Community matters. It’s an essential part of Atlantic Canadian life. Every local success story adds stability to the local community – financially, culturally and socially. As such, communities are a high priority at ACOA.
Together with partners, communities and businesses, ACOA is helping to build strong, sustainable communities in every region of Atlantic Canada. Our extensive network of 36 points of contact throughout Atlantic Canada is the very foundation of this ongoing and proactive outreach.
Our programs give priority to investments that help SMEs and communities, rural and urban, capture opportunities that create jobs and growth.
Some of the ACOA programming and resources available to help communities across Atlantic Canada on their path to success include:
The Innovative Communities Fund (ICF). Through the ICF, ACOA invests in strategic projects that build the economies of Atlantic Canada's communities. The purpose of the ICF is to diversify and enhance the economies of Atlantic communities by capitalizing on the opportunities and strengths that exist in these communities. The ICF focuses on investments that lead to long-term employment and economic capacity building in rural communities.
Building Canada Fund provides funding for municipal infrastructure projects, particularly in smaller communities. It focuses on improving infrastructure in areas such as water, wastewater, culture and recreation. The fund is cost-shared; the Government of Canada contributes, on average, one-third of the total eligible cost of each project while the provincial government and the municipality contribute the balance.
Official Languages Minority Communities (OLMCs) and ACOA are working together to strengthen the vitality and economic development of francophone minority communities throughout Atlantic Canada. As part of this mandate, ACOA is responsible for implementing the Economic Development Initiative (EDI) in the Atlantic region. The EDI falls under the Government of Canada’s Roadmap for Canada’s Linguistic Duality (Roadmap), which demonstrates the government’s commitment to promoting linguistic duality and to enhancing the vitality of official language minority groups.
The Community Business Development Corporations (CBDCs) play a critical role in addressing the need for access to capital for the creation or expansion of small businesses located in rural communities throughout Atlantic Canada.
Aboriginal entrepreneurs make a unique and vital contribution to our regional economy and their communities. Through its business and community development programs and services, ACOA works with Aboriginals and First Nations Communities to ensure they remain active participants in the Atlantic economy and to develop their capacity at the local level. Canada Business also provides information about the full range of Government of Canada programs and services for business, including Aboriginal entrepreneurs.