Published Oct 16, 2026Last updated 41 minutes ago7 minute readSean Fraser, the minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, speaks with members of his table before addressing a gathering for the Halifax Chamber of Commerce in Halifax on Wednesday. Photo by Tim KrochakArticle contentSean Fraser, the minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, says the region must shake its “poor cousins” attitude and embrace a cultural shift if it hopes to overcome longstanding economic challenges and build a more prosperous future.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle content“I’m very proud to be from Atlantic Canada,” Fraser said during a discussion Oct. 14 with Halifax business leaders at an event hosted by the Halifax Chamber of Commerce.Article contentArticle contentArticle content“But I’m not proud to have the three Maritime provinces at the very bottom of these 60 jurisdictions in the United States and Canada when it comes to productivity.Article content“We need to replace a culture of ambition. Right now, I meet with people around the world and across the country, and we take it for granted that we’re going to be permanently in this position as these poor cousins of the federation that relies upon others to send transfer payments so we can pay for our schools and hospitals.”Article contentThe Central Nova MP was back in his home province to discuss Atlantic Canada’s economic future following last month’s release of the Atlantic Economic Panel’s report.Article content Sean Fraser, the minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, speaks to a luncheon gathering for the Halifax Chamber of Commerce in Halifax on Wednesday. Photo by Tim KrochakArticle contentThe report outlines how Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador must break down provincial barriers, address chronic productivity challenges and invest more aggressively in people, infrastructure and businesses if the region hopes to become one of the country’s most prosperous by 2035.Article contentArticle contentThe panel, appointed by Fraser in November 2025, is chaired by Nova Scotia businessperson and former pollster Don Mills. Its report sets out seven core recommendations intended to transform the economies of the four Atlantic provinces.Article content“It was really important to me that we put together a private sector-led group of people who have unquestionable experience over the course of their careers, who not only care about your own business but the impact of business in this region,” Fraser said.Article contentThe goal, Fraser said, goes beyond increasing gross domestic product.Article content“We’re not just trying to grow the GDP for the sake of Stats Canada. This is about delivering a higher quality life for the people who call this part of the world home,” he said.Article content“When we have a vibrant economy, that means better paid jobs for people who are able to put food on table, who are less stressed and who make sure that they have a place for their family to live with a roof over their head and the community is safe. It means better access to health care, it means better quality education, which delivers a higher quality of life for a generation to come.Article content“We actually can create a brighter, more prosperous future for this part of the world. But we know that without a strong economic focus, those ideas will just remain ideas rather than our experiences.”Article contentAt the heart of the report is the argument that Atlantic Canada, with a population of about 2.7 million, can no longer afford to approach economic development as four separate provinces operating largely independent markets.Article contentInstead, the panel argues, the region must think, act and grow as one integrated economy, not four separate, silent provinces.Article content“We must think, we must act, we must scale, as one Atlantic Canada,” Fraser said.Article contentThe proposed “One Atlantic Canada” approach would not mean a political union or the elimination of provincial governments. Rather, it would require governments to work together to remove barriers to trade and labour mobility and promote the region as a unified destination for business and investment.Article contentFraser said the current economic framework was not designed to meet the challenges ahead.Article contentArticle content“The house we live in isn’t built for the storm that is coming for us,” he said. “We need to build an entirely new house, one that’s built for purpose.”Article contentHe pointed to the contradictions created by interprovincial trade barriers as an example of how Atlantic Canada can undermine its own economic potential.Article content“When you start to realize that it’s easier for us to get a bottle of wine from France than it is to get beer across the border from New Brunswick, you start to ask yourselves, ‘Why are we getting in our own way?’” he asked rhetorically.Article contentThe panel argues that stronger regional co-operation and a more ambitious approach to investment are essential to improving Atlantic Canada’s long-term economic prospects.Article content The Atlantic Economic Panel’s report calls for the region to exceed the national average in artificial intelligence adoption, enabling businesses to improve productivity, develop new products and services, and compete more effectively in domestic and international markets. Photo by Spencer Colby /PostmediaArticle contentIts seven recommendations call for:Article contentAn integrated regional electricity systemA One Atlantic Canada approach to economic issuesFaster decisions on major projectsA $1-billion Atlantic Prosperity FundFuller development of natural resourcesA business growth mindset driven by productivity and artificial intelligenceA concerted effort to win the competition for talent.Article contentArticle contentA regional electricity gridArticle contentThe panel proposes an integrated electricity network managed by an independent, region-wide system operator.Article contentThe aim is to improve co-ordination among the provinces, strengthen energy