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Prairies Economic Development Canada 2024–2025 Departmental Plan

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From the Minister

Headshot of Dan Vandal

The Honourable Dan Vandal

Minister of Northern Affairs, Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada, and Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency

As Minister of Northern Affairs, Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada, and Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency, I am pleased to present the 2024–2025 Departmental Plan for Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan).

PrairiesCan’s overarching goal is to help build a strong economy across the Prairies that works for everyone, with good-paying jobs that people can count on. Over the next year, PrairiesCan will focus on three things: accelerating economic growth through new sources of value and innovation, enabling the success of the green economy in a net-zero future, and supporting a more inclusive economy. The department will also continue its efforts of revitalizing our downtowns.

I am proud to have recently tabled in Parliament the Framework to Build a Green Prairie Economy. This Framework was developed through consultation with more than 500 stakeholder groups across the Prairies including provincial and municipal representatives; Indigenous communities; companies and industry associations; organized labour; and people living and working in the Prairies. PrairiesCan is implementing the Framework as our government’s long-term commitment to doing things differently. It means listening to our Prairie partners and redoubling collaboration and cooperation with them to achieve a common objective of growing a prosperous green Prairie economy that leaves no one behind.

This is an exciting time filled with possibilities, and those who know best how to take advantage of these new opportunities are the people who live and work in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. PrairiesCan will support their ambitions and get things done for the Prairies in the coming year and beyond.

 

From the President

Headshot of Diane Gray

Diane Gray

President, Prairies Economic Development Canada

This Departmental Plan provides information on how PrairiesCan will support the government to achieve its agenda in the 2024–2025 fiscal year, specifically its priority of growing the Prairie economy.

The coming year presents PrairiesCan with new opportunities to help make a positive difference by being an efficient, inclusive public service to the businesses, clients, and communities we serve. The department will focus on developing new sources of economic value through its roles as investor, advisor, convenor, and pathfinder. We will also advance inclusive growth, including support for Indigenous entrepreneurs, and other underrepresented groups. And we will make the Framework to Build a Green Prairie Economy, which underpins a significant amount of our work, a new way of collaboratively achieving economic development.

I encourage you to read this plan, which underlines our continued support to nurturing a prosperous and vibrant future for Prairie Canadians

 

Operating context

Economic context

The post-pandemic recovery created significant momentum in the Prairie economy. Employment growth has been strong, and the unemployment rate has been low. Strong consumer spending on the Prairies also boosted economic performance.

Canada’s economic growth forecast for 2024 has been revised downward reflecting both the international and domestic headwinds the economy faces. Economic output is forecast to grow 0.6% on the heels of a modest 1.1% the previous year.Endnote 1 Despite this, Prairie provinces are expected to continue to see some of the strongest economic growth among all provinces. Alberta’s economic growth is expected to be near the top among the provinces at 1.2%, with Saskatchewan and Manitoba growing at 1.0% and 0.9% respectively.

Solid demand in energy and agriculture markets are expected to bolster commodity prices and support growth in the Prairies during the global economic slowdown.

Capital investment, particularly large projects in Alberta and Saskatchewan, has gained momentum that will ease the impact of the forecasted economic slowdown. In Manitoba, strengthened agricultural output and utilities will help adapt to challenges like the moderating manufacturing industry.

Challenges

The Bank of Canada expects Inflation to remain elevated throughout most of the year and slow towards their target rate (2%) in 2025.Endnote 2 Interest rates are anticipated to stay above the historically low rates experienced since the 2009 financial crisis.

The Prairies can potentially expect another year of extreme weather events. Winter precipitation, a key factor to soil moisture levels on the Prairies, has been below normal, resulting in most of the Prairie region being classified as abnormally dry, or in moderate or exceptional drought.Endnote 3 This adds significant risk to the agriculture sector following a drier than usual growing season in 2023.

The global economy continues to transition towards low carbon energy. As a natural resource intensive region, the Prairie provinces face different economic realities and continue to explore new and existing options to build towards a net-zero, green economy across the Prairies.

Opportunities

With an abundance of resources, assets, and skills, the Prairies are well positioned to seize the opportunities presented by a low carbon economy. Businesses, communities, and Prairie provinces continue to work with PrairiesCan to adapt to a shifting economy, demonstrating resilience and innovation.

There are opportunities in both traditional and emerging sectors to meet the challenges of a changing economy and build towards the greener economy of the future, including developing new sources of value. Resources, particularly energy, including oil and gas, remain one of the region’s biggest strengths.Endnote 4 This new potential to diversify and grow the Prairie economy extends well beyond energy into a diverse and growing economy including clean technology, value-added agriculture, life and health sciences, digital technology, and advanced manufacturing.

