Details of transfer payment program under $5 million

Statutory: Contribution to the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board (Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Resources Accord Implementation Act)

NRCan pays 50% of the operating costs of the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board. The province pays the other 50%. This is done pursuant to section 28 of the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Resources Accord Implementation Act. The funds are drawn from the Consolidated Revenue Fund. Cost recovery regulations put in place in 2016 allow the Board to cost recover up to 100% of eligible costs from industry, which are remitted to the government of Canada and the province of Nova Scotia on a 50-50 basis.

This transfer payment program does not have any repayable contributions.

The purpose of this grant is to fulfill the federal commitment to the operation of the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC), in order to improve wildland fire management in Canada through interagency cooperation in wildfire prevention, mitigation and operational response.

The objective of this grant is to provide wildland fire management services to CIFFC participating agencies through:

• Gathering, analysing and dissemination wildland fire management information to ensure a cost effective sharing of resources;
• Actively promoting, developing, refining, standardizing and providing services for the improvement of forest fire management in Canada;
• Sharing equipment, technical personnel and information intended to share risk and defray capital and operating costs related to wildland fire management in an effort to maximize program efficiency from national and provincial/territorial perspectives; and,
• Facilitating national wildland fire prevention and mitigation initiatives.

The expected results include:

• Provision of wildland fire Situation Reports (daily/weekly depending on fire season)
• National standards are developed and refined.
• Movement of resources across jurisdictions
• The coordination of wildland firefighting resources internationally
• Development and implementation of national prevention and mitigation strategy

Performance Indicators

1. Number of fire situation reports and fire danger ratings that are updated daily during the fire season on the Proponent website. The information is available to the public.
2. Number of firefighting resources exchanged through CIFFC in Canada between provinces and territories in regard of equipment, personnel and aircraft.
3. Resources exchanged through CIFFC across international boundaries in regard of equipment, personnel and aircraft.

The installation of sensors in key-targeted areas will provide a basic earthquake early warning infrastructure and will permit monitoring of federal-critical infrastructure.

Funding will be made through Grants & Contributions to provinces, territories and municipalities in areas of high seismic hazard in order to strengthen the robustness of the national earthquake early warning system.

Contribution payments are non-repayable.

Earthquakes in urban areas present the greatest single-event risk in terms of potential for lives lost and economic impact for Canada. Current protection from earthquakes comes primarily from rigorous implementation of seismic provisions in the National Building Code.

The next improvement in protection is to provide tens of seconds of warning for preventative action to protect critical infrastructure, stop trains and traffic, prepare response systems, and give warnings to the public to take shelter.

Funding is provided to Provinces, Territories, First Nations and educational institutions to extend the EEW network beyond its core to provide additional protection to these entities, and to cover R&D costs for the improved understanding of EEW.

Expected results aim to:

• Enhance disaster response capacity and coordination and foster the development of new capabilities.
• Performance measures and indicators to measure these expected results:
• Alerts issued for all earthquakes above threshold M within a defined time period t (where M & t to be established based on integrated system testing in 2021-22 and 2022-2023)

• Academia and public institutions.
• Aboriginal recipients.
• Government.

The objective of this program is to generate new knowledge through research and development to enable Canadian forest operators and wood product manufacturers to maintain and improve market access and reduce energy consumption and improve on environmental performance.

The program will also bring new and existing knowledge on issues of domestic and international codes and standards relating to wood products, their manufacture and use. This program will be delivered through non-repayable contribution agreements.

Expected outcomes of the program include the following:

• 90% of updates to existing codes and standards are favourable or neutral to Canada’s forest sector
• 90% of relevant new codes and standards are favourable or neutral to Canada’s forest sector
• At least two short success stories of reduced costs and/or improved efficiency
• At least two examples of improved environmental performance resulting from the project
• At least one example of improved workplace health and safety resulting from the projects

The project will directly contribute to a more productive, cost-effective, and efficient Canadian forest sector that is environmentally sustainable. The project will make valuable contributions to building and wood material codes and standards that help ensure greater market access for Canadian wood products.

GeoConnections is an ongoing program with the mandate and responsibility to lead the evolution of the Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure (CGDI) with standards-based technologies and operational policies for data sharing and integration to address key economic, social and environmental priorities.

Through regular Calls for Proposals, GeoConnections is co-funding the development of innovative adoption and further development of the CGDI with eligible recipients by using Non-Repayable Contributions.