security and support future economic growth through a more connected electricity system. The proposal would require an estimated $25 billion in infrastructure investment.Article contentFraser questioned why the region had not already developed a more integrated system.Article content“The idea that we don’t have a regional electricity grid is beyond me,” he said.Article contentRemoving barriers between provincesArticle contentThe report’s central recommendation is to treat the four provinces as a single economic region while retaining their existing governments.Article contentThat would involve eliminating interprovincial trade and labour mobility barriers, recognizing workers’ credentials across provincial boundaries and establishing a regional investment platform to promote major opportunities to domestic and international investors.Article contentReducing those barriers could make it easier for businesses to expand across the region, for workers to move to where jobs are available and for investors to assess Atlantic Canada as a larger, more integrated market.Article contentFaster decisions on major projectsArticle contentThe panel also calls for faster and more predictable approval processes for major developments.Article contentLengthy reviews and complex regulatory requirements can increase costs, delay investment and undermine Atlantic Canada’s ability to compete with other jurisdictions, the report argues. Accelerating decisions could help the region attract investment in energy, mining, infrastructure, manufacturing and other industries.Article contentA $1-billion Atlantic Prosperity FundArticle contentRecognizing that major projects and business expansions often face financing challenges, the panel recommends establishing a $1-billion Atlantic Prosperity Fund to help bridge investment gaps.Article contentThe proposed fund would form part of a broader effort to mobilize private and public capital for regional development.Article contentArticle contentFraser acknowledged the challenge of finding the capital needed to move projects forward.Article content“That capital funding gap is something that we need to address. Obviously, when you see a report like that, the pressure’s going to be on me to figure out what we can convince a finance minister to find in the couch cushions,” he said.Article content“But in the meantime, we’re looking internally to figure out what we can do with the tools that we already have to solve this gap.”Article contentUnlocking the value of natural resourcesArticle contentNatural resources remain a cornerstone of Atlantic Canada’s economy, but the panel says their contribution can grow substantially through new investment, innovation and expanded processing and manufacturing capacity.Article contentThe report calls for increasing the value of the region’s natural resource economy by at least 50 per cent, supported by the mobilization of $100 billion in new investment.Article contentThe recommendation focuses on building more economic value from the region’s resources, including expanding the activities and industries that manufacture resource-based products.Article contentArticle contentProductivity and artificial intelligenceArticle contentThe report calls for the region to exceed the national average in artificial intelligence adoption, enabling businesses to improve productivity, develop new products and services, and compete more effectively in domestic and international markets.Article contentEarlier this week, Fraser announced an additional $40 million in federal funding for Atlantic Canadian businesses seeking to adopt artificial intelligence to “improve their operations and bring new AI technologies to market.”Article contentHe identified changing attitudes toward technology and new ways of working as a central part of the transformation.Article content“If we don’t have a shift in mindset to embrace new technology and new processes, we are going to be left so far behind,” Fraser said.Article contentWinning the competition for talentArticle contentTo address the pressures of labour shortages and an aging population, the panel recommends maintaining annual population growth of 1.8 per cent through immigration and by attracting Canadians from other parts of the country.Article content Sean Fraser addresses a Halifax Chamber of Commerce luncheon on Wednesday. Photo by Tim KrochakArticle contentThe report also calls for increased international student enrolment and better co-ordination of workforce planning across the provinces. Recognizing professional credentials throughout Atlantic Canada would make it easier for workers to move between provinces and take jobs where their skills are needed.Article contentAll these recommendations come as the Atlantic provinces contend with fiscal pressures and uncertainty over international trade, including the Canada-U.S. trade dispute.Article contentFraser said the changing relationship with the United States has added to the challenges facing the region.Article content“We’re finding ourselves in a position where our largest, longest-standing and most trusted trading partner ceases to hold any of those titles,” he said.Article contentWhether governments and businesses can translate the panel’s recommendations into concrete policy changes remains to be seen.Article contentFor Fraser, the challenge is as much about changing attitudes as it is about implementing individual policies.Article content“If we are willing to do things differently, if we have the courage to do things differently, we can bring something different and better for the next generation,” he said.Article content“Our failure is not inability to come up with good ideas. It’s our inability to take action.Article content“At the end of the day, I want to build communities in this part of the world that no one would ever dream to move away from. We have an opportunity to offer the highest quality of life of any place in the world. And shame on us if we don’t take the opportunity to build it.”Article content
We must act as one Atlantic Canada: Fraser presses for united region for prosperous future
