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ACOA 2025–26 Departmental Results Report – Gender-based Analysis Plus
Section 1: Institutional Gender-based Analysis Plus governance and capacity
Governance
The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency’s (ACOA) core responsibility is to support Atlantic Canada’s economic growth, wealth creation and economic prosperity through inclusive and clean growth. The Agency integrates Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) into its activities as part of its implementation strategy. To ensure accountability, the Agency uses a GBA Plus responsibility centre and working groups led by an executive-level GBA Plus Champion to support and monitor the implementation of GBA Plus throughout the Agency and liaise with the broader Government of Canada GBA Plus network.
All ACOA programs are delivered with an inclusive lens to support groups that are under-represented in Atlantic Canada’s economy and among its entrepreneurs. The Agency also advocates for regional interests in national initiatives, as well as consideration for urban, rural and remote areas. This is supported by enhanced data collection and analysis that includes groups under-represented in the economy.
Capacity
Below are examples of work to advance ACOA’s GBA Plus capacity.
Inclusive program delivery
Through its programs, ACOA spent a total of $335.7 million on 1,852 projects in 2025–26, helping to maintain or create over 5,200 jobs in Atlantic Canada, a highly rural region of Canada that does not always have the same access to federal programming as larger population centres.
These ACOA investments reflect the Government of Canada’s commitment to grow a more inclusive economy and a stronger future for all Canadians during this time of economic recovery from the pandemic. Across the Agency’s suite of programs and initiatives, ACOA spent $76.3 million on 461 projects that supported GBA Plus objectives or entrepreneurs from under-represented groups. This included support for ACOA clients from the following groups: $31.6 million for women; $15.7 million for Indigenous peoples; $15.2 million for official language minority community members; $19.9 million for Black, racialized and visible minorities; $1.8 million for persons with disabilities; $10.2 million for recent immigrants; and $9.2 million for youth. In addition to these groups, the Agency recognizes that a person’s place of residence may limit access to government support. In response to this reality, ACOA delivered nearly 40% of its investments in rural communities, representing $127.6 million in spending on 822 projects.
Targeted support for equity-deserving groups included the following: Regional Housing Innovation Initiative, a new two-year initiative providing support to pursue new approaches for building houses, benefiting all Atlantic Canadians, including first-time homebuyers (such as youth), newcomers to the region, and those seeking more energy-efficient and resilient homes ($2,211,529 in expenditures for 10 projects in 2025–26); Northern and Isolated Communities Initiatives Fund, a renewed and expanded three-year fund to support food-related initiatives that strengthen and diversify economic activity in the territories and throughout Inuit Nunangat, which is now available in the Nunatsiavut region of northern Labrador (no expenditure since it is still in early implementation phases in 2025–26); and the Elevate Tourism Initiative, a two-year initiative that ended March 31, 2026, to boost investment in private-sector tourism businesses to elevate their offerings and grow revenues. These programs will help ensure the region is an all-season destination of choice for domestic and international travellers, often a valuable source of employment and economic momentum in rural regions. The Agency also continues to deliver the Tourism Growth Program ($5.1 million in expenditures for 61 projects), the Black Entrepreneurship Program’s National Ecosystem Fund ($1.7 million in expenditures for two projects), and a few remaining disbursement transactions after the final year of the Canada Coal Transition Initiative – Infrastructure Fund ($707,080 in expenditures for two projects) to assist affected communities and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in rural and economically vulnerable areas.
Diversity and inclusion in ACOA’s workforce
In 2025–26, the Agency pursued many initiatives to advance its values-based, inclusive workplace culture, notably:
- Advanced equity, inclusion and anti-racism by creating safe spaces through town halls and consultations with employee networks such as the Black and Multicultural Employee Networks and launching an Employment Systems Review to examine workforce data, policies and practices to identify and address systemic barriers. The Agency continued to implement complementary initiatives, including ACOA’s Accessibility Action Plan, Digital Accessibility Passport, and input to Canada’s Multiculturalism Annual Report.
- Fully implemented ACOA’s Equity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism Action Plan for 2023–2026 and used the Agency’s strong Public Service Employee Survey results to inform the development of the 2026–2029 plan. The Agency was ranked the third-best workplace in the federal service in 2024, the latest available at time of drafting this report.