The Project’s expected results are to:

• Keep Canada at the leading edge of accessing, sharing and using geospatial information via the Internet;
• Coordinate the development of national policies, standards and mechanisms and support their implementation to ensure maintenance and updating of geospatial data and compatibility with global standards.

Indicators:

• Number of project proposals received from targeted recipients.
• Number of proponents and collaborators related to innovative geospatial project solutions.
• Number of new information, products, services or functions developed, by type of innovative adoption or advanced technologies of the CGDI.

• Individuals;
• Canadian or international profit and non-profit organizations;
• International governments, corporations, industry and their associations;
• Research associations and academic institutions;
• Provincial, territorial, regional, municipal and rural government departments, agencies and some Crown Corporations whose objectives contribute to those of the GeoConnections Program.

Ongoing (TGI)

March 31, 2027 (GEM-GeoNorth)

• Geoscience for Sustainable Development of Natural Resources (TGI)
• Geological Knowledge for Canada’s Onshore and Offshore Land (GEM-GeoNorth)

This transfer payment program covers two Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) geoscience programs, the Targeted Geoscience Initiative (TGI) and Geo-Mapping for Energy and Minerals (GEM-GeoNorth).

The objective of the collaborative federal TGI geoscience program is to provide the Canadian mineral industry with the next generation of geoscience knowledge, innovative techniques and predictive models, which will result in more effective targeting of buried mineral deposits.

The objective of the GEM-GeoNorth Program is to help unlock the full mineral potential of Canada’s North and promote responsible land development in the region by mapping its geology. GEM-GeoNorth works with partners across Canada to develop new geoscience knowledge, tools and educational opportunities focusing on mineral potential, climate-resiliency, and sustainable land-use.

Both TGI and GEM-GeoNorth will provide grants to eligible recipients to conduct science that aligns with program outcomes, or to develop capacity-building opportunities for geoscience professionals; in the case of GEM-GeoNorth, part of this funding will be earmarked for Northern educational institutions. GEM-GeoNorth will also disburse grants to Northern and Indigenous organizations to develop opportunities and tools that enable access and use of geoscience knowledge by Indigenous peoples.

Most transfer payments made under this transfer payment program will be grants, but contributions may be allocated if NRCan deems it necessary to monitor progress and results, receive an accounting of the use of funds from the Recipient, and have the right to carry out a recipient audit or to request some other type of certification or audit assurance from the Recipient.

Grants and contributions will be non-repayable.

GEM

Program outcomes include:

• A strong northern economy through stable, long term investment in responsible resource development
• Northerners, their institutions and exploration industry use modern geoscientific knowledge to inform decisions on Northern development.
• Land-use decisions and climate adaptation strategies are guided by geoscience and Indigenous knowledge;
• Access to geological knowledge regarding resource potential in Canada’s Arctic and North is enhanced;
• Increased understanding of rapidly changing Arctic and Northern landscapes and coasts and how to address these changes;
• Response to cumulative effects of climate change and development in the Northern environment is better understood and mitigated;
• The availability of Northern geoscience from innovative data driven tools maximizes decision-making;

Research priorities, knowledge products and capacity building are co-developed with Northerners and Indigenous peoples.

TGI

Program outcomes include:

• Generate geoscience knowledge to enhance the understanding of the processes that formed Canada’s mineral deposits, including critical minerals, and identify and develop novel indicators and parameters to guide exploration in emerging and existing mining areas.
• Improve mineral exploration effectiveness by developing next-generation geological knowledge, as well as leading edge tools, innovative techniques, and predictive models.
• Development of new knowledge, methodologies and innovative models that enhance exploration industry’s ability to detect buried ore deposits.
• Integrated, multi-scale scientific knowledge of source-to-ore formation that guides new exploration approaches.
• Increased pool of highly qualified personnel (HQP) available for employment in the mineral exploration industry.
• Mineral exploration industry can efficiently discover recent and emerging public geoscience knowledge and methodologies relevant to the detection and delineation of new mineral resources.
• Collaborative geoscience research groups leverage expertise and capacity to effectively solve research questions of pertinence to the exploration industry.

Recipients for this program include:

• Canadian and International Not-for-profit organizations (including industry and research and professional associations)
• Canadian and international Academia and public institutions
• Indigenous organizations, groups or communities
• Provincial, Territorial, Regional, and Municipal governments and their departments and agencies where applicable

The purpose of the program is to increase Indigenous participation in economic development opportunities in order to contribute to a more environmentally and commercially sustainable natural resource sector.

