1. – Welcome letter

Welcome

On behalf of the entire PrairiesCan team, a warm welcome to you! We are privileged to have you as our new deputy head.

We look forward to your leadership as we support the development and diversification of the economies of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, and advance the interests of the Prairie provinces in national economic policy making. With your guidance, we will grow PrairiesCan’s key roles of investor, advisor, convenor, and pathfinder, and provide impactful and excellent service to businesses and communities.

Our operating environment reflects the Prairies’ place in the world. This includes supporting economic recovery in the face of lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on businesses and communities. The transition to a low carbon economy means mitigating its effects on Prairie people. Russia’s aggression in Ukraine spotlights the Prairies’ role in feeding the world and reinforces the geo-political benefits of our work to sustain the Hudson Bay Railway to the port of Churchill. As well, there is the overarching issue of reconciliation, and PrairiesCan is actively investing and innovating to make headway to help achieve Indigenous economic inclusion.

PrairiesCan is about moving our region, and Canada, forward by helping create prosperous communities. This means facilitating more high-quality jobs, enabling firms to become more competitive to seize upon global growth opportunities, advancing the government’s net-zero agenda, and investing in promising sectors such as agricultural innovation, food ingredient manufacturing, critical minerals, and clean technologies. We deliver core grants and contributions programs to help companies to scale-up and innovate, assist organizations that support them, provide business services through network partners, and undertake policy development and coordination activities.

Our community economic development ambitions are about growth in more places, and assisting local businesses and organizations to flourish. We have officially opened new service locations in Regina, Prince Albert, Brandon and Thompson, with others coming soon in Fort McMurray, Grand Prairie and Lethbridge.

All of this requires a dedicated team. You have not one, but many. They are spread around the three provinces and in Ottawa. Moreover, they are the reason for our success. According to the Public Service Employee Survey results, this has historically been the top-ranked department in the federal public service. As a new agency, we are excited to build on this positive culture and move forward with you to implement your vision for the department.

During the pandemic, PrairiesCan employees enabled us to pivot to meet the unprecedented needs of families, businesses, and communities, and manage the largest grants and contributions budget in our history. They accomplished this while abruptly but seamlessly transitioning to working from home and caring for loved ones through those stressful months. They are now supporting the region through hybrid office/remote workplace and are poised to help you succeed.

This briefing provides what you need to know as you get started, and whom you should get to know as you start building key relationships.

Again, welcome, and congratulations on your appointment. We are excited to work with you.

Sincerely,
Anoop Kapoor
Assistant Deputy Minister, Policy and Strategic Direction