The Prairies is home to an entrepreneurial, skilled, and growing workforce representing a critical asset to the future of its economy. The Prairies constitute 18% of Canada’s population with nearly 40% of Indigenous Peoples in Canada residing in the Prairies.Endnote 5 The Prairie provinces are expected to maintain some of the strongest population growth rates and highest employment growth rates among the provinces.Endnote 6 In addition, Manitoba and Saskatchewan are forecast to have among the lowest unemployment rates in Canada.

Plans to deliver on core responsibilities and internal services

Core responsibilities and internal services

Economic Development in the Prairies

Description

Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) promotes growth and diversification in the economy of the Prairies (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta) by enhancing innovation, improving business competitiveness and promoting the adoption of clean technologies, and inclusive growth.

The department’s core responsibility is complemented by three departmental results:

  1. Businesses are growing in the Prairies;
  2. Communities are developing economically in the Prairies; and
  3. Businesses are commercializing technology and adopting it in the Prairies.

Quality of life impacts

The department’s core responsibility, ‘Economic Development in the Prairies,’ primarily contributes to the “Prosperity” domain of the Quality of Life Framework for Canada and, more specifically, four indicators:

  1. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita;
  2. Employment;
  3. Productivity; and
  4. Firm growth.

It also contributes to the “Environment” domain to a lesser extent, along with the cross-cutting sub-domains of “Fairness and Inclusion” and “Sustainability and Resilience” through investments in the clean economy and inclusive economic growth.

Results and targets

The following tables show, for each departmental result related to Economic Development in the Prairies, the indicators, the results from the three most recently reported fiscal years, the targets and target dates approved in 2024–2025.

Last fiscal year, 2023–2024, was the first year for PrairiesCan’s new Departmental Results Framework. Therefore, past results are not available (n/a) for most new indicators.

Table 1: Indicators, results and targets for departmental result ‘Businesses are growing in the Prairies’
Table 1: Indicators, results and targets for departmental result ‘Businesses are growing in the Prairies’
Indicator
2020–2021 result
2021–2022 result
2022–2023 result
Target
Date to achieve
Number of jobs created
n/a
n/a
n/a
4,483
March 31, 2025
Value of exports
n/a
n/a
n/a
$360M
March 31, 2025
Number of PrairiesCan-assisted entities that are majority-led by underrepresented groups
n/a
n/a
n/a
40
March 31, 2025
Revenue growth rate of firms supported by PrairiesCan programs
20.3%
1.3.5%
5.5%
20%
March 31, 2025
Table 2: Indicators, results and targets for departmental result ‘Communities are developing economically in the Prairies’
Table 2: Indicators, results and targets for departmental result ‘Communities are developing economically in the Prairies’
Indicator
2020–2021 result
2021–2022 result
2022–2023 result
Target
Date to achieve
Number of jobs created
n/a
n/a
n/a
1,660
March 31, 2025
Number of contributing partners engaged in advancing community-based projects (i.e. providing financial or in-kind support)
n/a
n/a
n/a
58
March 31, 2025
Value of PrairiesCan community economic development investments
n/a
n/a
n/a
$8M
March 31, 2025
Amount leveraged per dollar invested by PrairiesCan in community projects
1.08
1.2
0.87
1.0
March 31, 2025
Table 3: Indicators, results and targets for departmental result ‘Businesses are commercializing technology and adopting it in the Prairies’
Table 3: Indicators, results and targets for departmental result ‘Businesses are commercializing technology and adopting it in the Prairies’
Indicator
2020–2021 result
2021–2022 result
2022–2023 result
Target
Date to achieve
Number of jobs created
n/a
n/a
n/a
957
March 31, 2025
Value of exports
n/a
n/a
n/a
$40M
March 31, 2025
Number of technologies to market
n/a
n/a
n/a
81
March 31, 2025
Value of business sales growth resulting from technology commercialization or adoption
n/a
n/a
n/a
$15.9M
March 31, 2025
Note 1: Underrepresented groups for the indicator “Number of PrairiesCan-assisted entities that are majority-led by underrepresented groups” include: 2SLGBTQQIA+, members of a Black community, women, Indigenous peoples, newcomers to Canada and immigrants, members of an Official Language Minority Community, persons with disabilities, members of a racialized community, and youth.

The financial, human resources and performance information for the Prairies Economic Development Canada’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.

