Atlantic Economic Panel unveils blueprint for Atlantic Canada's future

EmitenTrust.com Atlantic federal ministers welcome independent, private sector-led recommendations to advance the region's growth, productivity and investment attraction

RIVERVIEW, NB, Sept. 25, 2026 /CNW/ -- Atlantic Canada has significant momentum but realizing its full potential will require more productivity, more investment and a greater willingness to work across provincial boundaries.

Today, the independent, private sector-led Atlantic Economic Panel released Bolder Ambitions: Greater Prosperity for All, a new blueprint for strengthening our region's economy and its ability to compete globally.

The report sets out seven key recommendations. At the heart of the report is a call for all four of Atlantic Canada's provinces to increasingly act as one economic region where greater scale can unlock growth and investment. The report also contains recommendations on integrating electricity grids, developing natural resources, improving regulatory processes, scaling AI adoption, and creating a $1 billion Atlantic Canada prosperity fund to address the region's financing gap.

The Government of Canada will assess the Panel's recommendations, informing federal efforts to increase productivity, help Atlantic businesses scale, attract major investment, and create new economic opportunities across the region.

To help carry that work forward, Minister Fraser also announced nearly $400,000 in federal support for St. Francis Xavier University to host an Atlantic Economic Forum in Antigonish from May 31 to June 2, 2027. The Forum will bring together regional and national leaders to advance the conversation, identify barriers and opportunities for action, and help build momentum around the Panel's vision for the region.

The report was released at an event in Riverview, New Brunswick, attended by New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt and Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston, Atlantic Economic Development Ministers, Atlantic Economic Panel members, business and community leaders, Indigenous representatives, and and other regional partners.

The report's release marks the beginning of the next phase of the work: determining which recommendations can move quickly, where regional cooperation is essential, and where governments, businesses and other partners may need to reconsider long-standing approaches.

Quotes

"Last year, I asked seven Atlantic Canadian leaders to take an honest look at our economy and tell us the hard truths, not simply what we wanted to hear. This report is their answer. Atlantic Canada has real momentum, but momentum alone will not deliver the prosperity we want for the region. The next step is to identify where we can move quickly, where we need to act together as a region, and where businesses and other partners need to lead. This report should not sit on a shelf. It should challenge all of us to raise our ambition for Atlantic Canada."

- The Honourable Sean Fraser, P.C., K.C., Member of Parliament for Central Nova, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

"A strong country is built on strong communities. This report shows that we need to do more to strengthen the Atlantic Canada economic region and unlock growth and investment. Now is the time to build on this momentum and work together to help businesses in the Atlantic region forge connections, grow, and build a more competitive regional economy."

- The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, President of the King's Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs, Internal Trade and One Canadian Economy

"Atlantic Canada is rich in resources, talent, and creativity. What's needed in this moment, to match our growth with our ambition, is bold thinking. That thinking is reflected in the Atlantic Economic Panel's report and recommendations, and aligns with the Government of Canada's goal to unlock more private investment, improve cooperation between governments and partners, and boost productivity across sectors. I'm grateful for those who added their insight and expertise to the development of this report and trust it will serve as a springboard towards greater prosperity for our region."

- The Honourable Lena Metlege Diab, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

"Fish and seafood from Atlantic Canada is on tables around the world, and it supports coastal communities in all four of our provinces. Our harvesters and processors are strongest when the region works together. The Panel has given us a clear path to build on that. I will be working with my colleagues and partners to make sure harvesters, families, and communities across Atlantic Canada share in the growth ahead."

- The Honourable Joanne Thompson, Minister of Fisheries

 "The Atlantic Economic Panel has done important work to identify opportunities for economic growth in the region. Together, with Atlantic provinces and industry, our government is committed to leading the charge and ensuring Atlantic Canada makes its mark across the country and beyond."

- The Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

"We are grateful to Minister Fraser for giving this Panel the independence to take an honest, unvarnished look at Atlantic Canada's economy. What we found is a region with the people, resources and entrepreneurial spirit to compete with anyone in the world – and a once-in-a-generation opportunity to bring prosperity to every part of it, rural and urban alike. Bolder Ambitions sets out a bold vision for what Atlantic Canada could become. Delivering on it will take governments, businesses and communities acting together as one region. The question now is simple: do we have the ambition, and the will, to seize the moment?"

- Don Mills, Chair, Atlantic Economic Panel

Quick facts

• Launched in November 2025, the Atlantic Economic Panel is comprised of seven business leaders from across Atlantic Canada: Chair Don Mills, Cathy Bennett, Joyce Carter, Mike Cassidy, J. Scott McCain, Chief Terry Richardson and Anne Whelan.
• At the event, the Atlantic Economic Council and Atlantic Chambers of Commerce jointly announced their commitment to work with partners, including the private sector and governments, to turn the report's recommendations into tangible results for Atlantic Canadians.
• Minister Fraser also announced that St. Francis Xavier University will receive nearly $400,000 to host an Atlantic Economic Forum in Antigonish from May 31 to June 2, 2027. The Forum will bring regional and national leaders together to continue the discussion, share ideas, identify barriers and areas requiring further action and mobilize around the actions needed to deliver on this ambitious new vision for the region.
• An Expert Advisory Group provided sector-specific insights to support the panel's work.
• Established under the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) Act, the panel operated independently of government in its analysis and recommendations.

Related products

• Bolder Ambitions: Greater Prosperity for All

Associated links

• Atlantic Economic Panel
• Minister Fraser launches major Atlantic growth push with top local business leaders
• Backgrounder: Atlantic Economic Panel

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SOURCE Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency