A group of seven business executives has proposed transforming Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador into a single economic entity by 2035. The Atlantic Economic Panel suggests this unification is necessary to combat an aging workforce and stagnant productivity across the region .
The push for a 3 million resident population
The Atlantic Economic Panel argues that the region must grow its population to more than three million people to remain competitive. According to the report, this would require maintaining a steady annual growth rate of 1.8 per cent, achieved through a combination of aggressive immigration and attracting residents from other Canadian provinces .
This demographic shift is intended to counter what the report describes as the country's most rapidly aging workforce. By expanding the talent pool , the panel believes Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador can overcome chronic labour shortages that currently hinder regional growth.
A $25 billion gamble on integrated electricity
One of the most capital-intensive proposals in the report is the creation of an integrated electricity system managed by a single, independent regional operator. As the report says, realizing this vision would require an infrastructure investment of approximately $25 billion.
The panel views energy integration as a cornerstone of productivity. By streamlining how power is shared and managed across the four provinces, the region could potentially lower costs for businesses and create a more stable environment for indutsrial expansion, moving away from the fragmented systems that currently exist.
Targeting $30 billion in European exports
The Atlantic Economic Panel is calling for a massive pivot toward global maarkets, specifically aiming to double exports to Europe to a value exceeding $30 billion. This strategy is part of a broader goal to double the total number of businesses in Atlantic Canada that export their goods and services globally.
This shift toward European markets comes as a strategic hedge against the instability caused by the Canada-U.S. trade war. While traditional sectors like fishing, forrestry, and mining remain vital, the report suggests that expanding aerospace and shipbuilding could provide the necessary diversification to protect the region from bilateral trade disputes with the United States.
The $1 billion Atlantic Prosperity Fund and $100 billion resource goal
To finance these ambitions, the panel suggests the establishment of a $1-billion Atlantic Prosperity Fund. This fund would act as a catalyst for larger investments, including a goal to mobilize $100 billion in new capital to increase the value of the region's natural resource economy by at least 50 per cent.
The report emphasizes that the region must exceed the national average in the adoption of artiicial intelligence to maximize these investments. By combining high-tech integration with traditional resource extraction, the panel believes the four provinces can escape the cycle of record-breaking deficits that have plagued them in recent years.
Sean Fraser's panel and the 100-CEO consultation
The Atlantic Economic Panel was appointed in November 2025 by Sean Fraser, the federal minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. the resulting recommendations are based on a year of consultation involving nearly 100 chief executives, more than two dozen expert presentations, and over 50 written submissions.
Despite the extensive corporate input, several critical details remain unaddressed. The report does not specify exactly how the $1-billion Atlantic Prosperity Fund would be capitalized—whether through federal grants, provincial contributions, or private equity. Furthermore, it remains unclear how the four distinct provincial governments will negotiate the removal of trade and labour mobility barriers without infringing on their individual legislative jurisdictions.
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