- Prioritized ACOA’s Diversity, Inclusion, Competence, Excellence (DICE) training, the creation of the Office of Workplace Culture and Employee Engagement, and the renewal of the Elder-in-Residence Initiative, which enabled the Agency to host cultural teachings.
- Sustained robust official languages leadership with the Agency’s Official Languages Action Plan for a bilingual and inclusive workplace. Fifty percent of employees who accessed language training in 2025–26 were from equity-seeking groups, demonstrating targeted and equitable access.
Administrative data systems update
In 2025–26, ACOA continued to update its internal systems to capture microdata on GBA Plus elements throughout the project life cycle to facilitate monitoring and reporting. This enabled ACOA to conduct analyses on its programs using new and existing administrative data. Moreover, the Agency worked in close collaboration with other federal departments, notably other regional development agencies (RDAs), to help better align the collection, analysis and use of diversity data, including similar definitions, shared reporting templates, common program indicators and shared activities, to enhance the accuracy and standardization of data gathered. This helped the Agency take stock of the GBA Plus elements of its programs, look at trends and provide insight into areas that could be improved upon to strengthen inclusivity.
Human resources dedicated to GBA Plus
There is one full-time equivalent dedicated to GBA Plus at ACOA, representing multiple employees working on GBA Plus issues part-time with workload fluctuating based on demand. This complement includes a GBA Plus Champion (director level), a GBA Plus focal point and an Agency-wide working group.
Section 2: Gender and diversity impacts, by program
Core responsibility: Economic development in Atlantic Canada
Program name: Business Growth
Program goals: ACOA invests in business growth to enhance Atlantic Canadians’ access to the information and financing they need to grow a business. This enables businesses to become more innovative and productive, and allows them to grow, which generates wealth and jobs. This supports enterprises and business associations as well as activities aimed at improving the business environment in Atlantic Canada, including underserved groups.
Target population: Atlantic Canadian SMEs, communities and organizations
Distribution of benefits
| Distribution | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | First group: predominantly men (80% or more) |
| By income level | Third group: no significant distributional impacts |
| By age group | Second group: no significant intergenerational impacts or impacts on generations between youth and seniors |
Specific demographic group(s) to be monitored
This program directly benefits Atlantic Canadians, notably SMEs, non-profit organizations and communities of all sizes, by supporting economic competitiveness and growth. It may disproportionately benefit men, as gender imbalances exist in SME ownership across various sectors; 69% of ACOA client firms in 2021 were owned by men. This measure would indirectly benefit all Atlantic Canadians and workers through support for the regional economy and job markets.
Key program impacts on gender and diversity
A national evaluation of Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI), delivered by ACOA and the other RDAs, found that the program aligns with equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) priorities and principles, and that participation of under-represented groups is encouraged. ACOA and other RDAs have strengthened capacity to collect, analyze, manage, monitor and report on gender and demographics-related disaggregated data in relation to program applicants and recipients, and the RDAs jointly developed the inclusiveness section of intake forms.
An evaluation of the business growth and trade programming at ACOA found that the Agency has taken positive steps toward strengthening inclusive growth.
- During the period of the evaluation, ACOA invested $38.2 million in 172 Indigenous economic development projects, 110 since the Investing in Regional Innovation and Development framework target was established in 2017.
- It delivered targeted programs for women, most notably the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy and the Women in Business Initiative.
- The Agency’s participation in the Atlantic Immigration Program is an important step forward on immigration and finding international workers who can help meet the needs of SMEs.
- ACOA offered targeted support for young business owners, primarily through a $7.3 million investment in the Youth Entrepreneur Development Initiative.
An evaluation of ACOA’s Economic Development Programming found that there is an ongoing need for dedicated programming focused on supporting the growth of small rural communities, which make up a large percentage of Atlantic Canada’s population. Rural communities are home to a wide range of economic growth industries, including agriculture, mining and tourism. Agency programming offers unique place-based, flexible programming that responds to the specific needs of Atlantic Canadian communities and addresses emerging opportunities and barriers. It has also proven to be an effective vehicle through which to rapidly flow relief and recovery funding critical to the survival of Atlantic Canadian businesses.
