The Regional Prosperity Partnership was created with a goal of increasing capacity for regional economic development across the province. The program, a joint initiative between MNL and the Economic Developers Association of NL, grew out of the Regional Economic Development Task Force.
The partnership is rooted in principles of placemaking and place-based development and the belief that all communities and regions have assets, skills, and the capacity to learn that are required for new approaches to regional economic development as coommunities build a more prosperous future.
What that looks like in different regions is the journey of discovery we are all going to be on together.
Progress to date includes EDANL building professional development courses covering underlying MNL has hired two regional economic development officers, one based in St. John’s and one based in Corner Brook, to support communities in their regional economic development efforts.
MNL and EDANL chose this two-pronged approach of capacity building and engagement to address the specific context in Newfoundland and Labrador. With no pre-defined administrative regions, the RED officers will meet with municipal representatives and economic development practitioners to better understand opportunities and needs across the province and to help identify existing regional affiliations and stakeholders. Following those initial conversations, they will convene regional meetings to help identify regional priorities, opportunities, and capacity to engage. Recognizing that each region will have different needs and priorities, the RED officers will work with them to develop projects and proposals that would move their regional economic development agenda forward within their context.
The Regional Economic Development Task Force, which included representatives from MNL, Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Community Business Development Corporations (NLACBDC), The Leslie Harris Centre of Regional Policy and Development at Memorial University, Community Sector Council (CSCNL) and Economic Developers Association (EDANL), published a report in 2021 exploring ideas and options to a coordinated regional economic development approach. You can read that report here (link to report).
The Regional Prosperity Partnership program is funded through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and the Provincial Government’s Department of Jobs, Growth and Rural Development.
Want to get your municipality involved? Contact your regional economic development officer to get started.