The objective of the program is to increase the capacity of Indigenous communities to engage in and benefit from economic development arising from opportunities in the natural resource sectors, as well as to increase the investment and collaboration between Indigenous peoples and other natural resource development stakeholders, including governments, industry, and non-governmental organizations.

Through the Indigenous Forestry Initiative, the program supports several Government of Canada priorities, including advancing Reconciliation and enhancing economic outcomes in Indigenous Communities.

At a departmental level, the program directly supports the Minister of Natural Resources’ mandated commitments to support forest sector competitiveness, advance reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, and the Department’s Program Activity 1.2 – Innovation for new products and processes and Sub-Program 1.2.2 – Forest sector innovation.

This program provides non-repayable contributions.

Expected results of the initiative are to increase the capacity of Indigenous communities to engage in and benefit from economic development arising from opportunities in the forest sector, as well as to increase the investment and collaboration between Indigenous peoples and other forest sector development stakeholders, including governments, industry, and non-governmental organizations.

Performance indicators for this initiative include:

• Number of Indigenous forest sector development opportunities identified, as demonstrated by the number of proposals received by IFI;
• Number of engagement activities (e.g. workshops, training sessions) held with stakeholders, including with Indigenous groups to advance economic development goals;
• Percentage of recipients providing workforce statistics that support tracking of workforce diversity.
• Number of milestones (tasks) met that advance Indigenous participation in forest sector development opportunities;
• Number of Indigenous led business start-ups or expansions funded by the IFI that are fully capitalized, in construction, and/or are operational; and
• Number of opportunity scans and feasibility studies completed.

• Indigenous communities or governments (including Indian Act bands, self-governing First Nations, Métis Community Organizations, modern treaty implementation organizations including economic development corporations constituted under a modern treaty, etc.);
• Tribal Councils or entities that fulfill a similar function (e.g., general council);
• Provincial, territorial, municipal and regional governments working with or on behalf of one or more endorsing Indigenous partner organization(s) to facilitate Indigenous economic development;
• National and regional Indigenous organizations;
• Academic institutions and research associations working with an Indigenous partner organization to facilitate Indigenous economic development;
• Indigenous (50% or greater ownership by Indigenous people): for-profit and not-for-profit corporations, businesses, joint ventures, partnerships, associations, co-operatives and institutions; and
• Non-Indigenous not-for-profit entities, such as corporations, joint ventures, partnerships, associations, co-operatives and institutions, who are working with or on behalf of one or more endorsing Indigenous partner organization(s) to facilitate Indigenous economic development.

• Regional Liaison Officers in five Canadian Forestry Service regions are boots on the ground and engage with potential applicants at conferences, visit communities and network with other government and industry leaders.
• The program keeps a list of interested applicants and emails these contacts when a deadline for application is announced with application details.

This TPP will ultimately contribute to the same results and indictors applicable to the broader NRCan Wildfire Resilience program; namely, the provision of rigorously calibrated and validated forest maps and geospatial datasets to practitioners and communities in Canada’s North, enabling them to better understand fire risk and plan mitigation activities. Dialogues seek to share information with, and gather input from, Indigenous groups who may have an interest in or may be affected by policies and options addressed by the policy dialogue.

As stated in the Terms and Conditions for Indigenous Participation in Dialogue results will be measured by all or some of the following:

• the number of contribution agreements signed by eligible groups;
• the percentage of funding disbursed versus offered; and,
• the number of Indigenous groups who received funding that provided written/oral comments and/or participated in meetings with the Crown or its representatives.

Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) engages with Indigenous Peoples in dialogues on issues related to its mandate. The contributions are intended to facilitate Indigenous participation in dialogues.

The primary focus for 2023-24 will be on consultations relating to the development of regulations under the Canadian Energy Regulator Act, for example, the Indigenous Ministerial Arrangements Regulations.

In general, the expected result is that Indigenous Peoples are engaged with the Crown or its representatives in dialogues related to NRCan’s mandate.

Starting in 2023-24, through this multi-year initiative, NRCan will consult with partners and stakeholders including Indigenous Peoples, regulated industry, landowners, and the Regulator on the development of regulations, including for example, the Indigenous Ministerial Arrangements Regulations.

Expected results from this funding will be that Indigenous Peoples will be able to more meaningfully participate in consultations, leading to the development of effective regulations. This will, in turn, further reconciliation and in the case if the Indigenous Ministerial Arrangements Regulations, enable the entering into arrangements with the Minister of Natural Resources that would enable Indigenous Governing Bodies taking on certain powers, duties and functions under the Canadian Energy Regulator Act.