Key program impact statistics
| Statistic | Observed results* | Data source | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of Atlantic Canadian SMEs that are majority-owned by women, Indigenous peoples, youth, visible minorities and persons with disabilities | 18% women 2.5% Indigenous 10.8% youth 5.1% visible minorities 0.9% persons with disabilities |
Statistics Canada | Latest available data from 2023 (Preliminary from StatsCan at time of drafting) |
| Number of clients supported that are tagged to an under-represented group such as Indigenous peoples, women, youth, Black people and other racialized groups, and persons with disabilities | 235 | ACOA internal data | 2025–26 data |
| Number of projects supported that are tagged to an under-represented group such as Indigenous peoples, women, youth, Black people and other racialized groups, and persons with disabilities | 309 | ACOA internal data | 2025–26 data |
| Dollar value of ACOA expenditures tagged to an under-represented group such as Indigenous peoples, women, youth, Black people and other racialized groups, and persons with disabilities | $50.2 million | ACOA internal data | 2025–26 data |
*2024-25 or most recent
Supplementary information sources
Regional Economic Growth through Innovation – National Evaluation
ACOA Business Growth and Trade and Investment Programming Evaluation Report 2020
GBA Plus data collection plan
In 2025–26, ACOA continued to enhance its internal administrative data collection system to capture microdata on GBA Plus elements to facilitate monitoring, analysis and reporting. The Agency also purchased custom data analyses from Statistics Canada to gain insight into client performance and the Atlantic Canadian economy with disaggregated data, where available. These additional data were further analyzed to help strengthen analysis and decision-making within the Agency. Efforts also continued to align GBA Plus data collection with other RDAs.
Program 2: Diversified Communities
Program goals: Economic development in rural areas continues to be a challenge considering the decline in traditional industries, population shifts and infrastructure issues. These issues emphasize the need to support initiatives that increase the competitiveness of Atlantic Canada’s rural communities and businesses. This program is well aligned with the ACOA Act and the types of activities mandated under the act, which include support for enterprises and for business associations and other activities related to improving the business environment, including underserved groups.
Target population: Atlantic Canadian SMEs, communities and organizations
Distribution of benefits
| Distribution | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | First group: predominantly men (80% or more) |
| By income level | Third group: no significant distributional impacts |
| By age group | Second group: no significant intergenerational impacts or impacts on generations between youth and seniors |
Specific demographic group outcomes: This program directly benefits Atlantic Canadians, notably SMEs, non-profit organizations and communities of all sizes, by supporting economic competitiveness and growth. It may disproportionately benefit men, as gender imbalances exist in SME ownership (68.9% men) across various sectors. This measure would indirectly benefit all Atlantic Canadians and workers through support for the regional economy and job markets.
Key program impacts on gender and diversity: An evaluation of ACOA’s Economic Development Programming found that there continues to be a need for dedicated programming focused on supporting the growth of small rural communities, which make up a large percentage of Atlantic Canada’s population. Rural communities are home to a wide range of economic growth industries, including agriculture, mining and tourism. The Agency offers unique place-based, flexible programming that responds to the specific needs of Atlantic Canadian communities and addresses emerging opportunities and barriers. It has also proven to be an effective vehicle through which to rapidly flow relief and recovery funding that is critical to the survival of Atlantic Canadian businesses.
