The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
(ACOA) has created programs with the intention of fostering
economic opportunities for the region. There are numerous
instances where its programs have not identified the
essential needs of a community, thus creating a benign
progression towards economic development. Community members
must also be actively involved in their economic
development through participation in local organizations to
ensure community needs are met. The question then arises,
are community needs adequately taken into account when ACOA
creates its programs? Posing this question led to this
specific study which evaluates ACOA's community economic
development programs (CED). One of its programs is to
support two types of local agents, Community Business
Development Corporations (CBDC) and Regional Economic
Development Organizations (REDO). By surveying them we are
able to realize how the federal agency interacts with the
local agents to identify community priorities and whether
financial needs are met. The findings of this survey should
raise some awareness among the various participants
involved in CED in Atlantic Canada as well as anywhere
else.