When it comes to business, location is everything. Atlantic Canada is well situated for international trade and commerce with easy access to major markets in the U.S. and Europe. It's also within a day's drive of more than half of the entire North American population.
Located on the east coast of Canada, Atlantic Canada comprises four provinces: New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Atlantic Canada is bordered by the province of Quebec, the Atlantic Ocean and the New England states.
Here is a brief summary of the four Atlantic provinces:
Bordering the state of Maine, the province of New Brunswick offers geographic proximity to major markets, a stable, bilingual (French/English) workforce, and competitive business costs. The province offers tailored financial assistance focused on business development, trade and investment, often in the form of payroll rebates and forgivable loans.
New Brunswick’s major cities include the capital city, Fredericton, Moncton and Saint John.
Competitive costs and a stable, available workforce are among the many business advantages offered in Newfoundland and Labrador. The province offers numerous business incentives and it has set out a course for economic development through the rejuvenation of several traditional sectors and the strategic development of new industries.
Newfoundland and Labrador’s major cities include the capital city, St. John’s, and Corner Brook.
Nova Scotia offers a long-standing history of commercial cooperation with the United States, as well as a highly educated workforce, competitive business costs and tailored, aggressive incentive packages for investors, which include loans, payroll rebates and tax credits.
Nova Scotia’s major cities include the capital, Halifax, and Sydney.
Prince Edward Island has evolved its traditional sectors, such as fishing and agriculture, to grow new industries like biotechnology, aerospace and information technology. The province offers many incentives to businesses, including financial packages that are tailored to business investors’ needs, a stable workforce and competitive business costs.
Prince Edward Island’s major cities include the capital, Charlottetown, and Summerside.
Key Facts about Atlantic Canada:
-
The closest ports to Europe along the North American seaboard
-
World-class telecommunications networks
-
Low rate of litigation – tort less than half the rate of that in the United States. Legal system is similar to that of the U.S. at a lower cost.
-
The highest per-capita expenditure on education in the G7 countries
-
Universal health care (significant medical benefits savings for employers and medical care for employees)
-
A competitive, reliable and plentiful energy supply (gas, oil and electricity)
-
A stable economy and political structure
-
Secure environment for corporate assets and information
-
One of North America’s fastest growing offshore oil and gas industries
-
More post-secondary graduates per capita than the Canadian and U.S. averages
-
A straight-forward and expedient system for setting up a business
-
Attractive government incentive programs
-
A cost of living 25% to 65% lower than other North American regions
-
An enhanced quality of life and a safe environment in which to raise a family.