2020-21 Departmental Plan
From the Minister

It is my pleasure to present the 2020-21 Departmental Plan for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA). We are working across the Innovation, Science and Economic Development portfolio to enhance Canada’s innovation performance, improve conditions for business investments, increase Canada’s share of global trade, and build a fair and efficient marketplace that promotes consumer choice and competition.

We will continue to work with provinces, territories, municipalities, Indigenous groups, industry, stakeholders and all Canadians to deliver an economic agenda that is growing an internationally competitive, knowledge-based economy while achieving our environmental goals.

We also understand that the path to economic prosperity varies from region to region. We will continue to support regional economic development through the regional development agencies that is responsive to the unique opportunities and challenges across the country. We will also encourage opportunities to increase trade and investment in key sectors that are economic drivers for the regions, including work that will build on the new Federal Tourism Growth Strategy.

In the coming year, ACOA will continue to create opportunities for sustained and inclusive growth among Atlantic Canada’s communities and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). ACOA will help SMEs scale up and invest in new technologies, including clean technology and automation, that will improve their productivity and enable them to better compete. The Agency will also help SMEs position themselves in the global market to increase trade and attract foreign investment. The Agency will work to harness the potential of Atlantic Canada’s traditional economic sectors, including food, ocean resources and tourism, to maximize the economic benefits of the region’s natural assets. To ensure that employers are able to hire the people they need to grow and succeed, ACOA will work with its partners to attract and retain skilled workers to strengthen the workforce and grow the region’s population. ACOA will also strengthen its partnerships with Indigenous governments and economic development organizations to ensure that the regional economy offers opportunities to all Atlantic Canadians.

Through these initiatives and others, we will continue to deliver on our commitment to foster a dynamic and growing economy that creates jobs, opportunities and a better quality of life for all Canadians.