The Agency is here to serve the North and will have a strong presence across the North with distinct offices in Yukon and Northwest Territories. Iqaluit was ultimately selected because it is in Canada's youngest Territory and Nunavut has a tremendous resource development potential combined with a growing private sector presence and a very young population that can be poised to seize growing economic opportunities.

The Agency will provide the economic development programs formerly provided by INAC in the North. These include:

• Strategic Investments in Northern Economic Development (SINED)
• Community Adjustment Fund (CAF)
• Delivery of Infrastructure Canada programs including Recreational Infrastructure Canada (RInC)
• Aboriginal business and economic development programs
• Support for the economic development of official languages minority communities in the North
• Support in the delivery of Human Resources and Social Development Canada’s (HRSDC) skills development and training programs
• Responsibility for the Federal Councils in the North

Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) retains all other responsibilities related to its Northern mandate and its Aboriginal mandate in the territories, including:

• Oil and Gas Development
• Mining and Minerals
• Northern Science and Technology
• Devolution
• Land Claims and Self-Government Agreements
• Water
• Food and Nutrition
• Participation in the Arctic Council
• Northern Contaminated Sites Program
• Northern Contaminants Program (NCP)

Yes. The Agency is responsible for delivering economic development programming in the three territories; coordinating economic policy and programs at the regional level; and, where appropriate, will serve as a delivery agent for other federal departments.  The agency’s purpose is to (1) encourage business development in the territories, (2) foster northern community development, and (3) research, develop new policy, and advocate northern interests within the federal system.

Northern federal economic development programs will for the first time be housed in an Agency with northern economic development as its core purpose.  The Agency will also deliver two new programs announced as part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan: the Community Adjustment Fund (CAF) and Recreational Infrastructure Canada (RInC).

It will also house a new Northern Project Management Office (NPMO) as a core service within CanNor. The NPMO will be in charge of coordinating the work of all federal players involved in natural resource development projects in the three territories and in the Arctic offshore, and coordinating Aboriginal consultation efforts.  It will engage with stakeholders to further tailor its activities and programs to the unique needs of the territories and differing circumstances in each territory. 

Yes. From January to June 2009, government officials met with stakeholders, Aboriginal groups, industry groups, territorial governments and partners to gather their feedback on questions relating to the mandate, organization and priorities of the Agency. Decisions to date on the Agency’s activities have taken into consideration this feedback. 

We will continue to work closely with northern partners and stakeholder groups to ensure the Agency serves the unique economic development needs and opportunities of each territory.

The Agency will be led by a deputy head who will have a direct reporting relationship to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development Canada.

Canada’s Economic Action Plan committed $90 million over five years for a renewed Strategic Investments in Northern Economic Development (SINED) initiative. SINED will be the flagship program for the Agency, along with seven other priority areas and programs, including:

• Aboriginal business and economic development programs;
• Infrastructure programs including RInC;
• Community Adjustment Fund;
• Support in the delivery of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) Skills Training Coordination;
• Northern Projects Management Office (NPMO);
• Support for official language minority communities; and
• Regional Federal Councils.

$50 million has been allocated to cover start up costs for the new Agency, which will be headquartered in Iqaluit with regional offices in Whitehorse and Yellowknife and a liaison office in Ottawa.  Total funding for programs and other federal initiatives will be almost $200 million over five years.

The Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Yukon will have a vital role in Canada's future prosperity, as evidenced by the Northern Strategy and the location of CanNor in the territories. The primary objective of CanNor is to help provide the foundation for a prosperous economic future for those who live, work and support their families in the North.

NPMO’s role within CanNor is to support economic development and improved regulatory efficiency and effectiveness in the territories by increasing timeliness, transparency and predictability, and ensuring a more integrated federal approach to regulation.

NPMO will aim to address process bottlenecks through a client service approach with investors, regulators and other authorities. The office will serve as a centralized federal source of expertise and impartial information for project proponents, and will work in partnership with other federal departments, regulatory boards, territorial and aboriginal governments, and regional federal councils to improve communication and coordination.

NPMO will also hold the official Crown consultation record for major projects in the North and help to ensure that Aboriginal people are part of the process.

Programs delivered by the Agency apply only to the three territories.  However, some of the policy work done by the Agency—including northern economic development research, advocacy on northern issues, and coordination to increase the effectiveness of northern programming—will relate to all Inuit regions of Canada.

Furthermore, the northern agency will collaborate with Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, responsible for economic development in Nunavik, and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, responsible for economic development in Nunatsiavut, on economic development initiatives of common interest to all Inuit regions.