Marginal note:Short title

1 This Act may be cited as the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec Act.

Marginal note:Definitions

2 The following definitions apply in this Act.

Agency

Agence

Agency means the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec established by section 8. (Agence)

enterprise

entreprise

enterprise includes a social economy enterprise. (entreprise)

Minister

ministre

Minister means the Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec. (ministre)

Marginal note:Purpose

3 The purpose of this Act is to promote the development and diversification of the economy of the regions of Quebec.

Marginal note:Appointment

• 4 (1) The Minister shall be appointed by commission under the Great Seal to hold office during pleasure.

• Marginal note:Powers, duties and functions

  (2) The powers, duties and functions of the Minister extend to and include all matters over which Parliament has jurisdiction, not by law assigned to any other department, board or agency of the Government of Canada other than the Agency, relating to the promotion of the development and diversification of the economy of the regions of Quebec.

• Marginal note:Coordination

  (3) In exercising the powers and performing the duties and functions assigned by subsection (2), the Minister shall

  • (a) guide, promote and coordinate the policies and programs of the Government of Canada in relation to the development and diversification of the economy of the regions of Quebec; and

  • (b) lead and coordinate the activities of the Government of Canada in the establishment of cooperative relationships with Quebec and with business, labour and other public and private bodies in that province.

• Marginal note:Committees

  (4) The Minister may establish advisory and other committees and provide for their membership, duties, functions and operation.

• Marginal note:Remuneration

  (5) Members of a committee shall be paid, in connection with their work for the committee, the remuneration that may be fixed by the Governor in Council.

• Marginal note:Travel, living and other expenses

  (6) Members of a committee are entitled to be reimbursed, in accordance with Treasury Board directives, the travel, living and other expenses incurred in connection with their work for the committee while absent, in the case of full-time members, from their ordinary place of work or, in the case of part-time members, from their ordinary place of residence.

Marginal note:Minister to preside

• 5 (1) The Minister shall preside over the Agency.

• Marginal note:Agreements

  (2) In exercising the powers and performing the duties and functions under this Act, the Minister may enter into agreements with the government of Quebec or any agency of that government, or with any other entity or person, including cooperation agreements and agreements related to distinct sectors of Quebec’s economy.

• Marginal note:Restriction — federal election

  (3) No grant or contribution shall be announced from the date that a federal election has been called until the day after voting day.

Marginal note:Powers, duties and functions of the Minister

6 The Minister shall exercise his or her powers and perform his or her duties and functions in a manner that will

• (a) promote economic development in the regions of Quebec where low incomes and/or slow economic growth are prevalent or where opportunities for productive employment are inadequate;

• (b) emphasize long-term economic development and sustainable employment and income creation; and

• (c) focus on small- and medium-sized enterprises and on the development of entrepreneurial talent.

Marginal note:Shares and related instruments

7 Subject to any regulations, the Minister may acquire, exercise, assign or sell a stock option, share warrant, share or other similar financial instrument obtained as a condition of a loan or contribution made, a guarantee given or loan insurance or credit insurance provided under subsection 11(1) or in the course of the collection or enforcement of a debtor’s obligation to the Agency.

Marginal note:Agency established

8 An Agency of the Government of Canada to be known as the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec is established.

Marginal note:President

• 9 (1) The Governor in Council shall appoint an officer to be the deputy of the Minister, who shall be called the President of the Agency and who shall hold office during pleasure.

• Marginal note:Chief executive officer

  (2) The President is the chief executive officer of the Agency and, under the direction of the Minister, has control and supervision over the work, officers and employees of the Agency.

• Marginal note:Acting President

  (3) In the event of the absence or incapacity of the President or a vacancy in that office, the Minister shall appoint another person to act as the President, but no person may act as President for a period exceeding 90 days without the approval of the Governor in Council.

• Marginal note:Remuneration

  (4) The President shall be paid the remuneration set by the Governor in Council.

Marginal note:Object

• 10 (1) The object of the Agency is to promote the long-term economic development of the regions of Quebec by giving special attention to those where slow economic growth is prevalent or where opportunities for productive employment are inadequate.

• Marginal note:Cooperation and complementarity

  (2) In carrying out its object, the Agency shall take such measures as will promote cooperation and complementarity with Quebec and communities in Quebec.

