At the level of the provinces, the same activities are organized to help ACOA regional offices stay abreast of the priorities and needs of Atlantic OLMCS.

  In the Newfoundland and Labrador region during 2021-2022, the two main non-governmental organizations that ACOA worked with on French-speaking community needs were Horizon NL, and Federation des Francophones de Terre-Neuve et du Labrador (FFTNL).

  ACOA NL has a long-time relationship with both organizations and regularly confers with and collaborates with the organizations to determine whether their projects and priorities are a fit for the economic development mandate of ACOA NL.

• ACOA Nova Scotia staff ensure that they are aware of OLMC priorities by routinely collaborating, and consulting with OLMC organizations such as those listed below. The list includes pan Atlantic, pan provincial as well as regional organizations in southwest Nova Scotia and Cape Breton.

  • Le CDÉNÉ
  • L’Université Sainte-Anne (US-A)
  • La Fédération culturelle acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse (FÉCANE)
  • La Société Nationale de l’Acadie (SNA)
  • Société Mi-Carême
  • Yarmouth & Acadian Shores Tourism Association (YASTA)
  • Municipality of the District of Clare
  • Le Congrès mondiale acadien 2024 (CMA 2024)

  Staff also attends events hosted by their OLMC partners. Examples of the activities in 2021 2022 include:

  • Attendance at CDÉNÉ AGM
  • Ongoing discussions with the CMA 2024 Executive Director and project evaluation of CMA 2024 proposal
  • Agency staff worked in close collaboration with the SNA as it is Canadian lead of two subcommittees (Societal Matters and Economic and Sustainable Development) of the Joint Commission for Regional Cooperation between Atlantic Canada and Saint-Pierre et Miquelon.
  • Agency staff had ongoing dialogue with Yarmouth & Acadian Shores Tourism Association and the Municipality of the District of Clare’s Tourism manager to discuss opportunities in the OLMCs’ tourism sector.

  Four Agency staff remain co located with the OLMC economic development organizations listed below.

  • Digby and Yarmouth Community Business Development Corporations (CBDC)
  • Réseau de développement économique et employabilité (RDÉE Canada)
  • The CDÉNÉ
  • French-language career resource centre.

  Doing so allowed easy access to partners and the ability to consult directly during the project evaluation process.

Tangible Results

Please highlight the positive measures taken by your institution to enhance the vitality and development of official language minority communities. Please ensure to include activities taking place in the regions, where applicable.

Please include in your response a description of the initiatives, the impacts, the results and the success factors.

To enhance the vitality and development of official language minority communities in Atlantic Canada, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) supports the projects of a number of clients whose results will have a positive impact on these communities.

• In New Brunswick, ACOA provided a contribution of $183,500 to Véloroute de la Péninsule acadienne Inc. for the implementation of a marketing and communication strategy, including the development of a digital strategy and its roadmap.

  The project will enable the company to promote the Véloroute at a national level to attract tourists to the region. Highlights of the project include the development of a digital strategy and its roadmap, the development of an “Allo Vélo” certification program encouraging stakeholders in the tourism ecosystem of the Acadian Peninsula to take specialized training to gain the necessary knowledge to become “bike friendly” in their accommodation, restaurant and tourist experience offerings, as well as to meet the various expectations of tourists and bike enthusiasts.

  The idea for the Véloroute began in 2005 and, from 2007 to 2015, different parts of the route were built, through funding from several municipalities and the Province of New Brunswick. In 2018, a major investment from ACOA and the Province of New Brunswick helped the project come to fruition and established the main path of the Véloroute de la Péninsule acadienne, which spans a whole region.

  Today, the trail network has quite extensive coverage throughout the Acadian Peninsula, connecting local service districts to existing municipal paths. With over 600 km spanning over 14 paths, it features 310 km of bike trails, which includes 240 km on paved roads (mostly on shoulder) and 70 km of developed off-road trails. Despite the general slowdown in tourist traffic caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is estimated that in the next few years, the economic benefits of this project will be between 5 and 7 million dollars, given the potential to attract more than 30,000 users per year.

• ACOA supported the Coopérative Radio Restigouche Ltée by approving $33,719 out of a budget of $44,959 under the Canada Community Revitalization Fund for the installation of access ramps in two of the organization’s locations (Balmoral and Campbellton), as well as the purchase and installation of an automatic propane generator in Campbellton. These upgrades will allow persons with disabilities to have access to the programs and ensure the dissemination of community radio, including uninterrupted dissemination during bad weather, contributing to the vitality of official language minority communities in northern New Brunswick.

