ACOA 2020: exceptional support in an exceptional year

Share:

The COVID-19 global pandemic created challenges in 2020 unlike any in ACOA’s thirty-three years of working with entrepreneurs and business leaders to strengthen and diversify Atlantic Canada’s economy.

The Agency has been at the forefront of the Government of Canada’s COVID-19 economic response in Atlantic Canada, rolling out emergency relief programs on an unprecedented scale. ACOA also maintained the delivery of its regular suite of programs, building in flexibility and adjusting criteria to meet the changing needs of businesses as they dealt with the effects of the pandemic. As a result of COVID-19 relief measures, the Government of Canada has nearly doubled ACOA’s budget in 2020-21.

Today, the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and Minister responsible for ACOA, highlighted the impact of ACOA’s investments this year, which included a total investment of $397.1 million, supporting over 1,500 projects, creating and maintaining more than 19,000 jobs in Atlantic Canada. These investments are positioning Canada for a strong recovery, while supporting the government’s commitment to create over one million jobs, restoring employment to previous levels.