Plans to achieve results

Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) is the Regional Development Agency (RDA) responsible for economic development in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. PrairiesCan departmental results are:

  1. Businesses are growing in the Prairies;
  2. Communities are developing economically in the Prairies; and
  3. Businesses are commercializing technology and adopting it in the Prairies.

The department will achieve our departmental results by assisting businesses, communities, and not-for-profit groups by providing funding programs, services, and advice. These actions will allow PrairiesCan to achieve its core responsibility, ‘Economic Development in the Prairies’, and our three departmental results, by focusing on three priorities.

Priorities for 2024–2025

PrairiesCan’s three priorities for 2024–2025 are: 1) Building a Green Prairie Economy, 2) New Value and Competitiveness, and 3) Inclusivity.

  1. Building a Green Prairie Economy – PrairiesCan will continue to lead the implementation of the Building a Green Prairie Economy Act and the Framework to Build a Green Prairie Economy.
    • PrairiesCan conducted extensive consultations with stakeholders and partners including:
      • Developing a discussion paper.
      • Online public consultations.
      • More than 130 engagement events.
      • Analyzing all the feedback received.
    • What we heard is that people on the Prairies are innovators and leaders in building a greener, more sustainable economy. With further collaboration, there is more we can do together.
    • On December 18, 2023, Minister Vandal launched the Framework to Build a Green Prairie Economy. This framework sets out a vision for a green Prairie economy that is prosperous, sustainable, and benefits everyone.
    • The framework is a long-term commitment to have stronger coordination between federal departments on investments for the Prairies. It also calls for closer collaboration with Prairie partners – including other orders of government, Indigenous governments, businesses, and communities – on shared goals to seize new opportunities in the transition to a net-zero future.
    • This will be a Prairies-wide effort. Our strong relationships with our Prairie stakeholders and partners as well as collaboration with our federal partners will be keys to making this culture change a lasting success.
  1. New Value and Competitiveness – accelerating economic growth through new sources of value and innovation in traditional sectors.
    • Strengthening local economies (urban and rural) and existing assets, such as downtowns. Revitalizing and improving existing assets, like downtowns, can be very helpful to local economies and the communities they serve.
    • Helping businesses and communities seize new opportunities for our resource sectors while reducing environmental impacts.
    • Working with businesses to expand and adopt new and innovative technologies. Bring new products and services to market and create jobs in emerging sectors.
  1. Inclusivity – fostering a more equitable and inclusive economy.
    • Supporting the economic participation of underrepresented groups such as Indigenous Peoples, black Canadians, women, members of the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community, persons living with disabilities and youth.
    • Seeking collaborative opportunities to advance Indigenous economic development.

Advancing these three priorities and the three departmental results in our Departmental Results Framework does not involve separate actions. Meaning, focusing on our priorities will allow us to achieve our departmental results of helping businesses grow, supporting communities to improve their economies, and helping businesses commercialize and adopt new technologies.

PrairiesCan roles

PrairiesCan works to achieve its departmental results and priorities through the following four roles:

  • Investor – creating jobs and growth through investments and targeted initiatives using funding programs for businesses, communities, and organizations.
  • Pathfinder – helping businesses and communities navigate government economic and job creation programs and services.
  • Convenor – connecting key economic stakeholders and partners with federal departments and other partners, to drive collaboration, innovation, and growth.
  • Advisor – providing place-based advice and economic expertise to assist clients and partners, and advocate for Prairie interests in national policy discussions.
Service locations

PrairiesCan now has 12 service locations in: Winnipeg, Brandon, and Thompson, Manitoba; Saskatoon, Prince Albert, and Regina, Saskatchewan; Edmonton (headquarters), Calgary, Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie, and Lethbridge, Alberta; and Ottawa, Ontario. This increased presence is improving support to local partners, clients, and stakeholders where they live and work. Our employees use knowledge of the local and regional economy to advise clients and partners on funding programs, policy, advocacy, publications, and economic data.

A map depicting PrairiesCan’s service locations, including its regional locations, principal offices, and headquarters, is presented below.

Figure 1: Map of PrairiesCan’s service locations
Figure 1: Map of PrairiesCan’s service locations
Text description of figure 1
Text description of figure 1
City
Type of office
Edmonton, Alberta
Headquarters
Calgary, Alberta
Principal office
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Principal office
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Principal office
Ottawa, Ontario
Principal office
Fort McMurray, Alberta
Regional location
Grande Prairie, Alberta
Regional location
Lethbridge, Alberta
Regional location
Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
Regional location
Regina, Saskatchewan
Regional location
Brandon, Manitoba
Regional location
Thompson, Manitoba
Regional location
Aerospace, defence, and marine opportunities

PrairiesCan works with businesses and governments to facilitate access to aerospace, defence, and marine opportunities. The department connects Prairie companies and research institutions to defence-related business and investment opportunities through the Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) Policy. Read more about this on the PrairiesCan website.

