For Release
April 23, 2007
La Ronge, Saskatchewan – The Governments of Canada
and Saskatchewan have agreed to extend the five-year Canada-Saskatchewan
Northern Development Agreement (NDA) by one year to March 31, 2008.
The NDA is a joint federal-provincial initiative through which governments
committed $20 million to strategic projects to support economic development
in northern Saskatchewan.
The extension will give the NDA’s management committee another
year to consider additional strategic projects involving economic infrastructure,
innovation, realizing employment opportunities, capacity building, and
attracting investment.
“Canada's New Government is working with other orders of government
to get things done for the people of northern Saskatchewan,” said
the Honourable Rona Ambrose, President of the Queen’s Privy Council
for Canada, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of Western
Economic Diversification. “This extension will enable the people
of northern Saskatchewan to improve their regional economic infrastructure,
employment prospects and business expertise as well as to increase industry
innovation and attract business investment.”
“The extension will allow us to consider the most effective way
to invest the remaining NDA funds to foster business and employment development
in the North,” said Saskatchewan Northern Affairs Minister Joan
Beatty. “Our government is committed to working with our federal
and northern partners to capitalize on our strong economy and northern
Saskatchewan’s great potential.”
The NDA is unique in Canada, allowing northern representatives to sit
on a tripartite management committee with the federal and provincial funding
partners. Northern organizations appoint directors to the Northern Development
Board Corporation, which represents: the Saskatchewan Association of Northern
Communities, representing northern municipal governments; the Métis
Nation – Saskatchewan; the Prince Albert Grand Council and Meadow
Lake Tribal Council, representing northern First Nations; and the Athabasca
Economic Development and Training Corporation, representing residents
of the Athabasca region.
"The participation of the Northern Development Board Corp.
demonstrates to both levels of government that northern leaders are determined
to make positive change and improve economic conditions for fellow northerners”
said Northern Development Board Corporation Chair Al Rivard. “The
extension provides more time to fully invest the Northern Development
Agreement into much-needed projects in the North.”
The extension does not require an increase in funding, as not all of
the NDA money had been committed to projects. Furthermore, some proposals
had already been submitted to the NDA before the program expired but have
not yet been finalized and announced.
Approximately $13.8 million has been announced to date to support 43
projects. In addition to a broad range of training and employment programs,
the Agreement has invested in high-speed Internet service to more than
35 northern communities.
For additional information, contact:
Brenda Tarasiuk
A/Manager, Communications
Saskatoon, SK
Western Economic Diversification Canada
Tel: (306) 975-5943
Scott Boyes
Director of Communications
Saskatchewan Northern Affairs
La Ronge, SK
Phone: (306) 425-6669
Dean Desjarlais
Chief Executive Officer
Northern Development Board
Box 660
La Ronge, SK
Phone: (306) 425-2444
Backgrounder
Canada-Saskatchewan Northern Development Agreement
The Canada-Saskatchewan Northern Development Agreement (NDA) was established
to provide $20 million over five years (2002 to 2007) for a variety of
northern economic development initiatives.
Projects must meet one or more of the Agreement’s five strategic
priorities:
Economic Infrastructure: projects that support major new economic
initiatives with significant benefit to Northerners;
Innovation: projects that could lead to new discoveries, new products
or new services in northern Saskatchewan;
Realizing Employment Opportunities: initiatives that will help Northerners
take advantage of employment opportunities, with emphasis on the needs
of northern youth;
Capacity Building: support for organizations that will enhance the
capacity of Northerners and their organizations to be self-sufficient;
and
Investment Attraction: efforts taken to identify, research and promote
specific investment opportunities in northern Saskatchewan, particularly
value-added industries.
The Northern Development Board Corporation and the Canada-Saskatchewan
Northern Development Agreement were both established as implementation
mechanisms in support of Saskatchewan’s Northern Strategy. The Strategy
includes common goals and objectives adopted by NDB members and the provincial
government in support of social and economic development in northern Saskatchewan.
The current composition of the Northern Development Board Corp. includes:
Al Rivard (Chair), Métis Nations – Saskatchewan
George Smith, Métis Nations – Saskatchewan
Philip Chartier, Métis Nations – Saskatchewan
Dale McAuley, Métis Nations – Saskatchewan
Eric Sylvestre (Vice-Chair), Meadow Lake Tribal Council
Etienne Black, Meadow Lake Tribal Council
Don Deranger, Prince Albert Grand Council
Ed Henderson, Prince Albert Grand Council
Glen Strong, Athabasca Economic Development & Training Corp.
Napoleon Mercredi, Athabasca Economic Development & Training Corp.
Gord Stomp, New North (Saskatchewan Association of Northern Communities)
Bruce Fidler, New North (Saskatchewan Association of Northern Communities)
