Atlantic Economic Panel

The Atlantic Economic Panel is a private-sector-led initiative established to catalyze economic transformation in Atlantic Canada. The 7-person panel will identify opportunities, barriers and interventions to drive productivity growth, strengthen competitiveness, and secure long-term prosperity for the region.

Atlantic Canada faces a pivotal moment to boost productivity and secure long-term prosperity. The region has the opportunity to foster a cultural shift, become a hub for innovation and strategic opportunity, and position itself as a place where future generations of businesses choose to grow and thrive locally.

The panel will:

build and sustain momentum toward a more prosperous and resilient regional economy
identify ways to increase productivity and GDP per capita through targeted interventions
deliver a business-led vision that sets out bold, practical steps to realize Atlantic Canada’s economic potential
foster a common direction and a shared sense of purpose across sectors and provinces
prepare and present a final report in September 2026, with recommendations publicly released along with next steps for targeted implementation

Overarching questions

The panel’s work will focus on the following key questions:

What would make the difference in Atlantic Canada reaching its full economic potential?
To what extent is this a matter of economic structure, public policy, regulatory entanglement or culture, including our own attitudes toward ambition, risk and growth?
What is it about "how we do things here" that needs to change?

To answer these questions in a cumulative report, the panel will engage businesses, business leaders and other stakeholders as required to help define a new path forward and help guide the region’s economic future.

Panel members

The panel consists of 7 prominent business leaders representing all 4 Atlantic provinces. Members contribute their expertise, networks and leadership to guide the panel’s recommendations and champion its vision.

When and if required, the panel may engage additional organizations or individuals to amplify messaging, provide expert advice or advise on recommendations.

ACOA will support the panel’s activities by providing financial support, oversight and guidance as appropriate but will not direct the panel’s activities or influence its independent recommendations.

The members

Don Mills (Chair) is President of Crane Cove Holdings Limited and a partner and director with CABCO Communications. He is co-founder and partner of Total Marketing & Communications in Bermuda and its affiliate Narrative Research Bermuda. Previously, he was CEO and co-founder of Corporate Research Associates (now Narrative Research), which he sold in 2018. He is currently co-host of the Insights Podcast on the Acadia Broadcasting Network and recently co-authored a book with David Campbell, Toward Prosperity: The Transformation of Atlantic Canada’s Economy.

Mills has served on more than two dozen boards over his career, including the Halifax International Airport Authority, Dalhousie University, the Halifax Chamber of Commerce, the Halifax Partnership and the United Way. In 2022, he was inducted into the Nova Scotia Business Hall of Fame.

Cathy Bennett is the co-founder of Sandpiper Ventures and former CEO of the Bennett Group. She is a seasoned board chair, director, investor and business leader with more than 3 decades of experience across energy, mining, capital markets, technology and public policy.

Her work spans major resource developments, energy transition initiatives, dual-use and frontier technologies, and scale-up strategies that strengthen regional competitiveness. Recognized for navigating complex stakeholder environments and aligning industry, government and community interests, she has consistently advanced productivity, investment attraction and long-term growth.

Joyce Carter is President and CEO of the Halifax International Airport Authority, a role she has held since 2014. Under her leadership, Halifax Stanfield’s economic output and its employment impact have doubled. The airport now supports over 24,000 jobs and generates more than $4  billion in annual economic activity, cementing its role as a cornerstone of Nova Scotia’s economy and Atlantic Canada’s global connectivity.

Carter is active in national and international aviation governance and serves on several regional and community boards related to transportation, tourism and financial services. She serves as Honorary Colonel of 12 Wing Shearwater, holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Saint Mary’s University and an honorary Doctor of Commerce, is a Fellow CPA and earned her ICD.D designation in 2015. Her honours include Atlantic Canada’s Top 50 CEOs, Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women, and a King Charles III Coronation Medal.

Mike Cassidy is the CEO of the Cassidy Group, which owns Coach Atlantic and Maritime Bus. He is one of Atlantic Canada’s most recognizable entrepreneurs, with a wide range of industry experience. Cassidy's business ownership interests over the past 40 years have crossed many business sectors, including long-haul trucking, waste management, retail automotive, tourism and hospitality, real estate development, business consulting, sales and marketing, bus transportation, climate-controlled greenhouse production, and sustainable farming initiatives. Today, the Group of Companies has close to 700 employees focusing on bus transportation, cruise ship shore excursions, sustainable agriculture, and real estate development.

J. Scott McCain is Chairman of the Board of McCain Foods Limited. He is also President of JSM Capital Corporation (a private investment holding corporation). In 2014, McCain retired as President and Chief Operating Officer of the Agribusiness Group at Maple Leaf Foods Inc., a role he had held since 1999. From 1995 to 1999, he was Executive Vice-President at Maple Leaf Foods. Prior to joining Maple Leaf Foods, McCain was Vice-President of Production, McCain Foods Limited in Canada. He joined McCain Foods in 1978 and held progressively senior positions in manufacturing and operations. McCain holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Mount Allison University. He is a director of SeaFort Capital Inc., Saint John Major Junior Hockey Club Limited, and the Fraser Institute, and is Chair of the Board of the Margaret and Wallace McCain Family Foundation Inc.

Chief Terry Richardson was elected Chief of Pabineau First Nation in April 2020, after serving as a councillor for 8 years. He previously worked as Mi’kmaq benefits manager for Trevali Mining, where he provided guidance in the development of underground mining programs. Additionally, Chief Richardson served 25 years in the Canadian Armed Forces, working within the construction engineering field in administration, finance and contracting.

He has also been an active community member, sitting on the boards of Vitalité Health and the Université de Moncton.

Anne Whelan is an entrepreneur, corporate director, and business and health-care leader based in St. John’s. As principal shareholder and CEO of Seafair Capital—one of Canada’s Best Managed companies—Whelan leads and oversees a diverse group of companies broadly organized around community health and wellness, and has enjoyed the bumpy ride of starting, growing and maturing a group of businesses, including some new and innovative health-care solutions that are gaining traction across Canada. She has received multiple regional and national recognitions for business leadership, including being named CEO of the Year by Atlantic Business Magazine, being inducted into the NL Business Hall of Fame and Startup Canada Entrepreneur of the Year. Whelan is currently lead director of the Bank of Canada, is a corporate director of several companies, including CSA Group and Nova Leap Health, and is Vice-Chair of The Gathering Place.

Operating principles

The panel will operate according to the following principles:

Independence: The panel will operate independently and provide business-led and action-oriented advice
Focus on collective impact: The panel will provide clear direction through bold thinking and future-focused recommendations. It will work collaboratively across sectors, provinces and organizations to focus on strategic, actionable recommendations that drive meaningful economic impact rather than producing a broad or prescriptive list of government initiatives
Engagement: The panel will communicate openly, clearly and in plain language, keeping stakeholders informed, engaged and able to act on its recommendations
Results focused: The panel will prioritize measurable, practical actions that improve productivity and prosperity

Page details

2025-11-24

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