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Economic Development Initiative

The Economic Development Initiative (EDI) provides financial support to projects that encourage economic diversification, business development, innovation, partnerships and increased support for small- and medium-sized enterprises in official language minority communities (OLMCs).

Investing in our future

In March 2018, the Government of Canada announced its Action Plan for Official Languages 2018-2023: Investing in Our Future. The Plan comes with a budget of $2.7 billion over 5 years allocated among 15 federal departments and agencies.

Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD), along with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada and the other regional development agencies, delivers the EDI.

WD will invest $3.2 million through the EDI over 5 years for projects that help develop capacities, expertise and partnerships. All projects for economic development of businesses and communities, and the sustainable growth of Western Canada’s Francophone communities.

How to apply for the EDI

We are delivering the EDI as a pilot in Western Canada through the Fonds de développement économique francophone de l’Ouest canadien (FDEFO). The 4 Francophone Economic Development Organizations (FEDOs) in Western Canada are managing this fund.

If you have a project idea and would like to submit an application, please contact your local Francophone Economic Development Organizations (FEDOs) or email: fdefo@cecs-sk.ca

The eligibility criteria are:

Projects funded under the program may be local, provincial or interprovincial in scope. They must demonstrate a real impact with clear and measurable benefits in at least one of the following sectors:

Examples of approved EDI projects

EDI projects funded in Western Canada include:

Centre culturel francophone de Vancouver

Centre collégial de l’Alberta

Centre francophone BDS Inc.

CDI Ste-Agathe

Le Conseil de développement économique de l’Alberta

L’Université de Saint-Boniface

University of Regina – Cite Universitaire Francophone

Eco-Ouest (Le Conseil de développement économique des municipalités bilingues du Manitoba)

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