Key program impact statistics
| Statistic | Observed results* | Data source | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of Atlantic Canadian SMEs that are majority-owned by women, Indigenous peoples, youth, visible minorities and persons with disabilities | 18% women 2.5% Indigenous 10.8% youth 5.1% visible minorities 0.9% persons with disabilities |
Statistics Canada | Latest available data from 2023 *Preliminary data at time of drafting |
| Number of clients supported that are tagged to an under-represented group such as Indigenous peoples, women, youth, Black people and other racialized groups, and persons with disabilities | 59 | ACOA internal data | 2025–26 data |
| Number of projects supported that are tagged to an under-represented group such as Indigenous peoples, women, youth, Black people and other racialized groups, and persons with disabilities | 76 | ACOA internal data | 2025–26 data |
| Dollar value of ACOA expenditures tagged to an under-represented group such as Indigenous peoples, women, youth, Black people and other racialized groups, and persons with disabilities | $10.4 million | ACOA internal data | 2025–26 data |
*2024-25 or most recent
Supplementary information sources
ACOA Economic Development Programming Evaluation 2023
GBA Plus data collection plan: In 2025–26, ACOA continued to enhance its internal administrative data collection system to capture microdata on GBA Plus elements to facilitate monitoring, analysis and reporting. The Agency also purchased custom data analyses from Statistics Canada to gain insights into client performance and the Atlantic Canadian economy with disaggregated data, where available. These additional data were further analyzed to help strengthen analysis and decision-making within the Agency. Efforts also continued to align GBA Plus data collection with other RDAs.
Program 3: Inclusive Communities
Program goals: For an economically diversified Atlantic Canada, communities must have the capacity and resources to be more inclusive; and for sustainable growth, entrepreneurs must be equipped to be competitive on the global market. Geographic communities and communities of interest, such as industry associations and non-profit organizations, need to invest in initiatives that stimulate economic growth. The Agency works with these communities through strategic investments to increase human capacity, and with organizations to increase and sustain growth and well-being. This program is well aligned with the ACOA Act and the types of activities mandated under the act, which include support for enterprises and business associations, and other activities related to improving the business environment, including underserved groups.
Target population: Atlantic Canadian SMEs, communities and organizations
Distribution of benefits
| Distribution | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | First group: predominantly men (80% or more) |
| By income level | Third group: no significant distributional impacts |
| By age group | Second group: no significant intergenerational impacts or impacts on generations between youth and seniors |
Specific demographic group outcomes: This program directly benefits Atlantic Canadians, notably SMEs, non-profit organizations and communities of all sizes, by supporting economic competitiveness and growth. It may disproportionately benefit men, as gender imbalances exist in SME ownership (68.9% men) across various sectors. This measure would indirectly benefit all Atlantic Canadians and workers through support for the regional economy and job markets.
Key program impacts on gender and diversity: An evaluation of ACOA’s Economic Development Programming found that there continues to be a need for dedicated programming focused on supporting the growth of small rural communities, which make up a large percentage of Atlantic Canada’s population. Rural communities are home to a wide range of economic growth industries, including agriculture, mining and tourism. Agency programming offers unique place-based, flexible programming that responds to the specific needs of Atlantic Canadian communities and addresses emerging opportunities and barriers. It has also proven to be an effective vehicle through which to rapidly flow relief and recovery funding critical to the survival of Atlantic Canadian businesses.
Key program impact statistics
| Statistic | Observed results* | Data source | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of Atlantic Canadian SMEs that are majority-owned by women, Indigenous peoples, youth, visible minorities and persons with disabilities | 18% women 2.5% Indigenous 10.8% youth 5.1% visible minorities 0.9% persons with disabilities |
Statistics Canada | Latest available data from 2023 *Preliminary from StatsCan at time of drafting |
| Number of clients supported that are tagged to an under-represented group such as Indigenous peoples, women, youth, Black people and other racialized groups, and persons with disabilities | 25 | ACOA internal data | 2025–26 data |
| Number of projects supported that are tagged to an under-represented group such as Indigenous peoples, women, youth, Black people and other racialized groups, and persons with disabilities | 34 | ACOA internal data | 2025–26 data |
| Dollar value of ACOA expenditures tagged to an under-represented group such as Indigenous peoples, women, youth, Black people and other racialized groups, and persons with disabilities | $8.2 million | ACOA internal data | 2025–26 data |
*2024–25 or most recent
Supplementary information sources
ACOA Economic Development Programming Evaluation 2023
GBA Plus data collection plan: In 2025–26, ACOA continued to enhance its internal administrative data collection system to capture microdata on GBA Plus elements to facilitate monitoring, analysis and reporting. The Agency also purchased custom data analyses from Statistics Canada to gain insight into client performance and the Atlantic Canadian economy with disaggregated data, where available. These additional data were further analyzed to help strengthen analysis and decision-making within the Agency. Efforts also continued to align GBA Plus data collection with other RDAs.