News releases, success stories, and other publications

To read more about PrairiesCan work, click on the links below.

 

Snapshot of planned resources in 2024–2025

  • Planned spending: $307,870,826
  • Planned full-time resources: 221

Related government priorities

Gender-based analysis Plus (GBA Plus)

PrairiesCan is committed to gender diversity and inclusion. The Policy on Gender-based analysis Plus (GBA Plus) guides us in aligning department practices and strategies with GBA Plus goals when looking at new and existing programs and services.

The department develops all programs and services with consideration of the impacts on marginalized groups including Indigenous Peoples, black Canadians, women, youth, 2SLGBTQQIA+, persons with disabilities, newcomers to Canada, and members of official language minority communities.

The department also offers tailored programs that specifically target certain underrepresented groups. Programs include:

To enhance data collection and ensure consistency of gender and diversity data for PrairiesCan applicants, a diversity and inclusion section is included on application forms. This allows the department to compile aggregate information for diverse groups on the ownership and/or leadership of the organizations applying for funding. PrairiesCan uses this data to identify potential access issues to programs and services and to make evidence-based decisions.

Furthermore, PrairiesCan supports research and study of entrepreneurial data to identify gaps, and better understand unique challenges faced by certain underrepresented groups to inform future program design.

United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals

PrairiesCan continues to support Canada’s efforts to address the UN 2030 Agenda and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This includes helping communities diversify their economies through investments in clean technology and clean resources projects, which supports the creation of sustainable jobs across the Prairies. The department also adopts practices that promote sustainable development in PrairiesCan internal operations. As a fundamental component to department policies and programs, PrairiesCan’s inclusivity priority is in place to increase economic participation of underrepresented and marginalized groups.

The department’s programs and services advance the following UN Sustainable Development Goals:

  • SDG Goal 8 – promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all (SDG targets 8.2 and 8.3).
  • SDG Goal 9 – build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation (SDG target 9.4).
  • SDG Goal 12 – ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns (SDG targets 12.2 and 12.7).

More information on Prairies Economic Development Canada’s contributions to Canada’s Federal Implementation Plan on the 2030 Agenda and the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy can be found in our Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy.

Program inventory

‘Economic Development in the Prairies’ is supported by the following programs:

  • Innovation
  • Business Growth
  • Business Services
  • Community Initiatives

Supporting information on planned expenditures, human resources, and results related to Prairies Economic Development Canada’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.

Internal services

Description

Internal services are the services that are provided within a department so that it can meet its corporate obligations and deliver its programs. There are 10 categories of internal services:

  • management and oversight services
  • communications services
  • legal services
  • human resources management services
  • financial management services
  • information management services
  • information technology services
  • real property management services
  • materiel management services
  • acquisition management services

Plans to achieve results

PrairiesCan is committed to a respectful workplace culture that supports an innovative and creative approach to internal services, programs, and service delivery. The department strives for continuous improvement for all internal services to ensure internal and external clients, partners, stakeholders, and communities are supported.

PrairiesCan continues to support this approach with initiatives such as:

  • Engaging employees to improve problem-solving and use LEAN thinking to optimize processes and value for clients and employees.
  • Using technology such as video conferencing, web-based tools, wireless connectivity, and height adjustable work surfaces to improve well-being and efficiency in our work.
  • Continuous improvement of grants and contributions program delivery.
  • Providing internal and external clients with secure digital access to services such as our online portal for program funding applications. PrairiesCan now offers streamlined and user-friendly interactions to clients, applicants, and interested stakeholders. PrairiesCan introduced a new system that streamlines the intake, assessment, approval, and monitoring of client applications and projects. Ongoing enhancements will be pursued to the system, processes, and documents to continue to improve our service to clients.
    • For internal users, PrairiesCan employees can use secure remote access to a Virtual Private Network (VPN). The VPN gives them to access email, network, and internal data sources to allow for remote work options, when necessary.
  • Increasing awareness of the department’s programs and services in the region. PrairiesCan will engage on social media with key target audiences. Our digital communications strategy will continue to seek areas for improvement and to deliver creative, cost-effective products and services such as internal news, electronic publications, translation, revision, and ministerial support.
  • Assessing and revising PrairiesCan’s Departmental Results Framework (DRF) regularly. The DRF is used to show progress against performance targets and departmental results. The new framework allows the department to tell a more meaningful and transparent story about its performance to Canadians.
  • Using PrairiesCan service standards to identify areas of improvement for internal and external client service. Our service standards show commitment to the principles of client-centric service, operational efficiency, and a culture of service management excellence. Departmental external service standards are on the PrairiesCan website.
  • Continuing to provide in-house compensation expertise and services to ensure staff and transferred employees are paid accurately and on time.
  • Developing high quality planning, reporting, financial, and digital communications products for Canadians, Parliamentarians, and for internal use.
  • Increasing our capacity and partnerships for research and data analytics to support evidence-based decision-making.

