Evaluation of the Northern Aboriginal Economic Opportunities Program 2016-17 to 2020-2021 Management Response Action Plan (MRAP)
November 24, 2023
Context for this Evaluation and MRAP
The objective of the Northern Aboriginal Economic Opportunities Program (NAEOP) is to maximize economic opportunities for Indigenous communities, entrepreneurs, and businesses in Canada's territories. NAEOP is made up of two program funding streams:
- Community Readiness and Opportunities Planning (CROP) stream for First Nations and Inuit communities and organizations to help them plan for and participate in economic opportunities.
- Entrepreneurship and Business Development (EBD) stream to support Indigenous entrepreneurs to establish or expand their businesses.
The purpose of this evaluation was to provide findings and analysis of the Program, to inform the Minister's decision-making about the future of the Program and/or the Agency's activities related to programs that are meeting the needs and expectations of Indigenous Northerners; and assessing relevance, effectiveness, and efficiency for NAEOP's contribution programs.
| Recommendations | Actions | Responsible Manager (Title/Sector) | Planned Start and Completion Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Develop a strategy that identifies how the Program might support potential opportunities for economic development, specifically where there is a potential local demand for services that could be met by local resources. | Partially Agree CanNor will establish a strategy for monitoring the reintroduction of core funding to support Indigenous partners. |
VP of Operations | Jan. 5, 2024 – May 31, 2024 |
| 2. Work with communities to develop communications strategies to improve awareness, coordination, and communication with federal/territorial economic development services. | Partially Agree CanNor will establish regular bilateral discussions with federal and territorial partners to improve awareness and coordination of economic development services. |
VP of Operations | Jan. 5, 2024 – May 31, 2024 |
| 3. Review current levels of funding available to recipients to ensure that contributions and funding awards reflect the impacts of inflation and the actual costs of doing business in the North. | Partially Agree CanNor will recommend options for considering costs of inflation when determining project funding levels. |
VP of Policy | Jan. 5, 2024 – May 31, 2024 |