• Atlantic business leaders call for regional policies and more natural resource development

  Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
  Date: 2026-09-25 21:34:13.0
  Tags: [New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Economy, Trade, Energy, Resources, Mining, Industry]

  The Atlantic Economic Panel, chaired by Don Mills and commissioned by federal Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) Minister Sean Fraser, released a strategic growth plan calling for the creation of a $1 billion Atlantic prosperity fund to help regional companies scale up. The report recommends greater regional integration, including the establishment of an independent electricity system operator across the four Atlantic provinces, the elimination of interprovincial trade barriers, coordinated immigration policies, and streamlined regulatory processes for major projects. Furthermore, the plan urges a 50 per cent expansion of the region's natural resources sector, bolstered by recent provincial policy shifts such as Nova Scotia lifting bans on fracking and uranium mining and approving five new mines.

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• Eastern Canada business leaders call for ‘single economy’ between Atlantic provinces

  Source: Nova Scotia - Halifax & Regional News
  Date: 2026-09-25 14:16:00.0
  Tags: [Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Economy, Trade, Labour, Infrastructure, Energy, Immigration]

  The Atlantic Economic Panel, appointed by federal minister Sean Fraser and chaired by Crane Cove Holdings Ltd. president Don Mills, released a report calling for the creation of a 'One Atlantic Canada' single economy by 2035 across Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador. To combat low productivity, labour shortages, and regulatory barriers, the report outlines seven major recommendations, including a $1-billion Atlantic Prosperity Fund, a $25-billion integrated electricity system managed by a region-wide independent system operator, the removal of all trade and labour mobility barriers, and regional infrastructure partnerships. Additional targets include growing the region's population past 3 million with a 1.8 percent annual growth rate, doubling exports to Europe to over $30 billion, mobilizing $100 billion in new natural resource investments, and enhancing the aerospace, defence, shipbuilding, and artificial intelligence sectors.

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• P.E.I. government moves to break up IRAC into two new regulatory bodies

  Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
  Date: 2026-09-21 17:05:04.0
  Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Governance, Energy, Housing, Economy]

  The Prince Edward Island government announced it will dismantle the 35-year-old Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission (IRAC) and replace it with two specialized regulatory bodies overseeing energy and utilities, and land use and appeals, respectively. Prompted by an interim independent review conducted by Rory Francis, the reform will establish a standalone Residential Tenancy Office reporting to the Minister of Housing and Communities, introduce a merit-based public appointment process for commissioners, mandate external reviews every six years, and create a public electricity consumer advocate. Legislation to enact these changes will be brought forward in the fall legislative session, with public feedback open until October 2, 2026, and the commissioner's final report due November 1, 2026.

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