RDA Backgrounder
RDA HistoryRegional Development Authorities (RDAs) were established in 1994 as the coordinating bodies charged with leading economic development at the local level. To solidify this new policy of government, the House of Assembly passed the Regional Community Development Act. This policy approach was funded under the Community Economic Development Program of the Canada/Nova Scotia COOPERATION Agreement on Economic Diversification.
The RDA approach is based on regional leadership in the core areas of: community economic development, community enterprise development, business development, human resources development and communications development.
Supporting and encouraging community initiatives was identified as a key part of Opportunities for Prosperity, the province's economic growth strategy.
RDA Composition
Each RDA is governed by a board of directors composed of community, private sector and municipal representatives, with municipal officials representing fewer than half of the members.
What do RDAs do?
RDAs provide leadership and coordinating role in the activities of local development groups, and in some cases undertake initiatives to accomplish regional goals.
Specific activities include:
- preparing economic planning strategies and operational plans
- identifying opportunities and coordinating feasibility assessments
- collecting and distributing information
- building capacity
- promoting and marketing
- counselling business
- providing operational assistance to other organizations
What has the province invested in RDAs?
For the past four years, including this year, the province has provided $125,000 to each RDA ($100,000 Economic Development, $25,000 Community Services.) For the four years prior to that, each RDA received $100,000 annually from Economic Development.
Who are the partners in RDAs?
Funding partners include the Office of Economic Development, ACOA, municipalities and Community Services.
Regional Development Authorities - Examples of Accomplishments
Antigonish Regional Development Authority:
- led the charge for energy usage by working to identify innovative ways to distribute gas and use wind power
- provided support for Farmers’ Market and tourism initiatives
- working on a skills inventory of the county
- developed a retirement program to bring ex-patriots back to Cape Breton; 500 people have returned to their Island home
- conducted a skills inventory of 7,000 unemployed people and 70,000 households in Cape Breton County. The inventory has been used by EDS and Stream, among others.
- arranges highly-successful presentations by employers to Community Services workers, whereby employers describe the skills they need so Community Services can identify the required training for clients
- organized the hugely successful Truro Tulip Festival
- worked on industrial development issues and co-ordinated work of Truro industrial commission with the industrial park
- assisted in establishing Tatamagouche as a Smart Community Project
- co-ordinated development of Cape Chignecto Park
- worked on Blueberry-Maple Interpretative Centre in Oxford
- together with Human Resources Development Canada and the community college, helped to upgrade labour qualifications
- co-ordinated the development of a strategic plan for Springhill
- led local efforts to capitalize on potential offshore benefits: the county is now poised to take advantage of opportunities as more gas becomes available
- compiled database of accommodations for Sable Project that led to 75 homes being rented and 80 boarders finding accommodation
- assisted 40 student businesses through the Business Builders Program
- active in aquaculture and tourism sectors (including the Stan Rogers Festival)
- assisted in securing funding for projects like the Hubbards Cove Waterfront Development, Fisherman’s Cove Development, Highway 333 Community Signage Project, Pennant Point Community Park and the Musquodoboit Trails Project
- provided support for a series of tourism projects on the Eastern Shore and for Team Eastern Shore
- provides business counselling support to dozens of small businesses that are now operating
- provided support for Community Economic Development Investment Funds
- helped to establish one-stop support for entrepreneurs through the Open for Business office in Windsor
- involved in a literacy project for the county
- helped to create a public parking lot for tour buses and built a boardwalk around the harbour to accommodate increased tourism traffic
- surveyed 2,000 homes in Kings about quality of life and environmental issues for use in measuring progress
- partnered to develop Scenic View Park in the Avonport area, which now generates 6,000 vehicle visits per season and economic spin-offs estimated to be $500,000 annually
- developed and now maintains a database for festivals and events that is distributed to all tourism information outlets in the province
- developed award-wining brochure, Clear Directions, promoting the Lunenburg Queens life style and business climate
- led RDA input into the Target Nova Scotia website, which is used by site selectors as a means of securing information on Nova Scotia as a place to do business
- helped to develop and implement an investment strategy that resulted in one of the world’s largest call centres setting up in New Glasgow: Convergys employs 400 area residents
- developed the Pictou image awareness campaign, We’re Working Wonders
- hosted trade shows
- successfully renovated the former Domtex facility and attracted 12 new tenants to the site; 430+ people now work in the facility
- manages and successfully markets the Shelburne Soundstage to national and international film makers
- coordinates the development of print, web and CD ROM-based Shelburne and Yarmouth counties resource guide
- developed a port corporation that now runs the port
- conducted knowledge economy survey to assess IT use/potential for potentially 844 business operations
- works with the Office of Economic Development and Natural Resources on mineral development opportunities Western Valley Development Authority:
- led "smart community" efforts, which resulted in the Industry Canada designation of a smart community in 2000
- completed an on-line business directory of 3,500 listings of businesses and organizations in Annapolis and Digby counties
- continues to assist local groups with recruitment efforts to attract nurses and doctors to the area
- led "smart community" efforts, which resulted in the Industry Canada designation of a smart community in 2000
- completed an on-line business directory of 3,500 listings of businesses and organizations in Annapolis and Digby counties
- continues to assist local groups with recruitment efforts to attract nurses and doctors to the area
