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Atlantic Trade and Investment Growth Strategy (ATIGS) and Atlantic Trade and Investment Growth Agreement (ATIGA)

Last Revised: February 2, 2024

ISSUE: Atlantic Trade and Investment Growth Strategy (ATIGS) and Atlantic Trade and Investment Growth Agreement (ATIGA)

RESPONSE

• ACOA is focused on supporting Atlantic Canadian businesses and organizations to become more innovative, productive and export-ready to take advantage of market and supply chain diversification opportunities.
• A key lever of collaboration for helping Atlantic firms maximize market development and supply chain diversification is the federal-provincial Atlantic Trade and Investment Growth Strategy – or ATIGS, which was first signed in 2017 and renewed in 2022 for an additional five years.
• The ATIGS is a partnership between the federal and provincial governments that puts Atlantic Canada solidly on the path to a more innovative, diverse and globally competitive economy by growing exports and attracting international investment. 
• The primary goals of the ATIGS are to increase the number of Atlantic firms engaging in international business activity; increase the capacity of Atlantic firms to strategically enter new, or increase their activity, in international markets; and strengthen the region's capacity to attract foreign direct investment.
• The Strategy is a solid example of how federal and provincial partners are collaborating for the good of Atlantic Canada, its businesses, its communities and its people.
• This unprecedented level of collaboration supports the positive momentum the region is experiencing. 
• The activities undertaken in support of the ATIGS are funded in part by the Atlantic Trade and Investment Growth Agreement (ATIGA), an initial 5-year $20 million federal-provincial agreement signed in 2017, which was renewed in 2022 for an additional 5 years and $20 million.
• The federal government, through ACOA, is investing up to
  $14 million, and the four Atlantic provinces are providing the remaining $6 million.
• Under the ATIGS, eight key sectors have been identified as strategic to Atlantic Canada’s growth: Aerospace and Defence, Biosciences, Energy Innovation, Food and Beverage, Information and Communication Technologies, Mining, Ocean Technologies, and Seafood.
• From the implementation of the ATIGS to present, a total of 151 projects have been approved under the ATIGA for total contributions of approximately $31.2 million. These projects supported trade missions to Europe and Asia, global e-commerce and online marketing, participation in international trade shows, in addition to capacity building initiatives.

BACKGROUND

ACOA is focused on supporting Atlantic Canadian businesses and organizations to become more innovative, productive and export-ready to take advantage of market and supply chain diversification opportunities.

To achieve this, ACOA leverages federal and provincial collaboration opportunities where export and investment focuses align for the benefit of businesses, organizations, and the region.

Atlantic Trade and Investment Growth Strategy (ATIGS)

A key lever of collaboration for helping Atlantic firms maximize market development and supply chain diversification is the federal-provincial Atlantic Trade and Investment Growth Strategy (ATIGS), which was first signed in 2017 and renewed in 2022 for an additional five years.

The strategy partners include ACOA, the four Atlantic Provinces and Global Affairs Canada. These partners will also engage other federal and provincial departments and organizations in the development and implementation of specific initiatives in support of the strategy as needed.

The primary goals of the ATIGS are to

• increase the number of Atlantic firms engaging in international business activity;
• increase the capacity of Atlantic firms to strategically enter new, or increase their activity, in international markets; and
• strengthen the region's capacity to attract foreign direct investment.

ATIGS partners support initiatives under the following two strategic elements that align with these objectives:

• Trade and investment readiness - Firm-centric activities that prepare for international market participation, and ecosystem support, both as it relates to trade and investment attraction. One key example of this type of initiative is the Launch Export program which was developed to assist new exporters and export-curious firms.
• Market engagement - Both short-term and long-term programs and activities that relate directly to conducting international business activities and investment attraction. A signature long-term market engagement initiative is the Market Entry Development Program that focuses primarily on experienced exporters who have an interest in diversifying and/or growing their exports, and potentially supply chain diversification, in Europe and the Indo-Pacific region.

Under the ATIGS, eight key sectors have been identified as strategic to Atlantic Canada’s growth:

1. Aerospace and Defence
2. Biosciences
3. Energy Innovation
4. Food and Beverage
5. Information and Communication Technologies
6. Mining
7. Ocean Technologies
8. Seafood

The strategy is implemented collaboratively by various committees and teams and involves regular planning, industry engagement, coordinated activities, and the sharing and reporting of information and data in support of the strategy’s objectives.

Committees and teams include a Steering Committee and Management Committee; Atlantic Sector Teams; Trade Capacity-Building Team; In-Market Program Team; Foreign Direct Investment Team; and several project-level working groups.

All teams and committees are comprised of ATIGS partner representatives, except for the Sector Teams, which also include industry associations.

Atlantic Trade and Investment Growth Agreement (ATIGA)

The activities undertaken in support of the ATIGS are funded in part by the Atlantic Trade and Investment Growth Agreement (ATIGA), an initial 5-year $20 million federal-provincial agreement signed in 2017, which was renewed in 2022 for an additional 5 years and $20 million.

The ATIGA is costed-shared by ACOA (70%) and the four Atlantic Provinces (30%).

From the implementation of the ATIGS to present, a total of 151 projects have been approved under the ATIGA for total contributions of approximately $31.2 million.

Results tabulated by Stats Canada in 2023 and based on ATIGS administrative data that measured ATIGS outcomes from 2016-2021, highlighted the following:

• ATIGS clients were more likely to increase their exports 43% vs 42%.
• Firms averaged annual revenue growth rates of 3% vs 1.2%.
• The number firms exporting to a single-partner country increased by 15.9% vs 8%.
• Firms exporting to multiple-partner countries increased by 15.9% vs a decrease of 10.2%.

ATIGA Provincial Breakdown:

• Newfoundland and Labrador $1,000,000 (5%)
• New Brunswick $2,200,000 (11%)
• Nova Scotia $2,200,000 (11%)
• Prince Edward Island $600,000 (3%)

Total provincial contribution: $6,000,000 (30%)

EXAMPLES OF ATIGA APPROVED PROJECTS (2017 to 2023)

PREPARATION AND APPROVALS

Prepared by: Darlene Boone, IBD Officer, ACOA HO, 902-217-3858
Sector contact: Faith McIntyre, Director General, Programs, 902-940-1417
Sector approval: Daryell Nowlan, Vice-President, Policy, Programs and Communications, 506-851-3805