All four Atlantic Provinces now boast properties that are specifically designated to help attract global investment to the region. The ‘Atlantic Canada Certified Sites’ program prequalifies commercial and industrial properties for sale and then promotes them to potential investors around the world.

The program was launched in the fall of 2020 and now each Atlantic Province has at least one property that has undergone a rigorous assessment and approval process that immediately makes it more attractive to outside investors and site selectors for development. Once a site is certified through this process, it is deemed suitable and ready for development and investment. 

“A certified site means faster turnaround times and quicker approvals so investors can make decisions on breaking ground and developing projects more efficiently,” said Neville Robinson, Atlantic Association of Community Business Development Corporations’ President. “All the information on things like utility and transportation infrastructure for the site, the environmental assessments are done. Site selectors have all the information they need. These properties are going to lead to economic growth in all the Atlantic Provinces by increasing new investments and creating new jobs.”

In New Brunswick, Atlantic Certified Sites have been approved in St. Stephen and Beresford. Kendall Kadatz is the president of Future St. Stephen, a community-based organization working to grow the economy of the Canada-U.S. border town.

“We are always looking for ways to find new businesses interested in locating in our region and having a Certified Site will help us do just that,” Kadatz said. “This will allow us to gain exposure not just in the region but in other national and global markets as well.”

The program also fits nicely with the province’s plan to grow the economy.

“Attracting private sector investment is a key economic priority for New Brunswick. Programs such as this one augment the value proposition that we present to investors around the world looking to make their move to New Brunswick,” said Opportunities NB CEO Sadie Perron.

As part of the program, certified sites are marketed with an advertising program in national and international markets, providing visibility to global investors and decision-makers. 

“Becoming an Atlantic Canada Certified Site provides potential investors with the data and property information they need,” said Robinson. “Also, we then help market it by bringing it to the attention of people around the world. It’s a win-win.” 

Robinson added that there are lots of reasons for investors to look to Atlantic Canada, and that the Atlantic Site Selection program will play a key role in bringing more investment to the region.

“We are quite literally in a worldwide competition to attract this investment and development. When investors come into a new jurisdiction, they don’t want to be bogged down in approval processes and red tape that could cause undue delays in getting work started. This program makes it easier to get things up and running, which is what investors and site selectors are looking for. It has worked extremely well in other jurisdictions that have gone this route. We’re confident it is going to work here as well.”

With five sites already receiving certification, several other properties throughout the region are undergoing the approval process. The key site categories of the Atlantic Canada Site Certification Program are a private landowner, a commercial site owner, or an industrial or municipal park property owner. More information is available at the Atlantic Canada Certified Sites website. Please click the link to certify your commercial property.

The Atlantic Certified Sites program was announced in 2020 and is delivered by the Atlantic Association of Community Business Development Corporations and supported by the Government of Canada and the four Atlantic Provinces through the Atlantic Trade and Investment Growth Agreement. 

For more information, please contact:
Joe Brennan
902-747-2232
Joe.brennan@cbdc.ca