Snapshot of planned resources in 2024–2025

  • Planned spending: $13,465,186
  • Planned full-time resources: 99

Related government priorities

Planning for contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses
Context and purpose

Senior designated officials for the management of procurement are responsible for establishing, implementing, and maintaining a departmental Procurement Management Framework (PMF) which must include oversight, planning, and reporting mechanisms. This includes planning and reporting mechanisms for contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses. Appendix E of the Directive on the Management of Procurement describes the procedures for establishing these mechanisms and includes the roles of other government organizations. Subsection E.3.4.2 outlines the responsibility of Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) to issue an annual call letter to deputy-heads for the submission of departmental procurement plans for meeting the mandatory minimum 5% target for Indigenous contracts in the following fiscal year.

Planning summary

For last year, 2023–2024, PrairiesCan forecasted that contracts with Indigenous businesses would amount to approximately 6.0% of the total dollar value of contracts awarded by the department. The department is currently on track to meet that target by fiscal year-end, March 31, 2024.

The planned target for fiscal year 2024–2025 is 7.1%, which is slightly higher than the forecasted target of 6.6% for 2023–2024. Some of the key procurement activities involving Indigenous contracts for 2024–2025 are office equipment, information technology (IT) hardware, and IT software.

The methodology for calculating the forecasted target for fiscal year 2024–2025 uses:

  1. The department’s Annual Procurement Plan and its accompanying Schedule of Planned Procurements; and
  2. The department’s forecasted available operations and maintenance (O&M) budget available for procurement in fiscal year 2024–2025.
Table 4: Total percentage of contracts with Indigenous businesses
Table 4: Total percentage of contracts with Indigenous businesses
5% reporting field
2022–2023 actual result
2023–2024 forecasted result
2024–2025 planned result
Total percentage of contracts with Indigenous businesses
5.12%
6.60%
7.10%

Planned spending and human resources

This section provides an overview of Prairies Economic Development Canada’s planned spending and human resources for the next three fiscal years and compares planned spending for 2024–2025 with actual spending from previous years.

Spending

Figure 2: Spending by core responsibility / program inventory in 2024–2025
Figure 2: Spending by core responsibility / program inventory in 2024–25. Text version below:
Text description of figure 2
Text description of figure 2
Programs and internal services
2024–2025 planned spending
Percentage
Program 1.1 - Innovation
$117,559,977.00
36.58%
Program 1.2 - Business Growth
$61,096,219.00
19.01%
Program 1.3 - Business Services
$31,645,333.00
9.85%
Program 1.4 - Community Initiatives
$97,569,297.00
30.36%
Internal services
$13,465,186.00
4.19%
Explanation of figure 2

Prairies Economic Development Canada only has one core responsibility, so the program inventory budget, within the core responsibility, has been used for Figure 2.

Table 5: Actual spending summary for core responsibilities and internal services ($ dollars)

The following table shows information on spending for Prairies Economic Development Canada’s core responsibility and for its internal services for the previous three fiscal years. Amounts for the current fiscal year are forecasted based on spending to date.

Table 5: Actual spending summary for core responsibilities and internal services ($ dollars)
Core responsibilities and internal services
2021–2022 actual expenditures
2022–2023 actual expenditures
2023–2024 forecast spending
Economic Development in the Prairies
$418,106,043
$478,759,177
$413,280,542
Internal services
13,747,877
20,648,845
15,338,182
Total
$431,853,920
$499,408,022
$428,618,724

Table 6: Budgetary planning summary for core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)

The following table shows information on spending for Prairies Economic Development Canada’s core responsibility and for its internal services for the upcoming three fiscal years.

