RIVERVIEW, N.B. — A group of Atlantic business leaders is urging provincial governments to pursue a unified economic strategy for the region, arguing that a coordinated approach could reverse decades of relative underperformance and unlock investment.
Panel says fragmentation is holding region back
The Atlantic Economic Panel — made up of senior executives and industry figures — released a report calling for a "One Atlantic Canada" agenda to knit Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador into a single economic platform while leaving their political institutions intact.
Panel chair Mills told attendees the region’s gross domestic product has lagged the national rate by roughly one percentage point a year for three decades. The report frames that gap as evidence the region is not turning its skilled workforce and natural resources into growth quickly enough.
“This report is not about potential. We’re tired of talking about potential … Let’s get it done.”
The panel identifies a combination of low productivity, persistent labour shortages, and a patchwork of regulations and trade barriers that reduce business agility. One urgent problem flagged is Atlantic Canada’s rapidly aging workforce.
Seven recommendations to streamline growth
To tackle those barriers, the panel sets out seven recommendations. The core proposals include:
- Creating a regional agenda to operate as a single economy while retaining provincial governments;
- Removing trade and labour mobility barriers so workers’ credentials are recognized across provinces;
- Presenting major investment opportunities through a single regional investment platform;
- Delivering at least half of major infrastructure projects through regional partnerships;
- Establishing an integrated electricity system run by a region-wide independent system operator.
The panel estimates that building the proposed integrated electricity grid would require about $25 billion in infrastructure investment. Panelist Scott McCain, chairman of New Brunswick-based McCain Foods, said a single economy would help direct capital to parts of the region currently starved for investment.
Implications for New Brunswick
The report’s recommendations, if adopted, would affect how New Brunswick plans major projects and recruits and retains skilled workers. A regional investment platform could centralize promotion of large opportunities such as port expansions, energy projects and manufacturing sites — potentially accelerating decisions by investors who now face separate provincial processes.
Removing labour mobility barriers would mean faster recognition of professional and trade credentials across provincial borders, easing chronic labour shortages in health care, construction and skilled trades that employers in New Brunswick have repeatedly cited.
| Metric | Panel estimate |
|---|---|
| Regional population covered | 2.7 million |
| GDP gap vs. national average | ~1 percentage point per year |
| Estimated electricity grid cost | $25 billion |
From report to action
Panel members were clear the ideas will amount to little without political will and follow-through by governments, business and communities. The report explicitly rules out any political union: provinces would keep their governments but would coordinate to remove barriers and act jointly on major projects.
Implementing the recommendations would require sustained interprovincial co-operation and likely federal engagement — particularly for large-scale infrastructure financing and regulatory harmonization. The report notes some progress has already begun in removing mobility barriers, but says much more is needed to deliver faster, measurable economic gains.
For residents and businesses in New Brunswick, the proposals promise both short- and long-term changes: quicker recognition of credentials could ease hiring pressures in months, while regional infrastructure projects would stretch over years and require careful planning and public consultation.
Next steps and local watch points
Key issues to watch in the coming months include whether provincial premiers and economic ministers endorse the One Atlantic Canada agenda, how they propose funding regional projects, and whether a regional investment platform is established to coordinate major opportunities.
For now, the panel’s message is straightforward: the region has resources and talent, but needs a more collaborative framework to convert them into sustained growth.
