Mountain Pine Beetle: Community Economic Diversification Initiative

Overview

• What is the Community Economic Diversification Initiative?
• What is the status of the Community Economic Diversification Initiative? 
• What kinds of projects were funded?
• What has been accomplished?
• Who can I contact for more information?

What is the Community Economic Diversification Initiative?

The Community Economic Diversification Initiative (CEDI) was an important component of the federal Mountain Pine Beetle Program.  This initiative provided funding for projects that supported the long-term stability of forest-dependent communities and First Nations in British Columbia. Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) delivered CEDI on behalf of the federal government.

Working with community leaders and other key stakeholders, WD invested over $33 million in projects that supported economic growth, job creation and future sustainability of communities adversely affected by the widespread mountain pine beetle infestation.

Launched in January 2007, the CEDI program was part of the Government of Canada's $200 million response to the mountain pine beetle outbreak.

All projects funded under CEDI will be completed by March 31, 2011.

What is the status of the Community Economic Diversification Initiative?

Western Economic Diversification Canada received more than 500 Expressions of Interest for funding under CEDI. The Expressions of Interest were ranked, with the highest ranking proposals invited to the next stage of proposal development. This initiative is now fully subscribed with funding going towards a total of 144 projects aimed at addressing the long-term economic impacts of forest-dependent communities in British Columbia.

What kinds of projects were funded?

To be considered for CEDI funding, projects needed to address one or more of the following areas:

• Community Capacity Building - projects aimed at preparing communities to take advantage of new economic opportunities.
• Economic Diversification - projects that focused on innovative opportunities for growth by capitalizing on regional strengths beyond the forest industry.
• Value-Added Forestry - projects that capitalized on unrealized and high-value niche opportunities in the non-traditional areas of the forest sector including commercializing new value-added wood products, markets and services.
• Economic Infrastructure - projects that resulted in new or improved infrastructure that generated long-term sustainable economic benefits for the community.

What has been accomplished?

Working with community leaders and other key stakeholders, WD invested over $33 million in projects that supported economic growth, job creation and future sustainability of communities adversely affected by the widespread of mountain pine beetle infestation. This initiative is now fully subscribed with funding going towards a total of 144 projects aimed at addressing the long-term economic impacts of forest-dependent communities in British Columbia

Who can I contact for more information?

For additional information on CEDI, contact the WD regional office nearest you. To review other Western Economic Diversification Canada funding programs available to assist community economic diversification, please visit WD Programs.

For more information on the federal Mountain Pine Beetle Program, visit the Natural Resources Canada.