Table 6: Budgetary planning summary for core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)
Core responsibilities and internal services
2024–2025 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates)
2024–2025 planned spending
2025–2026 planned spending
2026–2027 planned spending
Economic Development in the Prairies
$307,870,826
$307,870,826
$200,786,785
$143,839,088
Internal services
13,465,186
13,465,186
13,163,520
12,644,899
Total
$321,336,012
$321,336,012
$213,932,305
$156,483,987
Explanation of table 6

PrairiesCan planned spending in 2024–2025 is $321.3 million, compared to the 2023–2024 forecast spending of $428.6 million. This represents a net decrease in spending of ($107.3) million, which includes a net decrease in contributions and other transfer payments of ($99.3) million and a decrease in operating costs of ($7.7) million. Factors contributing to the net decrease in spending in 2024–2025 include:

  • an increase of $18.7 million in funding for the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization announced in Budget 2021;
  • an increase of $4.6 million in funding for the Canada Coal Transition Initiative – Infrastructure Fund announced in Budget 2021;
  • an increase of $4.2 million in funding for the Tourism Growth Program announced in Budget 2023;
  • a decrease of $40.4 million in funding for the completion of the Jobs and Growth Fund announced in Budget 2021;
  • a decrease of $22.9 million in funding for the completion of the Canada Revitalization Fund announced in Budget 2021;
  • a decrease of $15.9 million in funding for the completion of the Aerospace Regional Recovery Initiative announced in Budget 2021;
  • a decrease of $12.8 million in funding for the completion of the Tourism Relief Fund announced in Budget 2021;
  • a decrease of $12.7 million in funding for the Regional Economic Growth through Innovation one year renewal;
  • a decrease of $11.6 million in funding to support the Canadian Critical Drug Initiative;
  • a decrease of $6.1 million in funding for the completion of the Major Festivals announced in Budget 2021;
  • a decrease of $3.3 million in funding for the Black Entrepreneurship Fund;
  • a decrease of $2.6 million in funding for the Carbon Fibre Manufacturing Equipment Project;
  • a decrease of $2.6 million in funding for the Launching a National Quantum Strategy announced in Budget 2021;
  • a decrease of $2.5 million in timing for the operating budget carry-forward;
  • a net decrease of $0.9 million in funding for transfers, reprofiles, and other minor adjustments; and
  • a decrease of $0.5 million related to the Budget 2023 Refocused Government Spending.

Table 7: 2024–2025 budgetary gross and net planned spending summary

The following table reconciles gross planned spending with net planned spending for 2024–2025.

Table 7: 2024–2025 budgetary gross and net planned spending summary
Core responsibilities and internal services
2024–2025 gross planned spending (dollars)
2024–2025 planned revenues netted against spending (dollars)
2024–2025 planned net spending (dollars)
Economic Development in the Prairies
$307,870,826
$0
$307,870,826
Internal services
17,265,186
3,800,000
13,465,186
Total
$325,136,012
$3,800,000
$321,336,012
Explanation of table 7

PrairiesCan receives revenues netted against expenditures for various internal support services it provides to Pacific Economic Development Canada.

Funding

Figure 3: Departmental spending 2021–2022 to 2026–2027

The following graph presents planned spending (voted and statutory expenditures) over time.

Figure 2: Departmental spending 2021–2022 to 2026–2027. Text version below:
Text description of figure 3
Text description of figure 3
Fiscal year
Total ($ thousands ($000))
Voted ($ thousands ($000))
Statutory ($ thousands ($000))
2021–2022
$431,854
$426,762
$5,092
2022–2023
$499,408
$494,098
$5,310
2023–2024
$428,619
$423,861
$4,758
2024–2025
$321,336
$316,858
$4,478
2025–2026
$213,932
$209,514
$4,418
2026–2027
$156,484
$152,112
$4,372
Explanation of figure 3

The overall decrease in voted spending in year 2023–2024 relates to the decrease in program initiatives such as the Budget 2021 Tourism Relief Fund, Canada Community Revitalization Fund, and Jobs and Growth Fund, and the sunsetting of Regional Economic Growth Initiative Top Up announced in Budget 2018.

Estimates by vote

Information on Prairies Economic Development Canada’s organizational appropriations is available in the 2024–2025 Main Estimates.

Future-oriented condensed statement of operations

The future-oriented condensed statement of operations provides an overview of Prairies Economic Development Canada’s operations for 2023–2024 to 2024–2025.

The forecast and planned amounts in this statement of operations were prepared on an accrual basis. The forecast and planned amounts presented in other sections of the Departmental Plan were prepared on an expenditure basis. Amounts may therefore differ.

A more detailed future-oriented statement of operations and associated notes, including a reconciliation of the net cost of operations with the requested authorities, are available at Prairies Economic Development Canada’s website.

