Is there anyone in the Atlantic region who has not heard of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) ? The Agency is a very dynamic organization which has entered into numerous fruitful partnerships with small and medium-sized businesses in this region of the country. The Agency delivers a whole range of programs aimed at meeting the needs of the Francophone and Acadian populations of the Atlantic provinces. It works with individual businesses as well as whole communities.

COOPERATION Program

Business Development Program

Community-based Economic Development Program

Partnership Success Stories

ACOA is also working very actively on the implementation of section 41.

ACOA funded a major study on Acadian entrepreneurship, and the study report will soon be available for consultation on-line. The following interesting findings were drawn from the report:

  • Acadian entrepreneurship is to a large extent a first-generation phenomenon as over half of all entrepreneurs come from wage-earning families. Only 4% of entrepreneurs inherited their first businesses - this is less than half the norm.
  • Women become entrepreneurs at a younger age than men and have less experience in business. Their businesses are smaller, but grow quickly.
  • The problem of personal collateral was not raised any more often by women than by men in Acadia.
  • In all four maritime provinces, the proportion of self-employed individuals is higher among Acadians than among Anglophones.
  • The Atlantic region is catching up with the rest of the country in the area of self-employment. Between 1986 and 1991, the number of self-employed workers in the region increased by 36%, compared with 13% for Canada as a whole.
  • One quarter of Atlantic businesses sell their products and services outside the region, while one eighth export them outside Canada.
  • Two-thirds of respondents indicated that the Acadian community does not fully appreciate its entrepreneurs. They pointed out that when businesses experienced problems, the community demonstrated a negative attitude, but when they were successful, they were warmly received. They also indicated that the community is still far too dependent on outside influences to solve local problems.