Changes in Atlantic Canada’s industrial structure are reshaping patterns of settlement in the region. The Atlantic Provinces Economic Council’s summer Atlantic Report examines how this shift in economic structure is contributing to the growth of the region’s urban areas and discusses strategies for both the public and private sectors to ensure that Atlantic cities remain attractive places for people to live and work and for companies to do business.

Current year spending on major projects in Atlantic Canada is up about 13% in 2010 largely due to public stimulus, according to the Atlantic Provinces Economic Council's 27th annual Major Projects Inventory. But what happens to private spending in the region as the stimulus funding begins to wind down in 2011 remains a key question. The 2010 Inventory, which tracks 343 of the region's largest investment projects valued at $72 billion, was released in conjunction with the latest issue of APEC's Atlantic Report.

The seemingly relentless process of globalization is playing a pivotal role in reshaping the economy of Atlantic Canada. This report discusses changes underway in Atlantic Canada's industrial structure as we emerge from this recession, and examines the challenge of improving the region's productivity to adapt to the global economy.