Identifying Gaps in Local Community Economic Development Capacity in Atlantic Canada

1. Identifying Gaps in Local Community Economic Development Capacity in Atlantic Canada Erin Edmundson· Jean-François Frenette

2. Overview • Literature Review • Fieldwork • Communities visited • Results & Discussion • Common themes • Recommendations

3. CED Definitions

4. ACOA & CED

5. LiteratureReview CED Capacity Key Elements “Community Capitals: A Tool for Evaluating Strategic Interventions and Projects” Flora, Emery, Fey and Bregendahl

6. Literature Review

7. CED Capacity Gaps? CED Capacity Gaps “The missing elements communities need to reach their full CED potential.” • The following represent examples of CED capacity gaps: • Strategic planning • Collaboration • Infrastructure • etc.

8. Methodology Fieldwork • Communities Studied • Community Categories • Community Selection • Interviews • Community Profiles • CED Capacity • CED Capacity Gaps

9. Communities Studied

10. Communities Studied

11. Communities Studied

12. Community Category 1 St. Anthony, NL • CED Success Stories • CED Capacity • Identifying CED Gaps

13. St. Anthony, NL

14. Community Category 2 Tignish, PEI • CED Success • CED Capacity • Identifying CED Gaps

15. Tignish, PEI

16. Community Category 3 Sydney Mines, Cape Breton, NS • CED Success • CED Capacity • Identifying CED Gaps

17. Sydney Mines, NS

18. Community Category 4 Millbrook, NS • CED Success • CED Capacity • Identifying CED Gaps

19. Millbrook First Nations, NS

20. Community Category 5 Tracadie-Sheila, NB • CED Success • CED Capacity • Identifying CED Gaps

21. Tracadie-Sheila, NB

22. Community Category 6 Conne River, NL • CED Success • CED Capacity • Identifying CED Gaps

23. Conne River, NL

24. Results & Discussion

25. Overall Success Factors

26. Overall Gaps *Gaps which fall under ACOA’s mandate

27. BUT…

29. Leadership All communities have groups or individuals dedicated to CED New ideas have brought prosperity to many Atlantic Canadian communities The presence of a paid CED manager guarantees dedicated hours toward CED Location Those communities on a transportation corridor have a opportunity to use their strategic location to their advantage Other Entrepreneurial spirit has created many opportunities for economic growth Through fostering healthy partnerships, many groups can learn from each other Atlantic Canadian Successes

30. Strategic Planning Many have Regional Strategic Plans, but few at the community level 3C’s Between CED groups Between groups/ communities and REDO’s Between communities and other surrounding communities Out-migration of Youth Few students are returning to their rural homes after post-secondary Volunteers Limited volunteer base, causing many volunteers to sit on multiple boards and committees Few Paid CED Managers Limited communities had a paid CED manager Atlantic Canadian Gaps

31. Rural/Remote/Shock (1) (a) Successes Leadership Committed Individuals/Groups Paid CED manager Innovation Location Tourism traffic (b) Gaps Funding Applying for funding Out-migration of youth Limited volunteer base Skills development Labour force Rural/Remote/No Shock (2) (a) Successes Leadership Committed individuals/groups Paid CED manager Location Service centre Transport corridor Tourism traffic (b) Gaps 3C’s Planning Strategic planning Infrastructure Remote Communities

32. Rural/Adjacent/Shock (3) (a) Successes Leadership Committed groups Community cohesion (b) Gaps Planning Strategic planning Funding Applying for funding 3C’s Out-migration of youth Skills development. Adjacent Communities Rural/Adjacent/No Shock (4) (a) Successes • Leadership • Committed groups/individuals • Location • Service centre (b) Gaps • Out-migration of youth • Limited volunteer base • Planning • Strategic planning • 3C’s

33. Atlantic Canada Community Profiles Version 1.0 (BETA)

34. Atlantic Canada Community Profiles • Search by Regional Map • Search by Region • Search by Community Region Community

35. Please select province

36. New Brunswick Chaleur Please select region

37. Chaleur Please select community

38. Processing

40. Processing

41. Belledune, N.-B. Next

42. Belledune, N.-B. Find community category Etc.

44. Community Category

45. Community Capacity

46. Community Capacity Submit

48. Individual Communities Individual CED Capacity Successes and Gaps Model Example: Community “X” Level Types of Capital

49. Considerations Of the communities studied: • Almost all communities lack volunteers and the burden always seems to fall on the same people. • Almost all successful communities have found their identity and built upon it. • Half of the communities with REDO’s have not developed their own independent CED groups. • One third of the communities have been successful in recycling assets through CED projects. • Communities with a paid CED manager seem to have a better understanding of CED. • Most communities (or groups) struggle with the funding process. • Furthermore, when assessing CED capacity gaps: • The needs of Francophone communities do not appear to be different than those of English speaking communities • The needs of Aboriginal communities may go beyond those of other communities • Limitations: Need for more comprehensive research

50. Community Informants Recommendations • Make the funding application process more user-friendly and educate community leaders, CED groups and other potential users on the programs available. • Provide facilitators to communities to teach CED groups about strategic planning, etc. • Provide funding for projects for more than one year. Sometimes a year isn’t long enough for projects to stand on their own. • Avoid cookie cutter approaches to CED. • Assist with “sister communities”– pair struggling communities with a similar successful community. • Invest in access to training programs for CED practitioners.