Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
First, like all my colleagues before me, I would like to begin by thanking the committee for inviting ACOA to appear before you today to talk about what the agency is doing to support official language minority communities in Atlantic Canada.
I will deliver my presentation in French but will be happy to answer any questions in English or in French.
The ACOA is an economic development agency serving the four provinces of Atlantic Canada. The Honourable Rob Moore is the Minister of State responsible for the ACOA. Like the other regional economic development agencies, ACOA manages its own budget and programs.
Our mandate is to create opportunities for economic growth throughout Atlantic Canada by helping businesses become more competitive, innovative and productive; by working with communities to develop and diversify local economies; and by championing the strengths of Atlantic Canada. This includes providing services to official language communities under the Official Languages Act.
From a human resources perspective, the agency's staff is capable of serving the public in both official languages. Over half the positions at ACOA are classified bilingual.
We have a very vibrant francophone community in Atlantic Canada, living in all four provinces of our region. Acadians and francophones make up approximately 12% of the region's population. This also represents about one-third of Canada's French-speaking official language minority population.
Most Atlantic Canadian francophones live in New Brunswick, which has a francophone population of more than 235,000 people—just under 32% of the province's total population.
According to the 2011 census, francophones and anglophones in Atlantic Canada have similar wage profiles, although younger francophones tend to have higher average wages than anglophones.
In recent years, census statistics showed that the unemployment rates tended to be lower for francophones than anglophones in most provinces of Atlantic Canada.
ACOA contributes significantly to the region's francophone community with project funding coming from the agency's business development program, Atlantic innovation fund and innovative communities fund. In total, between 2009 and 2013, ACOA invested more than $200 million in regions of Atlantic Canada with a strong proportion of francophones, on both commercial and non-commercial projects, under these programs.
ACOA was also very pleased to be involved in the Government of Canada's first Roadmap for Canada's Official Languages from 2008 to 2013 by delivering the Atlantic component of the economic development initiative. In total, the agency invested $6.2 million in support of 47 projects throughout Atlantic Canada under the first EDI, leveraging an additional $6.6 million for total investments of $12.8 million. ACOA is committed to maintaining this level of funding under the new 2013-18 roadmap.
The 2012 evaluation of the EDI in Atlantic Canada concluded that the initiative's results were largely attained in the following areas: increased community capacity, dollars leveraged and number of companies having strengthened their capacity for development.
These contributions to official language minority communities by ACOA have not gone unnoticed. In fact, in 2010-11, the Commissioner of Official Languages gave the agency an exemplary mark for its performance in support of positive measures for the development of OLMCs in Atlantic Canada.
ACOA has also established partnerships with other federal and provincial departments and with regional organizations such as the Community Business Development Corporations, or CBDCs.
Under a new funding formula, ACOA provides operational funding to CBDCs, including an allocation for bilingual services in areas with sufficient demand for services in French.
The agency has also undertaken special projects with CBDCs in predominantly francophone areas. In New Brunswick's Acadian Peninsula, in 2012-2013, ACOA funded a project aimed at improving business skills of entrepreneurs. In the Restigouche region of New Brunswick, in 2012-2013, ACOA funded a project aimed at enhancing the IT skills of entrepreneurs.
ACOA also works to help develop industries that are important for Atlantic Canadian OLMCs. Take New Brunswick's maple industry for example, keeping in mind that over 80% of the association's members are located in official language minority communities in northern New Brunswick.
Under the 2008-13 roadmap, ACOA invested $295,000 to help the New Brunswick Maple Syrup Association grow its membership and improve its marketing and export readiness. The association grew from 30 members to 125 and at least two members have begun exporting internationally.
This work is complementary to the assistance provided by the agency to maple syrup producers in support of productivity improvements, modernization and equipment purchases.
In carrying out its activities, ACOA endeavours to take into account the nature and the specific needs of the official language minority communities in each of the four provinces.
The agency will continue to work with francophone businesses, leaders, community groups and other OLMC stakeholders to support economic development initiatives that will strengthen the economic outlook of French-speaking people in Atlantic Canada.
Mr. Chair, I will be happy to answer any questions that committee members may have.