Formative Evaluation of the Canadian Apparel and Textile Industries Program (CATIP) — Textile Production Efficiency Component (TPEC/CANtex)

5.0 Summary of Recommendations

The Evaluation determined that CANtex continues to make sense as a vehicle to promote investments in productivity, cost-reduction, and a re-orientation of textile production towards higher value-added products. Results to date suggest that the program is generating identifiable and quantifiable results in companies' operations.

The design and delivery of the program are generally suitable. However, there are issues concerning uneven delivery in certain areas of Quebec and between Quebec and other provinces.

Program management currently collects some performance information on projects supported through CANtex. However, more effort needs to be allocated to collect performance information that is set out in the RMAF to support a future Summative Evaluation of the CANtex program.

The following table sets out the recommendations from the Evaluation.

Conclusion	Recommendation
Conclusion 1	Recommendation 1
Some clients in Quebec experienced delays and, due to the regional delivery model implemented in Quebec, some delivery officers were not as well-informed as they could have been. As a result, there was unevenness in delivery, and the overall delivery of CANtex was not as effective as it could have been.	To ensure that CANtex clients are served consistently, CED-Q should take the steps necessary to ensure that program officers are fully informed and that backup capabilities are in place to support its officers in delivering the program.
Conclusion 2	Recommendation 2
Because of the different program management approaches implemented by Industry Canada and CED-Q, companies are receiving a different level of service from the two Departments	Industry Canada and CED-Q should take the steps necessary to ensure that CANtex is uniformly and consistently delivered across Canada.
Conclusion 3	Recommendation 3
Program management is not yet collecting in a systematic way much of the information that is set out in the Results-Based Management Accountability Framework (RMAF) to enable a future measurement of the results achieved by CANtex. This effort needs to be focused on implementing a systematic approach to collecting the necessary information.	To ensure that Industry Canada is able to report on the results achieved through CANtex, program management should establish a complete and systematic process for collecting and compiling results information, based on the contents of the Results-Based Management Accountability Framework.

5.1 Lessons Learned

The Evaluation identified a number of lessons to be learned concerning CANtex, as follows:

• The $100,000 ceiling on non-repayable contributions did not appear to present a significant challenge to program delivery
• Guidance provided by program officers at the application stage can help to shape a project to be successful
• The reporting requirements and disbursement process were considered reasonable
• When delivering a program in collaboration with another Department, all Departments involved should ensure that sufficient mechanisms are in place to prevent, identify, and resolve delivery issues as quickly as possible, including mechanisms to involve top management in a timely manner
• The vast majority of projects undertaken by companies with the support of CANtex focus on productivity improvement and companies are tracking quantitative results from them.