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Industry Canada Business Plan 2009–2010

Key strategies

Industry Canada encourages business innovation and productivity, because businesses create wealth and generate jobs. To contribute to business competitiveness and productivity, and to drive economic growth, Industry Canada offers a range of business services and collaborates with business and business associations to ensure that industry views are taken into account in the development of trade, economic, environmental and social policies that may affect the business climate.

In a strong economy, businesses generate economic wealth by investing in labour and capital to produce new and innovative goods and services. Through its legislative frameworks, policy levers, partnerships with industry and various programs, Industry Canada acts as a catalyst for the private sector in driving the economy's growth.

Industry's Canada's work to carry out this strategy falls under four program activities, as set out below.

1. Entrepreneurial economy: Industry Canada, through Small Business and Marketplace Services Sector, raises awareness across government of the challenges small businesses face, and recommends policy options and delivers programs to enhance small business growth and competitiveness, and to encourage and support entrepreneurship.
2. Global reach and agility in targeted Canadian industries: Industry Sector provides value-added knowledge and expertise about Canadian industries to ensure a strong link in global value chains, assist firms to strengthen global partnerships and business capacity to respond to risks and opportunities, and to position Canada as an ideal environment for foreign direct investment.
3. Community, economic and regional development: Industry Canada advances the economic development of Ontario communities in the same manner that the federal economic development agencies support development in other regions of Canada by building capacity, such as infrastructure, in non-metropolitan communities. The key player working to meet this objective is Regional Operations Sector, including FedNor.
4. Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America: The Canadian Secretariat for the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America resides at Industry Canada. The Secretariat supports the Minister of Industry in leading Canada's engagement with the United States and Mexico on issues that affect prosperity and security within North America.

The figure below provides a breakdown of planned spending under the “Supporting business” strategy by program activity.

Departmental human resources (full-time equivalents) by program activity

Long Description

Entrepreneurial economy (142 FTEs)

Global reach and agility in targeted Canadian industries (307 FTEs)

Community, economic and regional development (221 FTEs)

Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America — Canadian Secretariat (9 FTEs)

Total planned departmental spending by program activity

Long Description

Entrepreneurial economy ($95.7 million)

Global reach and agility in targeted Canadian industries ($61.4 million)

Community, economic and regional development ($138.5 million)

Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America — Canadian Secretariat ($2.2 million)

2009–2010 program activities and business objectives

This section sets out Industry Canada's specific business objectives under each program activity for 2009–2010.

3.1. Entrepreneurial economy — Raise awareness across government of the challenges small businesses face and recommend policy options and deliver programs to enhance small business growth and competitiveness and to encourage and support entrepreneurship and business start up and growth

• Small Business and Marketplace Services Sector will continue to collaborate with provincial, territorial and local governments to accelerate expansion of BizPaL. New business sectors and content beyond permits and licences will be introduced to increase the value of BizPaL to Canadians.
• Small Business and Marketplace Services Sector, specifically the Small Business and Tourism Branch, will implement new arrangements for the Canada Business program, consistent with decisions taken by the Government of Canada. The Branch will also implement improvements announced in Budget 2009 to the Canada Small Business Financing Program, to enhance access to credit for viable small businesses throughout Canada.

3.2. Global reach and agility in targeted Canadian industries — Provide value-added knowledge and expertise about Canadian industries to ensure a strong link in global value chains, assist firms to strengthen global partnerships and business capacity to respond to risks and opportunities, and to position Canada as an ideal environment for foreign direct investment

