Matthew Johnson Jr.
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Matthew Johnson Jr., Manager, Strategic Initiatives, Halifax, N.S.
Growing up in a military family, Matthew Johnson split his years between London, Ont., and Bridgetown, N.S. His dad was born in Inglewood, N.S., one of the province’s historic Black communities, and although Matthew spent some time in London as an adult, “I could not resist the pull of the East Coast,” he says. “I have lived here since 1990.”
For much of the time since then, Matthew has worked with ACOA. After spending a few years in the music industry, he realized that he needed a “more consistent cash flow.” He dropped off an application with a temporary services agency. His first interview was with ACOA.
“During that time with the Agency, I really gained an appreciation, maybe even a passion, for economic development,” Matthew says. “We worked on ‘Are you an Exporter’ sessions all across Nova Scotia, and eventually the Maritimes. I likened it to setting up a music tour but for a very different audience, and without the beer sponsorship.”
Matthew, who has a commerce degree from Saint Mary’s University, went on to work for the Black Business Initiative for four years as one of four regional business development managers. Today, Matthew is the manager of strategic initiatives within the Enterprise Development unit at ACOA. His team works in two key industries: clean growth, and aerospace and defence. “Our role is to work with partners to develop and seek out strategic opportunities that can help move the industry in our province out to the global marketplace.”
“We have a depth of business knowledge that allows us to support the clients in a very constructive way,” says Matthew. “I rarely talk money with clients; it’s almost always about strategy.”
As the development officer for the aerospace and defence sector at ACOA, Matthew was part of an intergovernmental team that helped advise the Province of Nova Scotia as it developed its support for Irving Shipbuilding’s successful bid for the combat ship contract under the National Shipbuilding Strategy. “That project is about to deliver its third ship to the Navy, and the Canadian Surface Combatant program will commence in 2025, with the build expected to last until 2040,” says Matthew.
“I will be 69 then and long retired,” he adds, “but hopefully I will be able to go to the Halifax waterfront and tell my grandkids that I played a very small role in that very big project.”
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