The Atlantic Momentum Initiative

About the project

Public Policy Forum in Atlantic Canada: A Regional Commitment 

The Public Policy Forum’s engagement with Atlantic Canada began in 2013 with the inaugural McKenna Awards. This interest deepened through participation in regional events and Action Canada’s study tours across the provinces. By 2017, conversations with local stakeholders sparked the idea of establishing a regional presence. 

In 2018, PPF partnered with Frank McKenna and TD Bank to launch the Frank McKenna Fund. The Fund was created to celebrate policy leadership in Atlantic Canada and to establish a dedicated regional office staffed by professionals living and working in the region. It also supported research and initiatives aligned with the Atlantic Growth Strategy, leveraging additional resources through the Atlantic Policy Research Initiative of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. 

Among its early contributions, the Fund helped lay the groundwork for the Atlantic Immigration Program by convening regional and national stakeholders to share best practices, develop policy recommendations, and foster pan-Atlantic collaboration. 

The McKenna Fund also enabled the creation of the Atlantic Momentum Initiative. In partnership with the Centre for the Study of Living Standards and advisors from all four Atlantic provinces, PPF developed the Atlantic Canada Momentum Index—a novel tool designed to measure economic progress by tracking movement over time rather than static comparisons. The first report was released in March 2023 and was widely credited with reshaping the narrative around Atlantic Canada. An updated version followed in October 2024, incorporating new indicators based on stakeholder feedback. 

Building on insights from the Momentum Index, PPF Atlantic has prioritized three key themes: expanding Atlantic trade, strengthening labour force development, and advancing energy and investment as drivers of economic growth. Numerous engagement events, research reports and policy memos have already been produced, with more planned over the next two years. 

This work would not be possible without the support of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and Frank McKenna Fund contributors: 

• TD Bank Group 
• Frank McKenna Private Giving Group 
• Margaret McCain 
• Gerry Pond 
• Oceans Capital Investment Ltd. 
• The Joyce Family Foundation 
• Joseph P. Shannon 
• Ptarmigan Foundation