• ACOA supported the Coopérative des montagnes Limitée – Radio Communautaire, by approving $7,458 out of a budget of $14,916 under the Canada Community Revitalization Fund for the installation of air conditioners at both of the transmission towers. This project will allow for the replacement of an energy-intensive traditional heating and fan system and contribute to the vitality of official language minority communities in the region of Edmundston and Grand-Falls by ensuring ongoing access to French programs. The funding will also help reduce the community radio’s operating costs and support the sustainability of the organization.

• ACOA provided a contribution of $91,082 to the Madawaska Community Business Development Corporation (CBDC) to enable it to continue offering the “Starting a business” program, which aims to help participants plan their business start-up and become familiar with managing a small business. The program will produce two cohorts of a maximum of 12 people each. The clients targeted by this training program are  members of the community who have business ideas, The Hive participants, entrepreneurs from the Self Employment Benefit Program, new arrivals (immigrants), and Indigenous peoples. The goal for the next two cohorts is to start at least 10 businesses in northwestern New Brunswick, with a target start-up rate of nearly 50% (12 businesses).

  The participants in this program, which is offered by the Madawaska CBDC at the Edmundston campus of the Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick (CCNB), have cumulatively spent nearly 250 hours on research and personal projects. Since the success criteria for the course are based on the acquisition of different skills relating to the training modules, participants must take part in all workshops.

  The “Starting a business” training program is also recognized by the Edmundston campus of the CCNB, and a course certificate is provided to all participants who obtain over 80 hours of training and guidance. The goal of the program is to help participants start their own business. In addition, according to recent discussions, it may be possible to link participants’ start-up efforts with The Hive program in Edmundston, which is aimed at helping immigrant entrepreneurs become better integrated in the community, and to promote cultural diversity in the local business community while contributing to the economic and social development of northwestern New Brunswick. A meeting of partners identified an interest in grouping mentorship, training and the principles of business incubators and accelerators. The “Starting a business” program could therefore become the training component of such a partnership, which would enhance the viability of the program in the long term.

  The Madawaska CBDC also confirmed that it is prepared to offer the “Starting a business” program in English to the other New Brunswick CBDCs. If the demand or need exists, it would be possible to work in partnership to coordinate the in-person offering of this training program in the other regions. If need be, the Madawaska CBDC is also prepared to offer the program remotely to allow other regions to take part.

• Horizon TNL worked with ACOA NL on a $26,153 project at the end of 2021 and beginning of 2022 to “Deliver an online Bilingual Post-secondary Career and Entrepreneurship Conference.” Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated risks of large group events, the 7th Bilingual Post-secondary Career and Entrepreneurship Conference is an online event. Students in Grade 11, who are francophone or studying French immersion had the opportunity to participate and gain a comprehensive understanding of the career possibilities in some of the most innovative sectors as well as entrepreneurship, where bilingualism plays a significant role.

  The initiative is consistent with RDÉE's four main objectives: 1) develop francophone networking; 2) support would-be entrepreneurs to start their own business; 3) support economic development; and 4) promote bilingualism. RDÉE TNL confines its efforts to four key sectors: Knowledge-Based Economy, Tourism, Integration of Youth Business, and Rural Development.

• In Nova Scotia, as Government of Canada’s representative and co-chair of the International Joint Commission for Regional Cooperation between the Atlantic Canadian provinces and the French Territorial Collectivity of Saint-Pierre et Miquelon, ACOA facilitated projects to promote cultural and economic exchanges between the two territories. This includes support for the RDÉE and the CACIMA to hold virtual discussion tables to create economic opportunities for their respective members, an aquaculture mission in N.B. and P.E.I. in November 2021 as well as an agriculture mission in N.S. and N.B. in March 2022.

  The Agency approved a $1.8 million contribution toward an $8.9 million project to plan and host the Congrès Mondial Acadien 2024 (CMA 2024). The investment will provide support toward the coordination, strategic marketing, and programming for the 7th edition of the CMA, which will be held August 10 to 18, 2024, in southwest Nova Scotia. Economic impact is forecasted to be in the range of $25 million and it is expected to attract 100,000 participants. The event provides an excellent opportunity to highlight the OLMCs located in southwest Nova Scotia and contribute to the promotion of French as well as cultural vitality.

