'We need to wake up': Atlantic Canada a microcosm of the problems facing the rest of the country
Atlantic Canada’s productivity has fallen for four consecutive years and now trails the national average by about 25%, prompting business leaders to warn the region is at a breaking point and needs urgent economic reform. Nova Scotia businessman John Risley and former New Brunswick premier Frank McKenna say internal trade barriers, weak infrastructure, stalled energy and resource projects, and rising global competition are dragging down growth, while worsening provincial deficits highlight the urgency for action. They are calling for strong federal and provincial leadership, removal of interprovincial barriers, faster project approvals, and major private-sector investment to revive productivity and prevent long-term economic decline.
