de l'Innovation Québec (MEI), National Research Council Canada (NRC), and others. The agency has offices throughout the province. The administrative regions served by CED include: Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Bas-Saint-Laurent, Centre-du-Québec, Chaudière-Appalaches, Côte-Nord, Estrie, Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Lanaudière, Laurentides, Laval, Mauricie, Montérégie, Montréal, Nord-du-Québec, Outaouais, Québec, and Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean. Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario The Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario (FedNor) is a Regional Development Agency whose mission is to address the economic development, diversification and job creation in Northern Ontario. This is a federal administrative region that extends not only south of the French and Mattawa Rivers, but all the way to Muskoka which is just south of Ontario's administrative North. FedNor especially aids women, Franco-Ontarians, youth, and Aboriginal peoples in Ontario. While a lot of progress has been made in achieving FedNor's objectives, communities in Northern Ontario continue to face the ongoing economic challenges that necessitate a stable, long-term regional development effort. Since the beginning of FedNor in 1987, the role in business and economic development throughout the North has grown substantially. As a result, the programs and services that FedNor offers to the communities of Northern Ontario have evolved and improved. The Minister responsible for this agency was originally called the "Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario" In 2020, FedNor invested over CA$122 million in 294 initiatives led by local businesses, organizations, and communities, helping to support over 7,300 jobs in Northern Ontario. FedNor has its main offices in Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, and Thunder Bay; as well as offices located in North Bay, Timmins, and Kenora. Controversy Under prior minister Andy Mitchell, FedNor's service area was expanded to include many rural areas in Southern Ontario, including much of the Central Ontario region. In 2007, a group of politicians from Northern Ontario, including Tony Martin, Claude Gravelle and France Gélinas, called for the program to be refocused exclusively on the Northern Ontario administrative region. Additionally there had been many calls from politicians and organizations to make FedNor an agency, separate from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, like the other regional development agencies across Canada. In 2021, FedNor and the other RDAs were removed from ISED and placed under the control of dedicated cabinet ministers. Programs FedNor supports regional economic development, which it does through the delivery of three programs: Northern Ontario Development Program (NODP) — NODP was put