• The Agency awarded Landscape of Grand Pré Incorporated – Le Paysage de Grand-Pré Incorporé a $73,900 contribution on a $98,900 project to support the development of a visitor experience concept and feasibility study of View Park and an interpretive trail. The park and trail will be located within the Landscape of Grand Pré UNESCO world heritage site, which is in the southern Minas Basin area of Nova Scotia. The recipient’s mandate is to coordinate the management of the Landscape of Grand Pré UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is a monument to the Acadian people and the location of the deportation of the Acadians in 1755. The expected result is a final report describing the visitor experience concept and feasibility study of View Park and interpretive trail and class D designs.

• The Municipality of the district of Clare was awarded $165,000 in Agency funding toward a $240,000 project to hire consultants to conduct geotechnical surveys, develop detailed engineering design plans, provide cost-to-build estimates and building specifications for five community parks in the OLMC of Clare, N.S. This project will allow the recipient to continue the planning process for future tourism infrastructure development. The expected result is ready-to-build designs and cost-to-build budget specifications. The project is an important element of the Clare Economic Development Master Plan. The vision of the plan is to support the community by fostering an economy built on rural strengths, Acadian culture, and tradition, with a focus on the conscious and efficient use of natural resources.

• An amount of $127,000 in Agency funding was awarded to Société Mi-Carême to support and promote the Mi-Carême Centre and to preserve the rich history and culture of the greater Acadian Margaree-Cheticamp region on Cape Breton Island. The project will result in the development of a digital marketing strategy, including setting up the Centre de la Mi-Carême with e-commerce capabilities. The project will also result in the creation and implementation of three tourism experiential products namely:

  • Lobster Suppers: Visitors will learn to cook their own lobsters, accompanied by stories of the local fishery and history of the region.
  • Mi-Carême Mask Workshops: Workshops will be offered to visitors who want to learn the customs and history of masks in Acadie. The resident artist will offer various workshops on the creation, evolution, and significance of masks in Acadian culture.
  • Authentic Acadian Cuisine: A chef will prepare an authentic Acadian menu to be served as part of a 5-course meal to be offered 3 nights a week for the four-month summer season.

• In P.E.I. a $72,590 contribution was approved for the Fall 2021 Sales Mission project supporting RDÉE Î.-P.-É. in offering a hybrid virtual/in-person sales mission to support 10 P.E.I.-based francophone businesses in connecting with potential buyers in Québec. The hybrid format offered a combination of both virtual meetings via video conference, as well as a delegation travelling to Québec for in-person meetings. The project primarily supported SMEs that have not yet had experience in sales missions. A qualified business matchmaking consultant was hired by RDÉE Î.-P.-É. The client, aided by the consultant, recruited and selected 10 participants. Based on previous years and the current volume of interest, RDÉE Î.-P.-É. experienced little difficulty in filling all available participant spaces.

  The matchmaking consultant met with participating businesses to understand their operations and needs, using this information to identify potential buyers. The consultant, acting as matchmaker, then engaged with potential buyers in Québec to organize a full itinerary of meetings.

  Prior to the missions, a half-day training session organized by RDÉE Î.-P.-É. and the consultant was offered to participants. This training helped educate them on how to present quality sales pitches and engage with buyers.

  Once trained, the hybrid sales mission took place with five companies participating virtually in October, and five travelling to Québec for five days in November. A minimum of 12 meetings with potential buyers occurred per participating business. Each day of the mission, the matchmaking consultant met individually with participants to help prepare them for the day, followed by a debrief at the end of the day.

  New for this year, participating businesses were offered virtual follow-up meetings with the buyers. These follow-ups were organized by the match-making consultant and offered a greater chance at formalizing agreements or solidifying relationships.

• ACOA supported La Société éducative de l’Île-du-Prince-Édouard inc. (DBA Collège de l’Île) for $19,275 in a project in collaboration with a specialized consultant to develop and a deliver a leadership and management course targeted at community leaders, particularly those engaged in francophone non-profit organizations on P.E.I.

  The course was tailored to those currently involved in leadership and management roles, as well as members of the board of directors. The consultant worked with the applicant to consult and survey existing francophone non-profits and potential participants to identify strategic areas of focus. The consultant then developed course materials by consolidating and incorporating various existing materials, including some translated from English sources as required.

  The course included a series of nine modules. Topics for these modules included:

  • managing effective meetings
  • effective recruitment of volunteers and board members
  • role of the board of directors
  • fiduciary responsibility
  • financial literacy
  • conflict resolution
  • communication
  • human resources management
  • succession planning

  Delivery of the course was facilitated by a combination of qualified consultants and educators and was presented across 10-12 hours of online classes, in addition to 37.5 hours of individual mentoring. The applicant will offer the training annually to provide necessary, ongoing support and skills development for francophone community leaders.