Program 4: Innovation Ecosystems
Program goals: ACOA develops and facilitates strategic networks, partnerships and initiatives to develop an innovation ecosystem. ACOA aims to increase awareness, knowledge, influence and capacity to innovate in new and traditional sectors, pursue new opportunities and solve challenges. This program helps build the ecosystem by supporting competitive clusters as well as business incubators and accelerators, and by funding innovation infrastructure. It helps communities of interest such as business associations and development organizations to promote innovation and mitigate risks, including in rural areas.
Target population: Atlantic Canadian SMEs, communities and organizations
Distribution of benefits
| Distribution | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | First group: predominantly men (80% or more) |
| By income level | Third group: no significant distributional impacts |
| By age group | Second group: no significant intergenerational impacts or impacts on generations between youth and seniors |
Specific demographic group outcomes: This program directly benefits Atlantic Canadians, notably SMEs, non-profit organizations and communities of all sizes by supporting economic competitiveness and growth. It may disproportionately benefit men, as gender imbalances exist in SME ownership (68.9% men) across various sectors. This measure would indirectly benefit all Atlantic Canadians and workers through support for the regional economy and job markets.
Key program impacts on gender and diversity: A national evaluation of REGI, delivered by ACOA and the other RDAs, found that REGI aligns with EDI priorities and principles, and that participation of under-represented groups is encouraged. ACOA and other RDAs have strengthened capacity to collect, analyze, manage, monitor and report on gender- and demographics-related disaggregated data in relation to program applicants and recipients, and the RDAs jointly developed the inclusiveness section of intake forms.
An evaluation of innovation programming found that ACOA has taken positive steps toward strengthening inclusive growth. It found that the Agency made some effort toward inclusive growth through funding and collaborations (for example, immigrants, Indigenous peoples and women). However, there is growing internal recognition of the need to better support under-represented groups to facilitate economic growth, address skills and labour gaps, and better align with government priorities. Other key findings include the following:
- Between 2010 and 2015 (the period analyzed for the evaluation), female ACOA clients not only registered higher average growth rates than male ACOA clients in several employment and financial indicators but also outperformed female-owned businesses from the comparable group in most areas. Case studies indicated that there has been increased focus on supports to women in technology, computer science and entrepreneurship.
- ACOA’s involvement in the Atlantic Immigration Program (2017–2020), a key initiative under the Atlantic Growth Strategy, helped address labour and skills needs and ensure long-term economic growth in the region by attracting and retaining skilled immigrants.
- Key informants also indicated that ACOA’s 29 points of service throughout the region position the Agency to meet the unique needs of rural businesses.
Key program impact statistics
| Statistic | Observed results* | Data source | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of Atlantic Canadian SMEs that are majority-owned by women, Indigenous peoples, youth, visible minorities and persons with disabilities | 18% women 2.5% Indigenous 10.8% youth 5.1% visible minorities 0.9% persons with disabilities |
Statistics Canada | Latest available data from 2023 *Preliminary data from StatsCan at time of drafting |
| Number of clients supported that are tagged to an under-represented group such as Indigenous peoples, women, youth, Black people and other racialized groups, and persons with disabilities | 11 | ACOA internal data | 2025–26 data |
| Number of projects supported that are tagged to an under-represented group such as Indigenous peoples, women, youth, Black people and other racialized groups, and persons with disabilities | 21 | ACOA internal data | 2025–26 data |
| Dollar value of ACOA expenditures tagged to an under-represented group such as Indigenous peoples, women, youth, Black people and other racialized groups, and persons with disabilities | $4.7 million | ACOA internal data | 2025–26 data |
*2024-25 or most recent
Supplementary information sources
Regional Economic Growth through Innovation – National Evaluation
ACOA Innovation Programming Evaluation Report 2020
GBA Plus data collection plan: In 2025–26, ACOA continued to enhance its internal administrative data collection system to capture microdata on GBA Plus elements to facilitate monitoring, analysis and reporting. The Agency also purchased custom data analyses from Statistics Canada to gain insight into client performance and the Atlantic Canadian economy with disaggregated data, where available. These additional data were further analyzed to help strengthen analysis and decision-making within the Agency. Efforts also continued to align GBA Plus data collection with other RDAs.