• Industry Sector will deliver programs and services to support Canadian industries' efforts to become more internationally competitive and sustainable. Specifically, it will do the following:
  • work with National Defence and Public Works and Government Services Canada to develop defence procurement strategies under the Industrial and Regional Benefits Policy framework, which is expected to help generate $500 million in business activity in 2009–2010
  • through the Structured Financing Facility, help develop the necessary critical infrastructure to position the shipbuilding industry for future procurement efforts
  • through the Canadian Apparel and Textiles Industries Program (CATIP), continue to support the apparel and textile industries' efforts to become more competitive by working in partnership with industry organizations and providing support for projects related to best practices, marketing and innovation
  • through the Textiles Production Efficiency Component of CATIP, continue to contribute to textile company projects aimed at reorienting production towards higher-value-added products and improving productivity
  • carry out research, analysis and policy development, and work with other involved federal departments and agencies concerning issues that affect the growth and competitiveness of Canada's tourism industry.
• Industry Sector will continue to be a major partner in the Government of Canada's efforts to stimulate trade and investment flows, improve market access and streamline regulation. Specifically, it will do the following:
  • provide expert sector knowledge through trade policy initiatives, such as trade negotiations and other bilateral and multilateral processes that Canada initiates with other countries, and address market access issues in export markets
  • conduct research and consultations in support of federal policy development, on the implications of globalization on research, innovation, and commercialization of nanotechnologies and related products, as well as health and industrial applications of biotechnology
  • analyze key regulatory differences between Canada and the U.S., such as differences in fuel consumption and vehicle safety regulations, that have an impact on trade and investment on specific sectors
  • analyze efficiency and effectiveness of regulations for health industries to enhance the ability of firms to commercialize innovative products without undue delays or costs
  • work with Treasury Board Secretariat to help regulatory departments implement the new Market Assessment Tool
  • contribute sector knowledge and reasoned policy advocacy efforts to ensure that domestic conditions remain competitive, and support federal programs to ensure that Canadian businesses benefit by engaging in global value chains
  • interact with associations, governments and leading firms to reinforce Canadian expertise at global events such as BIO 2009, the International Paris Air Show 2009, Tokyo Motor Show 2009 and Globe 2010

3.3. Community, economic and regional development — Advance the economic development of Ontario communities, and support and enhance the role and contribution of small and medium-sized businesses to Canada's economic well-being by building capacity such as infrastructure in non-metropolitan communities

• Regional Operations Sector will work with Infrastructure Canada to deliver a suite of infrastructure programs in the province of Ontario, including the Canada-Ontario Infrastructure Program, the Canada-Ontario Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund, the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund, the Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund top-up and the Building Canada Fund. These programs represent hundreds of millions of dollars in investment in key infrastructure projects across the country.
• Regional Operations Sector will administer infrastructure funding and economic development investments in community projects to enhance growth, sustainability and competitiveness throughout Ontario by establishing reliable water, transportation and waste management infrastructure, and by building community capacity in sport, tourism, housing and other sectors.
• Regional Operations Sector will administer economic development programs such as the Ontario Potable Water Program, which makes funding assistance available to Ontario municipalities in support of potable water projects and changes to drinking water systems standards initiated through Ontario government acts and regulations to ensure drinking water safety.
• Regional Operations Sector will support economic development in small and rural communities through FedNor programs to ensure that communities and their businesses are competitive in the Canadian and global marketplace. Specifically, through FedNor, Regional Operations Sector will deliver:
  • the Northern Ontario Development Program by providing repayable and non-repayable contributions to not-for-profits and small and medium-sized enterprises to maximize the sustainable potential of Northern Ontario to succeed in the knowledge-based economy
  • the Community Futures Program by providing repayable financing for local small businesses, as well as business information and advisory services and support for the development and implementation of strategic community plans that support self-reliance and the capacity of communities to realize their full, sustainable socio-economic potential
  • the Eastern Ontario Development Program, by making investments in community development initiatives — including business development, skills development, access to capital, retention and attraction of youth, and technological enhancements — that will create, build and develop the necessary conditions for increased business and employment opportunities in the area

3.4. Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP) — Lead Canada's engagement in the SPP

• The Canadian Secretariat for the SPP will continue to support the Minister of Industry as lead minister for Canada and as Canadian lead on the Prosperity Agenda, which is focused on promoting growth, competitiveness and quality of life in North America. The Secretariat will provide advice and contribute to preparations for the 2009 North American Leaders' Summit in Mexico.
• The Secretariat will work closely with other government departments and officials from the U.S. and Mexico to ensure that the leaders' priorities are implemented.
• Industry Canada will continue its leadership role in managing the Research Fund on North American Borders, Security and Prosperity, which is working to improve the current understanding of the impact of border measures on Canadian competitiveness.
• Spectrum, Information Technologies and Telecommunications Sector will continue to work with the U.S. and Mexico, in the context of the SPP, on the implementation of the Statement on the Free Flow of Information and Trade in North America.

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