Marginal note:Powers

• 11 (1) In carrying out its object, the Agency may

  • (a) in cooperation with other concerned ministers and boards and agencies of the Government of Canada, formulate and implement policies, plans and integrated federal approaches;

  • (a.1) plan and implement mechanisms to facilitate cooperation and concerted action with Quebec and communities in;

  • (b) plan, implement, direct and manage programs and projects, or offer services, intended to contribute directly or indirectly

    • (i) to the establishment, development, support and promotion of enterprises, and more particularly small- and medium-sized enterprises, in Quebec,

    • (ii) to the development of entrepreneurial talent in Quebec,

    • (iii) to economic prosperity in Quebec, and

    • (iv) to the development of communities in Quebec;

  • (c) plan, implement, direct and manage programs and projects, or offer services, to improve the economic environment in Quebec, including programs, projects and services

    • (i) of support to business associations, conferences, studies, consultations, trade shows, demonstration projects and market research,

    • (ii) related to the development of economic opportunity data banks and networks,

    • (iii) to improve business communication and cooperation, and

    • (iv) to promote knowledge related to business and investment;

  • (d) collect, gather — by survey or other- wise —, compile, analyse, coordinate and disseminate information relating to the development and diversification of the economy of the regions of Quebec;

  • (e) assist investors to establish enterprises, and more particularly small- and medium-sized enterprises, in Quebec, consistent with federal investment requirements and in accordance with terms and conditions approved by the Treasury Board;

  • (f) make loans to any person with respect to the establishment and development of enterprises, and more particularly small- and medium-sized enterprises, in Quebec;

  • (g) guarantee the repayment of, or provide loan insurance or credit insurance in respect of, any financial obligation undertaken by any person with respect to the establishment and development of enterprises referred to in paragraph (f);

  • (h) make grants and contributions in support of programs and projects undertaken by the Agency or the Minister;

  • (i) enter into contracts, memoranda of understanding or other arrangements in the name of Her Majesty in right of Canada or in the name of the Agency, including cooperation agreements and agreements related to distinct sectors of Quebec’s economy; and

  • (j) do any other thing necessary or incidental to the attainment of the object of the Agency.

• Marginal note:Other functions

  (2) The Agency may also perform any other functions assigned to it by order of the Governor in Council.

Marginal note:Duties

12 The Agency shall assist the Minister

• (a) generally, in the exercise of powers and the performance of duties and functions under this Act and any other Act in respect of which powers, duties and functions are assigned to the Minister;

• (b) in guiding, promoting and coordinating the policies and programs of the Government of Canada in relation to the development and diversification of the economy of the regions of Quebec;

• (c) in leading and coordinating the activities of the Government of Canada in the establishment of cooperative relationships with Quebec and with business, labour and other public and private bodies in that province;

• (d) by administering any agreements entered into under subsection 5(2);

• (e) in the exercise of powers conferred on the Minister by section 7; and

• (f) by compiling detailed information on all programs and projects undertaken, and services offered, by the Agency or the Minister for the purpose of measuring trends and progress in the development and diversification of the economy of the regions of Quebec.

Marginal note:Officers and employees

13 The officers and employees that are necessary for the proper conduct of the work of the Agency shall be appointed in accordance with the Public Service Employment Act.

Marginal note:Head office

14 The head office of the Agency shall be in the Province of Quebec.

Marginal note:Contracts binding on Her Majesty

• 15 (1) Every contract, memorandum of understanding and arrangement entered into by the Agency in its own name is binding on Her Majesty in right of Canada to the same extent as it is binding on the Agency.

• Marginal note:Legal proceedings

  (2) Actions, suits or other legal proceedings in respect of any right or obligation acquired or incurred by the Agency, whether in its own name or in the name of Her Majesty, may be brought or taken by or against the Agency in the name of the Agency in any court that would have jurisdiction if the Agency were a corporation that is not an agent of Her Majesty.

Marginal note:Regulations

• 16 (1) Subject to subsection (2), the Minister may make regulations

  • (a) specifying programs, projects and services in addition to those referred to in paragraph 11(1)(c) to improve the economic environment in Quebec;

  • (b) defining, for the purposes of this Act, community, small- and medium-sized enterprises, project and demonstration projects;

  • (c) specifying the class or classes of small- and medium-sized enterprises and of operations and activities eligible for support by the Agency under this Act; and

  • (d) generally for carrying out the purposes and provisions of this Act.