Program 5: Policy, Research and Engagement
Program goals: The Policy, Research and Engagement (PRE) program is central to identifying and effectively responding to opportunities and challenges facing the regional economy. It provides intelligence, analysis and well-grounded advice on a broad range of issues and topics and informs and supports ACOA and ministerial decision-making.
Target population: Atlantic Canadian research organizations
Distribution of benefits
| Distribution | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Third group: broadly gender-balanced |
| By income level | Third group: no significant distributional impacts |
| By age group | Second group: no significant intergenerational impacts or impacts on generations between youth and seniors |
Specific demographic group outcomes: ACOA’s PRE program provides intelligence, analysis and advice on a broad range of issues and topics for the Agency, with a focus on Atlantic Canada. This program, delivered mostly through the Atlantic Policy Research Initiative (APRI), is the primary funding instrument through which ACOA supports policy research by Atlantic Canadian research organizations.
Key program impacts on gender and diversity: This program generates and disseminates knowledge that enhances policy information, including gender-based and diversity considerations, accounting for regional economic opportunities and challenges. These activities support and influence the policy research priorities that affect the Atlantic region, particularly those directly related to economic development and its impact on under-represented groups. They also help establish and promote networks among stakeholders.
Key program impact statistics
| Statistic | Observed results* | Data source | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of Atlantic Canadian SMEs that are majority-owned by women, Indigenous peoples, youth, visible minorities and persons with disabilities | 18% women 2.5% Indigenous 10.8% youth 5.1% visible minorities 0.9% persons with disabilities |
Statistics Canada | Latest available data from 2023 *Preliminary from StatsCan at time of drafting |
| Number of clients supported that are tagged to an under-represented group such as Indigenous peoples, women, youth, Black people and other racialized groups, and persons with disabilities | 0 (any client) | ACOA internal data | 2025–26 data |
| Number of projects supported that are tagged to an under-represented group such as Indigenous peoples, women, youth, Black people and other racialized groups, and persons with disabilities | 0 (any project) | ACOA internal data | 2025–26 data |
| Dollar value of ACOA expenditures tagged to an under-represented group such as Indigenous peoples, women, youth, Black people and other racialized groups, and persons with disabilities | 0 (any expenditure) | ACOA internal data | 2025–26 data |
*2024-25 or most recent
Supplementary information sources: The following are examples of publications relevant to GBA Plus that were supported by the PRE program, mostly through APRI:
- Socioeconomic and Demographic Profiles of Immigrants in Atlantic Provinces – Atlantic Research Group on Economics of Immigration, Aging and Diversity at Saint Mary’s University, August 2026.
- Atlantic Canada – https://www.smu.ca/webfiles/FinalAtlanticCanadaReport2026.pdf
- New Brunswick – https://www.smu.ca/webfiles/FinalNBReport2026.pdf
- Newfoundland and Labrador – https://www.smu.ca/webfiles/FinalNLReport2026.pdf
- Nova Scotia – https://www.smu.ca/webfiles/FinalNSreport2026.pdf
- Prince Edward Island – https://www.smu.ca/webfiles/FinalPEIreport2026.pdf
- How Do Labour Shortages, Artificial Intelligence, and Trump Tariffs Affect Businesses and Immigrant Hiring in Atlantic Canada? – Memorial University, January 2026: https://www.mun.ca/jchair/publications-and-reports/reports/
- Academic and Socioeconomic Experiences of International Students in Atlantic Canada – Atlantic Research Group on Economics of Immigration, Aging and Diversity at Saint Mary’s University, 2024.
- Perspectives on Decolonizing Work-Readiness Programs for Urban Indigenous Youth – Mi’kmaq Native Friendship Centre, 2024.
- Diversity Review – Inclusion in Atlantic Canada – Atlantic Economic Council, 2024.
Note that PRE leveraged and disseminated a substantial research initiative on fostering Indigenous economic reconciliation and related opportunities that was supported under the REGI program.
