Atlantic Canada is in the midst of a profound demographic and economic transition. While COVID-19 has created a major economic disruption it has not fundamentally changed the region’s underlying economic drivers. The region’s population would be shrinking if people were not moving to Atlantic Canada. The population is also aging faster than the rest of Canada while rural communities and larger cities show very different trends in terms of population and economic growth. 

This series of bulletins are designed to assess what the future holds in terms of Atlantic Canada’s demographic, economic and fiscal outlook, and to stimulate informed discussion on how stakeholders can best respond.

The first report looks at the region’s overall economic and population growth to 2040. Future bulletins will examine key questions such as: Will employers continue to face labour challenges, and how can they adjust?  What are the implications of population aging for fiscal sustainability? And, how can communities adjust to their changing demographic and economic realities?

Each bulletin includes practical business takeaways, policy priorities and some discussion questions to facilitate further reflection and dialogue with your team, industry or business association, policymakers and other stakeholders.