• Marginal note:Regulations

  (2) The Minister may, with the approval of the Minister of Finance, make regulations

  • (a) relating to loans that may be made, guarantees that may be given and loan insurance and credit insurance that may be provided under this Act; and

  • (b) specifying the circumstances in which and the manner in which the Minister may acquire, exercise, assign or sell a stock option obtained as a condition under which a contribution or loan was made, a guarantee given or loan insurance or credit insurance provided under this Act.

• Marginal note:Insurance a guarantee

  (3) For greater certainty, loan insurance or credit insurance provided under this Act constitutes a guarantee for the purposes of the Financial Administration Act.

• Marginal note:Designated area or community regulations

  (4) In order to exploit the opportunities for improvements in employment identified in a designated area or with respect to a designated community, regulations specially applicable to that area or community may be made under the authority of this section that vary from regulations of general application to Quebec.

Marginal note:Annual report of Agency

• 17 (1) The President shall, within six months after the end of each fiscal year, submit a report on the operations of the Agency in that year to the Minister.

• Marginal note:Annual report of Minister

  (2) The Minister shall cause to be laid before each House of Parliament, on any of the first 15 days on which that House is sitting after October 31 next following the end of each fiscal year, a report, including a copy of the annual report submitted to the Minister under subsection (1), on the administration of this Act for that fiscal year.

• Marginal note:Comprehensive report

  (3) The President shall, on or before December 31, 2006 and every five years after that date, submit to the Minister a comprehensive report, in addition to the annual report of the Agency, providing an evaluation of all activities in which the Agency was involved.

• Marginal note:Tabling of comprehensive report

  (4) The Minister shall cause a copy of the comprehensive report to be laid before each House of Parliament on any of the first 15 days on which that House is sitting after the Minister receives it.

Marginal note:Definitions

• 18 (1) The following definitions apply in this section.

  former agency

  ancienne agence

  former agency means the portion of the public service of Canada known as the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec. (ancienne agence)

  new agency

  nouvelle agence

  new agency means the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec established by section 8. (nouvelle agence)

• Marginal note:President

  (2) The person occupying the position of Deputy Minister of the former agency on the day on which this section comes into force becomes the President of the new agency on that day and is deemed to have been appointed under subsection 9(1).

• Marginal note:Positions

  (3) Nothing in this Act shall be construed as affecting the status of an employee who, immediately before the coming into force of this section, occupied a position in the former agency, except that the employee shall, on the coming into force of this section, occupy their position in the new agency.

• Marginal note:Definition of employee

  (4) In subsection (3), employee has the same meaning as in subsection 2(1) of the Public Service Employment Act.

• Marginal note:Transfer of appropriations

  (5) Any amount appropriated, for the fiscal year in which this section comes into force, by an appropriation Act based on the Estimates for that year for defraying the charges and expenses of the public service of Canada for the former agency that, on the day on which this section comes into force, is unexpended is deemed, on that day, to be an amount appropriated for defraying the charges and expenses of the public service of Canada for the new agency.

• Marginal note:Transfer of powers, duties and functions

  (6) Wherever under any Act, order, rule or regulation, or any contract, lease, licence or other document, any power, duty or function is vested in or exercisable by the Deputy Minister of the former agency or an employee of the former agency, the power, duty or function is vested in and shall be exercised by the President of the new agency or an employee of the new agency, unless the Governor in Council by order designates a Deputy Minister or officer of the public service of Canada to exercise that power, duty or function.

• Marginal note:References

  (7) A reference to the former agency in any of the following is deemed to be a reference to the new agency:

  • (a) Schedule I to the Access to Information Act, under the heading “Other Government Institutions”;

  • (b) Schedule I.1 to the Financial Administration Act;

  • (c) the schedule to the Privacy Act, under the heading “Other Government Institutions”;

  • (d) Part I of Schedule I to the Public Service Staff Relations Act; and

  • (e) any order of the Governor in Council made pursuant to the definition department in subsection 2(1) of the Public Service Employment Act.

• Marginal note:Deputy head

  (8) The designation of a person as deputy head of the former agency in any order of the Governor in Council made pursuant to the definition deputy head in subsection 2(1) of the Public Service Employment Act is deemed to be a designation of the President of the new agency as deputy head of that agency.

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20 [Amendment]

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