Reaching Atlantica - Business Without Boundaries

Atlantica is described as the geographic international trading corridor that runs from Buffalo, New York through the Northeastern United States to Atlantic Canada. Within this zone are 23 border crossings, 11 major truck gateways and 7 major rail gateways. This region is naturally tied together by similarities in geography, economic trends, trading patterns, common problems and experiences, and politics.

In 1867, Confederation’s new policies and international tariffs in Canada routed, then natural, North-South trading links in Atlantica towards an East-West corridor, shifting power to central Canada. For the next 100 years Atlantic Canadian’s struggled to feed a smaller central Canadian market while virtually cut off from a much larger and more immediate Northeastern US marketplace. Today, business and government leaders in Atlantica have recognized this travesty and have begun a dialogue to re-establish the Atlantica trade corridor to its once vibrant state. Reaching Atlantica will continue to move that dialogue forward.

Historically, this capital intensive, trade oriented region of Atlantica was an economic powerhouse. Trade was with Upper and Lower Canada, the United States, the Caribbean, Europe, Northern Africa and parts of Asia. With Confederation, the economic dynamic of our region changed dramatically and our capital, our human resources and our immigration flow was re-directed.

Reaching Atlantica’s goal is to find our way back to the formerly economically driven trade oriented region of Atlantica. This conference looks to renew the positioning of the northeast as the epi-centre of trade between the NAFTA partners and the European Union Members by:

Creating a network of like-minded business leaders from the Atlantic Provinces, southeastern Quebec and the US Northeast in the promotion of the Atlantica concept.
Fostering partnerships between businesses in this region.
Attending the yearly New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers Conference.
Networking with the Eastern Maine Development Corporation to promote the Atlantic Coast Trade Corridor.
Promoting growth of east coast port facilities as competitors in the global marketplace.
Promoting the development of an East-West interstate highway through the US Northeast to foster corridor options for Atlantica businesses.
Encouraging inter-provincial and international trade through the removal of barriers and harmonization of regulations.