Table 8: Future-oriented condensed statement of operations for the year ending March 31, 2025 (dollars)

Table 8: Future-oriented condensed statement of operations for the year ending March 31, 2025 (dollars)
Financial information
2023–2024 forecast results
2024–2025 planned results
Difference
(2024–2025 planned results minus
2023–2024 forecast results)
Total expenses
$368,546,483
$308,870,420
($59,676,063)
Total revenues
560
407
(153)
Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers
368,545,923
308,870,013
(59,675,910)
Explanation of table 8

PrairiesCan’s total expenses are expected to be $308.9 million in 2024–2025, compared to $368.5 million in 2023–2024. There is an overall net decrease of $59.7 million primarily based on the following factors:

  • A reduction in spending is expected as time-limited programming completes for Budget 2021 initiatives including the Jobs and Growth Fund, the Tourism Relief Fund, Canada Community Revitalization Fund, and the Aerospace Regional Recovery Initiative.
  • The reduction is partially offset by an expected increase in spending for the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (Budget 2021).

Human resources

Table 9: Actual human resources for core responsibilities and internal services

The following table shows a summary of human resources, in full-time equivalents (FTEs), for Prairies Economic Development Canada’s core responsibility and for its internal services for the previous three fiscal years. Human resources for the current fiscal year are forecasted based on year to date.

Table 9: Actual human resources for core responsibilities and internal services
Core responsibilities and internal services
2021–2022 actual FTEs
2022–2023 actual FTEs
2023–2024 forecasted FTEs
Economic Development in the Prairies
279
263
244
Internal services
107
109
108
Total
386
372
352

Table 10: Human resources planning summary for core responsibilities and internal services

The following table shows information on human resources, in FTEs, for Prairies Economic Development Canada’s core responsibility and for its internal services planned for 2024–2025 and future years.

Table 10: Human resources planning summary for core responsibilities and internal services
Core responsibilities and internal services
2024–2025 planned FTEs
2025–2026 planned FTEs
2026–2027 planned FTEs
Economic Development in the Prairies
221
221
221
Internal services
99
99
99
Total
320
320
320
Explanation of table 10

The overall decline in FTEs from 2021–2022 to 2024–2025 mostly relates to the decrease in program spending under initiatives such as the Budget 2021 Tourism Relief Fund, Canada Community Revitalization Fund, and Jobs and Growth Fund, and the sunsetting of Regional Economic Growth Initiative announced in Budget 2018. The base human resource levels continue to be stable. Fluctuations that occur at the program level reflect resource realignment in support of priorities and projects. The department will continue to achieve its results by allocating its human resources to best support its programs.

Corporate information

Organizational profile

Appropriate minister(s):

The Honourable Dan Vandal, P.C., M.P.

Institutional head:

Diane Gray

Ministerial portfolio:

Prairies Economic Development Canada

Enabling instrument(s):

Western Economic Diversification Act, R.S.C. 1985, c.11, (4th Supplement)

Year of incorporation / commencement:

2021

Other:

Headquarters:
Edmonton, Alberta

Principal Offices:
Calgary, Alberta
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Ottawa, Ontario

Regional Locations:
Edmonton, Calgary, Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie, and Lethbridge, Alberta
Saskatoon, Prince Albert, and Regina, Saskatchewan
Brandon, and Thompson, Manitoba

Organizational contact information

Mailing address:

Prairies Economic Development Canada
Suite 1500, 9700 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta  T5J 4H7

Telephone:

(780) 495-4164 / Toll Free: 1 (888) 338-9378

TTY:

1 (877) 303-3388

Fax:

(780) 495-4557

Email:

WD.contactus-contactez-nous.DEO@prairiescan.gc.ca

Website(s):

https://www.prairiescan.gc.ca

Supplementary information tables

The following supplementary information tables are available on Prairies Economic Development Canada’s website:

Information on Prairies Economic Development Canada’s departmental sustainable development strategy can be found on PrairiesCan’s website.

Federal tax expenditures

Prairies Economic Development Canada’s Departmental Plan does not include information on tax expenditures.

Tax expenditures are the responsibility of the Minister of Finance. The Department of Finance Canada publishes cost estimates and projections for government wide tax expenditures each year in the Report on Federal Tax Expenditures.

This report provides detailed information on tax expenditures, including objectives, historical background and references to related federal spending programs, as well as evaluations, research papers and gender-based analysis plus.