GBA Plus data collection plan: In 2025–26, ACOA continued to enhance its internal administrative data collection system to capture microdata on GBA Plus elements to facilitate monitoring, analysis and reporting. The Agency also purchased custom data analyses from Statistics Canada to gain insights into client performance and the Atlantic Canadian economy with disaggregated data, where available. These additional data were further analyzed to help strengthen analysis and decision-making within the Agency. Efforts also continued to align GBA Plus data collection with other RDAs.
Program 6: Research and Development, and Commercialization
Program goals: ACOA plays an important role in ensuring that Atlantic Canada continues to maximize benefits from national research and development (R&D) programs and build on the momentum of rising business expenditures in R&D in the region. R&D and commercialization are fundamental to increasing the region’s competitiveness and to closing the productivity gap with the rest of the country. This is well aligned with the ACOA Act and its activities, including support for enterprises and other activities aimed at improving the business environment.
Target population: Atlantic Canadian SMEs, communities and organizations
Distribution of benefits
| Distribution | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | First group: predominantly men (80% or more) |
| By income level | Third group: no significant distributional impacts |
| By age group | Second group: no significant intergenerational impacts or impacts on generations between youth and seniors |
Specific demographic group outcomes: This program directly benefits Atlantic Canadians, notably SMEs, non-profit organizations and communities of all sizes, by supporting economic competitiveness and growth. It may disproportionately benefit men, as gender imbalances exist in SME ownership (68.9% men) across various sectors. This measure would indirectly benefit all Atlantic Canadians and workers, including underserved groups, through support for the regional economy and job markets.
Key program impacts on gender and diversity: A national evaluation of REGI, delivered by ACOA and the other RDAs, found that REGI aligns with EDI priorities and principles, and that participation of under-represented groups is encouraged. ACOA and other RDAs have strengthened capacity to collect, analyze, manage, monitor and report on gender- and demographic-related disaggregated data in relation to program applicants and recipients, and the RDAs jointly developed the inclusiveness section of intake forms.
Key program impact statistics
| Statistic | Observed results* | Data source | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of Atlantic Canadian SMEs that are majority-owned by women, Indigenous peoples, youth, visible minorities and persons with disabilities | 18% women 2.5% Indigenous 10.8% youth 5.1% visible minorities 0.9% persons with disabilities |
Statistics Canada | Latest available data from 2023 *Preliminary from StatsCan at time of drafting |
| Number of clients supported that are tagged to an under-represented group such as Indigenous peoples, women, youth, Black people and other racialized groups, and persons with disabilities | 7 | ACOA internal data | 2025–26 data |
| Number of projects supported that are tagged to an under-represented group such as Indigenous peoples, women, youth, Black people and other racialized groups, and persons with disabilities | 7 | ACOA internal data | 2025–26 data |
| Dollar value of ACOA expenditures tagged to an under-represented group such as Indigenous peoples, women, youth, Black people and other racialized groups, and persons with disabilities | $1.9 million | ACOA internal data | 2025–26 data |
*2024-25 or most recent
Supplementary information sources
Regional Economic Growth through Innovation – National Evaluation
GBA Plus data collection plan: In 2025–26, ACOA continued to enhance its internal administrative data collection system to capture microdata on GBA Plus elements to facilitate monitoring, analysis and reporting. The Agency also purchased custom data analyses from Statistics Canada to gain insights into client performance and the Atlantic Canadian economy with disaggregated data, where available. These additional data were further analyzed to help strengthen analysis and decision-making within the Agency. Efforts also continued to align GBA Plus data collection with other RDAs.
Program 7: Trade and Investment
Program goals: ACOA pursues trade and investment opportunities with a view to increasing the number of exporters and the volume of export sales, attracting foreign direct investment and supporting the commercialization of technology. ACOA also strives to build a foundation for long-term growth through global competitiveness thanks to its tourism work, primarily through the commercial and non-commercial elements of the Business Development Program. As an economic sector, tourism offers significant wealth- and job-creation opportunities for SMEs. This program is well aligned with the ACOA Act and the types of activities mandated under the act, which include support for enterprises and for business associations as well as other activities related to improving the business environment.