• ACOA contributed to another project in P.E.I. with $45,675 for La Société acadienne et francophone de l’Île-du-Prince-Édouard (commonly known as "Société Saint Thomas d’Aquin" or SSTA).

  The client identified the need to develop a shared human resources service for francophone non-profit organizations. For most small-to-medium enterprises, particularly those with fewer staff, or non-profit organizations with limited funds, HR roles and responsibilities tend to be carried-out by existing staff as additional tasks to their primary duties. It can be said that for most non-profit organizations, HR roles and responsibilities are often an aside from daily operations and represent a list of tasks that may not always appear to be directly aligned to their immediate roles.

  La Société acadienne et francophone de l’Île-du-Prince-Édouard was well-suited to carry out the proposed project through its ServiceFinances IPE branch. ServiceFinances IPE currently offers essential shared financial services to Island francophone non-profits. ServiceFinances IPE has proven by example that cost-shared professional services can be successful in granting non-profits access to resources they may not be able to get otherwise.

  Given the innovative approach to supporting access to professional services through a cost-shared and partnered basis, the successful implementation of the project demonstrates that it is possible to access professional services while operating collectively. The model may therefore be a prime example and function as a template for future growth in other Island and Canadian communities.

• RDÉE Î.-P.-É. has been supported for $27,682 to organize Pitch Session Training. The project supports francophone entrepreneurs who are launching or expanding their businesses to develop their “pitch.” The Province of PEI has offered a $25,000 investment through the pitch competition to the winning company. The Province partnered with the applicant to offer the training and competition in French.

  The pitch competition included the following:

  • Training: registered participants were granted a full day of training led by an experienced consultant who coached participants on how to pitch their businesses to a variety of investors. Participants prepared their business "pitch" to participate in the first round of the competition.
  • First Round of Competition: participants were permitted seven minutes to present to a judging panel comprised of members of the francophone business community. This event was closed to the public. The top three pitches, as decided by the judges, were then invited to present at the grand finale.
  • Grand Finale: During this event, the grand prize investment of $25,000 was awarded to the best pitch of the competition as decided by a judging panel comprised of volunteer judges (local businesspeople). This event was open to viewing by the community.

  Please highlight the positive measures taken by your institution that contributed to fostering the full recognition and use of both English and French in Canadian society. Please include activities taking place in the regions, if applicable.

  Please include in your response a description of the initiatives, the impacts, the success factors and the results.

  Fostering the full recognition and use of both official languages is achieved at ACOA by making project investments in all the OLMCs across the region.

  Funding approvals from the Economic Development Initiative (EDI) is closely monitored by management to ensure that the four Atlantic Provinces secure their fair share of the funding and to ensure that projects are well aligned with the 2018-2023 Official Languages Action Plan.

  While establishing contribution agreements with clients, Project Officers are encouraged to promote both French and English project activities such as through signage. As such, allowing for translation costs is encouraged by management.

  Bilingual staff are encouraged to communicate in the official language of their choice.

  Senior management promotes and supports French language training.

  Official Languages oversight is assigned at the management level, which speaks to the importance assigned to fostering the full recognition of both languages.

  Francophone immigration is a new priority for the Agency. Management is actively engaged with stakeholders in a number of francophone immigration planning exercises and initiatives.

  To meet our Official languages responsibilities in all OLMCs, bilingual staff provide services in the language of the clients’ choice regardless of their location.

• ACOA supported the Acadian Society of New Brunswick in the development of a community strategic plan for Acadia in New Brunswick by providing $247,250 through the Regional Innovation Ecosystem program (Regional Economic Growth through Innovation). The development of a community strategic plan for Acadia in New Brunswick (2022-2028) will support a new, more inclusive Francophone community ecosystem, with the assistance of regional representatives of the Acadian Society of New Brunswick, influencers and people who are very familiar with the Francophone community of New Brunswick.

  The technological tool will be made available to the entire Francophone community of New Brunswick in order to validate the strategic plan and allow all Francophone organizations to work together to achieve common goals. The strategic plan is under way and results are expected in 2023. The project has also been supported by Canadian Heritage and will equip the organization to consult the province’s minority Francophone community and to work with organizations that promote minority language communities in Atlantic Canada.

Key Collaborations

Did your institution collaborate with other federal institutions or with partners (sectoral working groups, municipalities, provinces/territories, post-secondary institutions, the private sector) on a program, project or other initiative to enhance the vitality and development of official language minority communities and/or the advancement of English and French in Canadian society?