There are other initiatives that may be implemented under this transfer payment program and will be reported through the Departmental Results Report.

Direct Recipients: Those recipients that participate in dialogues or produce relevant knowledge, expertise, reports or input for the purpose of a dialogue to support active and meaningful Indigenous involvement in issues related to NRCan Mandate, including:

• Indigenous communities or governments;
• Tribal Councils or entities that fulfill a similar function (e.g., general council);
• National and regional Indigenous councils, and tribal organizations;
• Indigenous (majority owned and controlled by Indigenous Peoples) for-profit and not-for-profit organizations; and,
• Indigenous Peoples with community knowledge, Indigenous traditional knowledge or input relevant to the policy dialogue, and with interest in the issues discussed through the policy dialogue.

Initial recipients: Recipients that will further distribute funding to Ultimate Recipients, including:

• Indigenous communities or governments;
• Tribal Councils or entities that fulfill a similar function (e.g., general council);
• National and regional Indigenous councils, and tribal organizations; and,
• Indigenous (majority owned and controlled by Indigenous Peoples) for-profit and not-for-profit organizations

Ultimate Recipients: Those recipients that receive funding from an Initial Recipient to participate in dialogues or the production of reports or input for the purpose of a dialogue, including:

• Indigenous communities or governments;
• Tribal Councils or entities that fulfill a similar function (e.g., general council)
• National and regional Indigenous councils, and tribal organizations;
• Indigenous (majority owned and controlled by Indigenous Peoples) for-profit and not-for-profit organizations; and,
• Indigenous Peoples with community knowledge, Indigenous traditional knowledge or input relevant to the dialogue, and interest in the issues discussed through dialogue.

In relation to regulatory development, NRCan has an initial plan that is ongoing and, when considering the Indigenous Ministerial Arrangements Regulations, is anticipated to be a multi-year process. This plan will see multiple opportunities for engagement with Indigenous Peoples, with the department currently seeking input related to how Indigenous Peoples would like to be engaged on the development of the regulations.

Other initiatives will be developed based on what is learned during the initial sessions.

• Natural resources sectors are innovative
• Clean technologies and energy efficiencies enhance economic performance
• Canada’s natural resources are sustainable
• Enhanced competitiveness of Canada’s natural resources sector

• Support the scale up of Canadian small businesses through early-stage, pre-commercial Research and Development.
• Develop a domestic market for early-stage, pre-commercial innovations
• Facilitate the subsequent testing and validation of prototypes, as well as prepare a pathway to commercialization and purchase of novel new products by government and non-government customers.
• Fund the development and commercialization of new technology to address specific problems identified by the funding department.
• Foster greater industry-research collaboration through the release of challenges for solutions that address key Government of Canada priorities.

This Program does not include repayable contributions.

Bioplastics: Improved biodegradability of bio-based plastics derived from agricultural or wood-based biomass suitable for use as replacements for single use plastics (e.g. packaging).

Biofoams: Improved environmental impact and recyclability of insulation products derived from forest residue, suitable for use as replacements for petroleum-based spray and rigid form board insulation.

Tree Planting Innovation: New technologies to reduce cost of seedling production for tree planting programs while at the same time reduce plastic waste related to seedling production.

High Resolution Mapping: New technology to enable the production of high resolution vegetative maps to help fight forest fires.

Performance Measures:

• Generation of new Intellectual Property
• Research collaborations to improve innovation procurement from small businesses
• Small businesses attract venture/patient capital
• Commercialization of early stage R&D/Technology Readiness Levels by small businesses
• Employment of highly skilled workers in the Canadian innovation ecosystem
• Small businesses grow in the Canadian innovation ecosystem

Key performance indicators:

• Number of new products, processes and services developed as a result of the ISC program
• Number of participating firms achieving high growth
• Value of goods and services commercialized following a contract with the government

The $10M Oil Spill Response Challenge will invest in the rapid development of new oil spill detection and recovery technologies to minimize risks to Canadian aquatic environments in the event of an oil spill. The ultimate outcome of this initiative will be to accelerate the development and facilitate deployment of new innovative oil spill response solutions tailored to Canadian conditions and needs.

The Oil Spill Response Challenge is using an innovative prize-based challenge approach that:

• Includes significant stakeholder engagement for joint problem framing and informing of the Challenge design elements to ensure a successful launch and implementation.
• Improves pace and paths to commercialization of new oil spill response technologies.