Target population: Atlantic Canadian SMEs, communities and organizations
Distribution of benefits
| Distribution | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | First group: predominantly men (80% or more) |
| By income level | Third group: no significant distributional impacts |
| By age group | Second group: no significant intergenerational impacts or impacts on generations between youth and seniors |
Specific demographic group outcomes: This program directly benefits Atlantic Canadians, notably SMEs, non-profit organizations and communities of all sizes, by supporting economic competitiveness and growth. It may disproportionately benefit men, as gender imbalances exist in SME ownership (68.9% men) across various sectors. This measure would indirectly benefit all Atlantic Canadians and workers through support for the regional economy and job markets.
Key program impacts on gender and diversity: A national evaluation of REGI, delivered by ACOA and the other RDAs, found that REGI aligns with EDI priorities and principles, and that participation of under-represented groups is encouraged. ACOA and other RDAs have strengthened capacity to collect, analyze, manage, monitor and report on gender- and demographic-related disaggregated data in relation to program applicants and recipients, and the RDAs jointly developed the inclusiveness section of intake forms.
An evaluation of the Business Growth and Trade and Investment programming at ACOA found that the Agency has taken positive steps toward strengthening inclusive growth as follows:
- During the period of the evaluation, ACOA invested $38.2 million in 172 Indigenous economic development projects, 110 since the Investing in Regional Innovation and Development framework target was established in 2017.
- Trade and Investment delivered targeted programs for women, most notably the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy and the Women in Business Initiative.
- The Agency’s participation in the Atlantic Immigration Program is an important step forward in immigration and in finding international workers who can help meet the needs of SMEs.
- ACOA offered targeted support for young business owners, primarily through a $7.3 million investment in the Youth Entrepreneur Development Initiative.
Key program impact statistics
| Statistic | Observed results* | Data source | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of Atlantic Canadian SMEs that are majority-owned by women, Indigenous peoples, youth, visible minorities and persons with disabilities | 18% women 2.5% Indigenous 10.8% youth 5.1% visible minorities 0.9% persons with disabilities |
Statistics Canada | Latest available data from 2023 *Preliminary from StatsCan at time of drafting |
| Number of clients supported that are tagged to an under-represented group such as Indigenous peoples, women, youth, Black people and other racialized groups, and persons with disabilities | 9 | ACOA internal data | 2025–26 data |
| Number of projects supported that are tagged to an under-represented group such as Indigenous peoples, women, youth, Black people and other racialized groups, and persons with disabilities | 14 | ACOA internal data | 2025–26 data |
| Dollar value of ACOA expenditures tagged to an under-represented group such as Indigenous peoples, women, youth, Black people and other racialized groups, and persons with disabilities | $972,821 | ACOA internal data | 2025–26 data |
*2024-25 or most recent
Supplementary information sources
Regional Economic Growth through Innovation – National Evaluation
ACOA Business Growth and Trade and Investment Programming Evaluation Report 2020
GBA Plus data collection plan: In 2025–26, ACOA continued to enhance its internal administrative data collection system to capture microdata on GBA Plus elements to facilitate monitoring, analysis and reporting. The Agency also purchased custom data analyses from Statistics Canada to gain insights into client performance and the Atlantic Canadian economy with disaggregated data, where available. These additional data were further analyzed to help strengthen analysis and decision-making within the Agency. Efforts also continued to align GBA Plus data collection with other RDAs.
Scales
Gender scale
- First group: predominantly men (80% or more men)
- Second group: 60% to 79% men
- Third group: broadly gender balanced
- Fourth group: 60% to 79% women
- Fifth group: predominantly women (80% or more women)
Income‑level scale
- First group: strongly benefits low‑income individuals (strongly progressive)
- Second group: somewhat benefits low‑income individuals (somewhat progressive)
- Third group: no significant distributional impacts
- Fourth group: somewhat benefits high‑income individuals (somewhat regressive)
- Fifth group: strongly benefits high‑income individuals (strongly regressive)
Age‑group scale
- First group: primarily benefits youth, children or future generations
- Second group: no significant intergenerational impacts or impacts on generations between youth and seniors
- Third group: primarily benefits seniors or the baby-boom generation