Atlantic Gateway’s strategic approach

MM&D MAGAZINE, MAY/JUNE 2011:

This spring, the federal government announced the Atlantic Gateway and Trade Corridor Strategy—designed to boost Atlantic Canada’s infrastructure and unlock its potential—along with $2.5 million to market the plan.

To date, over $200 million from the Gateways and Border Crossings Fund is earmarked for the region’s strategic trade-related transportation system.

It all comes as good news, says Jean-Marc Picard, executive director of the Moncton-based Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association. “The Gateway has been in place for a few years and last year there were a lot of uncertainties as to where it was going,” he says. “But when you hear that from the government it’s encouraging. The committees in place and the governments are really the drivers of the Gateway, we’re just users of the infrastructure that’s in place now.”

The strategy is a balance of immediate measures and longer-term directions. The Gateway extends beyond infrastructure to address policies, regulations and operational matters. The federal government says private-sector cooperation has been essential in identifying actions related to policy and regulatory measures, innovation and technology and skills development. It’s also helped define the Gateway’s value.

The federal and provincial governments consulted with the private sector in the Atlantic region, identifying marketing as a high priority.

The Atlantic Gateway is an air, rail,