Please include in your response a description of these collaborations and partnerships, the results achieved as well as the success factors.

ACOA collaborates on an ongoing basis with other stakeholders (federal institutions, municipalities, provinces/territories, post-secondary institutions, non-profit organizations, private sector), whether through working/discussion groups, consultations for program development, project funding or any other initiative aimed at enhancing the vitality of official language minority communities and/or promoting English and French in Canadian society.

• In Nova Scotia, management attended francophone immigration action plan meetings led by the NS Department of Labour Skills and Immigration. The action plan is scheduled for release in the coming months.

• ACOA NS engaged with the Department of Canadian Heritage (PCH) to exchange advice and guidance in relation to the Official Languages Act and the amendment that is currently under review in Parliament. The two departments also collaborated during the evaluation of the CMA 2024 proposal.

• As Government of Canada’s lead on the Joint Commission for Regional Cooperation with Saint-Pierre et Miquelon, ACOA routinely engages with other government departments such as the CBSA, ECCC, DFO, CCG and others to ensure that the treaty signed by both Canada and France is implemented in a practical and meaningful manner. Many collaborative activities undertaken with Saint-Pierre et Miquelon support the use of French and English as they seek to integrate their regional environment.

• In New Brunswick, ACOA provided a contribution of $165,000 to the CCNB to aid in the integration of knowledge and manufacturing techniques in manufacturing businesses.

  This pilot project consists in assigning CCNB instructors, supervised by experienced staff from the CCBN-INNOV network (three experts), directly to businesses to create synergy between the businesses and the college that promotes: 1) a real-time integration of manufacturing knowledge and best practices that would increase the productivity and profitability of the businesses; 2) the instructors’ acquisition of industry experience, which could result in changes to the training offered in the regular programs that would benefit the businesses; 3) the exploration of possibilities that could lead to new approaches and new models with respect to the ongoing, regular training offered to businesses by the college sector.

  The four disciplines targeted are the numerical control of machining tools in the metal processing industry, the use of cutting-edge materials in the ship building industry, advanced welding with aluminum and stainless steel, and advanced manufacturing in the metal cutting industry.

  While CCNB offered specialized professional development at businesses and in workshops in the past, this is the first time that CCNB has undertaken a structured, on-site knowledge transfer project of this size. The interest of several businesses in this new skills acquisition method is compounded by the challenges relating to qualified workers, which exist throughout the entire sector. The project will have a positive impact on the number of businesses in Atlantic Canada that work with higher education institutions and will result in the creation of synergies.

  The expected results of the project include an offering of specialized professional development to 25 manufacturing businesses, the establishment of key performance indicators for each business in order to assess the various intervention impacts, and a satisfaction follow-up with the businesses in order to improve the model and the on-site training approach in real time.

• ACOA provided a contribution of $147,649 to the non-profit organization Place aux compétences to enable it to offer innovative programs in Francophone schools, in 2021-2022. As part of the project, assistance was provided to 80% of the classes that offered the entrepreneurship course in the 22 secondary schools. 42 technological projects were carried out virtually as well as in the classroom, and videos were produced, emphasizing employment opportunities in the strategic economic sectors of New Brunswick. Through this project, the organization developed training tools for the teachers and promoted the use of technology and entrepreneurship in classrooms of New Brunswick’s Francophone school districts of New Brunswick.

• The Agency provided a contribution of $18,907 to the Conseil économique du Nouveau-Brunswick to enable it to organize the 8th edition of the Rendez-vous Acadie-Québec. The activity was held virtually in the form of a business conference, which was attended primarily by Francophone entrepreneurs and leaders from Quebec and New Brunswick, as well as Francophone entrepreneurs and leaders from the other Atlantic provinces and small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The goal was to foster the creation of a business network, to promote the exchange of best practices and to encourage discussions between provinces. After numerous exchanges with the different committees involved, three key themes were chosen: innovation, export and sustainable tourism. These themes were divided into components: innovation—a powerful method of revitalization and a growth catalyst; export—interprovincial trade relations as a diversification strategy; and sustainable tourism—digital solutions for making the region’s identity thrive. These three components brought together entrepreneurs from both key territories (Quebec and New Brunswick). In all, 125 people took part in the activity.

