The Brian Mulroney Institute of Government at St. Francis Xavier University is unveiling its inaugural conference on economic growth in Atlantic Canada.
The Atlantic Economic Forum, to be held in Spring 2022, will bring together heads of industry, policymakers, academics, students and other opinion leaders to discuss a wide range of challenges facing the Atlantic provinces. Participants will also provide a set of recommendations on how to address those issues. The purpose of this event is to stimulate economic growth in the region.
“The forum will solidify the Brian Mulroney Institute of Government’s position as not only an exceptional educational facility, but an essential contributor to the future of the Atlantic Canadian economy,” said Dr. Don Abelson, founding Director of the Brian Mulroney Institute of Government and Steven K. Hudson Chair in Canada-U.S. Relations. “This forum will be the flagship event for meaningful and thoughtful discussion and debate in Atlantic Canada’s modern civic and political discourse on the economic, social, and political issues of our time.”
The Atlantic Economic Forum will feature keynote speakers, expert panel discussions, roundtables, and public debates and will provide a platform for major news regarding investments and project proposals.
The event will also serve as a networking opportunity for key stakeholders who will be able to engage in broad policy discussions and build relationships in a way that fosters opportunities for future growth.
The Government of Canada is providing a non-repayable contribution of $200,000 to St. Francis Xavier University to plan and host the inaugural forum. The contribution is being provided through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)’s Innovative Communities Fund (ICF).
“The Atlantic Economic Forum will bring together business, government, and academics for open and vigorous discussions on the issues facing the region and country and will foster a culture of investment that will create jobs in Atlantic Canada. The Atlantic provinces are facing a generational opportunity for economic growth as we emerge from COVID-19, and the Forum provides an important new vehicle to develop innovative solutions that will help build a stronger and more resilient future for our region,” said Sean Fraser, Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Middle Class Prosperity and Associate Minister of Finance and Member of Parliament for Central Nova, on behalf of the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and Minister responsible for ACOA.
The Right Honourable Brian Mulroney, the Honourable Frank McKenna and PS Sean Fraser, will serve as informal advisors and play a role in building political and financial support for the event.
The Atlantic Economic Forum will be held at the Brian Mulroney Institute of Government, one of Canada's pre-eminent centres for undergraduate education in the areas of government, public policy, and leadership. The Institute contributes innovative research and creative solutions to complex national and global political, economic, and social problems.
