The federal government's role as a major employer in Atlantic Canada was highlighted in the latest Report Card by the Atlantic Provinces Economic Council (APEC). But as federal program restraint is again back in vogue, APEC noted the risks to current employment levels, with most Atlantic provinces heavily reliant on jobs in a small number of federal departments.

The Atlantic provinces are in the midst of a sharp reversal in their fiscal fortunes with deficits in all four provinces pushing public debt up rapidly. The Atlantic provinces need to establish credible, long-term and detailed plans to return to fiscal balance and to adjust both the level and long-term growth path of government spending to match projected revenues. This Report Card  examines the fiscal prospects facing the Atlantic provinces and the measures required to restore fiscal balance.

Atlantic Canada's information and communication technologies (ICT) industry is an increasingly important part of the region's economy. The region's ICT industry grew nearly twice as fast as the overall economy between 2003 and 2008, contributing an estimated $2.65 billion to Atlantic Canada's GDP in 2008. This Report Card provides a brief profile of the region's ICT industry but also looks at the broader issue relating to the overall adoption of ICT throughout the Atlantic economy. The Atlantic provinces spent $1,690 on ICT per worker in 2007, only 80% of the national rate of $2,110 in ICT investment per worker. If this gap is not closed it could further undermine the region's productivity performance compared with Canada.