ACOA's 2026-27 Departmental Plan: At a glance

In 2026–27, ACOA will bolster the resilience of Atlantic Canada to promote long-term economic growth in the region. The Agency will provide regionally tailored, client-centric and place-based assistance to SMEs, which accounted for 99.8% of all Atlantic businesses in June 2025^{Footnote 2} , and to communities in urban and rural areas, the latter of which have accounted for over 40% of ACOA’s projects and expenditures in recent years.

• Planned spending: $361,832,715
• Planned human resources: 359
• Departmental results:
  • Businesses are innovative and growing in Atlantic Canada
  • Businesses invest in the development and commercialization of innovative technologies in Atlantic Canada
  • Communities are economically diversified in Atlantic Canada

ACOA is a key driver of growth and investment built for dynamic times. It was born from a vision of a more productive Atlantic Canada where people get ahead. ACOA’s business clients are 18% more productive than their peers. Workers employed by client firms earn, on average, $36.90 an hour, well above the $28.20 earned by workers at non-client firms in the region. ACOA continues to deliver on the Government of Canada’s priorities, to build One Canadian Economy with strong Atlantic Canadian contributions domestically and globally, to boost business productivity and competitiveness, to diversify local economies, and to leverage regional strengths. This will support many of the Mandate Letter commitments, notably:

• Supporting Atlantic Canadian firms in expanding and diversifying their exports while advancing efforts to attract investment to the region. This will help strengthen our collaboration with reliable trading partners and allies around the world
• Boosting the production of manufactured homes in Atlantic Canada to make housing more affordable, and public-private co-operation contributing to a modern housing industry
• Building capability and capacity in Atlantic Canada’s defence cluster to help protect Canadian sovereignty and keep Canadians safe. It will also help develop and commercialize dual civilian-military technologies in a range of industries

By prioritizing productivity, competitiveness and diversification, supported by ACOA’s flexible programming and strong client relations, the Agency will help Atlantic Canadian SMEs, sectors and communities navigate economic insecurity, mitigate the impacts trade of disruptions, and secure long-term growth and competitiveness in the region. ACOA will also work with partners to support internal trade and help firms shift to Canadian suppliers, guided by ongoing advocacy and collaboration with other federal agencies and departments, the network of regional development agencies (RDAs) across Canada, the four provincial governments in Atlantic Canada as well as municipalities, Indigenous partners, non-profit organizations, industry associations and other stakeholders such as Community Business Development Corporations. ACOA will also work closely to support the Atlantic Economic Panel on the region’s economy, and will be informed by the panel’s goals for future and sustained economic growth. Finally, ACOA will continue to actively participate in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s activities to advance Canadian priorities related to regional development.

In support of Canada’s new Climate Competitiveness Strategy, the Agency will explore competitive advantages for growth and position industries for success as they transition to a cleaner economy. In October 2025, the Agency tabled its 2023–2027 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy – 2024–25 Report, which outlines its contributions to Canada’s sustainable development goals. The Agency’s activities will help drive Atlantic Canada’s economic diversification and low-carbon transition by accelerating the decarbonization of firms and supply chains, advancing clean technology developments in domestic and global markets, mobilizing capital for net-zero transition, and supporting the region’s immense clean energy opportunities.

The Agency will continue its strong focus on promoting long-term economic development in the region. Its Regional Economic Growth through Innovation program and Business Development Program will continue to focus on investments that drive economic growth. The Regional Tariff Response Initiative will support SMEs impacted by tariffs, strengthening the competitiveness of Canadian businesses by helping them boost productivity, cut costs, build more resilient supply chains and reach new markets. Other targeted initiatives such as the Regional Defence Investment Initiative and the Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative will help boost investment in businesses to elevate their products and services and attract greater investments to the Atlantic region in the defence and AI fields. The Agency will remain resolute in its promotion of the Atlantic region across the Government of Canada, including efforts to competitively position Atlantic Canadian firms for defence and Canadian Coast Guard procurement through Canada’s Industrial and Technological Benefits Policy. ACOA will support Indigenous economic reconciliation under its regular programming and delivery of the Northern Isolated Community Initiatives Fund in the Nunatsiavut region of northern Labrador to support food-related initiatives that diversify economic activity.

The Agency will improve productivity and efficiency in delivering its programs by integrating new technologies and AISDG into systems, programs and processes, while staying aligned with government priorities, regional needs and community-focused decision making. More information about Economic development in Atlantic Canada can be found in the full plan.

For complete information on ACOA’s total planned spending and human resources, read the Planned spending and human resources section of the full plan.