Definitions

List of terms
appropriation (crédit)
Any authority of Parliament to pay money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
budgetary expenditures (dépenses budgétaires)
Operating and capital expenditures; transfer payments to other levels of government, organizations or individuals; and payments to Crown corporations.
core responsibility (responsabilité essentielle)
An enduring function or role performed by a department. The intentions of the department with respect to a core responsibility are reflected in one or more related departmental results that the department seeks to contribute to or influence.
Departmental Plan (plan ministériel)
A document that sets out a department’s priorities, programs, expected results and associated resource requirements, covering a three-year period beginning with the year indicated in the title of the report. Departmental Plans are tabled in Parliament each spring.
departmental result (résultat ministériel)
A change that a department seeks to influence. A departmental result is often outside departments’ immediate control, but it should be influenced by program-level outcomes.
departmental result indicator (indicateur de résultat ministériel)
A factor or variable that provides a valid and reliable means to measure or describe progress on a departmental result.
departmental results framework (cadre ministériel des résultats)
A framework that consists of the department’s core responsibilities, departmental results and departmental result indicators.
Departmental Results Report (rapport sur les résultats ministériels)
A report on a department’s actual performance in a fiscal year against its plans, priorities and expected results set out in its Departmental Plan for that year. Departmental Results Reports are usually tabled in Parliament each fall.
full-time equivalent (équivalent temps plein)
A measure of the extent to which an employee represents a full person-year charge against a departmental budget. Full-time equivalents are calculated as a ratio of assigned hours of work to scheduled hours of work. Scheduled hours of work are set out in collective agreements.
gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus) (analyse comparative entre les sexes plus [ACS Plus])
An analytical tool used to support the development of responsive and inclusive policies, programs and other initiatives. GBA Plus is a process for understanding who is impacted by the issue or opportunity being addressed by the initiative; identifying how the initiative could be tailored to meet diverse needs of the people most impacted; and anticipating and mitigating any barriers to accessing or benefitting from the initiative. GBA Plus is an intersectional analysis that goes beyond biological (sex) and socio-cultural (gender) differences to consider other factors, such as age, disability, education, ethnicity, economic status, geography, language, race, religion, and sexual orientation.
government-wide priorities (priorités pangouvernementales)
For the purpose of the 2024–2025 Departmental Plan, government-wide priorities are the high-level themes outlining the government’s agenda in the 2021 Speech from the Throne: building a healthier today and tomorrow; growing a more resilient economy; bolder climate action; fighter harder for safer communities; standing up for diversity and inclusion; moving faster on the path to reconciliation and fighting for a secure, just, and equitable world.
horizontal initiative (initiative horizontale)
An initiative in which two or more federal organizations are given funding to pursue a shared outcome, often linked to a government priority.
Indigenous business
As defined on the Indigenous Services Canada website in accordance with the Government of Canada’s commitment that a mandatory minimum target of 5% of the total value of contracts is awarded to Indigenous businesses annually.
non-budgetary expenditures (dépenses non budgétaires)
Net outlays and receipts related to loans, investments and advances, which change the composition of the financial assets of the Government of Canada.
performance (rendement)
What an organization did with its resources to achieve its results, how well those results compare to what the organization intended to achieve, and how well lessons learned have been identified.
plan (plan)
The articulation of strategic choices, which provides information on how an organization intends to achieve its priorities and associated results. Generally, a plan will explain the logic behind the strategies chosen and tend to focus on actions that lead up to the expected result.
planned spending (dépenses prévues)
For Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports, planned spending refers to those amounts presented in the Main Estimates.

A department is expected to be aware of the authorities that it has sought and received. The determination of planned spending is a departmental responsibility, and departments must be able to defend the expenditure and accrual numbers presented in their Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports.
program (programme)
Individual or groups of services, activities or combinations thereof that are managed together within a department and that focus on a specific set of outputs, outcomes or service levels.
program inventory (répertoire des programmes)
An inventory of a department’s programs that describes how resources are organized to carry out the department’s core responsibilities and achieve its planned results.
result (résultat)
An external consequence attributed, in part, to an organization, policy, program or initiative. Results are not within the control of a single organization, policy, program or initiative; instead, they are within the area of the organization’s influence.
statutory expenditures (dépenses législatives)
Expenditures that Parliament has approved through legislation other than appropriation acts. The legislation sets out the purpose of the expenditures and the terms and conditions under which they may be made.
target (cible)
A measurable performance or success level that an organization, program or initiative plans to achieve within a specified time period. Targets can be either quantitative or qualitative.
voted expenditures (dépenses votées)
Expenditures that Parliament approves annually through an Appropriation Act. The vote wording becomes the governing conditions under which these expenditures may be made.

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