Government of Canada and Atlantic Provinces Establish the Atlantic Growth Advisory Group

Press Release

April 28, 2017 – Moncton, New Brunswick – Government of Canada and Atlantic Provinces

The Government of Canada and the governments of the four Atlantic Provinces are working together to build a vibrant economic future for Atlantic Canada.  Under the Atlantic Growth Strategy, the two levels of government have committed to collaborate on a pan-Atlantic, whole-of-government basis on targeted actions to stimulate the region’s economy, support both emerging and traditional industries, increase job opportunities for Atlantic Canadians and focus on persistent and emerging regional challenges.

To this end, federal Ministers and Atlantic Premiers today announced the composition of the Atlantic Growth Advisory Group.  The Advisory Group will engage with Indigenous, business, academic, community and civil society leaders between April and June of this year on ways to enhance regional growth.  The group will then provide advice to the federal and provincial governments in the fall on actions that can have tangible impacts in the region.

The Advisory Group is comprised of nine members: two representatives from each Atlantic province and the Chair, Henry Demone, from Nova Scotia.  The members bring a strong knowledge of Atlantic Canada, diverse professional experience and vision to their role.  The members of the Advisory Council are:

• Henry Demone (Chair), Chairman, High Liner Foods
• Zita Cobb, Co-founder and CEO, Shorefast Foundation
• Glenn Cooke, CEO, Cooke Aquaculture Inc.
• Esther Dockendorff, President and CEO, P.E.I. Mussel King Inc.
• Pernille Fischer Boulter, Founder, Kisserup International Trade Roots Canada Inc.
• Chief Brian Francis, Chief, Abegweit First Nation
• Anne Hébert, CEO, Bingham Law
• Dean MacDonald, Chair, Tuckamore Capital
• Robert Niven, Founder and CEO, CarbonCure Technologies

In addition to the in-person engagement sessions, the Advisory Group is also launching an online engagement portal to hear from a broader range of Atlantic Canadians on ideas to grow the region’s economy.  All Atlantic Canadians are invited to visit the engagement portal and share their comments and ideas: http://ow.ly/YJ7L30bgdjc.

Quick Facts

• The Atlantic Growth Strategy was unveiled in July 2016 by the Government of Canada and the governments of the four Atlantic Provinces.
• The Strategy aims to stimulate economic growth in the region by focusing joint federal-provincial efforts and resources on five areas of action: skilled workforce and immigration, innovation, clean growth and climate change, trade and investment, and infrastructure.
• Strategy is led by a Leadership Committee comprised of the four Atlantic Premiers (Dwight Ball, Brian Gallant, Wade MacLauchlan and Stephen McNeil) and five federal Ministers (Navdeep Bains, Scott Brison, Judy Foote, Dominic LeBlanc and Lawrence MacAulay).
• Mr. Demone was announced as the Chair of the Advisory Group in January 2017.

Associated Links

• Atlantic Growth Advisory Group (biographies)
• Advisory Group Engagement Portal
• Atlantic Growth Strategy

Contacts

Robert Bourgeois
Parliamentary Affairs and Media Relations
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Robert.Bourgeois@canada.ca
Telephone: (506) 851-6773
Cellular: (506) 871-9294

IBF5