Evaluation of the IDEANorth, Northern Business Relief Fund (NBRF) and Northern Isolated Community Initiatives (NICI), 2019-20 to 2022-23 Management Response Action Plan (MRAP)

May 30, 2024

Context for this Evaluation and MRAP

The purpose of this evaluation was to provide findings, recommendations and analysis of three CanNor Programs; Inclusive Diversification and Economic Advancement of the North (IDEANorth), Northern Business Relief Fund (NBRF), and the Northern Isolated Community Initiatives Funding (NICI).

This evaluation was designed to inform the Minister's decision-making about the future of the Program and /or the Agency's activities related to programs that were put in place to meet the needs and expectations of Indigenous Northerners;  and assessing relevance, effectiveness, and efficiency for these programs.

IDEANorth (including NBRF) Background

Established in 2019-20, the IDEANorth program was designed to make foundational investments in economic infrastructure, sector development and capacity building to help position Northerners in the territories to take advantage of Canada's innovation economy. The program is delivered through four streams, including: Sector & Capacity Development, Business Scale-Up and Productivity, Small Scale Economic Infrastructure, Economic Infrastructure Studies (large scale).

The COVID-19 pandemic created stress on territorial businesses, and CanNor used the IDEANorth program infrastructure to implement the NBRF to distribute funds in a time of potential financial crisis for businesses in the North.

NICI

Announced in Budget 2019 as a $15 million investment, over five years starting in the 2019-20 fiscal, as part of a submission led by Agriculture and Agri-food Canada. CanNor is implementing this fund by working with other federal and territorial partners to develop solutions to food security issues.

 

Recommendations Action Responsible Manager (Title/Sector) Planned Start and Completion Dates
  1. Establish a process, including timelines, for the selection and implementation of a data management system and procedures that will improve collection, storage, management, and use of data related to proponents, projects, and outcomes.

Agree

1.1 Incorporate the development of a data management system within the data strategy for CanNor.

1.2 Ensure procedures for collecting and storing data is monitored throughout the program cycle.

1.1 Director General, Corporate Services, Chief Information Officer

1.2 Vice-President, Pan-Territorial Operations

2024 - 2027
  1. Improve the usefulness of performance measurement data by identifying and implementing indicators that more accurately demonstrate project outcomes and tell a performance story that is responsive and reflective of the territorial context.

Agree

2.1 Implementation of a more streamlined performance measurement indicators will be incorporated in the renewed programs.

2.1 Director General, Policy and Planning

2024 - 2025
  1. Identify opportunities to shorten project approval periods and to improve communication with project proponents about application status, anticipated timelines, and contract obligations.

Partially agree

3.1 Create improved systems for communicating approval processes with project proponents about application status.

3.1 Vice-President, Pan-Territorial Operations

2024 - 2027

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