  The participation of entrepreneurs from five different territories was the motivation for meetings and networking, which offered many business opportunities. Participants were able to take part in meetings and to rewatch them throughout the month of October. The first-time participation of the Wolastoqiyik Wahsipekuk First Nation further promoted interprovincial economic development and spoke to the important role played by Canada’s First Nations in the country’s economic recovery. The participation of consumers also motivated SMEs to take part in the activity. The economic Francophonie of Acadia, Quebec and the rest of the Atlantic provinces was highlighted during the activity.

• Into its 17th year, RDÉE Î.-P.-É. was approved by ACOA for $114,500 in funding to implement its summer employment program titled "PERCÉ" (Programme d’entrepreneurship régionale, communautaire, et économique). The program connects students or recent graduates who are living in, or originated from, P.E.I. with employment for 12 weeks in their respective field of study. The program also offers employers an incentivized opportunity to hire quality francophone/bilingual candidates. This is a longstanding partnership with the Province (Skills PEI), ESDC, the Agency and local employers.

  The program targets students under the age of 30 who: want quality work experience in their field of study, are actively searching on the job market, want to return to P.E.I. for work, have francophone capabilities, and have completed or are nearing completion of their studies.

  A selection committee, led by the client, accepted and evaluated applications from post-secondary students, giving priority to students originating from PEI but studying off-Island who have not accessed the program previously. Participants must be able to communicate in French; French communication skills are viewed as an asset in terms of serving an international market as well as the local market, which has a growing number of French-speaking immigrants.

  Participants are also provided with week-long training that prepares them for the workplace. The training includes information sessions as well as site visits at a variety of places of employment. The training serves to expose students to expectations of the workplace as well as to highlight the wide range of opportunities for employment on P.E.I. In 2021, all or a portion of this training was offered virtually, subject to the restrictions of the Chief Public Health Office. PERCÉ staff will continue to provide support to both students and employers over the course of the 12-week internships and will conduct evaluations at the conclusion of the program. Since inception, the program has maintained an 80%+ retention rate in P.E.I.

COVID-19

Does your institution have measures in place to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic (including measures related to economic recovery)? If so, how did you consider the needs of official language minority communities and the advancement of English and French in the implementation of these measures?

Please describe your activities as well as the results.

Through its Head Office as well as through its regional offices in the four Atlantic provinces, ACOA took part in COVID-19 response measures.

• ACOA was able to implement all recovery programs implemented by RDAs throughout Canada.

• Furthermore, through existing programs, ACOA provided supports to help companies and organizations respond to the need for medical supplies and other products that will counteract the spread of COVID-19, and to invest in new projects that will bolster economic recovery after the pandemic.

• ACOA was able to set internal measures. And acted quickly to mitigate impacts for its clients with added flexibilities for existing agreements, and greater flexibility in program delivery criteria.

• ACOA Nova Scotia, for example, adjusted to online services, found an opportunity to provide enhanced services to all of Nova Scotia’s OLMCs. Whereas all OLMCs have always received services in the language of their choice, they now have access to all the Agency’s bilingual staff regardless of location. Bilingual Agency staff located in southwest Nova Scotia are collaborating with Acadian clients located in a few OLMCs. In the same spirit, ACOA NS supports clients who want to work more virtually.

• Thus, ACOA provided $127,000 to Société Mi-Carême. The project will result in the centre’s ability to engage in e-commerce, which will increase sales for locally produced art and other local products. Adopting a digital marketing strategy is consistent with ongoing strategies in tourism and other industries to counter the impacts of Covid-19 and it will better position the centre to thrive post-Covid-19.

  The project involves developing a digital marketing strategy for the centre Mi-Carême as well as experiential tourism offerings for visitors. The new tourism offerings will focus on Acadian culinary experiences and the cultural and historical significance of the Mi-Carême, including traditional mask making.

• In P.E.I., the Covid-19 Relief Fund for Not-For-Profit Organizations provided a $347,500 financial assistance to Central Development Corporation (CDC), an economic development organization mandated to facilitate economic development in rural Prince Edward Island, to administer COVID-19 operational support to not-for-profit tourism facilities, including francophone-led, tourism organizations. This support helped organizations stabilize, mitigate the impacts of COVID-19, shorten the recovery period for rural regions, and reduce permanent closures in the tourism sector. The COVID-19 Relief Fund was administered by the applicant and was distributed to successful applicants in the form a grant.

  Because this was a province-wide program, there was a requirement to provide service in both official languages. The applicant partnered with RDÉE Î.-P.-É. to provide service to French-speaking clients. In addition, a member of the RDÉE Î.-P.-É. team assisted with translating the required information sheets, documents, forms, as well as providing support for the evaluation of requests for support.