Grants and contribution payments made under this program are non-repayable.

Funding is open to Canadian and international eligible recipients provided they meet established criteria.

Eligible recipients will include, but are not limited to, legal entities validly incorporated or registered in Canada or abroad, such as:

• Private sector and not-for-profit organizations such as producers, shippers, industry associations, research associations, and environmental non-governmental organizations;
• Indigenous organizations and groups;
• Community groups;
• Academic institutions; and
• Provincial, territorial, regional and municipal governments and their departments and agencies, where applicable.

The Program’s design and delivery will be developed through extensive engagement with:

• Technical experts on oil spill response science and technologies;
• Spill responders and regulators on technology requirements;
• Communities (including Indigenous) on deployment, capacity requirements, and regional considerations; and
• Domestic and global innovators on oil spill technology development

This authority is a mechanism to further program objectives, the funding disbursed through the Outreach and Engagement activities will be considered in the context of evaluations of the programs to which the funded projects align.

Performance and results information collected from the recipient will serve the purpose of evaluating the program and will therefore relate to the program’s outcomes and results.

The planned results (outcomes) are that:

• NRCan users have access to the Outreach and Engagement Terms and Conditions;
• Activities that support NRCan strategic objectives, which would have been unrealized otherwise, are enabled.

Indicators to measure these results are:

• % of users reporting accessibility to the Outreach and Engagement Terms and Conditions;
• % of users reporting that this mechanism met their need.

• Canadian and international, for-profit and non-profit organizations;
• Canadian and international universities and academic institutions;
• Indigenous groups (individual or a collective representing more than one Indigenous group); and,
• Foreign, provincial, territorial, regional and municipal governments.

The purpose of the program is to:

• Provide federal science leadership for the collaborative implementation of the Canadian Wildland Fire Strategy , enabling research related to national wildfire risk assessment and analysis to provide information that is grounded in science, which makes strengthened decision-making possible.
• Enhance whole-of-society collaboration and governance to strengthen resilience.
• Increase focus on whole-of-society disaster prevention and mitigation activities to:
  • increase the resiliency of Canadian communities to the risks and impacts of natural disasters.
  • undertake and implement risk reduction analyses and actions.
  • ensure that wildfire response agencies are integrated with each other to implement an effective wildland fire response program.
  • increase the wildfire knowledge of agencies, communities and individuals in order to create a culture of wildfire safety and to empower the public to understand risk.

There are no repayable contributions under this program.

Increase focus on whole-of-society disaster prevention and mitigation activities.

Results (1)

Canadian communities assess their risk with respect to natural disasters, and establish and execute risk reduction action plans.

Indicators (1)

Number of communities with completed natural disaster risk assessments and action plans, by disaster type.

Results (2)

Enhanced nationally integrated systems in place to deliver a coordinated deployment of resources in response to natural disasters.

Indicators (2)

Number of agencies with completed technical assessments for implementation of systems interoperability improvements between agencies involved in natural disaster response in Canada, by disaster type.

Results (3)

Canadians have access to reliable, current and comprehensive information, supporting whole-of-society awareness and action regarding natural disasters.

Indicators (2)

Number of new information, outreach or coordination products, services or functions developed, by disaster type.

• Legal entities validly incorporated or registered in Canada including:
  • Not for profit organizations
  • Indigenous organizations, groups and communities;
  • Canadian academic institutions;
  • For profit organizations
• Provincial, territorial, regional and municipal governments and their departments and agencies.
• International Recipients
  • Eligible International Recipients will include treaty organizations and other international legal entities validly incorporated or registered abroad including:
    • Not-for-profit organizations such as industry associations, agencies, research associations, standards organizations; and Academic institutions.

In 2023-24, NRCan will continue to engage national partners on wildland fire resilience (i.e., federal-provincial-territorial partners, Indigenous and municipal leaders, and the private sector).

Recipients and prospective applicants will be engaged on an ongoing basis through various existing multi-stakeholder forums such as the:

• Canadian Council of Forest Ministers Wildland Fire Management Working Group
• Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre Board of Directors, committees and technical working groups, CFS Wildfire program Indigenous Engagement officers and consultation networks

Subject to available funding after assessment of 2022-23 project and multi-year project outcomes, a call for proposals may be issued via email to stakeholders in various workstreams (e.g. science, operations, Indigenous) through networks as per a successful process established and conducted in 2021-22.